booksandmeforevermore13's reviews
297 reviews

I enjoyed this book a lot. It had so many hilarious moments but also many sweet, tender, and swoony ones. The audiobook was amazing, with a duet narration and I would definitely recommend it. Hannah Chiclana and Aaron Donahue were both so incredible. Hannah's impression of Paloma was extra amazing for me.

Klein was such an amazing book boyfriend, and I lovedddd him. I love the way he stood up to everyone when it came to Paisley, how he didn't let Shane talking shit about her and get away with it, how he didn't shy away from telling her father what he thought while also reaching out to him for Paisley's sake. The man is a damn forest. I loved how he took and interest in getting to know her grandmother and being Paisley's number one supporter, always standing by her side through any decision she made, ready to back her up with whatever she needed.

Paisley was a people pleaser. This stems from what happened in her past with her family. It was honestly such a difficult spot to be put in, and her father never should've done so. I hate all the blame and resentment she got from her family, which in turn instilled guilt in her and made her feel responsible for breaking up her family. This also leads to her swallowing down her words and thoughts for years just to appease her family and not cause them any more distress. Which was also why she agreed to let her sister date her ex.

The romance was honestly so freaking sweet and made me so happy for these two. Klein had been in love with her 8 years ago before things went sideways. The time spent leading up to the wedding week to sell their fake relationship led to them learning more about each other and growing very real feelings. Once they were on the island, Klein couldn't keep his eyes or hands off Paisley, and nothing about it was fake.

There was good character development, especially in Paisley's case. The more time she spent with Klein, the more she started sharing and being herself with him. She got bolder and started realizing that the only person she was hurting by appeasing her family was herself, and that was not the right thing for her. It took quite some time for her, after all these years, to stand up for herself and tell others what she truly felt, and I loved that journey for her. Klein was always reliable and respected her choices, whether it was speaking up or letting go, but he made her realize that she deserved more from her family and that she shouldn't have to be the pushover for them because of her misplaced guilt.

The spice was reallyyyyy hot, and I loved it. The closet scene, especially knowing that her ex heard her... DAMNNN!!! That one gave me a lot of satisfaction.

Paloma and Cecily were amazing friends and coworkers, and I loved them. Their sense of humor and comments made me laugh a lot, and I loved how supportive and protective they were of Paisley.

I did want Sienna to grovel more because she was being such a bitch to Paisley throughout the book. I know there were some hard feelings involved because of <strike>Satan</strike> Shane, but it still didn't excuse the way she treated Paisley.

Certain plot points were left unanswered and forgotten. Like Klein and his fears about not being good enough or what he meant by his reaction to his photo being taken. What was the reason for that? I needed more information about his past—his struggles and insecurities that were hinted at but weren't elaborated on.

Also, what was with the mix-up 8 years ago with the text Paisley never received? They said they'd get back to it but never did.

Returning to Sugar Brush wasn't something Remington had seen himself doing. But after being in a terrible accident and then learning of his father's death, he'd returned to settle things before he moved on and left town again. What he hadn't expected was his father leaving his home to both him and his mentee, Hannah Kelly. His relationship with his father had been very different from the one his father had had with Hannah, and I felt so terrible for him because he deserved so much better from his dad. I truly felt bad for Remington and the kind of welcome he received when he returned to Sugar Brush. I didn't like the way people gave him shit for leaving, especially when some of them knew the kind of situation he was living in. He was also recovering from an injury from his last assignment, which had left him with PTSD.

Hannah was strong, independent, fierce, and cared deeply for those who were a part of her life. She was so used to taking care of everyone and was still reeling over the loss of her boss, mentor, and friend, Graham Town. He had become a father figure to her over the years, and she took care of him right till his final moments, which was also why she was angry at Remi for not showing up for his father sooner; however, she didn't have all the facts for why Remi had left years ago. After her last breakup and the things her ex had said to her, she had been left feeling raw and doubtful of her own feelings, and she'd vowed to not let herself confuse things in her mind and get attached to anyone. Being diagnosed with ADHD also made her feel like she was too much for anyone to handle.

Hannah was forced to coexist in the same house as Remi while she worked, hoping he'd leave town again soon. But Remi decides to stay a while longer to get his bearings and figure out what his next move might be. What started as a confusing and volatile situation between Remi and Hannah over being owners of Graham's property slowly turned into the two starting to lean on each other for support and comfort. As someone who had felt like he had nothing left to return to in this town, getting close to Hannah gave him a renewed sense of hope and helped him deal with the trauma from his accident better. She was by his side and soothed him in a way that he hadn't realized he'd needed. For Hannah, who'd gotten used to feeling like she was too much to be with and not worth the effort, Remi proved to her that she was perfect as she was and that he wasn't intimidated by her strength and independence, nor did he feel like it was too much to give her the attention, love, and reassurances she deserved.

