Category: Romance

Blog Tour Review: The Wicked Sea by Jordan Stephanie Gray

Dini @ dinipandareads8 Comments

Hi friends, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a tour (not since September 2025!), so I’m excited to be back with a blog tour review today! I’m here to share my thoughts (and a few favourite quotes) as part of the blog tour hosted by Toppling Stacks Tours for The Wicked Sea by Jordan Stephanie Gray.

Thanks to Requited for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!

The Wicked Sea (The Wicked Sea #1)
Publisher: Requited
Publication Date: 7 April 2026
Genre: New Adult Fantasy Romance
Rep: LGBTQIA+, Pansexual

Rating:

(3.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

In this dark and sultry romantasy a mermaid battles hatred—and lust—for the wretched warlock who saved her life.

Mermaid Zephyra of the Syl dreams of freedom. On the run from a dangerous captor and years of abuse, she’s shed her tail, grown legs, and hidden herself on land in the merrow-loathing kingdom of Mortia, left to steal and barter on the dirty streets. But her freedom is short-lived when she’s caught and sentenced to death by the brutal warlock, Arion Stone.

Arion is as beautiful as he is cold and deadly, only interested in punishing the merrow he views as evil. He has grown as strong as any warlock might, but at great personal cost…which can only be remedied by the heart of the God of Death, lost to a fabled kingdom beneath the ocean’s treacherous depths.

So Arion offers Zephyra a deal she can’t refuse; help him find the mystical heart, and he’ll spare her life. With no other options, Zephyra agrees, entangling their souls and forbidden desires in a magical bargain until death do they part. But Zephyra’s past is catching up to her, and the enemy she fled seeks vengeance. If Zephyra and Arion can’t learn to fight together–and trust each other–there are worse things awaiting them than just death.

Of course, in the wicked sea, everyone has secrets, and no one should be trusted.
For fans of: Enemies-to-lovers, Magic Sensual Bonds, Winged Romantic Lead, Forced Proximity

📚 BUY A COPY
⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Imprisonment, graphic descriptions of torture, gore, dismemberment, blood, violence, death, and murder

TL;DR: The Wicked Sea is a fun fantasy romance featuring killer mermaids and warlocks, a steamy enemies-to-lovers romance, and a thrilling race against time across this world, trailed by powerful and deadly enemies. Don’t let this (beautiful) pastel cover fool you—this story gets dark and very gory, and covers fairly tough topics, so I would recommend checking content/trigger warnings beforehand. While there were elements I wish had been done better to deliver a stronger story, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this! If you’re a fan of Quicksilver and Phantasma, chances are you’ll like this too.

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Book Review: A Tempest of Ravens by E.A. Bard

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A Tempest of Ravens (The Noble Exiles #1)
Publisher: Bard Songs Publishing
Pub Date: 24 October 2025
Genre: Historical Fantasy Romance

Panda Rating:

(3.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Outlander meets One Dark Window in this sweeping and visceral historical romantasy.

SCOTLAND 1651. THE KINGDOM IS ABLAZE WITH WAR AND WITCHES’ PYRES.

Maeve MacDonnell has spent years being haunted by croaking ravens, terrifying visions, and uncanny abilities she can’t explain. She’d give anything to be free of them—or to finally control them.

After the superstitious local villagers force her out of town, an alluring stranger named Eamon comes to her aid. As their connection deepens, he encourages her to embrace her abilities. And as her power grows, so does their undeniable chemistry.

When they’re ambushed by the invading English army—who are hell-bent on conquering Scotland and turning every witch to ash—Maeve and Eamon flee to the last Scottish-held castle.

Thrust into a brutal web of deceit, and besieged by enemies on all sides, Maeve must rely on her chaotic magic to survive. It could be the key to saving the kingdom and everyone she loves—but only if she can harness it in time.

Inspired by real events and perfect for fans of Rachel Gillig and Diana Gabaldon, this atmospheric historical romantasy is the first book in the Noble Exiles series.

⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS

On-page violence, sexual assault (non-consensual kissing & touching), attempted kidnapping, torture, war themes, blood, PTSD, emotional abuse, misogyny, bigotry

TL;DR: Lately, I’ve been struggling to find a read that piques and keeps my interest past the first few pages, so I was very excited when I started A Tempest of Ravens and it did just that. While there were enjoyable moments as the story progressed—particularly the historical context and atmosphere—the uneven pacing, repetitiveness, and a lack of connection to the characters, left me wanting more. I really thought I would love this more than I did, however, I still think it’s a solid debut and I’m curious to see where Maeve’s story goes next. If you’re more into historical fiction with a little bit of witchcraft and magic thrown into the mix, and a mild romantic subplot, you might enjoy this one!

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Book Review: Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

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Before I Let Go (Skyland #1)
Publisher: Forever
Pub Date: 15 November 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

(5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Their love was supposed to last forever. But when life delivered blow after devastating blow, Yasmen and Josiah Wade found that love alone couldn’t solve or save everything.

It couldn’t save their marriage.

Yasmen wasn’t prepared for how her life fell apart, but she is finally starting to find joy again. She and Josiah have found a new rhythm, co-parenting their two kids and running a thriving business together. Yet like magnets, they’re always drawn back to each other, and now they’re beginning to wonder if they’re truly ready to let go of everything they once had.

Soon, one stolen kiss leads to another…and then more. It’s hot. It’s illicit. It’s all good—until old wounds reopen. Is it too late for them to find forever? Or could they even be better, the second time around?

Award-winning and bestselling “powerhouse” author Kennedy Ryan is at her absolute best in this compelling, scorching novel about hope and healing, and what it truly means to love for a lifetime (USA Today).

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

From the author’s note: Stillbirth, loss of loved one (past/off-page), discussion of complicated grief, depression, and passive suicidal ideation (no attempt).

TL;DR: I’m writing these thoughts down well after I finished reading this because my feelings were so heightened after this experience, I wanted to let my thoughts marinate a little bit. I want to start by saying that what everyone says about this book is 100% correct. It is beautifully written, heartbreaking and an intensely emotional journey that I found myself getting swept up and away in. Kennedy Ryan is out here destroying feelings left, right and centre, and she does a fantastic job of it! I read this book with Leslie, who didn’t like this as much as I did, and despite loving it myself, I can understand why it won’t be for everyone. Please do check content/trigger warnings because this covers a very traumatic experience and the ways our protagonists deal with what happened can be triggering for some.

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Mini Book Reviews: Holiday Romance Edition

Dini @ dinipandareads4 Comments

🎄 Happy Christmas, everyone! 🎄

The Christmas List (Strawberry Hollow #3)
Pub Date: 25 November 2024
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

(3.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

I love Christmas.
So much so that in my smalltown I’m known as The Queen of Christmas.
And no one knows holiday festivities quite like Strawberry Hollow.

Only this Christmas season delivers an unexpected twist in the form of Wyatt Owens.
The handsome single father of my new student…
Who just so happens to also be my first love.

The one who broke my heart all those years ago.

I haven’t seen Wyatt since he left our hometown behind, but a piece of my heart has always been his.
And all those old feelings come rushing back the moment we see each other again.
Only now the boy I once loved is a charming, delicious and intoxicating man.

One I’m not sure I can resist.

Especially when neither of us can deny his daughter Lucy’s holiday wish- for the three of us to compete together as a team in Strawberry Hollow’s Annual Christmas List tradition.

At first, he’s determined to win every festive challenge on the list but the more things we check off, the more it seems like he wants to win me instead.
Soon things are heating up between us, and suddenly I find myself at risk of falling… for my ex.

But I’m not sure I could survive the heartbreak of losing him again.
Is this just a holiday fling… Or is this the second chance I’ve always secretly hoped for?

