Representation
Heat Factor: These teenage college first years get up to stuff, but the door is firmly closed.
Character Chemistry: Layered and complex, with a mutual forbidden desire and a rivalry for the top spot in the NHL draft
Plot: Mickey’s difficulty acknowledging his mental health struggles makes all of the burdens of his own and others’ expectations for him much, much heavier.
Overall: This book made me cry.
Winner Bakes All, Book #2
Review of Winner Bakes All, Book #1
Heat Factor: Tariq is waiting for marriage, and we’re going to respect that decision
Character Chemistry: They’ve got a cute grumpy-sunshine thing going on—when Paris can get out of his head
Plot: Paris and Tariq are both competing on Bake Expectations, and the internet casts Paris as the season’s villain.
Overall: Was this a difficult book for me to read? Yup, it sure was. Did I bad decision book club it anyway? Yup, I sure did.
Heat Factor: They get hot and heavy (and naked) and then it fades to black
Character Chemistry: I recommend therapy. Probably separately and together.
Plot: Mia and Noah have been best friends secretly pining forever, but when she has to choose between leaving her job to pursue her dream or staying to keep her insurance, Noah solves the problem by proposing a marriage of convenience
Overall: I cannot describe the level of rage I felt every time the “we’re committing insurance fraud” plotline came up
Cider Bar Sisters, Book #5
Review of the rest of the (excellent) Cider Bar Sisters series: Book #1, Book #2, Bonus Novella #2.5, Book #3, Book #4
Heat Factor: Things go from steamy to simmering to scorching.
Character Chemistry: I mean, they’re not fated mates but they’re so well-suited for each other that it pretty much feels like they are.
Plot: Rose meets what was supposed to be a one night stand, who turns into a potential BIG DEAL, only to have him ghost her…and then show up as her new roommate. WHAT.
Overall: This book is a sticky one. As in, it’s going to stick in my heart for a while, because it was so, so charming and lovely.
Heat Factor: Gentle, encouraging, exploratory, emotional
Character Chemistry: They have big hug energy to offer each other, even though they both think they shouldn’t ask for it themselves
Plot: Boarding school besties Robert and David both come out of WWI with scars both physical and mental, and find their way back to themselves with each other
Overall: My heart is so full and so wrecked
The Smut Report 