Andie
Books, Coffee & Passion
Varsity Captain is Lucas' POV of the events in Varsity Heartbreaker, the first book in the Varsity series. I was intrigued by Lucas' perspective during the time I read the first book. I understood why it was important to get only June's POV during that book. But I wanted to know what was going on in Lucas' head and heart. That's the reason I was very excited when Varsity Captain was announced.
It was fantastic to be back in the Varsity series world. I absolutely love these characters. I enjoyed how Ginger Scott managed to write this story. Lucas' voice sounded very true to his character and I liked that it made me understand his actions and options better. It wasn't easy at the beginning of the book, but ultimately my heart broke for Lucas and what he was going through. His relationship with his parents was explored in this book. It definitely helped me understand why Lucas made the choice of cutting ties with June. I loved how he slowly started to confront his own choices and how he started to get closer to June while doing that. Lucas' character growth was beautifully written. I have to say there was one aspect that I still wanted more of in this book: Lucas and Tory's friendship. Tory is still my favorite character in the Varsity series and I wanted more Tory in Varsity Captain.
Overall, I enjoyed Varsity Captain a lot. It was a perfect complement to the Varsity series.
Books, Coffee & Passion
Mr. Smooth has left the building.
Fake relationship, friends-to-lovers in the Moo U world? Couldn't read Boyfriend fast enough!
Abbi is a hard-working college student, with two part-time jobs and a very hectic schedule. The hockey team has a regular table at the bar where she works as a waitress and that's where she meets Weston. She has a big crush on him but she never acted on it until Weston hangs a very interesting flyer on the bulletin board.
Weston is a focused hockey player, likes to keep his life fun and drama-free, doesn't do relationships and he's very upfront about it, hangs out a lot with his teammates at the bar where Abbi works and he's a great guy. He's very funny and easy-going and he avoids going home for Thanksgiving. That's why he puts up the “Rent a boyfriend for Thanksgiving” flyer.
At first, I was a little worried about Weston being a womanizer or something like that, but he wasn't like that at all during this book. I was surprised by how upfront he was about not wanting relationships and his reasons made perfect sense to me. He was so sweet, thoughtful and funny! Abbi was great too! Super hard-working, funny, sweet and strong. I loved them both! It was hilarious how Weston behaved at first with Abby, he was rambling and not his usual cool persona. So funny!
These two were amazing together! The chemistry was there from their very first interaction but the emotional connection was there very early on too. After meeting each other's families while fake dating, at the beginning of the book, they were so emotionally honest with each other which felt very refreshing. I enjoyed a lot how long angst their story was, even though it was unexpectedly emotional. The low drama just fit perfectly considering Abbi and Weston's personalities and I loved how natural their relationship progression felt.
Boyfriend was a cute, sweet, funny, entertaining and steamy read, with fantastic characters, so many funny moments and amazing chemistry. I loved it so much! It's now my favorite in the Moo U series and it can be read as a standalone. Highly recommend it.
TW: Sexual harassment and assault, death of a parent (past), grief
I liked the Beauty and the Beast aspect of this one. Miko was a great character, didn't really like Nessa much. It was entertaining, though.
It was better than the first book in this series, in my opinion.
The pacing was somewhat off, the first 50% were slow and then everything started happening at the same time.
Everything wrapped up a little too nicely at the end.
I had so much fun reading Battle Royal!
The slow burn was amazing, loved the grumpy-sunshine romance!
Sylvie and Dominic were amazing characters, the setting was fantastic too especially Sugar Fair, Sylvie's bakery. If Sugar Fair existed in real life, I would be there 24/7.
I was very invested in the baking competition show and Sylvie and Dom's dynamics as judges were hilarious.
The only thing that didn't quite work for me was the royal mystery/history. It felt over the top and I didn't care much about that.
Books, Coffee & Passion
Lily is a hard-working, very driven beauty YouTuber. She's struggling with her content and she's fighting hard to get more subscribers and fulfill her dreams: getting a palette in collaboration with a great brand and ultimately getting her makeup brand. She's willing to do everything she can, even collaborating with her high school frenemy: Tobin.
