teesbookjourney's review against another edition
3.0
I gave this a three because you'll love this romance if this is a trope you enjoy. The characters, the storyline, journey, and everything was excellent just not my cup of tea
I don't love a brother girlfriend story plus the priest thing also added another awkwardness level for me.
Colin's background and life goal to be a priest is absolutely a different angle for a romance. He has an honesty that is none other but he is conflicted about his plans.
Samatha is an honest person and I love how she interacts with the whole clan. she isn't about the drama.s he has a maturity that is admirable
Not my cup of tea but a good book for anyone who loves this trop
I don't love a brother girlfriend story plus the priest thing also added another awkwardness level for me.
Colin's background and life goal to be a priest is absolutely a different angle for a romance. He has an honesty that is none other but he is conflicted about his plans.
Samatha is an honest person and I love how she interacts with the whole clan. she isn't about the drama.s he has a maturity that is admirable
Not my cup of tea but a good book for anyone who loves this trop
torilovesheas's review against another edition
2.0
This had a lot of potential to be a really good, really angsty read. It just fell super flat for me.
Samantha and Colin meet through his brother, Braydon, Who she’s dating. Colin’s dead set on joining the priesthood though so there shouldn’t be any issues right?
Wrong.
Samantha and Colin can’t help but fall for each other and through lots of angsty meetings, self flagellation, and emotional conflict, they fall in love. But if Colin won’t give up the collar for Samantha, what kind of future do they have?
This has the potential to be really, really good. Instead, we ended up with a super wishy washy hero and a doormat heroine. Colin never really seemed to have a moment where he actually CHOOSES Samantha. I understand that he’s worked to be a priest his whole life and he’s dedicated to it, but good grief. At some point I expected a climactic “I love her and I’m going after her” moment and….it never happens. Obviously this has an HEA so you know he refuses to take his vows, but the ONLY reason he gets back together with Samantha is because his brother drags her back to confront Colin. Yep. This man doesn’t take his vows because he’s in love with her and then…doesn’t do anything about it? I wasn’t a fan.
There’s also some really weird pick me girl energy going on that I despised. Lots of “I’m not like other girls” “other girls would do that but not me”. It’s not my cuppa and it’s absolutely annoying.
Overall, the writing was decent and the pacing was pretty good, but I just couldn’t get into this like I wanted to.
Thanks to Valentine PR for a complimentary copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Samantha and Colin meet through his brother, Braydon, Who she’s dating. Colin’s dead set on joining the priesthood though so there shouldn’t be any issues right?
Wrong.
Samantha and Colin can’t help but fall for each other and through lots of angsty meetings, self flagellation, and emotional conflict, they fall in love. But if Colin won’t give up the collar for Samantha, what kind of future do they have?
This has the potential to be really, really good. Instead, we ended up with a super wishy washy hero and a doormat heroine. Colin never really seemed to have a moment where he actually CHOOSES Samantha. I understand that he’s worked to be a priest his whole life and he’s dedicated to it, but good grief. At some point I expected a climactic “I love her and I’m going after her” moment and….it never happens. Obviously this has an HEA so you know he refuses to take his vows, but the ONLY reason he gets back together with Samantha is because his brother drags her back to confront Colin. Yep. This man doesn’t take his vows because he’s in love with her and then…doesn’t do anything about it? I wasn’t a fan.
There’s also some really weird pick me girl energy going on that I despised. Lots of “I’m not like other girls” “other girls would do that but not me”. It’s not my cuppa and it’s absolutely annoying.
Overall, the writing was decent and the pacing was pretty good, but I just couldn’t get into this like I wanted to.
Thanks to Valentine PR for a complimentary copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
cendi's review
emotional
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Spoiler
Surprise pregnancyslovenianbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
There was something about this book that pulled me in since the blurb. I was excited to read it.
