Review: Dating the Enemy

Title: Dating the Enemy 
Author: Nicole Williams 
Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary 
Publisher: Self-Published 
Publication Date: September 23, 2018 
Source: Bought

Ms. Romance, Hannah Arden, writes one of the top read relationship advice columns in the nation. Mr. Reality, Brooks North, writes the top read relationship advice column.
Ms. Romance believes in true love and soul mates. Mr. Reality believes love is a term humanity has assigned to the primal instinct to procreate. She believes in fate—he in chance. She knows there’s one right person for everyone—he knows there are multiple ones. The two writers couldn’t be more polarized on relationships. They’re professional rivals, and philosophical antagonists.
For eight years, their battles have been fought with words and ink. That changes when they apply for the same position at the World Times and find themselves face-to-face for the first time. Brooks isn’t the sour-faced, antiquity of a man Hannah pictured. And Hannah isn’t exactly the middle-aged shrew with cat hair on her housedress that Brooks imagined either.
In lieu of competing for the promotion traditional ways, the two writers are presented with playing the leading roles in a social experiment unlike any before. Can a person be tricked into falling in love? Can a relationship be crafted under the right string of circumstances? Hannah knows the answer. So does Brooks.
Agreeing to the terms, the two set out on a three-month dating experiment, live-streamed for the world to watch. All Hannah has to do to win is not fall in love with the narcissistic brute. All Brooks has to do is get the starry-eyed dreamer to fall in love with him. Both are so confident in their philosophies, they expect the challenge to be easy.
With the world watching, Brooks and Hannah will be forced to confront their beliefs and conclude, once and for all, who’s right. The answer is one neither of them saw coming. 

Goodreads | Amazon 

I feel like it's only fair to warn you guys right off the bat: this is going to be more rant than review. It is also going to be loaded full of spoilers because I have some thoughts.

Okay, I thought I was going to love this book. Enemies-to-lovers is my jam and I basically read all I can of that trope. While I don't think I've ever read another one of Nicole William's books, I had high hopes for Dating the Enemy because of all the hype and the premise. However, it just . . . did not work for me. At all. 

Let's go through what I did like: the cover is awesome, it definitely caught my eye and I feel like it reflects the tension of enemies-to-lovers really well. This was also a book that, despite the problems I had with it, kept me reading. I went through it pretty quickly (though, to be fair, I skimmed a decent bit toward the end) and I didn't DNF, so that's something. 

Yeah . . . that was pretty much all I was okay within this book. I feel really bad about not having more nice things to say about it but it just wasn't my cup of tea. So, onto the things that didn't work/the rant.

Ohhhhhh my gosh, you guys, I could not stand this contrived, weird social experiment/dating situation the two MCs were thrown into. It made zero sense to me. Basically, Brooks, aka "Mr. Reality" has to make Hannah fall in love with him and Hannah, aka "Ms. Romance" has to not fall in love with him proving . . . something? I don't know what the reasoning is behind this or how Hannah would win if she didn't fall in love. Wouldn't that disprove or weaken all her points about love? Like, if Hannah was supposed to be "Ms. Romance" and Brooks is "Mr. Reality", wouldn't it make more sense for Hannah to make Brooks fall in love with her and admit love is real instead of the other way around?? Hannah already believes in love so I'm confused as to what Brooks was trying to convince her of by making her fall in love with him. And isn't he kind of an ass for manipulating her emotions and feelings and making her fall in love with him when he doesn't believe in love and doesn't plan on returning those feelings (at least at first)?

Like, Hannah's whole schtick was proving that love lives and stuff but she spent three months not falling in love with a guy who was wooing her so like . . . what's the logic here? That makes no sense to me. It seemed like the author confused the main characters. What they each preached absolutely didn't coincide with their actions throughout the book. Brooks, the supposedly love-unbeliever, was totally romantic and wanted a relationship with Hannah. But Hannah, the "hopeful romantic" was SO RESISTANT to all the romance and was so wishy-washy and unable to own up to her feelings, even behind doors when she and Brooks were "real" and away from the cameras. 

