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Rating: 3 Stars  Genre: Historical Romance Series/Standalone: Bridgertons #1 How I got this book: Bought  In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable… but not too amiable. Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen. Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar. The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule... TW: Rape
It's probably no surprise that I, along with a huge number of the population decided to binge-watch Bridgerton while in lockdown over Christmas. I enjoyed the show, for the most part, more on this below, and wanted to discover more about the origins of these characters. So, I grabbed a copy of The Duke and I and got reading. This review is going to be a little different than my others as I'd really like to do a comparison of the book and its adaptation. What I loved/hated about the show: Diversity So, first of all, I loved the fact that this wasn't a completely white-washed show. I want more diversity when watching tv and movies so that it reflects my reality of living with and being surrounded by a variety of different people. The problem is that Bridgerton didn't take it far enough. Yes, they featured some black actors but we didn't get much in terms of other ethnicities, hardly any non-hetero sexuality was explored (don't even get me started with the queer-baiting we got with Benedict) and disability rep was at a zero. I loved that we had a wonderfully intelligent, fat girl character in Pen, but I am oh so sick of the 'fat girl is miserable and hates her life' take that we get from pretty much every show/movie featuring anyone who isn't a size model. Okay, so taking a step back, the books are about as white-washed and hetero as you can get. So yes, they did a fair bit with the casting but did they really do enough? Music The music was one of my favourite things about the show. Listening to these gorgeous classical pieces and then thinking, oh, that's Girl Like You by Maroon 5 or Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift was really fun. Penelope & Eloise Yes, make the fat girl the most interesting and mysterious character in the whole thing, I bloody love it. Pair her with Eloise, a feminist riot and you have a fantastic, memorable pairing that I'd love to see more of. What I loved/hated about the book: Two Dimensional Characters So, for the most part, the characters in the book are way less developed than they seemed to be in the show. Anthony, Colin, Benedict are all props, Lady Danbury speaks a mere couple of lines and features in a scene or two and Daphne has the emotional range of a teaspoon, although the same can be said for her tv character as well. Violet I loved Violet so much more in the book than in the show. She's a lot sassier and has more depth than she does in the show. Missing Characters WHERE ARE ELOISE AND PEN??? Where is Marina? Also, where is Hyacinth's personality in the show because she's hilarious in the book?! Language I really enjoyed the language in the book and how the author has modernised and feminised it to make it more contemporary and easily accessible. What I loved/hated about both: You can't include a rape scene between the main love interests in a romance novel/show and expect it to be okay. It doesn't matter that it was a woman taking advantage of a man. It doesn't matter if he was drunk (actually, this makes it worse). It doesn't matter if he changes his mind about wanting children later, and it doesn't matter if he was too caught up in the passion to pull out. The goddam point is that he said no. Explicitly. Multiple times. Before and after they got married. She also (in the book) knew the exact reason, the trauma and abuse he had faced as a child that led to that decision and still, she took advantage. For the author to then try to pass this off later with both Daphne and Simon thinking to themselves that 'it wasn't as bad as all that' is really shocking and at complete odds with the feminist, modern take on the rest of the book. I think that this scene is much worse in the book because Simon is drunk, but the show should have removed it entirely. Far better for Simon to have eventually felt accepted and loved enough (both by Daphne and himself) to change his own mind and make that choice willingly or, you know, just don't have kids. A couple can be a family without children being involved. Anyway, it's for this scene that I just couldn't rate the book higher than I have, and in fact probably shouldn't have rated the book at all. I'm only rating it on the basis that, if that scene were removed I would have actually liked this book a whole lot more and I enjoyed the adaptation significantly more than the book itself.
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Rating: 4 STARS  Genre: Historical Romance Series/Standalone: The Penwich School for Virtuous Girls #1 How I got this book: Bought  She works to live... One would think the last place a beauty like Fallon O'Rourke could keep her virtue was in the Mayfair mansion of London's most licentious duke, the notorious Dominic Hale. Yet Fallon—who's endured nothing but lecherous advances since her father's tragic death—is perfectly safe there...disguised as a footman! Beneath the notice of the dark-haired devil with his smoldering blue eyes and sinful smile, Fallon never imagines her secret will be discovered. But how long can her deception last when she begins to wish she is one of the many women traipsing in and out of the sinful rogue's bedchamber? He lives to sin... Most men envy the duke, never suspecting his pleasure-loving ways are a desperate attempt to escape, however briefly, the pain of a past that's left him with a heart of stone. Only one woman can break down his defenses. Only one woman can win his love...if she reveals her secret and succumbs to the sins of the wicked duke. TW: Child-abuse (beating).
