Summer Tease by Martha Keyes (Falling For Summer Series, Book 4)

 

Summer Tease by Martha Keyes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A-Freaking-DORABLE!

A bit of the modern day Romeo and Juliet Trope. Kind of. If Juliet hated Romeo as much as the rest of her family but Romeo was intent on proving her she was wrong about him. Narrated by Ariel Royce, this book was so much fun to listen to and a super quick listen at that. My only complaint was that the "us vs. them" statements got a bit repetitive to me but I also get that Martha Keyes was driving in the fact that Gemma felt out of place there on Sunset Harbor.

Speaking of Sunset Harbor, I am absolutely in love with that place. For reals. If I was a quasi-billionaire I would build the place myself! And then I would find me a quirky Grams and make sure she was the first resident. Grams brings all the hostile, comedic relief you can imagine she might and Beau is right there supporting her the entire time.

Gemma and Beau are so cute together. They definitely have the on page chemistry and I loved reading their story from start to finish.

This is a sweet, kisses only rom-com that I would suggest again and again to anyone asking and although it is part of a series it can also be read as a standalone novel. But you don't want to do that because everyone in Sunset Harbor is the best and you REALLY need to read their stories.

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media and Paradigm Press for the ALC. It was a complete delight.

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Plotting Summer by Jess Heileman (Falling for Summer, Book 3)

 

Plotting Summer by Jess Heileman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Woo Hoo! This books was phenomenal! Tristan and Capri were absolutely adorable and it was all brought even more to life with the amazing narrator, Ellen Quay. To say I was hooked from the very beginning is an understatement.

I especially loved how Capri wasn't the center of attention but managed to still be the main character of her story, even if it was somewhat reluctantly. And I am just absolutely in love with all of Sunset Harbor. This place needs to exist because I I want to plan my next summer vacation there!

And then there's Tristan. He is just so dang good. And the chemistry between Capri and Tristan was perfect. I loved that, despite Capri's pining since childhood there wasn't the "Oh, yeah, I've totally liked you that long too" angle. I was ready for something a bit different and this. was. that. It was perfect. Did I mention I loved this book?

This is a sweet, no-spice romance with lots of steam and kisses.

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Vagabond Publishing, LLC for the ALC. I loved it so much.

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The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord

 

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Let's premise this review with this little fact: I have loved most, if not all, of Emma Lord's YA novels I've picked up. I was beyond excited for this Adult fiction when I heard about it.

It's possible I just wasn't in the right mood for this book when I listened, or maybe I'd psyched myself up too much? but I loved the narrator, Natalie Naudus. She did a fantastic job. 

I had a really hard time connecting with the main characters and understanding their hang-ups and choices. (Third Act confusion to nth degree)

[Spoiler] Who goes back to live with their Ex while figuring out their future life logistics and dating someone else!? I'd be so angry if I was dating that guy.[/spoiler]

I also felt like a lot of the book was written with cliche plot points and not a lot of originality and I was actually excited when ...

[spoiler]... she lost her tea shop because FINALLY something was different ... until it wasn't because she literally got it back in the same spot and everything ... [/spoiler]

I wanted to root for them but I found myself just not caring enough about what happened and wishing the book would hurry up and end because it felt like each chapter was just the same thing/emotions happening over and over but with different words. 

I did enjoy the small-town, beach setting and the back story of the main characters. It was a cute romcom, I just wish a few key elements had been handled differently, or in a way that made more sense to me.

The side characters in this book were all phenomenal and I would love to read more about them!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my own opinion.  

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But He's My Grumpy Neighbor by Annah Conwell

 

But He's My Grumpy Neighbor by Annah Conwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

He's a 10 but ... he's also my grumpy neighbor. And a Carter brother.

I just finished listening to But He's My Grumpy Neighbor by Annah Conwell, Narrated by Leanne Woodward; Evan Sibley, and it was so good. The narrators were fantastic and drawing me in. I was in a bit of a book rut and this story was the answer!

Juliette has spent the last several years surrounded by people of a significantly greater age. She loves the peace and serenity of the area but longs for human connection. So, when her new neighbor shows up and starts moving things in, you can bet she's spying through the blinds. Even better, the new neighbor is dark and brooding and nearly her own age!

I loved the grumpy Adrian who couldn't help but smile around Juliette. The story was full of sweet, steamy chemistry and you could feel the draw these two characters had for each other.

The only thing I didn't love was the references to Adrian's past. We get vague comments here and there but I never felt like they ever REALLY explained why he had such a hard time with his feelings and emotions and relationships in general.

