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ljamison01's reviews
1036 reviews
Crucible by B.B. Reid
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I have read many books by B B Reid and yet she always has the ability to shock me. This book is a reverse harem, close proximity book. This book focuses on Aurelia she is America’s sweetheart, pop diva, amazing singer but she is a total WITCH! She has done some shocking and very nasty things to people she works with. She is rude to her staff and she doesn’t know their names. So her uncle who is her manager has sent her away so that he can clean up her mess and let America forget about the awful things she has done. While on this flight to Canada her plane crashes and she is left alone in this wilderness, but sheer strength and determination she makes it to this cabin where she waits for her rescue. Unfortunately Aurelia has landed with three men Thorin, Khalil, and Ezekiel (and his multiple personalities). At the beginning of the book you get that Three Bears and Goldilocks vibe. Her behavior and treatment of these men is shameful especially since she wants to be helped, yet their behavior is no better after they decide they want to keep her. This book is riveting, it moves fast, there is so much going on and your constantly discovering new tidbits of information and wondering what’s going to happen next. I enjoyed this book and it’s a long book and a duet but it is worth the time investment. I loved that these characters were all morally gray to me. They were intense there was a lot of personal trauma that they had experienced and needed to learn and grow from. As always I appreciate that her characters are multicultural.
Ruthless Guardian by Sienna Cross
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Isabella is a mafia princess in all respects. So when her former bodyguard is killed while protecting her she needs to choose a new one. Along comes Raf who had spotted her at the club during the unfortunate incident. Raf is a very tough and demanding bodyguard. He has oodles of rules and protocols he wants Isabella to follow. Things seem great until she is offered a medical internship in Rome and Raf is forced to accompany her. It’s bad for him since he didn’t leave Rome under the best circumstances and Isabella is always trying to thwart the rules. Raf was very endearing at how protective he was over her, he would try to literally destroy anyone who put a finger on her. Isabella was very annoying to me. I dislike when characters know they need to be protected and go against advice and sneak out. I do warm up towards her as their relationship develops because she is torn knowing that she wants to be with him and that she shouldn’t cross those line. These two had great banter and I enjoyed the romance between them.
Unleashed by Jane Henry
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book has my favorite trope of amnesia. It is so difficult to find a good book with amnesia. Polina and her mother make their escape to Russia because someone is pursuing her. Unfortunately she bears a striking resemblance to Anissa the fiancé of Rafail who fled from the church on her wedding day. So Rafail who is searching for his fiancé because her running will cause a bunch of problems for the Bratva that he currently is the leader of. So as these two connect Rafail chases her and she gets hit by a car which causes her to have amnesia a broken leg and an assortment of other injuries. When he tells Polina who she is and what her life is like she is shocked. He quickly becomes intimate with her and tries to keep her isolated from his family and the world. Polina has grown up with lots of older brothers and isn’t really used to being afraid or shy about expressing her feelings. Now Rafail has been the only authority in his home over his four siblings and he rules with an iron fist. As this story continues Polina is able to soften up Rafail and the way he treats his sibling while still trying to figure out who she is because Rafail’s picture of her doesn’t feel right as her memories return. This was an enjoyable fast paced story. I loved the romance between these two and the way both characters evolved over the book.
Sweet Boys Love Christmas by Micalea Smeltzer
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was a fast paced novella featuring Bertie and Luke. Now this two had a one night fling when they were both freshman in college. Now the both in their senior year and Luke is a year away from joining the NHL and Bertie has no idea what she is going to do with her life. During the Christmas break Bertie is all alone and Luke encourages her to spend time with him and his mom. He really wants to be in a committed relationship with her but, she just got out of a long toxic one so she’s not ready to commit to him. However, they agree to date one another and they give in to their desires once and Bertie finds out she is pregnant. Their complete story will be in an upcoming book.
Crossover by Kathy Lockheart
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is the second book in the Cross Duet Series and its picks up right where book #1 ended. Ivy has been kidnapped and Grayson is trying to save her. This book like the previous has so many twists and turns. The book has you constantly on pins and needles wondering what’s going to happen next. There is more romance and spice in this book than the previous book. I loved how strong a character Ivy was and capable of defending herself. Grayson was so intent on protecting her and helping her but he also kept secrets from her. This was an incredibly interesting and intense duet. I don’t read many romantic suspense books but I truly enjoyed this. I’m hoping Grayson’s brothers get their own books.