Although there were moments I enjoyed, this book didn't quite hit that mark for me.
The pacing of the book felt a bit off for me. I feel like the way the plot shifted between romance and suspense didn't tie up all that well. The suspense part could've been left out, and it wouldn't have made much difference to the plot.

I wanted more moments between Caleb and Remi and them slowly mending their friendship, not just one conversation over beers to sort everything out and then for Caleb to just kind of disappear. The whole brother's best friend trope wasn't explored too well since these two had been estranged and had no contact for over a decade. I needed more on-page moments between them to get an understanding of their friendship. Also, Caleb didn't even have much of a reaction to Remi and Hannah dating.

The romance between Hannah and Remi seemed to pick up out of nowhere. Hannah initially hated Remi for not coming back when his father needed him, and they'd barely had any interactions because Hannah didn't want to hear him out or entertain his presence. But one mention of his injury and a kiss later, things went from hate to lust instantly. Their conversations with each other kept shifting between things seeming casual and being in love constantly. So I couldn't see the gradual growth in their relationship. It felt like they'd already declared to give each other their all even when it was supposed to be just casual, and that didn't give me the angst and build-up I was looking for.

I needed more information about Remi's past with his father. That whole thing felt so unfinished for me. I didn't know how bad things had been for Remi growing up, what he'd endured, or why he felt like he had to leave town. Some kind of backstory to justify the level of terror, panic, and detachment Remi felt at being back at his old house or at the mention of his father. What did he mean when he said that he'd experienced a lot at a very young age? And how did his father, who was so terrible and negligent of his child, who'd leave him feeling terrified and abandoned so easily, be reformed after Remi left town? It didn't make sense to me. I really didn't get the answers I was looking for regarding his past with his father, especially with all the shit Hannah had given him for not being there for his dad and being heartless. Maybe I'm just mad at the unfairness of it all for Remi, but I'm happy Graham didn't get to see his son before he passed, because he didn't deserve it in my opinion after the way he'd shut down on his son when he needed him the most.

Although Sugar Brush is mentioned as a small town, not much about the town was described for me to get an understanding of it. I wish the town was a more present part of the book. The side characters, especially the T&T character names, had me confused half the time because I couldn't tell who was who.

The suspense aspect of the book felt lacking and a bit underdeveloped for me, and like the attention was randomly returning to it from time to time. I had a lot of questions regarding the reveals, which I couldn't exactly understand the reasoning behind, to be honest. I wish more questions had been answered and the suspense had built more smoothly along with the romance plot.

Thank you to Julia Wolf and Valentine PR for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, I absolutely LOVED this book. I was hooked right from that first page till the very end. I really want to read it again for the first time. I laughed soooo damn hard reading it and swooned at how cute these two were.

I adored Rosie's character so much. She was so goddamn hilarious, and I also loved when she got pissed. Rosie has always loved romance, so it was kind of a given that she wanted to write romance. It's a genre that isn't taken very seriously, and I, as a reader, also resonated with this, as my personal experience has been similar in the sense that people just assume reading romance doesn't count or it's basically just corn. She wants to change that view people have of the genre and make them see what it truly represents. Again, I could relate to this and why I love to read romance.

After spending close to a decade with the wrong guy, she's reluctant to let anyone in again, not wanting to see things that aren't there just because she's looking for a romance like the ones she reads and writes. I loved her love for all things romance and how she never stopped seeing the positive in people. She was so strong, smart, caring, dedicated, committed, and simply amazing.

There were so many layers to Aiden's character, and as the story progressed, we got to slowly peel each layer back and understand more of him. Given his relationship with his dad and the environment he grew up in, Aiden was skeptical when it came to anything related to romance. It honestly broke my heart when I started learning more about Aiden and realized just how sweet, caring, and loving he was but didn't know how to convey it. I also loved how he communicated with Rosie about not knowing how to do relationships. That whole conversation was just to open, and he showed her his vulnerable side.

The romance was just so freaking beautiful. This is what I look for in an enemies-to-lovers trope. I loved the gradual shift in their relationship throughout the book. It changed slowly with time, just like the seasons in the book. It starts with when they were forced to work together and had no choice but to start interacting more to develop the characters they were writing about.