My first book of the year was very much a comfort read. After binge-watching Bridgerton over the holidays, I desperately wanted to read something set in the same period and with the same level of upstairs/downstairs gossip and drama. So, not having Julia Quinn's, The Duke and I, in my collection, I turned to an old favourite! “I wish for adventure. I wish to matter. I wish for a home.” Sins of a Wicked Duke is one of my favourite romance novels. Sophie Jordan does a brilliant job of creating Fallon, a strong heroine who, as a reader, I completely empathise with as she struggles to deal with life as a woman in the service of men. Since leaving the orphanage where she was raised and abused by the headmaster, she goes into work without a reference befitting her education and can only find work as a maid. But life as a woman in service is hard; with the unwanted attention from the men who employ her driving her out of every steady position. Faced with no choice, and with the help of her two best friends, Fallon decides that the only way for her to get the money she needs to escape this life is to pretend to be a man and take the job of footman at the house of the most notorious Duke in the ton. I absolutely love Fallon. She's fierce, tough, and compassionate. Damien is, at first, the polar opposite. He's a complete rake with no manners and no respect for women. Until his layers are revealed, and we see his true nature, hidden beneath the trauma of his childhood, not so dissimilar to Fallon's in the abuse he received as a child. With a guaranteed HEA and a Mulan-style gender-swapping twist, Sins of a Wicked Duke is the perfect read for lovers of Bridgerton and Downton Abbey who're looking for a little heat! Rating: 4 Stars  Genre: MM Romance/Christmas/Fantasy/Comedy Series/Standalone: A Snow Globe Christmas #1 (Can be read as a standalone) How I got this book: Bought on Audible  Despite growing up in a family of villains, I’d rather curl up and read than commit crimes. When I get coerced by my brother into helping him rob a bank, I run into August, my childhood crush—also known as Chrono, the city’s greatest superhero. He’s sexy, sweet, and suddenly he’s asking me to Thanksgiving with his parents. It’s probably because he doesn’t realize that I’m Leviathan, a villain with the power of telekinesis. And I can’t tell him because he’d never forgive me and would stop doing things like cooking for me—wait, maybe that would be a good thing, since he’s a terrible cook. It doesn’t help that my parents think they’re the ultimate villains and won’t stop getting in my way, although they can’t even steal toilet paper without getting caught. But when real supervillains (not the wannabe kind that I grew up with) start targeting August, I might be forced to show everyone who I truly am: a slightly warped and snarky man who’d really rather read a book than save anything… besides August. I’ll tear this world apart just to get another glimpse of him in those glasses and spandex suit. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him safe, even though it means exposing my true identity. Luckily, August still cares about me, proving that even a villain and a hero can fall in love. Hopefully, we’ll be able to save the world in time for Christmas. Fans of TJ Klune will devour A Villain for Christmas.
