Zara Marielle: The Cafe of Infinite Doors

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239680494-the-caf-of-infinite-doors

book blurb:

In a mythical Scotland of long ago, a goddess’s mortal surrogate dies in childbirth and leaves behind a vindictive firstborn daughter who seethes in the shadow of her new divine sister, leading to a violent clash that leaves both sisters imprisoned in separate worlds. 

Millennia later in San Francisco, sheltered, isolated twenty-three-year-old Marceline is desperate for a job, longing for a temporary escape from her controlling, toxic husband, Baxter. One evening, a magical café appears after Baxter strands Marceline on a desolate street after a nasty fight. Run by a quirky, mysteriously feathered woman named Lucretia, her partner, Kilda, and a gentle Tahitian man named Sylvan, the café holds the safety, comfort, and companionship Marceline has craved. Upon learning that the café’s door is a protected portal that opens to those in need, she joins the cafe’s staff behind Baxter's back.   

Several months after Marceline has found her safe haven, the portals to the café begin closing one by one and the cafe’s sourceless light goes from warm and honeyed to dim and shadowy. Evil is looming that will endanger not only the café but the world at large; if Marceline is to protect herself and her newfound family, she must choose herself for good and escape her marriage once and for all ... or say goodbye to her hard-fought freedom forever. 

*Good Vs. Evil  *magical realm *portals *Goddess *Toxic relationship  *Marriage in trouble  *gaslighting 

*true villains  *netgalley ALC 4/12  *State Challenge California (Repeat) *found family  *multiple POV

*multiple Time lines  *sapphic relationship  *trigger warnings (abortion, abusive relationship, violence)

Thoughts:

I requested this ALC from Netgalley based on the blurb it sounded really interesting and I wanted to see what would happen in this magical cafe.  The story itself while it grew on me after awhile it took me till almost the end to warm up to the book and I almost DNF a few times.  

To start with we have two seperate story lines going on:  an unknown amount of years ago (long time in Scotland) a mortal woman passes away in childbirth while carrying the goddesses child.  Left behind is an older child who is now forced into the villages orphanage to live a life of hard labor and general hardship while her younger sister is segregated and treated like the goddess she will grow to be all the while the older sister becomes more bitter and enraged with each passing year until making a decision that will change both of their lives and shatter everything they currently know... now living in their own seperate prisons for an unknown period of time.

Story 2 is about Marceline she is living in modern day San Francisco trapped in an abusive relationship with Baxter who is truly toxic on their anniversary he leaves her in an unknown to her part of the city where she stumbles into a unique cafe.  The Cafe takes in those in need of comfort and support and welcomes anyone who needs help and Marceline is happy to get out of the rain while she worries about if her husband will come back for her.  

Marceline eventually returns to the street and Baxter does eventually return for her but Marceline has had a sense of freedom and she wants to feel it again but with no money how will she get back to the cafe?  She finds enough money for a bus ride and is able to return to the cafe where she starts a friendship with Lucretia (an obvious magical woman) her partner Kilda (a map maker) and Sylvan a Tahitian man who is truly kind and she hasn't had a lot of kindness in her life... especially lately.  

While at the Cafe she finds that the cafe doesn't operate on regular time she could be there for hours in the real world but only a few hours will have passed while in the cafe, everyone who comes in to find shelter has the ability to speak with each other without language barriers and Lucretia even though she never leaves the cafe she learns about the outside world from the cafe's guests and the birds that come in and out of the cafe.  Marceline then has to sneak out of the house to get to the cafe and hope that Baxter won't catch her in the process leading to some more tense moments.  

I had a really hard time listening to this book due to how cowed Marceline is her relationship with Baxter it is really tough to watch as he continues to belittle her make her feel like she would never make it without him, he's kept her isolated to the point where she no longer has any friends and is not even able to have access to anything outside their home since he believes that she shouldn't have access to the internet and since her father and grandmother have both passed away she has no family left because "I should be all the family you need."  The author did a good job making these situations truly uncomfortable and tense I physically felt afraid for Marceline while listening. I was really upset with Baxter the whole book and struggled with Marceline who was by this point in the relationship gaslighting herself into making up excuses for this jerk, I know that her situation was really tough but I wish it didn't take up so much of the book.