What I loved was how Aiden and Rosie's relationship grew parallel to Hunter and Max's, and the two were basically writing their own love story as the characters of the book. As their feelings started changing, it reflected in their book and where those characters were going. I loved how these two used their book as a way to open up about their own personal feelings to each other, testing the waters to see if there was more and feeling a sense of comfort to write it down for the other to read rather than saying it out loud. Since this was a single POV, I loved reading Aiden's thoughts through Hunter's POV in their book, which showed his messy, vulnerable, conflicted, and loving feelings.

I loved that though they slowly grew to tolerate each other, then turned to friends before getting together, their banter never stopped, and they had to keep bickering, which was sooo funny and endearing. All the things they did together were just perfect and made me smile. laugh and sigh contentedly. The gifts, the hand-holding, writing together, the fake and real dates, baking together, and so much more—it was all just beautiful and left me feeling soooo damn happy.

There were so many heartfelt moments between these two with how they opened up to each other. How they began counting on each other. It was a huge step for Aiden, who was so closed off to put his heart on the line and take that step forward. I also admired Rosie immensely for making the first move even when she was terrified of getting her heart broken again.

There was a lot of self-reflection and growth for both characters, and I liked how they helped each other grow by being exactly what the other needed. Neither were perfect, and that was the point: that you didn't need to be perfect, that the person who loves you loves all of you, every good and bad part of you, which I felt was shown well.

The spice—It's ALWAYS the quiet ones. Aiden and that dirty-talking mouth of his was such a delightful contrast to his otherwise quiet personality, and I loved it. The way these two seemed to take their competitiveness even here made it so much hotter. The part when they co-wrote a sex scene for their book was something else. I also loved how their first time together went because it was realistic with the insecurities Rosie had and the way Aiden took his time with her. And I loved how with Aiden, she slowly started getting more confident and wasn't shy to take the first step and ask for what she wanted.

The side characters added sooo much to the plot, and I loved how involved they were. I loved the friends group in this book. Logan, Tyler, and Jess were so amazing, funny, and supportive, and I loved their reactions to Aiden and Rosie during the workshop too. They're the kind of group you need. I'm hoping we get a book for Jess and Tyler too, 'cause I need to know more about them. Alexa was wonderful too, and I loved how she teased Rosie and was so unpredictable. Ida was another character I loved, and her relationship with Rosie. The guidance she provided, how they'd become friends, and the way their conversations went when Aiden's name got involved.

Thank you to Katie Holt and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Boone is struggling with survivor's guilt after being the only man who came out alive while his team members didn't make it out during his last mission as a Ghost Op. This led to him living his life isolated in his cabin with his dog Atlas, feeling like he didn't deserve to experience the good things.

As he goes about minding his own business, he finds a woman floating unconscious and bruised in his river. He recognizes her immediately as Gemma Newhouse—the daughter of the richest man in America—and hopes to send her packing as soon as she wakes up.

But when he finds out that she's been drugged and kidnapped, barely managing to escape her captors, who were still looking for her, he realizes that letting her go now would be unsafe and they needed more information to come up with a better strategy to get her home. As the people looking for Gemma catch up to her trail, it's a race against time to get her out of harm's way and to safety. But those who want Gemma seem to always be one step ahead, stopping at nothing to get to her.

All Boone wants to do is make sure she gets back to her family safe, but along the way, the two find comfort in each other that neither had expected. They both try to deny it at first, thinking it must be the severity of the situation that's confusing their feelings, but the more time they spend together, the more they start forming a deeper bond and developing feelings.

For Gemma, who was so used to being betrayed, played, and exploited as a way to get to her father, trust didn't come easily. But watching Boone put himself at risk over and over again to save her life, with no other reason but to keep her safe, made her open up to him in a way she hadn't felt like she could before. He saw her for her and liked her for her and not who her father was and what he could gain from her.

For Boone, he had a lot of conflict in his mind over wanting to get closer to her because of his own past, the demons he still fought every day, and feeling like he didn't have anything to offer her or that he himself didn't deserve to be happy. But as time goes by, he slowly starts opening himself up to the possibility of having a real future with Gemma and reaching for some light and happiness in his life.

I liked how strong Gemma was, and even with everything going on, she didn't break, but she worked with Boone to get out of the situation. I admired her strength and resilience. I also loved Boone and how he fought anyone who tried to get to her. 

I have to mention how much I adored Atlas and how he totally stole the show. The way he protected them both, especially Gemma through everything was so touching. He was the absolute best.