I started this book on a whim because of an Audible recommendation. It's narrated by Michael Lesley, one of my favourite narrators; he's a sassy and comedic genius who effortlessly brings characters to life. About a minute in, I had to go back and check that the author wasn’t actually TJ Klune because, honestly; it sounds like him to the point where I wondered if it was intentional, especially when the protagonist begs the villain to stop monologuing (which is a recurring joke in Klune’s Tales from Verania series). The absurd characters and Lesley’s exaggerated narration drew me into the story immediately. He's a perfect Landon, with his fun, sassy wit. It’s the perfect combination of hilarious and completely heartfelt, and his delivery had me in stitches from the beginning. Landon is a super-villain with a secret - he hates being bad! He's also crazy powerful and has a huge crush on the city's biggest superhero. Landon is an absolute sweetheart. He's hilariously funny and sarcastic, but he wears his heart on his sleeve and delivers some truly emotional and heartbreaking scenes in the book. August is loads of fun. He's also extremely sweet, and so adorable when Landon brings out his 'bad' side. Together, they're hilarious and once you add in the random, diverse cast of superheroes, villains, and the hairless cat, A Villain for Christmas will have you laughing out loud from start to finish. I admit I didn't expect a lot from the plot, but it's actually really enjoyable. There are a couple of great twists and surprises that really drove the plot forward and kept me listening. However, I’m not really sure that you would call this a Christmas story, other than it taking place in December and featuring a small Thanksgiving and Christmas scene, it's very much a funny superhero story, but it works. Anyone who loves outrageous, OTT characters that make you laugh out loud will love A Villain for Christmas. In particular, if you've read TJ Klune's The Extraordinaries and would love a more 'adult' superhero/super-villain rom-com, this checks all the boxes. Rating: 4 Stars!  Genre: LGBT Contemporary Romance Series/Standalone: Standalone How I got this book: Bought  It may be cold outside, but inside, the temperature is rising. When grad student Kevin Taggert goes home with his best friend for Thanksgiving, the last thing he expects is to drool over the guy’s dad. Forty-eight-year-old Drew Freeman would love a relationship, but he never expected to find it with his son’s best friend. When a last-minute change of plans leaves Drew and Kevin alone in a cabin the week before Christmas, the heat between them is too much to deny. Although they promise it’ll only last the week, every day that passes brings them closer together. When Christmas Day arrives—along with Drew’s son—can they salvage the relationship and the holiday? Looking for a super-sweet m/m Christmas romance? Cabin Fever is a best-friend's dad, age-gap, forced proximity, slow burn, perfect for fans of Anyta Sunday.
I will not drool over my best friend's dad... Packed full of wintery feels, this book is a is a sure-fire way to get you into the Christmas spirit. The wintery cabin, the long walks and early morning runs in the snow, the winter hot tub scene; it was all brilliant and really set the mood for the entire book. The book centres around Kevin, who's facing a Thanksgiving spent alone as his family is too far away. He's feeling sad and like his family are cutting him out of their lives, when his best friend Jason invites him to spend Thanksgiving with him and his dad. Kevin jumps at the chance for a family holiday but regrets his decision when he comes face to face with Drew, Jason's dad, who might just be the most handsome, kindest man Kevin has ever met. "Help yourself to anything in this house," Drew said with a smile. Including you? he wondered. Watching Kevin and Jason grow from perfect strangers to good friends and then fighting to keep their relationship in the friend-zone, for Jason's sake, was really sweet. This book is most definitely not insta-love, it's a long slow burn that will keep you turning pages, eager for more. I liked Kevin and Drew, who are a pretty perfect match, except for the odd moment where Kevin acts a bit childish. But together, they bring out the best in each other. Jason is my least favourite character as, for most of the book, he's a self-centred, petulant child, only seeming to mature at the very end of the book. He was necessary to the plot, but I grew to really hate him as a character. Kevin groaned. "You're going to make me work for it aren't you?" Something in Drew's eyes flared hot. "I might." The tension and chemistry in this book are fantastic, the constant will they/won't they back and forth built really well and kept me hooked through every single page. The only thing I didn't like about this book is how every character is introduced using their full name. It's a pet peeve of mine, but honestly, just beginning the book with, 'Kevin looked up from his phone...' is much better, in my opinion than, 'Kevin Taggert looked up from his phone', and then a couple of lines later, 'Jason Freeman plopped onto the couch next to him...' Unless there are several characters with the same first name, including surnames sometimes feels a bit informal and throws off the tone of the book. That being said, it didn't stop me from quickly shipping these characters and rooting for them every step of the way. So, if you're looking for a super sweet, sizzling slow burn this Christmas, I'd highly recommend Cabin Fever.
