Genevieve

The story follows Faith and Rome, two teens who are madly in love despite everyone around them doubting their relationship. A tragic event ends things between them, and they go their separate ways. Fast forward 15 years, Faith is a divorced single mom returning home for the holidays, and Rome never left. The past still weighs heavily on her, especially when she unexpectedly runs into him. They reconnect, and all those old, lingering feelings rush right back.

This was my first Christmas romance ever, and honestly, I’m kinda disappointed. I wanted more Christmas magic, candy canes, hot chocolate, Hallmark level holiday vibes. The beginning definitely grabs your attention, but the cozy Christmas spirit wasn’t there.

Ashton, Faith’s ex-husband, absolutely infuriated me. Rome irritated me so much that even his audiobook voice had me rolling my eyes. And their intimate scenes were so cringey.

I kept wanting more chemistry and deeper emotional moments between them. There were scenes I liked, but their connection didn’t feel consistently strong. I did enjoy the family moments and the warmth toward the end, but I didn’t love how quickly they “resolved” their past. It felt like they skipped over a major tragedy with a quick apology and just…fell back in love. I didn’t buy it ain’t no way!

Overall, the book was okay for what it was. I just wanted more.

3.75⭐️ This one wasn’t my fave in the Skyland series, but Kennedy Ryan always knows how to make you get up all in your feelings. I love how she pulls real life into her romances, and the storyline with her mom’s Alzheimer’s… omg. So tender and written with so much care.

But honestly? Something just felt a little off for me. Hen has never been my favorite girl out of the three, and I kept waiting for that extra spark. And Mav being a billionaire… yeah, that trope just isn’t my thing. I would’ve loved him more as a regular guy.

Still had some beautiful, emotional moments though, just didn’t grab me the way the others in the series did.

This was my first read by Robbie Renee, and I was not disappointed. The cover of this book is absolutely stunning!! This is a second chance, friends to lovers, slow burn romance with a decent amount of spice.

The story follows Summer Knight and Echo Abara two teenagers from the Midwest, who meet at camp, become inseparable best friends, have this undeniable chemistry, and fall for each other real fast.

This book gave me all the throwback feelings. First love butterflies, believing in soulmates, and that comforting reminder that if it’s meant to be, it’ll be.

I immerse read with the audio and physical book. I definitely preferred the female narrator, but even though the male narrator wasn’t my fave, I was able to get used to him after a while.

The real life situations in this book make the story so relatable. The book moves between past and present POVs. You go through the pain, the heartbreak, the growth, and the tough decisions with them. The passion and the love between all the characters feel so real.

This kind of gave me that The Notebook movie style romance. It was dramatic, emotional, and had that can’t let go kind of love, and I loved it.

This book… omg. It was surprisingly better than I expected. I went in expecting one thing and ended up knee deep in family secrets, generational chaos, and inherited family drama.

The women of the Falodun family gave me a story full of deep rooted trauma, gentle love, quiet hurt, and burdens they should’ve never been asked to carry.

Oyinkan Braithwaite wrote these characters like she pulled them from real life. You know these people. You’ve met a “her,” you’ve argued with a “him,” you’ve seen this family dynamic play out somewhere before.

The whole time I was reading, I kept thinking about what it means to inherit things you never asked for. Things like patterns, wounds, expectations, and how draining it is to undo damage that existed before you even got here. Some parts were chaotic, and some had me so irritated, But every single bit of it felt real.

This is the second book by this author that I’ve tried, and honestly… whew. When I jumped back into reading last year, I picked up Seven Days in June and ended up DNF’ing it. I figured I’d give her another fair shot with this one. I DNF’d again, but pushed through and finished it just to see if things would turn around. They did not.

I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters. Nothing about the story grabbed me or made me want to keep going. And some of the plot choices? Yeah… instantly falling in love with a stranger, buying a nude photo of someone you don’t know, and then the whole piano humping situation, absolutely not for me.

I’m still planning to go back and try to finish Seven Days in June just to figure out whether it’s truly me… or if her writing style just doesn’t work for me. But this one? Definitely a miss.

We Refuse is one of those books you just have to pick up. I’m honestly so glad my husband found it, and even more glad he talked me into reading it with him. A solid couple read for sure.

This book introduced me to so many incredible people I either never learned about or only heard a little about. People like, Elizabeth Freeman (who literally sued for her freedom and won!), Solitude, Crispus Attucks, Carrie Johnson, and so many more whose stories deserve the spotlight.

This is the kind of book you slow down for. You sit with it. You let it teach you. And having the author narrate the audiobook made it feel even more personal, especially with sharing her own family history.

There are countless standout lines in this book, but this one made me stop and think: “We are the children of those who refused to die.”

When you actually stop and think about it…the deeper it kind of punches you in the chest.

If you’re looking for something powerful, unforgettable, and full of history this is it.

I’ve read two of Shanora Williams’ thrillers and LOVED them, so I figured it was time to try one of her romance books. I’ve been wanting to read Beautiful Broken Love for a while now. I read the physical book while listening to the audio, and honestly, the narrator was just okay. The voice didn’t quite match how I pictured the character so it threw me off a little bit.

The grief in this story, was just so beautiful done. I really felt their hurt and the heaviness they were carrying, very emotional and beautifully done.

This book is spicy. Like, overwhelmingly spicy in my opinion, that it kind of took away from the story. I kept wishing for a little more emotional connection between the two main characters to balance all that heat.

Overall, still enjoyed it! Just not as much as I enjoyed her thrillers.

First, a huge thank you to Nina Stewart for the ARC! Sweet Potato Kisses is a cozy little novella packed with Friendsgiving holiday romance and fall vibes. I actually came across this book on TikTok and immediately said, “Yep, this is EXACTLY what I’ve been searching for!”, Black love, fall vibes and holiday warmth all wrapped together. And Nina Stewart brings it all together so well.

We follow Brandy, Sullivan, and their super close college friend group as they reunite for Thanksgiving. Brandy is going through it after her fiancé of three years, Dante, suddenly calls things off. Then Sullivan pops back into the picture, her old college friend and longtime crush who’s now a famous author, and home for the first time in years. The moment these two see each other again sparks fly. And just when things start feeling right, Dante pops back up wanting a second chance.

This novella moves fast but still gives you that soft, slow burn friends to lovers feel. It’s got classic Hallmark movie romance vibes, small town fall charm, and characters that feel so real. Sweet Potato Kisses gave me exactly the cozy holiday read I’ve been waiting for, and I honestly can’t wait for the sequel.

If you’re looking for a heartfelt, no spice, feel good holiday romance with relatable characters and all the holiday love, this one’s for you.