The book was filled with intense action with these two trying to escape the people who wanted to get to her, while trying to figure out why they wanted her in the first place. It kept me hooked and on edge the whole time with how many times they came close to being caught. I definitely liked the balance between all the suspense, action, and romance.

I loved Shep. His entry was awesome, and I'm happy that his book is next.

That prologue was honestly so difficult to read through, and I was so heartbroken for Thea. She was honestly so bloody strong-willed even after all that she'd experienced. It was a slow process for her to let go of the control she held on to so desperately because it had been ripped from her in the most cruel way before. I could understand where she was coming from and felt for her. The fear, anxiety, and helplessness she felt whenever someone tried to look too closely. The constant uncertainty and trust issues had led her to live isolated and feel lonely, but she couldn't see a way out of it.

Shep is a protector, a fixer, the one who needed to take care of everyone around him. Guilt for what went down with Rhodes was eating up at him, but he refused to let anyone in because he wasn't good with asking for help. His own issues with being abandoned by his parents when he was mere months old had left a deep impact even though he was taken in by the Colsons. This led to him trying to be perfect and put together all the time so no one else had a reason to abandon him. 

Shep and Thea were honestly so wonderful together and exactly what the other needed. Right from the way Shep slowly eases Thea into feeling comfortable in his presence, never getting annoyed or pushing her, but letting her set the pace, letting her make the decisions, and constantly assuring her that she always had the option of saying no. He was a steady and patient presence in her life, and he slowly gave her the sense of control that she needed. With time, she slowly starts allowing Shep into her life and to see more of her, that she'd kept hidden for far too long. Shep helped her deal with her demons, and his words and actions were the push she needed to stop the voices in her head from berating her and start living again.

Thea was also so mindful and careful with Shep. He tried his best to only show his most perfect side to everyone out of fear of abandonment, keeping a tight leash on his inner turmoil and emotions. As he spends time with Thea, she makes him understand that he is allowed to express himself, allowed to show the not-so-perfect side of him. She reassured him with her words and actions that she loved all the parts of him, not just the pretty ones but even the dark and chaotic, because it only showed how deeply he cared for others. It was a gift for Shep, to be seen completely for who he was and still be accepted and loved by her.

The Colsons are truly the best. I love how even though they all aren't blood-related, they are more of a real family than many other families in town. The way they loved and would drop anything to be there for the others was so heartwarming. I loved how they got Thea into their fold slowly. She was so unsure and nervous about how she might not be good enough for them given her own past struggles with her family, but they made her feel welcomed from the start and gave her the family she'd always craved.

Lolli was an absolute delight as always with zero filter. Her "art" and "cooking skills" and "sex is natural" lectures were hilarious af, especially with how uncomfortable it made everyone else, and I adored her so much for the way she was so unapologetic and fun.

I loved Shep and Anson's friendship so much. Especially watching how much lighter and happier Anson was now that he was with Rhodes. He was actually so funny and cracked me up. I also love how smart he is and how much Shep's friendship meant to him for him to get back into profiling for his sake even with his past.

How does Catherine Cowles do it??? I was sooo sure that I knew who was behind the threats, and I was feeling a bit smug that I might be right for once, but What. The. Actual. Fuck? I did not see that coming. At all. And Catherine continues to leave me speechless with her plot twists and reveals. I loved the way things unraveled. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, as always.

This was my first ARC buddy read, which was with @Chiara^•^ since she was the one who brought the ARC signup to my attention, and I had a great time.

Isabella is the daughter of Luca Valentino, and her life has been confined to her gilded cage, even if it's a luxurious one. All she wants is her freedom and her parents to see her as a grown-up who can experience life like others. The opportunity comes in the form of a 3-month summer internship for pre-med students in Rome. There's a lot of back and forth between Isa and Raf with how he handles her security. However, with the attacks on her, she soon realizes he's right to be vigilant and there's more going on that they aren't aware of.

Raffaele knew that taking on Isabella as a client might not be the smartest decision for him, but he feels this pull towards her and, against all reasoning, agrees to become her bodyguard. He doesn't understand this connection and the protectiveness he feels for her, but he wants to make sure she's safe. He's adamant about not returning to Rome at first when Isa gets accepted to the internship program; however, he eventually relents, but this only raises his hackles, and he is even more mindful of the security arrangements for her. He was a bit overbearing and controlling when it came to her safety. However, when we learn more about his past, we realize the reason for it. 

