Quick Take: Eleven books to read this winter, including four new holiday romances I’ve hauled and some old favourites featuring a few grumpy Heroes.
(more…)11 Holiday Romances to Read this Winter
1
Moving and Intimate: Age of Ava by Melanie Moreland
M
The Gist: A moving and intimate opposites-attract romance with a perfectly grumpy Hero and badass Heroine that explores family and the rewards of vulnerability.
Series: ABC Corp, #4*
Release Date: August 26, 2021
Synopsis
AVA CALLAGHAN
A woman working in a male-dominated field.
Organized, strong, and tenacious.
That’s how she has to be to succeed.
A woman working in a male-dominated field.
Organized, strong, and tenacious.
That’s how she has to be to succeed.
HUNTER OWENS
A loner.
He needs no one, has no ties, and his future is an unanswered question mark.
It’s all he knows.
Until the day their lives intersect.
He sees the woman she hides from the world.
She nurtures the part of him he lost long ago.
But they both agree—their connection is temporary.
They are only for now.
Can their stubborn natures allow them to bend and accept that maybe, just maybe, there is more to life than they believed?
That love can heal.
That happiness can exist.
That for now can be forever.
Ending
HEA
Representation
• Side character with a congenital amputation of one of her arms (her right arm is only partially formed)
Possible Triggers: YES
• Death of Hero’s grandparents and mother
• Parental neglect and abandonment
• Verbal abuse (described, in the past)
• Medical trauma
• Parental neglect and abandonment
• Verbal abuse (described, in the past)
• Medical trauma
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions
• No cheating
• No OW/OM drama
• Does have the Hero (majorly) pushing the Heroine away
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
• No OW/OM drama
• Does have the Hero (majorly) pushing the Heroine away
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Format: eARC
Rating: 5-stars
*Each book in the series is Standalone
Note: I received Age of Ava from Melanie Moreland’s team in exchange for an honest review.
(more…)Book Review: When He’s An Alpha by Suzanne Wright
B
The Gist: A steamy paranormal romance that perfectly balances hilarious banter with emotional character development. The Heroine is awesomely self-aware and confident; she stands up for herself without tilting into the ‘not like other girls’ trope. The second chance romance provided some riveting angst but also contributed to the lack of a 5-star rating.
Series: Olympus Pride, #2*
Release Date: March 2, 2021
Synopsis
The golden rule of shallow flings is not to get attached, right? Well, Havana Ramos broke it. Big time. There’s just something about Tate Devereaux that pulls at her. Assertive, compelling, and self-assured, the Alpha cat shifter pushes every one of her best buttons. Like really, really hard. Having overheard an enlightening conversation, she knows he won’t give her more than a fling—something, to be fair, he’d told her well in advance. If she doesn’t want her heart to get bruised, it’s time to end what little they have. It’s not like he’ll care or anything. Except … it turns out that he does.
Newly-appointed Alpha Tate Devereaux is never bothered when women walk away. He can’t exactly blame them, given his distrustful cat’s habit of withdrawing from relationships. But when lone shifter Havana ends their fling, everything within Tate rebels against it—including his cat. Even as she and Tate work together to crush the threat looming over her, Havana holds him at arms’ length. But if she thinks she can end their fling with no real explanation and that he’ll just tip his hat and walk away, she’s forgotten one very important thing—there’s nothing easy about shaking off an Alpha.
Ending
HEA
Representation
• Heroine of colour
• Asian supporting character
• Bisexual side character
• Asian supporting character
• Bisexual side character
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Gun violence
• Human trafficking
• Reference to r@pe
• Blood and violence
• Murder of parents
• Torture
• Human trafficking
• Reference to r@pe
• Blood and violence
• Murder of parents
• Torture
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions
• No cheating
• Does have OM and OW drama
– Ex-friends-with-benefits of Heroine tries to win the Heroine back
– Ex-almost-imprinted-mate of Hero tries to win Hero back
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
– Hero doesn’t want a serious relationship so they break up for a bit
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
• Does have OM and OW drama
– Ex-friends-with-benefits of Heroine tries to win the Heroine back
– Ex-almost-imprinted-mate of Hero tries to win Hero back
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
– Hero doesn’t want a serious relationship so they break up for a bit
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Format: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 4-stars
*Each novel in the series is Standalone
(more…)Unmasked by Magan Vernon
U
Series: Standalone
Release Date: November 6th, 2017
<strong>Synopsis:</strong>
Can a hotshot snowboarder de-ice the ice queen?
At twenty-six, Blake Tremblay is one of the oldest snowboarders in the game. His sights are set on the gold medal, and he knows it’s now or never.
Kelly Johnson has spent her entire life skating and winning. She’s had no time for friends or an active social life, earning her the nickname “Ice Queen” – in and out of the rink.
Blake makes a bet without knowing all the terms. His ego won’t let him back out, even though his target is none other than the American Ice Queen herself.
What are the odds the dreadlocked playboy can warm the frosty figure skater when the real games are unmasked?
Let The Games Begin.
<strong>Ending</strong>
HEA
<strong>Representation</strong>
No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
<strong>Possible Triggers</strong>
• No abuse.
• No OTT sad parts.
• No OTT sad parts.
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe
• No cheating
• No OM drama
• Does have OW drama
– The Heroine’s nemesis is an ex of the Hero
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
• No OM drama
• Does have OW drama
– The Heroine’s nemesis is an ex of the Hero
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Rating: 1/5 stars
(more…)The Do-Over by MK Schiller
T
Series: Standalone
Release Date: October 7th, 2013
<strong>Synopsis:</strong>
Arrogant womanizer Kyle Manchester hates blind dates; however, when best friend, Brad calls in a favor, insisting Kyle take out his girlfriend’s sister, Kyle reluctantly agrees. Attorney Lanie Carmichael’s appearance is no surprise. She is dowdy, awkward, and dressed in so many layers she resembles a wedding cake, but not in an edible way. Her brazen attitude though, astonishes him, especially when she explains she has no interest in gorgeous Kyle. Lanie Carmichael is in love with Brad, and wants Kyle’s assistance in winning his best friend’s heart.
Kyle gradually accepts, justifying that the mystery of Lanie has sparked his natural, thirsty curiosity. As an ambitious journalist, he also can’t resist the Pulitzer worthy scoop she offers him. However, as Lanie sheds more layers, both emotionally and physically, Kyle begins to examine his life choices, and his true feelings for this enigmatic girl. With Kyle’s support, Lanie begins to unravel the secrets of her past, and the deep pain that has quietly defined her life. As they each learn more about themselves and each other, both question how a relationship built on fraudulent lies between two broken people could ever survive.
<strong>Ending</strong>
HEA
<strong>Representation</strong>
No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
<strong>Possible Triggers</strong>
• Physical abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Abortion
• Emotional abuse
• Abortion
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe with Exceptions
• No cheating
• Does have OW/OM drama
– The Heroine fancies herself in love with the Hero’s best friend
– The Hero is a mega player and sleeps around a lot
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
• Does have OW/OM drama
– The Heroine fancies herself in love with the Hero’s best friend
– The Hero is a mega player and sleeps around a lot
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Rating: 4.25/5 stars
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