Audiobook Review ~ The Chemistry of Love by Sariah Wilson

The Chemistry of LoveThe Chemistry of Love by Sariah Wilson
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This was an easy read to get into, but wasn’t the kind of book that blew me away. Anna was a cosmetic chemist, she was a bit of a dork and had a crush on her boss Craig. She was very stuck in her head about making decisions, but ended up making a huge decision to act on her crush. She made me cringe as she turned up to a function in a costume, and ended up a crying mess when she met Marco, Craig’s brother

I liked Anna and Marco together, they had a lot in common, which they figured out over time. Both were hesitant to act on those feelings and even though they were working on a plan, their feelings were getting stronger. They were both a bit dorky together and I cringed at the dad jokes, but Anna and Marco were sweet. Marco had family issues that hurt him in the past. Together, these two were cute.

Em Eldridge did a great job of narrating this story, I quite enjoyed the way she delivered the characters. I'm continuing to enjoy Sariah Wilson's stories.

Title: The Chemistry of Love
Author: Sariah Wilson
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: February 1, 2023

True love requires a little research and development in a funny, heart-racing romance by Sariah Wilson, the bestselling author of The Paid Bridesmaid.

How can Anna Ellis, a geeky, brilliant, and hopelessly smitten cosmetic chemist possibly win over Craig Kimball, the man of her dreams—who also happens to be her boss? The answer is Craig’s empathetic (and handsome) CEO half brother, Marco. The makeup mogul knows Craig for the ridiculously competitive rival he is. Whatever Marco has, Craig wants. That can be Anna, if she’s game to play.

All Anna and Marco have to do is pretend they’re falling in love and let the rumors begin. If the experiment in attraction works, a jealous Craig will swoop in and give Anna her happily ever after—if it weren’t for one hitch in the plan. There’s more to Marco than meets the eye. With every fake date, Anna’s feelings are starting to become dizzyingly real.

Blame it on chemistry. It’s unpredictable, exciting, and occasionally combustible. If Anna and Marco are really falling in love, who are they to argue with science?

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Review ~ Between Commitment and Betrayal by Shain Rose

Between Commitment and Betrayal (Hardy Billionaire Brothers, #1)Between Commitment and Betrayal by Shain Rose
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the series that I have read and I was super excited to see Declan and Everly’s story unfold. The premise had me excited, and I was keen to see these two get together. Declan was older than Everly, but was drawn to her early, although Everly thought that he disliked her. I liked watching their connection grow, and it was amusing to see them grow closer. I also really love Declans siblings!

As much as I wanted to love this story, it fell flat for me. I found the forced marriage aspect hard to believe, and felt that these adults were a bit childish. The back and forth was frustrating, Everly’s sister Anastasia was a pain that put a weird spanner in the works. More often than not I was frustrated with the read and skipped bits. I think a little too much drama was injected in the read, it needed to be a bit more simple.


Title: Between Commitment and Betrayal
Author: Shain Rose
Series: Hardy Billionaire Brothers #1
Genre: Sports Contemporary Romance
Published: March 23, 2023

My father's business partner will do anything for the empire they built together...Even marry me.

Declan Hardy, All-American heartthrob and retired NFL billionaire, is my complete opposite.
He's commanding where I'm cooperative.
Spontaneous while I am deliberate.
Loud when I stay quiet.
The only thing we have in common is that both our names are on my father's will.

He'll inherit the fitness and hospitality empire and I'll keep the one thing I hold dear.
As long as I marry him—with conditions.

One year of a fake marriage.
One year of living together.
One year of pretending I belong in his luxury lifestyle.

But stipulations are never that simple.

Especially when I can't tell if his kisses are fake or if I'm pretending when I kiss him back.
And as more conditions arise, it's clear there's a fine line between commitment and betrayal... and neither of us knows where that line falls.

Between Commitment and Betrayal is a billionaire, forced proximity, fake marriage of convenience and a father’s business partner novel. It is a complete standalone by Shain Rose.

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Review ~ Mile High by Liz Tomforde

Mile High (Windy City, #1)Mile High by Liz Tomforde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed Mile High, watching Zander win over Stevie. He was one of the biggest names in hockey and never one who was tied down. But once he met Stevie, his focus shifted. Stevie was determined to keep Zander at arms length, but the more she saw of the real Zander you could see that she was slowly falling for him. They had more in common and over time slowly opened up to one another.