The romance between Raf and Isa has a lot of push and pull, especially from Raf's side, which gave Isa whiplash keeping up with his emotions. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop himself from wanting Isa or acting on his feelings. He does try to resist, but it is futile. Isa brings him a sense of calm, and her presence grounded him. I did love their banter and arguments, which only fueled the tension simmering between them. Isa was patient with him and didn't let him hide his feelings when he tried to. Instead she coaxed him to open up to her and took care of him in a way he hadn't been taken care of in a long time.

I was curious to know who was behind all the attacks and what they were after. The mystery slowly unfolds and definitely took me by surprise. The final 60 pages had a lot of action, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I love how Raf and Isa stood by each other through everything, though, and fought their way out of these situations.

The spice was good, and Raf had a filthy mouth on him. I liked the way these two couldn't keep their hands off each other.

I also loved Isa's relationship with her cousins, especially Serena. Which also has me excited for the next book 'cuz it's Serena's book.

Thank you to Sienna Cross for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Faye and Lincoln's first encounter was 5 years ago, on a night that changed both their lives forever.

I'm absolutely obsessed with Faye. I'm in love with her, and I want to be like her because damn, this woman is spectacular. Faye is a burlesque dancer and a private investigator and has returned to Fiasco—a place she never thought she'd return to—following a lead in a case. The people of the town have mixed reactions about her return, and not many people are happy about it given the way she left town, including her sister. I love how Faye handled the whole thing with returning to town. Although the reactions did sting at times, she stayed unfazed and kept her cool.

I did enjoy the relationship between Faye and Maggie. That was one hell of a journey for both of them. So many emotions, secrets, and memories.

Honestly, what is it about men in all black with glasses on??? Linc was an absolute hottie. When he sees Faye in town after all these years, he feels a mix of emotions—anger, attraction, and curiosity. He is wary of her and wants to find out the reason for her return and wants her to leave town again. Even so, he can't help the undeniable attraction he feels towards her, which only fuels his anger at the whole situation. He's also struggling to find inspiration to complete his grandfather's task of creating his own unique blend of bourbon.

I love Linc's relationship with his kids. It was so open, honest, and sweet. He always communicated everything with them and was mindful of their feelings. Even when he wanted to start something with Faye, he had an honest conversation to understand their feelings on it and was ready to patiently wait for them to come around. I also loved how they talked about the difficult topics too and expressed their love for each other.

Lily and Lark were so, so amazing, and I loved them. Lily, especially with her gemstones and palm reading and always being excited and curious. She cracked me up every single time with her interactions with everyone. I loved the way she always used Lincoln's words against him to get what she wanted.

I can totally understand why Lily and Lark were both smitten with Faye from the first moment they met. You just can't help but love her. And I loved the bond that slowly built between her and the kids. Lily was in love with her the whole time; however, I also loved that Lark didn't immediately root for her and Lincoln, even if she liked Faye only due to the fact that she loved her dad and was super protective of him and didn't want to see him hurt in any way. She was also scared of including Faye in their lives just to lose her later. I respected and loved Lark more for it because she was honest and caring.

The romance between Linc and Faye developed gradually, with both of them initially hating each other and wanting to keep their distance due to their past encounter 5 years ago. However, they can't deny that there's an attraction there even if neither want it. Avoiding each other becomes impossible with them being neighbors. Linc also can't help himself from seeking her out every time, even if he tries his best not to. There was some push and pull from his end because he couldn't trust her knowing she had some big secrets and not wanting her mess anywhere near his family. But the more time he spends with her, the more he tries connecting the reasons for her past actions with the person he realizes she is.

The two eventually opened up to each other, and I loved how Linc trusted her enough, even before he knew the whole truth about her past, and was ready to stand by her side through anything she needed to do. After being the one to take care of everyone, Faye finally had someone who looked out for her and took care of her. Even though she was very, very capable of handling herself, knowing that she wasn't alone anymore meant a lot to her.

The spice. HOLY FUCKING HELL!!!!! Fucking Explosive!!! Insanely hot, and I just found my new favorite way to drink bourbon. Faye was sooo freaking confident, challenging, unapologetic, and hotttt. The way she took control and wasn't the least bit shy was honestly so refreshing and sexy. I love it when women are confident during sex in books and don't feel shy to ask for what they want, and Faye is the example of how it's done. She had me drooling for her with how confident she was in her skin and unafraid to express herself.

The plot twists were so good, and it was such a wild ride. I could not put this book down. Every reveal had me dropping my jaw. Certain moments had me at the edge of my seat, and some revelations made me emotional. I was so curious about the past and the present and it was all tied up together so perfectly. It was the perfect balance of romance and suspense.