Throughout the book, Brooks had to basically stage these dates to take Hannah on where they were filmed to a live audience and it was so cringy. I guess it was going for a like, The Bachelor vibe but it just didn't work for me. It felt weird that a newspaper would turn to TV to up its own popularity but, whatever, that's the least of my problems with this book. One of these dates he takes her on is to this dance club and when she gets there -- being filmed, keep in mind -- Brooks is dancing and flirting with another girl!! Like, what the actual hell, Brooks! What an asshole move! It's one thing to be a jerk in private but when literally hundreds of thousands of people are watching you disrespect the girl you actually asked on a date by flirting with another one . . . that's just gross. That whole situation made me so mad. Especially when Brooks was like "oh, are you jealous?! *winkwink*". Like, no, you ginormous douche, I'm pissed that you're embarrassing me and disrespecting me, especially in front of a live audience! 

It also felt like there was no gradual change in Brooks's feelings toward Hannah. Like, the first time they meet he's like "love doesn't exist!!!" and the next he's trying to take Hannah on "real dates" and wooing her and wanting a real relationship. Like, what convinced him he wanted love?? Hannah constantly rejecting him? 

Oh my gosh, I also got so tired of the constant conversations about whether love existed. I get that was a pretty significant theme in the book but it was just the same exact conversation every single chapter. It drove me insane and those conversations were where the most skimming took place. 

ALSO (sorry, I know this review is getting long but I GOTTA RANT), it felt like the author was trying to be super body positive and the MC Hannah described herself as a size 10 and not like the other super thin woman in the city but it just didn't work. Hannah made some somewhat negative comments about her own weight throughout the book (usually followed by Brooks being like "no way, you're crazy" or whatever) and she also constantly tore down women who were skinny. It was really obnoxious to read and I don't think the author achieved what she meant to do, which I'm sure was to be positive and inclusive of different body types. 

Okay, there was one last scene at the end that I have to talk about because it was so unbelievable and out of nowhere -- toward the end of the book, Brooks and Hannah are making out or whatever in her apartment and her friends just randomly show up (it's late at night BTW) wanting to watch the like, extended version of Pride and Prejudice so Hannah basically forces Brooks into her closet AND PROCEEDS TO WATCH THE FIRST DISC OF THE MOVIE WITH HER FRIENDS. WHILE BROOKS IS JUST STANDING LOCKED IN A CLOSET. 

Like, WTF??? First of all, why would her friend just show up in the middle of the night with no warning and expect to watch a several-hours-long movie? SECOND OF ALL, why didn't Hannah just tell them not tonight?! Wouldn't that make more sense than making your boyfriend stand in the closest for "a few hours"?! Who does that?? And apparently, Brooks wasn't even mad about it! He was just like "oh, now you own me *sexyeyes*". No way! If I was in that situation, I'd be fuming. She left him in a closet for a few hours while she watched a movie with her friends!! A movie they already watched hundreds of times! UGH. 

Honestly, I have several other things I could talk about that really bothered me but I'm going to cut myself off there. This book just . . . didn't make sense to me. Nothing really worked and I was left just feeling frustrates and confused about all the high ratings. That said, there are generally high ratings for this book so I'm not in the majority here. If this sounds like your cup of tea, give it a shot! I hope you like it more than I did. 

It was a circus, and Brooks and I had become the main attraction.

Two out of Five Teapots

Review: Not So Nice Guy

Title: Not So Nice Guy
Author: R.S. Grey 
Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary 
Publisher: N/A
Publication Date: August 9, 2018 
Source: Bought

