Denise Grover Swank: It Runs in The Family

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248110966-it-runs-in-the-family

Book Blurb:

Seeing the future is a questionable gift. Seeing your own murder? That’s a problem.

Iris Gardner has been dealing with psychic visions her whole life—a “gift” from the father she never met and a burden her chaotic Texas family loves to exploit. Working the graveyard shift at a Stop-n-Go in Chaffney, Texas, helps keep her away from most of the drama.

Until she sees herself dead.

When a dangerous stranger walks into her store, he triggers a vision of her own murder while her cousin Selena pleads for Iris’ life. But when the Iris tries to warn Selena, she discovers the

Selena is missing.

Iris has changed the future before, but she's never had to prevent her own murder. With a family who treats her visions like a party trick, rumors of a cartel moving into town, and a man who’s a little too interested in her, Iris must figure out who wants her dead—and why—before her vision becomes reality.

Because in her family, trouble doesn't just run in their blood. It runs them down.

Tropes:

*Hambright PR ALC *Mystery *Family Drama *humor *psychic visions 

*some romance *State Challenge Texas (Repeat) *Reluctant allies *small town *amateur sleuth

*hidden identity *secrets 

Thoughts:

Iris has the gift of psychic visions she can't always see the future and at times if she gets these visions she does have the power to change the future so when she sees someone sketchy on her late night shift at the gas station and gets a vision of her death she begins her journey of trying to find her cousin Selena who was also in her vision.

Selena and Iris used to be close but have drifted a part over the years but with this ominous vision of the future she needs to find Selena... and soon her cousin might be in danger.

I wasn't fully sure what to expect going into this one it was fast paced and entertaining I found myself laughing throughout this book at the antics. Iris has a very large, nosy and chaotic family and family doesn't always get along so there was some family drama intertwined throughout. 

Iris being down on her luck after she loses her job against her better judgment goes out with two of her wild cousins to a local bar where she ends up meeting Boone a handsome stranger who agrees to take her home after her cousins leave her at the bar for other companions.

Boone who she thought she would never see again after he drops her off ends up showing up with her least favorite cousin to their grandmother's weekly family get together, and again when he shows up at her apartment... he turns out to be looking for someone too who just might be in the same place as her cousin Selena.  

Now she is working with Boone to try to prevent the outcome she keeps seeing in visions but keeping that side of herself hidden, while Boone is hiding secrets of his own.

Iris seems to be the only one in the family concerned over finding cousin Selena and getting her out of trouble, but is the mission to find Selena leading to her vision coming true?  

I enjoyed Iris she was funny, level headed and fierce when she needed to be.  Boone was handsome, protective and charming.  I also liked several members of the big chaotic family.  

I did feel that some things were rushed towards the end but over all enjoyed this story and I'm looking forward to more in this series. 

Have you read this one?  What did you think? 

Elliot Fletcher: One For the Road

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241986052-one-for-the-road

Book Blurb:

Opposites attract in this steamy Scottish romance between a grumpy doctor and the single mother who lives next door, from the author of Whisky Business.

Burned-out GP Alistair Macabe never planned to return to his tiny hometown on the Isle of Skye. Especially not to live next door to Isla, a newly single mom with zero time for grumpy doctors.

But when Alistair needs a popularity boost in order to start taking on patients again, and Isla wants to ruffle her smug ex’s feathers, a fake relationship seems like the perfect solution.

And with the pair taking their roles very seriously, they might just forget they are pretending after all

Tropes:

*Netgalley ALC *Opposites attract *Enemies --> more *neighbors *Doctor MMC x baker FMC

*Small town romance *Rom-com *single parent *family drama *spice *Scotland 

*grumpy x sunsine *forced proximity *fake dating *slow burn

Thoughts:

Alistair (MMC) returns to his small home town that he had always wanted to leave on the Isle of Skye after his father passed away and in his will left him his medical practice. 

Alistair followed in his father's footsteps and while he always wanted to be a doctor growing up now he doesn't know if he wanted it for himself or to finally be seen as worthy in his father's eyes and now his father is gone.  Returning to his small home town with nosy residents and his family that don't mind their own business either is bad enough... especially since his brother is with his ex-fiance, he's still salty about that.  But now he's living next door to Isla and her daughter they are messy and entirely too loud... in fact maybe he'll write some complaints to the land lord about them.