Samantha joins Braydon at his family’s house but she is not his girlfriend. They went on a date but she never felt the spark. She did accept his invitation though but didn’t let him in her bed so they slept separately. The bedroom shared a bathroom with his brother Colin. They soon became friends but there was a huge chemistry between them. At first, it’s only glances but then there are touches and a sweet but spicy first kiss that promised an even spicier the rest of the book.
And it was! I love Almost Priest and I couldn’t put it down till the very last page. Okay, there was one thing that usually bothers me – the fact that they didn’t communicate when they should and the fact that Sam didn’t mention her pregnancy because she thought it would hold him back. I overlooked these two things because of the great writing but it’s something that may affect some readers’ opinions. It usually would be mine but like I said the author’s writing was really compelling and I’d definitely check her books in the future again.
5 stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Full post: https://slovenianbookworm.wordpress.com/2022/11/30/almost-priest-by-lydia-michaels/
Samantha joins Braydon at his family’s house but she is not his girlfriend. They went on a date but she never felt the spark. She did accept his invitation though but didn’t let him in her bed so they slept separately. The bedroom shared a bathroom with his brother Colin. They soon became friends but there was a huge chemistry between them. At first, it’s only glances but then there are touches and a sweet but spicy first kiss that promised an even spicier the rest of the book.
And it was! I love Almost Priest and I couldn’t put it down till the very last page. Okay, there was one thing that usually bothers me – the fact that they didn’t communicate when they should and the fact that Sam didn’t mention her pregnancy because she thought it would hold him back. I overlooked these two things because of the great writing but it’s something that may affect some readers’ opinions. It usually would be mine but like I said the author’s writing was really compelling and I’d definitely check her books in the future again.
5 stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Full post: https://slovenianbookworm.wordpress.com/2022/11/30/almost-priest-by-lydia-michaels/
mommasaystoread's review
3.0
I'll admit that I went into this one with reservations. Up until now, I've avoided this trope, or what I expected this trope to be. It's nothing personal, just not my cup of tea. Honestly, the only reason I went ahead was that "Almost" part of the title and the fact that I've read or listened to a number of Lydia Michaels's books, and I've enjoyed them all. So, I settled in and started listening.
First things first, Amber Battaglia gives voice to these characters, and she did a terrific job of giving everyone a distinctive voice, which went a long way toward helping me keep everybody straight until I got to know them. The McCullough family is practically a small town unto themselves, so there are a lot of people to get acquainted with. And the more I learned about them, the more I loved them. This is such a great family with so many colorful characters.
Naturally, the focus is on Colin and Samantha, and I was really surprised at how little Colin's situation bothered me. That could have a little something to do with the way Lydia Michaels wrote it. In fact, I'm sure it has a lot to do with the focus of the storyline. To me, it was about two people who are drawn together against all odds. Kind of a right place, wrong time kind of thing, but the emotion and the feeling that these two belong together comes through loud and clear, taking precedence over anything considered forbidden or taboo.
Typically, I'm not a big fan of a character sibling hopping either, but that's not really the case here once you get into it and figure out what's going on. There are a few sticky moments when it kind of feels that way, but again, the magnetic pull between Colin and Samantha overshadows everything else.
Okay, maybe almost anything. There were a few times when I really wanted to shake the daylights out of one or both of these characters. I don't want to get too much further into the reasons than to say that Colin and Samantha are adults, plenty old enough to know that there are consequences for your actions. Yet they don't seem to consider any of those possible consequences - there's that pull between them again. Toward the end of the book was when I was most frustrated with this couple and their decisions or lack thereof. Again, the exact reasons would venture into spoiler territory.
With that, I will say that I enjoyed this romance, I didn't love it, but it was entertaining and emotional. What I did love was the family. This family has so many great characters, and I can't wait to get more of them.
First things first, Amber Battaglia gives voice to these characters, and she did a terrific job of giving everyone a distinctive voice, which went a long way toward helping me keep everybody straight until I got to know them. The McCullough family is practically a small town unto themselves, so there are a lot of people to get acquainted with. And the more I learned about them, the more I loved them. This is such a great family with so many colorful characters.
