Search Results
211 results found with an empty search
- Tastes Like Shakkar, Nisha Sharma
Story Blurb Bobbi Kaur is determined to plan a celebration to remember for her best friend’s wedding. But she has two problems that are getting in her way: 1. The egotistical, and irritatingly sexy, chef Benjamin “Bunty” Padda is supposed to help her with the menu since he’s the groom’s best friend, and 2. Someone is trying to sabotage the wedding. With aspirations of taking over her family’s event planning business, Bobbi knows that one misstep in managing the Kareena Mann and Prem Verma (#Vermann) party, along with the other weddings on her plate, will only give her uncle another reason not to promote her. That means Kareena’s big day and Bobbi's future career are on the line. Bunty will do anything for his best friend, even though he has his hands full in finding a new location for his next restaurant while also playing mediator between his brother and father, the celebrated Naan King. When Prem asks Bunty to help with the wedding menu, he agrees, especially since it puts him in close proximity to the delicious Bobbi Kaur. When a mystery shaadi saboteur starts leaving threatening notes, and cancelling cake orders, Bunty and Bobbi have no choice but to call a truce and face the volatile attraction they have for each other. Through masquerade fundraisers and a joint bachelor-bachelorette trip to Vegas, this chef and wedding planner explore their growing connection all while trying to plan a wedding at Messina Vineyards in a time crunch. But once the shaadi saboteur is caught and the wedding is over, will their love story have a happily ever after? With the return of the meddling aunties (who are scary good at finding information) and a lot of hilarity and hijinks, Bobbi and Bunty’s romance is an event you don’t want to miss. My Thoughts/Opinion I read Dating Dr. Dil (well, listened to it actually) and absolutely adored it. It had so many laugh out loud moments, that I was really excited to read this book, as the second in this series. Unfortunately, this book didn't contain the same hilarity or magic as the first. I never really connected to either of the main characters, and their relationship felt forced and uncomfortable to me. I want true love that jumps from the pages and, for me, this book wasn't it. Still, I enjoy this author's writing and will definitely pick up something else by her in the future. Favorite Quote: There isn't a single dish that I could make that would taste as good as the both of us together.
- Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Story Blurb Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s space shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space. Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easygoing even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane. As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe. Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, it all changes in an instant. Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, creating complex protagonists, and telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love—this time among the stars. My Thoughts/Opinion As someone who grew up in the space shuttle era, this book was particularly compelling. Plus it's Taylor Jenkins Reid, so reading it was a no-brainer. Emotional doesn't even begin to describe this read. The characters were so well drawn and complex, they might have very well have been real people. If I had one complaint about the book, the time jumps were a bit tough. While I know why they were used, I kept having to go back to the beginning of the book as I learned more about the characters so that part of the story would have deeper impact and meaning. Still, a great read about a memorable facet of my young life. Favorite Quote: “Because the world had decided that to be soft was to be weak, even though in Joan’s experience being soft and flexible was always more durable than being hard and brittle. Admitting you were afraid always took more guts than pretending you weren’t. Being willing to make a mistake got you further than never trying. The world had decided that to be fallible was weak. But we are all fallible. The strong ones are the ones who accept it.”
- Under Loch and Key, Lana Ferguson
Story Blurb Keyanna “Key” MacKay is used to secrets. Raised by a single father who never divulged his past, it’s only after his death that she finds herself thrust into the world he’d always refused to speak of. With just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father’s life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, Key has no idea what she’ll find in Scotland. But repeating her father’s mistakes and being rescued by a gorgeous, angry Scotsman—who thinks she’s an idiot—is definitely the last thing she expects. Lachlan Greer has his own secrets to keep, especially from the bonnie lass he pulls to safety from the slippery shore—a lass with captivating eyes and the last name he’s been taught not to trust. He’s looking for answers as well, and Key’s presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. It’s even more troublesome when he gets a front row seat to the lukewarm welcome Key receives from her family; the strange powers she begins to develop; and the fierce determination she brings to every obstacle in her path. Things he shouldn’t care about, and someone he definitely doesn’t find wildly attractive. When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after—and that she might also be the key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they’ll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairy tales, and that love can be a real loch-mess. My Thoughts/Opinion Hands down, my favorite Lana Ferguson book to date. Hilarious is too mild a word and this plot twist in this one still has me thinking about it. I would totally reread this book right now. If you pick up this paranormal romcom, suspend your disbelief and get ready to go on a fantastic ride. Highly recommend! Favorite Quote: “There will always be things in this world that remain unknown to me, but one thing I can know for sure is the way I feel about her. And I know that whenever I'm unable to find my way, she'll be there with an outstretched hand, ready to show me.”