"Oh my god. Who is that?"
I get asked this question a lot.
"Oh him?" I reply. "That's just Ian."
Just Ian is the biggest understatement of the century.
Just the Mona Lisa. Just the Taj Mahal. Just Ian, with his boring ol' washboard abs and dime-a-dozen dimpled smile.
Just Ian is... just my best friend.
We're extremely close, stuck so deep inside a Jim-and-Pam-style friendzone everyone at works assumes we're a couple - that is until one day, word spreads through the teacher's lounge that he's single. Fair game. Suddenly, it's open season on Ian.
He should be reveling in all the newfound attention, but to our mutual surprise, the only attention he seems to want is mine.
He's turning our formerly innocent nightly chats into x-rated phone calls. Our playful banter sports a new, dangerous edge.
I want to assume he's playing a prank on me, just pushing my buttons like always - but when Ian lifts me onto the desk in my classroom and slides his hands up my skirt, he doesn't leave a lot of room for confusion.
I'm a little scared of things going south, of losing my best friend because I can't keep my hands to myself. So, I'm just going to back away and not return this earth-shattering kiss - oh who am I kidding?!
Goodbye Ian, ol' buddy, ol' pal!
Helloooo mister not so nice guy.

Goodreads | Amazon 

This was my first R.S. Grey book in a while. I've always been hit or miss with her writing and the last books I read of her's -- Anything You Can Do -- annoyed me so much that I pretty much swore off reading her stuff. However, when I heard the summary and the hype for Not So Nice Guy, I decided to throw caution to the wind and give her another shot. And man, am I happy I did! Not So Nice Guy was a happy surprise of a read and one that has reignited my interest in R.S. Grey's other books!

My two favorite romance tropes are enemies-to-lovers and friends-to-lovers -- I love the tension and the conflict these two scenarios create so I was so excited when I heard the summary of this one. We were sort of thrown into Sam and Ian's (the main characters) friendship from the start which can sometimes lead to some reader whiplash or make me feel like I'm missing something but that absolutely wasn't the case with this book! I felt so comfortable reading about Sam and Ian as friends -- I loved their routine and the humor they shared and their fun traditions. It all felt really natural and it was easy to fall into. Plus, it made it all the better so see their friendship heat up. Their relationship -- both friendship-wise and romantic-wise -- was so rewarding and it made me want to read more and more about them!

One thing I wasn't super thrilled about was the direction and the pacing of the plot. Once things got rolling . . . holy cow, did they roll fast! I sort of felt like I was a little cartoon character hanging onto the bumper of a car racing down the freeway. Things happened really quickly and it made me sort of . . . sad. Like, it felt like we were supposed to believe all these really big decisions they were making were the right decisions just because they knew each other as friends. And, I mean, they did, but it just felt a little fake. Like they were rushing because they didn't want to slow down and consider their options or talk things through. I don't know, I just wished we'd been able to see more development of their romantic relationship at a more reasonable pace. 

Even though things did move rather quickly, I still enjoyed reading Not So Nice Guy. It had some great funny moments, a swoon-worthy friends-to-lovers story, and a super sweet romance. This book had definitely won me over and I plan to read more by R.S. Grey soon! 

“One second, he’s my best friend, and the next he’s the not so nice guy, the man who handles me like he’s barely resisting the urge to devour me whole.” 

Four out of Five Teapots

DNF Review: The Peer and the Pupper

Title: The Peer and the Puppet 
Series: When Rivals Play #1 
Author: B.B. Reid 
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Bebe's Reads LLC
Publication Date: July 22, 2018 
Source: Bought 

THE PUPPET
Borrow the bike. Win the race. Collect the cash. It should've been an easy job. Ran out of town with a broken leg and a lawsuit, my mother's latest flame swoops in like a knight in gilded armor. Blackwood Keep is a place I don't belong, and I'm not the only one who knows. To the boy across the hall, my savior's only son, I'm a stray looking for a bone.
He's lord of the manor.
King of the academy.
And number one on my shit list.
THE PEER
I have no intentions of becoming a happy family with the social climber and her wild daughter. A bottle of Jameson and a cracked skull gets my problem shipped to reform school, but I didn't bank on her returning.
Four's out to get even, and she almost had the perfect plan: expose the privileged kid moonlighting as a gangbanger. She's smart, but she'll have to be smarter. Sending her away won't be good enough this time. I'm going to have to tame the little troublemaker. To the girl across the hall, the one without a name, I'm nothing without my silver spoon.
She's lady of the trailer park.
Queen of the swamps.
And my new favorite pastime.