I kind of liked the back and forth between modern day and "Long Long ago" but wish that the stories blended together sooner so it wouldn't feel like so many different things happening every other chapter.  I think that the story would have benefited from more modern day relationships with Marceline and the cafe's characters and building her self confidence and learning real life skills to prepare her for being able to leave her relationship.  I did enjoy the relationships that Marceline made with those that came into the cafe and you could see over time how she realized that she was being treated badly and deserved better at home.  

I could see what the book was heading towards fairly early on in the book but the ending all seemed to spiral a bit out of control and wrap things up fairly quickly for the tense build up that we were waiting for and I definately don't feel that Baxter had the type of ending that he deserved (maybe I'm still harboring my own anger and resentment towards this man).  

I did start to enjoy this book more towards the end but it just took too long for me to get there. 

I thank Netgalley and the author for this early listen copy!  

Dorothy Callahan: Bella and the Bullfrog

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249462710-bella-and-the-bullfrog

Fumbled Fairy Tales Series Book 1 

book blurb:

When the master book of fairy tales is shaken by a wayward human, the stories within are thrown into chaos — and Bella’s quiet village is the first to feel the consequences.

Instead of taming a cursed beast hidden inside a crumbling castle, Bella finds herself hurled thousands of leagues from home. Worried over her sick father but bound by her own concern over a beleaguered, talking bullfrog, Bella grants the creature two days of her help. Imagine her surprise when the frog turns out to be a prince transformed—quite unfairly—by a scheming enchantress. The threads of his fate are now tangled with hers, and breaking the curse will require more than a simple kiss.

As fragments of other fairy tales bleed into their world, Bella must rely on her wit, her compassion, and the strength of her own heart to see this through. The frog-prince who deserves her help may be proud, stubborn, and inconveniently small — but beneath the enchantment lies a man who sees beyond her beauty and is determined to earn her love rather than simply claim her.

Opposites in every way, this couple must overcome class differences, expectations, rank and enchantments if they are ever to find their way to Happy Ever After.

Because in this fumbled tale, love is not chosen by decree.

It is won by sacrifice, humility… and finding the humanity in us all.

Bella and the Bullfrog is a damaged prince, optimistic heroine, forced proximity fairy tale set in a medieval European town. Achieving their Happy Ever After means discovering self-grit and determination, overcoming stereotypical roles and parental expectations, finding found family, and seeing beyond what the eye normally sees.

THE FUMBLED FAIRY TALES SERIES is a collection of reimagined stories by authors who turn fairy tales on their heads to deliver stories that speak to the heart. Inside, you’ll discover bold heroines and unforgettable characters who refuse to wait for rescue, choosing instead to find their own way to a well-deserved Happy Ever After.

*Fairytale retelling  *Strangers to More  *Prince x commoner FMC  *friends to more  *curse

*magical world  *true loves kiss  *Young adult  *no spice/clean  *ARC read  *Indie author

*Forced Proximity  *Medieval Europe 

Thoughts:

The guardian of THE book of Fairy tales gets a surprise visitor who causes havoc by shaking the book feeling that the old tales are outdated and full of big problems that need change too late to stop it from happening the guardian is beside herself with worry over what changes were caused by this action... to start with Belle from Beauty and the Beast is now about to meet the Frog Prince... this is a disaster... or is it?

Bella in order to save her sick father from the Beast's clutches trades places with him as prisoner shortly after her world is shaken up (for real) when she falls... and keeps falling she is no longer imprisoned in the Beasts tower but now in a completely different tower after finding a way out she walks a very long time until coming across a disgusting pond filled with who knows what... and is that a talking bullfrog?

Prince Riven is distressed no one in his family respects him or feels he is responsible enough to have a job he wants... he wants to make people happy with song... is that so wrong?  He has always been the kind brother complete opposite to his older half brother's rudeness but he knows he's not going to inherit the throne anyways so why can't he just do what he wants build a university for all to attend and create music?  

