Review

Review: After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M. Lopez (2022)

Heat Factor: How is Lopez so good at writing sex scenes that are emotionally kinda ugly but still so hot?

Character Chemistry: Boning → antagonism → cooperation → admiration → more boning, this time with feelings

Plot: Alex goes back to her hometown to take over the family bar, only to discover that her grandma is considering selling the bar to someone else. Also, there’s a scavenger hunt for some long-lost paperwork. And a ghost.

Overall: It prompted a lot of thinky thoughts, but the romance didn’t really hit for me.

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Recommended Read, Review

Review: The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian (2022)

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, Book #2

Heat Factor: We’ve got praise kink!

Character Chemistry: Sometimes two wrongs DO make a right

Plot: When Marian accidentally-on-purpose kills her husband, she goes on the run. And kidnaps Rob so he can aid and abet her. After all, he had been blackmailing her, and who could better help her escape the law than a criminal?

Overall: I love me a good highwayman roadtrip book!

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Review

Review: Angling for You by Adele Buck (2022)

All for You, Book 1

Heat Factor: Respect is sexy, especially in bed.

Character Chemistry: They just really like each other.

Plot: Sam always stands on her own feet. When she meets Graham, she realizes that being self-sufficient is kinda lonely, and that maybe she’ll be ok if she lets others help her sometimes.

Overall: Sometimes you just want a gentle, calm book, and this fits the bill. Plus, I learned more than I ever thought I’d know about fly fishing!

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Dueling Review

Dueling Review: Wish Out of Water by Holley Trent (2022)

Hooked, Book #1

Holly’s Take

Heat Factor: The two sex scenes are pretty detailed, but there are only two of them

Character Chemistry: Her magic doesn’t suck his happiness away. It’s fate!

Plot: Cooper doesn’t want to be king, so he asks Brook to do a marriage of convenience with him. Apparently marrying an American means he automatically abdicates. (???) Plot twist: Brook is a mermaid and discovers she’s the real heir to the throne.

Overall: The pacing was off…it was like: solid start, slow, slow, slow, INTRIGUE!, denouement.

Ingrid’s Take

Heat Factor: It had moments of heat but was largely pretty mild.

Character Chemistry: They’re fated mates and I guess fated rulers.

Plot: He’s supposed to be king. She’s supposed to be a human nobody. But actually she’s a mermaid with royal lineage and it’s enough to throw everything into chaos.

Overall: It feels like a very long start to something and that didn’t actually develop into its cohesive, finished result.

Erin’s Take

Heat Factor: There’s a bit of dissonance between the perfection of their coming together and, like, everything else about their relationship. 

Character Chemistry: They’re basically fated mates.

Plot: She’s a nobody, except she just has no idea that she’s not a nobody, and he’s a bastard prince who grew up outside the kingdom but is somehow inheriting the throne because of Reasons, which she is supposed to fix but doesn’t.

Overall: I was extremely confused. Also this relationship contains most of the “I’m leaving now” drama that I actively dislike.

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Recommended Read, Review

Review: A Lady’s Lesson in Scandal by Meredith Duran (2011)

Thank you to Kay of Miss Bates Reads Romance for the recommendation! 

Heat Factor: A few open-door scenes where the focus is more on the emotions than the moving pieces.

Character Chemistry: They have some serious trust issues, but that’s the whole point. 

Plot: Guttersnipe + Rake in a Marriage of Convenience 

Overall: The emotional beats in this book are PERFECTION.

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