Month: May 2024

Breakaway | Grace Reilly

Posted 05/30/2024 by Hilarye in Book Reviews / 0 Comments

Breakaway | Grace ReillyBreakaway Star Rating: 3.5 Stars
Spice Level: 5 Flames
Series: Beyond the Play #2
Also in this series: First Down, Stealing Home
Published by Avon on 01/30/2024
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Format: Kindle (460 pages)
Source: Purchased
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A secret friends-with-benefits arrangement with the hockey coach’s daughter shouldn’t have a shot in the dark of leading to more…

Cooper

As a pro-bound college athlete with a good-time reputation, I usually have my pick of puck bunnies. But lately, I’ve been in a dry spell that feels more like a curse, and the stress is affecting my game—the one thing that can’t happen if I’m going to make team captain, and eventually the NHL.

Enter Penny Ryder.

She’s my coach’s daughter, but the moment she pulls me into that ice rink closet, she’s the one thing on my mind besides hockey. She has a sex bucket list, and each item on it confirms we’re kindred spirits in the bedroom. If I say yes, I’ll be relaxed on the ice again—but if her dad finds out, I’ll be forced to say goodbye to being captain and finally earning my own father’s approval.

Penny

Thanks to the ex from hell, I’m a long way from being ready for a relationship—but it’s time to reclaim my agency, one long-sought-after experience in bed at a time.

Enter Cooper Callahan.

He’s my dad’s star defenseman; an arrangement with him will mean keeping yet another major secret from my father. But the agreement we strike is simple: secret friends-with-benefits until he makes captain…and I cross off everything on my list, so I can finally move on from the incident that ruined both my life and my figure skating career.

Yet the longer our connection goes on, the more we trust each other, and the less I want to say goodbye. I know love leads to heartbreak, but what if it can also clear the ice for a breakaway?


Written review coming soon…


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Mistakes We Never Made | Hannah Brown

Posted 05/12/2024 by Hilarye in ARC Review, Book Reviews / 0 Comments
Mistakes We Never Made | Hannah Brown
Star Rating: 2.5 Stars
Spice Level: 3.5 Flames
Published by Forever on 05/07/2024
Format: DRC (329 pages)
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This review was tough to write. I didn’t hate Mistakes We Never Made, but I can’t say I enjoyed it either. It was just thoroughly…meh. On paper, this rom-com had all the ingredients of a story I would normally love. A forced proximity road trip, high school friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, and a second chance romance. There were flashes of brilliance here and there, but when all was said and done, the story fell flat. The worst part was the ending—more on that later. The story centers on Emma and Finn, high school friends and debate partners whose relationship slowly blossomed […]

Casket Case | Lauren Evans

Posted 05/05/2024 by Hilarye in ARC Review, Book Reviews / 0 Comments
Casket Case | Lauren Evans
Star Rating: 3 Stars
Spice Level: 3 Flames
Published by Dell on 09/10/2024
Format: DRC (400 pages)
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Casket Case is one part exploration of grief, two parts romantic comedy, a dash of self-discovery, and a heavy helping of magical realism. Its unique and intriguing premise captures your attention, but its execution falls short, preventing it from being a higher rated read. Despite its flaws, it has a certain charm that keeps you invested in the story and curious about what comes next. After her parents’ death, Nora reluctantly returns to her teeny tiny hometown of Rabbittown, Alabama, to run Rabbittown Casket Company, her family’s casket business. It’s not an easy or glamorous job, but somebody’s got […]

Starstruck | Ivy Dawes

Posted 05/02/2024 by Hilarye in ARC Review, Book Reviews / 0 Comments
Starstruck | Ivy Dawes
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Spice Level: 4 Flames
Series: Starlight Studios #1
Published by Flower & Bear Books on 05/21/2024
Format: DRC (328 pages)
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Overall, this was a fantastic little love story. Kat and James were adorable together, and although I typically dislike a third-act breakup, the writing of this one was superb. It’s not a breakup as much as a “we need to work on ourselves independently before this relationship can work” situation. It’s much better than miscommunication or, even worse, not communicating at all. Kat and James approached challenges maturely and made relationship choices that set a solid foundation for the future. It was a breath of fresh air to read a romance novel featuring a “healthy” couple, as opposed […]