Upon returning home Prince Riven finds that one of the Great Enchantresses visits... the mean one... trying to think back to what he did he finds out that he didn't do anything to enrage her it was his awful brother who told the townspeople to dump their trash into her special pond and contaminate it... but when he tries to explain all of this she doesn't want to hear it instead taking him to the very disgusting pond where he is to live out his days as a frog until he can find a way to decontiminate it... but how can he do this in his tiny new body?  Also will his family even care to look for him?

Bella with a heart of gold finds Riven in his new form and knowing that she's no longer close to home and just traveled far away in mere minutes she figures that it isn't too far off to find her new acquaintance is a cursed prince.  

Unable to leave the murky muck of the pond and still have his voice Riven is bound to the pond and surrounding area but he is thankful to have someone to help him and all in exchange for his help getting home.  He has always wanted to find a partner who liked him for him and not for his status as a Prince.

Bella tired of the men in her village who just want her for her beauty is surprised to find that she is drawn to the prince even in his frog form... could this be love?  

This was a cute quick read, it was a fun reimagining of the classic tales and it's easy to see that if Bella could fall in love with a Beast she could also potentially fall in love with a Frog Prince.  

I love how well Bella and Prince Riven worked together to help with both of their situations and the ending wraps up just like a fairy tale should.  

I truly enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next in the series! 

Have you read this book?  what did you think?  

Tylor Paige: Good For Her

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/235992431-good-for-her

Book Blurb: 

Falling in love with her first love wasn’t part of her plan. Helping her kill the Hollywood elite wasn’t part of his. 

Hollywood loves a comeback. Too bad Evie Reyes didn’t come back to play nice.

Five years ago, she watched her mother—an iconic Final Girl—die on the set of Simon Says. Now, she’s back on the same studio lot, cast as the lead in the reboot no one asked for. But Evie’s not here for fame. She’s here for revenge—and she’s got six names on her list.

Sebastian Shaw is Hollywood’s golden boy, a walking six-pack with just enough charm to disguise the fact that he’s a professional liar. He also happens to be Evie’s ex. When he finds out why she’s really back, he doesn’t try to stop her. He offers a he’ll get her access to each of the men she wants to confront—in exchange for six chances to sleep with her.

No feelings. No strings. Definitely no dates.

As bodies pile up and the on-set accidents get harder to explain away, Evie walks a razor-thin line between staying alive and getting justice. And Sebastian? He might be the only person who sees her clearly—and the one person she can’t afford to trust.

This Final Girl isn’t just surviving—she’s stealing the whole damn show

*Netgalley ALC 3/12  *State Challenge: California (Duplicate)  *second chance for romance 

*revenge thriller, slasher  *Morally Gray MMC and FMC  *darker romance  *Dark Rom-com 

*slow burn  *spice *found family  *Frienemies --> more  *Voyeurism

*Trigger warnings (not sure if there is a list for the book but the ALC didn't mention them and there was a lot of darker stuff in here including serial unaliving in multiple different ways, SA, death of parent, and questionable consent related scenes)

Thoughts:

Evie Reyes and Sebastian Shaw are teenagers in love they have grown up together from a young age on movie sets as Sebastian was a child star of a hit slasher series and Evie is the daughter of Scream Queen Lita Reyes.  Only when they had their whole lives in front of them Evie's world crashes when she finds her mother dead... worst thing is that she sees someone fleeing the scene of the crime but instead of the police actually investigating they help cover up the evidence.  

Evie left Hollywood a few days later with a broken heart in more ways than one she lost her mother but also lost Sebastian as well.  Moving in with family she builds a large following doing a channel that focuses on all things horror movies when she's called to Hollywood to pick up the movie series that her mother was working on when she passed she takes this as the opportunity to get revenge she knows that her mother was meeting with a group of high up men in Hollywood and she now has a list of names they will pay for taking her mother from her.

Sebastian has grown up a lot over the years but he's never forgotten his first love, the one that got away, now he's a hardened actor who has had to do some questionable things at the encouragement of a shady agent (who he has fired) and now that the project that he's resurrected is on track the 6th movie in the series things are going great in his world... until things come crashing down when he realizes that one of his possible love interests for his character is Evie the one who wrecked him so many years ago... what is she doing here now?

