Pretty Books I'm Excited To Read

Happy Tuesday, lovebirds!

I haven't done a romance list post in a while and I really enjoy doing them, so I thought I'd share with you guys some amazing-sounding books that have recently gotten pretty covers. You might end up broke by the end of the post - you have been warned (looking at you especially, Becky!) - but ugh you guys, everything looks AMAZING and I want to read them all right away. Hope you enjoy the post and the pretties! :)

Will I Ever Tire Of Fake-Relationships?: Real Kind of Love by Sara Rider

REAL KIND OF LOVE
by Sara Rider

Series: Books & Brew #1
Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: June 5th 2018

Source: Bought

Rating: ★★★1/2

Amazon 

Everyone and their mother knows by now that I'm a huge sucker for a good fake-dating romance. With its adorable cover and promise of a fake relationship, I couldn't help but be excited for Real Kind of Love. That excitement was amped up when I saw that both Lisa and Becky enjoyed this book. Now that I've read the book, I can safely say that I have a new author whose books I am eager to read. Real Kind of Love was fun, sweet and romantic!

In any contemporary romance, it's important for me to fall for the characters and I had no trouble with that here in Real Kind of Love. It was abundantly clear to me that Sara Rider was going to take her time to develop both her hero and her heroine throughout the book from the very start. I loved that we got to see so many layers to these characters. Clementine is a character that a lot of readers will relate too. I thought her job as an audiobook narrator was super cool, especially the fact that she was making healthy income through something that she was having fun doing. She was a little shy when it came to men, but she also possessed an inner strength and lots of courage. This bookish heroine totally charmed me from the get-go. Jake, her love interest, was a little bit harder for me to relate too, but that does not mean that I didn't like. He was the opposite of Clem in that he was much more extroverted than her, but he was also a workaholic whose job as a bar owner was a bit of an impediment to a relationship. Jake won me over with how kind and genuine he was towards Clementine. There is just something about an attentive and loving hero that gets me.

I'm sure you are dying to know how their fake relationship comes about. Well, we have Clementine's large, loud and hilarious family to thank for that. To get out of a family vacation, Clem lies and tells her family that she's going on a romantic getaway with her new boyfriend only to have them invite themselves to this getaway. Jake comes to her rescue as her fake boyfriend and undeniably, feelings begin to bubble between these two. The romance was super cute. Jake and Clem had a really strong dynamic. There were times when the romance did veer towards cheesy territory for me, but that didn't impede my enjoyment of the book all that much. I thought Clementine's family was a great addition to the book. They were so funny and nosy, but obviously genuinely cared for each other. It was really sweet in a way how they got into each other's business.

Fans of fake-dating romances are going to love Real Kind of Love! I can't wait to read the next book in the series, Make Me Fall, which is a hate-to-love/neighbors romance!

Do you enjoy the fake-dating trope as much as me? Who are some of your favorite fictional families?
Let me know in the comments below!

Unpopular Opinion: 5 Romance Books I Didn't Love That You May Have

Samantha Young's On Dublin Street Has A New Cover ... And It's Illustrated!

Hi everyone! 

Samantha Young's super popular On Dublin Street has gotten a make-over. I'm excited to share it with you all.

Click below to see the brand new cover for the ebook AND a fun extra!

When A Grumpy Autistic Heroine Meets A Soft Hero: A Girl Like You by Talia Hibbert

A GIRL LIKE YOU

by Talia Hibbert
Series: Ravenswood #1
Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: March 14th 2018

Source: Bought

Rating: ★★★

Amazon 

A Girl Like You was our first book club read. I was so eager that this book got selected as I had heard nothing but praise for Talia Hibbert's books in the romance community. Though I wasn't as impressed by this read as everybody else who has read this read, it has certainly got me interested in reading more from the author.

Let me begin by talking about what I enjoyed in A Girl Like You. I found the characters to be extremely well-written. In Ruth Kabbah, we have somewhat of an unconventional romance heroine and I found that to be so refreshing. She was on the autism spectrum, was cranky a lot, and liked to be left to her own devices in her apartment. Her career as a comic book artist certainly allowed her to thrive in those personality traits of hers. Ruth also was somewhat of a social pariah and had a reputation for being the town Jezebel. I found Ruth's character to be endearing even when she was acting all grumpy. You guys know how often I read books about grumpy heroes, so it was super refreshing to read about a grumpy heroine instead. When Evan, a retired soldier, enters her life as her next-door neighbor, Ruth's whole life turns upside down. Evan was another character I liked in A Girl Like You. He was such a sweet and gentlemanly guy - totally 100% a soft boy! He was patient, kind and just so compassionate with Ruth. It made my heart melt to watch him try his best to understand her and just be there for her.

