Sara Machado
This book is the second installment of “A chance of a lifetime series” and follows Zoe story after winning the lottery. Despite being part of a series it can be read as a standalone novel.
Zoe is an intelligent, ambitious and successful lawyer who used to work on a large firm, not always defending the good side. After receiving the money, Zoe quits her job and starts searching for what will give her a sense of accomplishment, being forgiveness a huge part of it.
This book was much heavier than the first one of the series. I enjoyed both main characters, how they worked on their problems and how their relationship ended developing. As the relationship starts with something close to hate, I would have liked to see more of the good parts between the couple. Most of the time I've felt that Aiden was being a jerk (even with his POV) and when they started enjoying each other company I've felt heir relationship was more physical than what the author intended.
Good follow up on the series
Kit and two friends won the lottery together and each one of them plans to change something in their lives.
This book follows Kit' story: She is an intelligent and accomplished engineer, quite risk averse due to the instability of her family during her formative years.
Kit loves her job, the life she built for herself and her found family. She decides to keep working and buys an old house that needs a lot of fixing up.
Everything in her life is going perfectly until she meets a Ben, who is in the town to help his father, who is recovering from an injury, and recruit her to the corporate world.
I really enjoy Kate's writing, how she includes serious issues on her romances and how her character's work on themselves. This was a great read excluding the miscommunication bit in the end.
Viv is an Orc who wants to retire her sword and live a regular life as owner of a coffeehouse. She follows
This is indeed high fantasy with low stakes as nothing much happens in the book. I've found the story entertaining but quite obvious.
The characters are interesting and I liked them all, particularly the supporting ones but, unfortunately, albeit a fun read, i don't think it was worth the hype.
Recommended if you want a light and comfy story in a fantasy world.
I loved the Roughest draft and due to that I was really excited for this release. Unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations. This book follows the story of Eliza and Graham, a married couple who is experiencing some troubles in their marriage. Graham parents offered the lucky couple a week on the nuptial suit of a luxury hotel for the celebration of their 5th anniversary (where can I find in laws like this?).By mistake, the hotel ends up booking 2 rooms and Eliza decides that staying in separate rooms is the best way for them to work on their marriage, rather than both of them using the isolated and gorgeous room with a private jacuzzi. Fortunately, the authors explain the making of this decision several times, from both perspectives. I, however, was not convinced of its reasonableness throughout the book.Eliza and Graham end up being introduced at the bar and instead of admitting they are husband and wife, they pretend to be strangers. Eliza decides pretending to be strangers for the whole week would be the ideal way to solve their marriage crises. I can see pretending to be someone else serving the purpose of spicing up the marriage but never to solve its problems. Either you love the person you are with or you don't. Especially considering that Graham is an insecure guy that believes his not enough of anything for his wife. Obviously, showing she enjoys his fake persona would increase his insecurities. They are together for 7 years and married for 5... Eliza should know her husband enough to understand how terrible this idea is. The lack of communication in this story is tremendous which made me not believe in this couple at all. I spent the whole book thinking Graham deserve someone better than Eliza.This was a fast read and I must admit it is well written, I just disliked the whole plot. If you want to read a romance about solving a marriage in crisis I recommend [b:Ever After Always 60742317 Ever After Always (Bergman Brothers) Chloe Liese https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1648991146l/60742317.SY75.jpg 86762476] by [a:Chloe Liese 18859163 Chloe Liese https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1642640407p2/18859163.jpg]. For second chance after divorce read [b:Before I Let Go 60568471 Before I Let Go (Skyland, #1) Kennedy Ryan https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663130429l/60568471.SY75.jpg 95463085] by [a:Kennedy Ryan 7429243 Kennedy Ryan https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1599576804p2/7429243.jpg].
This was such a delightful read! Tom seems to be a really fun and nice guy.
I obviously loved to read about the actors and the life on Harry Potter movie's set but also about the other bits in his life, his family and, especially, his struggle with mental health.
Thank you for showing us the beautiful and ugly parts of your life.
I would like to thank Boldwood books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows the story of Alice, who suffered a car accident and forgot her last two years of life. Unfortunately, those were also the years when she fell in love and started living with her brother's best friend Callum.
What I liked about the book:
- the premise is not new but the the story was really sweet and I was rooting for both characters HEA.
- Callum was the sweetest. It was touching to see his love for Alice and see all his efforts to reenact their ten dates to make Alice fall back in love with him.
- It was interesting to read both perspectives and see how they were both dealing with the loss.
What I think it could have been done better:
- The characters could have been a bit more developed.
- Alice insecurities in the end of the book felt a bit forced. She loved Callum since they were kids, it didn't make much sense to attribute her feelings and desires to the accident. I also didn't consider very realistic to just quit if all the pieces didn't fit together after the dates. Their lives were too e intertwined to do that and just move on.
