bribreez's reviews
681 reviews

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

*Thank you so much to Word Smith Publicity and Ruth Stilling for providing me with an ARC to this story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.75⭐️/ 5🌶️

I’M JUST A GIRL WHO LOVES HOCKEY ROMANCES AND RUTH STILLING! I CAN’T BE STOPPED! Ruth Stilling has once again stolen my heart with the type of fictional characters she writes that I forever wish were real people! Before this book, Jessie was always someone that didn’t really catch my attention, but oh boy he sure did in this book! Finally, the time came for Jessie’s story and his second chance romance with Mia…a.k.a. his former GM’s daughter and therefore FORBIDDEN ROMANCE! Mia and Jessie’s story was one that had an emotional backstory that I really honed in on while reading, and also, if the story has something to do with the “broken boy” type slash some angst and heartache, you already know I’m going to be equally loving it whilst I’m an emotional, sensitive mess. Ruth Stilling still brought the deep, loving group of friends from the previous stories while also introducing new characters such as, Mia to round out the found family. If you’ve read Ruth’s previous books in this series, then this is your sign to READ THIS BOOK AS WELL!

No matter what, even with the years between them being apart, Jessie and Mia were always meant to be. The thing I liked that was included in this story was the little flashbacks of when Mia and Jessie were first together. Even in the past, it was obvious that there was such a strong connection between Mia and Jessie, and fast forward to the past, those feelings never went away. Also, kind of an ironic thing, but it’s funny how Jessie and Mia “tried” to keep things platonic and at a distance, but LETS BE REAL THOSE TWO WERE ALWAYS GOING TO BE REUNITED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER! Jessie was the man with both internal and external problems that he kept hidden, but Mia knew him better than anyone else, and was able to pick up on his behavior unlike anyone else. Mia was someone trying to find her footing in the world while going to school and working, and to be reunited with Jessie was endearing because, it was like they picked up where they left off.

(Sigh) poor Jessie dealt with a lot, and his journey over the course of this story illustrated the highs and lows of his life. From a young age, Jessie didn’t have the stable and loving family environment that most kids had. Instead, Jessie grew up in a household with parents or more specifically a parent that treated him horribly. Without giving too much away, just know that Jessie’s story had some heavy topics involved so, please check the trigger/ content warnings before reading. There was often times that I just wanted to hug and protect Jessie! My poor, sweet, beautiful Jessie (sigh) his story made me sad.

Mia was an endearing and lovely person who I found myself relating to. Now, obviously not everything that happens to a character or in a book will be something that I can personally relate to, but something about Mia’s personality and aspects of her, I found myself both admiring her and also understanding her on some level. Mia was a sweet and kind person, she had previously worked with her father on his NHL team, but that wasn’t the career path for her. Instead, Mia sought out to go to school and get the necessary skills and knowledge needed for her future career. I found it interesting how Mia’s major actually played well into her personality since she was so intuitive and understanding of others especially with Jessie. Jessie was use to keeping things guarded, but with Mia knowing him so well, she was often always able to see behind the cracks in his wall of things he kept hidden. Mia’s journey over the course of this story was good as well since she took the initiative and went after what she wanted, and was reunited with her first and only love, Jessie!

This series has officially come to an end *tear, tear. Over the course of this series, I have been introduced to unique characters that I’ve really enjoyed reading about as well as loving them. Jessie and Mia’s story was one that saw them finding that second chance to be together, and get their happily ever after they always deserved. Jessie was a sweet man at his core who always loved Mia, and little by little diminished his walls to reveal the vulnerabilities he kept hidden. As much as I love to see a man be all protective over the woman he loves, it’s an entirely different experience to see a big, strong man break down in tears, and open himself up about his fears, and vulnerable side. Jessie had a horrible childhood and it followed well into his adulthood, but eventually he found himself at a place where he was ready to seek help for his trauma. Mia also found herself back in Jessie’s arms where she always belonged, and found equally loving, kind friends with Kate, Luna, Felicity, Jon, Zack, and Jensen. While this story was bittersweet to and, it was heartfelt to see the epilogue end the way that it did with the entire group together, as well as setting it up nicely for Ruth’s next series with someone who had more face time in this specific book. Bravo, Ruth, you did an amazing job bringing Jessie and Mia’s story together. (Sigh) I really enjoyed this book, and I cannot stress how much you should read this book and every book in this series! Highly recommend!

Content Warnings

Fall with Me by Becka Mack

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

*Check Trigger warnings before reading.

4.5⭐️/ 5🌶️

Each and every book in this series has explored different couples, the found family dynamics, romance, spice, lots of humor, and a wonderful cast of characters at the helm of these books. For Jaxon Riley, he was use to playing on and off the ice, and living his way how he saw fit. Compared to his teammates and friends all being either married/engaged/ dating, Jaxon was now the only single guy in the group, but things started to shift when he went on vacation to Cabo and had a steamy session with, Lennon Hayes. Lennon needed a new change of scenery following her broken engagement with her ex-fiancé. As luck would have it, Lennon got hired to be the photographer for the Vancouver Vipers where…ahem…a certain someone was on that team, a.k.a. Jaxon. This story had, one night stand, a devoted cat daddy, found family, and workplace romance.

