Tag: Romance

REVIEW – The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

Aimeeeliz

What an adorable love story! Now, i’m not a fan of The Bachelor/ette or any sort of reality dating series, but I still enjoyed the “behind the scenes” look at a popular TV show (and getting to follow along with Charlie and Dev’s story, of course!)

Charlie is just about the sweetest character i’ve encountered so far in a romance. He’s shy and awkward and uncomfortable, but you can’t help but love him (and you learn why he’s so closed off). Dev is a cookie-eating, boisterous firecracker of a human, but he has issues of his own (on a silly note: cargo shorts? Come on, Dev!)

The Charm Offensive is packed with lovable, memorable characters (and the female friendships, of course, are the best part).

Thank you Atria for sending me an ARC of The Charm Offensive.

REVIEW – A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings

Aimeeeliz

Reluctant romance readers (hi, yes, I am one of you). You have to give A Brush with Love a shot. Or at least remember the name Mazey Eddings – you’re going to be seeing her books all over the place soon.

A Brush with Love is smart and sweet and hilarious. The balance between each element in the story is flawless – Eddings will have you saying “awww” one moment and cracking up the next.

Harper is a dental student working towards a residency in oral surgery. She’s SMART. She’s DRIVEN. She’s…AWKWARD (sometimes). She’s dealing with some trauma and grief from her childhood and she tends to keep everyone at arm’s length. Dan is a first-year dental student, reluctantly trying to live up to a legacy left by his (complicated and not-so-nice) father.

After a meet-cute that’s more like a meet-funny or a meet-omg! Harper and Dan become fast friends and, although their story itself is something of a slow burn, they develop feelings for each other very quickly but it never feels insta-lovey or forced.

The good? A Brush with Love is heartfelt and emotional without being sappy. It’s sweet without being too sugary (come on, that would be bad for your teeth! …I’ll see myself out). Harper and Dan are lovable, Harper’s friends are a GODDAMN DELIGHT. Harper deals with some very real anxiety that is so accurately portrayed on the page, I sometimes forgot that I was reading fiction.

The bad? Most of you are going to have to wait until 2022 to read this. But I have a solution for you: preorder this delightful piece of romcom goodness. It’s basically like sending a gift to your future self.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the NetGalley ARC!

REVIEW – West End Earl by Bethany Bennett

Aimeeeliz

West End Earl was a super delightful and heartwarming romance – Calvin and Ophelia are lovable characters and I found myself rooting for them right from the start.

Ophelia has had a rough life, and she’s spent the last decade hiding who she is just in order to survive. Calvin has to work hard to clean up his father’s affairs (literally.) and finds himself feeling more like the parent than the child when he has to deal with dear old dad.

When Calvin discovers Ophelia’s secret, he immediately works to support her and make sure she stays safe. And, yes, they fall in love in the process (duh!)

I haven’t read the first book in the series yet, but it’s sitting on my tbr shelf and i’ll definitely be picking it up soon! I’m also very excited for book three (you’ll hate Emma and then you’ll love Emma and she deserves to get her own story!)

Thank you Forever for sending me a copy of this book!

REVIEW – Satisfaction Guaranteed by Karelia Stetz-Waters

Aimeeeliz

I had SO MUCH FUN reading Satisfaction Guaranteed. Stetz-Waters pulls you right in from the first chapter – with countless laugh-out-loud moments packed into just a few pages. Not only is Satisfaction Guaranteed hilarious, but it’s also sweet (and spicy). What’s not to love about a sex-positive romance, filled with adorable, lovable characters and effortless humor? Even in the sweet moments, I found myself giggling at some of the subtle details and witty one-liners.

I don’t usually like to compare new books to other things, but I will say this: Fans of The Roommate, you’ll like this. Fans of huggable characters you want to be best friends with, you’ll like this. Fans of joy, you’ll like this.

Thank you Forever for sending me a copy of Satisfaction Guaranteed!

REVIEW – How to Survive a Scandal by Samara Parish

Aimeeeliz

What a delightful historical romance! From the first chapter I was pulled into the story. Amelia has been engaged to a duke practically since birth, but when she’s caught in a compromising situation with Benedict (a misunderstanding!), everything she’s worked for is ripped away.

