Book Review: Under the Scars by Isabella Morgan

Title: Under the Scars
Author: Isabella Morgan
Publication: August 15th 2019
Synopsis:

Four years ago, when I left him in the dust as my car sped away, I thought I’d never have to see Nick Andrews again.

That is, until I was called to my mother’s deathbed to say goodbye.

I wasn’t ready to lose her. I wasn’t ready for the man who broke my heart to tell me my mother had cancer, that she only had days left to live.

Seeing Nick after all this time—hot as ever and completely off limits—ripped open the scars he’d left four years ago. The pain. The heartache. With our complicated past, I wasn’t sure I could let him in again.

How can you love someone after they shatter your heart and leave it strewn all over the ground, only to want to do it all over again?
~~~~

I thought when she left me in the dust four years ago, I wouldn’t see Violet Moore again.

That is, until she came home to her sick mother—my patient—who only had days left to live.

I was the one who took care of people when they needed it the most, but here I was struggling to keep my heart rate down watching Violet lose everything that mattered to her most.

And I was one of them.

But I wouldn’t let her lose me again. With our complicated past not yet settled in the ground, I was going to do anything it took to have her back again.

Even if it meant opening old wounds.
Because there was still a fire.
Under The Scars

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My rating: 3/5 stars

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a honest review.

Full disclaimer ahead that I consider Isabella Morgan a friend so when she asked me if I could read and review her book, I was game to see what she had in store for me. I was pleasantly surprised by Isabella’s writing style, character creation and development, and the overall pacing of the novel. It was a good solid debut in my personal opinion. The only reason why I state she’s my friend is because this rating and review are without bias and completely truthful.

Book Review: The Helpline by Katherine Collette

Title: The Helpline
Author: Katherine Collette
Publication: July 23rd 2019
Synopsis: Germaine Johnson may not be all that good with people but she’s great with numbers. Unfortunately, as she discovers after the incident at Wallace Insurance, there are very few openings these days for senior mathematicians.

Then her cousin gets her a job at the council. On the Senior Citizens Helpline.

It’s not the resume entry Germaine wanted—but it turns out Mayor Verity Bainbridge has something more interesting in mind for her. A secret project involving the troublemakers at the senior citizens centre and their feud with the golf club next door. Which is run by the strangely attractive Don Thomas.

Don and the mayor want the seniors closed down.
Germaine wants what Don and the mayor want. But when she’s forced to get to know the ‘troublemakers’—things get more complicated.

A sharp, witty, big-hearted comedy from a hilarious new Australian writer, Katherine Collette’s The Helpline is about people power and brain power—and the difficulty of getting them to work together.

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MY RATING: 4/5 STARS

I received an ARC from Simon Schuster Canada in exchange for a honest review.

This one definitely took a long time for me to finish and it’ll probably take a long time for you too if you’re not a fan of a robust character like Germaine. Similar to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Germaine very much likes routines and hard data and numbers. She doesn’t believe she belongs in the life she’s currently living in. For example, she believes her biological father was a prestigious professor in a big university because that was what her mother made her to believe and it can be the only logical explanation as to why she’s so logical while her mother is..not.

Book Review: Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams

Title: Our Stop
Author: Laura Jane Williams
Publication: June 13th 2019
Synopsis:

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.

MY RATING: 4/5 STARS

I received a copy from Harper Collins Canada in exchange for a honest review.

Our Stop is definitely going to be one of those books where you absolutely hate it or love it. It gets really frustrating a lot of the times because it plays on the idea of fate. The idea that if you miss one beat or second, you might miss the love of your life.

BOOK REVIEW: Fix Her up by Tessa Bailey

Title: Fix Her Up
Author: Tessa Bailey
Publication: June 11th 2019
Synopsis: A brand new romantic comedy from New York Times bestseller Tessa Bailey!

Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World… whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)

Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)

Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there’s Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her…

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MY RATING: 4.5/5 STARS

I received an ARC from Harper Collins Canada in exchange for a honest review.

There is a reason why Tessa Bailey is successful and is so popular in the romance genre. This is one clear example of her proving to readers of her talent to craft a story about a clown and an ex-baseball player and make it for you to swoon/sweat over. The story was hot! hot! hot! A lot of the times so do not be fooled by the cute cover and the back stories of each hero/heroine makes you feel oddly connected to them.