Evie and Sebastian quickly pick right back up where they left off even having their own secret language involving movie quotes.  This threw out dark rom-com vibes as there were dangerous things happening but our lead characters were sloppy and inexperienced with everything and tended to do things without fully thinking anything through.  There are a lot of famous horror movies brought up in this along with some famous lines so if you enjoy movie trivia you will probably enjoy that aspect.  

What starts out as Evie on her own focusing on revenge plan quickly turns into a group effort as Sebastian agrees to help her in exchange for 5 chances to win her over and have her want to stay with him (the 5 chances being spicy times... whenever he wants and some of these events take place in front of an audience).  Two of their other co-stars figure out what is happening as well and offer to help Evie with her revenge quest leading to now 4 people who don't really know what they are doing developing messy scenes they have to figure out how to clean up from.

Throughout the book Evie begins to unravel more of what happened to her mother, the fact that Hollywood really does a number on young starlets (and the males too from what has happened to Sebastian).  There are a few mysteries involved that our characters are trying to work through and it kept me wanting to find out what would happen next.

The MMC and FMC were both still young (early 20s) and were true to their age at times appearing to be more naive (especially the FMC... girl why did you not prepare yourself with a better plan)  

I listened to an advanced copy of the audio book and felt both narrators did a good job with their parts.  Some of the sections in the middle dragged a bit and I wonder if it could have been better if it didn't drag out to being over 400 pages.  I've seen this book labeled as horror but I would put it more in a slasher rom-com and not so much in the horror (other than the fact they were on set of a "horror" movie sequel).  

If you enjoy a dark rom-com that try to make things lighter than they are with slasher rom-com vibes you might enjoy this one.  

Have you read this one?  What did you think?  Have you read anything else by this author?  What would you recommend? 

Lauren Smith: The Scoundrel of Drury Lane

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/168506582-the-scoundrel-of-drury-lane

book blurb:

He was falsely accused and sentenced to die...

At nineteen, Christopher "Kit" Hollingsworth is spared the noose but sentenced to serve seven years in Australia as a convict. The men who betrayed him have plans to make sure he never returns to England. But Kit's strong will and thirst for vengeance ensure his survival.

Seven long years later, he returns to London but he's forever changed. Gone is the innocent, handsome young lad he'd been. Now Kit is a towering, muscular man of twenty-six with scars inside and out. He wants England to see the new him, the man who lost his soul, and he wants the three men who destroyed his life to forfeit theirs. The only light in his dark night is a beautiful, innocent young woman who paints the sets at the Drury Lane theater. There's just one problem...she's the daughter of one of the men who sent him to prison.

*Historical Romance *handsome lord  *plans for revenge *Lord x Painter FMC  *class differences

*some spice  *gruff MMC learning to feel again  *found family *loss of parents (in past) 

*Book sirens ARC 2026  *false imprisonment  *

*Trigger warnings (Harsh treatment while MMC was in penal colony leading to scars)

Thoughts:

I picked this one up without reading the previous books this is both the 7th book in the Scandals and Scoundrels of Drury Lane series (various authors) and the first book in this authors own series.  

To start with Christopher "Kit" Hollingsworth is a young and handsome lord's son but he is also on the naive side and ends up getting involved in a shady business deal with 2 other people as part of a shipping company unfortunately for Kit the other two work together to frame him for a crime he didn't commit and a "witness" gives false testimony against him sealing his fate thankfully his father is able to save him from a death sentence but it is reduced to 7 years in the penal colony of Australia where he has to regularly fight for his life and is overworked and often attacked. 

Seven years later Kit is no longer the young man full of visions of joy for his future but a solidly built man who has had a hard life but has come through these tough times stronger... and focused on revenge against the 3 men who had him falsely accused and sent away.

Upon returning home he learns that his father (the Earl of Kentwell) has passed away and he now newly back to town has to assume the role as the new Earl all while trying to navigate his life returning to normal... but it will never be truly normal it is just his new normal.  Thankfully he has several loyal friends who stood by him knowing he was wrongly accused and helped his father while he was away and to secure that the title of Earl would still be there waiting for him when they knew he would return.

Seeking his friends help to find out where the 3 men are located and form a plan of action as to how he is going to bring down his enemies he finds that one of the men has already passed away (the witness) but his daughter works at a local theater at first thinking she's an actress he goes to make inquiries only to find out she is a set painter and has to change tactics enticing her to come to his home to do his "returning home" portrait he is determined to know what she knows of her father's involvement in the plot to get rid of him and if she is living off of the wealth that he got from turning against him.

