Linon and Garance are best friends with very different ideas about love. To get to the bottom of what all this romance stuff is really about, they decide to conduct an investigation into some of the older students at their middle school. Why are certain kids more popular than others? Why do some already have a “bad reputation” by the 8th grade? Why is everyone so obsessed with appearances? Along the way, the pair discover that, for best friends who are supposed to share everything, they’ve both been keeping some pretty big secrets of their own.
TL;DR:A cute coming-of-age graphic novel about two friends who just want to know a bit more about love. The friendship between Linon and Garance was so sweet and I loved their little investigative adventures to understand their classmates’ experiences with love and to understand what exactly love means to others. With a fun and contemporary art style and a sweet storyline, I would recommend this to readers of all ages but I know middle-grade me would’ve absolutely loved this!
So, we’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: 2021 Releases I Was Excited to Read But Didn’t Get To.
This week’s TTT list is probably one of the easiest for me to compile because there are so many books that were released last year that I wanted to read but didn’t get the chance to for one reason or another. The only difficult part was narrowing down which books to list here because there are definitely way more than ten! 😂 These titles have wormed their way to the top of my list and I’m hoping to read them sooner rather than later in 2022 (note to self: remember these words!)!
Their Union Is His Revenge. Isolde de Lara considers her wedding day her death day. To end a years-long war, she is to marry vampire king, Adrian Aleksandr Vasiliev, and kill him. ⠀
But her assassination attempt is thwarted and Adrian threatens that if Isolde tries kill him again, he will raise her as the undead. Faced with the possibility of becoming the thing she hates most, Isolde seeks other ways to defy him and survive the brutal vampire court. ⠀
Except it isn’t the court she fears most—it’s Adrain. Despite their undeniable chemistry, she wonders why the king——fierce, savage, merciless—chose her as consort. ⠀
In her forest-veiled pagan village, Évike is the only woman without power, making her an outcast clearly abandoned by the gods. The villagers blame her corrupted bloodline—her father was a Yehuli man, one of the much-loathed servants of the fanatical king. When soldiers arrive from the Holy Order of Woodsmen to claim a pagan girl for the king’s blood sacrifice, Évike is betrayed by her fellow villagers and surrendered.
But when monsters attack the Woodsmen and their captive en route, slaughtering everyone but Évike and the cold, one-eyed captain, they have no choice but to rely on each other. Except he’s no ordinary Woodsman—he’s the disgraced prince, Gáspár Bárány, whose father needs pagan magic to consolidate his power. Gáspár fears that his cruelly zealous brother plans to seize the throne and instigate a violent reign that would damn the pagans and the Yehuli alike. As the son of a reviled foreign queen, Gáspár understands what it’s like to be an outcast, and he and Évike make a tenuous pact to stop his brother.
As their mission takes them from the bitter northern tundra to the smog-choked capital, their mutual loathing slowly turns to affection, bound by a shared history of alienation and oppression. However, trust can easily turn to betrayal, and as Évike reconnects with her estranged father and discovers her own hidden magic, she and Gáspár need to decide whose side they’re on, and what they’re willing to give up for a nation that never cared for them at all.
Goodreads: Homecoming King (Three Kings #1) Publisher: Cipher-Naught Published: 14 December 2021 Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Panda Rating: (4 pandas)
Rex “TW” McMurtry’s perpetual single-hood wouldn’t bother him so much if all his ex-girlfriends didn’t keep marrying the very next person they dated, especially when so many of those grooms are his closest friends. He may be a pro-football defensive end for the Chicago Squalls, but the press only wants to talk about how he’s always a groomsman and never a groom. Rex is sick of being the guy before the husband, and he’s most definitely sick of being the best man at all their weddings.
Bartender Abigail McNerny is the gal-pal, the wing-woman, the she-BFF. She’s dated. Once. And once was more than enough. Privy to all the sad stories of her customers, ‘contentment over commitment’ is her motto, and Abby is convinced no one on earth could ever entice her into a romantic relationship . . . except that one guy she’s loved since preschool.
The guy who just walked into her bar. The guy who doesn’t recognize her. The guy who is drunk and needs a ride home. The guy who has a proposition she should definitely refuse.
TL;DR: This was a delightfully binge-able fake-dating/marriage romance that I had a really hard time putting down. Abby and Rex stole my heart and their romance made me swoon and sigh with happiness! I’m eagerly anticipating the next two books in the series, which I’m assuming will be about Cyrus and Alaric(?) and I absolutely cannot wait 😍
I was hooked from the moment I started reading and I sped through this so quickly because the pining and sexual tension were so thick that I needed to know when and how they’d *finally* get together. Abby and Rex were opposites in so many ways but as a result of earlier life experiences that made them feel unworthy, they both struggle to accept that good things won’t always get taken away from them and that they deserve to be happy!
Abby was the absolute sweetest and ugh, I just wanted to give her such a big hug throughout this whole read! Seriously, screw people who thrive on making other peoples lives hell! I’m so glad that she stood up for herself and didn’t allow her douche ex to paralyse her with fear. I was so happy when she finally allowed herself to accept the good things that came her way and embraced her relationship with Rex by taking the first real permanent steps with him. It warmed my heart! I also really loved her relationship with Kaylee and Walker but I definitely could’ve done with much more of them in the story because they were such wonderful support systems for Abby!