Jaxon had joined the Vancouver Vipers the year previously and yet, even as his teammates and now close friends welcomed him with open arms, he still felt like the odd one out since he was officially the only single guy left. From the previous books, we saw Jaxon have his fun hooking up with multiple women, living it up as a bachelor, and slowly but surely joining the guys as they all became good friends. Although with his recent trip to Cabo, in which it resulted in Jaxon meeting Lennon, and them having a hot one night stand together, you could imagine his surprise when he saw her walk into his workplace as the newest team photographer for the Vancouver Vipers. Jaxon was always used to being on his own, never settling in one place long enough to get comfortable and make friends, let alone a relationship, but with Lennon suddenly being in the same city as him, it seemed like Jaxon couldn’t keep his mind off her.

Lennon was a sassy, sharp, and strong woman, but even she had to deal with new changes after her ex-fiancé cheated on her the night of their wedding rehearsal. On what was supposed to be her honeymoon, Lennon took advantage of the trip to focus on herself, and ended up having a one night stand with Jaxon. Now, working in Vancouver as the Vancouver Viper’s newest team photographer and social media manager, Lennon was ready to dominate her new job, but she also found herself face to face with her one night stand, and one of the NHL players on the team, Jaxon. Right when Lennon and Jaxon were in close proximity from working in the same place and eventually having to live together (since Lennon’s apartment was flooded) it was evident that the two of them still held an attraction towards each other, and couldn’t help remembering all the steamy fun they had that night in Cabo. Aside from meeting the playboy hockey player, Lennon found herself making friends with Jaxon’s teammates and their significant others. Seeing Lennon becoming friends with everyone was really great because, one, Lennon had friends who genuinely cared about her wellbeing and two, she became part of the close family those friends had already formed a long time. Lennon’s ex was trash and for all the hurt he caused her, she got to be worshipped by a REAL MAN, CARED ABOUT HER HEALTH, AND HIS ADORABLE CAT LOVED HER! All in all, I would say that the best thing that ever happened to Lennon was moving to Vancouver and becoming Jaxon’s temporary roommate.

OK, BUT WHY DID THIS BOOK ALSO HAVE ME FEELING EMOTIONAL?! While this story had plenty of iconic and laughable moments, it was the vulnerability in Jaxon’s backstory that really had me in my feels! Jaxon was perceived as the tough guy/ playboy on and off the ice, but really he was just a man looking for his space within and believing he deserved to be loved. While I also appreciated the journey Lennon went on of rediscovering herself, seeing Jaxon truly embrace his friends and his new home as his forever home was a new concept to him that he gradually embraced. Jaxon always had one foot out the door, always expecting to either be traded to another team or even being forgotten by his friends and eventually Lennon, but that was the furthest thing from the truth. Lennon and the friend group truly showed how much they loved Jaxon by proving to him that they weren’t going anywhere and would always have his back. Jaxon always had the love and trust of his friends, but it was a long journey for him to finally accept he had found his home with all his friends and Lennon.

Another great book within the “Playing for Keeps” series, and Lennon and Jaxon’s story was fun, heartfelt, emotional, spicy, and again lots of fun! Seeing the rest of the friend group continue to grow and embrace Lennon as their newest family member was heartwarming and sweet. Aside from the close knit group these characters have formed over the course of this series, each one continues to show how much love and admiration there is for each other. If you love the found family trope, read this book! Lennon and Jaxon might have had a spicy one night stand in Cabo, but it was the beginning of forever of those two falling head over heels in love with each other. From becoming roommates, working on the same team, and becoming even more obsessed with Mitten’s cuteness, Lennon and Jaxon were perfect for each other. The ways Jaxon showed his love for Lennon started from the beginning with always buying her favorite pink tulips, taking her to see the Northern Lights, buying her a telescope, and making her an instruction manual to help her make lattes was just a few ways that was so endearing and romantic to me! This was another good story and one that I’m glad I finally got the chance to read! Let’s just say this book ended on quite a memorable moment in the epilogue! IYKYK! Highly recommend!

Content Warnings

Unravel Me by Becka Mack

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

5⭐️/ 4🌶️

*Please check trigger warnings before reading.

I have been saving this book for a LONG TIME! Saving it up for the day that I could give it my complete undivided attention because, when it comes to, Adam Lockwood, he deserves that! Adam had been someone who I always enjoyed seeing in the previous books, but I was yearning to know his backstory and more! Finally that day came, and I was so excited to read his book! Adam was the goalie for the NHL Vancouver Vipers team alongside his teammates and fellow besties. Adam was just coming out of a horrible breakup, and with a number of disastrous dates, it seemed like Adam wasn’t having any luck in the dating world, until he met a sweet and lovely woman during his hike with his dog, Bear. Rosie Wells was an animal lover, future Vet, and an overall lovely person. When Rosie met Adam during one of her hikes walking one of the dogs at the shelter she worked at, it was an instant genuine connection she formed with him. As the connection quickly grew between Adam and Rosie they each realized they wanted more from each other. This story had, found family, swoon worthy romance, an MMC who will make you fall in love with him, humor, emotional connections, and more.

