Marissa Eller: Left On Read

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/232794089-left-on-read

Book Blurb:

In this rivals-to-lovers romcom from Marissa Eller, overachiever Murphy wants one thing: to be the top student in her school. So when a student who could beat her turns up, she tries to keep her eyes on her own paper… and off this infuriatingly perfect boy.

School is everything to Murphy—literally everything, since she’s missed out on all of the Traditional High School Things in pursuit of academic success. Her senior year is going to be perfect, and so is she... because she's pushing herself to her physical and mental limit. All she needs to do is ignore her mounting anxiety! Which is probably clinical! La la la!

But Hayes—her ultrasmart, ultra-annoying rival for valedictorian—is making her year far less perfect than she imagined.

He's after that top spot, and he doesn’t care who he has to shove outside. But when Murphy and Hayes are paired up for a group project on student mental health, Murphy discovers that he might be the only one who understands what she’s going through. The burnout. The self-doubt. The unrelenting grind. Together, they can stand up to the pressures of academia, family, and the way most traveled... if they partner up in more ways than one.

Tropes:

*Netgalley ALC *Enemies --> More *High school romance *high stress *class rivals

*Mental health representation *State Challenge North Carolina *long term grudge 

*Single POV *good friend group *age appropriate YA 

Thoughts:

Have you ever been looking forward to something for... forever and once you have it it's not as great as you thought it would be?  

That is what Nova (FMC) is dealing with her senior year of high school, she is in a special school for academics where the high schoolers also work on taking college classes she's known for a long time she wants to be a professor of literature and she has put this certain professor on a pedestal only the professor is unenthusiastic about the course spends long hours on her phone while playing movies, answers 0 questions and isn't preparing anyone in this course for anything... to top things off her nemesis in all academic related things Hayes is in this class with her.

Hayes has pressure put on him by his parents who want him to be a doctor like them, but he is more of a numbers guy... would they even allow him to pursue a degree in what he actually wants to do?  

Hayes (MMC) is not as bad as Nova initially thought he was while he has been her rival in the past he is charming and can win over a crowd way easier, and it doesn't help that he has a handsome face what's up with that?  can't he have horrible acne or something?  But he has been surprising her in unexpected ways he notices when she needs space and tells everyone in class how brilliant she is with this subject and she might be just what they all need to succeed.

Next thing you know Nova is teaming up with Hayes and it's getting harder to resist that she's feeling more drawn to him.  But she has been hurt in the past and doesn't want to repeat that... Hayes has hurt her in the past too he could just as easily do it again and they are both up for class president again and he won last time! 

While the leads get closer together they are not really shown doing much more than studying together and going to a county fair that gets cut short by Nova's migraine, so we don't really see much of them "together" as a real couple.

Nova at times is shown as immature and a bit over the top dramatic and then she will be incredibly mature and able to lead a group of college students in a study session. 

I felt everything that did wrap up wrapped up quickly and at least one of the bigger plot points was just kind of left open ended.  I would have liked just a little more depth to the characters I didn't fully feel invested at times with the characters or their relationship due to just knowing surface level basics about them.  

This was a cute YA read both leads are struggling with high stress placed on them by themselves and in the MMC's case his parents as well.  The rivals in school aspect reminded me of the show "Never Have I Ever."

I appreciated the leads working together to try to help get appropriate mental health services set up for future students setting their sights on higher academic goals.

I understand that I am not the target audience for this book and believe that middle school/high school kids looking for an age appropriate romance might enjoy this one.  

The narrator did a great job bringing this story to life! 

have you read this one?  What did you think?  

Samantha Chase: #Resort Crush

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/250085911-resort-crush

Book Blurb:

He lives by schedules, spreadsheet and always knowing what’s next.
She lives for trails, takeoffs, and the thrill of what comes next.

Nora Wilder is always looking for her next thrill, so when she lands a job as an adventure guide at the Lakeview Harbor Resort, it finally feels like she’s found a place where she belongs. Except what seemed like a dream job quickly goes south after a series of run-ins with one of the resort’s owners threatens the future she’s building.

Investing in the resort where he met his closest friends made perfect sense to Milo Keene. But for someone who lives for spreadsheets, participating in any of the resort’s outdoor activities is more than a little outside his comfort zone. And that’s not even counting the resort’s newest adventure guide who seems determined to terrorize him.

Tropes:  

*Netgalley ALC  *Enemies --> more  *small town vibes  *wealthy MMC x not so wealthy FMC

*Opposites attract  *Tech MMC x out doors enthusiast FMC  *Resort/Camp 

*she saves him/he saves her *Insta Love *mentions of spice but not open door

*State Challenge (Washington & NY Both repeats)

Thoughts:

Nora Wilder (FMC) is an independent woman she has been a thrill seeking adventure guide for awhile and even has a pilots license allowing her to fly a small plane or helicoptor, recently she has been feeling that she would like to set some roots and feels that there is a great opportunity to do that at the Lakeview Harbor Resort it's a tranquil place where she can do what she loves and get paid for it... but one of the resort's owners isn't getting that memo...

Milo Keene (MMC) is a wealthy tech guru he has recently invested in a resort where he met his closest friends from childhood and has come to the resort to help set up the security system, things would be going well but he keeps running into this infuriating woman... Nora... what is her problem anyways?  She's like the popular mean girl at school... he is one of the owners maybe he can do something about this situation.

Nora has been told to play nice to Milo by her direct supervisor (one of the other owners) if she wants to keep her job... while he can stick up for her in a lot of ways to keep her there he can't do it for long if she has frequent open hostility towards Milo.