Goodreads | Amazon 

Well, this book was a mess. 

Honestly, I wanted so badly to love this one. It sounded right up my alley -- enemies to lovers, a strong female protagonist, and the two main characters are thrown together! I mean, that's a recipe for an entertaining read. Unfortunately, this one turned from entertaining to infuriating pretty soon after I started it. There was just so much going on that it annoyed me. It felt like the author couldn't quite balance all the different plot lines and it left me feeling confused and irritated while I was reading. I ended up DNFing it at 77%. 

Okay, so I straight up couldn't stand the main characters. First of all, their names. The girl was named Four, the boy named Ever. 

Four. Ever. 

. . . Yeah. 

They were also just both very annoying. I didn't get what was Ever's problem?? Like, I get that the author was going for the irresistible, bad-boy, jerk hero we so often see in books like this but it absolutely didn't work. Ever had the personality of a saltine cracker and all the "dangerous" things about him made me think he was just dumb. I really do hate feeling this way but I just couldn't find it in me to root for him or even like him. I didn't enjoy reading about him and it just made me sad for Four, honestly. I hated that she even gave him the time of day. He didn't treat her well at all, even in the moments when he was supposed to be like a "nice guy" but Four fell for it and it just . . . ugh. It was so frustrating. She really didn't turn out to be the strong female character I thought she would be which was sad. 

Like I previously said, the plot was really disjointed and all over the place.  It was going in too many different directions and it made it hard to follow and feel connected to the characters. What made it even harder was the fact that the author just didn't explain anything. Like, I get not wanting to spoon-feed your readers information but it got to the point that the author was keeping things so vague that I was left feeling stupid, like I was missing something I should have got but the information just wasn't there. 

I could honestly keep going on but I don't want to. In all, this book just wasn't for me. None of the elements in it sparked my interest (like I said, many of them ignited my annoyance). If you've been a fan of this author's previous work, you may have more luck with this one than I did. 

“You are the karma I deserve.” 

One out of Five Teapots

Waiting on Wednesday #135

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine which spotlights highly anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: The Bride Test 

Series: The Kiss Quotient #2 

Author: Helen Hoang 

Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary 

Publisher: Berkley 

Publication Date: May 7, 2019

Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.
As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working…but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.
With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love. 

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

Why I'm waiting on The Bride Test this Wednesday: I absolutely loved The Kiss Quotient and I'm so excited to read more from this author! This cover of this one is so pretty and I love the sound of the blurb -- I'm also really hoping we get to see Stella and Michael in this story! I want to know how they're doing. 

Have you read The Kiss Quotient yet? I seriously recommend you do if you haven't! Seriously, it's such a good book and I have no doubt that this one will be just as wonderful. I can't wait until it's out in the world and I get to five into the story!

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? 

Review: The Kiss Quotient

Title: The Kiss Quotient
Series: The Kiss Quotient #1 
Author: Helen Hoang 
Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary 
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Source: Bought 

A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there's not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.
Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases--a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.
It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice--with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan--from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...
Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he's making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic...

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

SO GOOD. 

That was my first thought after finishing this book! It was one of those reads that made me let out a big, happy sigh when I turned the last page. It's not often I find a book that genuinely brings a smile to my face but The Kiss Quotient did just that. I love the characters, the plot, and sizzling chemistry between the leads, and the fact that it was an ownvoices novel!

Okay, I absolutely freaking love Stella. She was such a badass and an all-around great character to read about! I loved how sweet she was and how passionate she was about her interests and the people she loved. Honestly, she's been a huge motivation and an inspiration to me since reading the book. I loved how strong she was and how willing she was to put the time and the effort into the things she wanted. Easily one of the strongest characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. While The Kiss Quotient is part of a series, I don't think the second book follows these characters and I'm so sad we won't see more of Stella in the next story. 

I also loved Michael (surprise surprise). He was such a sweet guy and put all of his efforts into making those around him happy. While this was very nice of him, it also lead to some frustration on my end. Like, I loved how caring and protective he was but I just wanted him to be selfish sometimes and put himself and his happiness first sometimes! A lot of the conflict in the novel sort of grew from that aspect of his personality. 