Favorite Romance Tropes

When Hate Turns To Love: I Hate You, I Love You by Elizabeth Hayley

I HATE YOU, I LOVE YOU

by Elizabeth Hayley
Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Loveswept

Publication Date: September 4th 2018

Source: ARC received for review

Rating: ★★★1/2

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

When bickering professors Naomi Price and Sebastian Blake have to compete for the same job, sparks fly--and not the sexy kind.

But when they take on some co-sponsored events that force them together and realize along the way that they both bear wounds from the past, a bond emerges that will be deeper than either of them imagined possible.

There's just one problem: how can you love someone you hate?

Lawyers, Wedding-Planners & Playboys

Hello friends!

Happy Tuesday! I hope you're having good weeks so far. I'm still home vacationing and reading a lot of romances.

I've been having some good luck with the books I've read in the past two weeks and I'll share some of the covers at the end of this post. But today's primary focus is on a lawyer romance and an office romance! Both were only so-so reads for me, but I'm sure some of you might be interested in them.

DOWN WITH LOVE
by Kate Meader

Series: Laws of Attraction #1
Genres: Contemporary
Publisher: Loveswept

Publication Date: August 7th 2018

Source: ARC received for review purposes

Rating: ★★★

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

As a fan of Kate Meader and lawyers in romance novels, I was eager to pick up Down With Love. It sounded like it would be a sexy and fun rom-com. I don't know what it was about the book, but it didn't entirely woo me as I was hoping it would. At the center of Down With Love, we have Max Henderson, a cynical lawyer when it comes to romance and marriage. He doesn't believe in love and doesn't think it's for him. When his brother announces that he is getting married, he is forced to feign happiness and do everything he can to make sure the wedding planner isn't ripping them off. Said wedding planner is Charlie Love, who hasn't had the best experience in the love department, but who has hopes of finding the right guy. As you can imagine, these two clash upon their first meeting, but they also find themselves attracted to each other. I found the banter between them to be enjoyable and I found myself grinning from time to time. However, after some time, I got tired of the back-and-forth between them and I just wasn't feeling their romance all that much. I felt like it was lacking in something that I can't exactly pinpoint. When they did get together, I found the romance was a bit cheesy and unoriginal. That being said, I enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Max' co-workers, and I'm looking forward to reading future books. Down With Love is not my favorite Kate Meader book,  but I would still recommend it for readers who have enjoyed her books in the past.

My Teachers Never Looked Like This: Getting Schooled by Emma Chase

GETTING SCHOOLED

by Emma Chase
Series: Getting Some #1

Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: June 26th 2018

Source: Bought

Rating: ★★★

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Head of the class...
Garrett Daniels has this whole life thing figured out.
The cocky, charismatic former high school star quarterback is an idolized football coach and "cool" teacher in the hometown where he's not just a golden boy—he's platinum. He has good friends, a great house on the lake, and the best damn sidekick a man could ask for: Snoopy, the albino beagle.
Then...Callie Carpenter comes home.
And knocks him right on his tight end zone.
Back to school...
Callie has a pretty sweet life herself...on the other side of the country. But circumstances—that she'd prefer to never speak of again—have brought her back home, helping out her parents and substitute teaching at her old high school.
Now she's facing bickering, raging hormones, constant gossip, awkward weirdness, and drama galore...and that's just the teachers.
Just like old times...
When Garrett offers to show his former high school sweetheart the secrets of his winning teacher ways, Callie jumps at the chance—and then has to stop herself from jumping him.
Good friends are all they can ever be.
Or...these teachers just might end up getting schooled—hard—by love.

Nick's Favorites From 2018 So Far

Can you guys believe that it's already August? I can't believe how fast this year has flown by.

Admittedly, I haven't read as many books as I read last year - school really got the best of my time - but I did read some fabulous romantic reads, some of which are at the top of my all-time favorites too. Since we're past the half-way mark of the year already, I thought I would share my list of books I loved this year.

When A Tropical Getaway Turns Steamy: Make Me Crave by Katee Robert

MAKE ME CRAVE

by Katee Robert
Series: Make Me #2

Genres: Contemporary, Erotica, Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Dare

Publication Date: July 1st 2018

Source: ARC received for review

Rating: ★★★1/2

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

“I crave you…”
Can their hunger be satisfied?

Roman Bassani will do anything to close a deal. Even chase down Allie Landers on her Caribbean vacation to make an offer on her company. He expects a challenge—but not their immediate intense attraction. After an accidental one-night stand they agree to put business aside—for now. The island lulls them into a heated sexual journey…but what happens to their opposing interests when they return from paradise?