Tic-Tac-Mistletoe
-- EXCERPT: Hamish’s POV A totally catastrophic, unmitigated disaster. What is a totally catastrophic, unmitigated disaster, you might ask? Let me break it down for you real quick. My life, my relationship, my job, my plans, my future, and this whole damn trip. So, basically me. Me. I am the totally catastrophic unmitigated disaster. Hamish Kenneally, thirty-one-year-old Australian, who quit his shitty job and sold his shitty apartment and left behind his shitty life in Sydney, packed his said-shitty life into two suitcases, and boarded a plane to spend Christmas with his sister in God-knows-where, Idaho, USA. Well, Christmas first. Then two years, at least, in America trying to unshitify his life. And if the trip to said God-knows-where, Idaho, was any indication of just how spectacularly extra-shitified my life was going to get, I should have turned around and stayed right where I was. Because if the flight from Sydney to LA was bad, which it was, then the second flight, LA to Spokane, made the first flight look like a joy ride. Because I didn’t get to Spokane, did I? Oh no, of course I didn’t. Because you see, Christmastime in America is in winter. Which is weird enough for this Australian. Christmas should be hot summer days at the beach, seafood and salads, beers and watching the bronzed surfers and drunk foreigners at Bondi. That is what Christmas should be. None of this “sorry folks; to avoid flying into a massive snow blizzard, we’re being diverted to Missoula, Montana” crap the captain of the plane said when we were halfway there. Like the screaming baby in the seat next to me, or the vomiting lady in the row in front of me weren’t bad enough. Like we had any choice about which direction we were flying into. I had no choice. I was now going to Montana. In a freaking blizzard, of all things. Ever been on a plane that flew into a snowstorm? There is zero joy in that kind of turbulence, believe me. It would also explain the screaming baby and the vomiting woman. And the man behind me saying Hail Mary’s . . . which you’d think might be comforting. But oh boy, is it ever not. Especially when he yelled the prayer every time we hit a particularly large pothole in the sky on the descent. Honestly, if this flight was a scene in a movie, you’d think it was too ridiculous to be real. After the plane landed—to which I would have clapped and cheered like everyone else if I wasn’t stuck in the brace position after trying to kiss my own arse goodbye—we were kicked off the plane without so much as a good luck in the wrong bloody state. So there I was, a clueless Aussie, after flying for twenty hellish-hours and now a few hundred kilometres from where I was supposed to be, trying to wrangle two overweight suitcases down the concourse, when one little wheel on my suitcase broke. Because of course it did. Frazzled and trying not to cry— Yes, cry. A thirty-one-year-old man can cry; shove your toxic masculinity in your cakehole and stop judging me. I was having a jetlag-fuelled shitastic day meltdown, trying to keep my shit together the best I could, and clearly not doing it very well. I was allowed a little saltwater leakage. Anyway, getting back to my story. I tried to call my sister. No signal. Because of course there’s not. So, taking a deep breath and willing myself not to spiral, I found my car rental kiosk. Finally, something is going right. “I have a car booked,” I said, trying to keep my now-broken suitcase upright with my foot while rifling through my backpack for my booking confirmation and driver’s licence. After dropping my passport and half the contents from my backpack all over the floor, then scrambling to collect it all while still trying to keep my suitcase upright, I handed everything over with a flourish of triumph. “Oh, that flight was the worst,” I said, sagging onto the counter. I was about to tell her all about my day from the ninth circle of hell when she looked up at me with that look. You know the one. The look of superficial appeasement before they cut you off at the knees. “I’m sorry, sir. But I don’t have a reservation under your name.” I stared at her. My brain short-circuited and the will to live left my body. It was an actual out-of-body experience, I’m sure of it. I could see myself staring at her, mouth gaping like I’d been lobotomised. Because of course they didn’t have my booking. Why would they? My rental car was waiting for me in Spokane. In Washington. Not in freaking Montana. “Oh,” I whispered, and my left eye twitched. “That’s nice.” I looked around the airport, at the line of annoyed people behind me. “Excellent. I’ve seen that movie where Tom Hanks lives in an airport. It wasn’t so bad. Could be worse. Could’ve been the one where he’s stuck on the island, I guess. Though I didn’t pack a volleyball, so that would’ve sucked.” She blinked and tap-tap-tapped away at her keyboard. “But sir, we’ve had a lot of cancelled flights today because of the weather. I can arrange a vehicle for you, if you’d like?” Oh, my sweet baby Jesus in a manger, why didn’t she lead with that? 
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by: Note from Kayleigh @MyEndlessShelf:
How adorable does this sound?!?
I am so ready for this meet-cute, soppy and sweet Christmas rom-com! It definitely has a feel-good Hallmark movie vibe to it. Follow the links above to add it to your Goodreads TBR or check it out on Amazon and let me know what you think! Please note, the giveaway is international! Big thanks to Giselle at Xpresso Book Tours!
Overall, I definitely like the first book in the series more than the second, and I would have preferred fewer sex scenes in both books because I just felt that they took something away from the sweeter nature of these stories.
