Heroine – Business owner, esp. started her own business
Lovelight, Book #1
Heat Factor: It’s not not sexy, but the vibe was definitely in keeping with the cover art
Character Chemistry: Stella and Luca have been in love for NINE YEARS but refuse to a) admit it and b) do anything about it
Plot: Thirty-year-old woman is incompetent at both entrepreneurship and love, figures out how to do both during the course of this book
Overall: I was not a great audience for this book, but there are many people who will totally love it
Once Upon a Time in Texas, Book #1
Heat Factor: I found the sexting shockingly effective
Character Chemistry: Maggie is in lust with the Big Bad Wolf, and moving from animosity to friendship to love with Travis. Except they’re the same man—and she doesn’t know it.
Plot: Maggie and Travis have mindblowing, slightly kinky sex as anonymous strangers at a costume party. And then Travis discovers that they’re neighbors slash she thinks he’s destroying her business. Too bad the sexting is so fun.
Overall: There were a few rough patches at the beginning, but I ended up really enjoying it.
Heat Factor: I’d definitely say it borders on a slow burn IF you don’t take the sexting into consideration.
Character Chemistry: There are a lot of relationships going on and they all had pretty good chemistry. Maggie and Travis seemed to sync really well.
Plot: Maggie and Travis hook up in disguise at a costume party—Travis knows Maggie’s identity, but Maggie is in the dark. When they end up at odds as neighbors and work competitors, they end up finding a deeper connection.
Overall: It was a cute cowboy-to-be book that felt realistically small-town.
Heat Factor: It starts early and doesn’t really slow down if you count all the sexting, but I wanted the story to get on with it because all the character interactions were more fun
Character Chemistry: I was more invested in the all the dynamics of the small town characters than in the romantic relationship between Maggie and Travis
Plot: business competitors, antagonistic anonymous neighbors, anonymous hookup, forced to work the same contract, sexting deception, custody battles, and liens
Overall: If we hadn’t agreed to buddy read it, I probably would have DNFed by 25% simply for all the gender essentialism, BUT I think it was maybe Trying To Do Something, and, as Holly said, it turned out pretty cute in the end.
Heat Factor: There’s no whoopie and there’s actually very little overt sexual tension but somehow I am still TOTALLY invested in this book.
Character Chemistry: They’re meant to be, and it’s adorable. Think “13 Going on 30” meets “Failure to Launch” with a hint of “Bridget Jones’ Diary”
Plot: Dylan and Alyssa were BEST friends growing up, until Alyssa confesses her love for Dylan and ghosts him overnight in embarrassment. When she and her two friends create a side business for nudging reluctant partners in the “right” direction for their clients, Dylan ends up being the job…only Alyssa doesn’t think he needs any fixing. At all.
Overall: This one might be a tiny bit smut adjacent, but it’s AMAZING and I’m completely obsessed with it.
Rebel by Night, Book #1
Heat Factor: High high heat. He loves her quim and worships it accordingly.
Character Chemistry: Two lonely people take care of each other.
Plot: Cress hires a highwayman to break her idiot brother out of prison.
Overall: Propulsive adventure that needed another round of editing.
Heat Factor: Sex, then denying it has any meaning.
Character Chemistry: They have alllllll the feelings.
Plot: Amy keeps making decisions for everyone else.
Overall: Look, this is a sexy, bi-awakening, f-f chef story. How could I not love it?
The Smut Report 