Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
This 👏🏻 book 👏🏻. I'm obsessed. Grumpy MMCs that are secret softies are my kryptonite, and Cade had me SWOONING. He had such a solid presence, and I loved how he was so protective over everyone around him. I liked how he knew there was a difference in power between him and Willa since they not only work together but have a significant age gap, and he made sure to do everything on her terms. Seeing Willa pull him out of his shell and make him smile again had me kicking my little feet. They were a perfect pairing, and I loved how well they balanced one another out. As much as I loved their relationship, I loved Willa's and Luke's even more. Luke was the sweetest little boy, and I loved seeing him and Willa became so attached. The only thing that stopped this from being a full five stars was that it sprung my least favorite trope on me, but everything else was perfection, and I can't wait to continue this series.
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| Pub Date: 10-1-24 YA - Contemporary |
Nothing Like the Movies- Lynn Painter: For a few months, Liz and Wes had it all. They went from enemy neighbors to deliriously in love and were so happy together. But as the pair left to start at UCLA, Wes's life came crumbling down. Left to sort out the fallout, Wes had no choice but to let Liz go or risk pulling her down with him. Now, a few years later, Wes is in a good place and is ready to start over. He's back at UCLA, back on the baseball team, but more importantly, he's ready to win back his girl. Wes knows he broke Liz's heart, so he's prepared to take a page out of the romance movies Liz loves so much and win her back with a grand gesture. But Liz is having none of it, and worse yet, she seems to be dating another guy. Wes has come too far to get deterred, but Liz rebuffs all of his advances, leaving Wes to wonder if he's missed his chance with his dream girl for good.
Honestly, I was very conflicted when I heard about this one. On one hand, I was so excited to revisit these characters because I loved BTTM so much. But on the other, the first book worked so well that I didn't think it needed a sequel. Unfortunately, I stand by my latter thoughts. Admittedly, it was fun to see these characters again, but they were missing the spark that made me fall in love with them in the first place. Both Wes and Liz felt like different characters to me. I guess you can chalk that up to them growing up and maturing, but I missed the lighthearted playfulness they had. Whereas the first book felt bubbly and bright, this was heavy and dealt with tough topics, such as grief and anxiety. Despite not meeting my expectations, I'm still glad I read it, but I wish the first book stayed a standalone.
Honestly, I was very conflicted when I heard about this one. On one hand, I was so excited to revisit these characters because I loved BTTM so much. But on the other, the first book worked so well that I didn't think it needed a sequel. Unfortunately, I stand by my latter thoughts. Admittedly, it was fun to see these characters again, but they were missing the spark that made me fall in love with them in the first place. Both Wes and Liz felt like different characters to me. I guess you can chalk that up to them growing up and maturing, but I missed the lighthearted playfulness they had. Whereas the first book felt bubbly and bright, this was heavy and dealt with tough topics, such as grief and anxiety. Despite not meeting my expectations, I'm still glad I read it, but I wish the first book stayed a standalone.
Rating: 3/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
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| Pub Date: 10-14-22 Adult - Contemporary |
Heartless- Elsie Silver: Cade Eaton is a single dad with too much on his plate. He's been caring for his family for as long as he can remember, all while running the family's ranch and raising his precocious son, Luke. Now, with summer coming up, Cade needs someone to help take care of Luke while he's working, and his soon-to-be sister-in-law, Summer, knows the perfect person. The moment Cade saw Willa Grant, he knew she'd be trouble; she was gorgeous, vibrant, and way too young for him. Cade swears he won't cross the line with her, but every moment he spends around her seems to thaw out his icy heart. Willa has always been a little directionless but feels settled for the first time at Wishing Well Ranch. She loves the beauty of the outdoors, spending time with Luke, and yes, even grumpy Cade. After a steamy night in the hot tub changes everything, Cade and Willa decide to see where their attraction leads them, but will either be ready to say goodbye once summer is over?
This 👏🏻 book 👏🏻. I'm obsessed. Grumpy MMCs that are secret softies are my kryptonite, and Cade had me SWOONING. He had such a solid presence, and I loved how he was so protective over everyone around him. I liked how he knew there was a difference in power between him and Willa since they not only work together but have a significant age gap, and he made sure to do everything on her terms. Seeing Willa pull him out of his shell and make him smile again had me kicking my little feet. They were a perfect pairing, and I loved how well they balanced one another out. As much as I loved their relationship, I loved Willa's and Luke's even more. Luke was the sweetest little boy, and I loved seeing him and Willa became so attached. The only thing that stopped this from being a full five stars was that it sprung my least favorite trope on me, but everything else was perfection, and I can't wait to continue this series.
Rating: 4.5/5
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| Pub Date: 2-6-18 YA - Fantasy |
The Queen's Rising- Rebecca Ross: For the past seven years, Brienna has studied at the prestigious Magnalia House, dreaming about the day she'd earn her passion and be chosen by a patron. While some are born into one of the five passions--art, music, wit, knowledge, and dramatics--Brienne has always struggled to find her right fit, eventually choosing knowledge. But despite Brienne's hard work, she's left without a patron when the time comes. Disheartened and unmoored, Brienna is at a loss for what to do. When a disgraced lord offers her patronage, Brienna is rightfully hesitant, but the pair can help each other. For the past few months, Brienna has been getting glimpses of the past, of an ancestor who stole away a powerful artifact-- one that will help overthrow a cruel king and place the rightful queen on the throne. Soon, Brienna finds herself in a brewing war and must choose where her loyalties lie.
I've adored Ross's recent series, so I've been itching to read her backlist. The prose was beautiful and descriptive, and the thing I've come to enjoy most about her writing. I liked Brienna as a main character and admired her cleverness and determination. She grew a lot throughout the story, which I also appreciated. There was a found family element to this I wasn't expecting, but I loved it, and I'm interested to see it develop more in the next book. My only minor complaints were that the pacing was slow, and I felt the romance between Brienna and Cartier was unnecessary and forced. Other than that, I enjoyed this and am looking forward to picking up the second book.
I've adored Ross's recent series, so I've been itching to read her backlist. The prose was beautiful and descriptive, and the thing I've come to enjoy most about her writing. I liked Brienna as a main character and admired her cleverness and determination. She grew a lot throughout the story, which I also appreciated. There was a found family element to this I wasn't expecting, but I loved it, and I'm interested to see it develop more in the next book. My only minor complaints were that the pacing was slow, and I felt the romance between Brienna and Cartier was unnecessary and forced. Other than that, I enjoyed this and am looking forward to picking up the second book.
Rating: 3/5
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