Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
![]() |
Pub Date: 2-4-25 Adult - Contemporary |
The Love Lyric- Kristina Forest: Iris Greene met the love of her life when she was twenty-four. They got pregnant, got married, and started to create a life together, but within a year and a half, Iris found herself widowed. Now, she's spent years grinding to earn her spot at the top rung of a beauty company, all while raising her six-year-old daughter, Calla. Despite her full life, Iris still feels lonely but hesitates to bring a new person into her carefully constructed fold. Angel Harrison is a successful R&B singer who just landed a brand ambassador deal with Iris's company. He's also worked with Iris's younger sister, and the pair shared an intimate dance at her wedding. The pair have hovered around one another for years, and Angel has been smitten since the beginning, but when they're thrown together for an ad campaign tour, the chemistry amps up. Iris knows she should keep things professional, but with Angel writing songs about her and seeing her like no man has ever since her late husband, it's hard to deny the itch to follow her heart.
I've adored this series since the first book, and I've been looking forward to getting Iris's story. She's gone through a lot, and I couldn't wait to see her get her HEA. Iris has spent so much time closed off to the possibility of love, so watching her open up to Angel was the highlight. Angel was so patient and willing to meet Iris wherever she was comfortable. You could tell how much he cared for her, and it was so sweet. I liked the added dynamic of them working close to one another while trying to hide their growing feelings. It did lead to the relationship being more slow burn than I would've liked, but I thought it allowed them to learn more about the other on a deeper level. It wasn't my favorite installment in the series, but I still enjoyed it and recommend checking it out.
I've adored this series since the first book, and I've been looking forward to getting Iris's story. She's gone through a lot, and I couldn't wait to see her get her HEA. Iris has spent so much time closed off to the possibility of love, so watching her open up to Angel was the highlight. Angel was so patient and willing to meet Iris wherever she was comfortable. You could tell how much he cared for her, and it was so sweet. I liked the added dynamic of them working close to one another while trying to hide their growing feelings. It did lead to the relationship being more slow burn than I would've liked, but I thought it allowed them to learn more about the other on a deeper level. It wasn't my favorite installment in the series, but I still enjoyed it and recommend checking it out.
Rating: 3/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
![]() |
Pub Date: 2-4-25 YA - Historical Fiction |
Under the Same Stars- Libba Bray: In 1940s Germany, Sophie was always a bit of an outcast among the other teens in her small town for writing love letters to the Bridegroom's Oak, a tree in the forest that was said to have matchmaking abilities. To Sophie's surprise, she gets an answer from a mysterious suitor. Meanwhile, Sophie's best friend Hanna is also writing letters, but not to find love. In 1980s West Germany, American teen Jenny's life was uprooted when her father took a new job in another country. Struggling to fit in, Jenny's life is turned upside down when she meets a punk rock girl hellbent on tearing the wall separating East and West Germany, and her kind elderly neighbor with a mysterious past. In 2020, in New York City, COVID-19 shut down everything. Best friends Miles and Chloe decide to investigate an unexpected package from Chloe's grandmother, leading them to a cold case about two teens who went missing under the Bridegroom's Oak eighty years ago.
The Diviners is one of my favorite series, so I couldn't wait to dive into Bray's latest release. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me. I like multiple POVs/timelines, but I thought the three periods felt messy. Sophie's timeline in the 1940s was my favorite, but the 2020 storyline didn't work for me, and the 1980 one was meh. It was interesting seeing how all three converged, but it was so drawn out. The writing also felt clunky, so it kept taking me out of the story. Maybe my expectations were too high given how much I've loved Bray's other works, but this was a big miss.
The Diviners is one of my favorite series, so I couldn't wait to dive into Bray's latest release. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me. I like multiple POVs/timelines, but I thought the three periods felt messy. Sophie's timeline in the 1940s was my favorite, but the 2020 storyline didn't work for me, and the 1980 one was meh. It was interesting seeing how all three converged, but it was so drawn out. The writing also felt clunky, so it kept taking me out of the story. Maybe my expectations were too high given how much I've loved Bray's other works, but this was a big miss.
Rating: 2/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
![]() |
Pub Date: 1-14-25 Adult - Contemporary |
Once Smitten, Twice Shy- Chloe Liese: Juliet Wilmot was once a hopeless romantic, but has sworn off love after a terrible relationship. While Juliet isn't interested in a serious romance, she isn't opposed to dipping her toe into the water, especially with the handsome stranger she keeps bumping into. Will Orsino has always been the quiet type. He finds interaction with others hard and inevitably always says the wrong thing. As the point person for his family's business, Will is concerned his shyness could detract customers, so he decides to find a wife that will help balance him out. Since neither are looking for a love, Juliet and Will devise a plan to help one another practice romance so they can find their perfect partners. Except the more time they spend together, the harder it gets to ignore their growing attraction.
I went into this series hoping that it would give me all the same feels as the Bergman Brothers, but sadly, it wasn't even close. That's not to say I didn't enjoy this series, but nothing about it captured my attention as Liese's previous one did. I think it comes down to the characters. I liked the Wilmot sisters and getting to know them over the course of these three books, but nothing about them hooked me. Juliet was a fine main character, but I never felt invested in her story. I liked Will a lot more and thought he was such a softie. Their relationship was very sweet, and I liked watching it unfold. The one thing I always commend Liese on is how diverse her books are when it comes to representation. It's always my favorite part of her stories. While this series didn't fully work for me, there were still so many beautiful moments and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a slower, more tender series to read.
I went into this series hoping that it would give me all the same feels as the Bergman Brothers, but sadly, it wasn't even close. That's not to say I didn't enjoy this series, but nothing about it captured my attention as Liese's previous one did. I think it comes down to the characters. I liked the Wilmot sisters and getting to know them over the course of these three books, but nothing about them hooked me. Juliet was a fine main character, but I never felt invested in her story. I liked Will a lot more and thought he was such a softie. Their relationship was very sweet, and I liked watching it unfold. The one thing I always commend Liese on is how diverse her books are when it comes to representation. It's always my favorite part of her stories. While this series didn't fully work for me, there were still so many beautiful moments and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a slower, more tender series to read.
Rating: 3/5
Comments
Post a Comment