I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like that ending could've hinted at an upcoming series, and if I'm right, it's going to be amazing because I'm invested in this character's story.

I'm SOOOOOO ready for Ace and Hadley's book.

Thank you to Victoria Wilder and The Author Agency for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So I'm continuing my buddy read with @eliv_bookstagram for this series, and I had the best time. I did end up spamming her with all my rants and thoughts, and she's the sweetest for bearing with me.

This is my first book with ménage, and I wasn't sure how I'll feel about it. I can't say exactly how I feel. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't like it all that much either since I feel like I needed more depth in their relationships. Also, when I went into this, there was no hint that Drake and Hunter had a thing for each other, apart from that one vague statement Hunter made during the prologue. And it stayed that way till almost halfway through the book, and then as soon as the three had fucked, the focus shifted to more these two and how they always had feelings for each other too. Idk how I feel about that honestly.

I feel like the dynamics between Isabel, Hunter, and Drake were already set even before the book began, so when it started, it kind of felt like picking up a story midway through. Since Drake and Hunter had known each other basically all their lives, I wish there was a little more backstory given, a flashback here and there to understand how they got to where they are in their friendship, and I also wanted to know more about Hunter's past and his criminal history too. The same goes for Hunter and Isabel, but at least there was one flashback scene to sort of establish how they met. Again, I wish there was a flashback scene from Drake's POV about how Hunter and Isabel met and that whole situation.

When I went into this, Drake was kind of meh in my head after the first two books, but I ended up falling in love with this man. Honestly, he deserved so much more. I wanted so much better for him because he was just being tossed around the whole time. Reading about all the emotions he was feeling throughout the book made me feel so bad for him. This man did everything Hunter asked him to do, always taking his lead, always backing him up. The way he basically put his own life on hold for these two, and I didn't like that neither of them took notice sooner. He was just being dragged along with this couple, not a total outsider but not on the inside either.

Isabel was okay. She was smart, reasonable, and kinky and called Hunter out on his bullshit (almostttt always). I did like her bond with Drake and I liked them together, but we weren't given much time to understand their relationship as friends before the sexual tension between them started out of nowhere. I wish things had eased in slowly for them rather than them having confused thoughts about each other right from the very first chapter. I was worried their chemistry wouldn't be able to help me get over the fact that she's married to Hunter, but they seemed good together.

Although when Hunter first proposed the idea of Drake fucking Isabel, and Isabel said no, I didn't like how she tried to convince Drake to go ahead with it for the sake of her marriage. It felt like she wasn't actually into it and only convinced herself so she could keep Hunter happy. She could've avoided that statement, and the two could've slowly explored this together, and I wouldn't have had an issue.

Isabel also seemed like a buffer for Drake and Hunter to finally realize their feelings and act on it, because as soon as Drake and Isabel had slept together, she was sidelined and the focus shifted to the guys. After this, her only role seemed to be to push these two to realize that they want each other and admit it.

Coming to Hunter....

I hate that Hunter almost manipulated both Isabel and Drake for his own fantasy. Even after Drake confesses his feelings about how getting involved could lead to him getting attached and that these two were his only family and he didn't want to jeopardize that. Immediately after that, Hunter still went ahead with his own wishes and practically threw his wife in his arms. I also hate the fact that Drake said that it didn't matter if both him and Isabel had said no to sex, what Hunter wanted, he somehow got it. Like NOOO!!

I was absolutely fucking pissed at Hunter for the way he left Drake in that club in that position without a single word after what went down. Absolutely NOT!!! He's been your best friend for decades, and that's not how you treat him.

And I feel like Hunter basically cheated on Isabel when he slept with Drake. Yes, he did tell her that he had confusing feelings for Drake, and she encouraged him to explore them. But when the time comes, Hunter decides to sleep with Drake—and in their house—he doesn't even have a conversation with his wife before. Or bring it up the morning after; she's the one who asks about it, and then he admits to sleeping with Drake.

The audacity of Hunter for not wanting to own up to his own feelings, not communicating anything clearly with Drake or Isabel for that matter, and then being pissed when Drake tries to move on. And my god, Drake. This man did everything Hunter asked him to do, always taking his lead, always backing him up, 'cause that's just how it had always been, and I felt so terrible for all the whiplash he got. His feelings were a mess, and he tried so hard to not get attached and be left heartbroken by the only family he knew.

