Category: RomCom

Categories
RomCom Spicy🌶️ Thick Babes

THE DATING PACT

BY Lulu Morris. Pub Date 1/15/2025

Rating: 4.5*s

PUBLISHER’S SYNOPSIS

When Ellie bluffs her way into a high-end party with her best friend, the last thing she expects is to end up going home with infamous actor Alex King, because he’s too drunk to remember what hotel he’s staying in. But when the paparazzi catch them together the morning after, their new friendship suddenly becomes the tabloids’ front page.

Alex needs a plus-one. Not only is his brother marrying his ex, but he’s become the villain in the eyes of the press. With a loved-up date by his side, the public might finally see him as moving on and his new play might finally get the ticket sales it needs to not close down.

But a wedding in the Bahamas, surrounded by gorgeous celebrities, with the paparazzi lurking everywhere, is plus-sized Ellie’s worst nightmare. Even as Alex’s displays of affectionate become more real and less fake, will she lose a part of herself during their pact?

REVIEW

This was such a cute thick babe romance. Alex and Ellie have been through the wringer personally and professionally and it’s surprising that the spark they have when they meet doesn’t catch the entire bar on fire. The fake dating trope is a fun one, and the setting and deepness of the characters make it that much more intriguing. I do love a good dual POV–matter of fact, they are my favorite type of romance.

I really loved both of the MMCs and how they presented themselves to the world and balanced one another. Alex and his struggles being seen by his family, and Ellie and her body issues, which I totally could commiserate with. They really became good friends even with all of the drama, and that made the chemistry so much better. I do wish we had more depth with the other characters, but the hateable ones were super hateable and the loveable characters made you want to squeeze them.

I highly recommend this to the thick babes romance readers who also love a good faux dating trope!

Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Categories
After Dark Contemporary Fiction Romance RomCom Spicy🌶️ Thick Babes

FUNDAMENTALS OF BEING A GOOD GIRL

By Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone. Pub Date 1/13/2025

Rating: 4*s

PUBLISHER’S SYNOPSIS

Maddie Kowalczk is ready to be a bad girl. When the rookie lecturer lands at Astra University, she’s looking to start fresh after a messy breakup. But her first night in town takes a twist when she bumps into Bram Loe—a reserved but incredibly handsome single dad she (not so accidentally) stole a parking spot from earlier that day. The unspoken chemistry as he locks eyes with her while she gets a birthday spanking at a local bar is hotter than a Bunsen burner at full flame.

Bram is looking for a break from his hectic life as an ecology professor and dad to rambunctious twins and a busy teenager. So when his college friend’s divorce celebration brings him face-to-face with the same delectable brat who stole his parking spot, he’s ready for a night to remember. But the next morning, Bram’s world turns upside down (and that’s not just the hangover talking). His new nanny? None other than Maddie, who also happens to be the new poli-sci adjunct at the university where he teaches.

Maddie is desperate and broke, so when Bram offers her a raise and the chance to set some ground rules, she can’t say no. As the two settle into their new roles, the normally unruffled Bram finds that no one riles him up like Maddie does, which is a problem when every argument feels like foreplay. Of course, Bram is an educator first and foremost, and he very quickly finds he can’t resist the temptation of instructing Maddie in the fundamentals of being a good girl.

And it turns out Maddie’s a hands-on learner…

REVIEW

I cannot express how excited I was to see the Murphy/Simone duo back together again!

The A Christmas Notch series was amazing and one of my favorite series and most highly recommended spicy book trilogies, and after reading The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl, I have a feeling that the Academic Affairs series is going to be skyrocketing to the top, too.

This book is deliciously spicy, with complex and complete characters, beautifully described settings, and all the right kinks. I loved Bram and his family and friends and I thought Maddie was a great character. Very strong, and her struggles to find the right future for herself after spending so many years with the wrong person felt very reminiscent of my own experience, and the way Bram went from buttoned up dad to feral daddy? So hot.

I am psyched for the next book. If it’s about who I think it’s about–well, let me put it this way: I’ve been searching for a bully to lovers romance and I have a feeling that’s exactly what is coming.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Categories
Cozy RomCom Spicy🌶️ Thick Babes

SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE

By Olivia Dade. NOW AVAILABLE!

Rating: 3.5*s

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Karl and Molly were never together. There was a time, right after high school, where it seemed like they might finally cross the line from friends to lovers…but instead, a foolish misunderstanding meant they never spoke again. Molly went to LA and got married. Karl stayed in Harlot’s Bay and bought a bakery.

