stinasara's reviews
521 reviews

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

🌶️🌶️.5(sufficient description) 

 

Claire is sunshine. She embodies hope, heart, and sincerity. I love how Claire is always open about her feelings. She felt real and authentic because she consistently showed everyone her true self. The things she did for Gerard were incredible—she kept him alive and safe, protecting him from his nightmares, offering him a sanctuary, and giving him reasons to love and live. Claire loved Gerard even when he couldn’t love himself, and she continued to love him even when she lost herself in the process. 

 

Gerard was my sunshine boy—the mischievous, thoughtful one who was always there for everyone, keeping the group happy and alive. His story broke me! The boy with demons in his mind, monsters in his past, and nightmares born from trauma. He excelled at hiding his pain, heartbreak, and anger behind the jokester mask. The deeper exploration of his character only made me love him more. Gerard has so many layers wrapped around his heart, and his coping mechanisms shattered me. He truly deserves the best the world has to offer. 

 

They complemented each other perfectly, fitting seamlessly into each other’s lives. They balanced their friendship beautifully. Their childhood friendship gives me comfort, knowing Gerard always had Claire. Love is messy, raw, and heartbreaking at times, but with the right person, it’s always worth it. 

 

The only thing I was genuinely pissed about was Claire revealing Gerard’s secret. I can understand her frustration with Lizzie’s abuse of Gerard, but it wasn’t her secret to tell. It’s never anyone’s story except the person it happened to. 

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 

🌶️🌶️🌶️(a fair amount of description) 

 

Halle was sweet, caring and lovable. I was with her all the way when she finally confronted her mom, and I was so happy she did it on her own accord. 

 

Henry was a gentleman through and through. What a sweetheart! I followed Henry along through this entire book. We wanted a Henry book, and boy did he live up and went beyond my expectations. 

 

Halle and Henry together were amazing. They understood each other. They were comfortable with each other. They could simply be themselves and it was so lovely and sweet to follow. Watching them fall in love was wholesome and heartwarming. 

 

tropes 

friends to lovers 

hockey/college 

tutor 

virgin heroine

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

🌶️🌶️.5(light to some description) 

 

This book gave me such a warm, cozy feeling.

I loved Nova’s transformation from “my favorite person to be with is myself” to “I don’t need you, but I want you in my life.” It showed just how much she valued Charlie. And Charlie’s adoration for Nova was heartwarming. He may be a bit outrageous, but he meets his match in Nova, who meets him right where he is.

The banter and inner dialogue were great, and the small-town setting was the cherry on top. These stubborn opposites softened for each other, and I appreciated Nova’s touch of dominance in bed—it’s not something we usually get to read, and the spice was very tasteful.

I’ll definitely be rereading this series! And as always, it’s a win when there’s no third-act conflict.

 

one night stand 

reverse grumpy x sunshine 

opposites attract 

friends to lovers 

small town

 

⭐️⭐️.5 

🌶️🌶️.5(light description) 

 

For a book with cock in the title, there isn’t a lot of spice or even much mention of the word. It’s decent overall, but some scenes felt cringey and awkward. The writing itself was also pretty cringey, though I could mostly overlook it. 

 

My biggest frustration was her losing her virginity in the locker room—like, WTF? She was fine with it, but I wasn’t. 

 

Friends to Lovers 

Fake dating 

Virgin heroine

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

🌶️🌶️.5(light description) 

 

I’m a puddle of tears and happiness. This book was hot, angsty, adorable—just perfect. 

 

The side characters were phenomenal. Miguel, Hector, and CJ each played such important roles in the story. 

 

Jake and Felix completely have my heart. I cried again and again over them. Their relationship was so cute—their texts, their obsession with each other, their flirting, the smut, and those little moments that became so wholesome I couldn’t help but fall in love with them. 

 

Their love story is definitely a tragedy, but a beautiful one. They made each other better, even if they didn’t meet under the best of circumstances. 

 

tropes 

forbidden romance 

grumpy x sunshine

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

🌶️🌶️🌶️(with some description) 

 

I like how the amnesia affected Luna’s character—she’s bolder and more confident in herself, less weighed down by worrying about making others sad or uncomfortable. However, I didn’t immediately buy her “new” feelings for Donnelly. 

 

This book juggles too many storylines. Luna’s texts are forgotten for a while, only to pop back up briefly at the end. The storyline with Donnelly’s family also fizzles out, and there’s yet another plot with the CEO competition. 

It’s just too long for a romance book. I get that it’s the last in the series, but these characters will return. 

 

That said, the bromance between Paul and Lo was amazing! They truly became best friends. 

 

This series has its flaws, but I’m glad I got to experience it. 

 
tropes

bodyguard (brother’s) 

age gap (8) 

character growth 

found family 

billionaire 

existing relationship

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌶️🌶️🌶️(with description)

This series has its flaws, but despite them, I’m glad I got to experience it. The relationships between Luna and Donnelly, Donnelly and Farrow, and Lo and Donnelly were satisfying to see unfold.

friends to lovers

bodyguard (brother’s)

roommates

age gap (8)

billionaire

found family

amnesia

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

🌶️🌶️🌶️.5(with some description) 

 

I had been looking forward to Luna and Paul’s book, and it didn’t disappoint.
 I love that Xander loves Paul and sees beyond what most people do. Xander never thought of Donnelly as less than. 

 

I related to many parts of the book, and my heart hurt for what the characters were feeling. I love both Luna and Paul, together and as separate characters. 

 

Although, I have no words for that first spicy scene. It’s very on-brand, but it was a bit weird to read. It felt a little too out there for me, though it was sweet how he let her express herself. I definitely felt the secondhand embarrassment, though. 

 

friends to lovers 

pen pals 

bodyguard (brother’s) 

roommates 

age gap (8) 

slow burn 

billionaire 

found family

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

🌶️🌶️(explained but without description) 

 

I really like the setup of this book.
 I love how Regan just listens to Aldo drone on about bees and math. Even though she doesn’t necessarily understand or have an interest in it, the important thing is that she just listens. 

 

This story was beautiful. If you push through the beginning, you’re going to fall in love with them. Interactions that seem small and minute between them felt so intimate and tender that my heart ached in the best way. It was like I was watching it slowly unfold in front of me. A single paragraph left me giddy, and not a word was spoken between them. 

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

🌶️(nothing) 

 

Marianne is so dramatic! This is why 16-year-olds shouldn’t get married.
 This book is so scandalous!
 Colonel Brandon and Marianne are meant to be, while Willoughby is the one that got away. I like that Austen gives Willoughby a bit of redemption, which she usually doesn’t do for the “villains.” She granted him more depth, and I love that we learn Willoughby genuinely loved Marianne. 

This is probably my least favorite Jane Austen book. It just didn’t hit the same way the others did. 

 

tropes