nikkiepic's reviews
654 reviews

Mine to Take by Jennifer Sucevic

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

It wasn’t bad but it’s wasn’t the best of my reads. The smutty scenes were enough and decent. I did like the main issues for the MMCs but I felt it could have been better if it was developed more. The book was about 300 pages but honestly it felt fast paced and felt that if you would take out the smutty scenes it would have been closer to 200 pages. But it was enjoyable and I did like the main characters relationship enough. I was annoyed at the FMC brother, felt like there wasn’t much of a development between the two but it was enough for the book. But also the rivalry between the MMC and the FMC brother was super stupid for it to be still going on in their lives. 

Homebound by Meredith Trapp

adventurous challenging emotional funny lighthearted relaxing 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

I cannot express how much I love readying this! I know it’s going to be one of my comfort reads because it is so funny, I laughed so often then not. The main love interest are definitely black cat golden retriever vibes backward, small town romance that honestly I wish was real so o can move and enjoy the rest of my life in. Single dad who I swear, if I ever get married and have a baby of the dad isn’t like Wyatt I don’t want him. He is a man who not only fell for his woman but he went back to get her! And he did!!! And his baby girl honestly was too cute I love every moment they shared it felt so genuine and real and lovely to see how their relationship grew. And when Vi called her mama I cried 😭 so much. The side characters are just as funny and I’m hoping a second book will follow soon for Lana and Willie because their hate to love story would be spicy 🥵 

Camera Shy by Kay Cove

adventurous emotional funny reflective 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

I absolutely LOVED THIS BOOK!! It was great, definitely had great intentions for body positivity, learning to love oneself, setting boundaries and with smutty scenes in almost every chapter that was indeed got me getting butterflies. There was drama but not in the way that I would have found it annoying but was necessary in order for the FMC to set boundaries and to grow. Our FMC definitely has a praise link which was so funny and great. I love how the MMC was support supportive and called her his Queen. I do feel awful with how both main characters had such horrible past relationships. But I love how much they ended together. I’m super excited for the swing book and I’m so rereading this as a comfort read. 

Homerun Proposal by Maren Moore

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

5.0

Honestly this was sick a cute and fun romance to read. I love how much unproblematic any of these characters are, like they’re not perfect people but they do have each other backs and supports one another. Lane is the MMC, baseball hotshot on campus and has a bright future in the league after the drafts but is clearly he’s not fully happy with the prospect of making baseball is career, and is afraid in letting people down especially his dad. Hallie is a homebody but wants to try to experience the college life while she still can, even though she’s a freshman so she has time, she love conspiracies and films to the point that she’s majoring in film but she’s a really shy girl who hasn’t had much experience in guys so she hatches up a proposal to the wrong brother to help her. Ironically enough they have been into each other since forever but never made a move towards one another because Lane is her best friend older brother and Mr. Popular. Throughout the book it’s clear that they are falling in love and I was definitely falling in love with their relationship as it developed more. I am excited to continue with the series, definitely worth reading.

Boarded Hearts by Ruth Stilling

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Icing It by Emma Foxx

adventurous challenging funny medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

I had really hoped to like this book as it was one of the recommendations but unfortunately for me I did not. Or I should say I was ok with it for the most part until I got to 50% as all I was reading since and even much after was just the spice scenes and while I can and have appreciated those scenes it wasn’t worth the 400 something pages when the FMC felt flat to me and I had only genuinely liked the one MMC in this why choose romance. The other two, felt like they should have been main characters in their romance book. And one MMC in my opinion felt like he lacked enough emotional maturity to really be in a poly relationship. And what really made me start to hate the FMC and the other two MMC was when they  didn’t seems to listen to the one MMC concerns or reservations regarding the poly relationship. The rest of the romance just gave nothing, I would have loved to get more actual interaction with each other as groups to see how the relationship developed but nothing. In short, felt flat to me from the romance to the characters except for one the MMC and a few side characters. 