The Christmas List was super sexy cute and the perfect addition to the Strawberry Hollow series of festive romances written by Moore. If you enjoy extremely Christmassy romances, the single parent and second-chance romance tropes, precocious kids, and no third act or miscommunication because they are Adults™️, then I’d recommend checking this out!

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Book Review: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

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Heated Rivalry (Game Changers #2)
Publisher: Random House
Pub Date: 14 January 2025
Genre: Cosy Fantasy / Magical Realism

Panda Rating:

(5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander’s game—definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night.

Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him – except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great.

As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option…

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Homomisia, internalised homomisia & homomisic slurs, suicide, parent with alzheimers, death of parents mentioned (father in the present, mother in the past)

Yes yes, I’ve joined the hype train. While I may not have seen the screen adaptation yet, I’m so glad that the hype surrounding this book convinced me to finally pick this up after having it on my TBR for three years. It’s loved for a reason and I now understand it!

TL;DR: Heated Rivalry was a great tension-filled, angsty, and swoony MM sports romance. Shane and Ilya have such great chemistry—there’s a tension created by enmity and attraction from the very moment they meet each other and I loved the opposition of their characters. Shane and Ilya are fantastic characters and I loved watching their feelings grow and their romance develop over the years. I loved how we see the evolution of their connection and how much their character arcs do change over the years. Reid does a fantastic job bringing these characters to life and by the end, my heart felt like it was being squeeze with all the feelings I felt for them. This queer sports romance is the perfect one-sit binge and if you love the enemies-to-lovers trope (or even if you have yet to be convinced), stay seated for this because it’s probably one of the best books this trope has to offer—no lie!

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Book Review: You, With A View by Jessica Joyce

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You, With A View
Publisher: Berkley
Pub Date: 6 July 2023
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

(5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Two high school enemies must reunite for a road trip inspired by their grandparents’ broken engagement in this electric debut romance.

Noelle Shepard is unemployed, living with her parents, and grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother when she discovers decades-old photos of Gram and a smitten man, tucked alongside a love letter. She creates a TikTok to search for the mystery man, which goes viral, and she’s shocked when his grandson responds—a man who happens to be her high school nemesis, Theo Spencer.

Noelle refuses to let Theo’s annoying accomplishments in adulthood—or his sexy smirk—stand in the way of meeting his grandfather and unlocking the secrets he knew about her gram as a young woman. When she learns that their plans to elope were thwarted, Noelle decides to take the honeymoon road trip they planned but never got to carry out. There’s a catch, though: Paul, Theo’s grandfather, asks to come with her, and he insists that Theo join them.

It’ll be a miracle if they make it through the trip without Noelle throwing Theo out of the moving car—or the bed they end up sharing. As the miles tick by, the tension simmers hotter between them…until she discovers that Theo’s hiding a secret that could cause their tenuous relationship to end before it can restart.

⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS FROM THE AUTHOR

-Death of MC’s grandmother, which is off page in the past, of natural causes in her 80s. No terminal illness involved.

-Grief is experienced, discussed, and described by the MC throughout the text.

-There are brief discussions of a strained parent/child relationship between the LI and his father. There is plenty of healthy family dynamic representation with the MC’s family.

-Given the overall themes of the book, I feel it’s also important to mention that everyone’s parents are alive and well in the book and remain so. This is true for everyone in the book.

-Open door sex scenes.

TL;DR: You, With A View is a fun road trip romance that’s written so much heart. It’s more than just a romance between two people who have a long history of rivalry, it’s a story about coping with grief and loss, as well as accepting love. Noelle and Theo are realistic characters who are going through it, but over the trip, they come to accept change, believe in themselves, and learn that sometimes, it takes a while to find the right path for you, and that’s OK. I loved them so much, not to mention Paul and Noelle’s family too! Also, Joyce knows how to write sexual tension and chemistry so well because the slow-burn build up to the steamy scenes was chefs kiss! I adored Noelle and Theo’s banter and how satisfying it felt to see them together. 😍

