Things We Hide from the Light

Things We Hide from the Light (Knockemout, #2) by Lucy Score Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: February 21, 2023 Publisher: Bloom Books Pages: 592 ISBN: 9781399713771 Genre: Romance | Contemporary | Adult Source: Own Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Police Chief Nash who is known around town as Studley Do Right and admired by all of the citizens for how good his butt looks in his pants, is recovering from a gunshot wound. Not only is Nash struggling with his recovery and trying to fight off the depression and anxiety that are plaguing him, but he is also trying to get his memory back from the night he was shot so he can figure out who shot him and left him for dead.

Lina is in town trying to recover an asset for an insurance company she works for. Her plans are to get in, find what she needs, and get out. What she isn't planning for is to fall for the man next door. Nash is everything Lina is not looking for but Lina is everything that Nash needs. These two get dragged into the same orbit and sparks begin to fly when they are forced into proximity with each other.

Review: I am head over heels in love with this book! *Swoon* I fell in love with these characters in book 1 so to get to see their story continue and to hear from Nash and Lina's point of view was wonderful. Nash is incredibly sweet and has a great personality. I love the whole cinnamon roll/bad girl thing with both Nash and Lina. Seriously, they are made for each other and complement each other perfectly.

The anxiety and PTSD rep is spot on in this book. There are a few scenes where Nash experiences a panic attack and Lucy's writing made it feel very realistic and relatable. My heart hurt for him and it's no wonder that Lina had a hard time keeping herself out of his orbit. He would be impossible to ignore!

In my experience, the second book is never as good as the first but I actually loved this book more. There was adventure, lots of sass, and a delicious amount of steam. Lucy sure does know how to write about intimate moments in a way that can make grown women blush. Even though this story was almost 600 pages long, I still was bummed when it ended. I can't wait to go back to Knockemout in September so I can hear Lucian's story. I am 100% certain that Lucian is going to be my next book boyfriend.

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Things We Never Got Over

Things We Never Got Over (Knockemout, #1) by Lucy Score Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: Jan 13, 2022 Publisher: Bloom Books Pages: 552 ISBN: 9781945631832 Genre: Romance | Contemporary | Adult Source: Own Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Naomi is a runaway bride heading to rescue her estranged diabolical twin in some small honky tonk town called Knockemout. She doesn’t expect her sister to steal her car and cash and skip town. She also doesn’t expect to be left as the caregiver for a niece she didn’t know she had.

Knox is a grumpy tattooed bad-boy barber who likes his solitary life and has no time or interest in drama. He might have a hard exterior but he can't in good conscience just leave a woman and child stranded with no vehicle or money at a rat-infested motel.

Review: I am obsessed with this book! Can I just pack up and move to Knockemout?! I held off on reading this book for a while because of all the hype but then my book club picked the second book in the series for their March read so obviously I had to read this one first.

This is a small-town romance with a grumpy hero who meets a sunshine damsel in distress.

I loved the writing style. I loved the plot and storyline. The characters are absolute perfection. Knox and Naomi are perfect together. The spicy scenes were swoon-worthy.

At first, I was really unsure of this book, Knockemout sounded like a scary place with bikers and people constantly fighting and throwing punches. But this book completely drew me in and I fell in love with the entire town and I came to love these characters and their personalities. I’m a sucker for a good found family novel! This book is legit everything I never knew I needed and is unlike anything I have read before.

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Merritt and Her Childhood Crush

Merritt and Her Childhood Crush (Oakley Island, #2) by Emma St. Clair & Jenny Proctor Emma: Website | Twitter | Instagram Jenny: Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: January 31, 2023 Publisher: Independently Published Pages: 324 ISBN: 9798374821864 Genre: Contemporary | Romance Source: ARC (ebook) Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Merritt hasn't been back to Oakley island since she was a teenager, well technically not since That One Night but she doesn't talk about that. Merritt was perfectly happy in New York, being a strong no-nonsense woman with a nice apartment, work friends, and her boyfriend. But when her life suddenly implodes, she finds herself heading back to Oakley Island to oversee the renovations of her late grandmother's house.

Hunter hasn't seen Merritt since he was a teenager and she dropped a bombshell on him, broke his heart, and then never came back or looked back. 

Review: This story is so incredibly sweet and charismatic. It's a closed-door romance, with no swearing, and very little steam/heat (though the interest is there - they just keep it PG), and it's told with a dual POV. I really enjoyed getting to see both Merritt's and Hunter's sides of the story. 

Also, how adorable is this cover? I mean, it's pink! Of course, it's adorable! I love pink covers so much and then add in cartoon characters and I'm here for it. This is also a second-chance romance, who doesn't love a second-chance romance with a HEA? 

As for the characters, Merritt is such an interesting character. I really felt like I could relate to her, and I saw so much of myself in her. That fierce drive and determination while also hiding away vulnerable parts of yourself. There was one part at the beginning of the book when Merritt is picturing (hearing) her late grandmother's words and her grandmother describes Merritt as a turtle, a hard exterior shell to protect her vulnerable insides. That part of the story was so relatable to me.

