Review

Review: Heartstopper: Volume 3 by Alice Oseman (2020)

Heartstopper, #3

Reviews of Heartstopper #1 and #2

Heat Factor: Sleepovers are now forbidden at Charlie’s house, but they do go on a field trip to Paris… (and talk about how they’re not ready yet)

Character Chemistry: Silly teenager flirting

Plot: Acknowledging oneself is one kind of scary, but coming out is a whole other kind

Overall: The sweetness remains! But there’s also a lot of giggling.

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Recommended Read, Review

Review: Proper Scoundrels by Allie Therin (2021)

Heat Factor: Well hello, on page sex, I did not expect to see you here

Character Chemistry: Uh, grumpy cynic is soft for tortured cinnamon roll. YES PLEASE

Plot: The relics are BACK! With an aura-sucking vampire paranormal, a rude English Viscount who finds himself in the middle of a situation he knows nothing about, and a Puerto Rican nullification magic paranormal who has an overdeveloped sense of responsibility and a tragic past

Overall: I am so delighted I might go back and read Magic in Manhattan all over again so I can get some more vibes

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Recommended Read, Review

Review: The Brightest Star in Paris by Diana Biller (2021)

Sequel to The Widow of Rose House

Heat Factor: There’s a flame, but it’s more docile wood stove than raging inferno. 

Character Chemistry: They really like each other, but are holding back. 

Plot: Amelie has made a safe life for herself and her younger sister—and then Benedict comes back to Paris after twelve years away.

Overall: I really liked this book. A lot.

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Dueling Review, Recommended Read

Dueling Review: Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase (1995)

This month, as part of talking about morality chain romances, we all read Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. It comes up frequently as a “canon” romance, but none of us had read it before. Spoiler alert: we all really liked it.

Scoundrels, Book #3

Let’s start by each giving our metrics for the book:

Holly

Heat Factor: Purple prose alert!

Character Chemistry: Sarcasm abounds. Also, she tells him that he’s sensitive and he’s baffled but she’s not wrong. 

Plot: Jessica must rescue her brother from the clutches of the Marquess of Dain. He compromises her. She shoots him. They get married. 

Overall: ZOMG. The plot gets a little saggy towards the end, but I still had a blast.

Erin

Heat Factor: Kissing in the RAIN! 💕 But yeah, standard histrom fare albeit on the steamy side

Character Chemistry: She’s competent AF and he’s a man baby, and they’re both super besotted, so it’s pretty excellent, in fact

Plot: antagonists → spouses → exasperated (Jessica)/emotionally constipated (Dain) → lovers

Overall: Bottom line, this is simply a very fun read

Ingrid

Heat Factor: Oh, my.

Character Chemistry: Had Dain been with any other woman, I would have hated it…but since he was with Jess…swoon.

Plot: Dain is fully committed to a life of debauchery when he meets Jessica, who is a spinster and really doesn’t have any time for his nonsense unless he’s got her pressed up against a wall. Once he ruins her and refuses to do the right thing, she shoots him, they negotiate, and they’re pretty much in a bout of emotional fencing until the book ends.

Overall: Obsessed.

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