Rexwas this hulking beast of a man with a little known soft centre, especially when it came to the people he cares for—my favourite kind of hero!This guy had it bad for Abby right from the beginning and one of my favourite parts about angsty romances is when the H/h have to force themselves to be distant because otherwise their major heart-eyes will take over and they’re worried those heart-eyes won’t be reciprocated. That said, while this angst really squeezed my heart to bits, Rex was doling out the distance in spades and it got to the point where when confession time came around, I didn’t think the strength of his feelings were entirely believable only because they spent so little time around each other. Even the majority of their text message exchanges were sparse. Another reason that I didn’t give this 5-stars is that I felt like something was missing and that something was Rex’s POV. I think his POV would’ve really added more to the story since he was so quiet most of the time and I feel like only seeing him from Abby’s POV didn’t do his character justice. I kinda don’t want to say he felt flat but he kind of did… 🙈
That’s not to say that I didn’t love what I saw of Rex though because I really did; especially in the bedroom cos it seemed like a switch flipped and he became this gruff and fairly vocal, dirty-mouthed hero who was down to play fantasies, which was so very different to his usual persona. It was hot! 🥵 Also, their chemistry throughout the whole story was undeniable. Even though they didn’t spend as much time together as I wished they did, whenever they were on the page together, sparks went flying, plus their banter was just so freaking adorable! Their sizzling chemistry is also what made their separation even more angsty and it’s also what made it all the more satisfying when they finally got together—this is definitely a slow-burn though as even their first ‘real’ kiss only happens about 61% and the slow pace continues until the very end, but it’s absolutely worth the anticipation!
Have you read Homecoming King or is it on your TBR?If you’ve read this, do you have any recommendations for similar romances?
I’m always terrible at answering prompts that ask for my “best” anything 😂 I know I’ve read some amazing books but it’s also been a very weird reading year? I’ve read a lot but I’ve had a hard time retaining much of what I’ve read but also, I’ve had a hard time focusing on reading, in general, this year! I’ve only had a few 5-star reads this year so it is a bit surprising that I’m having trouble picking a top 10… but in the end, I decided to not include series’ on the list and now, before I keep waffling on, let’s get to it!
Hello, friends! I’m excited to be sharing the cover reveal for Royal Captive, the third book in the Fate of Eyrinthia series by Heather Frost. I’m quite excited to see what happens next in this series and I can’t wait to get me hands on it when it’s out next year! And isn’t this cover just stunning!? 😍
Publication Date: 18 March 2022 Genre: Fantasy Romance (Romantasy)
A DECOY trapped in a dangerous lie A SERJAH searching for the truth A PRINCE caught in a deadly game A WORLD choked by secrets
Abducted during a devastating ambush, Clare is now the captive of ruthless mercenaries. Dragged through the wilderness while grieving heart-rending loss, she must maintain the illusion that she is the princess. Because if she lets the mask slip, even for a moment, the Mortisians will have no reason to keep her alive.
After arresting traitors close to the crown, Desfan fights to rebuild his court, knowing that the imminent arrival of the Devendran princess will further upset the precarious balance in Mortise. But Desfan’s world is rocked when he discovers a rumor that rewrites the most devastating event in his life. He will stop at nothing to find the truth–no matter where it leads.
As Grayson struggles to find his footing in Mortise, he discovers new friends and enemies. His life is further complicated by the tenuous alliance with his spymaster brother. With secrets deepening around him, Grayson must decide where his loyalties truly lie. Through it all, his heart remains in Ryden with Mia. Unfortunately, his love for her is no secret, and the Black Hand is a coveted weapon . . .
Eyrinthia holds its breath as allies and enemies collide. Secrets. Lies. Betrayals. Nothing will be the same.
So, we’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is:Top Ten Books on my Wish list!!
Although my family doesn’t celebrate Christmas, that never stops me from dropping hints to them about the books that I *so desperately* (😂) want to add to my overflowing bookshelves. I obviously have way more than ten on my wishlist but here are a few that I’d be thrilled to get as we ring in the new year!
Goodreads: Window Shopping Published: 19 October 2021 Genre: Contemporary Romance
Panda Rating: (4.5 pandas)
A sizzling, standalone, feel-good holiday romance from Tessa Bailey, New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer. Two weeks before Christmas and all through Manhattan, shop windows are decorated in red and green satin. I’m standing alone in front of the famous Vivant department store, when a charming man named Aiden asks my opinion of the décor.
It’s a tragedy in tinsel, I say, unable to lie. He asks for a better idea with a twinkle in his eye. Did I know he owned the place? No. He put me on the spot. Now I’m working for that man, trying to ignore that he’s hot. But as a down on her luck girl with a difficult past, I know an opportunity when I see one—and I have to make it last.
I’ll put my heart and soul into dressing his holiday windows. I’ll work without stopping. And when we lose the battle with temptation, I’ll try and remember I’m just window shopping.
Goodreads: The Love Hypothesis Publisher: Sphere Published: 27 September 2021 Genre: Contemporary Romance
Panda Rating: (5 pandas)
When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman’s carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.
As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive on her way to a happily ever after was always going to be tough, scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting woman, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.
That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when he agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire and Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support (and his unyielding abs), their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion.
Olive soon discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.
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