Tobin Bui is a very funny, creative, gamer YouTuber. One of his videos went viral and he's struggling with the pressure of posting funny content regularly. On top of that, his parents keep telling him he doesn't have a real job and he should go back to college. When Lily contacts him, out of the blue, and asks him to do a series of videos with her, he doesn't think it'll work. He thinks she'll probably kill him... but he ends up giving in.
I had so much fun while reading this book! I watch YouTube almost every day, mostly beauty and booktube channels and I also love gaming, so I was super excited about Lily and Tobin's romance. It starts slow, but as soon as Lily and Tobin start making videos together... their chemistry is off the charts! I loved these two together, their banter, the way they complement each other, their obvious attraction, they were so, so, so sweet together. I also enjoyed the representation, the details regarding a content creator's work and schedule, the importance of mental health, and how essential it is to stop and take a break.
The conflict, near the end, was a little predictable and I was a little disappointed in Lily's reaction. Not too much, though, considering it made sense for her to react that way, but Tobin was so sweet... I wanted her to react differently. Fortunately, Lily came to her senses very quickly and I loved how she chose to apologize.
Love, Comment, Subscribe was a fun read! It was sweet, cute, entertaining with unique, fantastic characters and steamy moments. A perfect slow burn, frenemies-to-lovers romance. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
My heart wasn't ready for this book. I loved it. So many important topics, great characters, great slow burn, amazing chemistry, funny banter, highly entertaining and so emotional.
A LOT was going on. An emotional roller-coaster.
Why it is a 4 star: I don't think we get enough time with Adrian and Vanessa together before the drama hits.
The Worst Best Man was a fun read! I enjoyed the banter between Lina and Max a lot. These two characters were great and I loved their character growth. I loved the moments with Lina's family too, there were so many hilarious moments. The romance was great with lots of chemistry and steamy moments, even though it was a slow burn. A super entertaining read!
This book was a surprise! I enjoyed it a lot, the plot was great and I was invested in it.
The love triangle was predictable and it was easy to guess who has who right from the beginning. But the plot surprised me a lot, the last few chapters were full of unexpected twists and it was so entertaining! Couldn't put this one down and I loved the very ending of it. I'm excited about the next book.
I love this one! It was so, so, so good! Loved the world, loved the characters, super entertaining, sweet, and charming read.
What I didn't like is the fact Morrigan was kept in the dark for way too long. It annoyed me at times.
Overall, a very solid, strong beginning for a series that I want to continue reading.
This one was another great slow-burn romance.
Jasmine was an amazing character, I loved her fierceness! It took me a little while to warm up to Ivan, but I was head over heels for him by the end of the book. I was obsessed with the ice skating world.
I wish we got more of Ivan and Jaz as a couple and I wanted more scenes in competitions too.
Overall, it was a very entertaining, emotional, sweet romance with two of the most stubborn and fierce characters ever.
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me is still my favorite MZ's romance, though.
2.5 stars
It was underwhelming to me. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it. The premise was unique. I found Jess annoying at first, however, I warmed up to her. The banter was good at times but it wasn't consistent. River was an interesting and likable character but his reaction, in the conflict near the end, was disappointing. The chemistry between Jess and River wasn't really there. I enjoyed the secondary characters and the sci-fi elements in it.
Books, Coffee & Passion
3.5 stars
Fake relationship. Single dad. Hockey romance. Faking it with #41 has it all. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one! Even though I haven't read the first two books in this series. The good news is that it can be read as a standalone. The bad news is that I want to read the first two books in the series, out of order, now.
Ford is a hot hockey player, he lives on the beach, has a huge chip on his shoulder, he's a trust fund kind of guy and he has a tough relationship with his father. He's wild and wants to live his best life, partying, one-night stands, etc. However, his life shifts after a one-night stand translate into an accidental pregnancy and then he's suddenly being a single dad.
Lena is smart, driven, and is great at her job. She values her independence and financial security and a steady job is very important to her. She's also attracted to Ford even though she doesn't exactly want to. Besides his player ways, he's also the son of her boss, so she knows she has to stay away from him.
