bookishlychar's reviews
2303 reviews

All the Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 
Ridley is a true crime podcaster motivated by tragedy in her own family. She has decided to dedicate this season to, who she thinks, is a serial kidnapper and murderer. This is a case she has a personal connection to. Colt is the town sheriff and is unhappy when Ridley comes to investigate a case he has never solved. The cold case Ridley is investigating gets a little hot when she becomes a victim. Colt jumps in to help her. He finds that Ridley is not what he first thought. 
 
Ridley and Colt have a perfect amount of tension and banter, with Ridley working to break down Colt’s grumpy exterior and get through him. I thought that Ridley was a strong, smart female character, and didn’t fall into some of the typical pitfalls in suspense. She stood on her own two feet and challenged Colt when he became overbearing. Colt was grumpy but also misunderstood. He wanted to protect those he cared for. I loved his nickname for Ridley, Chaos, it seemed to work so well for who she was. I like how Catherine wrote these two characters’ grief and pain so well, and so differently. Both of these characters have had trauma and tragedy in their lives, and they have coped with it differently. It speaks to the different ways people react to events in life. 
 
Catherine Cowles has always been a talented romantic suspense author and I always enjoy the ride she takes me on. This story was no exception. There are plenty of suspects that kept me guessing who the culprit was, and there were some twists that had me fooled. She piqued my curiosity in the prologue and kept me turning the pages all the way through. Not only did I find myself loving Ridley and Colt, she also created a town full of characters that were unique and added to the story. 
 
This was an awesome romantic suspense with so much tension and banter. If you want to be taken for a bit of a ride with an awesome love story, this is the perfect book! Thank you to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine. 
 
Read if you like: romantic suspense, grumpy/sunshine, small town, hate to love 
Snow Harm, No Foul by Hannah Cowan

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was a great little novella about Ivy rebuilding her life after leaving her jerk of an ex. She runs into Niko, who runs the bar in the town she just moved to. It turns out he is her ex's dad. They are both insanely attracted to each other, but know they shouldn't be together. 

Niko and Ivy have some pretty intense chemistry and come together quickly for a night of passion. They decided it was a mistake and tried to avoid each other. Unfortunately, that cannot last for long when Ivy finds out she is pregnant. Even though there was an accidental pregnancy, I loved how upfront Ivy was with it and how Niko didn't freak out, and just accepted it. These two seemed to be on the same page. 

As this is a novella, it is a quick build-up and fast relationship. We got a good happily for now and I loved these two together! If you want a holiday read with some good spice, and spirit this would be perfect! 

Read if you like: age gap, ex's dad, accidental pregnancy, instalove
Frigid by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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3.0

These two seemed incredibly immature and needed to talk to each other. The book was interesting enough, but didn't seem like adults that were graduating from college. 
Break my Heart by Jennifer Sucevic

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challenging emotional funny slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 
Ava’s world imploded last year, and her dad took the job as head coach of the Western Wildcats, moving her across the country for a fresh start. The number one rule in her house is to avoid hockey players. Ava has never had a problem with that until she comes face to face with Hayes Van Doren. She can’t seem to get him out of her mind, and it doesn’t help that Hayes seems to be wherever she is. Hayes has been a playboy all of college, helping to support his mom and three younger siblings as his sole focus until he sees Ava Philips. She is off limits, but he can’t get her out of his mind. Ava may just be the right person to push the limits for. 
 
Ava and Hayes meet cute was pretty epic and it went from there. These two had major chemistry from the first time they saw each other, and they were both drawn to each other, even though it was strictly off-limits. 
 
Hayes has a reputation as a playboy, but I loved watching this other side of him and the adoration he has for his siblings and how they feel the same for him. As a college student, he was working so hard to support his mom when tragedy hit his family many years ago. Ava has been through the wringer. She is struggling with everything in her life, including her desire to skate and the ability to be intimate. Hayes was so supportive of her, cheering her on in all aspects of exploration of herself. I felt the pain and fear she had, but I also saw the strength she had to come back from what happened and come out healthier and stronger. Watching these two developing a relationship was beautiful and I loved watching Ava begin to trust her wants and desires through Hayes’ encouragement. 
 
This book had a little bit of a suspense element and I felt it was written well, but found myself wanting a bit more of it. I did like getting to see the characters from the previous books (I haven’t read them all, and that was okay) and the friendships all these characters have. I also liked learning more about the story for the next couple! I’m excited to read that story too! 
 
If you like a coach’s daughter/forbidden romance with a golden retriever/protective hero, this is the perfect book for you! I love this book and look forward to reading the next in this series! Thank you to the author and Luna Literary for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine. 
 
read if you like: coach’s daughter, forbidden, hurt comfort, golden retriever/black cat, hockey, protective hero 
Bouquets & Buckles by Elliott Rose

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dark funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 
Skyler finds herself stranded on Christmas Eve after finding her boyfriend cheating on her. In tears, she thinks she’s calling her bff, but accidentally dials his father, Lucas. Lucas has been Skyler’s secret crush since childhood, and she is mortified the hot cowboy comes to her rescue. The crush intensifies when he takes her to his place and takes care of her. How is she supposed to resist this man, when he keeps looking at her like that? 
 
This was a quick, highly spicy read. Lucas was a gruff cowboy but in all the right ways. He takes care of Skyler in all the ways she needs. The chemistry between these two is immediate and off the charts. Though the spice is the main part of the story, there are also some sweet moments. 
 