Isla is new to being single her ex-husband moved her out in the middle of nowhere (where he grew up) and even had her make friends with his high school girlfriend... who he later left her for now she's dealing with his poor excuses as to why he can't help pay for anything when it comes to their daughter and constantly canceling his plans with her when it's his day to pick her up... leaving Isla to pick up the pieces of their very heartbroken young daughter. 

Isla and Alistair get off on the wrong foot and spend quite a bit of time at odds... so it's quite a surprise when Alistair has come up with a fake dating plan he needs to be liked more in the area to get his ratings up for the possibility of selling his practice, and it would help everyone see that she has moved past the betrayal that was the ending of her relationship with her ex... you know what why not, it's just pretending for a few months... what could go wrong?

This was a super cute small-town romance I really loved seeing Mr. Grinch himself let down his walls and not only begin to care for Isla but her daughter as well, he really stepped up when it mattered time and time again.  

Isla and Alistair are both working on some emotional damage caused by people who should have cared more in their lives and they found each other at the perfect time... but now that walls are coming down lines are blurred and it's hard to tell that things are fake anymore.

Isla is so sweet but I truly wanted to have a chat with her with how she was dealing with her ex and his unacceptable behavior a number of times... ugh!  her ex made me so angry for Isla and for their daughter Teddy they both deserved better.  

Teddy (Isla's daughter) such a sweetheart I loved seeing her get closer to her grumpy neighbor.  

I loved Alistair beginning to build a better relationship with his family again and begin to think that maybe he could make a life for himself in his small hometown.  

There was drama from Isla's ex, small town gossip and a fun cast of characters that make you want to move to this small town in Scotland too.  I will be checking out the rest of this series!

I thank the author and Netgalley for this audio book Isobel Wood and Angus King were awesome and really helped to bring out the humor and heart to this story.

I did feel that some of the pacing was slower in places and there were some repetitiveness but overall enjoyed this one it was a cozy, feel good read! 

Have you read this one yet?  What did you think? 

Katelyn Taylor: Locked in Season One

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248315709-locked-in

Book Blurb:

Welcome to Locked In.

Where you have to fallen love like your life depends on it.

Our contestants will have to fall in love, lock in, and fight through a series of challenges to be the last couple standing.

The Reward? A wedding of their dreams and a grand cash prize.

The Catch? They don't just have to fall in love with each other. They have to make us fall in love with them too. Our Audience will be the ones to decide who stays locked in and whose journey is cut short.

Tropes:

*Dark Romance *Realty TV *Drama *Forced proximity *Spice *Strangers --> more

*Enemies --> more *Thriller *Unhinged *secrets revealed *Mysterious Island

*Trigger Warnings check them *insta lust/love *multiple POV *Dating game show

Thoughts:

I knew a little bit about this book going in and I would agree with the description of one of those trashy reality tv dating shows like Love Island meets a combo of Hunger Games and Squid Games.

Courtney (FMC) gets talked into going on a new reality tv show where contestants "Lock in" with a partner there is 1 winning team and at the end they will get married... even though she doesn't believe she will find a love match that quickly... what she does need is money and the winners will get 5 million dollars a life changing amount of money especially since she is working 3 jobs and the guardian of her teenage sister who has a lot of health problems.  Her sister is everything to her and she wants her to go and have fun.

Courtney arrives on an island (who knows where) after she's had a loss of memory... something happened between the airport and here... while she is raising questions immediately the other cast members are upset with her for wasting time... they want to get on with the fun, and the flirting... after signing an NDA they are basically told they are being recorded everywhere 24/7 even if the filming staff are not around.

There are an equal number of men and women and the beginning of this book starts exactly as you would expect a reality dating show to go everyone is hot, young and "fun" there are some mean girls and some people Courtney builds a fast friendship with she even has her eyes on one of the guys (which she didn't think would happen so quickly).

What starts out as fun party game challenges like different versions of Truth or Dare and pairing off to go on one on one dates with each other, people are starting to pair off and before too long it will be time to lock in with one person.  

