Sometimes when you read as much as us, you don’t really get the urge to write super-detailed reviews about some books… sometimes you realize that you’re really behind and still want to share some quick thoughts about things you’ve read. That’s where this post came about. Check out our thoughts on some of the books we have recently read!
The Replacement Crush by Lisa Brown Roberts
4 Stars
The Replacement Crush is the perfect summer read! Light-hearted and fun, it was definitely a cute read and one I really enjoyed.
Vivian spent the summer making out with her long-time crush and is looking forward to the first day of school where they’ll eat lunch together and kiss between classes… but that’s not to be, and her first day doesn’t go quite as planned. She decides that her next crush is going to be someone safe so she starts a list and makes a plan. In the meantime, she’ll work in her mom’s bookstore and keep blogging about the romance novels she reads!
Enter Dallas, the nerdy but hot new guy. He’s working at the bookstore too, helping design software to make running the store easier! Vivian is determined to ignore each and every clue that he’s the guy for her because she’s not willing to put her heart on the line for anyone again.
I managed to read this in a day. There’s nothing new here as far as contemporary YA goes, but it’s written in a way that will have you turning pages! Vivian and Dallas have some great chemistry, though admittedly I could have used a bit more kissing!
If you’re a fan of nerdy guys and stories low on the drama, get your hands on this, I think you’ll be surprised how much you enjoy it!
Wanderlust by Roni Loren
4 Stars
I am a huge fan of Roni Loren and while I love her Loving On The Edge series, I really have found that I enjoy her stand-alone books so much!
Aubrey Bordelon works as a restaurant critic, but when the magazine’s music reporter falls ill, she finds herself filling in and definitely outside her comfort zone among the screaming fans of Wanderlust.
Lex Logan loves his band, but they’re struggling right now. He’s struggling to write and the fighting among them is getting out of hand and tearing them apart. When he pulls a random girl from the crowd onstage for a stunt, he doesn’t expect to want to know more about her… and then it’s revealed that she’s writing the article on him and the band and he’s automatically on edge.
But there’s no denying the sparks between them. Loren definitely excels at the sexy stuff and the chemistry between Lex and Aubrey was really well done and believable.
There’s nothing really ground breaking with this story, but if you’re looking for a well-written, steamy romance between total opposites, then you should definitely check this one out. Roni Loren is definitely on my trusted author list for a reason and I’m looking forward to so much more from her in the future.
Thanks to the publisher for the early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Worked Up by Tessa Bailey
2 Stars
Just call me the blacksheep on this one because glancing through ratings it seems I’m the only one who really didn’t enjoy this… that said, I seem to be falling out of love with Tessa Bailey’s writing as of late. I don’t know what it is, I feel like she’s continually trying to out-do the dirty talk from book to book and lately it very often steps over that invisible internal line I have that makes me cringe in uncomfortableness at how unsexy it comes across.
Example:
“Can you taste how bad it hurts from being around my little wife? From licking her pussy and wanting to cram itself inside?”
The summary mentions a “blistering attraction” but I honestly never felt it. I felt the relationship was rushed and honestly I guess I probably have issues with big hulking, super possessive guys, because there was nothing about Duke that I found sexy. Nothing.
I know I mentioned that I’m falling out of love with her writing, but I don’t know if I’m giving up on Tessa Bailey yet… Just because I didn’t like the last few from her, doesn’t mean I don’t like her writing, I think maybe it’s just this series that isn’t working for me.
Thanks to the publisher for the chance to read this early in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Too Hot To Handle by Tessa Bailey
2.5 stars
This was probably 2.5 stars for me, but because I normally love Tessa Bailey’s writing I’m rounding up on goodreads.
This one just did not work for me… and let me be clear… there was so much potential here, but the main reason this didn’t hit any high notes was because the sexy stuff was just so stinking unsexy for me. The dirty talking was awkward and had me cringing more than fanning myself. Like to the point that I found myself reading passages to Erin while she drove us back from Chicago this past weekend.
I mentioned the potential of the plot. I love the idea of these four siblings on a road trip together and I’m completely intrigued by the other family members, but if I’m honest, Rita felt kind of bland to me. I felt like she was a big mix of personalities… shy and inexperienced at times, tough and unfeeling at others. I never really got a grasp on her at all. Jasper *sigh* I just felt like he didn’t deliver on what I was sold in the summary. I liked his arc, don’t get me wrong… the town ‘tramp’ changing his ways, but his dialogue was so cringe-worthy at times that I just wasn’t buying the whole package.
This makes me sad, because like I said, I’m a fan of Tessa Bailey, and I’ll definitely check out the rest of the series, but this one was a miss for me.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Have you read these? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!
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