- Wild and Wrangled, Lyla Sage
Story Blurb Camille Ashwood had always loved a plan. Her latest was her best yet. She was going to get married so she could secure her daughter’s future, get her overbearing parents off her back, and finally start building her own life in small-town Meadowlark, Wyoming. Easy, right? But when her groom doesn’t show up to the wedding, Cam’s life is turned upside down—she doesn’t even have a place to live. That is until she finds out the house she’s loved since high school is available to rent. There’s only one problem: the neighbor. Dusty Tucker has spent nearly all of his adult life running. Running from what, though? More like who: Cam Ashwood. But ever since he returned home last year, the girl who was his first, well, everything has become a woman seemingly determined to keep him at arm’s length. And he was okay with that—at least, that’s what he kept telling himself. She was getting married, after all. But now she’s single and living next door. Dusty wants to show her that they can be friends, and that he can stay put. Despite her best attempts to stay far away from Dusty Tucker, Cam realizes that being close to him is like slipping into her favorite jeans. Easy. Comfortable. That is until past wounds start to open and feelings—both old and new—wreak havoc. Nearly ten years after they first met, Dusty and Cam begin to wonder if their first love can also be their last. And this time, will it be forever? My Thoughts/Opinion I love a phoenix heroine who has to rise from the ashes of past mistakes and past hurts. And Camille Ashwood has had plenty of both. She's been an integral character in this series from early on, but her life seemed settled on a certain path until her world blows up around her. Enter Dusty Tucker, her first love. What I loved most about this story is that they really had to work hard to get through the mistakes they both made as younger people to have the opportunity to embrace who they could be now. It was a beautiful way to end this series. Not just for Cam and Dusty but for the beauty, sadness, and joys of Rebel Blue Ranch. I'm so glad I read the whole series! Favorite Quote: “I love you madly and deeply. I love you in ways that people don’t believe exist in real life. I love you for who you’ve been and who you are and who you’re going to be, Ash.”
- Lost and Lassoed, Lyla Sage
Story Blurb Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan. She’s never needed one before. She’s always been more of a go-with-the-flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn’t seem to be going her way this time. Her favorite vintage suede jacket has a hole in it, her sewing machine is broken, and her best friend just got engaged. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s starting to change. Teddy is used to being a leader, but now she feels like she’s getting left behind, wondering if life in the small town she loves is enough for her anymore. Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He doesn’t know what’s harder: taking care of his family’s 8,000 acre ranch, or parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter, who is staying with him for the summer. Gus has always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he has to admit that he can’t manage everything on his own. He needs help. His little sister’s best friend, the woman he can’t stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy’s the only option he’s got. Teddy decides to use the summer to try and figure out what she wants out of life. Gus, on the other hand, starts to worry that he’ll never find what he needs. Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether they should act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned? My Thoughts/Opinion This was probably my favorite book from the Rebel Blue Ranch series. I've loved brash Teddy from the first pages of the first book and have been looking forward to her eventual crash and burn and rebirth with grumpy Gus Ryder. This book rode the perfect line of enemies to lovers and allowed both Teddy and Gus to be true to themselves while growing into a beautiful HEA. Some great steamy bits and, even better, some amazing heartfelt moments. Favorite Quote: “He was just so…grumpy. Men who are that good-looking should not be allowed to be such assholes. It was false advertising.”
- Swift and Saddled, Lyla Sage
Story Blurb The last thing Ada Hart needs is a man to take care of her. Not anymore. After failing out of her interior design program and the disaster that was her short-lived marriage, Ada clawed her way up from her rock bottom. Now, the only person she trusts is herself, and that has gotten her further than ever before. She has her own business, and one of the largest ranches in Wyoming just hired her for the most important project of her career. When Ada arrives in Meadowlark, she finds herself in a dive bar where she can’t seem to shake the eyes of a handsome cowboy. When she leads him to the back of the bar, he leaves her with a kiss that most people can only fantasize about. She almost regrets that she’ll never see him again . . . except it turns out he’s her new boss. Weston Ryder is a happy guy. Even happier now that the mystery woman from the bar is the interior designer for his dream project on his family’s ranch. He feels like he hit the jackpot. It’s too bad she wants absolutely nothing to do with him outside of work. Ada is convinced the pull she feels toward Wes will go away, but Wes can’t stop thinking about her. Even though walls are coming down around Rebel Blue, Ada’s walls are firmly in place. Can they make it through this project without giving in? Or will they both put their dreams on the line for a chance at love? My Thoughts/Opinion Ah, Wes is just the best. Honestly, such a good book boyfriend. I stumbled back into Rebel Blue Ranch after reading the first book in the series several months ago. I thought it was fine, but was in no big hurry to get back to the universe. But I'm so glad I did. Each subsequent book got better and better. I love Ada's guarded heart and how hard Wes works to help her learn to trust again. There's nothing earth-shattering about this story but it warmed my heart in all the best ways. Also, loved getting to know the side characters in this world even more in this second book. Favorite Quote: “You're the moon and I’m the tides. You pull me in without even trying, and I come to you willingly. I always will.”