Ford and Lena's chemistry was sizzling! Ford was always trying to get a rise out of Lena and Lena was trying hard not to forget Ford was a playboy. But with Ford in his new single dad role, Lena started to see him in a whole new light. Ford was an adorable dad, the moments with his daughter were cute and his character growth was very attached to that aspect of the story. Lena has a tough background, it wasn't easy for her to trust and I completely understood her fears and her motives. I enjoyed this two together but I had my doubts about Ford at first. It was fun to see how they couldn't resist each other, I loved how the tension between them kept building.
The attraction and the banter between these two were amazing on page. The story was entertaining and sweet, Lena's life story was very well done and I liked how Ford was changing through it all. There were a few funny moments regarding the fake relationship and I loved how Ford's teammates gave him a hard time. Lena was an amazing character and I loved her a lot. That's probably the reason it bothered me that Ford doubted himself at times because of his past. I can see why Lena would have her insecurities regarding Ford's past but I think she needed reassurance Ford didn't seem to handle that well at times. Don't get me wrong, there's a pivotal moment Ford faces his feelings and everything falls into place, but I wish those moments of self-doubt didn't exist in the story. There was enough drama already in my opinion. There was also a little bit of drama regarding another character that suddenly reappeared that, in my opinion, didn't need to happen.
Overall, Faking it with #41 was an entertaining, sweet, hot, sizzling romance.
Books, Coffee & Passion
Under the Whispering Door tackles a very heavy serious topic: death. Basically, there's death, grief, and what comes next unpacked in this story. Honestly, if I hadn't read The House in the Cerulean Sea and if this book wasn't written by TJ Klune, I don't know if I would read it considering the serious themes in it. But I'm so happy I didn't miss this one.
This story is a journey. Wallace's journey: alive, dead, and then to what comes next. I was hooked by the storytelling from the first page. Wallace was not a good person when he was alive and suddenly, very unexpectedly in his opinion, he is dead. He meets a reaper at his own funeral that takes him to the ferryman. The man who is going to help Wallace cross: Hugo. Hugo owns a tea shop in the middle of nowhere in the cutest house that remains intact defying gravity. The thing is... Wallace is not ready to abandon life and Hugo will help him through it, to get Wallace to where he needs to go.
TJ Klune is a master at creating amazing characters. The cast of characters in this book is fantastic. Wallace, the flawed lawyer that didn't care for anyone other than himself and his job; Hugo, the ferryman with a huge heart and anxiety; Mei, the funniest, in your face, loud Reaper; Nelson the most mischievous, hilarious character ever and Apollo the clumsiest, sweetest dog. I loved every single one of these characters. All of them were so different from each other and yet they fit together perfectly. Wallace's character growth while he was dead, the emotional journey, the connections he forges with other characters, how he falls in love with Hugo... everything was so well done. I couldn't stop reading it. The story was beautifully written, it's cozy and whimsical, sad and heartbreaking, funny and sweet, deep and emotional. I loved every second of it. The plot may be a little predictable but the journey is everything.
On a very personal level, as someone who doesn't deal well at all with death, loss, and grief, Under the Whispering Door will stay with me for a long time. A must-read.
Books, Coffee & Passion
Noah is a sexy, sweet, nerdy, computer genius that isn't exactly a member of the Bromance Book Club, but Mack is trying his best to recruit him at the beginning of the story. Alexis is a strong, bad-ass, selfless fighter. She's a survivor, she owns a coffee shop that became a safe place for women to share their stories if they want and she also hosts a yoga class to promote mental health and well-being.
Alexis and Noah are best friends, but they have feelings for each other. They are terrified of the Friend Zone, but they don't want to jeopardize the amazing friendship they have. They care deeply for each other and they're scared to risk it. Truly, a perfect friends-to-lovers setup.
