Holly vs. Mr. Ivy

Holly vs. Mr. Ivy (Christmas in Connecticut, #3) by Amanda P. Jones Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: July 5, 2023 Publisher: Indie Pages: 291 ISBN:  Genre: Romance | Contemporary Source: ARC Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon

 

Synopsis: Holly is an executive chef at a notable restaurant who is also caring for her sick mother. Her staff sees her as nothing but an ice queen, but Holly has a strict rule not to be friendly with her staff because she knows they’ll take advantage of her niceness.

Rhett is a happy-go-lucky general manager at the restaurant, looking to prove himself to his uncle so that one day he can open his own business. When his uncle tasks him with improving the restaurant’s revenue by the end of the year, Rhett must try and get on Holly’s good side, or else they both might end up out of a job.

Review:I am a sucker for a holiday romance! Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year. I was so excited to read this; look how adorable the cover is! This book exceeded my expectations, and I had a really hard time putting it down!

I found Holly’s character to be really relatable. She has a hard time letting people get too close to her, and that can often come across as standoffish and icy to other people. I love how throughout the story, she was open to change and worked really hard on being a better person. She saw so much growth throughout the book!

Rhett’s character was really sweet and endearing. Even though he comes across as this carefree, happy-go-lucky guy, I could still feel the pain inside him that he kept hidden. Like so many of us, he hid away his darkest parts out of fear of rejection.

I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a love story featuring reverse grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, and forbidden romance, that takes place in the fall leading up to Christmas.

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

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Rainbow State

Rainbow State by Mariah Ashley Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: June 27, 2023 Publisher: Indie Pages: 404 ISBN: 9798988141709 Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary Source: ARC Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Jade may be growing up on a gorgeous Hawaiian island, but her life has been anything but paradise. Grieving the death of her mother and blaming her father for the accident, Jade has resigned herself to a life of loneliness. To make matters worse, Jade is a social outcast, so the very last thing she wants is for her crush, DJ, and bully, Laila, to know just how weird she is. But then weird things start to happen; secret notes, visits from a ghost, and the startling realization that 15 years ago, her parents were survivors of a shipwreck, and not all of the deaths were drownings. Jade will need to team up with DJ and Laila to help uncover the truth, but sometimes it feels easier if the truth remains hidden.

Review:Omg, I loved this book!! I wasn’t sure what to expect going into it, and then I was hooked and could not put it down. I loved the mystery and magical realism. The whole time I kept saying, “Just one more chapter” because I NEEDED to know what happened. I got sort of Now & Then vibes mixed in with a little bit of We Were Liars. This book is the perfect summer read! I’m also still in shock that this is a DEBUT novel.

Jade is such a strong and mature character! She’s only 15 but has been through so much. Her decision-making was questionable at times - because she’s a kid and still learning, but her growth over the summer makes it all worth it.

I loved every single character in this book, but Benny and Kileona stole my heart. ❤️ I also loved that this story really focuses on friendship, learning how to be a friend, and self-acceptance. Adding in an element of first love for the MC and a second chance romance for two other characters was a bonus.

Mariah is going on my auto-buy author list; that’s how amazing this book is!!

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

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Blurred Lines

Blurred Lines by Marion De Ré Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: June 29, 2023 Publisher: Indie Pages: 319 ISBN: 9798392419180 Genre: Romance | Contemporary | Adult Source: ARC Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Estranged from her father for over 20 years, Mel doesn’t do relationships to protect her heart. When she meets a gorgeous man named Braden, who suggests they become friends with benefits, Mel jumps at the chance. But the lines start to blur when Mel ends up on bedrest, and Braden starts showing up at her house with food. To shake things up further, Mel’s dad is trying to get back into her life, and his right-hand man at work is none other than Braden.