- This story deserved an epilogue for us to have a glimpse of their life in the future.
Overall a very entertaining and sweet story. Recommend for contemporary romance readers.
As the first book in the series, I don't know how to comment what I've just read. I think if you enjoyed the first book you will like this one as well.
It is definitely a soap opera with a lot of unreal things happening but I was thoroughly entertained, which was the purpose of this reading.
I would have preferred a shorter book, there is absolutely no need to have contemporary romances of 600 pages.
Open water is Nelson's acclaimed debut novel. I was lucky to receive the ARC of his second book, which I absolutely loved, and, due to that, I think my expectations might have been a bit too high.
This is a great book, Nelson's lyrical prose is beautiful and I definitely recommend its reading. However, the story didn't touch me as much as I was expecting.
It is a beautiful love story but, underneath the beautiful, and sometimes purple writing, I've felt the characters weren't truly developed. Additionally, I think the important issues mentioned in the book were raised too further ahead in the story, and the ending left me feeling unfulfilled.
Despite the 3 stars, I absolutely recommend Nelson's books. I think he is brilliant and can't wait to read more from him and seeing him grow as a writer. This was a great debut!
Dearest, deepest Blue— At the end as at the start, and through all the in- betweens, I love you.
Time travel always gets my head in a knot.
I was expecting more from the worldbuilding but once you let go and just focus on red and blue relationship the book becomes very good.
Recommended for sci-fi and romance fans.
This was the debut novel of Falon Ballard and I really liked it until the 90% mark, when all hell breaks loose for the final conflict. I'm still willing to forgive the conflict and give it 4 stars.
This book follows to characters dealing with their traumas: Sadie trying to overcome an abusive childhood and Jack, grieving his loving parents deaths.
Sadie and Jack met by accident but end up helping each other finding their way through life. The tension between them is off the charts and I enjoyed reading their romance.
We only get to read Sadie POV but Jack was definitely my favorite character of the story and I wish the author had included more about the work he was doing to deal with his grief and become the person he wanted to be for Sadie.
I would like to thank Knopf and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very difficult book to read, and it is a difficult review to write. I considered DNF the book since the beginning because I was just finding it too heavy for me.
I was expecting something a bit different, closer to a thriller than to what it ended to be. However, as I kept thinking I would just stop reading it, I could not. I was hooked with the twins' stories, their friends and, despite knowing what was going to happen, I still wanted to see how it would happen.
Tiffany McDaniel writing was beautiful, even if unrelated with the way these twins and other characters would speak, and the end was absolutely brilliant.
This book is a heavy reading and not for everyone, but if you feel you can handle the trigger warnings, go for it. Read it slowly, make breaks if it becomes too much, DNF if needed, go until the end when you are ready.
TW: drugs, substance abuse, prostitution, paedophilia, death of family members, death of friends, violence, extreme poverty
Being a little sick and having ended up spending 9 hours in the hospital, mostly to be attended and diagnosed, I needed a light book, that I would be able to read while with fever, and that would help me pass the time.
Just my type was a very wise choice. When done well, second chance novels end up being my favorite because we see a more significant growth in the characters and more believable problems.
I've found the FMC a bit annoying but it does get better while the story develops since she is invested in her personal growth. MC was really nice and their HEA made perfect sense.
This book has a lot of miscommunication but, somehow, it is quite tolerable.
Recommended for contemporary romance fans
Happy publication day!
Between Us was a very interesting read about friendship, family, love, toxic relationships, gaslighting, betrayal and infidelity.
The writing was immersive and the characters were relatable. The dialogues and interactions were credible and the story had a lot more depth than I was expecting.
This was a great read and I absolutely recommend it!
I would like to thank HarperCollins Uk and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review
This was such a fun read!
Tress of the Emerald Sea is a “grown-up” fairy tale narrated by Hoid, with interesting characters and a sweet and strong female lead.
At first I wasn't too sure I would come to like the story but as it progressed, I enjoyed the characters and plot more and more. At the end, I just though about how interesting it would be to experience Sanderson brain.
The world was quite original and the beautiful drawings were quite helpfull to picture bits of it.
This is going to be a great read to repeat with my kids when they are older.
Remarkably bright creatures is the debut novel of Shelby Van Pelt and it was a delight to read.
I don't like to make these type of comparisons but, as many comments mention, this book reminded me a lot of Fredrik Backman stories.
This was a nice read and cosy read, written in an engaging way that absorbed me completely, despite knowing where the story was headed.
Sometimes the simple stories are the best ones. This was a worthy third place of the Goodreads fiction prize awards.
This was a great finale for the trilogy, with a lot of surprising moments and unexpected events, which left me surprised.