Adam’s story has been a long time coming for me personally, and getting to read his story made me appreciate all the wonderful things about him. If you’ve read the previous books (WHICH YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD!) then you’ll know that Adam had a bad breakup with his ex-girlfriend in which she did him dirty by cheating on him, and basically treating him horribly. After getting back into the dating scene, Adam was met with women who just wanted to date him because, he was a famous NHL goalie, and not for who he was. The way Adam instantly had a genuine connection with Rosie when they first met highlighted how much Adam wanted someone to like him just for him, not for the fame, the wealth he had or anything else. At the core of Adam’s story, he wanted to find his own person, similar to how his best friends and their significant others found each other. I loved seeing how Adam was a nervous mess at times wanting to ensure everything went perfectly according to his dates with Rosie, and later with someone who was a big part of Rosie’s life too. The beginning chapters already sold me on how amazing Adam was, and as per usual, Becka Mack didn’t disappoint!

Rosie was such an endearing character who I immediately adored and her story really hit me in my feels. Just like you would expect, Adam’s love interest was the perfect person for him. Rosie loved being outdoors, loved animals, was kind, and such a sweetheart. Early on, it was clear that Rosie was juggling a lot of responsibilities not only with school in order to become a veterinarian, and her job, but also her biggest priority was raising her adorable son. Rosie was a single mom raising her baby boy, Connor, and she had her days when it wasn’t easy, but it was worth the occasional stress with Connor being the apple of her eye, and did I mention him being the CUTEST! Over the course of this story, I saw the growth in not just Adam, but also Rosie. Rosie at the beginning of this book, didn’t feel like she had ever been anyone’s first choice/ priority, but when it came to meeting Adam and having him in her life, she felt the way Adam always put her first. By the end of this book, Rosie was a stronger version of herself who was surrounded by the love of her little family, and the extension of family she found within the friend group she was welcomed to with open arms.

Despite saving this book up for what feels like a long time, I’m glad I waited to savor every morsel of Adam and Rosie’s story. Once again, Becka Mack DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Adam was truly boyfriend goals with the attention to detail he put in his dates with Rosie, to the way he immediately formed a close bond with Connor (Rosie’s son), and was truly sincere and genuine with the way he cared for Rosie. Even Rosie was such a lovely person from the way she dedicated herself to her studies, was the best single mom ever, and provided the security, love, and warmth that Adam had always been looking for in a partner. As if the romance wasn’t swoon worthy, passionate, and filled with emotional depth, the found family in this book once again made me SO HAPPY! Seeing Carter, Ollie, Cara, Emmett, Jaxon, Jennie, and Garrett welcome Rosie and Connor into the family was heartwarming and special. Plus, there was plenty of hilarious moments sprinkled throughout this book that brought a smile to my face! I can never forget the scene of the guys dressing up as the Spice Girls for Halloween haha! All in all, this book was perfect, ended on quite a beautiful scene that ONCE AGAIN brought me tears of joy, and I’m oh so happy with Rosie and Adam being together with their little family, animals, and their wonderful friends surrounding them. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Content Warnings

Taming 7 by Chloe Walsh

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dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

*Please check trigger warnings before reading.

4.25⭐️

FINALLY! THE DAY HAS COME WHEN I HAVE FINALLY READ GIBSIE AND CLAIRE’S STORY! WOO! I feel like this story has been one I have been eagerly waiting for, especially with all the small bits and pieces I’ve gotten over the course of the previous books. Claire and Gibsie were always side by side, you’d never not catch them being together since they were the closest of friends, but also shared a deep connection that spanned years since they were little. Gibsie was flirtatious, reckless, fun, loving, and the life of the party, but deep inside he also hide the darkest parts of himself especially after a traumatic event in his younger years. Claire was a sweet young girl who, similar to Gibsie was always smiles, kind, and the best friend a person could ask for. This story illustrated two best friends who were the epitomes of sunshine’s, falling in love over the course of their lives together as they went through highs and lows, but ultimately becoming much more than the friends they originally were.

As much as both Gibsie and Claire were rays of sunshine, this story also had some sadness to it. Like any of the books within this series, there are heavy topics discussed so, please check trigger warnings before reading. Without giving away too much, this story discussed Gibsie’s backstory namely with the trauma of losing both his Dad and little sister in a drowning accident. Many years ago, while out on a boat, Gibsie’s dad, his little sister, and himself fell overboard and into the water. As you could imagine, it was a traumatic experience that even years later still haunted Gibsie and left him with a lingering sadness he could never move pass. The story delved into the aspects of Gibsie’s past and tried to show how he tried to keep the inner demons at bay by smiling and using his humor as a coping mechanisms. After all, if he was busy having fun and making others laugh, then it was the perfect distraction to the thoughts that swirled through his mind. Poor Gibsie dealt with a lot internally, but thankfully with Claire always at his side, he always had her to help him in whatever way possible.

