ksheetz713's reviews
565 reviews

Reckless by Elsie Silver

emotional funny 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

5.0

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto

5.0

If You Need Me by Helena Hunting

funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

As always, my Queen, Helene Hunting, did not disappoint.  I absolutely love Dallas and Hemi.  I knew I would from reading If You Hate Me and that grew in If You Want Me.  I think this *almost* tops my love of If You Hate me, *almost*.

With fake dating to fake fiancé trope, I believe the way the fake dating occurred was actually my favorite of any fake dating trope I've ever read.  I can just hear Dallas thinking, "Oops." 

I struggled a little with the pacing, I felt like instead of having one big climax, we had a lot of small apexes, not one large one?  Like yes we resolved the fake dating/fake engagement, but there were a lot of small bumps, not one big hurdle to get over. Threw me for a bit of a loop, we'd resolve one and I'd think, "Ok, but why is there still 60% left?".  Didn't deter my rating, I adore these two.  The side characters were great, the Babe Brigade was amazing, the families were out of this world.

The foreshadowing of all of the future couples??? Phenomenal! I was literally into the epilogue when I figured out who it would be about, Helena did so much fun foreshadowing. I can't wait for the next book and whatever comes after! 

I received a free e-ARC from Good Girls PR in exchange for an honest review.

The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

3.0

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

5 Stars! I have been wanting to read Tarah DeWitt and I'm so glad I was given this opportunity.  I cannot wait to read more from her.  The Co-Op was such a sweet book.  I loved getting to see them fall in the past and realize they hadn't lost anything in the present. Deacon is such a swoony MMC.  

I was *nearly* disappointed in the end.  I was screaming at them in my head with the choice that they were making, but I'm so glad Sal came in like the Goddess she is and saved the book (for me). The epilogue was *chefs kiss* so good.  One of the best I've read.  

I received a free e-ARC from Netgalley and SMP in exchange for an honest review.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I received this book via my Afterlight subscription.  The special edition was so stinking pretty I immediately added it to my Libby holds and read it ASAP.  I loved the story and the premise.  Lord's writing reminds me of a mashup of Emily Henry and B.K. Borison.

I really enjoyed the story, I adored the side characters, and I absolutely loved June.  I mostly liked Levi.

The reason I took a full star off was because through the entire story,

it felt like June was a consolation prize to Levi, not the ACTUAL prize.  I was really thinking that when it came to the end, the reason he'd agreed so easily to "fake dating" was because Kelly knew how in love with June he was.  But that wasn't the case at all.  He was head over heals in love with June his entire life and he's trying to fix things with Kelly?? Trying to make her jealous?  What?  Then when they finally get together and Kelly suddenly comes down to the shore, he says there might be a small window of a chance that they'll reconcile?  SIR! You just spent the night confessing everything to the woman you (haven't admitted yet) love and sleeping with her?! It rubbed me wrong the entire time.  The way that the two were spotted buying coffee together and walking together but never an explanation to June.  Even knowing Kelly was trying to make June jealous.  I think this could have been handled better, Levi could have been perfect, but he's kinda icky underneath all that sweetness (that he didn't get from desserts).

Under the Mistletoe collection by Alexandria Bellefleur, Ali Hazelwood, Tessa Bailey, Alexis Daria, Olivia Dade

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

4.5 (technically 4.6, but we can't rate that way :)) stars overall for all five stories! This was a great little collection and I hope Amazon continues to produce them!

Cruel Winter: 5/5, love Ali Hazelwood’s writing style.  The flashbacks made sense and it helped the story flow.  Couldn’t get enough of how much Marc was truly obsessed with Jamie. I usually dislike when we don’t get dual POV, but there is something special about a single FMC POV when the man is absolutely obsessed.  Ali does it so well.

Tessa Bailey: 3/5.  For me, Tessa either knocks it out of the park or she strikes out. Not usually an in-between.  This one was ok.  It felt like a Fanfiction Oneshot, but not in a good way?  It was missing the Christmas magic for me?  Other than her telling us the dates, I just wasn’t feeling it.  The spice was off the charts delicious, I just couldn’t connect to the characters like I usually can with her.

All by my Elf: 5/5! I have been wanting to read Olivia Dade and just haven’t had the chance.  Instantly adding her to my TBR, I can’t wait to read more Olivia Dade books.  I appreciated the mid-30s MCs.  As someone who has lived in Newport News, VA as well, I appreciated the old look back on my stomping rounds and knew everything she talked about.  This novella was fantastic. 

Merriment and Mayhem: 5/5 delicious firefighter/chaos demon romance. This author is also new to me and I'm adding her books to my TBR. I felt like the ending wrapped up a little too neatly/quickly but from beginning to end it was an amazing read. I read it so fast I was shocked when I got to the end. 

Only Santa’s in the Building: 5/5 This was so cozy and swoony! I loved every second of reading this. Perfect ending to these five novellas, with the best epilogue! 

I loved each of the five stories, Amazon chose 5 fantastic authors. Each of them knocked it out of the park and I have found THREE new to me authors that I can't wait to dive into once more. Thank you so much for the opportunity! 

I received a free E-ARC from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Puck & Prejudice by Lia Riley

adventurous funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Solid 4 star read.  I'm not going to lie, Initially.... I was skeptical.  My impulse control got the best of me and I requested this.  Immediately had regrets, What did I get myself into?  Y'all.  I opened this on my Kindle and was hooked.  The writing was SO GOOD.  The story was so interesting.  I loved all of the characters.  Absolutely hated her family.  HENry can pound sand, preferably without Olivia as he doesn't deserve THAT dowry. 

I feel like I have to make a confession before we go further.  I've never read Pride and Prejudice.  Of course, I know who Jane Austen is and I know OF P&P, I've just... not read it or watched any of the movies. So I feel I may have missed nuances and Easter eggs alluding to P&P? Unsure.  I loved it.

I could not wait to get to the end.  I wanted to know so badly how they worked it out.  I knew Tuck would never leave his sister behind, but I knew he wasn't going to be able to leave Lizzy behind either?  I loved how it ended.  

Biggest con for me?  The cover.  Tuck is a hockey player, but he is a GOALIE.  Tuck in the cover is not a goalie.  He's not wearing the right pads, the right stick, or skates.  I don't think the casual romance reader will recognize it, but as a massive hockey fan, it threw me off.  

I received a free e-ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wicked Games by S. Massery

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Loved it! Another swoony, spicy dark romance. I’ve enjoyed the softening of Caleb in this book and the backbone Margo has grown. Can’t wait to see where the next book takes us! Especially with that ending. 

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine

adventurous funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The second Cassie saw Reggie in a fedora in My Roommate is a Vampire, I knew this book would be about him. 10/10 I loved this book. Reggie and Amelia were so adorable and I loved how their story played out. It wasn’t a typical fake dating for an event. Can’t wait for what’s next!