In the second book, I think it would have been nicer to see more of the character's interaction and the 'slow-burn' I've come to expect from Anyta Sunday. But, saying that, I think the character pairing was interesting, as were the unusual circumstances in each book that drove the characters together and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series. Both books are available from today, just click the images above to visit Goodreads and follow the links to your favourite bookseller! Rating: 4 Stars  Genre: MM/Contemporary Romance Series/Standalone: Finding Home #1 How I got this book: Bought  What happens when temporary becomes forever? Oz Gallagher does not do relationships well. Bored and jobless after another disastrous hook up, he decides to leave London for a temporary job in the wilds of Cornwall. Surely managing a stately home on a country estate will be easier than navigating the detritus of his relationships at home. Six months there will alleviate a bit of his wanderlust and then he can come back to London as footloose and fancy free as the day he left it. However, when he gets there he finds a house in danger of crumbling to the ground and a man who is completely unlike anyone he’s ever met. An earl belonging to a family whose roots go back hundreds of years, Silas is the living embodiment of duty and sacrifice. Two things that Oz has never wanted. He's also warm and funny and he draws Oz to him like a magnet. Oz banks on the fact that they're from two very different worlds to stop himself falling for Silas. But what will he do when he realises that these differences are actually part of the pull to one another? Will falling in love be enough to make him stop moving at last and realise that he's finally home? TW: Homophobia, cheating
I've been working a lot lately and found myself in a bit of a book slump, just lacking the desire to read anything, but I had a few Audible credits and decided to pick something almost at random, which is how I settled on Oz by Lily Morton. After the first couple of chapters, I was a little put off by the narration, not the Irish accent of Oz, but the posh-British accent of Silas which I felt was a bit too exaggerated, and after listening for a while, I decided to switch to the eBook. Well, the joke was on me! I tried to read a chapter of the eBook but could not get (the narrator) Joel Leslie's voice out of my head and ended up switching back to the audio, which grew on me really quickly. I absolutely love Oz's voice. He's a fantastic character and the narration brought him completely to life...I can still hear his voice now. "I tap the magazine. 'The only job advert in there for me would one asking for someone who is PhD level stupid enough to move in with their boss.' I laugh. 'No references given." Oz is a really great character to read, he's rough around the edges and people judge him based on his appearance and his background, yet he's so down-to-earth, flirtatious and plain hysterical. The opening scene really sets the tone for Oz and the rest of the book, as the story begins with Oz walking in on his lover/boss having an affair with his new assistant (Oz's current job!) and we're instantly hit with Oz's snark, his capacity for revenge, his eviscerating tongue and also, his heart and vulnerabilities. We're then introduced to his best friend who leads Oz to a job interview for a position managing the restoration of a high-end, dilapidated house, something that Oz doesn't believe he's at all qualified for and results in the most hilarious interview. “He’s lovely,” I say, putting my hand out to the dog. “What’s his name?” “Boris Johnson.” I blink. “Pardon?” He smiles. “Because he’s blond and stupid and makes very questionable decisions.” The man in charge of hiring him, however, doesn't agree, which leads Oz on a journey from London to the Cornish countryside and into the path of Lord Ashworth a.k.a Silas who's fresh out of his own bad relationship with the previous house manager and carrying several burdens on his shoulders. Silas is a much more reserved character, and once I got used to the narration of his voice, I was charmed by his character. He's strong, reserved, humble and just the sweetest. Oz and Silas's chemistry is off the charts and for some of the sex scenes, I would definitely recommend installing air conditioning or setting your room fan to the highest setting... Not only has Lily Morton done a fantastic job of creating realistic, distinct, likeable characters, she's also made truly detestable 'villains', and a well-paced plot that's both incredibly funny and extremely heartfelt. There was one scene in particular that almost reduced me to tears, especially when combined with the impassioned narration. “Ask me,” I say quietly. I smile tenderly. “I guarantee I’m going to say yes.” So, how can I summarise this book? It's a little bit like Pride and Prejudice but everyone is gay, there's also lots of cursing, and characters in the Austen era would never be permitted to spend so much time naked, especially outdoors! It was a fun, heartfelt read and I'll definitely be reading (and listening to) more of the books in this series! Rating: 3 Stars  Genre: LGBT/Parnormal/Romance Series/Standalone: VRC: Vampire Related Crimes #1 How I got this book: Kindle Unlimited  Finn Getting into the vampire-only detective unit was the easy part; what’s going to be more difficult is dealing with my new partner, an ancient vampire who keeps threatening to eat me. The unit has never had a human in it, and Marcus—or as I like to call him, Fangy McFangface—would really prefer to