I hate the covers and think they poorly represent the story, besides turning away potencial readers (the girl in the cover isn't even remotely similar to the way she is described in the book, which makes me think:
(1) who designed didn't read the books,
(2) who edited didn't care about that issue,
(3) why does the author accepts this? The FMC has two different skin tones and two different hair colors! Isn't that a lot more interesting that the typical seductive blond?
This book follows the story of Aurora, who is returning to her small town in the mountains after the divorce/ breakup of her 14-year relationship with a famous singer. Aurora lost her mother when she was young and sees her return to her hometown as a way to restart her life, reconnect with herself and finally get some closure regarding her mother situation.
What I liked about the book:
- Rhodes and Amos were great characters, and I enjoyed their relationship and how they supported Aurora throughout the book
- I liked the slow burn romance and to see Aurora and Rhodes love and trust develop and grow.
- Nice supporting characters
What I think it could have been done better:
- The book was way to long for the events happening.
- Amos family situation was bizarre, and I am not sure it added anything to the story.
- Although I do not dislike slow burns, I need to feel some payoff from it and, in this case, I did not feel it. We go straight from the beginning of the relationship for the conflict (less than 24 hours!) and from then to more drama.
- The conflict was absurd. I just could not understand any of the reactions around the issue: why Aurora didn't tell more details about her past, why would this be an issue for Rhodes, why would Amos feel she lied to him... it was an absolute nonsense. I am glad the author explained because I would not understand by myself.
- Aurora was quite immature, and I could not associate her attitudes with a 33-year-old woman. Additionally, how could someone be as stupid as to think the guy is calling her angel because he keeps forgetting her name?
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book and I am torn between 2 and 3 stars.
”For everyone lost in longing”
It took me some time to finish this book and I must admit that I only finished it because I changed to the audiobook version.
This happened because I was not learning anything It particular from it, not because it was not interesting and worthy of read, but because it was not news to me. I am very lucky and privileged regarding love, both the romantic and the family type, and I feel I did a lot of work on myself a few years ago. Therapy helped me learning to express myself, to believe I am worthy of love and good things and to ask for what I need. Additionally, I believe we should consciously choose to be happy and grateful about what we have in our life, value the little things and, most of all, understand that our happiness should not be dependent on others, it is not fair for others to carry that weight and responsibility.
The friendship chapters improved my opinion of the book as I could relate more with what was happening. Motherhood ended being a significant issue on the book and, as it changed so many things in my life, I have felt comfort reading and listening about those experiences. Do not get me wrong, it is still filled with platitudes we know everything about, but it still makes you feel less lonely. This would apply both to people experiencing motherhood and the friends that, by choice or not, are experiencing different phases of their lives.
Overall, I believe everyone will find something on this book they will relate on, whether if you want to find love, keep it, or need help dealing with its loss, and this is the reason why it has been so successful and appeals to so many people.
I enjoyed [b:Next of Kin 60708960 Next of Kin (A Foster Guardian's Romance) Hannah Bonam-Young https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1648828505l/60708960.SY75.jpg 95709338] and decided to continue the series, and I'm glad I did.This book follows Chloe and Warren's friends Lane and Matt and it is a sweet friends to lovers romance, with a lot of personal healing due to grief. I always feel books with nice guys deserve to be praised as I consistently see a preference for the alpha controling type on internet. Additional praise for the use of a DIU instead of birth control pill (I think it was the first time I've seen it happen) partially offset by deciding not to use a condom withou testing... I guess we cannot have everything. I hope [a:Hannah Bonam-Young 22325481 Hannah Bonam-Young https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1672621626p2/22325481.jpg] succeeds reaching her audience.Merged review:I enjoyed [b:Next of Kin 60708960 Next of Kin (A Foster Guardian's Romance) Hannah Bonam-Young https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1648828505l/60708960.SY75.jpg 95709338] and decided to continue the series, and I'm glad I did.This book follows Chloe and Warren's friends Lane and Matt and it is a sweet friends to lovers romance, with a lot of personal healing due to grief. I always feel books with nice guys deserve to be praised as I consistently see a preference for the alpha controling type on internet. Additional praise for the use of a DIU instead of birth control pill (I think it was the first time I've seen it happen) partially offset by deciding not to use a condom withou testing... I guess we cannot have everything. I hope [a:Hannah Bonam-Young 22325481 Hannah Bonam-Young https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1672621626p2/22325481.jpg] succeeds reaching her audience.
Thank you Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a heart-warming love story between Sally, an enthusiast of romantic comedies and firm believer of Happy Ever Afters, and Harry, who has a more cynical view on live and does not believe in love at all.
What I liked about the book:
- It really was a fun read due to all the mentions of some great old romcom movies. For me, It was a trip down memory lane to the Saturdays and Sundays afternoons spent with my mother watching these movies.
