Tag: Reviews

[New Post] ARC Review: Lucky Shot by K. Bromberg

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Title: Lucky Shot

Author: K. Bromberg

Page count: 400

Published: February 13th, 2025

Publisher: Valentine PR

Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance

Received: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 4/5

A spicy bad boy/good girl, close proximity, sports romance from New York Times bestselling author, K. Bromberg

Our first meeting? He stood me up.
Our second chance encounter? I told him exactly what I thought of him.
Our third? It came with a bet (he lost) and an understanding that we’re stuck with one another.

It doesn’t matter that he’s Alexander Hardy—British soccer star extraordinaire, world-famous in every way, and a certified sex symbol. We come from two different worlds and live in two different realities. But all we need is one month.

The bet: Help him rehab his reputation to the media and the masses, and in exchange, he’ll help my soccer academy and the underprivileged kids who idolize him.

That doesn’t mean I have to like him. Not his delicious accent, his sexy smirk or those storm cloud gray eyes. Not his incredibly fit body or his sinfully dirty mouth. Not even the way he shows up day after day for the kids or the way he looks at me like he wants to devour me.

He looks at time spent in my world as a penance, while I look at it as a way to leverage his star power to help my academy survive.

But as the days turn to weeks, it seems we’re not as different as I once thought. The man who cares about no one, has fixed his sights on me. With his time at my academy up and his obligations back home calling, do we have a lucky shot of working out?

Alex is a football star that is in need of an image change. Whitney owns the football academy, she worked hard to keep the academy, but the one downside is that the expenses that are needed to do so. She gets a phone call that is about to change her life completely. These two both have trauma they both need to work though and for them to have one another to do so was no better match. They take you on an emotional journey with chemistry that’s electric. Alex and Whitney have a banter that will keep you glued to your kindle.

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[New Post] ARC Review: Northern Twilight by Samantha Young

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Title: Northern Twilight

Author: Samantha Young

Page count: 354

Published: August 8th, 2024

Publisher: Valentine PR

Genre: Romance

Received: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 4/5

She’s the girl he left behind. He’s the boy she tried to forget. But after seven years apart, one passionately reckless night will tie them together forever …

As teenagers, Callie Ironside and Lewis Adair were inseparable. So much so, Lewis still can’t work out where it all went horribly wrong, or why he’s spent the last seven years in London away from the love of his life.

Callie knows exactly where it all went wrong and while she tried to move on—learning pastry techniques in Paris and dating French men—returning home to Ardnoch to work in her mother’s bakery only reminds her of the future she lost with Lewis.

But when a visit to London brings them unexpectedly together, the passion, pain and animosity between them leads to a one-night stand. For Lewis, it’s the beginning of winning Callie and his life in Ardnoch back. For Callie, it’s a mistake that’s shaken up the devastating heartbreak she fought hard to forget. However, Lewis is determined to fight for her, and proves it when their night together results in more than just unresolved feelings.

As they come to grips with impending parenthood and the mistakes they’ve both made, Callie and Lewis will not only have to decide to fight for a love that has endured so many years apart, but a mysterious adversary who seems intent on destroying the future they’re building together.

Oh, I just love going to Scotland reading these books. Callie moves to a small village in the Highlands when she was a kid. When she got to high school, she met Lewis they were madly in love until their not. Callie moves to Paris to learn more about desserts. Coming home from Paris to help her mom with the bakery. When Lewis bumps into her he realizes the mistake he had made all those years ago and wants to make things right but will Callie be able to forgive him? Watching these two has been an emotional, friends to lovers, small town and so much more.

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Arc Review: Talen

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Amazon / Goodreads

Title: Talen

Author: Shay Savage

Page count: 450

Published: February 19, 2019

Publisher: The NextStepPR

Genre: Dystopian

Received: from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 3/5

Summary:

In a world plagued by constant earthquakes and volcanic debris, people in the valley struggle to survive while those on top of the hill want for nothing.
This is where I come in.
I spend my nights plundering supplies in the walled city of Hilltop, and I trade them to the valley people below. I’m not a thief. I prefer to be known as the head of Lost and Found.
When I discover a beautiful but dangerous competitor in my territory, I also learn she knows more about me than she should. Is she a spy sent by my father, or is she a rebel like me? I don’t trust her, but together we’ll discover secrets that may destroy what’s left of our world.
There have always been those with wealth and those without. 
My name is Talen, and I’m here to even the score.