One of the many things I’ve enjoyed about this series is, seeing the characters grow, evolve, and become part of a bigger family. The last two books focused primarily on, Joey and Aoife’s story, but now with this book it not only gave us the story of Gibsie and Claire, but finally seeing every single character together. From the Lynch siblings joining Tommen, to Aoife later coming along, the friend group grew bigger and stronger. Over the course of these books, it has shown, Johnn, Shannon, Joey, Aoife, Gibsie, Claire, the rest of the Lynch siblings, Hugh, Patrick, and the even the parents become more prominent figures. Gibsie and Claire’s story was one I had waited what seemed like a long time, but seeing the rest of the characters come together in this book was heartwarming and so satisfying even when things got intense.

Going into this book I thought I knew what I was getting into, but then it took a completely unexpected turn when I got more towards the end. Like all of previous Boys of Tommen books, each book showed and discussed heavy topics that were sad, traumatic, and tragic. When it came to Gibsie’s story, never in my time of reading this book did I expect to learn what he was experienced as such a young age. Yes, I was made aware early on that Gibsie suffered a tragedy of losing both his father and little sister in a tragic drowning, but when it came towards the almost end of this book with Gibsie revealing a long held dark secret of his past, I legitimately froze up and was in complete shock. Looking back at the story, it all kind of makes sense as to why Gibsie had a certain distance to him when it came to hooking up with random girls, and why he was afraid of feeling nothing when it came to the only girl he ever loved, Claire. Gibsie used his humor to cover up his true feelings, but the mask he used to hide his feelings highlighted just how much he was dealing with under the surface, poor Gibsie, my heart broke for him when he said what he said…

I went into this book with I’ll admit high hopes for Gibsie and Claire’s story, but there was something about this book that felt like it was missing something. I will say, when it came to the revelation of Gibsie’s past in regards to what he endured, I think it should have been included in the trigger warnings as some of the things discussed and shown in this book were very heartbreaking and just something one should be given a heads up just in case. Aside from that, I did enjoy seeing the entire friend group interacting, and seeing the different personalities among the friend group. Although, with the events leading up to the ending, it seemed like there was much to still be answered in terms of the story, and especially with the friend group at odds. Gibsie and Claire’s story has been one that has been building up since the first book so, to finally get to read their story was intriguing, but I do think there was potential for me to explore their friendship going into the romance, if that makes sense. As a whole, I liked this book, I thought it did a great job of illustrating the aspects of Gibsie and Claire’s friendship, seeing the friend group together, the drama that unfolded over the course of the book. I’m curious to see if Claire and Gibsie’s story will be a continuation in the next one or what will happen next since there were a few unanswered questions I had with the way this book ended.

Content Warnings

Redeeming 6 by Chloe Walsh

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dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

5⭐️

*Check Trigger Warnings before reading

Joey and Aofie were the perfect match for each other, but even with all the love they had for each other, there was still a lot of things they had to overcome. From Joey’s struggles with addiction, his home life being unstable, and generally taking on the role of being a parent to his younger siblings, once again Joey Lynch had the weight of the world of his shoulders. Aofie being the great girlfriend that she was, tried her best to always be there for Joey, but even she had her moments when she couldn’t help Joey because, Joey would push her away in order to protect her. Chloe Walsh continued Joey and Aoife’s story in a heart wrenching moments that spanned over the course of this book, as well as illustrating some unexpected surprises that took me completely off guard. An emotional, angst filled romance that shared its highs and lows, Joey and Aoife’s story wasn’t over, but there was more to be discovered before they reached their happy ending.

As I was reading this book, I came to the realization that both this book and the last basically took place during the events in, “Keeping 13” and “Binding 13”. So, while everything that was going on with Shannon, the events in this book (and the last) revealed all that Joey and Aoife had been dealing with in their own lives, and relationship. From the last book, I completely adored both Joey and Aoife and that love for them grew in this book. Joey and Aoife had a lot of their plates when it came to the looming future in front of them with almost being done with secondary school, but to Joey that was the last thing he was thinking of when he had bigger things to worry about. The one thing I knew going into this book was that, it was going to have even more heartbreaking moments especially knowing what was bound to come. In the other hand, this book also completely caught me off guard with an unexpected trope that dare I say, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it…

If I thought the last book was filled with highs and lows, this book took the cake when it came to the rollercoaster of emotions that went down with Joey and Aoife. As if life couldn’t get any worse, Joey’s struggles with addiction came back with a vengeance as he self destructed, and Aoife had reached a breaking point in seeing all the ways that Joey was acting and how it affected their relationship. Relationships are never easy, but when it came to Joey and Aoife’s, those two really had their fair share of ups and downs. I honestly felt really bad for both Joey and Aoife, but more so for Aoife as her life started to change in a specific way she didn’t expect, as well as how Joey inevitably hurt her by his actions. I think the way Chloe Walsh wrote Joey and Aoife’s story truly illustrated the struggles both of them faced, but also in how Joey and Aoife weren’t by any means perfect.