If you are in the mood for a quick holiday novella, this is perfect for you! I loved this one! 
 
read if you like: best friends dad, forbidden, snowed in, age gap, cowboy 
Wyatt by Jessica Peterson

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challenging emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

 
Wyatt has loved Sally for as long as he can remember, but he didn’t want to hold her back. She was meant for great things, and he knows he was meant to stay at the ranch. She is home between finishing school and a new elite job. He doesn’t want to hold her back, but when she asks for help to make guys jealous, things turn from fake to real quickly. Wyatt doesn’t realize that Sally has also been harbouring deep feelings for Wyatt for years. She didn’t think she was enough for him. Now, all these feelings come crashing together, and both must decide if they can continue to lift each other while loving and supporting each other. 
 
Both Sally and Wyatt felt so real to me. Having Wyatt open up about the grief of his parents, and fear of others leaving intentionally, or not, was so raw and real. Sally’s worries and feelings were real, and watching Wyatt help her feel comfortable and recognize what she wanted was wonderful. Wyatt is so patient and gentle with her, giving her the confidence she needs. 
 
Friends to lovers needs to be written well for me to like it. I find that I need that deep need and desire between the two main characters. Jessica Peterson did this spectacularly with Wyatt and Sally. These two were meant to be, and the love they had for each other felt so real and true. Even better than that was how mature they were. There wasn’t a third-act break-up, and I loved watching the two of them work out the challenges of figuring out a future that worked together. 
 
I only discovered Jessica Peterson earlier this year and I have loved the two books I’ve read. I am so excited to read Sawyer’s book and the two other Rivers men! Thank you to the author and Valentine PR for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine. 
 
Read if you like: best friends to lovers, it’s always been to you, fake dating, lessons in seduction 
The Christmas Blanket by Kandi Steiner

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challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 
Eliza hasn’t been home in four years, not since she divorced her husband. She decides to come home and surprise her family for Christmas. The surprise she wasn’t expecting was getting stuck on the side of the highway in a blizzard and her husband, River, being her rescuer. He reluctantly invites her into his home to wait out the storm. While staying with him secrets are unveiled and reconnected, unsure of where to go beyond the blizzard end. 
 
This book packed an emotional punch. Eliza and River have so many feelings about the end of their marriage and it is obvious they still have feelings for each other. Though this is a short novella the author conveys the deep emotional connection these characters have and their feelings about the end of their relationship. One of my favourite things about Kandi Steiner’s writing is her ability to make me feel connected to the characters and this was no exception. I found myself rooting for them and hoping they got their happily ever after. 
 
This was a quick read, and had some Christmas vibes to it, but wasn’t total Christmas. It was a love story about two people who deeply loved each other and thought they were doing the right thing. If you like a book that packs an emotional punch, this one is for you! 
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

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adventurous challenging emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

 
This book follows Blue and Red, who are from rival factions in a time war. They are working to influence time in the way their faction wants. They make contact via letters and continue to write to each other and develop a deep love for each other. 
 
This book was so different from what I typically read, but also so interesting. It did take me some time and rereading passages to figure out what was going on. I’m not a typical sci-fi reader, and it took me a bit to get into it. You start the book right in the action and work to figure out what happened before the book began. What drew me in, though, was the beautiful prose. The letters exchanged between Red and Blue were stunning, and it was so interesting to see the exploration of their relationship. Though this book is about time travel and war happening throughout timelines, it was the love story I was there for. I wanted to read so much more about the relationship that continued to develop between our main characters. 
 
I thought the world-building was great, and I felt I knew what was happening in this time-ravaged world. Through Blue and Red’s story, we understand these two enemies and what future they are seeking. I generally struggle with time-travel stories because the timelines can be difficult to navigate. This book bypassed the complexity by building a focus on the feelings between Blue and Red, with time travel as a backdrop to that story. 
 
This book was able to capture the deep love that can exist between two individuals while navigating a war-ravaged world. Blue and Red had such a unique relationship that I absolutely fell for them. I loved this unique story and recommend it to anyone who loves love. 
Vow of Revenge by P. Rayne

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challenging dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This is an interesting book that is different than the books Piper Rayne comes out with under their full name. I enjoyed getting to know the cast of mafia characters and liked how strong the FMC was. I like how she challenged the norms within the mafia and Marcello grew to believe her. I did find it was a bit lacking for me and took me a long time to get through. I am undecided if I will continue in the series. 
Power Play by Anastasija White

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

In college Layla and Clay had a connection before he realized that she was his team captain's little sister. Clay eventually made a move and they started dating. When he graduated Layla broke his heart by breaking up with him, worried she would drag him down. Fast forward many years, and Layla now has a daughter, Maya, and Clay is back in the same city as her. He has never stopped loving her and is determined to win her, and Maya’s heart. 

Clay is such a wonderful guy. He waited years for Layla; for him, it would always be her. His only goal was to win back Layla and he patiently set about that, waiting for her to get to where he was. I loved how he immediately included her daughter and developed a relationship with her. Clay also challenges Layla to reach her goals, while supporting her and making her feel loved while she comes around. Layla was tough on herself and she made it difficult to love her. She spent a lot of time self-sabotaging but eventually came around to give the love she had a chance. 

There were a lot of cute and sweet moments between Clay and Layla while tackling some of the struggles both were having where they were in their lives. This book is the conclusion to the Sinners on the Ice series, so we also look at all the characters from the previous books. I had not read the prior books, but I did not feel I was lost or missing out on anything. 

These two were a cute couple and I loved seeing them become a family and being happy. If you like a sweet second-chance romance, this is a great book for you! Thank you to Grey’s PR and the author for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

Read if you like: second chance romance, single mom, it’s always been you