This was a situation where opposites clash (and frequently) until they don't.  The beginning is a bunch of miscommunication or no communication since they don't know each other well and the interactions they have had haven't been pleasant, after an incident happens where Nora has to come to Milo's rescue things take a different turn and they realize that maybe they have both been looking at things from the wrong angle.

A big focus from the middle on was on what would happen when their resort life bubble ended since Milo lived and worked in Washington and the Resort where Nora works is in New York and quite honestly this back and forth with these inner thoughts about long distance relationship and what would happen after Milo went home kind of took up too much of the book (in my opinion) yes it's an issue but they just met... just see what happens (?)  This made it all seem more on the insta love side to me.

Overall it was a cute, cozy quick read/listen, I never fully felt connected with either character as we only get to know them on a more surface level but they were both likeable and I did want them to have a happy ending (preferably together).  This was the 4th book in the series and several other couples from the previous books make appearances throughout but I didn't feel lost and it could be read as a stand alone.  If you are looking for something light this might be for you, 

I got this ALC from Netgalley.  The Narrator did a good job with the story but feel that it could have benefitted by having a 2nd narrator to help with different voices.  

Have you read this one?  What did you think?

Lynnea Lee: A Redemption for Ulrek

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200772851-a-redemption-for-ulrek

Book Blurb:

Refuge in the Arms of a Monster This job on board the New Horizon is supposed to be my fresh start, a fail proof plan to escape my poor excuse for a husband and his dangerous friends. But my white horse quickly turns into a nightmare when I discover that my new boss is none other than Ulrek the Horrible, my sworn enemy. There’s no way I’ll work for the ruthless captain responsible for stealing me from Earth. So contract be damned, I quit! But there are dangers out there worse than a reformed Dominion captain, and with nowhere left to turn, I find myself back on his ship…and in his arms. There’s no denying the treacherous passion that burns between us. And now, the very monster who once captured my body threatens to capture my heart. 

This enemies-to-lovers alien romance features the villain from a previous book, and while he has switched sides, he is still morally gray. If this upsets you, please skip this book. As always, lots of action and steamy scenes ahead. HEA guaranteed!

*Dark Star Romance ALC  *Alien Romance  *Enemies --> More  *close proximity

*Drama/action *spice  *fated mates  *ex- drama  *Touch her and 💀 *💀

*Opposites attract  *Human FMC x Alien MMC  *morally gray MMC

Thoughts:

This is the 8th book in this series but can be read as a stand alone, I received this ALC from Dark Star Romance and I want to thank them and the author for this ALC.  This is the first book that I've read in the series and I didn't know how it would go since a lot of times dropping into the middle of the series can be confusing... but this truly is a stand alone there are characters from previous books but this was easy to follow along with even without knowing the previous story lines.

To start with we have Delaney (FMC) she is originally from earth but has been living on an alien planet after being abducted years ago, at the time being scared and finding out that the Tallean males would not mess with her if she was already with another male she quickly formed a marriage of convenience with another abducted human male... only to find out that it was the wrong thing to do he became controlling and often verbally and physically abusive towards her... finally building the courage to leave after finding out he had been cheating on her she finds the best way to get out of this situation is by taking a job on a space ship set to leave the planet... that should be far enough away from this tool.  She leaves him a dear John letter and files for divorce and heads out for her new job.

Only when Delaney gets on the ship she finds the captain of the ship is none other than Ulrek... the very Tallean that took her from her home years ago... this won't do at all she can't possibly work with this guy he is a horrible villain and even though this was supposed to be her fresh start there has to be another way...

Ulrek has done a lot of bad things in the past all for his homeland... turns out he was just a puppet doing whatever they wanted and also getting the reputation that went along with it... even though he switched sides and has been doing a lot to prove he's not that guy anymore... the one that willingly went a long with whatever the leaders wanted he swapped sides and has been on the run for a long time.  There is a bounty on his head and he has to keep his identity hidden most places he goes... but he trusts the members on his ship he has been with them for a long time... so when their greenhouse on the ship goes haywire and plants start to die he needs help asap... and he's willing to do whatever he needs to do to try to get Delaney (his only option for the job since other larger ships that don't need to hide have snagged all of the other eligible candidates in the area) to come work for him.

Ulrek and Delaney very quickly find that they are attracted to one another the chemistry is off the charts and even while Delaney doesn't want anything to do with him she keeps finding herself in his arms... and in his bed... that doesn't mean she is forgiving him though.

Delaney finds herself in danger when her soon to be ex-husband keeps coming back into the picture to cause trouble and who is there for her but Ulrek, it's hard to dislike him so much when he's been so protective and caring towards her and his crew love him... so that should mean something right?

When things happen to make it so Delaney doesn't have a choice and needs the job to get off the planet... and quickly Ulrek makes the most of this close proximity and quickly they find that they can't keep their hands off of each other Ulrek is coming to realize that Delaney means more to him than he originally realized she is his mate... and her leaving might really be the end of him.  Naturally there are more enemies out to get them so they are not out of the woods yet and find themselves in more danger that they need to navigate together. 

Delaney finds that even with outside enemies after them the scariest thing may be that she doesn't hate Ulrek as much as she thought... in fact could she be falling in love with him?  Ulrek doesn't want to scare Delaney off with the truth that she is vital to his existence so keeps that to himself for awhile as he shows her that he isn't as bad as she originally thought him to be. 

I really enjoyed this book it had a great plot to spice ratio and the storyline had me hooked on needing to find out what happened next.  I loved watching Ulrek show Delaney time and time again he could be the strong, supportive, caring guy she needed after coming out of a bad relationship and that Delaney was just the fiery woman with a big heart that Ulrek needed after his past history.

Thank you to the author and Dark Star romance for this ALC!  I can't wait to read more of this series.  The Narrator did a great job bringing these characters to life!