Thursday 23 September 2021

[Review] ISN'T IT BROMANTIC? (Bromance Book Club, #4) by Lyssa Kay Adams


Source: Received an egalley from the publisher and also pre-ordered a paperback copy for myself.
Publisher: Berkley Books
Release Date: July 20, 2021
Number of Pages: 352 (Paperback)

DESCRIPTION

With his passion for romance novels, it was only a matter of time before Vlad took up the pen to write a novel the Bromance Book Club would swoon over.

Elena Konnikova has lived her entire adult life in the shadows. As the daughter of a Russian journalist who mysteriously disappeared after speaking out against government corruption, she escaped danger the only way she knew how. She agreed to marry her childhood friend, Vladimir, and move to the United States, where he is a professional hockey player in Nashville.

Vlad, aka The Russian, thought he could be content with his marriage of convenience. But after four years, it's become too difficult to continue in a one-sided relationship. He joined the Bromance Book Club to learn how to make his wife love him, but all he's learned is that he deserves more. He's ready to create his own sweeping romance--both on and off the page.

The Bros are unwilling to let Vlad forgo true love--and this time they're not operating solo. They join forces with Vlad's senior citizen neighbors, a group of meddling widows who call themselves The Loners. Just when things finally look promising, the danger from Elena's past life intrudes, and the book club will face their first-ever life-or-death grand gesture as they race to a happy ever after.


G E T   Y O U R   C O P Y   N O W !
Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Indigo | B&N

REVIEW

I've been a fan of the Bromance Book Club series right from the start, and I've definitely enjoyed the romance aspect, but my true favourite part of this series lies in the friendships and the bros book club. I absolutely LOVE seeing the boys discuss things, support each other, and just straight up learn to be better people! Add in the romance, and I'm one happy reader! Well under way now, I find myself loving this series more and more, and I absolutely loved ISN'T IT BROMANTIC?

I have to admit that poor Vlad wasn't the ideal romantic hero in my head based on the impressions I had of him from the previous books, but he's actually become one of my absolute favourite characters in this series as we’ve gotten to see more and more of him. He’s such a sweet, romantic soul and he really shined here! I loved getting to know him and Elena better, and I absolutely adored their story! Unsurprisingly, I also loved all of the bromance book club moments—the bros and their friendships truly get better with every book and they’re all so close and so supportive of each other now—I love it so much! I also loved that we got to see Elena gain some strong friendships in this one too!

Overall, I’ve been loving this series so far, and this is definitely my favourite out of them all! Highly recommend for anyone looking for a series with close-knit, supportive friendships where the male characters push for feminism and resist toxic masculinity. I, for one, find all of the moments with the bros to be an absolute delight!

Star Rating: ★★★★★



What do you think?
Have you started the Bromance Book Club yet?

Wednesday 22 September 2021

[Review FAKING IT WITH #41 (Hockey Hotties, #3) by Piper Rayne


Source: Received an egalley to participate in the blog tour,
and also pre-ordered a Kindle version.
Release Date: September 21, 2021

DESCRIPTION

Fake.

Being the heir to Jacobs Enterprises, I’ve been around fake people my entire life. I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn’t change for anyone. Which is the only reason I’m a professional hockey player who lives on the beach and does as he pleases without answering to anyone—except my father.

And now, my daughter.

Being a single dad wasn’t in the plan but after a one-night stand who took off after the baby was born, this is my reality.

My dad’s been harping on me to quit hockey and join the company for years and now that I’m a father, he’s only intensified his efforts. Until he makes me a deal I can’t refuse.

Insert Lena Boyd, the Jacobs’ family PR rep. She’s beautiful and intelligent and not at all the woman for me—ask anyone.

My dad needs us to act happily engaged and sell the idea that we’re in love. If we’re successful I won’t have to join the family legacy—ever. Of course, I agree.

That’s when things get complicated. I thought I had her all figured out until I found out there was more underneath her judgmental sneers and eye rolls. It feels like everything is coming together for the future I really want—with Lena—until my past ruins everything.