keep it that way. He’s grumpy, short-tempered, and broody, but I have a way with words and I know he’s starting to like me, even if he swears he’s not. But what he doesn’t know is that I didn’t join the unit because I was tired of being a homicide detective, I joined because there is someone after me. They’ve already taken enough from me and I’m afraid they’re going to take all of me if I don’t find someone to help. That’s all Marcus was supposed to be, but now, he’s so much more and I can’t imagine my life without him. Marcus The moment the pesky human walked through that door, I knew I had to get rid of him. He’s charming and almost everyone else instantly loves him, but he doesn’t understand how risky it is being part of this unit as a human. But as I get to know the stubborn man, I learn that perhaps he’s not as naive as I once thought. And maybe he’s what I needed to realize there is more to life than just work and my dog. A group arises who is threatening to disrupt the alliance between the humans and the vampires, but Finn is the one who shows me how strong that alliance can be and reminds me why it’s worth protecting. When threats hit closer to home, I realize I would do anything for Finn because he’s brought so much joy to my life—and because he’s mine. TW: Trauma, physical and mental abuse, stalking, addiction
Ahhhh! This started so well...WTF happened?!? Let me start from the beginning. I picked this book up on a whim when it came up on my Kindle Unlimited recommendations because the synopsis sounded interesting and had an enemies-to-lovers vibe to it. It started off really well because of Finn. He's fantastic, he's sassy, cheeky and strong, but wears his heart on his sleeve, and reminded me so much of Sam from The Lightning Struck Heart by TJ Klune, who's one of my absolute favourite characters. Finn is disabled, and I can't tell you how refreshing it was to have a disabled character as the hero, especially when paired with an old and powerful vampire. Finn holds his own throughout the entire book and, despite dealing with his own trauma, he's just as powerful and capable as any of the other characters. Finn is full of awful jokes but he's lovable and gets everyone to like him, even grumpy, distant Marcus who becomes his friend without really knowing why or consciously agreeing to it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say as I draw the curtain over the window so I don’t have to look into Marcus’s eyes as I steal his dog. Also, I should mention Artie at this point, an Irish wolfhound who is a gentle sweetheart...and a bit of a creep at times. Marcus is the typical brooding vampire, but his character shines when Finn finally breaks down some of his walls, allowing his caring, protective side to come through. The chemistry between Finn and Marcus worked well and built, as did the constant banter between the two. “I will try… this,” Marcus says as he waves between us. “But I’m promising nothing. And if I eat you, it’s one hundred percent your fault.” The plot and pacing also started off strong and intriguing until at some point the story just meandered off and completely forgot about the plot. There were a few scenes that felt completely irrelevant to the story and it appeared, for a lot of the book, that the author misplaced the big bad villain, only to bring him out when things got a bit dull. Then there's the snark and humour, which started off as one of Finn's best qualities, but which grew into something quite annoying and distracting as pages and pages were full of random back and forth. "Did… Did you just ask me out and tell me you might eat me in the same breath? That’s so romantic.” After all of this, the big build-up, the back and forth, the ominous figure in the darkness and the promises from Marcus to take care of it, we're met with a goddamn cliffhanger that really pi**ed me off. I'm now at the point where I'm really bloody struggling to understand how the author is going to fill an entire second book finishing this plot when it could have easily fit into this novel, but, a part of me still wants to find out what happens next, as I want to see Finn get the resolution and the closure from his trauma that he desperately deserves. Overall, the book started off really well, it's fast-paced and full of humour that's interwoven with darkness and tons of emotion. I liked the characters, particularly Finn, but would have liked more clarity from the plot. Rating: 4 Stars  Genre: Contemporary MM Romance Standalone/Series: Signs of Love #1 How I got this book: Bought  A new person will enter your life in the early year, Leo. Look past any moments of frustration they might bring and laugh—this could be the start of a thriving friendship. Theo Wallace usually laughs at the horoscopes his mom sends. Still hung up on his ex-girlfriend and practically friendless, this one begs him to reconsider. Because a friendship that stuck, that thrived… Well, that would be a reason to leave past pains behind and look to the Bright Future. When his sister Leone challenges him to find her the perfect date for a spring wedding, Theo uses it as a chance to make new friends. Theo’s ex economics tutor and newest roommate Mr Jamie Cooper seems to be a possible and convenient match. Real convenient. Like written in the stars, convenient. All he has to do is make sure this Jamie is good enough. Could really be the one for her, and the friend for him. But watch out, Leo, the stars have a surprise in store… Oops - I wrote this review back in October after a re-read of this story but apparently, I completely forgot to post it.