- The Fake Mate, Lana Ferguson
Story Blurb Mackenzie Carter has had some very bad dates lately. Model train experts, mansplainers, guys weirdly obsessed with her tail—she hasn’t had a successful date in months. Only a year out of residency, her grandmother’s obsession with Mackenzie finding the perfect mate to settle down with threatens to drive Mackenzie barking mad. Out of options, it feels like a small thing to tell her grandmother that she’s met someone. That is, until she blurts out the name of the first man she sees and the last man she would ever date: Noah Taylor, the big bad wolf of Denver General. Noah Taylor, interventional cardiologist and all around grump, has spent his entire life hiding what he is. With outdated stigmas surrounding unmated alphas that have people wondering if they still howl at the moon, Noah has been careful to keep his designation under wraps. It’s worked for years, until an anonymous tip has everything coming to light. Noah is left with two options: come clean to the board and risk his career—or find himself a mate. The chatty, overly friendly ER doctor asking him to be her fake boyfriend on the same day he’s called to meet the board has to be kismet, right? Mackenzie will keep her grandmother off her back, and Noah will get a chance to prove he can continue to work without a real mate—a mutually beneficial business transaction, they both rationalize. But when the fake-mate act turns into a very real friends-with-benefits arrangement, lines start to blur, and they quickly realize love is a whole different kind of animal. My Thoughts/Opinion Why did I read a book about werewolves who are actually also doctors? I don't know what made me pick it up, but I'm so glad I did! If you've read my reviews, you know how much I love a good enemies to lovers, plus this book also has fake relationship and fated mate vibes so how can I refuse? The writing was great, the steamy parts practically set my Kindle on fire, and the HEA was truly satisfying. Perfect for a fun paranormal rom-com, in my opinion. Favorite Quote: “We both know you're always looking for things to be wrong with someone, because finding something right with them would mean opening yourself up to something that you can't control.”
- Amid Clouds and Bones, Ella Fields
Story Blurb A princess is determined to survive an arranged marriage to a heartless fae prince in this standalone enemies to lovers fantasy romance. As the half faerie daughter of a human king, my days were spent tucked out of sight—until the Seelie Fae sought an alliance with our kingdom. In exchange for my father’s help in defeating their Unseelie enemies, I would wed Atakan the heartless. The Seelie prince loathed everyone, but none more than me. Throughout the years leading to our nuptials, each encounter grew more terrifying than the last as he demonstrated how he’d earned his infamous reputation. Fear would only doom me faster. So I learned to hide it with games I soon became happy to play. I wasn’t supposed to crave a monster. But just when I’d thought I might tame the untameable, fate intervened. And delivered me straight to his enemy. My Thoughts/Opinion Whew! This book was a dark edge of enemies to lovers. So much so that at times, I wasn't certain that love was endgame. This is a standalone romantasy which is exactly what I was looking for when I picked it up. Although there is a LOT that happens in this story, and some others panned it for the whiplash it gave them, I found the story to be both interesting and entertaining. Don't look too deeply for story theme or incredible, stay-with-you writing, but if you're looking for a romantasy world that will take you on a thrill-ride and keep you in suspense til the very end, you might want to pick this one up. I enjoyed it a lot! Favorite Quote: “Atakan was more than my mate—he was the edge I sharpened my armor upon and the safety I surrendered my softness to.”