Zander’s manager was a real jerk and I hoped that he would see what an ass he was early. The end of the season was coming and he wanted a new contract but was under a lot of pressure to keep up the bad boy persona. Stevie could see through it all and encouraged him when she could. I liked Zanders team mates and how close they all her. I enjoyed Stevie working at the dog shelter and how they brought them together. This was quite an easy read to get swept away in.


Title: Mile High
Author: Liz Tomforde
Series: Windy City #1
Genre: Sports Romance
Published: June 4, 2022

ZANDERS

Chicago hockey isn't complete without me - everyone's favourite player to hate. I know my role, and I play it well. In fact, I thoroughly enjoy spending the majority of my game time in the penalty box before leaving the arena with a new girl on my arm each night.

What I don't like is the new flight attendant on our team's private plane. She works for me, not the other way around. But I'll be sure to remind her of that, and I can guarantee, by the end of the season, she'll be begging to quit her job.

But every road trip blurs the lines, and I can't quite figure out if I keep pushing that flight attendant call button in order to push her buttons, or if it's more than that.

STEVIE

I've been a flight attendant for years. I thought I'd seen it all, but when my new job lands me onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL, I start to second guess everything. Including the promise I made to myself of never hooking up with an athlete again . . . no matter how annoyingly tempting he may be.

Evan Zanders is unfiltered, unapologetic, and too attractive for his own good. He loves his image, but I hate everything about it.

Everything but him.

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Audiobook Review ~ Runaway Groomsman by Meghan Quinn

Runaway GroomsmanRunaway Groomsman by Meghan Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed listening to Sawyer and Fallon's story. I was entertained by how Sawyer landed on Fallon's doortep. They didn't really think a lot of one another to begin with, but Sawyer slowly came to appreciate what Fallon was trying to do. I liked the way that Fallons Grandfather pushed Sawyer into doing things, despite his dementia. It was amusing to see the way Sully influenced everyone too - she was a big personality!

This was a cute story and I enjoyed the way that Samantha Brentmoor and Alastair Haynesbridge narrated it. It's been a qwhile since I have jumped into one of Meghan Quinn's books, and I really enjoyed this one.

Title: Runaway Groomsman
Author: Meghan Quinn
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: October 11, 2022

From USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a heartfelt romantic comedy about new beginnings and finding the romanticized happily ever after in the most unlikely of places.

Hollywood screenwriter Sawyer Walsh knows a good love story when he sees it. But when it comes to real life romance, he’s a mess. That’s how he finds himself standing at the altar…as his ex-girlfriend ties the knot with his very famous best friend. The pressure, the resentment, the media coverage—it’s all too much—and before he knows exactly what he’s doing, he’s making a run for it, leaving a shocked congregation and flashing cameras in his wake.

Needing to lie low amid the media fallout, Sawyer lands in the charming town of Canoodle, California, where he crosses paths with Fallon Long, who runs the Canoodle Cove Cabins, a family-owned business and Sawyer’s new short-term residence.

Overwhelmed with renovations and her long list of responsibilities, Fallon is struggling to make ends meet while attempting to bring the cabins back to their original glory. So when Sawyer arrives, she is grateful for the income, but immediately writes him off as just another vapid Hollywood hack, until he begins to prove her wrong at every turn.

As Fallon comes closer to saving the family business, an undeniable bond forms between her and the handsome screenwriter. But the pressures of her family obligations and Sawyer’s notoriety might prove to be too much for anyone to handle. Could Canoodle be the setting for a new romance—or is true love just a Hollywood cliché?

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Review ~ Right Guy, Wrong Word by Jewel E. Ann

Right Guy, Wrong WordRight Guy, Wrong Word by Jewel E. Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When Jewel E Ann puts out a read, there is a fair chance I’m going to read it. This one was originally a short story that I hadn’t read as yet, so I just had to pick it up. I found it to be quite enjoyable, I was drawn into the fun banter, the push and pull between the characters, and the intense attraction that these two had for one another.

It was told in two parts, the first part was quite amusing watching Anna and Eric interacting and seeing the chemistry between them. I loved how they came together at a book club meeting, and how one little book caused so much conflict between them.

In the second part I liked how much these characters had grown, and there still was a connection between them. Eric is such a caring guy and you cou led see that with his dad, and again with Anna. It was soo good to see them together and sort through those feelings and finding out what they wanted. This was such a sweet, feel good read that I devoured quickly!


Title: Right Guy, Wrong Word
Author: Jewel E. Ann
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: August 3, 2023

Do books have souls?

