Seven Days in June by Tia Williams (Review)

October 5, 2021

Brooklynite Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer, who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning literary author who, to everyone’s surprise, shows up in New York. When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their past buried traumas, but the eyebrows of New York’s Black literati. What no one knows is that twenty years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. They may be pretending that everything is fine now, but they can’t deny their chemistry-or the fact that they’ve been secretly writing to each other in their books ever since… Read More Seven Days in June by Tia Williams (Review)

— ARC review, book review, young adult —

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le (ARC Review)

March 14, 2021

If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal. If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant… Read More A Pho Love Story by Loan Le (ARC Review)

— Adult, book review —

The Royal Wedding by Melanie Summers (Review)

February 11, 2021

When most girls get engaged, at most they face a disapproving mother-in-law, but in Tessa Sharpe’s case, it’s a disapproving nation. No one in the tiny kingdom of Avonia wants the former anti-royal blogger to wed Prince Arthur. The anti-royals haven’t forgiven her for abandoning ship and swimming over to the Prince’s yacht, and the royal watchers won’t ever forget all the horrible things she wrote about their beloved Royal Family. Up against all odds, Tessa has only six months to prove herself worthy of the title of Princess. Her nasty father-in-law is going to throw every obstacle in her way, including the beautiful, poised, and highly accomplished Lady Doctor Brooke Beddingfield. But Tessa is determined to make this work and keep her fledgling career as a reporter intact. Will Tessa manage to fight her way down the aisle and find her Prince Charming waiting? Or will one of them succumb to mounting pressure and run the other way before they can say I do?… Read More The Royal Wedding by Melanie Summers (Review)

— Adult, book review —

Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park (Review)

October 8, 2020

Melody Joo is thrilled to land her dream job as a video game producer, but her new position comes with challenges: an insufferable CEO; sexist male coworkers; and an infuriating—yet distractingly handsome—intern, Nolan MacKenzie, aka “the guy who got hired because his uncle is the boss.” Just when Melody thinks she’s made the worst career move of her life, her luck changes. While joking with a friend, she creates a mobile game that has male strippers fighting for survival in a post-apocalyptic world. Suddenly Melody’s “joke” is her studio’s most high-profile project—and Melody’s running the show… Read More Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park (Review)

— Adult, book review —

The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel (Review)

July 4, 2020

Liya Thakkar is a successful biochemical engineer, takeout enthusiast, and happily single woman. The moment she realizes her parents’ latest dinner party is a setup with the man they want her to marry, she’s out the back door in a flash. Imagine her surprise when the same guy shows up at her office a week later — the new lawyer hired to save her struggling company. What’s not surprising: he’s not too thrilled to see her either after that humiliating fiasco… Read More The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel (Review)

— Adult, book review —

Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai (ARC Review)

May 30, 2020

One minute, Katrina King’s enjoying an innocent conversation with a hot guy at a coffee shop; the next, a stranger has live-tweeted the entire episode with a romantic meet-cute spin and #CafeBae is the new hashtag-du-jour. The problem? Katrina craves a low-profile life, and going viral threatens the peaceful world she’s painstakingly built. Besides, #CafeBae isn’t the man she’s hungry for… Read More Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai (ARC Review)

— Adult, book review —

Fight or Flight by Samantha Young (Review)

January 4, 2020

The universe is conspiring against Ava Breevort. As if flying back to Phoenix to bury a childhood friend wasn’t hell enough, a cloud of volcanic ash traveling from overseas delayed her flight back home to Boston. Her last ditch attempt to salvage the trip was thwarted by an arrogant Scotsman, Caleb Scott, who steals a first class seat out from under her. Then over the course of their journey home, their antagonism somehow lands them in bed for the steamiest layover Ava’s ever had. And that’s all it was–until Caleb shows up on her doorstep… Read More Fight or Flight by Samantha Young (Review)

— Adult, book review —

Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher (Review)

December 31, 2019

Jack Nolan is a gentleman, a journalist, and unlucky in love. His viral success has pigeon-holed him as the how-to guy for a buzzy, internet media company instead of covering hard-hitting politics. Fed up with his fluffy articles and the app-based dating scene as well, he strikes a deal with his boss to write a final piece de resistance: How to Lose a Girl. Easier said than done when the girl he meets is Hannah Mayfield, and he’s not sure he wants her to dump him… Read More Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher (Review)

— Adult, book review —

Well Met by Jen DeLuca (Review)

October 28, 2019

All’s faire in love and war for two sworn enemies who indulge in a harmless flirtation in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author, Jen DeLuca. Emily knew there would be strings attached when she relocated to the small town of Willow Creek, Maryland, for the summer to help her sister recover from an accident, but who could anticipate getting roped into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire alongside her teenaged niece? Or that the irritating and inscrutable schoolteacher in charge of the volunteers would be so annoying that she finds it impossible to stop thinking about him?… Read More Well Met by Jen DeLuca (Review)

— Adult, ARC review, book review —

Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams (ARC Review)

September 22, 2019

What if you almost missed the love of your life? Nadia gets the 7.30 train every morning without fail. Well, except if she oversleeps or wakes up at her friend Emma’s after too much wine. Daniel really does get the 7.30 train every morning, which is easy because he hasn’t been able to sleep properly since his Dad died. One morning, Nadia’s eye catches sight of a post in the daily paper: To the cute girl with the coffee stains on her dress. I’m the guy who’s always standing near the doors… Drink sometime? So begins a not-quite-romance of near-misses, true love, and the power of the written word.… Read More Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams (ARC Review)