Hunter's feelings were all over the place, and he just couldn't own up to it. I didn't understand his whole hangup over liking Drake. I mean, you run a sex club, ffs. You see men fucking on a daily basis, and you know it isn't wrong, so for him to say he couldn't accept that about himself because of his dad was homophobic wasn't reason enough to drag things out for so long. And then he spends a few months away from Isabel and Drake, visits his dad's grave ONCE, and ta-da! bye bye to all my hangups about being bi.

Also, I wish Hunter had come out as demisexual since that would've made more sense in his case, as he says he had no interest in any other man ever, and it was just Drake. Knowing his bond with his wife Isabel, this would've worked better than him being bisexual.

The spice, I did enjoy some scenes, some not so much because of all the whiplash again, and the sort of manipulation from Hunter (to put it lightly).

I loved, loved, loved this novella so much. Seriously, how am I supposed to even consider real men after coming across Luke Darling? 

The audiobook was perfection, with Noah B. Perez and Venessa Vasquez as the narrators, who've done such a brilliant job, just like the other books in this series. These two are a dream team. Noah B. Perez as Luke was the perfect choice, and I could stop smiling and blushing with all the joking and teasing Luke did.

Lauren never fails to write about deeper topics and handles them so well. Even with a holiday novella, there were topics that hit hard and made me emotional (check TW). As two people working in the medical field, death is a part of their lives, and I liked how this was addressed with certain situations. They were a little hard to read, but that also made it more authentic.

Catalina was a character I could really relate to because I could understand what it's like to be shy and closed off but be perceived as rude by others because of it. Her reserved personality earned her the title of ice queen in town, which also led to her being unable to form a lasting relationship because no one had been patient with her to try. After a point, she gave up on ever finding someone, so she stuck to constantly traveling as a nurse, going for casual relationships with no real future.

She also felt a lot of guilt for dating her sister's now-fiancé, however briefly, although she didn't know about her sister's feelings for him at the time. But I liked that Catalina and Gabriela communicated these feelings and cleared things up.

Luke was honestly so damn thoughtful, patient, and just so present. He was a calming presence in Catalina's life. He slowly blended into her life and was always exactly the person she needed in every situation. He let Catalina take the lead, knowing she was flighty and needed the time to feel comfortable and open up. However, he also made his feelings abundantly clear to her and kept showing up, putting in all his efforts for her, and giving her reasons to return too.

Aiden and his family were truly the only family Luke had known, his own family being more focused on his achievements and status than him as a person. Striving for perfection was something that was ingrained in him while growing up by his parents, and needing their attention and appreciation led to Luke holding himself to an unreal standard and becoming a perfectionist. As he spends time with Catalina, Aiden, and Gabriela this Christmas, he realizes how unrealistic the standards he'd set for himself were, and how it wasn't always about winning, but the moments you spend having fun with the people who matter in your life.

Even though this was a novella, the romance between Luke and Catalina unfolded gradually, as they both had insecurities of their own that they had to face and deal with while they tried to explore this connection between them. It was quite the journey for both of them as they put themselves in a vulnerable position with each other by slowly accepting their growing feelings and taking a chance.

Their moments together were just so adorable and filled with so much love. They made such a great team, whether it be with assembling the Lego set, brainstorming the maid of honor speech, knowing what the other person needed after a rough day at work, or knowing just what to say to each other to put the voices in their minds to rest. The spice was just the perfect amount, not taking away from the story or being the main focus. The intimate moments between them were also so good and right.

Another thing I loved is how Catalina and her mom take that step to fix their strained relationship. When her mother opens up about her own childhood and acknowledges the ways in which she was wrong, Catalina opens up about how she's felt with all that pressure from her mom. It was a heartfelt and much-needed conversation for them both to heal and move forward. It also shows that her mom was also still learning how to let go of her own issues even at her age and do better by her daughter.

That maid of honor speech honestly got me to the verge of crying. It was so beautiful and overwhelming and perfect. And that epilogue? My goodness, I can't express how amazing this man is, and seriously, why can't he be real?

I'm continuing my buddy read with @eliv_bookstagram with this book. I'm not usually a fan of the step-siblings trope since it's rarely done without getting too weird, and though this did get weird in some situations, I still enjoyed it overall.

Garrett has been feeling a little lost lately. With most of his friends happily in love, he feels this pang of loneliness that he can't quite seem to be able to shake off. Which leads to him getting drunk alone at home, which in turn leads to him downloading an app that would allow him to find someone online for some company. What he doesn't expect is to see his stepsister working as a cam girl on the app. What is even more shocking is that he's enraptured by her.