Anna Black has the perfect novel choice for her book club. She also has a sexy new neighbor who jumps at the opportunity to join fellow bookworms in discussing her pick for their summer read.

It’s lust at first sight and the marriage of two literary souls.

The charismatic owner of a new T-shirt store in Des Moines’s East Village, Eric Steinmann, has a confident air and an irresistible “mating dance.” He’s almost perfect … until he says the wrong word.

Will Anna and Eric write their own story? Or will their chemistry die when fiction turns into reality?

**Right Guy, Wrong Word was originally written as a short story, The Last Person. It’s been revised with significant changes to the original content and extended into a full-length novel.

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Review ~ Coach by Devney Perry

Coach (Treasure State Wildcats, #1)Coach by Devney Perry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Coach really was a feel good read. After years apart the feelings between Millie and Ford would come back and they would rekindle their relationship. I enjoyed watching Millie build a relationship with Fords daughter Joey and how quickly these three gelled. I liked seeing how passionate Millie and Ford were about their jobs and the kids they worked with. They deserved happiness, even though they decided to keep it a secret.

There was a little bit of drama that threatened their jobs, as they both worked in the same area. Most of the staff were good, and were a close group, so I had hope that things would work out. The passion between them was strong, and they couldn’t deny that they belonged together. I really enjoyed the epilogue, seeing how tight knit they all had become. Coach was a nice easy read to get lost in.


Title: Coach
Author: Devney Perry
Series: Treasure State Wildcats #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: April 6, 2023

Football star. Single dad. And once, a long time ago, mine.

I’ve spent the better part of a decade forgetting Ford Ellis. If he had just stayed away from Montana, I might have erased the memory of his striking blue eyes and rugged smile forever. Avoiding him was easy when the only place I saw his face was on ESPN—and a remote control could fix that problem.

Except my boss just hired Ford as the new head coach for the Treasure State Wildcats. Not only will I be stuck watching him on the sidelines this season, but avoiding him will be impossible now that we’re working together.

Maybe I haven’t forgotten Ford. Maybe I still dream about what we might have been. Maybe he hasn’t forgotten me either.

Except those maybes won’t change the fact that we were never meant to be. Maybe he was mine once. But as of today, the only thing I’ll be calling Ford Ellis is Coach.

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Review ~ About Tomorrow by Abbi Glines

About TomorrowAbout Tomorrow by Abbi Glines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve read several Abbi Glines books, and this one popped up on KU, so I decided I’d dive into this world. It began sweet, but a jump nine years into the future shows that Sailor and Creed are no longer together or had had contact for the past six years. I could see that there was still a connection between them despite how much had changed. As the story unfolded, things changed as Sailor moved into her grandmothers’ house and her boyfriend put her to the back of his mind as he studied hard for medical school.

Honestly, I know how important studies are for people, but if you also commit to a relationship, that person is just as important as your studies and your future. I actually felt sorry for Sailor as she became lonely as Griff would go days without contacting her, so I understood why she let Creed back into her life so easily. Creed and Sailor had suffered a lot in their pasts, and that connection brought them back together.

I did like this read, but the cheating aspect did annoy me a little and I would’ve liked them to work through the deeper issues better so that they were more committed to the relationship and each other. Insecurities led them to bake harsh decisions that almost derailed them. Overall, not a bad read, but not one of my favourite Glines reads.

Title: About Tomorrow
Author: Abbi Glines
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Published: December 14, 2020

About Tomorrow...

I close my eyes as I hear him speak. I take one very long and deep breath hoping to calm the immediate butterflies that take flight in my stomach and hope to slow down the racing of my heart. The voice was slightly deeper but the timbre was one that was achingly familiar.

My actions did little to help, but then who was I kidding? A deep breath wasn't going to fix the effect he had on me and my body's inevitable reaction. Even the memories that would forever haunt me couldn't keep my emotions from triggering at the nearness of him once again.

I used to pray that I'd find the strength to move on from him, from the pain that the end carried, from the emptiness in my chest, but ultimately move on from—the loss of Creed Sullivan and the death of his sister, Cora.

The Sullivans had been the best part of my summers in New England.

Deep down, I knew my ache for all that I had lost was the reason I returned...

But I hadn't expected to see him again—especially not like this.