I could appreciate the raw and emotional impact this story had, and seeing the trajectory the story went into had me fully immersed and quite honest on the edge of my seat at all times. Like I’ve said before, Joey and Aoife’s story as well as the previous books in this series haven’t been an easy walk in the park. On the contrary, this story showed all the heartbreaking moments that occurred in Joey and Aoife’s story from Joey’s fight with addiction and drug abuse, to Aoife’s specific predicament, the ongoing abuse within the Lynch household, and even more as the story continued. Aoife and Joey went through so much that many teenagers their age shouldn’t have to go through, but unfortunately did. My heart broke for Joey and Aoife on multiple occasions, and my biggest hope for them throughout the book was just to see them come out on the other side stronger and hopefully leave behind all the pain in the distance. I would once again urge readers to check the trigger warnings before reading, and be mindful while reading because, the topics discussed in this book aren’t light nor are they to be taken lightly.

THE WAY I DEVOURED THIS BOOK IN TWO DAYS FLAT JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS BOOK! I did not expect to fall in love with Joey and Aoife’s story this much, but with the way their story unraveled, the character development in Joey’s story arc, and seeing Aoife and Joey go through such a tumultuous journey it was the kind of book where I didn’t lose interest at any point while reading. Initially, this book introduced a surprise trope thank wasn’t sure about, but the more I read, the more I realized how perfectly it fit into Joey and Aoife’s story. Aoife and Joey were always meant to be together and despite all the hardships they faced, they ended up coming out of it stronger and overcame big obstacles most teenagers their age don’t normally face. Aoife and Joey made me fall in love with their personalities and how their banter was always so entertaining to me, and also how their love also held a great friendship. When it came to seeing the rest of the characters play a more prominent role in Joey and Aoife’s story in this book namely seeing Johnny’s parents, it filled my heart with so much warmth and appreciation. For the longest time, Joey and his siblings lived in constant fear and abuse at the hands of their father, but by the time the story ended, all of the Lynch kids, and Joey were living a much happier, healthier, safer, and loving life with the Kavanagh’s. This book truly capitulated my love for Joey, Aoife, and honestly made me appreciate the entire series even more! This story ended on the perfect note with Joey, and Aoife, and if you’ve read this book you’ll know exactly what I mean by how sweet and loving the epilogue showed the happiness that it exuded.

Content Warnings

Saving 6 by Chloe Walsh

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dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

*Please Check Trigger Warnings before reading

4.5⭐️

I’m back in the boys of Tommen series, and with this book focusing on, Joey and Aoife. This series has been an unexpected surprise for me in which to this very day, I still think about the characters and want to know how the story continues. Joey was someone who stuck me as the type who shouldered a lot of the responsibilities at home that someone his age as well as struggle with his inner demons. Now, in this book, I got to see the raw and emotional parts of both Joey and Aoife’s relationship from the moment they met to the tumultuous days Joey faced in his home life. If you’re read the previous books, you’ll know that when it comes to Joey’s story, it isn’t by any means happy, as well as his siblings stories too namely, Shannon. Chloe Walsh did a great job illustrating the highs and lows in Joey and Aoife’s lives that it wasn’t hard to become protective and adore these characters just as much as Shannon and Johnny. Prepare yourselves for even more emotional moments, heartbreaking scenes, and a whole lot of angst, and raw emotions throughout this book.

Going into this book, I knew there was going to be some heavy stuff talked about, but there was still some fun, entertaining moments with Joey and Aoife. Seeing how Joey and Aoife met was an interesting thing, definitely agreed on it being a unique meet cute, and it set the precedent for how Joey and Aoife got along. I immediately loved the banter between Joey and Aoife and how they both went back and forth with the sharp yet also entertaining conversations. Seeing how Joey and Aoife were before they even got together romantically was an interesting experience for me, and I throughly enjoyed it. There was never a dull moment for me while reading that I found myself reading more and more through the day than when I read Johnny and Shannon’s story. Not sure exactly what it was, but there was just something special about Joey and Aoife that I felt the need to keep reading as I got to fully know them, and see all their intricacies in what made them the characters that many love.

I think what I’ve come to love about this book and series is, seeing how the characters are flawed, have their own struggles, and yet later on find some happiness along the way. Joey had taken on the role of being the protector right after Darren, his older brother up and left him and his family right as Joey had started secondary school. Imagine having to take on the responsibilities that Joey had had, but add on the fact that his home life wasn’t by any means safe or easy for him and his siblings? (Sigh) it was terrifying and stressful for Joey, but regardless he did what needed to be done for the sake of his family. Reading this book, I obviously got to know Aoife and Joey on a deeper level from their personalities, and banter, but also how even in the early stages Joey was dealing with a lot already before he fell for Aoife.