Even though I did have some issues with Michael, I still found his connection with Stella absolutely amazing. Holy cow, did these two have some insane chemistry! I really wasn't expecting this novel to be as hot as it was but . . . I mean, make sure you have a fan and an iced drink near when you read it!

Overall, this was an absolutely fantastic read. If you haven't picked it up yet, I really urge you to do so. It's full of so much heart and so many sweet moments. I'm so looking forward to read more books by Helen Hoang and already have the second book in the series -- The Bride Test -- listed on my TBR! 

“All the things that make you different make you perfect.” 

Four out of Five Teapots

Waiting on Wednesday #133

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine which spotlights highly anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating 
Author: Christina Lauren 
Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary 
Publisher: Gallery Books 
Publication Date: September 4, 2018

Hazel Camille Bradford knows she’s a lot to take—and frankly, most men aren’t up to the challenge. If her army of pets and thrill for the absurd don’t send them running, her lack of filter means she’ll say exactly the wrong thing in a delicate moment. Their loss. She’s a good soul in search of honest fun.
Josh Im has known Hazel since college, where her zany playfulness proved completely incompatible with his mellow restraint. From the first night they met—when she gracelessly threw up on his shoes—to when she sent him an unintelligible email while in a post-surgical haze, Josh has always thought of Hazel more as a spectacle than a peer. But now, ten years later, after a cheating girlfriend has turned his life upside down, going out with Hazel is a breath of fresh air.
Not that Josh and Hazel date. At least, not each other. Because setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there’s nothing between them...right?

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

 Why I'm waiting on Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating this Wednesday: I seriously love Christina Lauren books. They're always so fun, hilarious, and hot. I have no doubt that this one will meet (or exceed) my expectations! 

Have you ever read any books by Christina Lauren? Which is your favorite? I think Roomie is my favorite of theirs -- it was so cute and well written. The cover for that one looks a lot like the cover for this one so I have high hopes :) 

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Review: Jock Row

Title: Jock Row 
Series: Jock Row #1 
Author: Sara Ney 
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary 
Publisher: Self-published 
Publication Date: May 3, 2018 
Source: Bought

Scarlett is always the sensible one: The sober driver. The planner. The one holding your hair back while you're worshiping the porcelain gods.
Week-after-week, she visits Jock Row with her friends—the university's hottest party scene and breeding ground for student athletes. And if keeping her friends out of trouble, and guys out of their pants, was a sport, she'd be the star athlete.
Being a well known jock-blocker gets her noticed for all the wrong reasons; just like that, she's banned from Jock Row. NO GUY WANTS A GIRL AROUND WHO KEEPS THEIR JOCK FRIENDS FROM GETTING LAID.
"Rowdy" Wade is the hot shot short-stop for the university's baseball team—and the unlucky bastard who drew the short straw: keep little Miss Goody Two-Shoes out of the Baseball House.
But week-after-week Scarlett returns, determined to get inside.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

Talk about a refreshing read! Jock Row was exactly what I needed. I had been in a bit of a reading slump when I picked it up and I was instantly sucked into this story (much to my relief)! Honestly, reading this book felt like a breath of fresh air. I'm so used to unnecessary and often-times frustrating drama and angst in contemporary reads but this one had none of that! It was a sweet, fun, and relaxing book to sit down with and made me excited to see what else I can read by this author!

The characters in this were both so sweet and so caring and so mature. It was a lovely change to have two characters who weren't constantly causing problems with each other because they didn't communicate well or they jumped to conclusions. Both Scarlett and Rowdy were very honest with each other and clearly devoted to staying with each other once they had moved from being just friends to being more. Seeing a couple who actually had a healthy relationship was amazing. 

Scarlett and Rowdy also had a sloooooow burn romance. And I loved it. Their relationship took its time developing from strangers to friends to more. It was lovely to witness and gave me all sorts of fluttery, happy feels. Everything felt so much more gratifying once they got together. 

