friends to lovers

The Stars Are On Our Side

Happy Tuesday! The Stars Are On Our Side is out today. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interconnected standalone based in the same world as Still Beating and Lotus, and I do absolutely recommend reading those first. We first met Tabitha in Still Beating and fell in love with Gabe in Lotus (I did anyway) and I’ve been very excited for their story!

This is an emotional friends to lovers, unrequited love romance that will pull at your heartstrings and take you on an emotional rollercoaster. It’s told in dual timelines, taking us back to Earl’s basement in a series of flashbacks, as well as showing us where Tabitha is today and how the effects of her trauma impact her every day.

Gabe is such a sweetheart, I loved him so much in Lotus and loved him even more here. He was so so so good  and kind and loving and patient. Tabitha has been through so much in her short life and I just felt so much for her. 

It didn’t pack quite as emotional of a punch for me as Still Beating and Lotus, or at least it didn’t have me feeling emotionally distraught for days after – but to be fair it would be hard to top those. The conflict and drama (as hinted in the blurb) did kind of drive me insane but whatever. It was still great to be back in that world and hanging out with Oliver, Sydney, and Cora!

I definitely recommend this one as long as you’ve read the first two!

Berries & Greed

Berries and Greed by Lily Mayne releases next week on the 30th! I was lucky to receive an ARC and it absolutely captivated me. I read it all day yesterday and woke up thinking about it so I can’t wait another eleven days to talk about it. 

This book was just so much fun! It’s a low angst, adorable, friends/roommates to lovers monster romance between Beryl, a human woman who has spent her life in a cult which worships the demiurgus, and Greid, a socially awkward demiurgus who’s just looking for a little company. 

Their friendship started off so sweet, Greid has been lonely living on his own so he invites Beryl a chance to escape her cult and live in the real world in exchange for some companionship. 

He’s the grump to her sunshine, his social anxiety means he’d rather sit at home, smoke a joint, and watch tv rather than go out and make friends. He’s an absolute dork in the best possible way. He’s also a sympathetic crier, caretakes Beryl during her period, and wears a Snuggie 95% of the time (Pooh bear style)

Beryl is a strong woman, discovering the real world for the first time and ready to take it on. I really enjoyed her journey to find herself, and also her complete acceptance and willingness to fight for her seven foot tall roommate. 

The chemistry between them builds up so well, it’s a bit of a slow burn but when in snaps, it snaps hard. They have to be a bit creative due to their body difference and his monster peen and oh boy was it spicy! The author has a list of content warnings and kinks explored on her website if you need it. 

This was overall such a delight to read. It made me laugh out loud multiple times, their friendship and udder awkwardness made me smile, and the burgeoning romance and way they took care of each other made me swoon. 

I’m so excited for more from this world! It releases into KU next Friday

The Marriage Solution

The Marriage Solution released last week in Kindle Unlimited! Thank you the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a marriage of convenience romance between two long time best friends who marry when the heroine is in need of healthcare after losing her job (yay America!). Julie has recently been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and her old friend Landon will do anything to make sure she’s safe and healthy and able to afford the treatment she needs.

When a quick trip down the aisle in Vegas ends with a spectacular kiss, the two friends start to realize maybe there have been feelings there all along. Add in a bit of forced proximity, and the two soon can’t fight those feelings anymore.

I enjoyed this! The characters are in their late 30s so due to their maturity there is not a lot of extra drama. It’s a sweet low angst story (with some spice of course). The two have to readjust their lives once they realize their feelings have shifted, and I enjoyed watching how it all played out.

It’s own-voices chronic illness rep and I appreciated the insight into what that is like. There’s a great supporting cast, good steam, and I love when the hero falls first.

Also there’s a “Get your hands off my wife!” moment 😏

Good As Gold

Good as Gold by Sarina Bowen is out today! I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review and loved it so much I ordered the paperback immediately. 

Man it’s good to be back in Vermont! Returning to this world felt like a warm hug. It doesn’t hurt that Matteo Rossi is one of my favorite heroes the author has ever written!

Matteo is the slightly mysterious brother who was missing from his sibling’s books, and he has returned home for a family wedding and to make amends for all the time he’s missed. Coincidentally, the girl he loved as a teen has recently divorced his former best friend and is looking to make a baby. What better dad than her old friend Matteo?

I actually loved this premise, I know a lot of people hate accidental pregnancy trope but this was the exact opposite of that. Leila was taking control of her life and trying to get what she’s always wanted. Matteo was willing to do anything to make Leila happy, even before things turned romantic between them.  These characters were slightly older than what we often see (they were around my age, I’m not calling them old) and I appreciated the maturity that came along with that.

Matteo and Leila were friends first, romantic second, and I really enjoyed their easy going respectful relationship. I liked how they progressed from friend to lovers and while I am not always a fan of flashbacks, they were used well here to explain the past relationship.

It was great to be back in Vermont and see some old favorites, and I’m excited for more! Nash’s story already has me intrigued. 

Echoes of You

Happy Monday! Echoes of You by Catherine a Cowles releases tomorrow. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

The author has delivered another small town, romantic suspense that her fans will be sure to love! 

This one also has:

-Childhood Friends-to-Lovers

-Only One Bed

-Heroine In Hiding with ‘Who Did This to You’ vibes

Maddie has returned to her hometown seeking the comfort of home. Her BFF Nash is happy to have her back in town, until he realizes why she’s bruised and in hiding.  Nash will do anything to protect the woman he’s long had feelings for and I loved his protective vibes. 

The tension was slow building between Maddie and Nash and it was a delight when it finally explodes. As always with a Catherine Cowles book there is good suspense with lots of moving parts and suspects that will keep you on your toes.

Overall a great addition to the Lost & Found series and I’m looking forward to more from these Hartley siblings.

In A Jam

Do you ever want to kick yourself for waiting so long to read a book? To be fair this only came out about three months ago but that’s three months I’ve lived without Daddy Bread Baker in my life which is tragic.

To say I loved this book is an understatement. It’s truly everything I love in a romance – small town, pining, marriage of convenience, a grumpy awkward & blushing single father hero, friends to lovers romance that had me laughing and swooning in equal parts.

Noah, Daddy Bread Baker for those in the know, is a serious dreamboat. He’s pined for his former neighbor/high school crush for years, so when she shows up back in town to claim an inheritance, he throws out a marriage proposal to help her out – despite the fact that he’s very grumpy she left him behind in the first place. 

He’s raising his niece all on his own and doesn’t really have time for a marriage, what with single handedly saving his family’s farm, helping out everyone in town, and perfecting his jam recipes but he just can’t help himself. His niece was an absolute hoot- I want to be Gennie when I grow up. Even though he’s grown up physically since high school,  he can’t help but blush and panic when Shay gets close, which of course makes him even grumpier.

Shay is a bit lost, her seemingly perfect life has come crashing down around her and she doesn’t know who she is or what she wants anymore. She was an interesting if not a bit frustrating at times character, but really this was all about Noah (and Gennie) for me. 

The sparks between Shay and Noah were immediate, and though it was a slow burn, when things got physical oh boy did dirty talking Noah have me blushing. I loved how these two balanced each other out.

This was my first read of 2023 and I can’t imagine a higher note to start off the year, I already know this is on my 2023 favorites list.