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ARC Review: Temping Is Hell by Cathy Yardley

Dini @ dinipandareads6 Comments

Special thanks to Literary Media Tours and the author for providing me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Temping Is Hell (Necessary Evil #1)
Publication Date: 30 October 2025
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Panda Rating:

(4 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

WORST. JOB. EVER. Kate O’Hara can’t wait until this temp assignment is over. The woman who hired her is a psychotic drama queen, her coworkers are convicts-turned-clerks, and it’s so boring and pointless it makes her skin crawl. Even working with temptation-on-legs CEO Thomas Kestrel won’t sway her — he’s a billionaire with a rep for being ruthless, and as far as she’s concerned, that’s a hard pass. Once she makes enough to pay off her bills, she’s out of this corporate cube farm. Or so she thinks…

WHAT THE HELL? Next thing she knows, she’s accidentally signed over her soul. Literally. And she’s discovered Thomas’s real mission: to kill thirteen bad guys in one year, in order to get his—now his and Kate’s—souls back.

IT’S NOT JUST A JOB. IT’S A MISADVENTURE. From learning to boost the morale of some paper-pushing demons to navigating her way through blood-red tape, Kate has to work closely with her super-hot boss and get her flaky act together, before somebody clocks her out—permanently!

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Gaslighting, cancer, death (recounted, on-page), suicide, blood, violence, attempted murder

TL;DR: Temping Is Hell was a wild paranormal fantasy romcom romp! 🤣 It was definitely a bit bonkers but I mean that in a good way because it was so entertaining and I had a great time reading it! Kate, with her completely unfiltered chaos brain, and Thomas, the billionaire who needs to get his act together, were such an unlikely pairing, but I loved how her chaotic good energy grounded him. The ‘sold-my-soul-to-a-demon’ plot kept me completely engaged and it was fun learning about what happens when you do something like that—it’s not good, that’s for sure! I enjoyed the friendships, the banter, the sarcasm, and the chaos. Overall, this was a fun and humorous read that I would recommend if you’re looking for a paranormal romcom, especially for the spooky season~!

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Book Review: Whispers of the Deep by Emma Hamm

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Whispers of the Deep
Pub Date: 7 January 2024
Genre: Adult Paranormal/Monster Romance

Panda Rating:

(4 pandas!)

📖 SYNOPSIS

One of the many engineers that keeps Beta, the city under the sea, running, Mira only wants to make her family proud and to prove herself worthy. She knows the mysterious city better than anyone and it’s her dream to help it flourish.

But then, on a solo job in an abandoned section of the city, she encounters a monster of legend. An undine. A dangerous merman from an ancient civilization, long forgotten.

Arges has fought his entire life for his people. With deadly creatures under his control, he plans to eradicate Beta once and for all to protect his kind and their peaceful way of life. But when a human woman saves him, she unknowingly creates a bond between them, one he can’t ignore. Even though her flaming red hair haunts his dreams, he needs her for information on the undine’s enemies.

So he steals her. Keeps her. Feeds her. Only to realize their bond is far deeper than captor and captive. He cannot let her go—but he cannot keep her under the sea. In a battle to determine if love can survive a war beneath the waves, it will be their decision that changes the tides.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Xenophobia, attempted murder, gun violence, knife violence, stabbing, blood, death

TL;DR: Am I kicking off the 2025 spooky season with a monster romance? I sure am and I’m 100% here for it! 🤭 While it did take me longer than expected to finish due to some pacing issues, I overall really enjoyed it and I’m keen to continue the series. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a (very) slow-burn, enemies to lovers, mainly character driven monster romance set in a futuristic world where humans live in underwater cities.

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ARC Review: Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey

Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

Special thanks to the Rachel Quin for providing me a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Pitcher Perfect (Big Shots #4)
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: 9 September 2025
Genre: Adult Contemporary Sports Romance

Panda Rating:

(3.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey is back with an all-new enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating sports romance about a playboy hockey rookie and the disciplined softball pitcher completely immune to his charms.