Only when he meets her he is instantly entranced by her beauty and kindness, she lives like a pauper so is she hiding the money or did she just never have any to begin with?  Early on Suzannah finds out who Kit is but agrees to continue to come to his home to do his portrait... we at first don't know if Kit plans to enact revenge on Suzannah or not as he is still set on revenge but she is starting to crack through his armor and bring out a softer side he hasn't seen in himself in years. 

The longer Kit and Suzannah spend together the more Kit's anger and emotional turmoil settles down he hasn't felt love in a long time but is this what he feels for Suzannah?  The story is somewhat repetitive in places and loses focus on the revenge plot that was a primary focus in the beginning somewhere around the middle but picks back up when Kit is now not only worried about his enemies finding him but what would happen now if they find out that he has more than himself to care about?

This was a sweet love story and I enjoyed watching Kit come back to life and find a new purpose the longer he spent with Suzannah.  The issues are all tied up by the end of the book I just wish this part had a bit longer to build it seemed to be done with and tidied up pretty quickly.  

I did have a somewhat difficult time keeping track of some of Kit's friends as they were introduced throughout and kind of all together during parts of the book so I was like "who is that again?"  I'm sure they will get easier to remember throughout the rest of the series I plan to read the next one in the series at some point.

I like how the epilogue leads into the beginning for the next book in the series it was a fun way to introduce our next FMC.  

Have you read this book?  Have you read any other books in this series what did you think?

Evie Rose: Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/250473047-accidentally-marrying-the-mafia-don

book blurb:

One tiny oops, and I’m married to a mafia boss.

I’m the stand-in maid of honour, he’s the silver fox uncle of the groom who saves the day when the wedding becomes a disaster, with a fluffy ring-bearer gone rogue, a drunk priest, and a child with perfect comic timing. But the dream Italian wedding continues, and the uncle—Dante—and I sign as witnesses. And if I try to flirt with him, I blame the romantic setting and the fact that although he’s twice my age, he’s the hottest man I’ve ever met. His edge of danger, with his tattoos and the way everyone is nervous of him, gossiping that he’s a morally gray billionaire, only makes me want him more. He turns me down with a touch to my cheek and a hoarse murmur that I’m too young and innocent for a man like him. Back at home, my dull little life doesn't compare. Then a wedding certificate arrives at my door. There’s been a mix up, and I’m married. To him.

Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don is a sweet and spicy instalove romance with fluffy mafia romcom vibes and sizzling chemistry.

Duet narrated by gruff and growly Brandon Francis and light and relatable Zara Hampton-Brown.

*Netgalley ALC 2026 (2/12)  *Duet *Mafia Rom-Com  *Novella *"My Wife" *touch her and 💀

*Age Gap *spice  *quick read  *Insta Love/Lust  *Accidental Marriage *forced proximity *One Bed

*Young, Naive, inexperienced FMC x Experienced older man *Billionaire MMC *possessive MMC

Thoughts:

Ruby (FMC) is working as a hairdresser for a special client at a destination wedding in Italy when things begin to go downhill quickly with the wedding she manages to step into a new role as Maid of Honor since she can fit in one of the extra dresses and the other ladies are not well enough to stand.  She quickly finds herself wanting to do everything she can to give the bride and groom a perfect day... including keeping their dog from ruining the wedding photos... It also doesn't hurt that the brides handsome but dangerous looking Uncle is standing with her in her quest to make this day magical.

The story really falls to "Fluffy mafia romcom" but spent too much time on certain "funny" parts like I don't think in a story under 150 pages there needs to be this many pages about keeping a dog from licking their business... we get that it's a dog that's what they do.  

Ruby and Dante are pretty much immediately in love with each other after this brief encounter at the wedding but Dante is too ancient and his life is too dangerous to be with this sweet, younger woman who is around the same age as his niece in her early twenties.  (I joke about the ancient part as while this is addressed multiple times the guy is younger than me at 40).  

