Reckless Vow – Gemma Morr (out 26th March ’26)
2/5 ⭐️
Unfortunately this one just did not work for me. Interconnected standalones should be accessible to new readers and giving some Easter eggs for returning ones. Here I felt like I was missing out on a lot of backstories and dynamics.
The characters and plot was fine for the most part but I was just struggling to connect with any of them.
The random Americanisms from the British characters and the use of real pop culture references also took me out of the story.
There were two scenes I absolutely hated
1. the girl fight at the rodeo, there’s just something misogynistic about two girls fighting over a man. Especially considering that it was entirely unnecessary because the conflict between our main characters was already resolved?
2. ‘I swear to God, Jessica, if that really happened, I’m gonna do whatever you goddamn well tell me to for a live-action replay.’ – this scene felt like an epitome of straight people writing queer characters (I don’t actually know the author’s orientation), and an immediate red flag for the MMC, I really struggled to like him after that.
All in all the story was just fine and unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be picking up anything else from this author, even though I really did enjoy the vivid setting.
Quill and the Last Generation – C.M. Lewis
3/5 ⭐️
A decent introduction to a new fantasy world. Good world building and a large list of likeable characters.
However none of them feel their age, Quill especially feels much older than he’s supposed to be.
Love and Other Brain Experiments – Hannah Brohm
“I’ve never felt this way before. Attraction, sure. Appreciation, maybe comfort, too. But not this endless wonder.”
3.75/5 ⭐️
Slightly overwritten and repetitive at times, but the characters were relatable and the story itself very enjoyable. With a very accurate description of academic life, which is obviously not a surprise considering the author’s background.
I especially appreciated the fact that even though there were miscommunications, a pet peeve of mine, were fairly promptly discussed and explained.
All in all a strong debut and a nice fast read.
Risky Business – Annabelle Slator
3.5/5 ⭐️
I highly enjoyed Annabelle’s The Launch Date so I was really looking forward to this, unfortunately this one did fall short for me.
I disliked most characters aside from our main couple and it really didn’t feel like Oliver and Jess spend that much time together. So whilst I can’t deny that the chemistry was shown well, the development of actual feelings was a bit haphazard.
Annabelle is a very engaging writer though so I will be picking up whatever she cooks up next.
A Girl Like Her – Talia Hibbert
3.75/5 ⭐️
“I want to take everything you have to give, and I want to think that I deserve it.”
Talia is one of my favourite authors, I haven’t however delved into her early works before. It was very interesting to see that she had her distinct voice even then (it does get more refined over the years and you can definitely see how much she’s grown as an author) and the characters are so unmistakably HERS.
I will be returning to Ravenswood imminently.
A Steeping of Blood – Hafsah Faizal
4/5 ⭐️
This sequel seamlessly transports us back into the world of A Tempest of Tea and to the characters we’re already familiar with.
Set immediately after the events of the first book, it continues with the action and rarely lets you take a breath.
Personally preferred the pacing of this one and the arcs that all of our main characters went on.
I can however see why some people are upset by some of the choices made by Hafsah at the end. It didn’t ruin the enjoyment for me but it did sour the ending a little bit.
The Princess Knight – Cait Jacobs
4/5 ⭐️
I have to admit that I did struggle to get into it at first as I found the absolute avalanche of character names, kingdoms and deities overwhelming (made worse by the fact that I was reading it at the same time as Chloe Gong’s Coldwire with its own extensive world building). But once I had a grasp on all the names it became a very fun, well paced read. I do have to commend the amount of work that went into the Irish folklore research and the world building itself. The kingdoms feel well fleshed out and the characters have their own distinctive personalities, goals and motivations.
Definitely not a medieval rom-com that the marketing would lead you to believe, but an enjoyable adventure full of lovable characters nevertheless. I do hope we will see more of this world in the future.
Uncharmed – Lucy Jane Wood
4/5 ⭐️
I was a fan of the cozy atmosphere of Rewitched but I enjoyed this a lot more. It was lovely to return to the same world and get more in depth look into the magical societies. I was also a big fan of some delightful cameos and Easter eggs!
Our main trio was extremely relatable and very easy to love.
I would agree that the first 50% feel a bit slow but the second half definitely makes up for it, even if I still don’t fully understand how Annie’s hex worked.
The Poisoned King – Katherine Rundell
5/5 ⭐️
“Fear is a fair exchange for love (…) Fear has wisdom in it, if you treat it well.”
Unsurprisingly this was a great sequel to Impossible Creatures.