Review:I really enjoyed this book!! It’s definitely a rom-com in the truest sense of the term - there is a lot of witty banter! The romance was swoony, but don’t let that fool you - some weightier topics are discussed. Mel works as a professional dancer and has famous friends, so her life feels very Hollywood. It’s the perfect mental escape into the land of the rich and famous.

This book is deliciously steamy but with fade-to-black scenes. There are lots of innuendos and discussions around sex, but we never see anything except kissing. I loved the chemistry between Mel and Braden. *Cough* Bathroom scene. *Clears throat*

I loved Mel. Having had a rough relationship with my father, I really could relate to Mel’s feelings and the emotional rollercoaster she experienced when her father tried to get back into her life.

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

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Emma and the Grumpy Baker

Emma and the Grumpy Baker (Amelia Island Sisters, #1) by Nova Avery Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: June 21, 2023 Publisher: Indie Pages: 192 ISBN: 9798399346700 Genre: Romance | Contemporary | Adult Source: ARC Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon

 

Synopsis: Emma has dreamed of owning a bakery for as long as she can remember. Finally, after years of hard work, her dream is coming true! But then the unthinkable happens - another bakery opens RIGHT next to hers, and as if that isn’t bad enough - the owner is her ex!

Liam considers Emma the one that got away. It was her love of baking that ignited his. He decides to open a cookie bakery in homage to Emma and the memories he has of baking together. If he had known another bakery was going in next door and that it belonged to Emma, he never would have opened his in the first place.

Review: How adorable is this cover?! I’ve read so many romance books lately that involve baking that I think it’s time I quit my job and open a bakery.

Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but I didn’t really find Liam to be all that grumpy. He seemed like a nice, caring guy and felt genuine. Sometimes he was a little snarky with Emma, but that was usually in reaction to her words and behavior.

Emma was a fun character! She is so quirky and adorable. I wish I could bake with her; she makes it sound so fun and enjoyable.

Miscommunication is one of my least favorite tropes, but it worked for this book. It was just a short part of the storyline and not the entire book.

This book is super lighthearted and fun. It’s a quick read with really amazing characters. It’s a clean romance (Oh my ganache!) and only has kissing.

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

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Always, Amy

Always, Amy (Love Always, #2) by Belinda Mary Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: June 21, 2023 Publisher: H&J Publishing Pages: 277 ISBN: 9780645694239 Genre: Contemporary | Romance Source: ARC (ebook) Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Amy has sworn off workplace romance after having her heart broken and being mortified in front of everyone. When she finds out that the handsome guy at the bar is the new doctor in her department, she pumps the brakes and tries to ignore Dr. Lucas Mancini at every turn. Eventually, Lucas finds his way in but when he suddenly has to leave town Amy has flashbacks to her last relationship and decides to block Lucas from her life entirely. Everything is going smoothly until he shows back up a year later looking for a second chance and an explanation as to why Amy ghosted him.

Review: I've been waiting for this story impatiently since I finished reading Love, Lilly back in February. The wait was definitely worth it! Oh, my heartstrings! I could NOT put this book down, it was so incredibly sweet and endearing. It was an emotional ride at parts but as expected, it all came full circle for the HEA.

Amy is one of my favorite characters! I found her personality to be very relatable. I get bored with hobbies real fast, I am a perfectionist and overachiever, and I can be very guarded with my heart and feelings. I understood her hesitations with love and even though miscommunication is one of my least favorite tropes, it made sense with this storyline and made the character growth more realistic.

Lucas is like some mythical man that is absolutely perfect. He is such a gentle character and very affectionate and loving. I enjoyed how he wanted to take care of Amy and do things for her.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the emails at the end. I loved that Amy owned up to her mistakes. It's refreshing to see character growth on that level.  My least favorite part was Amy's mother. Seriously, the woman needs to take it down a notch and chill. Since it's a closed-door romance there is no smut but there is lots of steamy swooning. Overall I give this book 4 stars because I loved the plot, I enjoyed the characters, and the storyline was very engaging.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

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