I never thought the marriage of convenience trope would be something I would enjoy, but here we are. Parish handles the situation well – yes, Amelia and Benedict are married before really getting to know each other, but they take their time warming up to one another and eventually (I mean, duh) fall in love.

I absolutely loved Benedict – he’s a delightful character. His little sister, Cassandra, is precious (I hope we see more of her in future books!)

I’m also looking forward to book two, which will focus on Fiona (don’t worry, you’ll meet her and you’ll LOVE her!)

Thank you Forever for sending me a copy of How to Survive a Scandal!

REVIEW – Back in the Burbs by Tracy Wolff and Avery Flynn

Aimeeeliz

I had SO much fun reaching Back in the Burbs – it’s hilarious and heartfelt. Mallory’s life is a mess (no, really). She’s in the middle of dealing with a difficult divorce AND her favorite aunt has just passed away. However, when she learns that great-aunt Maggie left Mallory her house, she decides it’s time to take her life into her own hands and start fresh.

This is…easier said than done. Great-aunt Maggie’s house needs work. A LOT of work. And the cute guy across the street is a little bit rude.

This story ended up being more complex than I anticipated, and it was such a happy surprise. Back in the Burbs doesn’t get bogged down by the details – and while it covers a few heavier topics, it remains relatively lighthearted overall, with ample amounts of humor sprinkled throughout each chapter.

If you’re looking for a good summer or vacation read, this is it! Thank you Entangled Publishing and Valentine PR for sending me a copy of this book.

REVIEW – A Rogue to Remember by Emily Sullivan

Aimeeeliz

I’m still new to historical romance but slowly reading more (and buying more…) and A Rogue to Remember was a great debut from Emily Sullivan. Lottie and Alex are characters you can root for – both running from complicated pasts and uncertain (or certain and awful) futures. I’d consider this a great book for those new to the genre – if you’re thinking of giving historical romance a try, start with this one!

I’m also excited for the next book in the series – we get a relatively small glimpse of Rafe in this book, but he definitely makes an impression.

Thank you Forever for sending me a copy of this book!

REVIEW – The Duke Heist by Erica Ridley

Aimeeeliz

Let’s cut to the chase – i’m already excited for book two of this series! I’m a new romance reader and I never thought historical romance would be a genre that I enjoyed, but here we are. If you watched or read Bridgerton and found yourself looking for something to fill the gap before season two, this is the book you need in your life.

We’re introduced to the Wild Wynchesters – a ragtag group of former orphans who were taken in by a kind, wealthy man with no family of his own. Each sibling has a particular skill or ability, and as a group, they’re unstoppable (and whip-smart, and hilarious and endearing…I could go on).

The Duke Heist focuses primarily on Chloe, who is really fantastic at…being forgettable. Truly. She’s been introduced to the same people multiple times, without a hint of recognition on their part. She blends seamlessly into “polite” society and uses this ability to try to steal back a painting that was wrongfully taken from her family months prior.

When Chloe accidentally abducts (seriously!) the Duke of Faircliffe, it throws a wrench in her plans…and in his.

Thank you Forever Publishing for sending me a copy of this book!

REVIEW – The Roommate by Rosie Danan

Aimeeeliz

Phew, okay. I had seen a lot of positive reviews for The Roommate, but I didn’t think i’d love it this much! It’s surprisingly sweet (but with no lack of spice…) Clara and Josh are fun a lovable, and i’m excited that Naomi is getting her own book later this year.

The Roommate features Josh who is a…uhh…”performer” with a heart of gold (no, really) and Clara, who is a seemingly uptight, prim and proper socialite from the East Coast. Be prepared to love these characters! Be prepared for some VERY open door scenes (if that’s not your cup of tea, steer clear). And be prepared for a feminist novel that will have you laughing and cheering and swooning all at once.

REVIEW – Always Only You by Chloe Liese

Aimeeeliz

Chloe Liese does it again! I enjoyed the first Bergman Brothers book (Always Only You) so I knew this would be a great choice. Frankie and Ren are delightful as separate characters and, of course, they’re amazing together. Frankie is a big softie under that guarded exterior, and Ren can get pretty fired up even though he seems like a big happy teddy bear.

Liese handles differently-abled and neurodiverse characters so well – and she’s right: everyone deserves a love story. And, as always, the Bergman family is delightful and I love spending time with them.