Courtney is likeable (even if she makes some questionable choices at first) and you know she has a lot on the line with her sister's health concern.  Once you get to know her Lock in partner it's easy to want this pair to come out on top.  

Naturally with this many people living together in close proximity tempers flare, drama occurs and fights break out... but things get even worse for these contestants once the true eliminations come because these challenges turn into a true fight for their lives... and only one couple is coming out alive! 

Things you should know before going into this book:

*There are some plot holes 

*There are many characters and most of them are only known at surface level

*The premise is about a reality tv dating show ---> if you don't like those you might not like this 

*Some cringey dialog... especially with the skeezy host who thinks he's awesome when he's just creepy 

*insta lust (a lot of it) --> many hot people being hot together in close proximity

*it does get unhinged so check your trigger warnings

All that being said were there issues with this book --> yes, did I find myself binge reading every chance I could until I finished it because I had to find out what would happen next --> also yes

Did I figure out some of the "Plot twists" way early --> yes but I didn't mind I just went with it.

The pacing was a bit off at times and I would have liked the Thriller aspect to come into play earlier in the book it made for the end of the book feeling more rushed.  

Over all I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.  

Have you read this one?  What did you think?  

Jada McCrary: Of Thrones and Savage Things

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239472558-of-thrones-and-savage-things

Book Blurb:

A fake engagement, a threat in the shadows, and an obsessive suitor. This wasn’t what I signed up for….

It’s been a few short weeks since Gwyndolin was liberated from Lord Valen’s estate, and the Unseelie high king who freed her now owns her. Unless she can pull off this fake engagement and live with him for a year, he will let his people continue their assaults on hers.

Talk about sacrifice.

But this morally gray, violence-prone king won’t let her fall, not when he’s already fallen for her.

Enemies lurk in the shadows, and unseen villains threaten everything they’ve worked toward. Both love and betrayal come from the most unlikely places in this heart-stopping, enemies-to-lovers fae romantasy. Will love be enough to save them, or will it be their doom?

It is recommended (but not required) to read Of Fae and Wicked Kings before this. There will be spoilers for Of Fae and Wicked Kings if you read this first.

Tropes:

*Netgalley ALC *Enemies --> more *insta lust/love *Fake engagement *Romantasy *Fantasy

*Touch her and 💀 *protective MMC *Human FMC x Fae King MMC *Magical world

*betrayal *court drama *family curse *Morally Gray MMC 

Thoughts:

I listened to the prequel to this book first which was a very fast paced insta love novella, there was very little world building in that and I had hoped for some world building in this book since it was a full length novel... but it didn't show up in this book either.

So the story --> Gwyn (human FMC) is a poor girl from a small village, her parents were tragically killed and she now has no family.  In the first book she met the Unseelie king who fell madly in love with her after only a week or so of going on an adventure with her and another fae to help rescue a queen from a different region.

Gwyn has agreed to be courted by the Unseelie King Aspen who is super powerful and has fire magic in order to protect the people of her village from further attacks by the Fae... the villagers who have never bothered to treat her well or make her feel welcome.

While under Aspens protection she runs into Aspens twin brother Aethryn... who has ice magic and due to Fae superstition a curse was placed on the boys when they were born so that they would not become too powerful (essentially they have been cursed to always be at odds so they will never back each other up and become too powerful together).

Every man who comes in contact with Gwyn seems to become obsessed with her, me as the reader doesn't know why she didn't seem to do anything overly remarkable with any of these guys, I guess she has a rockin body or something?  I don't know she ended up with 5 different potential love interests none of them really know her and she doesn't really know any of them but they know "she's the one" because she is "special."  

Aspen's twin brother (one of the guys) also likes Gwyn and wants to be able to court her behind his brothers back... drama!  by that time after only a handful of times of being together with King Aspen and no real discussion about anything meaningful she has decided that maybe being with him would be tolerable and that her hatred of King Aspen is in fact love.

Gwyn continues to go off on her own in the castle and throw off her guards that Aspen has placed with her for safety after she knows that there are many in the castle that don't want her there and she even had to witness the king 💀 a guy for hurting her... like girl you are not safe in this castle why do you keep going off on your own?  Do you have any sense of self preservation??