Reading My First Stripper Book: Stripped by Tara Wyatt

STRIPPED

by Tara Wyatt
Series: Blue HEAT #1

Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: May 15th 2018

Source: ARC received for review

Rating: ★★★1/2

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Detective Sawyer Matthews isn’t just having a bad day—he’s having the worst day. His hunt for the criminal who killed his team member has stalled and now… he’s got to play nice with his new, totally unwanted partner. It’s not that she isn’t qualified, or that he doesn’t like her—it’s because he knows what she looks like naked. So very, very naked.
Brooke Simmons finally landed her dream job working for H.E.A.T, an elite undercover detective squad, and she’s not giving up simply because she had a one-night-stand with her sullen—but undeniably sexy—new partner. They’ll just have to keep it professional. Easier said than done, considering their first case requires Sawyer to infiltrate a drug cartel operating out of a male strip show. Watching him do his best Magic Mike impression every night isn’t just hot—it’s torture.
Sawyer doesn’t need any distractions, yet his attraction to Brooke is explosive and he can’t resist going for round two. Or three. Or four. But as their investigation progresses and danger mounts, they’ll have to put their jobs, hearts, and lives on the line to fight… for each other, for survival, and for justice.

A Book With A Hilarious Hilarious Opening: I Flipping Love You by Helena Hunting

I FLIPPING LOVE YOU

by Helena Hunting
Series: Shacking Up #3

Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Publication Date: May 29th 2018

Source: ARC received for review

Rating: ★★★

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

I've had such mixed luck with the Shacking Up series and Helena Hunting's books. I enjoyed the first book in the series but thought the second was a bit of a mess. I was curious about this one because it has a real-estate agent heroine. It's always fun to read about career-driven women. Plus, the Hamptons setting was hard to resist. I Flipping Love You fell somewhere in between the first book and the second for me.

Honestly, the opening scene of this book which involves an angry businessman, a case of mistaken identity and a scratched expensive car was a hoot. It was hilarious and really sucked me into the book. That was probably one of the best parts of the book. Rian and her fraternal twin are real-estate agents with dreams of someday flipping houses. Rian was a decent character. She's driven, has a tough shell around her heart and is very smart. I will say that she was prone to dramatics a couple of times throughout the book, but for the most part, I didn't have any issues with her character. She and her sister had some trust issues because of her family's history and understandably so. Pierce was equally enjoyable as a hero. A Manhattan lawyer, he comes to the Hamptons to help his brother flip houses. Pierce comes from money but is a little unhappy with his career and is trying ways to be happy. He was such a chill and charming guy and I liked the parts we saw of his character in I Flipping Love You.

Pierce's romance with Rian started off on such a funny note. I was sure that I would absolutely fall head over heels in love with these two. I definitely enjoyed their dynamic in the beginning. The constant running each other, the bickering and the chemistry were a lot of fun from a reader's perspective. That feeling didn't last very long though. Their romance started to fizzle out in the second half. I wanted to see them connect on a level deeper than just sex. I didn't feel like we got to see them emotional in any way here. So in the end, I wasn't entirely gaga over this romance.

I Flipping Love You was a fun book, but it definitely had the potential to be stronger, especially in the second half. Give this one a shot if you enjoy rom-coms!

Are you a fan of Helena Hunting? What are some books that started off great for you, but then fizzled out?
Let me know in the comments below!

3 Reasons To Read Melt For You by J.T Geissinger

MELT FOR YOU

by J.T Geissinger
Series: Slow Burn #2

Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Publication Date: May 15th 2018

Source: ARC received for review

Rating: ★★★★

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

I was pleasantly surprised by Burn for You, the first book in this series last year, and have been eagerly waiting to read more from this author. I couldn't wait to start Melt for You and what a delight it was. Here are 3 reasons why you should pick up Melt For You.

1. It has a lovable heroine

Melt for You has a funny, feisty and very relatable heroine. Joellen is a 30+ woman who has been in love with her boss for the longest time. She thinks that she desperately needs to shed some pounds, is awkward as hell and lives with a grumpy cat. There are lots of shades to Joellen's character and I have to say, I enjoyed every facet of her persona. She definitely had some self-esteem issues stemming from being the ugly duckling of her family. Though she tries not to let her issues to get to her, it does take her a while to realize what a lovely person she is. Joellen is also funny as hell, and she'll have you cackling throughout the book. She was just so easy to warm up to.

2. OOF THE HERO! <3 

Oh man! Cameron has to be one of my favorite romance heroes in a long time. He was just so swoony and great and had me melting into a puddle goo. Oh and he's Scottish! What a charming guy he was! OK, I have to admit that I wasn't entirely into him at first. He seemed like a fuckboi, but the guy totally grew on me. I loved how he pushed Joellen to see herself for the fabulous woman she was. The guy is so positive and endearing - it was easy to forgive his manwhorish ways.