Boston Bearcats rookie Robbie Corrigan is living the dream. He’s made it to the NHL, his best friend/teammate and fellow “orgasm donor” is his roomie—and the women of Boston love them both. Life is sweet. That is, until he meets Skylar Paige, division 1 softball pitcher, girl least likely to take anyone’s bull…and the one member of the opposite sex immune to his charms. Robbie might be dazzled by the badass pitcher, but Skylar pegs him as a filthy player and wants nothing to do with him.

When he discovers she’s carrying a serious torch for her brother’s best friend, Robbie knows he should just go back to clubbing and whipped cream bikini parties, but he can’t seem to leave Skylar to flounder on her romantic quest to land another man. Nor can he miss out on the opportunity to spend time with her and hopefully redeem himself. Before Robbie knows it, he’s agreed to be Skylar’s fake boyfriend/love coach at an upcoming family wilderness competition where her crush will be in attendance. What could go wrong?

Through a series of contests that require them to trust each other, Robbie and Skylar grow closer and closer until their fake relationship starts to feel like the realest thing they’ve ever known and the sizzling lessons in sensuality burn out of control.

But it’s all just pretend…right?

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Near drowning incident (on-page)

TL;DR: Pitcher Perfect wound up being a surprisingly fun fake-dating time?! I really enjoyed the banter between Robbie and Skylar but I also loved the sweeter, quieter, and more intimate (non sexual) moments between them. Skylar didn’t need anyone to rescue her, but she could’ve used someone vocal in her corner, and that’s exactly what she got from him. He was a surprisingly great cheerleader and I loved how hard he believed in her and how quickly he recognized how amazing she is and how lucky he got. While some of the steamy scenes had me cringing a fair bit, and I wish that we got to see more interactions with side characters, this gave me a giggle, made me blush, and I had a fun time with it!

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Book Review: The Agent and the Outlaw by Lily Riley

Dini @ dinipandareads1 Comment

The Agent and the Outlaw (Les Dames Dangereuses#2)
Publisher: City Owl Press
Pub Date: 19 May 2022
Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance

Panda Rating:

(3.75 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

The murder of a marquis, an accidental kidnapping, an elite vampire death squad, and a beast stalking the French countryside? All in a day’s work for a member of the les Dames Dangereuses.

As the most enviable comtesse of the tonne, Charlotte de Brionne was almost satisfied with her wealth, power, and rather tepid marriage, until her murderous husband betrayed her.

Now she has seized the chance to make a more adventurous start with les Dames Dangereuses, an order of women spies in service to the French crown. But her latest assignment is rudely interrupted when she is kidnapped by a crossbow-wielding madman, who turns out to be not at all mad only rather surly and annoyingly handsome.

Lieutenant Antoine de Valle has no idea what to make of the exasperating, untrustworthy, and frustratingly beautiful woman he’s suddenly saddled with, but his honor demands he see Charlotte safely home. Especially since it’s his fault she accidentally witnesses his murder of a marquis, ends up on the wrong end of a brutal vampire death squad, and barely survives an encounter with the Beast of Gévaudan.

In fact, the more Antoine tries to keep Charlotte safe, the more trouble they find themselves in. And the harder it is for Antoine to remember his honor in the face of Charlotte’s dangerous charms.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Murder, blood

TL;DR: This was an action-packed supernatural/paranormal historical romance set in an alternate 1700s France where the blood plague runs rampant and vampires have taken over Paris. Despite being a little [too] instalust/love, I liked the romance between Charlotte and Antoine, and I found their dynamic, banter and chemistry to be fantastic. I didn’t know whether they would fight or give in to their feelings and tear each other’s clothes off, but I do know it kept me on my toes and eagerly anticipating what would happen next. If you like a lot of action and a bit of mystery with your slightly angsty and intense romances, I’d recommend it!

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