I had a hard time really investing myself in these characters or anything that was happening to them because no one knew each other all that well so I didn't really feel it was all that big of a deal, and the betrayal that happened... that was just a grown man having a temper tantrum.  

The story is fast paced and has several side plots that seem to make it so that nothing is fully formed and things I would think would be more crucial to the story are rushed through.  

What kept me with this story was the narrators they were amazing I loved the accents too:  Grace Noble, Gregory Salinas, Anthony Palmini and Ben Hall great job!

I did like the plot with the curse between the brothers.  

This was a cozy read if you are looking for something lighter that's easy to follow with our without reading the prequel this might be a good one to grab.

Have you read this one?  What did you think? 

Luna Pierce: Dangerous Haven

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248218723-dangerous-haven

Book Blurb:

London Gardella is running; broken, bruised, and desperate for safety. When she arrives in New York City, she’s clinging to the last hope she has left; finding sanctuary with a stranger who wants nothing to do with her.

Archer Sin is a reclusive billionaire hacker—tattooed, brooding, and razor-sharp— he thrives in the shadows. He reluctantly agrees to keep her safe, but only if she follows his two rules:

No touching his computers.

No falling in love.

Archer’s inked fingers rarely leave his keyboards, but his eyes never stop watching London… stalking her every move, sparking a fire neither can ignore. Then comes a reckless, forbidden kiss.

Rules shatter. Walls crumble. Desire ignites.

Trust is a risk neither can afford, but survival means facing the truth: sometimes, the safest haven is the most dangerous place of all.

Tropes:

*Netgalley ALC *Dark Romance *Billionaire Romance *starting over *Feisty FMC

*Reclusive MMC *Mafia *touch her and 💀 *enemies --> more *on the run *forced proximity

*Obsessive MMC *Posessive MMC *spice *Found Family  *Trigger warnings (check them)

*miscommunication/no communication  *State Challenge New York (repeat) *Morally grey MMC

Thoughts:

London (FMC) is on the run from her old life she is in her early 20s and has had a really hard life with her father who used and abused her, even though he has passed away she is still not safe because he decided to arrange a marriage with a man just as bad as he is... she can't do this, thankfully she was able to get some help starting a new life with just an address to go to she shows up at a strangers apartment looking for a safe haven.

Archer (MMC) is handsome, intelligent, and reclusive since the loss of the love of his life a few years earlier he has been a shell of a man just going through the motions but not truly living.  He really doesn't leave his home but can do everything he needs for his job from home, he and his family are in organized crime... but he wants out of that life and has made it known that he's doing the bare minimum... from home.  So when he gets a surprise on his doorstep in the form of an injured woman he doesn't know what to think.

Archer at first doesn't want London staying with him she has trouble written all over her, but after talking with their mutual aquaintance he agrees to keep her safe for now... what starts out as generally want to protect her turns into a bit of an obsession next thing he knows he is watching her every movement when she leaves their shared apartment and showing up where she is when she doesn't expect him.

London and Archer clash often and have a bit of a love-hate tension that simmers forever until it boils over and then it's fireworks.

Archer's family (his sister and brothers) are all dangerous but you can see the love that they have for each other... even when they are clashing.  It was also nice to see London make a true friend for possibly the first time in her life.

Archer finally feels alive with this tornado that has come into rock his world... but they both have their secrets and one that London is keeping could wreck everything that they have been building over the past few months.  

The narrators did a great job and it was easy to be swept away in this story it was action packed, there were secrets revealed, tension and so much drama!  I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

Some negatives for this book:

London- was young and her attitude was attituding... she shows up on a strangers door step and instead of being thankful she's fairly rude to Archer, you have no where else to go girl why are you being so rude to this man who is trying to help you?

London and Archer were both giving each other mixed signals, it got repetitive after awhile Archer made a rule for London not to fall in love with him if she were going to stay with him... but then he is helping her wash and braid her hair, monitoring her at all times on his computer, and crashing her dates with other guys... like you can't be a no one else can have you guy when you said you didn't want her!  