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

adventurous challenging emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.5

Again, took a chance on a popular book and I’m so glad I did. Icebreaker was an hilarious book. I could not stop listening. The book was well done, the pace was perfect, I enjoyed how the romance between the characters because we get to really see how their relationship develops throughout the year. At first it was rocky because of course they were forced to be near each other on the ice rink they had to share. But they got past that and developed a friendship albeit a sexual tension filled friendship that became a situationship that with time became an adorable true love story lol. Anastasia was a great character in which she had something where you could relate to. Nate was this adorable golden retriever of a hockey player. He genuinely cared about people and that man fell hard for Anastasia. She was the one who of course needed to almost die to admit it. I really did like how they did communicate with each other, we’re they perfect nope but they definitely are a couple that would last forever based on how much obstacles they had to work together to push though. Not just relying on each other but also the friends that became their family. I also like how the book dealt with eating disorder (please check your triggers). There were a lot of things I loved about this book and I’m excited to start Wildfire next.

Live, Ranch, Love by Emma Lucy

adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I was so excited when I heard about this book and I immediately preordered it. Started and I liked it! It was funny and spicy. Rory is such a ray of sunshine even when she’s upset lol. Like don’t get my wrong, she was clearly burnt out and heartbroken and needed some time for herself and to rediscover herself. Granted she didn’t imagine she would find herself again or renew her love in her career in Colorado owning her late-aunt’s ranch. And in a way while yes the ranch did help, her falling in love with Wyatt and Wyatt loving her and believing in her did help. But Rory definitely helped Wyatt. He for a long  time didn’t believed he is worthy of the love he gives to other. When I’m fact he very much is, he’s in fact one of the my top green flag bookmen I’ve read. He’s not perfect, because he is very much a grump, sarcastic and can come off as a bit  rude. But he’s very respectful, loyal and loving. Which is why I stand behind Rory in kicking Holly’s butt. Overall, I liked this book a lot, it has playful banter, grumpy and sunshine trope, small town romance, found family and dirty taking that made the spicy scenes so much greater. 

The Fighter by Tara Crescent

adventurous dark emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

It’s a mafia deal romance but I found the dark romance on the lighter spectrum of dark romance. Like this would be a good introduction to dark romance because while having dark themes it does go all the way into them as darker mafia romances do. I found the work place enemies to lover troupe quite adorable and funny. The banter was great between Ali and Thomas, especially since they got together because of Alie creepy ex-business partner selling his portion to Thomas. And it was clear that Thomas was so into her from the beginning. Ali as well but was more resistant because of their situation but it’s clear that they both fell hard and fast for one bother at the same time. And while Thomas is part of the Venice, mafia (also love how this is set in Italy, not in the US), he’s the actual accountant but isn’t afraid to do some dirty work whenever the people he loves are threatened. I don’t have anything negative about this book, I will say that the ending felt a tiny bit rushed when the pace of the pace was great, but it’s not a big deal since the romance is indeed the main plot. While the mafia world, Ali’s birth father (the asshole) and the Russian Bratva are more of a sub plot that helps move the main love characters to admitting their love. 

The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson

adventurous emotional funny inspiring reflective 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

And once again Lana Ferguson had done it. I cannot tell you how much I laughed while listening to this. How much I love every character (except the real villain) and how much growth it had. The sexual tension from the fake relationship between childhood friends to lovers was so well done. I’m not a huge fan of the friends to lover troupe but Ferguson truly out done it with The Game Changer. And I will say that while I love Delilah and Ian, my favorite character was Jack, he is so funny and such a goofball yet protective with his sister and friends it’s so cute. The suspense with Ian secrets and the reason why he had left  was so heartbreaking because he really did feel alone when he should have been. And yet he took the step to go back home and it was worth it. He got his happy ending with the woman he loves and closure he needed and not just him but Delilah too. I love it when I get to see both POVs, it makes the story such much more rounded and makes me feel more invested with the characters and plot. And lastly, the SHOWER 🚿 SCENE 🥵🥵🥵 It is save in my mind rent free forever!!!