See It Through by Julia Wolf
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is perhaps the 6th book I have read by Julia Wolf and I always enjoy her characters and the storyline. In this one it took a long time for the story to get going. It felt incredibly slow paced at first. It made it hard to keep reading. This story focuses on Remington and Hannah and it’s the first book in the new Kelly Ranch series. Remington returns home to Wyoming to find out that his father has passed and that his father’s home is owned by Hannah and himself. So they have to coexist in this home not because Hannah lives in the house but she uses a room as her office. She has also taken over his father’s business. Remington although reluctant to be home he is very friendly to everyone. Hannah is extremely distraught by the death of his father and the fact that he never came home to see his father in his last days although they reached out to him. Remington had suffered in a bad accident and is still suffering from the effects of that accident. Hannah is hostile and mean towards him until she finds out about his illness. After that is revealed, suddenly they are very attracted to each other and can’t keep their hands off each other. There was no hint or inclination before that they thought the other was attractive. The romance was good and there was a mystery to keep the story moving but this was a slow paced story and didn’t keep me as engaged as her stories usually do.
Forsaken Oath by Penelope Black
emotional
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? No
3.5
This book is about Beau and Eloise and their small town of Avalon Falls. This is the second book in the series. Eloise is a brass, tough woman who taken on the task of raising her 2 younger sisters for most of her life due to her mother’s addiction. She’s grumpy, overworked and phenomenal driver. Beau is Mr. Sunshine. He’s caring, thoughtful, sweet and a very savvy driver. Now these met at a drive in movie theater where they both went to relax and unexpectedly got caught in a storm and spent some time under a booth in a cafe getting to know one another, sharing secrets, the attraction between them was strong and intense and Eloise ran away as fast as she could. When they meet again (be still my heart) Beau says “I’ve been waiting for you Peach.” He was so invested in getting to know her and waiting to have a connection with someone of his own. The love story between them was so sweet and tender because he had a lot of walls to tear down. Now the car racing aspect of this story was one that I didn’t like and couldn’t relate to. Beau was running the gauntlet (race) and participating in it. I had a hard time grasping the logistics of this illegal race and how they were able to operate in this small town and make it so profitable. I know there is a movie series based on car racing but I’ve never seen any of the movies. The competition and rivalry of the drivers was interesting but I felt myself skimming some of the racing aspects of the story. The story of Eloise and Beau kept me engaged so that I could finish the book and enjoy it.
Enticing by Bella Matthews
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Addie has been having a rough time. She left the father of her two daughters and is now living alone with them. She’s an author working with a deadline but she has a mountain of debt due to her baby’s illness. So when she meets Leo she is not willing or prepared to like him. But, Leo is so darn charming. Who can resist a man who loves kids and holds babies? Leo is a hockey player who works with Addie’s daughter Izzy on teaching them hockey. I loved how precocious Izzy was, she reminded me of my daughter. Izzy helps Leo get closer to Addie, since she regularly freezes him out. However, out of desperation she marries Leo so that she can have access to her trust fund. Leo is fully engaged any way he can get Addie is fine by him. I loved how he was patient and willing to give her room to trust him. This was a fast paced story that was engaging and enjoyable. I loved their romance and how great Leo was with her kids.
The Night Before Grumpmas by Kendall Hale
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Are you looking for a feel good holiday book? This is your book, we have Noelle this super sweet, kind over the top holiday enthusiast and Jacob your traditional bah ha grump. Have these two live next door to each other and see sparks fly. Her with her loud holiday music and decorations. Jacob with him trying to put a damper on everything that she enjoyed and loved. Their road to their happily ever after had a few bumps and conflicts. This very sweet book had great banter between the two main characters and some funny moments.
Wicked Spite by Havoc Wilde
dark
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
This is the third book in the Wicked Brothers of SCU, and it’s the second book of the series I have read. I loved the previous book. This one I enjoyed too. Penn and Reagan are some damaged souls. The people who were supposed to love and care for them did them dirty. As crazy and bizarre as Penn is well Reagan is his counterpart. Regan witnessed something she shouldn’t have and Penn orders her to marry him or disappear forever. This story was crazy and it was dark. I loved that no matter how deranged they both were they felt something strong towards the other. This story will take you on a crazy ride with some spicy scenes thrown in. Great bizarre characters and interesting plot.