These two were the sweetest couple! Both of them had family issues that left deep emotional scars. They had to tackle some stuff while they were trying to give their relationship a shot and things got very emotional. A lot was going on in Alexis' life, suddenly everything changed in her family life and she was struggling to understand what exactly happened between her parents in the past while trying to deal with a huge family drama. On top of that, she had another unpleasant situation regarding a nasty shop owner located across from her coffee shop. Noah, on the other hand, was dealing with some family demons that surprisingly were connected with the sudden family drama in Alexis' life. He also needed to address other issues concerning his family and he was constantly trying to dodge the guys in the Bromance Book Club. As if Mack would allow it! The Bromance Book Club guys were amazing as usual! Loved them all so much! Anyway, there was a lot going on in Noah and Alexis' lives, just as they were taking steps toward a relationship. The chemistry between these two was EVERYTHING. Their moments together were fantastic, emotional and beautiful. I was rooting so much for these characters! Alexis' cat provided several comic moments as well as the Russian and I enjoyed the comic relief.
I love Lyssa Kay Adams' books. I love her writing. I enjoy the way she makes us fall for every single one of her characters and love the way she includes, and develops, important topics in her books. It's no surprise I loved this one! That being said, I think this book tackled too many serious topics, that eventually distracted me a little from Noah and Alexis' romance. I wanted more time with these two and their group of friends and maybe that's why I felt this way. The first book in the Bromance Book Club series is still my favorite, but I enjoyed Crazy Stupid Bromance so much. Can't wait to read the next one!
Books, Coffee & Passion
Faith is the team, Washington Wolves, owner's daughter, and also director of her parents' foundation, Team Sutton. She has one rule: “No Dating Football Players”, she avoids them as much as she can even though she has to work with them in the foundation events.
Dominic is a talented football player known as “Walker the Wild”. He has a very aggressive style on the field and a complicated relationship with the press. But... he is also a very broody, hot, tattooed, troublemaker with a huge chip on his shoulder.
Dominic and Faith meet during Dominic's first day on the team. Let's just say his first day doesn't go that well, but when these two meet sparks are flying! I loved Dominic from chapter one. I knew he was so much more than what he showed and, let me tell you, this guy was unbelievably sweet.
I was rooting for them from the start, the connection between them was so intense. Even though these two had strong personalities and were both stubborn, the chemistry was so amazing they couldn't resist each other much longer. Their story was developed in an interesting way, almost an enemies-to-lovers, then something VERY significant happens and it changes to friends-to-lovers. I can't say much more because I don't want to spoil any detail in this story. Their journey, their friendship, their relationship was really swoon-worthy. They go from amazing chemistry to deep connection in a fantastic way. I loved it! Dominic was so sweet and so open with Faith, and Faith was such a strong, smart, generous character, I couldn't read this book fast enough.
However, I struggled with the conflict. I knew it was coming, I knew what was happening but I didn't want it. It was disappointing that it wasn't solved before that showdown. I wish it could've been handled differently.
Anyway, I loved this one, really enjoyed the writing, loved these characters and I'll definitely read more of Karla Sorensen's books. I recommend this book if you enjoy sports romance, grumpy-sunshine or friends-to-lovers romance.
3.5 stars
Super entertaining, really enjoyed it. Even though it was predictable, I was deeply immersed in the story and that's why I'm rounding this one up. Liked the writing and the characters... the banter was pretty good too and Thomas' antics around Audrey were really, really funny.
Really intrigued about the next book.
Fake relationship is one of my favorite tropes, it gives us so many FUN moments!
The Dating Plan was a really sweet, cute, quirky, entertaining and steamy romance.
I enjoyed Daisy's humor, her intelligence and her love for Marvel (very funny moments regarding her clothes...), her family was wonderful (specially her aunts, I loved them!) and I really liked how we got to see her growing into this confident, badass female CEO.
Liam was a bad boy, with a chip on his shoulder, with some heavy issues regarding his family. I enjoyed Liam's character but I never truly felt he was a bad boy...
I loved their chemistry, their steamy moments, their banter and their obvious connection. I also enjoyed how both of them needed to overcome some issues about themselves before they could deal with what they were really feeling for each other.
The downside was that Daisy's grudge lasted too long (it was 10 years ago...!) and there were a lot of things happening that kept taking the focus out of their romance to the point I felt they didn't had much time together on page, if that's make sense.
Anyway, I still enjoyed this one a lot.