When Archer and his family got together it felt like the group was a lot younger just due to the arguments they would end up getting into.  

There wasn't too much world building people were mentioned like we should already know them, I wonder if there is another series that should be read first before reading this series (?)

Miscommunication/no communication --> some things happen and instead of letting London tell her side of the story Archer cuts her off and says he never wants to see her again... don't you want to hear what she has to say??... later this happens again.

Archer --> sweet for her at times, but also anger management issues with her occasionally... definately a hot head leading to multiple break ups & make ups

Have you read this one?  What did you think?

Angela Casella: Falling for Mr. October

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/244868798-falling-for-mr-october

Book Blurb:

He’s the internet’s favorite Shirtless Chef.
I’m the only woman in town who's not impressed.

Bianca
My grandmother invited her former best friend to move in for the month of October and help run our annual pumpkin patch.

To our surprise, she brings her grandson Giovanni—a thirty-something Italian playboy who calls me Doctor Death because I’m a former hospice nurse. (At least he gave me a promotion?)

The whole situation is suspicious. What grown man willingly goes on a month-long walkabout with his grandmother? He and my brother used to be close, but that was years ago.

Then we find out Giovanni isn't just visiting Apple Ridge.

He’s hiding.

Apparently, he’s the anonymous YouTube sensation known as The Shirtless Chef. He was recently unmasked in his hometown and left to escape the chaos.

Unfortunately for him, a reporter tracks him down after a national magazine names him their official Mr. October.

Now tourists are swarming. Women are throwing themselves at him. My grandmother wants him to stay forever.

And Giovanni—who once thrived on attention—suddenly hates it.

He begs me to pretend we’re dating, and against my better judgment I agree. On one he has to help with my seniors’ group.

I tell myself, and my concerned siblings, that it's a harmless agreement.

Except fake dating a secret internet heartthrob in the middle of pumpkin season turns out to be…complicated.

Because I’m starting to see the man behind the brand, and I’m not sure I want to give him back.

Giovanni
Apple Ridge was supposed to be safe and anonymous.

Instead, I’ve been exposed, crowned Mr. October, and chased by every woman within fifty miles.

Once, that would have been my dream. Now it’s my nightmare.

The only person not impressed with my fame?

Bianca.

Which is exactly why I need her.

Except the longer I pretend she’s mine…the less I’m pretending.

Tropes:

*Hambright PR ARC *Small Town Romance *Brother's best friend *Frienemies to more

*fake dating *Fall fling *Rom-Com *Cozy read *Nurse FMC *Social media star MMC 

*hallmark vibes *meddling grandmothers (nonnas) *State Challenge North Carolina (repeat)

*Green Flag MMC *Banter

Thoughts:

This was my first book by this author and it won't be my last, this was a fun feel good cozy, small town fall rom-com and I truly enjoyed this one! 

Bianca (FMC) is a nurse, she's caring and loves her job at the local assisted living facility which has been dubbed "The Rotten Apple", she lives with her Grandmother on their family farm that her brother runs but they could really use the help, sales and visits to the farm have declined especially since her rotten ex-fiance (the Mayor) has taken their business off of the towns website, not only that but he bought her place of employment, he's seriously the worst.

Bianca comes home to a surprise... and it's not a great one, her nonna has decided to invite her ex-best friend and her grandson to stay with them for the season to help out, last time these two nonna's saw each other they were making threats, getting older they have decided to let go of their old grudge and work together, and Bianca really can't be that upset about it because her nonna has been sad since her husband passed away and she could really use the extra support.

Giovanni (MMC) has agreed to come with his nonna for a few different reasons, one being that he told his best friend (Bianca's brother) that he would come in his place and help at the family farm when he isn't able to come himself.  Second reason being that he had a secret online persona as a shirtless chef and had gained thousands of followers but his identity has been uncovered and he figured going to a small town where no one knows him would be a good place to hide out until things settled.

Giovanni is handsome, charming and sweet he loves his nonna and he is willing to do whatever it takes to make her happy even if that means staying to help out at the farm longer than he initially planned.  Even though he is hot he has his own feelings of inadequacy ever since his ex-girlfriend told him he basically would never make anything of himself... but now that he's become famous she of course wants back in his life, that's going to be a no!... she's moved on she's married after all.