Naturally, the focus is on Colin and Samantha, and I was really surprised at how little Colin's situation bothered me. That could have a little something to do with the way Lydia Michaels wrote it. In fact, I'm sure it has a lot to do with the focus of the storyline. To me, it was about two people who are drawn together against all odds. Kind of a right place, wrong time kind of thing, but the emotion and the feeling that these two belong together comes through loud and clear, taking precedence over anything considered forbidden or taboo.
Typically, I'm not a big fan of a character sibling hopping either, but that's not really the case here once you get into it and figure out what's going on. There are a few sticky moments when it kind of feels that way, but again, the magnetic pull between Colin and Samantha overshadows everything else.
Okay, maybe almost anything. There were a few times when I really wanted to shake the daylights out of one or both of these characters. I don't want to get too much further into the reasons than to say that Colin and Samantha are adults, plenty old enough to know that there are consequences for your actions. Yet they don't seem to consider any of those possible consequences - there's that pull between them again. Toward the end of the book was when I was most frustrated with this couple and their decisions or lack thereof. Again, the exact reasons would venture into spoiler territory.
With that, I will say that I enjoyed this romance, I didn't love it, but it was entertaining and emotional. What I did love was the family. This family has so many great characters, and I can't wait to get more of them.
kayreereads's review
4.0
I honestly wasn't sure how I'd feel going into this one because I figured the religious tones would be really thick with this one. This whole series has a bit in each book, but I was a little wary with this one being that I'm non-religious. It honestly wasn't bad at all, and Lydia did a wonderful job making sure even those of us outside of that aspect of life can enjoy this story.
The forbidden bit of the relationship in this one made it a worthwhile slow burn that keeps you on your toes the whole book. These characters are beautifully done and I love the amount of care they take with each other and how deeply they pay attention to the ins and outs of the other to understand each other. Their relationship is so sweet, and though it comes with one brother "taking" from another, it's a heart warming story.
Amber Battaglia did a wonderful job narrating this audiobook and I went hesitate to listen to anything she does! She's got the perfect kind of vice for this line of work and her voices for the characters are so spot on. Highly suggest giving her a listen!
The forbidden bit of the relationship in this one made it a worthwhile slow burn that keeps you on your toes the whole book. These characters are beautifully done and I love the amount of care they take with each other and how deeply they pay attention to the ins and outs of the other to understand each other. Their relationship is so sweet, and though it comes with one brother "taking" from another, it's a heart warming story.
Amber Battaglia did a wonderful job narrating this audiobook and I went hesitate to listen to anything she does! She's got the perfect kind of vice for this line of work and her voices for the characters are so spot on. Highly suggest giving her a listen!
teesbookjourney's review
3.0
I gave this a three because you'll love this romance if this is a trope you enjoy. The characters, the storyline, journey, and everything was excellent just not my cup of tea
I don't love a brother girlfriend story plus the priest thing also added another awkwardness level for me.
Colin's background and life goal to be a priest is absolutely a different angle for a romance. He has an honesty that is none other but he is conflicted about his plans.
Samatha is an honest person and I love how she interacts with the whole clan. she isn't about the drama.s he has a maturity that is admirable
Not my cup of tea but a good book for anyone who loves this trop
I don't love a brother girlfriend story plus the priest thing also added another awkwardness level for me.
Colin's background and life goal to be a priest is absolutely a different angle for a romance. He has an honesty that is none other but he is conflicted about his plans.
