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booksjenrecs's reviews
300 reviews
My Turkish Fling by Enni Amanda
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
I was so excited to travel back to New Zealand - with a side trip over to Turkey - in Enni Amanda's second book in the Love, Istanbul series. I love a broody, grumpy MMC, so I could not wait to read Emir's story.
I loved these main characters. As we saw in his brother's story, Emir often takes the backseat to Cem; he's not famous, he's not rich, and he's had plenty of experience with women throwing themselves at him just to get to his brother. I just wanted to reach out and hug Emir, show him that he is, in fact, seen.
Luckily, Janie was there to actually hug him for me.
I loved that Enni chose a divorced woman in her forties as her FMC. Janie had a full life already behind her when Emir came into the picture, and I thought that made Janie's story that much more dynamic. So many romances focus on first loves and following your heart, but I loved this romance where the main characters had family commitments and couldn't just drop everything to be together. It was realistic, and something I don't see nearly enough in contemporary romances.
Emir and Janie were sweet and spicy, and I enjoyed watching them fall in love. This romance was about so much more than falling in love, though. It addressed career choices, family ties, and the difficult choices we often have to make when it comes to pursuing the life we want.
I loved this story, and can't wait to read what's next from Enni Amanda.
The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson
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? N/A
4.75
Spread Wider for Uncle by Jenika Snow, J. Snow
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Their Dirty Girl by J. Snow
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
The Kraken Games by Lilith Stone
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As a fan of all the previous titles in the Motham City Monsters series, I was not expecting this fifth book to be so steamy! This is definitely the spiciest romance in the series, and with a kraken as the main character, it's easy to see why.
There was so much more to this story than just a monster romance, and I thought Stone did a wonderful job at balancing Luna and Kai's backstories with their present circumstances and their romantic plot. There was plenty of actual substance in this story; it was far from just spice for spice's sake.
I loved how complex both Luna and Kai were. Luna was seeking answers and retribution from the kraken; Kai, likewise, had his reasons to be distrustful of humans. They were natural enemies with different endgames, but their chemistry sizzled on the page from their very first interaction. I enjoyed their journey before, during, and after the Kraken Games tournament, and truly loved how their lives came together. After spending fifteen years searching, both Kai and Luna were able to find the answers they needed as well as their happily ever after.
Obviously, with Kai's tentacles involved, this was a spicy read. Stone didn't hold back, and this book ended up being a lot faster of a burn than the previous books in this series. I thought the spicy scenes between Luna and Kai were well done; even with tentacles involved, there was too much character development for these scenes to ever come across as over-the-top fan service.
With lots of character development, The Kraken Games turned out to be one of my favorite romances from the Motham City Monsters series so far. Stone really expanded on her plot and spice, and it made for a fun and meaningful read.
The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Sapphire Dawn by C. Travis Rice
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? N/A
4.0
While I ended up really enjoying Donnie and Richard's romance, and the rocky road it took for them to get there, it did take me a bit longer than I would've liked to fully get into the story. This is definitely a story that requires prior knowledge of the first three books (and the first three couples) to fully grasp or enjoy the events and interactions in this book. However, if you're familiar with Rice's Sapphire Cove world, then Richard and Donnie's story does an excellent job at tying up plots from previous books while simultaneously crafting a new adventure full of action and drama for our main couple.
It admittedly took me a while to warm up to Richard and Donnie; they weren't unlikable characters by any means, I just didn't feel like I had much reason to get into their relationship at first. I did finally start really getting into Donnie and Richard's romance about halfway through, and after that, I couldn't put the book down. What started off as a slower plot and a slow burn escalated into a steamy romance that had some unexpected twists and drama. While this story started off as three stars for me, the second half of the book more than made up for it and easily turned this into a four-star read for me.
Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Wow. Cate and Lach (okay, especially Lach) had me in their thralls from the very first page to the very last. It won't take any of Lach's "sexy magic" to keep readers engrossed in the fae lore, court politics, and intense chemistry that Geneva Lee brings to the first book in the Filthy Rich Fae series.
Having loved Lee's first paranormal series, I had high hopes for Filthy Rich Fae and it did not disappoint. There was drama, secrets, spice, and so many intriguing characters. I loved Cate as a main character. I found her to be relatable and easily understood; with every decision she made, especially in terms of her brother, it was easy to understand where she was coming from. Even when dealing with fantasy or paranormal creatures like fae, I still love to see a relatable human character and Cate had that in spades.
And Lachlan? He was basically written as a combination of so many of our book boyfriends. Gorgeous, powerful, protective, tattooed, rich... he was this perfect package of alpha bad boy, and I ate him up. His story arc gave me so much to love, and everything he did during the story for the people he loves just made him that much better.
Lee made her fae world so rich in characters. I loved having the story focus on Lach and Cate, but I could easily read spin-off stories written about any number of secondary characters. Lee didn't get relegate everyone to the background; she gave everyone personality and purpose, and it really fleshed out the reading experience.
If you've read Filthy Rich Vampires, then you know exactly what kind of ending Lee likes to give the first book in a series. Yes, you will devour Filthy Rich Fae, especially the last 20%, but you will also immediately need the next book because everything that happens at the end of this book is... a lot. I was left bereft knowing it will be a while before I can find out what happens next for Cate and Lach. If you love fae romances, or loved Lee's previous series, you won't want to miss Filthy Rich Fae.
[Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing a review copy of Filthy Rich Fae. All opinions are my own.]
Within the Darkening Woods by Scarlett D. Vine
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? N/A
4.25
Within the Darkening Woods had such a unique and fun premise that it was hard to put this one down! I loved Amber and Eldrin's forbidden romance, and I really enjoyed the whole idea of these fairy tale worlds and characters just appearing in our world one day. The author did a great job at sort of blending these fantasy and realistic elements to create something totally new.
The premise of this story is what pulled me in, and even though Amber and Eldrin were fantastic characters, the premise is what kept me hooked all the way through. I've read plenty of stories where the human gets taken to fae lands, but this is the first story I've read where the fae lands come to the human girl. It was just so unlike anything else I've ever read, and that really kept my attention throughout.
Amber and Eldrin had great chemistry throughout, and I loved that connection. They both had good character development set against some strong world building. I could easily read more stories set in this fictionalized version of Earth, focusing on the other realms that appeared in our world, so I can't wait to see what comes next from Scarlett D. Vine.
The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5