- Sally and Harry were likable characters, both with strengths and flaws, willing to work on themselves.
- It was refreshing to read the way the change of POV was structured. Typically, we have one POV per chapter but, in this case, we could see in the same chapter how they were perceiving their interaction and I think it added value to their story.
What I think it could have been done better:
- At some point, all the references to landlady and lodger were getting too repetitive and did not really sound as an honest motive to avoid a possible relationship
- Sally has the worst friends in the world! I am not sure anyone would react in real life as they did, they just kept cutting her expectations of Harry and pushing her to Adam, no matter how Harry prove them to be wrong about him or Sally feelings.
- Although I am not a fan of third act breakups, I agree it made sense in this book as it reinforces the parallelism between the story and 90's and 00's romcoms. However, I have felt it was a bit obvious what was going to happen (I've guessed around the 30% markup), and it definitely wouldn't happen as it did without Sally's unhelpful and unsupportive friends.
3.5 stars
Merged review:
Thank you Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a heart-warming love story between Sally, an enthusiast of romantic comedies and firm believer of Happy Ever Afters, and Harry, who has a more cynical view on live and does not believe in love at all.
What I liked about the book:
- It really was a fun read due to all the mentions of some great old romcom movies. For me, It was a trip down memory lane to the Saturdays and Sundays afternoons spent with my mother watching these movies.
- Sally and Harry were likable characters, both with strengths and flaws, willing to work on themselves.
- It was refreshing to read the way the change of POV was structured. Typically, we have one POV per chapter but, in this case, we could see in the same chapter how they were perceiving their interaction and I think it added value to their story.
What I think it could have been done better:
- At some point, all the references to landlady and lodger were getting too repetitive and did not really sound as an honest motive to avoid a possible relationship
- Sally has the worst friends in the world! I am not sure anyone would react in real life as they did, they just kept cutting her expectations of Harry and pushing her to Adam, no matter how Harry prove them to be wrong about him or Sally feelings.
- Although I am not a fan of third act breakups, I agree it made sense in this book as it reinforces the parallelism between the story and 90's and 00's romcoms. However, I have felt it was a bit obvious what was going to happen (I've guessed around the 30% markup), and it definitely wouldn't happen as it did without Sally's unhelpful and unsupportive friends.
3.5 stars
I'm quite disappointed with Legendborn and almost feel I haven't read the same book as everyone else.
As this is a book difficult to describe as I feel I could easily spoil the story, and I do think it is better to read it with the minimum knowledge as possible.
What I liked about the book:
- extensive inclusion of serious and important issues like racism, gender and grief.
- diverse set of characters
- buffy the vampire slayer vibes
What I think it could have been done better:
- there was a LOT of info dump. Fantasy is a tricky genre to write as you need to find the write balance between action and worldbuilding, and find interesting ways to do it. This author opted for the easy way and we have several characters teaching us the messy system, which Bree understands perfectly and immediately.
- Bree is the ultimate Mary Sue, she is absolutely remarkable and I can't remember the last time I've read about someone as special as her.
- as a classic YA we have a love triangle (I'm definitely too old for this). As it is easy to guess, we have the blond and nice guy Vs the dark brooding one.. I wonder who will she choose
Thank you Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
We are still in the beginning of the year, and this would certainly be one of my favourite romances to be released on 2023 (being one of the all-time favourites as well).
The story follows Georgie, who returns to her small town after loosing her job, to help her pregnant best friend Bel, and to try to find what she wants to do with her life. Georgie is very good regarding satisfying other people needs but finds herself lost regarding her personal desires and dreams
While helping her friend going through old boxes from their childhood and adolescence, they found an old notebook of all the things they wanted to do in high school. Georgie feels inspired by her younger self, who had so many ideas and things she wanted to do and decides to fulfil the items of her list, hoping it would help her find her way now.
I enjoyed everything about this book: the writing style, double POV (with the approximately the same number of chapters for each character, which makes us connect at the same time, and with the same depth with both), the characters development, the vulnerability of the MC's, the impact of toxic masculinity on men growth and development, the way they work through their problems and try to be a better version of themselves, the way the MC's communicate, even if sometimes with a bit of a delay.
It felt honest and real, and I am truly honoured to have had the opportunity to get earlier access to this book.
I recommend it to all the contemporary romance readers, and to anyone who is in need of a bit of comfort and joy in their lives.
Thank you Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
To be honest I think the cover and blurb were a bit misleading and I was expecting a different story, more on the rom com side than on the reality one.
Nora works as an editor assistant in one small publisher. She was convinced it was her dream job but 5 years later, after no promotions, the company restructuring and the salary cut, the overworked and underpaid Nora is severely depressed.
I think this book will be close to home to a lot of readers. I did enjoyed it but I would have preferred to read it on a different timing.