G. Bianco, 2019
If you’re looking for a good new adult hockey romance then look no further!! Thursday, February 23rd marks publication day for Freezing the Puck by Lasariona McMaster and it is the sports romance you’re gonna fall in love with! Justin thought he’d left his past in Minnesota when he moved to Iowa to play for the Cedar Rapids Raccoons. On the ice, he’s a pro at blocking shots, but Savannah Bowen has slipped behind all his defenses and made a home in his heart. He has no intention of revisiting the past, but when she’s damn near everywhere he goes, he’s a goner. For Savannah, it doesn’t matter that Justin Ashe is seven feet tall and sexy as sin, or that she’s had a crush on him for years. He cheated on her best friend in high school, and that makes him off limits. She can’t be with him, but damn, it’s impossible to stay away from him. He’s supposed to be her enemy, but the more she sees of him, the blurrier the lines get. Lasairiona McMasters starts her new series off on a high note! This hockey romance is deliciously steamy, but also super sweet. Savannah and Justin both have rocky pasts and with Savannah’s preconceived notions about Justin, their romance seems unlikely in the beginning. However, the predictability of a good romcom comes through and watching these two learn about each other, fall in love, and rely on one another through tough times is so endearing. Add in main characters who both love steamy romance books and sexy hockey players galore, there’s not much to hate about this book! If you want a good sports romance series to get into, then this is the book for you! I cannot wait for McMaster to continue this new series and to meet the rest of the Cedar Rapids Raccoons! *I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
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From the bestselling author of You Had Me at Hola comes another romance featuring celebrities and a whole lot of Latin love! Alexis Daria’s novel Take the Lead (coming out on February 14th) has everything you want in a romance book: sexiness, sweetness, and some juicy plotlines! Gina Morales wants to make it big. In her four seasons on The Dance Off, she’s never even made it to the finals. But her latest partner, the sexy star of an Alaskan wilderness show, could be her chance. Who knew the strong, silent, survivalist-type had moves like that? She thinks Stone Nielson is her ticket to win it all—until her producer makes it clear they’re being set up for a showmance. Joining a celebrity dance competition is the last thing Stone wants. However, he’ll endure anything to help his family, even as he fears revealing their secrets. While the fast pace of Los Angeles makes him long for the peace and privacy of home, he can’t hide his growing attraction for his dance partner. Neither wants to fake a romance for the cameras, but the explosive chemistry that flares between them is undeniable. As Stone and Gina heat up the dance floor, the tabloids catch on to their developing romance. With the spotlight threatening to ruin everything, will they choose fame and fortune, or let love take the lead? This book is basically a novelized version of “Dancing with the Stars” and I really enjoyed it! Reading about the descriptions of the dances Gina and Stone perform and having their chemistry build with each interaction was super fun to read about. But I also really liked the behind the scenes peek at what reality TV is really like and how scripted it all actually is! Between the drama on and off the stage paired with a bunch of side characters that help move the plot along, this book is perfect for any fans of romance looking for a fun and flirty read. This revamped version of Daria’s debut book is a fun read for any romcom fans! I cannot wait to read the rest of this series! *I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest opinion. From the author of the bestselling Getting His Game Back comes a new romcom that mixes politics and romance. On February 7th, dive into Gia de Cadanet’s Romeo and Juliet-esque style book Not the Plan. After nearly a decade of experience in state politics, Isadora Maris is damn good at her job. Aggressive lobbyists and stonewalling senators are no match for her diplomacy and her unflappable commitment to her principles. If all goes according to her meticulous plan, she’ll soon be managing her boss’s successful campaign for U.S. representative and finally land her dream role: congressional aide in Washington, D.C., where she can really make a difference. But Isadora’s cool professionalism is knocked off-kilter when she meets Karim Sarda. Karim is gorgeous and brilliant and seems to share many of her ideals. So why is he working for the California senate’s most detestable scumbag? Given their bosses’ fierce political rivalry, Isadora finds she can’t risk tarnishing her reputation by flirting with the enemy, and she’s been betrayed enough times to want to keep people at a distance. So she deems Karim off-limits—no matter how flustered she feels whenever he enters the room. Karim knows that struggle all too well: Still processing the wounds from his failed marriage, he’s ready for a fresh start. But Karim can’t hide his attraction to Isadora’s commanding presence. Her strength is captivating, even as he recognizes something fragile beneath its surface. When Karim and Isadora succumb to their undeniable chemistry, their initial desire blossoms into something more—something real. But if Karim’s boss takes control of the California senate, everything Isadora worked for could be destroyed. Will workplace politics shatter their chance at love? I really liked the way this book explored dealing with toxic people in your life and how there are different forms of PTSD and mental illnesses out there. Similar to her previous book, de Cadenet wasn’t afraid to tackle the tough subjects. On top of some heavier topics, Isadora and Karim were an amazing pairing to watch grow into their relationship and learn to trust and love themselves through their love for one another. Their romance (and their steamy scenes) were amazing and any romance lover will fall in love with this career-driven couple. If you like workplace romances with Romeo and Juliet vibes (just with a Happily Ever After) then I definitely recommend this book! *I received an ARC from Random House in exchange for my honest opinion. DNF @ 33% Fallon Monroe, mother of one, self-help book junkie, and budding chocolatier, has always relied on her mom friends in the Chicago suburbs to get her through the trials of adulthood. So when her bestie Beatrice inexplicably starts ghosting her and takes all their mutual friends with her, Fallon’s left wondering how everything went so wrong. Pushing down a lifetime of insecurities, Fallon doubles down and decides to win them back. First, she hosts an epic Mexican fiesta that goes epically wrong. Then she joins a friendship app but discovers a disturbing secret about one of her new friends. Just when she’s about to throw in the towel on the whole friendship mess, Fallon reads a recently unearthed letter she’d refused to deal with decades earlier—and reading it forces her to finally face the deep-seated fears she’d desperately tried to bury. Now, looking at her friendships through fresh eyes, she must decide between hanging on and letting go. The only positive thing about this book, which comes out on February 7th, was that the chapters flew by quickly, but I just didn’t have the patience to read about a 39 year old hot mess of a mom that is desperate to stay friends with her toxic mom friend. I live my own life by the philosophy that if someone doesn’t want to be friends with me, then I don’t want to be friends with them. Therefore, I could not understand why Fallon would try so hard to kiss Beatrice’s butt when she was being so outwardly rude to her after so many years of friendship. I also hate miscommunication and that’s basically the theme of this entire book. My main thought was “If I have to read this whole book where she's just going to desperately try and keep this woman as a friend then I'm gonna tap out.” So I did. However, I think the main contributing factor to my not liking this book is that I'm not a mom nor am I in my late 30s/early 40s so Fallon wasn’t really relatable to me. I really couldn’t understand her motivations and some of the little plot points that were probably supposed to be funny were actually cringey and juvenile. While this book might appeal to some people, the portion of the book I did read was not for me. *I received an ARC from Crooked Lane Books/Alcove Press in exchange for my honest opinion. |
AuthorHi! My name is Elisa and my bookshelf is quite literally overflowing! Join me in my journey of reading as many books as humanly possible! Archives
February 2023
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