REVIEW

Piper and Rayne's Hockey Hotties series has been off to a great start, and I have to say that FAKING IT WITH #41 is my favourite so far! I absolutely loved it! I'm a sucker for the single dad trope, love a reformed ladies man, and also love sport romances, and the fake dating and the hate-to-love tropes, so this checked so many of my boxes! 
 
Along with being packed full of awesome tropes, I loved that we finally got to see Ford's story here! We've gotten to know him over the past two books in the series, and there's been so much build up for his story, so I wasn't sure what to expect really, but once I started, I was hooked! I loved that there were so many additional facets to his character and he and Lena were such a wonderful pair! Their banter, teasing, and back-and-forth both before and after their relationship began was so entertaining, and I loved every interaction that they had! I also loved Ford's humour, and I loved seeing both Ford and Lena open up to one another! Last, but certainly not least, I also absolutely adored all of the moments with Ford's daughter!!! She was adorable and I'm really looking forward to more moments where their little family pops up in future books later on! 
 
Overall, I thought that FAKING IT WITH #41 was fantastic! The story was entertaining, funny, sweet, steamy, and I didn't want to put it down! I loved the mix of tropes, seeing all the previous couples, and also the hints for future books...because in case you haven't heard, Piper and Rayne are expanding this series and we're now going to get even more Hockey Hotties books! I'm super excited to see this series continue, and I'd recommend this book and the other books in the series to contemporary romance fans who like steamy, sweet romances with amazing banter, and fantastic friend groups!

Star Rating: ★★★★★


ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two USA Today Bestselling authors for the price of one. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have "Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle" (okay...you caught us, that's our tagline). A little about us... We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We're both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We're both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.

Connect with Piper Rayne:


Join our newsletter and get 2 FREE BOOKS!
 - http://bit.ly/2tsNcpP 


Be one of our unicorns: http://bit.ly/2snaBtK

 
What do you think?
Does Faking It with #41 sound like something you'd like to read?

Tuesday 21 September 2021

[Release Day] FAKING IT WITH #41 (Hockey Hotties, #3) by Piper Rayne


 
Woo hoo! Today's the release day for the third book in Piper and Rayne's Hockey Hotties series, Faking It with #41!
 
Keep reading to see the full description, find the buy link, and see some awesome teasers! ;)


FAKING IT WITH #41
By Piper Rayne
Release Day: September 21Fake.

Being the heir to Jacobs Enterprises, I’ve been around fake people my entire life. I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn’t change for anyone. Which is the only reason I’m a professional hockey player who lives on the beach and does as he pleases without answering to anyone—except my father.

And now, my daughter.

Being a single dad wasn’t in the plan but after a one-night stand who took off after the baby was born, this is my reality.

My dad’s been harping on me to quit hockey and join the company for years and now that I’m a father, he’s only intensified his efforts. Until he makes me a deal I can’t refuse.

Insert Lena Boyd, the Jacobs’ family PR rep. She’s beautiful and intelligent and not at all the woman for me—ask anyone.

My dad needs us to act happily engaged and sell the idea that we’re in love. If we’re successful I won’t have to join the family legacy—ever. Of course, I agree.

That’s when things get complicated. I thought I had her all figured out until I found out there was more underneath her judgmental sneers and eye rolls. It feels like everything is coming together for the future I really want—with Lena—until my past ruins everything.


TEASERS

 (Tip: Ctrl + Click on any of them to see them in a new tab if you need bigger images.)









ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two USA Today Bestselling authors for the price of one. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have "Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle" (okay...you caught us, that's our tagline). A little about us... We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We're both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We're both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.

Connect with Piper Rayne:


Join our newsletter and get 2 FREE BOOKS!
 - http://bit.ly/2tsNcpP 


Be one of our unicorns: http://bit.ly/2snaBtK

Well, we've reached book three in Piper and Rayne's Hockey Hotties series, and I have to say that it's been off to a super great start! I'm so excited that they've now confirmed that they'll be continuing on with the series, too, because I can't wait to follow this team even longer and to see even more of the players!

 What do you think?
Does Faking It with #41 sound like a book you'd like?

Friday 17 September 2021

[Review] IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER (Bellinger Sisters, #1) by Tessa Bailey

 
Source: Received an egalley through Netgalley
and purchased a finished paperback.
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: July 13, 2021
Number of Pages: 397 (Paperback)

DESCRIPTION

Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar... in Washington.

Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face.

Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time. Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart. 

Tessa Bailey is back with a Schitt’s Creek-inspired rom-com about a Hollywood “It Girl” who is cut off from her wealthy family and exiled to a small Pacific Northwest beach town... where she butts heads with a surly, sexy local who thinks she doesn’t belong.


G E T   Y O U R   C O P Y   N O W !
Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Indigo | B&N

REVIEW

Wow…I went into IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER expecting to enjoy it because I loved the premise, love Schitt’s Creek, and already enjoy Tessa Bailey’s writing style, but this book blew me away! I loved it even more than I expected and seriously cannot wait for its sequel, HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER!

Brendan and Piper were absolutely amazing characters and I loved their dynamics, especially since I am a huge sucker for the grumpy and sunshine pairing…their chemistry was also undeniable and I loved the little inside jokes that they had throughout the book that would make me laugh even harder when they came up again. It was such a fun, laugh out loud, and also steamy read, and I already want to read it again. It also reminded me just how much I love a beefy, strong hero and a capable man is always attractive! Haha

Overall, I loved IT HAPPENED ON SUMMER! It was steamy, sweet, funny, and also seriously uplifting and heartwarming—the perfect rom-com to pick you up and make you laugh! I’d recommend it to fans of rom-coms that like their romances steamy, and if you also love the sunshine and grumpy pairing, hunky and strong heroes, and heroines with a lot of heart and perseverance than I think you’ll love this one, too!

Star Rating: ★★★★★


What do you think?
Does IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER sound like a book you'd like?
If you've read it, too, what did you think?

Thursday 16 September 2021

[Review] NEON GODS (Dark Olympus, #1) by Katee Robert

 

 Source: Received an egalley through Netgalley.
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: June 1, 2021
Number of Pages: 380 (Paperback)

DESCRIPTION

He was supposed to be a myth. But from the moment I crossed the River Styx and fell under his dark spell... he was, quite simply, mine.

Society darling Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start over far from the backstabbing politics of the Thirteen Houses. But all that’s ripped away when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus, the dangerous power behind their glittering city’s dark facade.

With no options left, Persephone flees to the forbidden undercity and makes a devil’s bargain with a man she once believed a myth... a man who awakens her to a world she never knew existed.

Hades has spent his life in the shadows, and he has no intention of stepping into the light. But when he finds that Persephone can offer a little slice of the revenge he’s spent years craving, it’s all the excuse he needs to help her—for a price. Yet every breathless night spent tangled together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he’ll go to war with Olympus itself to keep her close…

A modern retelling of Hades and Persephone that’s as sinful as it is sweet.


G E T   Y O U R   C O P Y   N O W !
Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Indigo | B&N

REVIEW

I’ve always been a fan of Hades and Persephone retellings and mythology retellings in general, but I’ve been loving them even more lately ever since I discovered the webtoon, Lore Olympus, so Neon Gods has been on my radar for quite a while and I’m so glad that I’ve finally picked it up!

I was definitely expecting this book to be steamy, and it sure was, but I have to admit that it was even sweeter and more romantic than I thought it would be…and I was super here for it. It could’ve definitely been a dark story that was solely about pleasure, but instead this was a story with a captivating romance, two characters that I couldn’t help but love, and world-building that has left me super intriguing and excited to see where the series will go next. I’m also excited to see what pairings will be explored in future books!

As for our main characters, I loved them so much! Persephone was absolutely hilarious and I loved how with Hades she was so free and just said what she wanted to say. She was fierce, kind, devoted to those she loved, and just so much fun, and Hades was quite possibly one of the sweetest cinnamon rolls I’ve ever met! He had an edge and wielded his reputation like a fine-tuned weapon, but around Persephone it was like he just melted and I loved that. Their relationship was hands-down my favourite part of this book. They supported each other so fully, brought out the best in one another, and just made each other so happy…I loved it so much!

Overall, I’d recommend this one to romance readers who like steamy reads, especially if you like a little bit of spice and if you like books inspired by mythology. 

Star Rating: ★★★★★


What do you think?
Does Neon Gods sound like something you'd enjoy?