Aoife and Joey’s story was compelling, intriguing, angst filled, and a whole lot of obstacles in front of them, but no matter what, I could see the love and care they had for each other. Now, I can see why so many people love this book, and the series as a whole. At the start, I went in knowing it was going to be dealing with heavy topics, but what surprised me was how in the midst of all the trauma, there was also youthful joy in Aoife and Joey’s friendship in the early days and all the way as they grew up into being teenagers. Getting to know Aoife, I got to see how much sass and how unapologetic she was in her confidence and outgoing personality. Aoife was the perfect girl for Joey because, much like Joey, Aoife wasn’t someone you could control, she was a force to reckon with. Joey was a young guy trying to juggle everything all at once, and while his form of coping wasn’t the healthiest, I could see that in his situation, it seemed like the only option for him in order to get through to the next day and so forth. I really did love both Aoife and Joey, and I’m more than interested to see how things play out in the next book, but something tells me there will be a lot more pain and sadness in my future when I read it. Regardless, I’m along for the ride, and dare I say I’m becoming more and more of a die hard fan of this series. Highly recommend this book, and the previous books in the series, and as always make sure to check the trigger warnings.

Content Warnings

Chasing Home by Hannah Cowan

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

4.75⭐️/ 3-4🌶️ (5 times)

Cherry Peak is the sweet small town that has all the lovely and amazing people that I love. Including a variety of tropes that I equally love! This story followed a character that I have seen throughout the series, and with each book I have grown more curious about. Johnny was that character who always had such a brightness to him that it was easy to have a smile on your face, and wish you could bask in his sunshine personality. When it came to the romance department, Johnny was the single one in the friend group, but that all changed when the new girl strolled into town, and immediately caught Johnny’s eye. Aurora or as she preferred, Rory was the black cat who kept her distance from everyone after arriving in Cherry Peak. Rory felt like an outside despite being welcomed with open arms to the friend group in Cherry Peak, and with a certain ruggedly handsome, young twenty-two year old cowboy wanting to spend time with her, she felt conflicted from her original plan. This story had me falling in love with Johnny from the first few pages, and wanting to know more about Rory, and her mysterious backstory. With tropes like, reverse age gap, love at first sight for him, found family, small town cowboy romance, and more, Hannah Cowan really did write another wonderful story within this series that I love so much!

Ok, but I’m going to need to ask Santa or someone to get me Johnny for myself A.S.A.P.! Johnny was already someone who I liked in the previous books with the scenes he appeared in, but getting to know more about him made him so much more endearing to me. I’m a hopeless romantic and I’m all for romance anything so, to see a male character who was all about romance, and essentially a romantic at heart, I felt a kinship to Johnny. The thing I loved about Johnny was his unabashed affection and honesty about his feelings towards Rory. From the moment Johnny set eyes on Rory, he felt an immediate connection that he needed to see through, and get to know the woman who ensnared him. While Rory was albeit a bit reluctant to move things forward at first, Johnny was never deterred and instead determined to show Rory how serious he was about her. I loved seeing Johnny pulling out all the stops for Rory, and he was perfect example of, “if he wanted to, HE WOULD”. Basically, Johnny was the new book boyfriend for me, and I thank my lucky stars that Hannah wrote him to perfection! Chef kisses all around for Johnny!

This was a great reverse age gap romance! I surprisingly wasn’t expecting to look Johnny and Rory’s story as much as I did. Going into the series, I was obviously looking forward (and ended up loving) Brody and Anna’s story, and even enjoyed Poppy and Garrison’s story too. Throughout the series, Johnny’s character has become more prominent and intriguing to me that when it finally came to his book, I was welcomed with so many wonderful things about him that it made me love him even more. Rory was initially a closed off person, and wasn’t looking to settle down in Cherry Peak, only looking for the answers she wanted answered. With Johnny’s optimism and brightness, and even the rest of the friend group from, Poppy, Anna, and Bryce, and even Brody’s grandparents, everyone welcomed Rory with open arms into the family she found herself becoming part of. The found family in this series has grown over the course of each book, and with Rory’s backstory pertaining to her birth dad, seeing her story come full circle to embracing the family she found in her friends and Johnny was heartwarming and goes to show that family doesn’t just mean blood, but the ones you choose to have in your life. Rory and Johnny were great together, and despite the age gap between them, it wasn’t a glaring problem for them. I often times forgot that Johnny was twenty-two especially with how mature and thoughtful he was in his job, friendships, and romance with Rory. If I could pick which book has been my favorite in the series so far, it might be a tie between this book and the first one. Regardless, I would say read every book in the series because, Hannah Cowan wrote such fantastic characters that are all equally wonderful and amazing. This story wrapped up on a happy ending, and with the epilogue I was more than excited to see the future for the next book with Bryce and…a certain someone’s twin sister! Yay! Johnny and Rory were great! Loved this book!