Gio and Bianca come to an arrangment that will benefit them both for the season if they are fake dating Bianca can help Gio by getting the women coming after him to back off, and Gio will help Bianca and her family get business for their pumpkin patch... win/win what could go wrong?  

Naturally the closer they get together the more the lines begin to blur between what is fake and what is real... and things are beginning to feel so real, but this has an expiration date Gio and his nonna live in Maine, and Bianca's life is in North Carolina she's where she's meant to be. 

This story mixes back story, family drama, romance, banter and heart and it's just a feel good cozy read.  I also appreciate that the author has given the option for people to have a sweet or spicy version of the story for those that like closed door.  

This had everything I love in a small town, cozy rom-com fake dating, meddling nonnas (and brothers & sisters), Bianca's patients and her bestie that meant well and added to the fun (seriously that hat that her friend got for Gio!).  Add in an irritating ex who uses his power as the mayor to add extra shenanigans to the story.  Was this story ridiculous at times... yes, did I enjoy it... yes!   

If you are looking for your next fall romance add this one to your TBR.  I'm looking forward to reading more in this series! 

Thank you to Hambright PR and the author for this early copy! 

Have you read this one?  What did you think? 

Evie Mitchell: Feral Fates

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239691707-feral-fates

Book Blurb:

he only thing more dangerous than their bond, is the war it will ignite.

Every unmated female must run.
The males give chase.
Whoever catches you becomes your mate.
No exceptions. No escape.

Kitara Silverbrook was born with the gift of sight, but cursed without the ability to shift. In a world where a wolf’s strength defines their worth, she’s endured whispers, isolation, and the cruel hands of a pack that sees her as nothing but a vessel for power.

When the brutal Claiming ceremony begins, Kitara’s only hope is to run fast enough to avoid being caught by the pack’s enforcer—the male who’s already marked her for torment.

Torn between prophecy and survival, Kitara must decide if she’ll risk her heart on the savage alpha who promises to protect her at any cost.

Even if that cost is war.

Tropes:

*Netgalley ALC *Shifter Romance (Wolf) *FMC with gift of sight *FMC not able to shift

*Claiming ceremony *Spice *Insta lust/love *Fated mates *Paranormal romance *Fantasy

*Pack Politics *secrets revealed *family drama *touch her and 💀 *protective MMC

 *Possessive MMC

Thoughts:

Kitara (FMC) is considered to be less than in her own pack due to her inability to shift, she is mistreated even though she has been blessed with the power to see the future no one in her pack has helped her to progress with her skills, only using her for their own benefit forcing her to have visions then leaving her on her own to deal with the aftermath (which are often painful).

During the claiming ceremony as an unmated female she is told by an alpha male in her pack that she is to be his... but she doesn't want to be claimed by him knowing that she'll never be treated well if she has to stay in her current pack, her only chance of possibly being seen for who she is, is to get claimed by a male from a different pack. 

When the claiming ceremony begins her inner wolf knows that their fated mate is near... it turns out to be the alpha of another pack known to be the outcasts with the smallest amount of land, but they are also the most vicious pack they have been on their own and know how to protect their own... but will Kitara be safer with this unknown alpha male Ryker?  Only time will tell!

Ryker (MMC) has placed himself and his pack in a worse situation by taking Kitara as his mate, he declines the head alpha's request to deny his claim to Kitara and instead leaves the ceremony with his new mate and heads for home... knowing that he has made more enemies and potential war on the horizon, but Kitara is his and he's not going to let her go now that he's had her in his sight and in his arms. 

What starts out as Kitara being in an unknown situation on new lands, she has to deal with the pack's treatment of their leader picking a female who isn't able to shift... she is used to being seen as weaker though, and not everyone is against their match, even if she can't help by shifting she can still be useful with her gift of seeing the future.

Ryker even though he is known to be brutal he is quite the surprise to Kitara when she sees nothing but kindness from him, allowing her freedom to move around their home as she wishes and he gives her something no one else ever has... freedom to make her own choices, he never forces her to use her abilities against her will and even offers opportunities where she can finally learn how to control her power which she didn't know was possible in her original pack.

