skyhazzard's reviews
1035 reviews

When the Duke Was Wicked by Lorraine Heath

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.75

This was fun but the age gap felt a little icky to me even though I’ve read worse. Idk something about her being 19 and him being 28 and the fact that they’ve known each other since she first fell in love with him at 7 and he 16, idk just every time I remembered I was like ugh.

I did feel for this Lovingdon though. He’d done everything right: met a girl, fell in love, married her, they both were each others first times, had a baby and then his wife and daughter die. He’s lost his reason to go on and decides to drown his woes in debauchery because what has being good got him. The whole “I can’t love another because I can’t handle the pain of them someday leaving” was another thing that bothered me in this book, he kept having feelings but would be like what are these because I can’t possibly be in love with her, I forbid it. Like take some accountability and sort through your emotions!!

Grace I did think was fun and I liked that she didn’t act like a respectable lady all the time. She kept throwing him for a loop when she’d show up at random hours, drink his liquor, or be out having a cigar with the girls. She had a secret she had been keeping and was worried about how her potential future husband would react to it. Which her secret was something I don’t think I’ve read about in historical so it was interesting to read about.

Kiss the Sky by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.25

This took me awhile to read cause I started it at the start of a reading slump but I finally made it through!

It did take a little bit getting used to reading from Rose and Conner’s POV cause I’m so used to Lily and Lo. I love everybody but it is a completely different dynamic. We also had the whole new setting of them filming a reality show so that changed up the vibes as well. And omg can I just say that I hate Scott so much and I just want karma to come back around and run him over hardcore. Like there is a circle of hell reserved just for him.

To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt

challenging emotional fast-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 was OBSESSED reading this. This had perfect Beauty and the Beast vibes while also changing it up. One of my favorite aspects of BatB is that Belle doesn’t backdown and instead holds her own against the Beast and Helen had that in spades. Alistair tries getting rid of her and she just keeps coming back, she is a woman on a mission and will not let this grumpy man ruin it.

Helen also has two children and I really enjoyed their bits and watching Alistair get all soft around them. I was just like shut up this man loves these kids.

It was just so good and I was a sucker for it.

She Tempts the Duke by Lorraine Heath

fast-paced

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

3.75

I enjoyed this one, it felt like it went by really fast, but at the same time it felt like something was missing. I think I wanted more pining and moments where you thought something would happen. When they did kiss I wasn’t sure if it was actually happening or not and then I was just like wow okay we’re doing this. Afterwards I feel like things started happening faster, the pace itself didn’t feel weird but how we got there did. And tbh I did forget the uncle was lurking around.

Seducing Mr. Knightly by Maya Rodale

funny lighthearted fast-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 had a blast with the final book in this series. 

I loved the fact that Annabelle has been pining for Knightly ever since she first step foot in the papers offices (she has it down to the year/month/week/day) and has finally decided to do something about it, so she goes to the paper, her own column Dear Annabelle, to ask for advice. Her story became so popular people were mailing her in advice to try left and right and she would report back on if any of it had worked to attract the notice of the man she loves. Annabelle has always been rather quiet so this was quite a step for her in opening up and being more daring.

Meanwhile Knightly has been completely oblivious to Annabelle’s affections. His mind has been on his pride and joy: the paper. He also has some familial trauma he’s working through. But as Annabelle tries to gain his attention he begins noticing her in a new light and questioning…is he the Nodcock??

Snowed in for Christmas by Jaqueline Snowe

funny lighthearted fast-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

This book was so much fun and quite spicy if I do say so. 

I loved how bright and bubbly Becca was and that she learned to embrace her shine and that if it was enough for her it'd be enough for the right person and anyone who says otherwise isn't worth her time. Harrison on the other hand is the opposite of her, mister grumpy gills but he does have a right to be. His parents favor and baby his brother over the other two and his ex wife really messed with his head. 

Becca and Harrison actually had been on a date before but he ghosted her at the time because he was not ready for a relationship and figured she needed someone who could put in the effort with her. Probably not the best idea seeming they're neighbors.

Despite all that they end up trapped in a blizzard together, trying to deny their chemistry, and avoiding talking about the past. But what else is there to do when you're trapped with your hot neighbor.

A Daring Arrangement by Joanna Shupe

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was okay. I don’t know if historicals set in America are for me, I just don’t find them as captivating as the European setting. I did like the chemistry between Nora and Julius but the whole plot of coercing him into pretending to be her fake fiance when he was drunk and then telling people as a fail safe didn't hit with me. And idk her former love Robert was kind of crazy.

The Tattooed Duke by Maya Rodale

adventurous funny mysterious tense 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

Well I enjoyed this immensely, it’s my favorite from the series. I just really liked Eliza and Sebastian’s characters and liked them together. Sebastian has just come back from years of traveling because he inherited the dukedom and Eliza goes undercover as a maid in his household to discover his secrets so she can report about them in the paper. There’s an immediate attraction for both of them. Sebastian can’t seem to keep his mind (or hands) off of her and the more she learns about the Duke and his love of travel the more she’s falling for him. The only thing I couldn’t believe was that they didn’t give in to each other completely till the very end of the book, all that blustering sexual tension.

A Tale of Two Lovers by Maya Rodale

funny mysterious 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

4.0

I enjoyed this one, I found Juliana to be a very interesting character and liked seeing her undercover for her column. Her and the love interest have a bit of an enemies to lovers thing going on, she reported something on him and he discovered she was the gossip columnist and tried to get her to rebuke it but she stood her ground and thus began their bickering lol.

They end up in a bit of a marriage of convenience each for their own benefit but end up developing feelings along the way.

We also got a third pov again this time from the rival male gossip columnist from the other paper.

A Groom of One's Own by Maya Rodale

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.75

This was fun but I couldn’t get over the girl who was jilted at the alter wanting a relationship with a man who was getting married. When they met she didn’t know he had a fiancé but I feel like she should have been more upset about it once she learned or told him that nothing would happen unless he freed himself because she knew what it felt like. 

I wouldn’t say it was insta love or insta lust (on his part that one could apply) but she was like insta besotted with him, she was just like but he’s the one I want, him being engaged is just an inconvenience because if he truly loves me he’ll leave her. Meanwhile he’s over here like no I signed an ironclad contract I must go through with it because I don’t want love, love hurts I just want a wife that’s perfect on paper without the feelings.

We actually got the POV of the finance which I thought was really fun. I really liked her and cared more about her storyline and relationships. And it did throw me for a little loop.