Mini Reviews #1: Contemporary Romance

Posted January 11, 2019 by Alana in Book Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Young Adult / 0 Comments

Hello Lovely Readers,

It would be unrealistic to expect myself to produce a full length review for each book I read so I want to introduce mini reviews to the rotation. These are for books that I’ve read but only have a few comments on but still feel compelled to talk about. This week’s edition is contemporary romance with a dash of young adult fantasy. Let’s chat!

Penny Reid’s Love Hacked was the first book I read for my Romanceopoly challenge.

Synopsis: Sandra has difficulty removing her psychotherapist hat. Of her last 30 dates, 29 have ended the same way: the man sobbing uncontrollably. After one such disaster, Sandra–near desperation and maybe a little tipsy–gives in to a seemingly harmless encounter with her hot waiter, Alex. Argumentative, secretive, and hostile Alex may be the opposite of everything Sandra knows is right for her. But now, the girl who has spent all her life helping others change for the better, must find a way to cope with falling for someone who refuses to change at all.

Unfortunately, this book just didn’t do it for me. I loved the side scenes that featured the knitting group it reminded me of the group I was apart of when we still lived in Washington state. The couple just seemed doomed to me and I should have realized it with that last sentence about the male refusing to make even the smallest concessions after they get together. I was really uncomfortable with Alex’s stalkerish habits and faux alpha male tendencies. It was definitely a prime set up for an unhealthy relationship.

I’ll still give Penny Reid another try but I’ve done my time with this series.

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I have only recently discovered Christina Lauren and have set about trying to read all of their books. Beautiful Bastard is my latest foray and ohhhh myyyy! 

An ambitious intern. A perfectionist executive. And a whole lot of name calling.

I am a sucker for enemy to lover romances, and it is so much better in an office setting. I really enjoyed reading Chloe and Bennett’s story. This was definitely a STEAMY read. Far more than any of the other book I’ve read by these ladies. I’m not complaining! It was excellent. Chloe frustrated me a handful of times but overall this was a great binge read.

 

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Tripping on a Halo popped up on my Goodreads recommendations right before release and the premise sounded adorable. 

Synopsis: It’s really hard to save a guy’s life when he keeps running from you. You might be asking yourself why I’m waving an inflatable penis in the air and screaming at the top of my lungs. If I took time to explain, Declan Moss would get hit by a bus.

This book was silly, romantic, and even a tiny bit of tearjerker. I wasn’t surprised by anything in the story line but it was still a cozy read that I definitely recommend.

 

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I saw so many raving reviews for Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater that it made its way onto my TBR in December (2018) and onto my library holds list. 

Synopsis: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

I forced myself to finish this book and complained the entire way. Sam was written as a tortured poet/artist type while Grace is obsessed with wolves after a near death experience by Sam’s pack and apparently has neglectful parents but its okay because she gets to look at the wolves that almost killed her.  I don’t need to read any sentence that contains the world “leaky womb.” The rating is only as high as it is because of tracking the temperature at the beginning of the chapters was clever and Stiefvater is clearly a talented writer. This was a complete miss for me but I’m sure fans of the YA genre may be more generous than I.

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