Catching Sparks by Hannah Cowan

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funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

4.5⭐️/ 5🌶️ (11 times)

The small town of Cherry Peak has quickly become a favorite of mine with characters such as, Brody, Anna, Poppy, Bryce, and more within this series. This new story centered on, Poppy and Garrison. If you’ve read the first book, then you’ll remember Garrison as the CEO of Swift Edge records, a.k.a. the record label that Brody is signed to. Garrison was always about business and didn’t care much about others concerns, but when trouble finds Garrison at work, he finds himself sent away while the company does damage control from the fall out. The last place Garrison wanted to be was, Cherry Peak, but with residents such as, our very own lovely, Poppy, even the grump himself couldn’t deny how much he was attracted to her. For Poppy, she had always known life living in Cherry Peak, and when the newcomer, Garrison comes into town, she can’t help but want to have some fun with him. This story had, small town, friends with benefits, he’s a grumpy billionaire, she’s a feisty, strong, empowering female lead, spice galore, and a whole lot more!

Hannah never disappoints with her stories, and with Poppy and Garrison’s book, I was once again immersed in the story! Poppy and Garrison’s story was one that I was really curious to see play out especially since, in the first book, I wasn’t a fan of Garrison. At first, I wondered if I would even like Garrison in his own book, but thankfully with Hannah’s magnificent writing, she was able to craft Garrison into a person who had his flaws, but was on his own journey to redeeming himself. As for Poppy, GIRL I ALREADY LOVED HER SINCE THE BEGINNING! Poppy was so upbeat, bright, sassy, and strong. Just the fact that Poppy owned, “Beautifully Bold”, made me want to take a pole dancing class! Poppy was an empowering character, and that came across in the book. In a variety of ways, I got to see how Poppy was a strong female lead, and she continued to impress me. Not to mention, I loved seeing Poppy embrace her sexuality in and out of the bedroom with Garrison. This book stuck me as more sex positive compared to the first book with the way both Garrison and Poppy weren’t ashamed of their wants and desires when it came to being intimate with each other. There was a sense of empowerment in the way both characters were open and vulnerable in expressing what they wanted from each other which was a great aspect to the story.

I think it’s safe to say that before this book, I wasn’t much of a fan of Garrison, but my opinion changed reading this book. Garrison was a grumpy billionaire who was always about business and nothing else. Coming to Cherry Peak changed him in ways even he didn’t see coming. From befriending people like Johnny, and warming up to Wade (Brody’s grandpa), and having steamy, hot sessions with Poppy, Garrison’s initial impression of the small town and its people became positive. When it came to Poppy though, it became so much more than a friends with benefits arrangement. Instead, Garrison became a possessive man who wanted Poppy all for himself, and when it came to owning up to his true feelings, he was made to work for it which I definitely enjoyed seeing when it came to him groveling. Another great thing I liked about Garrison was him using his money to spoil Poppy! We love a man to spoil his lady love, but also when it came to practical things such as, Poppy needing a new washer and dryer, and Garrison using his connections and wealth to buy her the best washer/ dryer set for her. While that may not scream romantic to some, I think it’s showed just how much Garrison paid attention to Poppy’s needs both in and out of the bedroom. The sexual chemistry was undeniable, but seeing Garrison and Poppy’s connection grow outside of their arrangement revealed just how much Garrison truly cared about Poppy.

Pretty sure I’ve said this before, but if not I’ll say it again, I LOVE THIS SERIES! If I could visit Cherry Peak and get to hang out with Poppy, Anna, Bryce, Brody, Garrison, and Johnny, I’d LOVE THAT! This book further showed the close knit group between Poppy and her friend which I’ve come to adore from the first book, and seeing Garrison join them was an unexpected surprise that worked out perfectly. Garrison was initially someone I didn’t like much, but hey, he redeemed himself, and became a better person after having spent time in Cherry Peak, and inevitably falling in love with Poppy. I for sure already loved Poppy before this book, but this story made my love for her grow even more! Poppy was a great female lead with her confidence, strength, and empowerment when it came to different aspects of her life. I think compared to the other book, I really appreciated and loved how this book was sex positive and explored different kinks. Not sure if this was something others noticed but for me I thought this book really highlighted sex positivity and exploring intimacy in different ways. Garrison and Poppy had dynamite chemistry in and out of the bedroom, and oh boy did those two really heat things up in the bedroom! By far the spiciest books in the series so far and again…I LOVED IT! Garrison and Poppy were a great couple together, and seeing them go from a friends with benefits situation to a serious relationship was amazing. Kind of ironic that both Garrison and Poppy weren’t looking for something serious, and yet, they ended up in a serious, committed relationship together haha. Everything worked out perfectly in the end, and with the epilogues showing how blissfully happy Garrison and Poppy were together alongside their friend group was heartwarming to see. Definitely recommend this book if you love, small town, he’s a billionaire, she’s a strong, female lead, spice AF, found family, the groveling trope, and much more. Also read the first book in the series too!