But don't let that minor thing keep you from reading. Annah Conwell does an amazing job at writing loveable characters. In fact, I'm all in on the Carter Brothers. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next books in the series. They are definitely going to be some new favorites. I can already tell.

This is a Sweet, Kisses only romance
TW: Previous abusive parents to a child and some past betrayal in work and relationships

4.5 Stars rounded up

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Beauty and the Beach by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

Beauty and the Beach by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an extra fun reading experience for me. I listened while also following along in the paperback book.

The narrators, Rylee Kuberra and John Rogers were perfect. Their voices were exactly what I would have pictured in my own head while reading and they did such a great job at sucking me into the story and kept me interested and the plot flowing from beginning to end.

"If you kiss me now, you're mine. And I'm yours."

Phoenix and Holland have a complex and turbulent history. Their meet-cute is nothing short of embarrassingly perfect for them and things only get better/worse from there. Unfortunately, even if things had ever recovered after the convenience store and the closet incidents, a tragic accident tears them apart even more.

While this book is certainly a romcom it does lightly touch on some deeper topics, including loss of a loved one, and there is a bit of a journey included because of that. There is grief and sadness but there is also so much love. And I think that is kind of the entire point of romcoms. To give us hope even when life gets heavy. And I LOVE how these two show up for each other even when they are the most loathsome of frenemies.

Honestly, Phoenix and Holland were adorable and the heat was top-notch while remaining closed door.

Thank you so much netgalley, Dreamscape Media and Gracie Ruth Mitchell for this ALC. It was perfection.

And thank you myself, for buying the paperback. It was definitely a worthwhile purchase.

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Summer Ever After by Kortney Keisel

 

Summer Ever After by Kortney Keisel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Have you ever found yourself accidentally on a station showing golf and thought to yourself, "man this is intense!" ... Yeah, me either. BUT ... after reading Summer Ever After you'll definitely stop to check for Walker before changing to a different channel. Seriously. If anyone was going to get me to enjoy golf, it is Walker Collins.

Jane has created a foolproof plan to finally find love and that plan involves two main components: 1. basically every single male on Sunset Harbor (except her best friend's brother, obviously) and 2. an extensive list of romance tropes. With those two items, how could her summer not end in a cacophony of love?

Unfortunately for Jane, her tropes keep ending in disaster and Walker Collins (hello best friend's brother!) just happens to be the one showing up to rescue, implement, intervene and ruining romance tropes for her forever.

Needless to say this is a fantastic summer romcom with excellent banter and the narrators, Amanda Friday and Andy Harrington, did an amazing job at bringing these two even more to life.

This is a quick, fast-paced read with AWESOME banter and the worst part is just that the story ends. I am officially a fan of all things Sunset Harbor.

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The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh

 

The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a heartwarming ride! This book had a little bit of everything I love and had me wanting to start my own summer of yes before it was even over.

Kelsey finds herself confronting her own life choices after waking up in the hospital after a near-death experience. Not wanting to get behind she launches right back into her old workaholic ways but soon realizes it may not be all it's cracked up to be. Especially after she recognizes a glimpse of her future self in her hospital roomie.

This was a refreshing dual-POV where the second POV was not a love-interest. In fact, Georgina was a cranky, workaholic, old woman and hearing her point of view may have been my favorite part of the story. The narrators, Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas, were amazing and I would highly recommend giving this book a listen. They did a fantastic job of bringing the story to life and kept the story flowing. It was fast-paced and enjoyable from start to finish. Plus, even if you aren't a work-obsessed human like these main characters, the insights shared can definitely be insightful for all of us.

Thank you to Courtney Walsh and Harper Collins Christian Publishing and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the audiobook. It was a delight.

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He's So Not My Valentine by Savannah Scott

 

He's So Not My Valentine by Savannah Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Such a cute and fun listen.

The voice acting on this audiobook is top notch and the story is a fun, much need escape from the errands and housework I needed to get done this week.

Rene is a sweet France loving Frenchman who finds himself in the States visiting his best friend. After becoming reacquainted with Heather, he sees her struggles and wants Heather to see herself the way he, and everyone else around her, sees her. He wants her to have confidence in herself and love herself and in the process of showing her just how amazing she is, Heather finds a way into his heart.

This story was fantastic. I loved how it depicted a mature, functional relationship where the adults talked about their issues and learned from their mistakes. The chemistry was spot on and the story flowed seamlessly from start to finish.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC audiobook. It was fantastic.

This is a sweet, kisses only, romance.

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