Samatha is an honest person and I love how she interacts with the whole clan. she isn't about the drama.s he has a maturity that is admirable
Not my cup of tea but a good book for anyone who loves this trop
booksonstereo_o's review
1.0
Almost Priest is in fact a half-baked version of Priest by Sierra Simone. The narrative employs so many elements just for the sake of drama while actually creating a dynamic romance and endearing characters.
ashleysbookobsession's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Read this if you
*Like small town romances
*Enjoy struggles with sinning
*Are fond of forbidden love affairs with a soon-to-be priest
*Adore irresistible virgin hero’s
*Enjoy struggles with sinning
*Are fond of forbidden love affairs with a soon-to-be priest
*Adore irresistible virgin hero’s
Samantha “Sammy” Dougherty is spending her summer on McCullough Mountain following an invite from her friend Brayden. Colin, Brayden’s brother, is also staying on McCullough Mountain waiting his upcoming receival of holy orders. When Sammy notices Colin, naked, secret desires begin to build. Almost Priest by Lydia Michaels will take you through a trial of loyalty, lust, courage, sacrifice, and love. Will Colin fall for Sammy, or will he go forward with this oath to God and the church?
I found myself in a love/hate relationship with this storyline and the characters. I desperately wanted Colin to give up his dream as a priest to fulfil his love for Samantha. At times I felt Samantha and Colin were both being selfish for numerous reasons. And Colin was a hypocrite at times. He didn’t want to sin by building a relationship with Samantha, but in honesty wasn’t he sinning because he was doing these things with another man’s girl? I don’t want to release any spoilers, but I was not fond of the twist at the very end. Despite my mixed emotions for this novel, I give it a four-star rating. Lydia Michaels writes well and knows how to draw in her readers keeping them wanting more until the very end.
Thank you, @ValentinePR and @lydia_michaels_books for providing me with a complimentary review copy. In no way has that influenced my voluntary review. With Almost Priest being the first installment of the McCullough Mountain series, I can’t wait to get my hands on more of these characters and the wonderful McCullough family.
risseandshine's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I'm going to be the odd one out here and say that I am not a big fan of this at all.
To be fair, I initially thought this book was promising. I was totally on board with the whole small town, taboo concept. Sadly, my love for small town romances was not enough for me to give this a glowing review.
This book revolves around Colin, an about to be ordained priest, and his forbidden romance with Samantha, a girl who his brother brings home to spend the summer with their family.
I absolutely loved Colin as a hero...at first. He started out being so sweet, and innocent which are characteristics I generally like in my heroes. But then his whole back and forth regarding his ordainment started becoming annoying. His indecision started to hurt the heroine that I ended up siding her more (not that she was a perfect character herself) and even wanted her to just give up on the hero altogether. I also personally think that the foundation for this romance was so flimsy and heavily based on lust that I don't believe all the 'I love you's' they keep throwing at each other. Not to mention the odd pacing at the end where everything happened and seemed to resolve itself in a snap of a finger.
As for the writing, there were times in this book where the imagery was so lush and beautiful that I was so compelled to read. However, there were parts where the telling outweighed the showing that I felt like the storytelling dragged.
With that rant-filled feedback, I'm so sad to say that this book isn't for me. Will I continue with series though? I'd say yes. I may not have liked this particular book but I'm oddly still interested in the rest of the series.
To be fair, I initially thought this book was promising. I was totally on board with the whole small town, taboo concept. Sadly, my love for small town romances was not enough for me to give this a glowing review.
This book revolves around Colin, an about to be ordained priest, and his forbidden romance with Samantha, a girl who his brother brings home to spend the summer with their family.
I absolutely loved Colin as a hero...at first. He started out being so sweet, and innocent which are characteristics I generally like in my heroes. But then his whole back and forth regarding his ordainment started becoming annoying. His indecision started to hurt the heroine that I ended up siding her more (not that she was a perfect character herself) and even wanted her to just give up on the hero altogether. I also personally think that the foundation for this romance was so flimsy and heavily based on lust that I don't believe all the 'I love you's' they keep throwing at each other. Not to mention the odd pacing at the end where everything happened and seemed to resolve itself in a snap of a finger.
As for the writing, there were times in this book where the imagery was so lush and beautiful that I was so compelled to read. However, there were parts where the telling outweighed the showing that I felt like the storytelling dragged.
With that rant-filled feedback, I'm so sad to say that this book isn't for me. Will I continue with series though? I'd say yes. I may not have liked this particular book but I'm oddly still interested in the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Child death