The only connection the pair has shared over the years is painfully one-sided: Now divorced, Molly narrates monster romance audiobooks, and Karl is an ever-diligent listener, clinging to his only piece of the one that got away.

Still, Molly hasn’t totally left Harlot’s Bay behind. When she hears that Karl’s obituary has run in the local paper, unexpected grief prompts her to hop on the next flight to Maryland…where she finds Karl very much alive, the victim of nothing but an accidental obituary.

As the pair reunite, they finally hash out their missed connection. True, Molly isn’t quite ready to trust again, but Karl is determined to prove himself worthy of her faith and devotion. And as her remaining time in Harlot’s Bay ticks down, Molly, the habitual cynic, just might find that Karl, the cranky town curmudgeon, is impossible to leave behind a second time.“

Thoughts:

Olivia Dade is one of my absolute favorite authors. Karl and Molly’s story is cute. I can’t say it’s my favorite Olivia Dade story, but I did respect the choices made throughout. And of course we’re all mostly here for the hilarity, character growth and SPICE, and the author absolutely delivers on all of them. It’s Harlot’s Bay, after all, and the Spite House is open for rent.

The only reason I didn’t connect as much with this book was more because of the characters, and not becaise they weren’t well written, but because I didn’t personally connect to standoffish Molly and I only somewhat connected to gruff and blunt Karl. I do think that other people will have a better experience and I’ll definitely recommend it to my sister. Again, the writing is fine, but I just had a hard tome connecting. I did enjoy the ending!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the advanced copy in exchange for this review. I knew this one was going to be good!

Categories
Fantasy Romance RomCom Spicy🌶️ Supernatural Witchy!

DEALING WITH A DESPERATE DEMON

By Charlotte Stein. Pub Date 10-07-2025

Rating – 4.5*s

PUBLISHER’S SYNOPSIS

Nancy has just about given up on finding her special person when Jack Jackson—big, scary and the town loser—walks into her bookstore. He’s apparently even more desperate for help in the romance department than she is. And after a bit of gentle persuasion, he finally accepts her guidance in securing his dream girl. Practice dates, lessons in tenderness—you name it, she can teach it.

There’s just one problem: his dream girl might have more than an issue with his dating skills. Because Jack isn’t just a little clueless; he’s actually the demonic son of Satan, from the deepest depths of hell. He’s spent his entire long underlife dragging evildoers to their fates, while really trying not to live up to his dad’s expectations.

Now, it isn’t just about getting a date with his dream girl. He needs to become a better man to win over the woman he’s been cosmically bound to, in a Beauty and the Beast style pact. If he fails, everyone he cares for will face a terrible fate. Luckily for him, Nancy may well be the witch she’s always tried to pretend she wasn’t. She can save him, he knows it—and she’s starting to know it too. Even if every day spent with him is an agonising reminder that she isn’t the girl he’s fated for.

But as the deadline approaches she’s starting to wonder… Could it be that she’s finally found her Prince? Or is she about to lose her heart to hell?

THOUGHTS:

I love a Charlotte Stein book, and this one was a pretty good supernatural romance. It was a very grumpy sunshine, he fell first romance. The secretly cinnamon roll-esque grumpy lead and a sunshine bookworm with a healthy bit of CPTSD gives it a little more bite.

I think the best part of this book is the way the “I can’t tell you about my curse” plays out. As always. It leads to misunderstandings and misadventures, but it goes beyond that, too, because Jack is also up against Nancy’s self doubt and the fact that she has no idea that Jack is holding a candle for her, and he hasn’t the slightest idea that the flame has been lit on hers, too.

As always, the spicy scenes are SPICY and Stein is able to keep the problems relatable, even with a sentient truck involved.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Categories
Contemporary Fiction Romance RomCom

Maid for Each Other

By Lynn Painter

Pub Date 7/15/2025

4.5*s

Publishers Synopsis:

“As a professional cleaner, Abi Mariano never thought her apartment would have any sort of infestation, but because of a building-wide outbreak, she now needs somewhere to stay for a week. As a part-time student with two jobs, she doesn’t have many options. Then the solution presents itself: the owner of the penthouse she cleans is out of town for the week. She normally wouldn’t consider it, but he’s literally never around (she hasn’t even met him). It goes great…until one morning she finds two strangers in the kitchen. They’re the parents of the penthouse owner and they seem to think they’ve heard all about Abi—not as their son’s maid, but as his girlfriend.