"I would rather risk everything for a chance than live another moment without you in my arms."

        - Emma St. Clair & Jenny Proctor, Merritt and Her Childhood Crush

This was my first Emma St. Clair book but not my first Jenny Proctor Book. I really enjoy Jenny's (and Emma's) writing style and found this book to be really sweet with well-developed characters and idyllic scenery. 

Overall I give this book 4 stars because I loved the plot, I enjoyed the characters, and the storyline was very engaging. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series, I am going to go back and read Eloise's story and I am excited to read about Sadie's story when book three comes out next year. 

I received this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Love, Lilly

Love, Lilly (Love Always, #1) by Belinda Mary Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: March 21, 2023 Publisher: H&J Publishing Pages: 292 ISBN: 9780645694215 Genre: Contemporary | Romance Source: ARC (ebook) Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Lilly has had a secret crush on Oliver, her best friend Amy's older brother since she was a kid. But Lilly will never act on that crush because Oliver is also her best friend and completely out of her league. Oliver is kind, reliable, organized, and knows what he wants from life. Lilly is quirky, messy, disorganized, and flies by the seat of her pants. She's often finding herself in predicaments that end with Oliver having to rescue her.

Oliver has been pining for Lilly ever since he was a teenager, but he knows his sister's best friend is totally off-limits. Plus, Lilly and Oliver are nothing alike. He never makes rash decisions but whenever he is around Lilly, he finds himself making rash decisions. That's how he ended up being Lilly's fake date/boyfriend to her ex's wedding. What could possibly go wrong?

Review: I first came across this book and it drew me in because of the cover, it's adorable! I am a complete sucker for books with pink covers, romance books with cartoon characters, and hello - this is a book about baking which is also a favorite hobby of mine. Then bonus points, this book has all of my absolute favorite tropes; fake dating, friends to lovers, best friends brother, and one bed. Sign me up!

As for the characters, Lilly is such a fun character! She is like a ball of sunshine and yes, her life is messy but she is so sweet and trying her best. You can't help but wish she was your best friend and root for her to get the guy. Oliver is the absolute most perfect book boyfriend, ever. He is so sweet, so caring, and super supportive. Seriously, we all need a Lilly and Oliver in our lives.

I loved all the baking, and the entrepreneur Lilly becomes. I love how she finds herself and needs to learn to love herself before she can let someone else love her. Perfect messaging! 

“If you don't feel you deserve love, then you won't be able to receive it either." 
― Belinda Mary, Love, Lilly

        “I wish you could see the person I see when I look at you."
         ― Belinda Mary, Love, Lilly

I can't even adequately explain how much I enjoyed this book. This is Belinda's first book, and definitely not her last. It's a closed-door romance with no steam but lots of swoon. 

Overall I give this book 4 stars because I loved the plot, I enjoyed the characters, and the storyline was very engaging. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series, I am really excited to read about Amy and her very own McDreamy (or is it McSteamy? I never watched Grey's!).

I received this eARC from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.

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Speechless

Speechless by Lindsey Lanza Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: January 17, 2023 Publisher: Independently Published Pages: 328 ISBN: 9784088044377 Genre: Contemporary | Romance Source: Kindle Unlimited Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Lucy Gold may write fairy tales for a living but her life is anything but one. Looking for a fresh start after her divorce, she sets out to Los Angeles with her service dog. Right before boarding the plane, her living arrangements fall through and just when Lucy begins to realize she is now homeless, a handsome stranger comes to her rescue and offers her a place to stay at his Malibu mansion.

Henry Turner is at the peak of his career as an award-winning composer but his crippling anxiety prevents him from living the life he wants. On a whim and in a moment of compassion, he steps outside his comfort zone and invites Lucy (a complete stranger) to stay at his house with him and his bandmates. 

Review: Omg! I am OBSESSED with this book. Seriously, obsessed! I feel like I can't actually form a coherent sentence when it comes to describing the magic that is Speechless - how ironic. It has so many wonderful tropes: meet cute, forced proximity, mental health representation, chronic illness representation, Jewish representation,  slow burn, dual point of view, and found family.

The chemistry between the characters is absolute perfection. Speechless is such a beautiful story about healing, overcoming insecurities and fear, and the relationship/love between friends, family, and lovers. This book features some heavy topics (chronic illness and mental health) but it leaves the reader with a sense of optimism and empathy.

"I'm starting to realize that finding the perfect partner or having the perfect family isn't an ending at all. It's more like the prologue. What happens next is the story. And I'm finally feeling like my story isn't over, that maybe it hasn't even begun." - Lindsey Lanza, Speechless

This is Lindsey's debut novel and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. I have a feeling she will be an auto-buy author for me! I had to give this book 5 beautiful stars. That's how much I loved it. I had the hardest time putting this book down to go to sleep because I enjoyed it so much. Thank you to my book club, Matzah Book Soup, for choosing this amazing novel as the February read. I may not have read this book otherwise and that would be a real shame because it's easily one of my favorite books ever.

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