Our main heroine, Georgie, is feeling rather left out and not taken seriously in her family. The joke is that it’s because her business is her dressing up as a party clown. Well, it’s also because she’s the youngest and therefore, she’s not capable of having a sensible mind or rational decision making. Her opinions are often discounted and her self-esteem plummets. This also doesn’t help that she’s in love with her older brother’s best friend, Travis.

BOOK REVIEW: Well Met by Jen DeLuca

Title: Well Met
Author: Jen DeLuca
Publication: September 3rd 2019
Synopsis: 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?

The faire is Simon’s family legacy and from the start he makes clear he doesn’t have time for Emily’s lighthearted approach to life, her oddball Shakespeare conspiracy theories, or her endless suggestions for new acts to shake things up. Yet on the faire grounds he becomes a different person, flirting freely with Emily when she’s in her revealing wench’s costume. But is this attraction real, or just part of the characters they’re portraying?

This summer was only ever supposed to be a pit stop on the way to somewhere else for Emily, but soon she can’t seem to shake the fantasy of establishing something more with Simon, or a permanent home of her own in Willow Creek.

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MY RATING: 4/5 STARS

I received an ARC from Berkley Romance in exchange for a honest review.

Guys, this book was so stinkin cute and adorable. It was so close to being a 5/5 stars if it had an extra UMPH towards the end but regardless, this enemies to lovers romance will get you pump and excited.

This book featured Emily, who is running away from her problems. Her boyfriend who recently became a lawyer, dumped her after he got himself a well paying job and decided a college dropout wouldn’t make him look too good in front of the partners. Feeling betrayed as she dropped out of college to support and pay for his schooling, she returns to her sister’s small town to lick her wounds and take her mind off things by taking care of her after she and her daughter survived a car crash. Emily then gets roped into volunteering for the town’s annual fair where she dresses up as a wrench and has to deal with the head organizer, Simon.

BOOK REVIEW: Faker by Sarah Smith

Title: Faker
Author: Sarah Smith
Publication: October 8th 2019
Synopsis: Debut author Sarah Smith nails this fun and sexy multicultural romance where two office foes hammer out their differences to build a love that will last…

Emmie Echavarre is a professional faker. She has to be to survive as one of the few female employees at Nuts & Bolts, a power tool company staffed predominantly by gruff, burly men. From nine to five, Monday through Friday, she’s tough as nails–the complete opposite of her easy-going real self.

One thing she doesn’t have to fake? Her disdain for coworker Tate Rasmussen. Tate has been hostile to her since the day they met. Emmie’s friendly greetings and repeated attempts to get to know him failed to garner anything more than scowls and terse one-word answers. Too bad she can’t stop staring at his Thor-like biceps…

When Emmie and Tate are forced to work together on a charity construction project, things get…heated. Emmie’s beginning to see that beneath Tate’s chiseled exterior lies a soft heart, but it will take more than a few kind words to erase the past and convince her that what they have is real.

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MY RATING: 2/5 STARS

I received an ARC from Berkley Romance in exchange for a honest review.

I was really excited to read this book because of the cover like most people on the internet. I didn’t know what to expect from this one because like a lot of romance books I pick up, I don’t actually read the synopsis. From what I grasped of the story, Emmie is a strong woman who needs to put up an act in front of her colleagues because majority of them are male and they treat her like she’s clueless and useless if she doesn’t stand tall and strong. Fair enough, I agree with Emmie’s shield she puts up.

Book Review: The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Title: The Bromance Book Club
Author: Lyssa Kay Adams
Publication: November 5th 2019
Synopsis: The first rule of book club:
You don’t talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott’s marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville’s top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it’ll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.

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MY RATING: 3.5/5 STARS

I received an ARC from Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for a honest review.

This book was a very highly anticipated read for simply because of the title and the cover. It’s gorgeous like any other Berkley Romance being published since last year so really? What could have gone wrong? For people who are not familiar with the story, it’s existentially boils down to a wife of a major baseball player who decides that one day, her life has changed too much and not for the better. She lost her sense of self and believes her husband doesn’t even love her so she decides to break it off. Well, also the fact that she kind of told him that she’s been faking her orgasm the entire time they were together. Talk about buried down emotions and secrets.

BOOK REVIEW: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hilbbert

Title: Get a Life, Chloe Brown
Author: Talia Hibbert
Publication: November 5th 2019
Synopsis: Talia Hibbert, one of contemporary romance’s brightest new stars, delivers a witty, hilarious romantic comedy about a woman who’s tired of being “boring” and recruits her mysterious, sexy neighbor to help her experience new things—perfect for fans of Sally Thorne, Jasmine Guillory, and Helen Hoang.

Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list. After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with seven directives to help her “Get a Life”, and she’s already completed the first: finally moving out of her glamourous family’s mansion. The next items?

Enjoy a drunken night out.
Ride a motorcycle.
Go camping.
Have meaningless but thoroughly enjoyable sex.
Travel the world with nothing but hand luggage.
And… do something bad.
But it’s not easy being bad, even when you’ve written step-by-step guidelines on how to do it correctly. What Chloe needs is a teacher, and she knows just the man for the job.

Redford ‘Red’ Morgan is a handyman with tattoos, a motorcycle, and more sex appeal than ten-thousand Hollywood heartthrobs. He’s also an artist who paints at night and hides his work in the light of day, which Chloe knows because she spies on him occasionally. Just the teeniest, tiniest bit.

But when she enlists Red in her mission to rebel, she learns things about him that no spy session could teach her. Like why he clearly resents Chloe’s wealthy background. And why he never shows his art to anyone. And what really lies beneath his rough exterior…

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MY RATING: 4/5 STARS

I received a copy from Chapters Indigo and an ARC from Harper Collins in exchange for a honest review.

I had my doubts about this one when I first read the synopsis because I’ve had difficulty with characters like Chloe. You know, the socially inept ones who don’t have many friends and do things routinely and basically live in a shell and hardly go out. It gets difficult for me because I just want to SHAKE THEM so they can finally break out and flourish but I get that there are people like this and that’s why these stories are important.

BOOK REVIEW: The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

Title: The Right Swipe
Author: Alisha Rai
Publication: August 6th 2019
Synopsis:Alisha Rai returns with the first book in her sizzling new Modern Love series, in which two rival dating app creators find themselves at odds in the boardroom but in sync in the bedroom.

Rhiannon Hunter may have revolutionized romance in the digital world, but in real life she only swipes right on her career—and the occasional hookup. The cynical dating app creator controls her love life with a few key rules:

– Nude pics are by invitation only

– If someone stands you up, block them with extreme prejudice

– Protect your heart

Only there aren’t any rules to govern her attraction to her newest match, former pro-football player Samson Lima. The sexy and seemingly sweet hunk woos her one magical night… and disappears.

Rhi thought she’d buried her hurt over Samson ghosting her, until he suddenly surfaces months later, still big, still beautiful—and in league with a business rival. He says he won’t fumble their second chance, but she’s wary. A temporary physical partnership is one thing, but a merger of hearts? Surely that’s too high a risk…

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MY RATING: 2/5 STARS

I received an ARC from Harper Collins Canada in exchange for a honest review.

Okay, this one is a big toughie to explain myself and my poor rating for this book that seems to hit it out of the park for a lot of people. First of all, I have decided that technology romance books are NOT for me because it’s just not my type of story. There’s something about reading about websites, apps, blogs, etc. that make me want to rip my eyes out?! It could be just because I read to escape from technology not to jump into another thing about it. Okay, second of all, I just don’t like reading books about dating apps. Why?

I don’t think the idea is cute.

I’m tired of dating apps myself.

I’m a cynic and I don’t believe in them.

Book Review: Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey

Title: Love Her or Lose Her
Author: Tessa Bailey
Publication: January 14th 2020
Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey returns with a unique, sexy romantic comedy about a young married couple whose rocky relationship needs a serious renovation. 

Rosie and Dominic Vega are the perfect couple: high school sweethearts, best friends, madly in love. Well, they used to be anyway. Now Rosie’s lucky to get a caveman grunt from the ex-soldier every time she walks in the door. Dom is faithful and a great provider, but the man she fell in love with ten years ago is nowhere to be found. When her girlfriends encourage Rosie to demand more out of life and pursue her dream of opening a restaurant, she decides to demand more out of love, too. Three words: marriage boot camp.

Never in a million years did Rosie believe her stoic, too-manly-to-emote husband would actually agree to relationship rehab with a weed-smoking hippy. Dom talking about feelings? Sitting on pillows? Communing with nature? Learning love languages? Nope. But to her surprise, he’s all in, and it forces her to admit her own role in their cracked foundation. As they complete one ridiculous—yet surprisingly helpful—assignment after another, their remodeled relationship gets stronger than ever. Except just as they’re getting back on track, Rosie discovers Dom has a secret… and it could demolish everything.

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MY RATING: 4.5/5 STARS

I received an ARC from Harper Collins Canada in exchange for a honest review.

After finishing Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey, I knew I had to read about Rosie and Dominic’s relationship or lack of. For fans of the first novel in the Hot & Hammered series, you’ll be familiar with the troubling undertones of their relationship and know that Love Her or Lose her would be an emotional one.