Declan Powell has always put his career first, working his way up to become an executive at his company, but he still has his sights set on the next level. When his parents mention that they met his girlfriend, “Abby,” he all but chokes on his escargot. As wonderful as it sounds that she was just darling, he doesn’t actually have a girlfriend—he made her up to get everyone off his back. When Dex finds out who Abi really is, he makes her a proposition: pretend to date him, and he’ll provide everything she needs during their little arrangement. What harm would it do? It’s purely business, no pleasure…right?”

REVIEW:

Maid for Each Other is a great contemporary read, very Cinderella-esque. The pacing is good, the plot is excellent and the characters are really likeable and well rounded. Abi is a scrappy little thing that reminded me of Elizabeth from the show New Girl. She was very much one of those “I’ll do this because we agreed on it but it won’t change who I am and I am totally going to mess with you” types, while Dex was a career minded guy who was all dollars and suits up front with some  hidden depths that weren’t just ab-deep. Total ice berg.

This is one of those easy contemporary reads. Not necessarily cozy, but the kind where there is plenty to puzzle out and where you want to race full speed to find an HEA. It got me through a significant reading slump. This was my first Lynn Painter book, but it will definitely not be my last!

Thank You NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for this review!

Categories
Contemporary Fiction Romance RomCom Spicy🌶️

Love to Hate You

By Marina Adair. Pub Date 4-22-2025

Rating: 4*s

“Wes Kingston is the cut-throat CEO of the bookstore chain, and he doesn’t believe in love—or failure. He runs his business the way he runs his life, alone. And he isn’t going to let a fiery femme fatale change that (even if she’s gorgeous).

Summer Russo believes in destiny and true love . . . which is why she sank her life savings into reviving a nearly bankrupt indie bookstore. But just as she starts to get the hang of the business, a big-box shop moves in next door.

At least Summer has her family’s annual vacation to look forward to. But when she arrives at the beachside cabin, she realizes her sister has brought along not only her boyfriend but a second guest—his brother, who just happens to be the same surly-but-infuriatingly-sexy bookstore mogul.

Thoughts:

This is a cute rivals to lovers romcom that gives You’ve Got Mail vibes. It goes deeper, also, into family drama and trauma, and complicated feelings around how much support someone should be responsible for to keep those they love afloat. Both characters had to deal with these feelings while discovering what really matters to them through the other person. It was such a delight and seeing the growth of the characters and how they confronted their issues with one another’s support. It really made it feel personal.

Also supernatural funny and cute!

Thanks to 8th Note Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Categories
Adventure Historical Fiction RomCom Spicy🌶️

Accidentally His

by Sabrina Jeffries

Rating: 4*s

NOW AVAILABLE FROM KENSINGTON BOOKS

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“As a viscount’s heir, Rafe Wolfford is obligated to take a wife someday. But she must be the right sort of wife—not too independent, and not inclined to delve into his escapades as a spy. The forthright, perceptive Lady Verity is altogether the wrong choice. But Rafe’s courtship is merely a ruse to discover whether Verity or anyone else associated with Elegant Occasions is leaking crucial information to the French. That mission is all that
matters—until fate, and desire, intervene.

After enduring one disastrous engagement, Verity won’t easily open her heart again, preferring to devote herself to Elegant Occasions. Rafe is charming, handsome, and kisses like the very devil, but she knows he’s harboring secrets. Still, when her ex-fiancé tries to ruin her reputation, Rafe offers his hand. For the sake of her family and business, Verity has little choice but to accept. Yet turning this arrangement into a true marriage will require daring and trust—which neither will embrace easily, making surrender all the sweeter . . .”

REVIEW

This is the culmination of the Designing Debutantes series. We FINALLY get the story about the mysterious man that Verity has seen following and spying on the sisters throughout the series, and it’s everything you wanted and expected. Intrigue, strong women  taking care of themselves even with incredibly supportive partners, and spice between Rafe and Verity that we have come to expect from Sabrina Jeffries.

If you love historical romance and haven’t picked up this series, you are missing out.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the free copy in exchange for a review!

Categories
Contemporary Fiction Fantasy RomCom Spicy🌶️

FANGS FOR NOTHING

By Steffanie Holmes

Rating: 3.5*s. A decent romance to sink your teeth into.

Available Now from Bacchanalia House

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Lord Alaric Valerian has a problem. His mother is visiting his castle for the first time, but she doesn’t know that Alaric has filled every room with his centuries of artistic passions and creative pursuits.

Desperate, he hires professional organiser Winnie Preston to help him tame the mess. But Alaric isn’t prepared for bubbly, passionate Winnie to show up at his castle and ram a metaphorical stake through his cold, vampire heart. Winnie sets his fangs on edge, but the more closely he works with her, the more he wishes she could be his.

