Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
I wanted to love this so badly. I was hoping for Indiana Jones meets Romancing the Stone. But what I got was a mess. I found the characters unlikable. Corrie annoyed me, and Ford was a bit of a jerk. Also, the reasoning behind why Corrie disliked Ford was so ridiculous. The plot wasn't that fleshed out. For an adventure romance, there's little adventure. It almost felt like the dig was an afterthought. There were a few moments that felt unrealistic, so it kept taking me out of the story. If you're looking for smut in a jungle, then this is for you, but if you want an interesting plot, then you're probably better off looking elsewhere.
I liked Pearl and Cord's flirtation in Williams's previous book, so I was glad they had their own story. They had such great chemistry and banter. I loved how gone for Pearl Cord was. He was willing to bend over backward for her, and while there were some moments when he may have gone a little too far, I thought it was sweet. I understood Pearl's hesitance to start a relationship, but the indecision felt dragged out. My favorite part of this was Pearl's family. They had such a warm, supportive dynamic that I loved. If you're in the mood for a steamy, second-chance romance, I recommend picking this up.
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
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| Pub Date: 12-5-23 Adult - Contemporary |
Raiders of the Lost Heart- Jo Segura: Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejía has always dreamed of leading an archaeological dig into the Mexican jungle to search for the remains of a long-lost Aztec warrior named Chimalli. When she was young, her grandfather used to tell her stories about how they descended from Chimalli, and Corrie has been obsessed ever since. So when Corrie gets invited to join an all-expense paid dig to do just that, Corrie knows it's too good to be true. As the leading expert in Chimalli, Corrie should be leading this expedition, but that honor goes to her rival, Dr. Ford Matthews. Corrie and Ford have been butting heads since grad school, but Ford is in over his head, and his only saving grace is Corrie. The only thing hotter than the Mexican sun is the growing attraction between Corrie and Ford, but when it becomes clear that something is off about the dig, can the pair put the past behind them and work together?
I wanted to love this so badly. I was hoping for Indiana Jones meets Romancing the Stone. But what I got was a mess. I found the characters unlikable. Corrie annoyed me, and Ford was a bit of a jerk. Also, the reasoning behind why Corrie disliked Ford was so ridiculous. The plot wasn't that fleshed out. For an adventure romance, there's little adventure. It almost felt like the dig was an afterthought. There were a few moments that felt unrealistic, so it kept taking me out of the story. If you're looking for smut in a jungle, then this is for you, but if you want an interesting plot, then you're probably better off looking elsewhere.
Rating: 2/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
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| Pub Date: 12-5-23 Adult - Contemporary |
Technically Yours- Denise Williams: Pearl Harris learned the hard way not to mix business with pleasure. After a scandal leaves her as acting director of OurCode, a non-profit aimed at helping teenagers develop their love of coding, Pearl knows she can't step one foot out of line. Unfortunately for Pearl, the new board member happens to be her old boss and the one man she hasn't been able to stop thinking about. Cord Matthews fell hard for Pearl the moment he met her. The pair had a flirtation, but it ended before it could begin. When the pair cross paths again, their chemistry is too hard to ignore. But is Pearl willing to put everything on the line to follow her heart?
I liked Pearl and Cord's flirtation in Williams's previous book, so I was glad they had their own story. They had such great chemistry and banter. I loved how gone for Pearl Cord was. He was willing to bend over backward for her, and while there were some moments when he may have gone a little too far, I thought it was sweet. I understood Pearl's hesitance to start a relationship, but the indecision felt dragged out. My favorite part of this was Pearl's family. They had such a warm, supportive dynamic that I loved. If you're in the mood for a steamy, second-chance romance, I recommend picking this up.
Rating: 3/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
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| Pub Date: 7-18-23 Adult - Thriller |
A Twisted Love Story- Samantha Downing: Wes and Ivy have the type of relationship people talk about, but not in a good way. If breaking up and getting back together again were an Olympic sport, Wes and Ivy would take home the gold. When things are good, it's like they're on cloud nine. But when things are bad, they're disastrous. This isn't like all the other times Wes and Ivy have gotten back together, though. Now, they've come together to face a common enemy-- a police detective. Wes and Ivy never speak about that night when their fighting turned deadly, but with the police on their heels, will they stick together or turn on one another?
Downing is one of my favorite thriller authors, so I was excited to pick this up. It wasn't my favorite of hers, but it was still good. It wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't what I expected. It felt more like a suspense drama than a thriller. Wes and Ivy's relationship was so toxic and dysfunctional, yet I couldn't look away. I needed to know how the story was going to play out. The way they manipulated each other was almost fascinating to see. That's such a testament to Downing's ability to craft a compelling story that even though I didn't love it, I still couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I guessed part of the twist, so the end reveal wasn't as impactful, but it was still entertaining, and I would recommend it if you're looking for a quick read.
Downing is one of my favorite thriller authors, so I was excited to pick this up. It wasn't my favorite of hers, but it was still good. It wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't what I expected. It felt more like a suspense drama than a thriller. Wes and Ivy's relationship was so toxic and dysfunctional, yet I couldn't look away. I needed to know how the story was going to play out. The way they manipulated each other was almost fascinating to see. That's such a testament to Downing's ability to craft a compelling story that even though I didn't love it, I still couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I guessed part of the twist, so the end reveal wasn't as impactful, but it was still entertaining, and I would recommend it if you're looking for a quick read.
Rating: 3/5
Ooof I was so hyped for Raiders of the Lost Heart!
ReplyDeleteSame, it was such a bummer!
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