Snow Harm, No Foul by Hannah Cowan

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funny lighthearted fast-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

4.25

4.25⭐️/ 4🌶️

Holiday cheer is in the air, and with Hannah Cowan’s Christmas novella, she brought the SPICE, ex-boyfriend’s dad, accidental pregnancy, and being snowed in together! If you happen to be looking for a fast and quick spicy romance with the Christmas cheer then this novella is the one for you!

Ivy and Niko had instant chemistry and it was clear right when they were face to face again, the lust and potent desire was strong between them. If you’re looking for a slow burn, drawn out romance, LOOK THE OTHER WAY! This novella had insta love/ insta lust, and for my spicy readers out there, you’d enjoy this novella! Ivy and Niko had known each other before since…Ivy use to date Niko’s son. Enter in the trope of, EX BOYFRIEND’S DAD! OMG! Needless to say, Niko had BDE and knew how to back it up and show Ivy what a REAL MAN COULD DO FOR HER! WOO! Spice galore mixed in with the Christmas vibes was fun, entertaining, and HOT! Niko was often seen as the grumpy grump around others, but with Ivy he was a soft teddy bear who adored her and doted on her all the time, especially when she became pregnant with his baby. By the way, this isn’t a spoiler, since it’s mentioned in the synopsis, but yeah, this novella also had the accidental pregnancy trope. As you would imagine, Niko took the news well, and was even more excited to be having a baby with Ivy, the woman he always liked from afar even when his son was dating her.

Overall, this was a spicy, fun, entertaining Christmas novella that hit all the marks for me. Hannah wrote a Christmas novella that had a variety of tropes that worked well within the storyline, and the characters. Ivy and Niko had formed a fast and easy relationship that really illustrated how much they got along together. Despite the big age gap, and the obstacle of dating her ex’s dad, Ivy wasn’t deterred from being with Niko. If anything, Ivy was finally with someone who saw her for who she was which was, smart, kind, loving, and bright. Niko found his match with Ivy, and I can only imagine that after the ending of the novella they are happily enjoying life together, preparing for their future child, and living everyday to the fullest. Again, I would highly recommend this novella if you’re looking for a spicy Christmas story that’s fast paced, fun, and entertaining.

Angry God by L.J. Shen

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dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

*Check Trigger warnings before reading.

4.25⭐️/ 3-4🌶️

L.J. Shen’s “All Saints” returns with the third installment in the series and it had even more darkness with Vaughn Spencer and Lenora Astalis at the forefront. Vaughn was one of the popular boys in school, but his family had power and control over everyone in the town they lived in. With power, popularity, and money, Vaughn was only stranger to controlling others over the whims of his wishes. Lenora was someone who went up against Vaughn and wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of completely controlling her. If anything, Lenora wanted to destroy Vaughn just as much he did to her. This book was dark and by no means sweet so if you’re looking for a cute romance, look the other way. If you want a questionable morally gray character who will do anything (and I mean ANYTHING) to get what he wants, as well as a feisty, equally dark and twisted female lead, then look no further than Lenora and Vaughn.

Little did I expect that Vaughn would be at this level of unhinged! When it came to the flashback moment of Vaughn and Lenora at ages thirteen and twelve, I thought I’d see them just forming their enemies storyline, but oh no I was in for quite the surprise. The thing that really baffled me was when I saw that Vaughn at thirteen knock out a security guard, and snuck into Lenora’s room, like what?! How was he able to do that at a young age?? My point being, that was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to how Vaugh was twisted, dark, and absolutely did whatever he wanted. Even Lenora caught my off guard with her own kind of twisted and unhinged attitude. Lenora was originally a quiet and timing girl, but through the loss of her mother and being done with Vaugh pushing and bullying her, Lenora became a force of her own. Lenora was twisted in her own ways, but she gradually became more intrigued and wanted to taste Vaughn…namely his blood. So, yeah, there was some blood play and frankly one I never saw coming, but hey, that’s the kind of thing that strangely just worked for this book.

Overall, Lenora and Vaughn’s story was an interestingly dark and twisted story that fascinated me in ways I didn’t expect. Vaughn was someone who literally did whatever he wanted, and by all means was able to get away with the things he did. When it came to enacting his mysterious revenge against a certain someone, it was a part of the story that completely took me off guard, and one that was about a heavy topic. Vaughn had his reasons for the things he did, but when it came to Lenora, his way of thinking and acting were turned around in a way he wasn’t entirely sure about. Lenora was the perfect love interest for Vaughn because, she too had her own darkness lurking inside of her, and it just made sense for her and Vaughn to have that special chemistry together. Again, with this book and this series, I would say if you’re looking for morally gray characters, dark and at times questionable actions, as well as a change in your usual romance stories, then this might be something to check out. This wasn’t by any means a cute romance, so if you want a somewhat, almost dark romance, then go ahead and read this book.

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bribreez's reviews 681 reviews

bribreez's reviews
681 reviews