Before his mind can follow up with his actions, he gets in touch with her via the app anonymously, and that interaction leaves him feeling things he hasn't felt ever. He decides that taking a break and visiting his parents and Mia would be a good way to figure out where all these feelings are suddenly coming from and hoping to put them to rest.

Mia has been in love with her stepbrother for as long as she knew the meaning of it, but he's never seen her as anything more than an annoying little stepsister. So she'd resorted to being bratty in order to hide her true feelings from him. When Garrett shows up to their lake house, things seem different between them somehow, but she can't pinpoint how or why. As Garrett voluntarily spends time with Mia, her feelings get even more tangled up with this change in his behavior, and he can't help but feel drawn to her the more he understands who Mia has grown into as a person.

Firstly, what I'm liking in this series is the way the sex club and these kinks are explored. As someone who wasn't into reading anything to do with sex clubs or BDSM-related stuff because I couldn't make sense of why someone might enjoy a certain kink, this series helps with understanding just that.

In Mia's case, who was an exhibitionist (as someone who never got the appeal of it), even when she's on display for everyone, she holds a sense of authority and power as she decides how much she's willing to give and what she allows others to see. There's also a certain thrill in holding the attention of a crowd that way, who are just as invested in your pleasure as you.

I liked Mia. She was strong, confident, and curious; however, she was also too easily influenced by Garrett. I didn't get why she thought Garrett was the love of her life when their relationship has been strained for years and they know next to nothing about each other, so it seemed more like a teenage crush to me. In some ways, Mia kept changing her statements regarding Garrett, and I didn't know what to believe, and it felt like she kept justifying his actions in her own head and rearranging her thoughts accordingly to maybe make herself feel better.

Garrett definitely pissed me the hell off with the dual identity he kept dragging. It felt manipulative and downright diabolical since Mia kept feeling guilty for wanting two men, especially since she confessed to loving him. He was sweet and comforting online but rude and antagonizing in real life. The whole situation of him sending her a sex toy as "Drake" to use with Garrett just made me lose it. Although we do get why he was this way when his past is revealed and I do sympathize with his situation, in that moment his actions were inexcusable.

Garett's flashback chapter from a decade ago was hard to read, and it made me so emotional, and I wanted to hold him and hug him. Learning about his struggles with depression made me understand him better and why he did certain things. Why he was so closed off, afraid of looking too closely at his feelings when the voices in his head kept making him feel a certain way.

But I liked that he finally took that step to open up about his struggles with Emerson and Mia after feeling ashamed, weak, and vulnerable for so long and having to hide his emotions behind easy smiles and charm. And being with Mia and finally letting his feelings out also helped him take a step towards working on his mental health more seriously.

Romance-wise, I do wish these two had had more substantial, meaningful, important conversations, which didn't happen. Half the time they were fighting and the other half they were screwing. Even from the start, they just randomly started bringing up sex and making comments about fucking each other, which was kinda icky. So I wish there would've been a way to establish a genuine bond or connection between the two for it to be more believable. Mia, in her own words, was too accommodating when it came to Garrett, and she needed to ask for more for herself and much sooner, in my opinion.

I didn't like the way Garrett was being a total asshole with Mia from the start. His feelings about their relationship over the years also kept altering with chapters. First he said she's a brat who always wanted both their parents attention, so he kept his distance from her, then he said he always loved her and was distant because he wanted to protect her from himself and his mental struggles, then it was also said that they were close and had good sibling moments like teasing and bickering, then in the flashback scene they didn't seem to even tolerate each other. So it was a little all over the place and kept me confused.

However, once Garrett makes the decision to give their relationship a chance, he is all in, and I liked him more when he started being honest about his feelings. Also, I have to mention what an absolute gem Emerson is for being a true friend to Garrett.

The way their parents accepted their relationship far too quickly and easily made me a little uncomfortable because they'd been in each other's lives for 15 years, and even if they weren't close, they still had a sibling relationship at least.

Mental health is considered a subject of taboo in itself in so many ways, so I liked that Sara helped Garett transition from that to owning up and seeking help. This is something that could resonate with many readers as well.

The spice I most definitely loved, and it was hot as hell. Even things I hadn't previously liked in books were doing it for me here. I loved how confident Mia was in her skin, how she was unapologetic for liking and wanting what she did and took it without needing anyone's permission. That was sexy as hell. I liked the scene when Garrett apologized to her on the stage 'cause wowww!!!