The new characters were as delightful as the returning ones.
I half expected a Narnia-style time jump that would allow us to have the Immortal back to the same age but I do understand why we did not. And I’m more than glad to have met Anya and her flock. The link to The Odyssey was also a nice touch!
Cannot wait for the audiobook version so I can have Sam West back in the Archipelago.
Right Place, Right Time – Ali McNamara
1.5/5 ⭐️
Unfortunately this one was not for me. The writing was clunky, the characters had no personalities and if I have to read “Clockmaker’s Court” used in a sentence one more time I might just go insane. With it being a mystery, the main characters did very little of actual mystery solving and were just given the answers by the supporting cast. Always presented in an unnecessarily long, exposition dump style, monologues.
ALSO there was a temporary suggestion that the main couple might be related??? Why would you put that in if you’re already developing the romance? WHY.
One Week in Paradise – Anise Starre
4.5/5 ⭐️
Full transparency, I have already read all of Anise’s titles and this request was to show my support as she’s one of my automatic buy authors.
Anise’s is a delightful writer and all her characters are so easily lovable. This is probably my favourite of all her books, mainly because I’m a sucker for forced proximity and fake dating tropes.
Regardless of your favourite tropes though, this is a great quick read for those nice summer evenings.
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping – Sangu Mandanna
5/5 ⭐️
Honestly, I don’t have cohesive thoughts about this story other than I absolutely adored it.
All characters are lovingly fleshed out and handled with so much care, the prose is delightful and the plot more than engaging (although I was expecting for it to tie in with TVSSOIW, but I’m not upset that was not the case!).
Sangu is impeccable with the found family trope and she will forever be on my automatic buy author list (and this particular title has obviously been preordered for months).
Hooked on You – Ada Barume
2/5 ⭐️
The story had a lot of potential but unfortunately this one just did not land for me. On top of being very insta-lovey, all the characters only had surface level development and very little chemistry. The only interactions that I actually found interesting were between Ore, Mel and Agatha. Everyone else was just kind of bland.
Vanya and the Wild Hunt – Sangu Mandanna
5/5 ⭐️
Yet another absolute delight from Sangu Mandanna. Her voice is so lovely and distinct making her stories rarely disappointing.
A creative take on age old fairytales and mythical creatures with a sprinkling of well executed ADHD, neurodiversity and cultural representation.
A lovely exploration of family (both blood and found), friendship and self acceptance, with a great and relatable main heroine and a range of well rounded supporting characters.
Cannot wait for the sequel.
The Eyes & The Impossible – Dave Eggers
5/5 ⭐️
A hug in a (audio)book format. Ethan Hawke’s narration of this story was pitch perfect.
A delightful exploration of friendship, community, what it means to be free and the lengths we’ll go for the ones we love.
Johannes’ love for human art, sometimes to his own detriment, was such a beautiful plot point.
Truly a modern classic and a must read for all ages.
Favourite Daughter – Morgan Dick
4/5 ⭐️
THE read for girls with daddy issues (me).A heartbreaking yet tender exploration of grief, codependency, addiction and trauma.
Heavy but so full of hope.
Both sisters are extremely frustrating to follow at times but that’s one of the things that makes them feel like real people. They’re flawed but you still can’t help but root for them.
The snappy and confident voice of Morgan Dick made for, at times very dark, a very easy read.
Definitely needs content warning and possibly numbers and websites of various helplines.
Bad Publicity – Bianca Gillam
2.75/5 ⭐️
Unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me.
We don’t find out what happened in the past with our characters until we’re 80% through the story and that, on top of FMC constantly being incredibly rude and unprofessional, makes it really hard to root for our main couple. Even small hints as to what happened would’ve been helpful but we get nothing.
We also barely see Andie actually doing her job even though she keeps getting praised for how well she’s doing, she constantly describes looking at books and drinking. It really does feel like our MMC is doing most of the work.
And honestly I think it’s kind of misleading to call them exes cause they barely knew each other. To the point that I don’t think it’s believable that the betrayal was felt so deeply.
Main highlight for me was our MMC but even his problems weren’t fully fleshed out, it would’ve been lovely to see some kind of resolution to his relationship with his dad.
The book could also do with a content warning page for excessive alcohol consumption, grief and sexual harassment (?)/exploitation (?).
The Friendship Fling – Georgia Stone
5/5⭐️
What an absolutely delightful read.