After going their seperate ways a few months later Ruby gets a surprise in the mail... after a mix up at the wedding venue she has received a marriage certificate... she was recorded in Italy as married to her handsome older gentleman and when she goes to the address listed she interrupts a "mafia boss" meeting due to the danger she is now in from her declaration Dante quickly requests she stay with him to keep "safe" while they work on getting their marriage annulled... only he doesn't want that it was love at first sight for him and he might just have to keep her with him until she realizes that they were made for each other.

This book was cute with flirty banter in places and a quick read/listen I didn't dislike the lead characters but there is not enough time for an actual build up of any back story everything feels on the rushed side.  Dante calls her by her nick name or "My Wife" 700 times (I didn't really count this), a lot of corny/cheesy scenes (including in the bedroom).  The FMC also spends too much time worried about being a "Perfect little wife"... girl just be you he loved you the way you are 3 minutes after meeting you.  

While not a bad read this one just missed the mark for me in a lot of places we only really have story with the lead couple with occasional other characters showing up but it's only surface level for everyone and I just didn't feel like I could get invested with the story or the characters.  

I felt the narrators did a good job for the most part the MMC while he has a nice voice it felt like he was doing his sultry/steamy/breathy voice for the whole book... kind of took me out of it at times I've never heard someone talk like that all the time and it didn't feel like a natural speaking voice.  

Have you read/listened to this one?  what did you think?  Have you read this author before?  

Elisa A. Bonnin: The Night King's Court

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239413682-the-night-king-s-court

Book Blurb:

Caraval meets Flowerheart in this rich and immersive cozy fantasy, where dazzling magic, lush descriptions, and a sweet sapphic romance cast an irresistible spell.

Ida’s father went missing without a trace seven years ago, last seen at the court of the enigmatic Night King, which comes to life only after dark with magic and revelry.

So when a position opens up for a new court Luminaire, Ida doesn’t hesitate. She inherited her gift for enchantments from her father—and with this position, she’ll use it to find him again.

Ida is swept into the king’s collection of magical beings, those who bring light and entertainment to the Court’s midnight gatherings—and swept away by the Court, where faerie gardens edge into underwater masquerades, dreaming revels offer blissful escapes, and life is a mesmerizing euphoria.

Yet a sinister thread interrupts Ida’s nights of decadence. Memories go missing, the castle’s magic takes on a malevolence, and Ida can’t seem to leave the boundaries of the court itself.

Enlisting the help of the king’s breathtakingly beautiful daughter Lenore, Ida must unravel the castle’s secrets… before this enchanted world destroys her.

*2026 ALC Netgalley  *Young Adult *Romantasy *Sapphic  *Closed Door  

*ALC 1/12 (Netgalley) *Unique magic system *fast friends *sweet cozy fantasy 

Thoughts:

So I recently went on Netgalley and just started requesting a bunch of audio books that sounded interesting... at the time I didn't think that I would get approved for all of them and then I got approved for pretty much all of them at the same time.  Knowing that I now had to get through so many ALC (along with a few others from different ALC sites I signed up for) I randomly chose this one to start with.

Ida is a young adult (not quite 20) and decides to go on a journey to find her missing father, he disappeared around 7 years earlier while working for the kingdom as the court Luminaire.  Ida lives in a world where magic exists just not everyone has the ability, she inherited her father's skills and while she uses a different medium she decides to leave her family home in search of answers despite what everyone around her says she knows that her father didn't just leave their family on his own free will and she wants to get to the bottom of it!

Essentially she goes to the King after she learns that a spot has opened up and he is searching for a new Luminaire... she has the skills she has been practicing for years and what better way to get answers than to go where her father was last known to be residing when he went missing.  Only once she gets there she has to audition for her job, no one has heard of or remembers her father when she brings up his name and she is told very early on to be careful who she questions and to never ask the King directly.

The narrator does a great job bringing these characters to life and I really enjoyed the world building that the author shows throughout the story it really felt like I was at the castle with Ida searching for her father.  Ida shortly after arrival realizes that she is bound to the king and no longer able to freely leave it is brought up later that leaving is possible but it would come with a great loss that she's not willing to sacrifice.  