I love this entire series, but since Leo Loves Aries is the first book in the series it holds a serious soft spot in my heart. Theo is cute, confident, charming and completely clueless... Mr. Jamie Cooper is suave, sophisticated and sexy... I absolutely adore this story. It's so refreshing to read a romance that stems from friendship, with no immediate sex being involved and it's nice to see the relationship develop naturally instead of instant lust - something that Anyta Sunday writes extremely well. Theo and Jamie are the perfect witty pair, I love their banter, their friendship, their misunderstandings and their compassion for each other. Theo felt his dimples deepen. “You’re so organized. No wonder I drove you up the wall.” A few seconds passed before Jamie responded. “That’s cute.” “What is?” “Your use of past tense.” The love scenes build on the underlying romance and connection between the two, making it a perfect combination of sweet and steamy. “And if I can’t swim?” “I swim for both of us.” I swim for both of us. Theo’s breath caught. This is definitely one of my favourite romance series and I love these innocent, clueless characters. Rating: 4 Stars  Genre: Contemporary MM Romance Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: Bought  When physics grad student Fielding Monroe and skirt-chaser and football player Mick Colman become college housemates, they’re both in for a whole new education. Mick looks out for the absent-minded genius, and he helps Fielding clean up his appearance and discover all the silly pleasures his strict upbringing as a child prodigy denied him. They become best friends. When physics grad student Fielding Monroe and skirt-chaser and football player Mick Colman become college housemates, they’re both in for a whole new education. Mick looks out for the absent-minded genius, and he helps Fielding clean up his appearance and discover all the silly pleasures his strict upbringing as a child prodigy denied him. They become best friends. It’s all well and good until they run into a cheerleader who calls Mick the ‘best kisser on campus.’ Fielding has never been kissed, and he decides Mick and only Mick can teach him how it’s done. After all, the physics department’s Christmas party is coming up with its dreaded mistletoe. Fielding wants to impress his peers and look cool for once in his life. The thing about Fielding is, once he locks onto an idea, it’s almost impossible to get him to change his mind. And he just doesn't understand why his straight best friend would have a problem providing a little demonstration. Mick knows kissing is a dangerous game. If he gives in, it would take a miracle for the thing not to turn into a disaster. Then again, if the kissing lessons get out of hand they can always blame it on the mistletoe. This cold has me feeling pretty sorry for myself at the moment but since I can't sleep, I figured re-reading some of my favourite *comfort* stories would do the trick.
This book was actually an accidental re-read since I'd forgotten that I'd already read it back when I had my Kindle Unlimited subscription and so I bought it again and got a sense of deja vu pretty early on. However, that didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book. While it is very short (I read it in just over 2 hours), the characters have great chemistry, depth, and there's just enough plot to keep things interesting. The book really only features the two main characters, with very few and brief appearances from minor characters which works in its favour, keeping the story on track and the tension building throughout. I love how naive and clueless Fielding and Mick seem to be, Mick especially, but what I love most is how their relationship progresses with relatively little amounts of drama and angst. “I want you to teach me how to kiss,” Fielding said in his most arrogant voice. It came out as a demand, like Fetch me the lamp from the sideboard, wench. For me, this was the perfect, sweet as sugar, grin-inducing book that had me smiling despite the fact that I can only breathe through one nostril. If you're a fan of innocent, clueless characters and slow-burn romance reminiscent of Anyta Sunday, you'll love Blame it on the Mistletoe. |
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About Kayleigh (She/Her)
Book addict, film mad, music lover, business owner, writer and mum (not necessarily in that order), living in the UK. 
About Sophie (She/Her)
Sophie loves books (obviously). She has a passion for photography and spotting wildlife, and is interested in anything made with passion and creativity. THIS BLOG IS SPOILER FREE!
Rating system: 5 Stars - AMAZING!! 4.5 Stars - Almost perfect! 4 Stars - I really loved it 3.5 Stars - I liked it alot 3 Stars - I liked it (I don't typically review books that I rate below 3 stars) Currently Reading:
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