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Review ~ Liars Like Us by J.T. Geissinger

Liars Like Us (Morally Gray, #1)Liars Like Us by J.T. Geissinger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was just the kind of read that I needed! It was a brilliant world to get immersed in, I laughed and swooned, as I watched Emery and Callum come together. Emery had it hard from the beginning, and things kept piling up to bring her down. When Callum came into her life, she couldn’t believe what he was offering, and pushed him away at every turn. But he was persistent and passionate and would not let her go.

It was fun being in this world, Emery’s turmoil had me laughing as she tried to figure out what was going on. The slightly serious twist had me intrigued, but it fell into the storyline seamlessly. I thoroughly enjoyed Callum’s possessive side, and how he fell for Emery, just wanting someone to love him. I was intrigued by his family too and I enjoyed meeting all of Emery’s friends. Liars Like Us was quite enjoyable, and I am looking forward to more from this world.


Title: Liars Like Us
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Series: Morally Gray #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 25, 2023

A young woman on the verge of bankruptcy.
A mysterious billionaire with an offer that will change her life.
An obsession so powerful, it could destroy them both.

Sex
Lies
Secrets
Passion

What Callum McCord wants, he takes.
No matter what he has to do to get it.

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Audiobook Review ~ You or Someone Like You by Winter Renshaw

You or Someone Like YouYou or Someone Like You by Winter Renshaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sloane and Roman's story was a good one to listen to. It was amusing to see Sloane fake her way through numerous occasions with Roman, but I could see these two had chemistry and things in common. I felt that Slaones twin was selfish and pushed her into situations that she didn't want to be in. I had an inkling with Roman, and wasn't sure which was going to be the outcome, but I was glad it went the way it did.

I knew it all would blow up on Slaone eventually, and it did really affect them both. I wanted to slap Margoux, for being the jerk she was. I loved Roman's family, even Roman's aunt. She truly was trying to get him back out there and Sloane certainly lit a fire in him.

The narration was great and I really enjoyed both Tristan James and Stella Bloom, how they portrayed all characters and fluently told Renshaws story.
Title: You or Someone Like You
Author: Winter Renshaw
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: July 18, 2023

From Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon bestselling author Winter Renshaw comes a fast-paced, emotional romance about what happens when the wrong twin falls for the right man.

Being an identical twin has its perks, but when my sister asked me to sub in for a date with Roman Bellisario, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. Sure, he’s sinfully handsome and successful, but he also got me fired from my dream job three years ago.

This time, my sister’s promotion is riding on this date, so I have to say yes. And as it turns out, we’re strangely perfect for each other. I sell art. He collects it. We’re both obsessed with the same obscure, mysterious artist that most people don’t even know exists.

Roman is guarded, though, and I can understand why. He’s a widowed single dad. But as one date leads to another, he starts to let me in, and I can’t help but fall for him.

The problem is Roman still thinks I’m my sister. Is our twin swap going to be the best thing that ever happened to me and Roman—or the lie that tears us apart?

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Audiobook Review ~ The Forgetting by Hannah Beckerman

The ForgettingThe Forgetting by Hannah Beckerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is not the type of read I generally pick up, but I thought it would be a good audible read. I certainly wasn’t disappointed and was quickly swept away with the storyline. It was interesting getting both Livvy and Anna’s stories, and how you can quickly jump to conclusions until you get the full picture.

I felt sorry for Anna, and how lost she was, not being able to trust her husband, and being so alone. Livvys story was interesting, as we watched her double guess her thoughts as she was told certain things and she didn’t know who to trust. She was close to her family, however there was tension between her husband and sister. They both loved her fiercely, but there was a wedge growing bigger between her and her sister. She continued to give into Dominic as she put his feelings first, instead of her own. I didn’t like "Dominic" or "Steven" and the way that they treated Livvy and Anna.


Title: The Forgetting
Author: Hannah Beckerman
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Published: April 1, 2023

From the bestselling author of If Only I Could Tell You comes the story of two women feeling trapped and powerless. Can they find their way back to life?

When Anna Bradshaw wakes up in a hospital bed in London, she remembers nothing, not even her loving husband, Stephen. The doctors say her amnesia is to be expected, but Anna feels cut adrift from her entire life.

In Bristol, Livvy Nicholson is newly married to Dominic and eager to get back to work after six months’ maternity leave. But when Dominic’s estranged mother appears, making a series of unnerving claims, Livvy is sucked into a version of herself she doesn’t recognise.

A hundred miles apart, both women feel trapped and disorientated, and their stories are about to collide. Can they uncover the secret that connects them and reconstruct their fractured lives?

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