Finn and Ava have my whole heart. Finn especially, the happy-go-lucky with a sad past character trope is one of my all time favourites. And Ava is extremely relatable.
The London setting is so vivid, all characters are lovely and the banter and yearning well written.
I really have no notes, and I know we’re early into the year but this will definitely make my top 5.
Bombshell – Alison Hammond
4/5 ⭐️
Honestly a delightful Christmas read, even with me clocking the reveal quite early on.
A very strong debut.
The Re-Write – Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
4/5 ⭐️
It’s a nice and easy read with some lovely, relatable characters, great friendships and family dynamics. The discussions of masculinity are so important and I do hope this story will make its way to men as well.
I would advise adding a content warning for SA/SH and alcoholism.
They’re handled well but I did get slightly blindsided by the topics.
Snow & Ink – Miyuki Unohana
2.5/5 ⭐️
I’m going to be honest, I’m torn on this one. On one hand the set up is very interesting but the execution is lacking. Not sure if that’s to do with the translation, pacing or the tone shifts? I will probably still look up vol2 cause I am quite curious.
Immortal Dark – Tigest Girma
4/5 ⭐️
Although a slightly slow read at times the plot, characters and the relationships they develop, are interesting (and unhinged) enough to keep you fully engaged. But do be warned, it is not an easy read. The violence (both physical and psychological) is visceral and unrelenting. So do take care of yourself while reading.
The mystery is great and the world building delicious. Especially all the aspects of vampirism (different emotions for different bites and blood licked silver being my personal favourite) and the HOUSE! Although I am still confused about the logistics of Yos and his nail (iykyk).
Now, how do I get myself vampire companions like Yos and Taj?
The Book Swap – Tessa Bickers
4/5 ⭐️
As much as I enjoyed this title I’m going to get the obvious out of the way: this book NEEDS content warnings and numbers/links to various support helplines. It’s a lovely story but it is HEAVY and people need to be aware what they’re getting into. The depiction of bipolar disorder was done (in my experience with the illness) fairly well but I do feel like it was done to make the mum a bit of villain as we never really see her during her good times.
I did find Erin frustrating (at times), and the reason James was bullied very strange (but also left kinda vague?) BUT the story itself was very well done, and I enjoyed the flashbacks to their school days and the way the reason for their estrangement was revealed. It was also lovely to see some very healthy friendships, especially when it comes to James and Joel’s relationship.
All in all it was a lovely, hopeful read that made me want to create a community library in my neighbourhood.
Then Things Went Dark – Bea Fitzgerald
2.5/5 ⭐️
Unfortunately the pacing and the structure are the only positives I can think of for this title.
I realise that it was probably the point but all characters, including the (extremely useless) Interpol, were rage inducing. The general plot was fine but it was simultaneously over explained and not fleshed out enough (ain’t that a conundrum!).
Sadly nowhere near as good as Bea’s debut book.
I will be picking up her other titles though cause I’m sure there’ll be better ones at some point!
Experienced – Kate Young
4.5/5 ⭐️
Let me start off by saying, if Mei has one hater – it’s me, if she has none – I’m dead.
This book really has it all! Queers! Friends to lovers! Fake dating (albeit brief)! Amazing friend groups!
It was a delightful LGBTQ+ read with SO MUCH representation.
It is a bit slow at the start but give it time and you won’t be disappointed.
Honestly, my main gripe with it is that I still have NO idea what Bette did for a living.
Second Chances at the Board Game Cafe – Jennifer Page
3/5 ⭐️
Another cozy, small town story from Jennifer, unfortunately not nearly as engaging as Love Letters.
I tried really hard to like our MCs but I found them both pretty dull and frustrating at times.
One improvement on Love Letters is that we actually get to see the MCs spend time together and their relationship progress (most of that was done off page in LL), so I definitely enjoyed that aspect of the story.
And I do hope we’ll get a Kate story next cause that girl is BUSY!
Irresponsible Adult – Lucy Dillon
3.5/5 ⭐️
I’m going to be brutally honest, I didn’t really enjoy this book until about 60% in. I found the MC infuriating (relatable to a degree, yes, but still unlikeable). I was convinced she was in her early 20s so when I read that she’s 36(!) I had to put down my kindle and walk away for a minute.
But, like I said, once all the plot points started to come together I had a great time!
The writing is good and the side characters lovely (I do wish we spend more time with Jim). Definitely more slice-of-life rather than romance but I’m not mad about it!
All in all a decent read with some useful cleaning tips!