Jock Row was an amazing, refreshing read. This is one of the best romances I've read this year -- I loved the lack of unnecessary drama and the maturity and openness of the two leads. While I haven't read anything else by Sara Ney, I definitely plan to check out her other works!

“What the hell could he possibly want?

And why is he so damn handsome?” 

Five out of Five Teapots

Mini Reviews: Dirty Duet Series

Title: Dirty Filthy Rich Men 
Series: Dirty Duet #1 
Author: Laurelin Paige 
Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary 
Publisher: Everafter Romance 
Publication Date: March 27, 2017 
Source: Bought

When I met Donovan Kincaid, I knew he was rich. I didn’t know he was filthy. Truth be told, I was only trying to get his best friend to notice me.
I knew poor scholarship girls like me didn't stand a chance against guys like Weston King and Donovan Kincaid, but I was in love with his world, their world, of parties and sex and power. I knew what I wanted—I knew who I wanted—until one night, their world tried to bite me back and Donovan saved me. He saved me, and then Weston finally noticed me, and I finally learned what it was to be in their world.
And then what it was like to lose it.
Ten years later, I’ve found my way back. Back to their world. Back to him.
This time, I’m ready. I've been down this road before, and I know all the dirty, filthy ways Donovan will try and wreck me.
But it’s hard to resist. Especially when I know how much I’ll like it.
From NYT Bestselling author Laurelin Paige, discover a whole new world filled with sex, love, power, romance and dirty, filthy rich men.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository 

I'm mad at myself for waiting so long to read this book. Honestly, I don't know what stopped me -- possibly my aversion to second-chance romances. Luckily, I took the plunge and decided to get this book and man, am I happy I did. Donovan and Sabrina were so right for each other, even though their relationship was a little dark and a little rough around the edges. I couldn't get enough of their interactions. 

I loved Sabrina -- she was an extremely smart and strong woman. I loved her drive and her work ethic and I appreciated the perseverance she had when it came to getting what she wanted. My only little complaint about her is that Donovan would do something to (rightfully) upset her and she would be mad but then she would just forget all about it as soon as Donovan interacted with her again. I wanted her to put her foot down and get an apology or something!

This book was also blazing hot. Holy cow, the chemistry between these two is definitely there.

“Good tension. Bad tension. I wasn't sure if there was a difference when it came to Donovan.” 

Four out of Five Teapots

Title: Dirty Filthy Rich Love 

Series: Dirty Duet #2 

Author: Laurelin Paige

Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary 

Publisher: Paige Press LLC 

Source: Bought

I’ve discovered Donovan Kincaid’s secret.
It’s dirty and filthy and rich – as dirty and filthy and rich as he is – and it haunts me as much as he ever did.
Even after knowing what I know now, I still want to talk to him, to touch him. But there’s an ocean between us, and I’m not sure it can be crossed with something as easy as a phone call or a plane ride.
Yet I’m willing to try.
He doesn’t know this yet, but this time I’m the one with the power. And maybe – just maybe – if the air were cleared and all our secrets bared, there could still be a chance for us.
And this dirty, filthy thing between us might end up being love after all.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Another solid read from Laurelin Paige! I think she may become one of my favorite romance authors. While the first book focused a lot on the two leads reconnecting after ten years apart, this one really delved into their relationship with each other now and their individual histories. I loved learning more about Donovon this book -- he's definitely not your typical male lead and he's hiding some fairly dark things about himself. But seeing him open up to Sabrina and be vulnerable was amazing. They really complement each other a lot. 

Since this is a sequel, I don't have a whole lot of new things to talk about. The plot and pace of this book were great for the most part. My only little complaint is the epilogue -- I wish we could have seen a little bit more of their future. But overall, this was an incredible series. I'm definitely planning on picking up more of Laurelin Paige's books! 

“You hold the cards right now, Sabrina,” he said, his nose almost touching mine. “But don’t begin to think I’ve forgotten who’s in charge.” 

