REVIEW: Bitter Burn by Sierra Simone

OUR REVIEW:

It's been a long time coming and was well worth the wait. The resolution to this series had all the things, action, emotion, conflict, and an ending that felt complete. By the end of it all, they'd all been villains and heroes and found a way to get through the distrust and hurt to an understanding and realization that what may have started out like a game of pawns on a chess board ended in all of those carefully laid plans upended for a new and better reality. 

After reading this series, I think I've learned that I either need to do a full rereading of prior linked texts or just hold off on reading everything until its all released because as much as I loved and adored this series, and everything Sierra Simone has written, I feel like I didn't fully appreciate all of the Easter eggs because it had been so long since I'd read the series that led into this one and the first two books of this series felt like a pleasant but hazy memory. That's a me problem and not an author problem--I realize she writes as quickly as she writes; I also know that my memory isn't what it used to be and I want to really get the full experience.

All of that being said, I wholeheartedly recommend this series, and everything else she's done.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3JNttgE

SYNOPSIS:

I think it's important that you know this about me, that you understand this: I'm not sorry. I'd do it again.

After Mark Trevena's husband died eight years ago, he made vengeance his only purpose, his religion, his destiny. But to get to his enemy, he had to make himself like his enemy. Mortimer Cashel had a kingdom of secrets? Then Mark would make an empire. Mortimer Cashel had blood on his hands? Then Mark would bathe in it.

But Tristan and Isolde changed everything. Mark hadn't counted on wanting them, needing them; he hadn't counted on how it felt to watch the two of them fall in love. He'd thought he had everything under control―he'd thought he was safe from his own long-dead heart. He'd never imagined that the wronged husband, the jealous king from his childhood fairy tales, would be played by none other than himself.

It no longer matters what he used to believe. His enemy is ready to finish the game, and for the first time in eight years, Mark has pieces on the board he can't afford to lose. He'll burn the entire world to keep Tristan and Isolde safe. He'll scorch the earth―but as any good assassin will tell you, fire will only get a man so far, because there's always something left in the ashes. And for Tristan and Isolde, what's left in the ashes is the cold, bitter bones of the truth: their story begins and ends with Mark.

And every story needs a villain…
 

REVIEW: Ready or Not by Cara Bastone

OUR REVIEW:

I grabbed this one based on a recommendation from another book blogger (is that even a thing anymore? it sorta feels like I'm the only one actually writing these these days...a topic for another day..). Anyway, I when she mentioned a surprise pregnancy, I knew I had to try it. I don't know why that's such a fascination for me, but I'm always curious about how author's are going to resolve the obvious built in conflict that exists. In Ready or Not, I found Eve's choices and unease to be relatable while also thinking she had no idea what she was about to get into. I love that she had a Shep in her life- one person who was her constant cheerleader, helper, supporter...her everything. And yet, it took her a hot minute to figure out that his interest in her wasn't just pure friendship. That was a smidge annoying and yet I guess it also worked because I stuck with them to the very end and felt very satisfied with how it all went down. 

Surprisingly more serious, exploring more than I anticipated, and a little slower than I might have wanted, but all in all a solid read. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/47VHwc2

SYNOPSIS:

A surprise pregnancy leads to even more life-changing revelations in this heartfelt, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance of found family and unexpected love.

Eve Hatch is pretty content with her life. Her apartment in Brooklyn is cozy and close to her childhood best friend Willa, but far from her midwestern, traditional family who never really understood her. While her job is only dream- adjacent , she’s hoping her passion and hard work will soon help her land a more glamorous role. And sure, her most recent romantic history has consisted of not one but two disappointing men named Derek. At least she always knows what to expect…until she finds herself expecting after an uncharacteristic one-night stand.

The unplanned pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve's loyal friendship with Willa is feeling off , right when she needs her most. And it’s Willa’s steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help. He has always been friendly, but now he’s checking in, ordering her surprise lunches, listening to all her complaints, and is… suddenly kinda hot? Then there’s the baby's father, who is supportive but conflicted. Before long, Eve is rethinking everything she thought she knew about herself and her world.

Over the course of nine months, as Eve struggles to figure out the next right step in her expanding reality, she begins to realize that family and love, in all forms, can sneak up on you when you least expect it.

REVIEW: Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey

 OUR REVIEW:

This series is just fun, y'all. I know when I pick up the next one it'll be a good time with some giggles and some characters who have real feelings hiding in there somewhere. In the case of Pitcher Perfect, we'd seen both Robbie and Skyler in a scene before and it was memorable. We basically start there with their story and learn that that particular meet cute is started Robbie's fall for Skylar. It took a little longer for her, but the events and stories that bring them together are sweet and exactly what I needed for a quick, fun romance. 