Summer at Sea Glass Cove – Jenny Kane
2/5 ⭐️
I did enjoy the plot and the setting of the story, and there were some likeable characters.
Unfortunately, I feel like there was a lot more bad than good. Henderson was basically a Panto villain, there was no chemistry between any of the couples, the miscommunication (or the total lack of communication) trope was tiring, the dialogue and internal monologues felt stiff and unnatural, and the plot moved at a snail’s pace.
Just For The Summer – Abby Jimenez
5/5 ⭐️
“Four dates, one kiss, and a breakup.”
This is my first book from the author but she might just become an automatic buy for me and I will definitely be going through her catalogue. This was my favourite read of 2024 so far and I have a hard time believing that anything can top it.
The main characters are treated with such tenderness that you cannot help but to root for them every step of the way. The side characters are lovable, the setting is beautiful and the writing is delightful, I’m truly struggling to find something bad to say about this title. I really did appreciate the content warning page as the book does deal with some very heavy topics, do NOT take that warning page lightly.
With Justin liking musicals, sending pre and post date surveys, making Greek mythology analogies and rescuing raccoons (by accident but I’m still counting it) I do feel like this book for written SPECIFICALLY for me, this man did not have a single red flag and I adore him.
Open Minded – Chloe Seager
4/5 ⭐️
An excellent concept and a good exploration of open relationships.
But honestly it was a 3 star book until the last 20% where things finally came together,
For the rest of the book I just wanted to shake all the characters and tell them COMMUNICATE.
I’m very happy with the ending for our main girls though, it’s what they deserve.
Maya’s Laws of Love – Alina Khawaja
4/4 ⭐️
You had me at forced proximity! Very surprised to hear that this was a debut novel, a job well done.
The Bookshop by the Loch – Julie Shackman
2.5/5 ⭐️
Unfortunately this one was not for me, even though the premise seemed right up my alley.
The writing was overly descriptive in the most benign parts but when it came to the relationships we barely got anything.
Some parts felt like they were written by someone who’s not Scottish but who kept remembering that they set their story in Scotland. Phrases felt out of place and we were constantly reminded where we were.
The main plot points definitely had a lot of potential but I feel like not much was done with them.
All in all it was definitely more slice of life than romance.
Dead Girls Walking – Sami Ellis
2/5 ⭐️
I was really looking forward to this one but I’ve got to be honest, a quarter of the way through and I was ready for it to be over.
The writing was all over the place, the characters unlikeable and the motivations convoluted and hard to understand. It also wasn’t very scary. Graphic, yes, but not scary.
The premise itself was very interesting but unfortunately it wasn’t very well executed.
I do find it interesting that there is a lot of positive reviews, maybe it just wasn’t for me.
A Tempest of Tea – Hafsah Faizal
“How did you find such confidence?” he asked. “Finding it suggests I had no part in its making.” – Arthie Casimir, the woman that you are!
Already preordered a physical copy to keep re-reading until the sequel is out.
4.5/5 ⭐️
I’m a sucker for multiple POV books, and the fact that it was heavily influenced by Peaky Blinders? I was sold immediately.
The characters are great, world building satisfying and the plot interesting. The end will leave you shaken and craving (pun intended) more.
A triumph, I tip my baker hat to you Miss Faizal.
(Side note: I have not read the Six of Crows but I do find it unfair that every found family book nowadays is getting compared to it. Leah did not invent the genre.)
The Beholders – Hester Musson
4/5 ⭐️
Slightly different style than I would normally read but I found it to be a very enjoyable read. But boy oh boy, does this book need some trigger warnings. I do understand why they would not be included at the start of the book as some of them would spoil important plot points, but I would recommend adding some support websites/numbers at the end. Do not expect fast paced action. This is more of an atmospheric, slow-burn thriller. If you’re looking for a period piece with diary-style writing and an unreliable narrator look no further than this book.
A Dawn of Onyx – Kate Golden
3.5/5 ⭐️
TW: abuse, gore, threat of s/a.
A solid start to a fantasy trilogy. The general set up is simple but it does make for a nice and quick read.
The side characters (and the dragon – iykyk) like the swordmaster and commander were probably my favourite parts of the story.
My main issue was with Arwen’s flip flopping. One page she would be furious at Kane and on the next she would be flirting. I get that this was supposed to be enemies to lovers but some consistency would’ve been nice. There were also some writing clichés: “released a breath I didn’t know I was holding”, the “towering” man trope etc. Also, I’m sorry, but Barney is such a non-fantasy name.