Ryker also cares for his pack but makes it known where he stands if anyone questions his choice in his new mate.  

Kitara once nervous about being with the brutal Ryker is now finding it hard to imagine her life without him, but with secrets revealed, betrayals uncovered and danger lurking from other packs it's hard to believe that there will ever be peace.  

The Narrators Jack Calihan and Hannah Chiclana were great, I was able to stick with the story when I might not have finished it without them.  

Negatives for this book:

There was not much world building, what was there was repetitive

The plot was thin and at points in the story the spice began to over power any plot that was there.

There really isn't much character building or progression of their love story it was pretty insta everything between the two, and then the spice happened.

When Kitara has a vision that there is a traitor in their pack there is no questioning of anyone really there are just a few lines where they were discussing "could it be this person?" "maybe"... like you would think if this was actually happening Ryker would be trying harder to figure out who the mole was.

This is good for if you just want a lighter fluffy read that doesn't make you think too much.  

For me this book was ok it was predictable at times and as I said earlier fairly repetitive but I will probably check out the rest of the series at some point to find out what happens next.  

Have you read this one?  What did you think?  

Katherine Lyons: An Alluring Brew

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/246094652-an-alluring-brew

Book Blurb:

When a Chinese woman becomes a royal gift, only a marriage of convenience can save them both.

Chinese apothecary Yihui never expected to be delivered to the Prince Regent like a bolt of silk—a living bribe from merchants desperate for English favor. Prinny can’t accept her, so he commands the Earl of Artanges to marry her instead.

Max has spent years managing the Prince's whims, but being ordered to wed a foreign stranger tests even his loyalty. Yet from the moment he sees Yihui's courage, he's captivated. Her healing knowledge may be foreign to English medicine, but her fierce spirit speaks a language his heart understands perfectly.

Trapped in a royal decree neither wanted, Max and Yihui must navigate a pretend engagement while very real enemies circle. Max’s duty transforms into a desire more potent than any brew. But when their charade ends, Yihui must claim her freedom or trust her heart to a man whose world will never fully accept her.

Some royal commands change everything. Some foreign gifts become priceless treasures.

A Regency romance where East meets West, duty battles desire, and love proves the most intoxicating remedy of all.

Tropes:

*High Gravity ALC *Historical Romance *arranged marriage *Chinese FMC x British MMC

*Class difference *family drama *multiple POV *Spice *Trigger warnings 

Thoughts:

This is book three in the My Lady's Potions series, but can be read as a stand alone. 

I got this ALC from High Gravity and was excited to be able to listen to the full series!  Persephone Lee and Christopher Tester did a great job bringing these books to life.

This book follows along with the rest of the series in being different from the usual historical romances I pick up.  Yihui (FMC) is brought from China originally as a gift to the prince however the prince is already married and the hardened people who she came with feeling that she had failed in her mission threatened her life, in a last minute decision the Prince declairs that even though he can't marry her she can marry his friend Max (who is a future Duke).

Max (MMC) just wanting to protect Yihui in the moment agrees to take her to his home... then he has to figure out how to get out of this situation he is already been promised to marry another woman since childhood (even though he hasn't asked, and she hasn't pushed the issue).  This situation creates for a bit of a hostile environment at home with both of his parents not wanting their only son and the heir to marry a woman from outside of their own country.

Yihui has gone through many hardships including being sold by her own father to pay his debts, and her feet were badly damaged by her captors in an escape attempt, now she is staying with strangers in a foreign country.  

Yihui not wanting to be a burden to anyone wants to prove her worth and she has skills in Chinese medicine, which come in handy especially when her remedies are needed to heal her own infection.  

Max and Yihui get to know each other better while she is staying with his family, while Max and his sister are both kind to Yihui their parents are pretty rotten towards her.  

Max still initially set on his plans to have Yihui break off their engagement knowing that society will never fully accept her soon comes to realize that maybe that's not what he wants at all... it did take him awhile to get there though.

Yihui tries to make plans for her future if she is not to marry what will she do?  She can't return home, but how will she be able to support herself in this new world?  She can work as an apothecary but even that would be hard to start up with some people not very trusting of foreigners.  