3. The slowest of slow-burn romances

I'm such a sucker for a good slow-burn romance, and J.T Geissinger captured everything I love about them in Melt for You. Joellen and Cameron don't start off on the right foot because he's a terrible neighbor. Their relationship slowly evolves into a comfortable friendship, and then into more. The banter between them was A+, and the chemistry was even better. I couldn't wait for them together, and the author makes all that waiting worth the while. Cameron and Joellen had the type of relationship that was built on making each other better and damn if that didn't have my heart aflutter.

So there you have it! Three solid reasons to check out Melt for You. :)

Have you read anything by J.T Geissinger?
Let me know in the comments below!

When Black Romance Authors Slay

Hello, romance-loving friends!

How are you all doing? I'm currently running on very little sleep because SCHOOL. But anyways, enough of that boring stuff. I've read some romance books lately that I can't wait to chat with you all about. In today's post, I'll be talking about two recent romance reads from Black authors, and they were both stellar! Scroll down to find out what the two books are!

5 Reasons To Read On the Line by Liz Lincoln

Hi friends!

I recently finished reading On the Line by Liz Lincoln, which was one of my most anticipated romance reads of 2018. I had a lot of fun reading it so I thought I'd try to convince you to give this one a shot. Here are 5 reasons you should give On the Line a try!

The DNF Diaries

Hi friends!

How is everyone doing? I've been feeling a bit slumpy lately for some reason. After I read the amazing book that was Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn, I've been unable to 100% get into a romance book. I did start reading On the Line last night and it's working for me so far. But seriously, add Luck of the Draw to your TBRs. It gave me ALLL the swoons!



Anyways, today's post is about Luck of the Draw. I've had a couple of DNFs in the past few weeks, so I thought I'd share them here and list why I didn't care for them.

A Second Chance Romance With A Road Trip

LICKS
by Kelly Siskind

Series: One Wild Wish #3
Genres: Contemporary
Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: April 4th 2018

Source: ARC received for review purposes

Rating: ★★★1/2

Amazon 

I have very much enjoyed this series from Kelly Siskind. It has the perfect blend of humor, angst and romance. I have to say though that my excitement for Licks was even more amplified because of the promise of a second chance romance. After fake-dating, second chance romance is my favorite trope, so obviously I was excited to read Licks. Kelly Siskind totally delivered with this book. It had just the right amount of angst that I like in my second chance romances and managed to be very very swoony.

I loved that the protagonists, Gwen and August, were childhood friends whose friendship slowly developed into deeper feelings. However, unfortunately for them, the timing just wasn't right, and they both wound up deeply hurting each other. Fast forward a few years, Gwen's mom has just passed and August suddenly makes a re-appearance, along with a suitcase belonging to Gwen's mom that promised perhaps finding her father. Together, August and Gwen go on an adventure trying to figure out the clues that her mom left behind. As they go on this adventure, they realize that their feelings for each other have only amplified over the years. The romance was lovely. It was angsty at times but the chemistry kept it alive. Their feelings for each other were intense and add in that steamy chemistry, what you ended up was a really good romance.

It also helped that I liked both of the characters. They both had their strengths and their flaws. There were times when I found both characters to be quite questionable when it came to their thoughts - they seemed a bit out of place if I'm being honest. Overall though, they were both likable and it was easy to see where they were coming from when they made mistakes. Plus, I very much enjoy reading books with characters that aren't always perfect. As with the other books in the series, I also enjoyed seeing the female friendship. It was strong as ever and these girls just made my heart full with the amount of love and support they had for each other.

While a little more serious in tone compared to the other books in the series, Licks was a solid addition to it. If you're fond of second chance romances and flawed characters, this one is for you!

Do you enjoy second chance romances?
Let me know in the comments below!

What a Smut-Fest!

Hi guys!

I hope you all are doing well! Today's post is going to feature some very sexy books! I review Make Me Want by Katee Robert and Sinner by Sierra Simone. Be sure to check out my reviews if you're interested in those books!

At the end of the post I also briefly talk about some books I recently read and loved, and I finish off the post with books I just added to my TBRs!

I hope you have a good day! :)

Some Recent Unique Romances

Hello friends!

How is everyone doing? Sorry I've been a bit MIA on here. I was up relaunching Nick & Nereyda's Infinite Booklist as a new solo blog as Nereyda decided it was time for her to let go of blogging. If you are interested, the blog is THE INFINITE LIMITS OF LOVE!

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was great! Ari from The Romance Corner came to visit me for the weekend and I took her to explore around town. We also watched Love, Simon and I thought it was so cute!

Anyhoo, in today's post I have reviews for Thirsty by Mia Hopkins and One Match Fire by Lisa Linden. I can't say either of these books were as memorable as I wish they had been, but you guys might be interested in them, so check out my reviews below.