All in all, a decent pick if you’re wanting to get your teeth into the fantasy romance genre (and don’t mind wanting to kill the FMC throughout the book). You will probably see some of the twists coming but you’ll enjoy the journey anyway.
The Takedown – Carlie Walker
“Falling for someone is like reading a book, and the pages keep turning themselves”
4/5 ⭐️
I’ve got to say that I was very impressed by this debut story. Fast paced and well written, even if the premise itself is pretty out there. Not overly spicy but the chemistry is definitely there (it does span over like 2 weeks so I guess it would qualify as “insta-love” but I did not mind it).
The family dynamics are definitely the highlight, but the villain is a bit underused in my opinion. All in all, an enjoyable holiday read!
I do have one question though. Just how big was that living room??!
Token – Beverley Kendall
3/5 ⭐️
I really wanted to like this one but unfortunately most “cases” that Kennedy took on felt like a bad episodes of Suits without any of the good bits.
The promised witty banter was lacking, the FMC often seemed too flustered.
I did enjoy all the writing of all the friendships and relationships, and I do think characters had a lot of chemistry.
To The Dogs – Louise Welsh
2.5/5⭐️
Unfortunately a very mediocre story.
The book felt like it was trying to tap into dark academia but did not quite succeed.
The initial concept is engaging but I very quickly found that I did not care about any of the characters.
A quick but not a revolutionary read.
Love Letters on Hazel Lane – Jennifer Page
“Love is requited, they’re both just idiots” AKA JUST KISS ALREADY trope personified.
4.5/5 ⭐️
I would strongly advise the author to add a content warning page or maybe mention something in the description so people have an idea what they’re getting into. Relevant helpline numbers should also be listed at the end.
This book covers the topics of domestic (verbal and emotional) abuse, coercive control, BMI talk and mentions of controlled eating, please be kind to yourself when you read it.
I really loved this one and will definitely be picking up the author’s other title.
The main characters are great and you cannot help but root for them throughout.
I just wish we got to see their time together, cause we know that they’re seeing each other a lot in the run up to the festival but we barely get to spend any time with them!
All in all, it is a lovely cozy read that will leave you with an arsenal of new Scrabble words to play.
The Hotel Room Mix-Up – Kathy Jay
3/5 ⭐️
I feel like I need to preface this review by saying LADIES, do NOT stay in the middle of nowhere with a man you’ve JUST met, ESPECIALLY if they’re your only mode of transport.
With the comical amount of stuff going wrong this read like a Series of Unfortunate Events book and I had fun with it.
I am a fan of forced proximity tropes so I definitely enjoyed that aspect of it. I did have issues with the characters’ constant flip flopping but to be fair, with the amount of baggage they share it seems understandable to some extent. It is VERY hot and cold though so it might not be to everyone’s taste.
The MMC was definitely my favourite of the two but the FMC did have her moments.
All in all it is a well paced book, with something constantly going on – making it hard to put down cause you just want to see what else can possibly go wrong.
Love is an Art – Kathy Strobos
1.5/5 ⭐️
I’m going to be brutally honest, I was shocked to learn that this wasn’t the author’s first title. The dialogue flowed weird and the character’s internal voices felt stiff and unrealistic. Most of my annotations just said “no one talks like that!”.
Repetitive. There were instances where character’s internal monologue mentioned something and literally on the next page we would have another person say the same thing almost word for word.
Honestly, this could’ve been a 100+ page novella and it probably would’ve read a lot better.
Sincerely Yours, Anna Sherwood – Beth Reekles
2.5-3/5 ⭐️
Let’s start with the positives:
This whirlwind workplace romance is well paced and is packed with interesting side characters (I would LOVE to see more of Lloyd’s brother, perhaps let him be the main character in another book?). The banter between our main characters was written well and flowed nicely.
The parent-child dynamic was definitely one of the more interesting parts and I wish it was explored further, especially talks about post-partum depression as I feel like that a topic that’s not addressed very often.
Now for some of the negatives. Or, more accurately, things I personally did not enjoy.
The author has made Anna way too slow, she struggled to connect the dots constantly and I found myself irritated with her more often than not. I only started to like her in the last third of the book.
Unfortunately, most of the side characters seemed to have more personality than our main two. I feel like this could’ve been rectified with a dual POV.
The London setting was nice but the amount of times Victoria and Waterloo was mentioned got tiring after a while.
All in all it was an enjoyable read but it would make me hesitant about picking up another title from the author.