My heart went out to Yihui she was so brave, intelligent, resourceful and skilled and trying to make the best of her current circumstances even though she had been treated terribly.  It was hard to read about her treatment from those she traveled with to English society because she was foreign, and after she was trying to settle into a new country the discrimination Yihui faced was heartbreaking.    

Max is so sweet and caring towards Yihui he's protective and even before he realizes that she means more to him than he initially realized you could see the love forming.  Yihui even though she knows she shouldn't can't help but fall for Max he's been nothing but kind and supportive towards her since she arrived and when she had no one in her corner when she came to the country that meant so much to her.

I loved that Max listened to Yihui and made adjustments in the way he did things with his staff and that they were able to teach each other new things.  

The book is fairly long (over 400 pages) and there were sections that dragged a bit for me.  

Have you read this one?  What did you think?  

Kiersten Modglin: Head Under Water

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/258322571-head-under-water

Book Blurb:

Opal Sullivan has a plan:
-Move home to help her mother grieve the loss of her best friend
-Stay in her childhood home until she finds a place of her own
-Keep far, far away from Will Kendricks

Opal’s plan falls apart before she can unpack the first box.
-Too many questions still linger around Ruth’s death
-Her mom has already found her a new roommate
-The new roommate is Will

Growing up as neighbors with best friends for mothers, Opal has never been able to untangle her life from Will’s. He was the boy who teased her, the teenager she hated, and the man she never understood. And after one night they’ve kept buried all these years, they stopped speaking altogether.

Now they have no choice but to break their rules if they want the truth about Ruth’s death.

Because something isn’t right.
The town and life that once felt so safe now simmer with unease.

When tragedy strikes again, Opal knows time is running out. The deeper she digs, the more certain she becomes: whatever truths they uncover might be more devastating than all the lies.

Pulled together by grief and suspicion, the boy she once despised becomes something far more dangerous—someone she can’t quite trust, and yet can’t bring herself to let go of. Are they ready to face the past they’ve both tried to forget?

Will might be her downfall…
Or the thing that saves her from it.

Tropes:

*High Gravity ALC *Mystery *found family *Teacher FMC *non-linear Narrative *Flashbacks

*Enemies --> More *thriller *small town *Secrets revealed

Thoughts:

This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last, this story weaves through the past and present as Opal (FMC) returns home to be closer to her mother after a tragedy strikes, her mother's best friend passed away the police are ready to close the case and rule it as accidental but things are not adding up and Opal is determined to get to the bottom of what really happened.

Opal is attempting to settle into her new life as she gets reaquainted with her home town, she got a job as a teacher at the local school and even finds that she has an old friend there from college... from flashbacks we know that her and this friend were dating casually but nothing serious happened, but maybe now is the time for second chances.  Opal could really use a friend especially since her mom and her mom's best friend (more like a second mom) has found her a place to stay... and it's with her childhood nemesis Will.

No worries they are both adults, doesn't matter that he made her miserable as children... and even went to the same college as she did so she couldn't get rid of him there either.  

As we get to know Opal and Will more see their past history together and have a better understanding of what really happened from both sides it's hard to miss that there was always a caring heart between anything Will did in the past, even if he may have went about things the wrong way.

Opal brings up concerns to her mom and Will's mom that their friend's early demise should be investigated further but no one but Will seems to think there may be more to the story.

Then tragedy strikes again and the need to figure out what really happened is more necessary than ever.  As Opal gets closer to the truth deep secrets emerge and danger gets closer will it be too late to tell the ones who matter most how she really feels?

If Will has been so terrible to her why does she feel safest when he's near?  

I enjoyed this story, I did wish that it focused a bit more on the mystery at times as it spent a lot of time going back in time to Opal and Will's college days, and the mystery seemed to be put on the back burner and I wanted to know what was happening!  

I did figure out some things before the end but I don't feel it took away from the story.  

I thank the author and High Gravity for this ALC!  It was single narration by Persephone Lee but she did really well with the story! 

If you enjoy a romance with a mystery add this one to your TBR!  

Have you read this one yet?  What did you think?