Four out of Five Teapots

Review: A Court of Frost and Starlight

Title: A Court of Frost and Starlight 
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #3.1
Author: Sarah J. Maas 
Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance 
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA 
Publication Date: May 1, 2018 
Source: Bought 

Hope warms the coldest night.
Feyre, Rhys, and their close-knit circle of friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly-changed world beyond. But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it, a hard-earned reprieve.
Yet even the festive atmosphere can't keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated--scars that will have far-reaching impact on the future of their Court.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

I'm a happy little peach whenever I get to read a new Sarah J. Maas book. Her writing has inspired me so much as I've worked on my own writing and stories. A Court of Thorns and Roses has been one of my all-time favorite series since I read the first book and while I'm not a huge fan of novellas, I knew I would read this one when it was first announced! While I enjoyed spending time with these characters and in this world, it sort of felt like something was missing from this novella for me. 

Feyre, Rhysand, and the Inner Circle are so much fun to read about -- I love learning more about their history and seeing the way they all interact with each other. Sarah does an incredible job of creating and developing unique and dynamic relationships between each of them individually as well as a whole group. It felt like this novella was mostly spent just exploring these relationships further and setting things up for future novels in the story. We did get a couple of new perspectives -- I think it was Cassian and Mor, which I really enjoyed, though this did make the story feel a bit disjointed. As much as I love Cassian and Mor, their POVs felt a little forced in this and like they was just set up for future books. 

My biggest issue with this book was the lack of plot. This is a problem I tend to have with novellas just in general but I was a bit disappointed to see it happen with ACOFAS. Most of the story revolved around Feyre finding her own space in Velaris and preparing for the Winter Solstice. It just . . . felt like nothing very exciting happened? It was nice hanging out with the characters but it made me wonder exactly how necessary this novella was. I did set up for the next books a bit but I feel like the next books would've been fine without this one. 

While this wasn't amazing, I still had fun reading about these characters and this setting. I definitely don't think this is a super necessary read -- you could probably get through the series without reading this and you wouldn't really miss anything. If nothing else, it made me even more excited for the next actual novel in this series; it follows two characters (one in particular) that I absolutely love.

“Stars flickered around us, sweet darkness sweeping in. As if we were the only souls in a galaxy.” 

Four out of Five Teapots 

Review: To Kill A Kingdom

Title: To Kill A Kingdom 
Author: Alexandra Christo 
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Retelling 
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends 
Publication Date: March 6, 2018 
Source: Bought 

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.
The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

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I'm such a sucker for dark fantasy books. Add in a dash of fairytale retelling, an enemies-to-lovers romance, and killer world building and I'm a goner. To Kill A Kingdom has all of this and more and it totally sucked me in. I'm a little sad that it's not a series, even though it ended so well. I just want more time in this world and with these characters. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Alexandra Christo will write more in this world, even if it doesn't necessarily follow these same characters. 

First -- the world! I can't rave about the setting, history, and lore of this world enough. I loved the concept of having a bunch of royal families who are all thought to have some sort of mystical/magical aspect/ability in their bloodline. I really wanted to learn more about all the other kingdoms and royal families; the ones we did learn about were just so cool. And the setting was just gorgeous in general -- the imagery had me wishing I could spend a couple months just going all throughout this world exploring it.  It feels like we only just scratched the surface of this world and I really would love another few books set here!

Okay, Lira and Elian are so, so amazing. I loved how their upbringings and positions mirrored each other while also contrasting each other. There was so much awesome in both their characters and a lot of that awesomeness stemmed from their flaws and their complexity. Neither were perfect (far from it, in fact) but their experiences and growth throughout the novel earned them a place in my heart. I loved watching their relationship develop as they were forced together time and time again. They were also both so stabby and murderous and I couldn't get enough of that. I love somewhat villainous and morally gray characters and these ones definitely fit the bill. While I would love to read more about them, I'm happy with the way both their stories were left. 

The only thing that kept this from being a five-star read for me was the rushed and somewhat chaotic ending. So much was happening at once and there were so many characters at play that it made it difficult to keep track of exactly what was going on and with who. But still, the majority of this book was absolutely amazing and the chaos of the end definitely didn't take much from it!