Ida meets some friends along the way including Lenore (The king's daughter (not through marriage)), Vegard an Ice spirit from the north, gloam a being that was like a navigator to new arrivals and even her assigned maid.  Learning Ida's quest Lenore and Vegard offer to help even at risk to their own safety while in the castle but they would like answers too they remember arriving but certain memories are gone and even though they were there at the time her father would have been neither one knows of him it's like he never existed at all.

The author does a great job keeping everything kind of eerily mysterious throughout and as the mystery unravels and Ida finds ways to help her friends regain their missing memories will they ever be the same?  Sometimes lost memories should stay lost.

As far as the "romance" aspect goes it's really on the light side like barely there like a few "glances" or a brushed hand but I would say this more focused on the mystery surrounding Ida and her missing father but the story pulled me in and I wanted to know what happened to Ida's father as much as she did by the end of the story.  

I think that I might have an advantage when listening to this story as I am just starting my romantasy journey so I don't have much to compare it to and might have enjoyed it more over others who have read loads of romantasy.  Over all I enjoyed this story and would recommend this to those interested in Young Adult, Cozy Mysteries, Romantasy's (light on the romance) with detailed world building with unique magic systems.

Have you read/listened to this one?  What did you think?  Tell me in the comments!  

Eva Brandt: Cardio With The Easter Orc

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249507814-cardio-with-the-easter-orc

Book Blurb:

I’m an Orc personal trainer with one mission: get the Easter Bunny shredded before the holiday rush. The problem? A curvy chocolatier who keeps tempting him, and me, with her dangerously good truffles.

My name is Brok. I’m seven feet of green muscle, tusks, and discipline. I’ve trained Minotaurs for maze runs and the Headless Horseman for his midnight ride. I don’t fail my clients.

But Barnaby the Easter Bunny is testing me.

He’s soft, sluggish, and sneaking carbs.

The culprit of this corruption? A tiny bakery called The Cocoa Bean.

My plan is simple: confront the owner, cut the sugar supply, and get Barnaby back on track.

Then I meet Hazel.

She doesn’t flinch at my size. She argues with my scowl. She wields a rolling pin like a weapon and guards her pastries with the fierce devotion of someone who truly loves butter. And she has no idea I’m an Orc in disguise or that her sweetest “customer” is a magical being on a deadline.

I came here to stop Barnaby from cheating.

I’m supposed to stay focused.

But around Hazel?

Focus is the first thing to melt.

*Monster romance *Orc MMC x human FMC  *plus size representation  *Boss FMC  *cozy romance 

*some spice  *competition  *strangers --> More  *magical world  *hidden identities  *rom-com 

*opposites attract

Thoughts:

Brok is up for challenges he's trained some of the toughest out there and if he can handle a Minotaur for maze runs he can get the Easter bunny in shape in time for the season, his fitness plans are flawless if Barnaby sticks to his work out routines he will be in top shape with plenty of time to spare... so why is he not losing the weight or getting faster as planned?  And what is this foil wrapper from?

Barnaby is thankful for Brok's help... but his diet and exercise plan is impossible... he needs chocolate... and more chocolate and he's found the perfect source at Hazel's bakery in the human world... she of course doesn't know who he is with his glamour spell but her delicious treats make the day worth waking up for and he's been getting away with it... until now Brok knows and he's after the source of his joy.

Hazel is surprised when Brok shows up with muscles on muscles trying to talk her out of giving Barnaby sweets... but this is her job and while she understands the importance of diet and exercise it can be nutritious and taste good too... and she's about to show this Beef cake that Barnaby can get fit and she's going to help him reach his goals!

I was pulled into this fun world where magic and fairy tale beings are real but they keep themselves hidden from the human world, Brok goes to the bakery to give Hazel a piece of his mind but finds himself entranced.  This is a cozy sweet read and I loved watching these two opposites fall for each other... but would she like the real him if she knew he was an Orc?  

What initially started out as a race to get Barnaby ready for Easter turns into a race to even keep that title when his nemesis comes to challenge him to get this title back... but will Brok and Hazel be able to work together to help Barnaby in time for the competition?  

I truly enjoyed this story it was cute and cozy and had me laughing in parts.  I plan to check out other books by this author!  

Have you read anything by this author?  Have you read this book?  what did you think, tell me in the comments!