- Two Twisted Crowns, Rachel Gillig
Story Blurb Gripped by a tyrant king and in the thrall of dark magic, the kingdom is in peril. Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last—and most important—one remains to be found: the Twin Alders. If they’re going to find the card before Solstice and set free the kingdom, they will need to journey through the dangerous mist-cloaked forest. The only one who can lead them through is the monster that shares Elspeth’s head: the Nightmare. And he’s not eager to share any longer. My Thoughts/Opinion I was so invested after One Dark Window in Elspeth and the Nightmare, I immediately jumped to this second book in the duology. And the story just got richer and deeper and more amazing. I loved the sacrifice offered by so many, and the truth of treachery at the center of this story. So so good. I don't even really have to encourage you to read this one. If you read and enjoyed One Dark Window, there's no way you don't see this story to its conclusion. Favorite Quote: “I'll tell you a story, I whispered. It always helped me sleep as a child. He nodded, folding his hands over his lap, and closed his eyes. There once was a girl, clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a King, a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two- I couldn't go on. Elspeth. No. I'm not ready. Not yet. Finish the story, dear one. My voice shook. The two were together- Together. So the two were the same. The girl, he whispered, honey and oil and silk. The King... We said the final words together, our voices echoing, listless, through the dark. A final note. An eternal farewell. And the monster they became.”
- One Dark Window, Rachel Gillig
Story Blurb Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her. Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom she calls home—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic. When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King’s own nephew, Captain of the Destriers…and guilty of high treason. He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him. My Thoughts/Opinion I listened to this book on audio and, in retrospect, I think it is a better experience to read the book, or do a tandem read/listen. So much of this story is tied to Providence Cards and their magic that understanding it is tricky when just listening. But the story itself is compelling. It's a quest journey at its heart, sprinkled with romance between Elspeth and Ravyn Yew. The depth of the story is what hooked me. And the monster. Such a good book, along with Two Twisted Crowns, the second in the duology. If you're in the mood to sink into a story with darkness at its heart and hope fighting at the fringes, I highly recommend this one. Favorite Quote: “There once was a girl,” he murmured, “clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a King—a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two were the same: “The girl, the King… and the monster they became.”
- Problematic Summer Romance, Ali Hazelwood
Story Blurb Maya Killgore is twenty-three and still in the process of figuring out her life. Conor Harkness is thirty-eight, and Maya cannot stop thinking about him. It’s such a cliché, it almost makes her heart implode: older man and younger woman; successful biotech guy and struggling grad student; brother’s best friend and the girl he never even knew existed. As Conor loves to remind her, the power dynamic is too imbalanced. Any relationship between them would be problematic in too many ways to count, and Maya should just get over him. After all, he has made it clear that he wants her gone from his life. But not everything is as it seems—and clichés sometimes become plot twists. When Maya’s brother decides to get married in Taormina, she and Conor end up stuck together in a romantic Sicilian villa for over a week. There, on the beautiful Ionian coast, between ancient ruins, delicious foods, and natural caves, Maya realizes that Conor might be hiding something from her. And as the destination wedding begins to erupt out of control, she decides that a summer fling might be just what she needs—even if it’s a problematic one. My Thoughts/Opinion Although age-gap romance isn't my favorite trope, it can be really good if done well. I became invested in Maya and Conor when they were side characters in Not in Love. Plus, I'll read anything Ali Hazelwood writes. Though Maya comes off a little petulant at times and Conor comes off a bit too angsty, I enjoyed the path they took to find each other. Not as good as Not in Love, in my opinion, but still worth the read. Favorite Quote: “I have never wanted anything as desperately, as ungovernably, as persistently as I want you. Not a single goddamn thing. Not my dead mother back. Not revenge. Not the well-being of the people I love. Not professional success, not even my own happiness. Absolutely nothing has consumed me as mercilessly as you have.”
- Not in Love, Ali Hazelwood
Story Blurb A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science—from New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood. Rue Siebert might not have it all , but she has enough : a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down. Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who's off-limits to him. Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps. My Thoughts/Opinion Oh, the yearning in this book! These characters were undeniably quirky and broken, so smart and so complicated. It was incredibly easy to lose myself in this story. The steamy, no strings hotness of this book was unexpected and off the charts. But what made this story for me was how vulnerable Rue and Eli had to get to finally get their real HEA. So real and raw. And the deception that lies at the core of this story just adds another level of greatness. You won't regret picking up this book. Favorite Quote: “And I’m going to—I’m going to want to see you every day. I’m going to learn more dishes and pack your lunch and write cute little notes on it. I’m going to ask you if you want to sleep at your place or mine and always assume that we’re spending the night together. I’m going to think about you all the damn time. I’m going to assume I’m watering your plants when you’re out of town. I’m going to hold your hand in public. I’m going to kiss you in public. I’m going to organize surprise parties for you with your friend. I’m going to send a hundred texts per day with stupid online shit I think you should see. Clingy as fuck, Rue. Can you do it? Can you live with me as your boyfriend?”