Overall, I'm so thrilled I picked up this book. I loved the world and the characters and I want more of all of it! My fingers are firmly crossed that we will get another book set in this world. It's such an interesting concept and one that we've only just started to explore. If you're a fan of fantasy books, retellings, and awesome romance subplots, I'd highly recommend picking To Kill A Kingdom up!

“They celebrate love as though it's power, even though it has killed far more humans than I ever have.” 

Four out of Five Teapots

Tea Party Talk: Stop Undervaluing Romance Books and Shaming Romance Readers

In the last few years, I've been making an effort to expand my reading interest! This was an exciting and fun change that has led to a bunch of awesome books. Through this, I have discovered a love of romance novels! I've always been drawn to books that have romantic subplots so I was thrilled when I picked up my first romance book and found that the focus was on two people finding love. I found so much comfort in these stories, especially when I was going through times that I found emotionally difficult. They've helped me through some dark parts in my life and hold a special place in my heart. But since becoming a romance reader, I've wrestled with some ridiculous (but harmful) reactions from others. 

It wasn't until I began really falling into the genre that I was confronted by some of the not-so-great consequences of reading it (i.e.: people thinking you're dumb/not a "real" reader because you enjoy a good romance). I was honestly shocked that people were so harsh on the romance genre and its readers. I would go into the romance aisles at bookstores and catch the judgemental stares of other people browsing throughout the store (but, of course, staying faaaar away from the romance aisle). I got the impression that people thought I was somehow a lesser reader or not as intelligent because I was holding books in my hands that focused on romance. 

I honestly started feeling self-conscious and embarrassed whenever I found myself standing in the romance aisles. My kindle began filling with these titles because I felt better about buying them online rather than in the store (no one to judge you when you buy online). I hated the way other people made me feel, like I had something to be ashamed of just because I enjoyed this genre. It was infuritating, if I'm being honest. I've read widely and voraciously for many years -- everything from classics, to Young Adult, to high fantasy and beyond. And I've read romance novels that were just as (if not more) well written than books in those genres. Romance novels that tackled tough and nuanced subjects, that had three dimensional and complex characters, that brought up interesting and engaging questions to me as a reader. 

I have never seen romance as a "lesser-than" genre and it pisses me off that some people think of it that way and for what reason? Because there's kissing? Because they often end in a happily ever after? What is wrong with that? Sometimes a happily ever after is necessary (especially with all of horrors and negativity in the world right now -- if I want to read a book that will leave me happy, I damn well will).   

I'm tired of people (both in and out of the industry) not taking the romance genre seriously and looking down their noses at the readers. I'm especially tired of letting them make me feel ashamed for reading these stories! So, no more of that nonsense. Here are some absolutely amazing romance stories that you should check out because they're incredible.

LGBTQ+ sports romance that is so awesome I'm still flailing about it weeks after finishing. The MCs are so amazing and Gavin Brawley is my favorite and he needs to be protected at all cost. Add it on Goodreads.

Unproblematic fav and another sports romance. I loved the progression of the relationship in this one and the lack of unnecessary drama and angst. Read if you want to smile a whole bunch. Add it on Goodreads.

A romance full of awesome representation and diversity. The heroine has Asperger's and the hero is Vietnamese and Swedish and they are literally so amazing together. This was one of my favorite books of the year so far and I think everyone should read it. Add it on Goodreads.

This is one that I can read over and over again and never get tired of. I related so much to the heroine when I read it and fell head of heels for the hero. Seriously, Crosbie is so amazing and sweet. Add it on Goodreads.

I can't not add this book to a list of awesome, must-read romance books. I've read it only about a million times and plan to read it more. If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers romances, you should read this one. Add it on Goodreads. 

What are some of your favorite romance books? This only barely scratches the surface of my favorites but these are a good start! Have you ever experienced judgement from people who found out you read a certain genre? How did you deal with it? I'd love to hear from you!

Leave your comments in the comments below!