If you enjoyed this series, I really think you'll enjoy Robbie and Skyler's story. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/47SE1TH

SYNOPSIS:

Boston Bearcats rookie Robbie Corrigan is living the dream. He’s made it to the NHL, his best friend/teammate and fellow “orgasm donor” is his roomie—and the women of Boston love them both. Life is sweet. That is, until he meets Skylar Paige, division 1 softball pitcher, girl least likely to take anyone’s bull…and the one member of the opposite sex immune to his charms. Robbie might be dazzled by the badass pitcher, but Skylar pegs him as a filthy player and wants nothing to do with him.

When he discovers she’s carrying a serious torch for her brother’s best friend, Robbie knows he should just go back to clubbing and whipped cream bikini parties, but he can’t seem to leave Skylar to flounder on her romantic quest to land another man. Nor can he miss out on the opportunity to spend time with her and hopefully redeem himself. Before Robbie knows it, he’s agreed to be Skylar’s fake boyfriend/love coach at an upcoming family wilderness competition where her crush will be in attendance. What could go wrong?

Through a series of contests that require them to trust each other, Robbie and Skylar grow closer and closer until their fake relationship starts to feel like the realest thing they’ve ever known and the sizzling lessons in sensuality burn out of control.

But it’s all just pretend…right?

REVIEW: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

REVIEW:

It's been a while since I've read an Ariel Lawhon novel and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed her writing. I was immediately interested in the character of Martha Ballard and the story she had to tell. Maybe it's because I'd recently read The Crucible with my students, but I honestly think if I didn't have that frame of reference I'd still enjoy this novel. Martha's story is one that seems so familiar, despite its setting of 1789. Unfortunately, as much as things have changed, many things remain the same. Women not being believed? Check. Women being preyed upon by men who think they're untouchable? Check. People automatically thought of as less than or suspicious because they're different? Check. People behaving badly? Check. Even with all of that, though, there were bright spots. There was so much love and hope and goodness. The characters are rich and the setting and historical details fascinated me, while reminding me of how good I have it. 

This novel is one I've been recommending to those who want a rich and interesting story. It's well researched and imagines the lives and stories surrounding real people in a way that captivated me. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4reNIov

SYNOPSIS:

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town's most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon's newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

Inspired by the life of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into history.

 

REVIEW: Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder

OUR REVIEW:

Some Kind of Famous was such a nice surprise. I've read both of Wilder's previous novels and remember enjoying them so was excited at the opportunity to read this one too. When I reflect on what makes it such a good read for me, I think it's the focus on two characters that I don't get to meet very often. Merritt is coming off a long recovery period-life post being a world famous musician who ends up burning up and burning out. She starts off as tentative and internal--lots of things going on inside, lots of guilt or shame, and without the nudge of her sister (and Niko) I feel like she'd still be living with her sister, hiding from life. But she's nudged and she hires Niko and life begins to begin again. 

With Niko, we learn that this man who seems pretty stable and steady, is that because it's his armor and shield from his previous hurts. He craves a certain certainty and has been burned so many times that he sets the bar low for everyone else but himself. And so getting to know Merritt challenged him just as he challenged her. 

Seeing their care and respect for each other, their desire for the other to succeed, and their willingness to put the other's happiness first made this an all around superior read. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3VBGOef

SYNOPSIS:
In this steamy and emotional small-town romance, a disgraced ex-musician and a local handyman try to resist their growing attraction for each other—until a broken-down house forces them together—from the author of How to Fake It in Hollywood and Will They or Won't They

It’s been a decade since Merritt Valentine’s peak as a celebrated singer-songwriter… and her subsequent career-ending mental breakdown. Since then, she’s abandoned the glitz of Los Angeles to move in with her sister, Olivia, in the sleepy Colorado ski town of Crested Peak, hoping to heal her lingering emotional wounds of the spotlight.

Life in Crested Peak would be uncomplicated if not for Merritt’s inconvenient crush on the local contractor and handyman, Nikolaos Petrakis. Niko is disarmingly handsome and too kind-hearted to ever be right for the complex and prickly Merritt. Though tempting, a fling with Niko would only bring the kind of drama Merritt has vowed to leave behind.

After his last heartbreak, Niko is done dating his fellow townies. Still, he can’t shake his fascination with the brilliant Merritt, even as he heeds their mutual friends’ warnings to steer clear of her chaos. But when Merritt needs help fixing up a house of her own, Niko is glad to be the only man for the job.

As the two spend more time together, their mutual attraction sparking a deeper connection than either one expects, they’re forced to confront the idea that they may have underestimated each other– and themselves.