So when Alaric’s mother arrives with a new bride-to-be in tow, Alaric convinces Winnie to pretend to be his fiancee. He may be causing all kinds of scandal in the vampire court by being engaged to a human, but at least he doesn’t have to give up his reclusive life.

But Winnie still doesn’t know Alaric’s a vampire, and Alaric didn’t count on Winnie’s meddling book club pinning him for a mysterious murder in the village. Will their maybe-not-so-fake-marriage survive once Winnie discovers the monster that lurks beneath his fangs?”

REVIEW

Let me preface this by saying that the romance was really good. I love a good, tension-filled romance. Add a supernatural flare? Fantastic. I’m a fated mates touch-her-and-die kinda girl. However, as spicy as this book had a tendency to be, it felt really long and rambling. It also had a lot of secondary characters with extensive back stories that were leaned into a little too hard and were obviously in previous books. Theu also weren’t hard to understand, accept, and move on to the current subject of the book, but there were moments that made me say “yeah, we get it!” where I just wished the author would Move. ON. The friendships and relationships ans world building were still good, I just think it could have been made a lot shorter and be just as good if not better.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND BACCHANALIA HOUSE FOR THE ADVANCED COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR A FAIR REVIEW!

Categories
Cozy RomCom Witchy!

Bespoke & Bespelled

By Karen Healey

Rating: 3.5*s-Short Sweet Romance

AVAILABLE NOW FROM 8TH NOTE PRESS

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Stitch-witch and costume designer Marnie Taylor knew she was taking a risk when she left her solid studio job in L.A. and returned to New Zealand for a job on the film adaptation of her favorite fantasy book series. But she didn’t expect supernatural sabotage on set – or her inconvenient but pressing attraction to the leading man.

A-lister Rider Adams was excited for something new – the lead in an adaptation of an iconic series. Instead, he’s trapped with a terrible script and a cursed production plagued by mysterious problems from flat tires to costumes that seem to almost magically resize overnight. And for some reason, he can’t stop making an idiot of himself in front of the gorgeous costume supervisor…”

REVIEW:

This was a short romance with a magical, thick FMC and a movie star MMC.  The on-set hijinx and off-set chemistry between the characters is very cute and the FMCs search for the person or thing cursing the production that is supposed to be her saving grace leads to plenty of fun.

It’s an easy read and pretty cozy if you’re into that. Nothing really deep, the romance provides a little spice. The length is roughly novella. It’s a fun little escape if you need a palate cleanser.

Thanks to NetGalley and 8th Note Press for the free copy in exchange for an honest Review!

Categories
Romance RomCom Spicy🌶️ Thick Babes Witchy!

How to Help a Hungry Werewolf

By Charlotte Stein.

Rating: 3*s – Supernatural Spice

NOW AVAILABLE FROM ST. MARTIN’S PRESS!

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“When Cassandra Camberwell returns to her hometown of Hollow Brook to clear out her late grandmother’s ramshackle old house, the last thing she expects is Seth Brubaker on her doorstep. Her former best friend was responsible for the worst moment of her high school life, and she can’t imagine he wants to do anything but torment her all over again.

Until she unearths the real reason this annoyingly gorgeous beast of a man keeps hanging around: he’s an actual werewolf, who’s certain she’s the witch that will ease his suffering. But Cassie just isn’t sure if she can trust him again. So Seth offers a pact: he’ll teach her all about her undiscovered magic, and she will brew the potions he needs. No feelings, no funny business, just a witch and a werewolf striking a deal.

Totally doable. Until they get hit with a do-or-die mating bond. And now the heat is rising, in between fights with formers bullies and encounters with talking raccoons. They just have to not give in. Unless giving in just might be the very thing they never knew they always wanted.”

REVIEW:

Let me preface this by saying that I LOVE Charlotte Stein books. I also LOVE witchy books. I dig Werewolf stories, and LOVE enemies to lovers romances. Why am I sugar coating? Because although I loved the ending and see the potential in a series, the first 25%-40% of this was ROUGH. Not everything. Just the dialogue between the MCs. It felt like it was one person talking to themselves. They talked the same and it really did not feel like there was any actual chemistry. The male MC had some Himbo energy, but it wasn’t pulled off well–at first!

Although the beginning was rough and I hated the dialogue, the rest of the story was a ton of fun. Very redemptive. It’s kind of worth the bumpy road in the waybin, hut it would have been better if the dialogue hadn’t been super cringe. I almost DNFed in the beginning. But I’m really glad I stuck with it!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!