My Thoughts:

This is the first book that I have read by Shay and I have to say it was just an alright book for me. I felt like it was lacking something because I couldn’t connect with the characters, or maybe the fact that it was a Dystopian? and I don’t normally read that genre? Maybe the writing style? I’m unsure. There was a few times that I almost didn’t finish reading this. I didn’t though I pushed through an I’m glad I did.

For me the book was a little slow in the beginning, it didn’t really pick up till about the 65-70%ish which is rare for me.

With all that being said… I know that some people are just going to love this book but wasn’t for me. I was happy that Talen and Aerin were able to have a HEA.

One of the things that I did love about this book is that it was told in Talen’s POV. I love when books are told in the male perspective.

I am planning on reading some of Shay’s other work In the future. I’m thinking of reading Outnumbered next because it has been recommended to me a few times now.

[New Review] Sugar Spells

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Buy it on: Amazon

Add to: Goodreads

Title:  Sugar Spells

Author:  Lola Dodge

Page count: 270

Published: October 30th 2018

Publisher: Inkmonster LLC

Genre: Sci Fi Fantasy, Teen / YA

Received: From Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating:   3/5

Summary:

For fans of Hex Hall, The Magicians, Practical Magic, and Food Wars!

After her run-in with a jealous warlock, apprentice baker Anise Wise can’t wait to get back the kitchen where she belongs. But thanks to her brush with death, the land of the living isn’t all cupcakes and marshmallows.

Anise’s magical mojo is way out of whack and her evolving powers are stirring up trouble. As the town buzzes with news that Anise can bake deathly spells, unsavory characters start lining up for a taste. They’ll stop at nothing for the chance to use Anise and her witchcraft to further their own plots.

She plans to hole up researching magic recipes until the attention dies down, but then she discovers the horrifying terms of her bodyguard’s contract. Wynn has saved her life so many times, she can’t leave him trapped. But doing the right thing will mean risking death or worse—being cast out of her dream job.

For this witch, justice might not be as sweet as advertised.

My Thoughts:

When I saw the synopsis of the book and how it was related to Hex Hall I wanted to give this one a go. I also found out that this was the second in the series sigh lol, Any who, onto my review.

 

There are some things that did leave me asking questions because I didn’t read the first one. Aside from that I loved how Anise was paying attention to people and trying to figure out ways to help them. She does struggle with baking which was a little disheartening because she lives for it.

 

I loved the growth that the characters had in the book, they all played a roll in helping Anise.

 

This book was a light and quick read. I was able to finish this in one sitting, its packed with lots of magical beings this book would be perfect for the Halloween season.

 

My review is a little “off” I think because I haven’t read the first one to get to know the characters as well as I should. This one was a pretty good read.

[New Post] Review: Keeping Her Close by Casey Diam

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Amazon / Goodreads

Title: Keeping her Close

Author: Casey Diam

Page count: 307

Published: Aug 14, 2017

Publisher: NLM Romance Publishing

Genre: Romance

Received: Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating:  2.75/5

Summay:

When a heart is broken, it withdraws, shielding itself from further pain, but also from further life.

Brandon Kuvat gave up on love ten years ago—the year he was set to become a dad. A wealthy playboy pilot, he still sees plenty of action, but he’s not the man he once was. Or the man he wishes he could be. The first time he encounters Jordan, he knows immediately she is different. He also knows hurting her is inevitable. Still, he can’t stay away, even if it means he’ll have to settle for a friendship—but only for as long as that can last.

Wounded by a disastrous relationship, Jordan Artesian has put her whole focus on work, nurturing her dreams of owning her own fashion line. But though her creativity blooms, the rest of her is still frozen, that is, until Brandon charms his way into her life. He’s irritating, but somehow…intriguing. She hates that she finds his charming and challenging ways attractive. He isn’t supposed to make her feel things she’s given up on feeling.

For these two, friendship will never be enough—not when she’s what he needs to heal, and he’s what she needs to feel again. But can they find their way down the path of friendship to truly love and trust one another, or will they only destroy each other’s hearts all over again?

My Thoughts:

After reading this book I have to say that I wasn’t a fan of how it ended. It made me feel like there is more to the story that hasn’t been said. So hopefully there is another on to this series.

In this book the relationship with Brandon and Jordan does go on for quite a bit even though the chemistry was there, it was all most coming off the pages. I was getting a little frustrated with Jordan and Brandon because I just wanted to yell at them to tell one another how they feel. To me also seemed like they were purposely trying to sabotage their “Relationship” on purpose but when it finally happened I was happy. While I was reading this I did feel a disconnect with Jordan, I did feel a connection more with Brandon.