Love on the Byline

Love on the Byline (Plays and Players, #1) by Xio Axelrod Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: August 29, 2023 Publisher: Blue Box Press Pages: 292 ISBN: 9781957568683 Genre: Romance | Contemporary Source: ARC Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Blake has dreamed of following her grandfather's footsteps of becoming a famous journalist. Unfortunately, the only job she can get is writing about celebrity gossip. So it’s no surprise when Blake gets assigned to interview and write an in-depth profile on an up-and-coming film star. Blake decides to go into the interview without any bias so she is shocked to find out that the celebrity is none other than her college classmate who she despises. What’s worse is that Oliver, her college love interest and the one who got away, is working as his manager.

Oliver never thought he would see Blake again and now that she’s walked back into his life he will stop at nothing to keep her from leaving, even if that means owning up to his feelings.

Review: I loved how this was not only a romance story but also a bit of a mystery. While the main focus is on Blake and Ollie, Blake is also working on uncovering a shady management company that seems to be exploiting and possibly trafficking children.

I loved Blake’s tenacity and perseverance. She is a go-getter and extremely focused. I loved how Ollie was the complete opposite and more go-with-the-flow. He has a gentle personality and is extremely loyal to those in his corner.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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How to Kiss a Movie Star

How to Kiss a Movie Star (Hawthorne Brothers, #4) by Jenny Proctor Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: August 18, 2023 Publisher: JPC Publishing Pages: 363 ISBN: Genre: Romance | Contemporary Source: ARC Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Audrey is a wildlife biologist studying the migration path of elusive white squirrels. How is she supposed to know that the property she’s on belongs to a famous Hollywood actor? She’s never even heard of Flint Hawthorne until she’s almost arrested for trespassing.

Flint may be a famous Hollywood star but he has moved back to his hometown in Silver Creek, NC looking for a quieter and simpler life. Now he is looking for a date to the premiere of his new movie and Audrey would make the perfect fake girlfriend, except Flint’s feelings for Audrey are anything but fake.

Review: This is my favorite Jenny Proctor, ever! I love the entire Hawthorne Brother series but Flint’s story is probably my favorite out of them all. I was so bummed to see this series end but it went out on a high note.

Audrey is one of my favorite JP characters to date. I love her nerdy biologist side and how she doesn’t care about celebrity gossip. She is incredibly smart and loyal to her friends and family.

Flint’s character was hard to get a read on in the other stories so I enjoyed getting to see his true personality in this book. He may be a famous actor but he doesn’t care about any of the fame and fortune that comes with it.

The chemistry and tension between Flint and Audrey was perfection. There was not a single thing I disliked about this book. It’s definitely going on my favorites list.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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How to Make Your Enemy Fall for You

How to Make Your Enemy Fall for You (How to Rom-Com, #6) by Camilla Evergreen Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: August 01, 2023 Publisher: Indie Pages: 306 ISBN: 9798396443242 Genre: Romance | Contemporary Source: ARC Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Melanie and Desmond have known each other since grade school but as far as Melanie is concerned, Desmond has always been her enemy even though Desmond has been hiding his secret feeling for Mel the entire time. 

Melanie is recently divorced and recovering from her abusive marriage. Not only is she struggling in her personal life, but she is also in breach of her contract to write one more self-help book. Now her enemy Desmond, who also happens to be her editor, is pestering her to get it done and the only inspiration she has is to make the book about him.

Review: This is a satirical rom-com but also includes mentions some heavy topics. This is the second book I have read in the series and I am definitely becoming a Camilla fangirl. I love the brutal and raw personalities that these characters have. It's more of a dark romance because the characters are flawed and often have some really heavy mental baggage they are dragging along. While this story had tons of witty banter and laugh-out-loud humor, it also had raw parts that made me cry. My heart hurt at times reading this but it was well worth it to go on this journey of self-discovery with Melanie.

I thought Camilla did a fantastic job talking about consent, and her portrayal of Melanie's mental state as a victim of abuse and sexual assault felt realistic. My only wish is that therapy would have been mentioned and included as part of Mel's treatment. Having a best friend and a boyfriend who are understanding and supportive is great but it's not enough to help Mel work through the actual trauma she experienced. 

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Wild About My Neighbor

Wild About My Neighbor (Wild About You, #4) by Anne William Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: August 08, 2023 Publisher: Indie Pages: 194 ISBN: 9798856011769 Genre: Romance | Contemporary Source: ARC Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Nova has lived her entire life on the safe side, always too apprehensive to make big decisions. When Nova ends up with her heart broken, she decides to move to a small town to open up a bakery instead of moving to the city to be a prestigious chef. When Nova meets her handsome neighbor, Luke, the local veterinarian, she can't help but feel an instant attraction. To protect her heart, Nova goes out of her way to avoid Luke at all costs, that is until she finds herself in a pickle and Luke is the only one who can help her.

Review:This was my first book by Anne William and it did not disappoint. This is book 4 in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. I genuinely enjoyed it, so I will be going back to read the others.

I love the relationship Nova and Luke have with their friends and town folk. It’s very endearing and sweet. I love a good “he falls first” romance but parts of this felt a bit rushed. However, it is a shorter story, more like a novella, so of course things are going to move at a faster pace. I just wish there was a bit more build-up between the characters but I understand why there wasn’t.

I enjoyed the witty banter between Luke and Nova. I also really liked Anne’s writing style and her attention to detail. Her flow was very enjoyable and it made this a quick and fun read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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