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theladysparks's reviews
31 reviews
Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
He looked at me like nothing I could have said would surprise him. Like he knew not just the contours, but the shaded, buried parts of me.
Ali Hazelwood solidifies herself as an auto-buy author for me with every single book that she releases and Not in Love is no exception. While this book is very different from Ali's previous books, it still has that Ali Hazelwood touch and flare that makes it an instant favorite. This book put me through the ringer emotionally and left me relating to it a lot more than I had originally anticipated. But just like every other one of Ali Hazelwood's books, I walk away feeling nothing but satisfaction and an excitment to have a physical copy to add to my shelf.
I do want to preface everything by saying Ali Hazelwood has provided Trigger and Content Warnings for this particular book on her website and I will include them below because this book does deal with heavier topics!
The premise of a hostile takeover with people falling for each other on opposing sides is the perfect concoction for a modern rivals-to-lovers and Ali Hazelwood did a phenomenal job breathing that trope to life with Rue and Eli. Their chemistry was off the charts and I am obsessed with this particular "meet-cute" and how everything progressed relationship-wise throughout the story. This book, from start to finish, was a complete joy and I devoured it. The tension, the banter, the depth both individually and together was so great and I really think Ali shined with this book. I hope that we get more dual POV books from her in the future because it was honestly such a delight.
Rue, the fmc, is a biotech engineer working at Kline (the start-up company that Eli is trying to essentially take over). I appreciated how her background was discussed and how that part of her past really drove her to pursue the job that she has and develop the stuff that she does in this book. While this is another woman in STEM, I feel like it wasn't as technical as all of Ali's previous books so if that was something you didn't enjoy in her other novels, I'd still suggest giving this one a chance. Rue had so much depth as a character and I related to her on a lot of levels (which is probably why I ended up crying on multiple occassions). I honestly would take on the world for her and just appreciate her overall as a character and loved her as the main character of this book.
I don't think I've seen anyone talk about this particular aspect yet and I would love clarification from Ali Hazelwood herself but Rue, to me (a neurodivergent person) felt like she was also neurodivergent but I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere.
Eli, the mmc, was impossible not to fall for from the very first moment we are introduced to him and it only becomes more impossible as the book continues. This man was swoon-worthy, down-bad, a dirty-talker who looks at Rue in such an awe-inspiring sort of way. His personality was a lot different, I think, from Ali's other male leads. He was super charming, charismatic, and laid-back. When I say it's impossible not to like him, I really mean it. He also has a giant dog named Tiny and he has curly hair and was a hockey player. So . . . honestly what's not to love? He is so opposite of Rue and I think that was really endearing in this particular context, especially because he never felt like Rue needed changing or to be anything other than exactly who she is.
The supporting cast of characters are really wonderful and I loved the chemistry and flow that we saw within all of the different relationships throughout the book. There's a lot of depth to everyone on the page and we get to see more of that as the book goes on instead of just keeping it surface level. I just really love how real this one felt with everyone's quirks and baggage regardless of whether they were the main characters or just background characters.
The overarching conflict and plot was enjoyable. However, Ali's books definitely have me wondering (as someone who has never been in STEM in any capacity) if people are really as untrustworthy and cut-throat as they are in her books. So someone will have to share that information with me because wow. LOL
I want to say thank you to Berkley Romance for sending me an e-ARC of Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood. This book is one of my most anticipated releases for 2024 and it was phenomenal being given the opportunity to read it before it's release date.
TWs/CWs: (taken from Ali Hazelwood's website) a lot more graphic explicit scenes. childhood poverty and food insecurity, anxiety around food, mentions of addiction (secondary characters), social anxiety, parental death (accidents, illness / off page, in the past), parental neglect, power exchange, attempted assault of the fmc by her brother (she is unharmed), pregnancy of a secondary character (only mentioned briefly)
- dual pov
- "let's get it out of our system"
- she's grumpy / he's sunshine
- STEM (but the least out of Ali's books)
- forbidden romance
- insta lust
- angsty
- difficult familes
- traumatic pasts
- he's obsessed
- rivals with benefits
- secret entanglements
- he falls first
- found family
- slow burn romance but fast burn spice
- rivals to friends to lovers
My Ali Hazelwood Ranking:
Love, Theoretically
Not In Love
Bride / The Love Hypothesis
Love on the Brain
Loathe to Love You Novellas
5.0
Rue Siebert, a biotech engineer at a promising start-up, may not have everything but she has what matters. Her life is stable, rewarding, and hard-won. That is, until everything is flipped upside down when a hostile takeover threatens to shatter her world.
Eli Killgore and his partners are determined to acquire Kline no matter what. Eli has his own motivations for pushing this deal forward, and is known for achieving his goals. But a chance meeting with Rue, the woman who consumes his thoughts and is strictly off-limits, shakes everything up.
Caught between loyalty and a powerful attraction, Rue and Eli disregard caution by engaging in a bit of casual fun. But they are playing a risky game and their hearts end up on the line.
He looked at me like nothing I could have said would surprise him. Like he knew not just the contours, but the shaded, buried parts of me.
Ali Hazelwood solidifies herself as an auto-buy author for me with every single book that she releases and Not in Love is no exception. While this book is very different from Ali's previous books, it still has that Ali Hazelwood touch and flare that makes it an instant favorite. This book put me through the ringer emotionally and left me relating to it a lot more than I had originally anticipated. But just like every other one of Ali Hazelwood's books, I walk away feeling nothing but satisfaction and an excitment to have a physical copy to add to my shelf.
I do want to preface everything by saying Ali Hazelwood has provided Trigger and Content Warnings for this particular book on her website and I will include them below because this book does deal with heavier topics!
The premise of a hostile takeover with people falling for each other on opposing sides is the perfect concoction for a modern rivals-to-lovers and Ali Hazelwood did a phenomenal job breathing that trope to life with Rue and Eli. Their chemistry was off the charts and I am obsessed with this particular "meet-cute" and how everything progressed relationship-wise throughout the story. This book, from start to finish, was a complete joy and I devoured it. The tension, the banter, the depth both individually and together was so great and I really think Ali shined with this book. I hope that we get more dual POV books from her in the future because it was honestly such a delight.
Rue, the fmc, is a biotech engineer working at Kline (the start-up company that Eli is trying to essentially take over). I appreciated how her background was discussed and how that part of her past really drove her to pursue the job that she has and develop the stuff that she does in this book. While this is another woman in STEM, I feel like it wasn't as technical as all of Ali's previous books so if that was something you didn't enjoy in her other novels, I'd still suggest giving this one a chance. Rue had so much depth as a character and I related to her on a lot of levels (which is probably why I ended up crying on multiple occassions). I honestly would take on the world for her and just appreciate her overall as a character and loved her as the main character of this book.
I don't think I've seen anyone talk about this particular aspect yet and I would love clarification from Ali Hazelwood herself but Rue, to me (a neurodivergent person) felt like she was also neurodivergent but I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere.
Eli, the mmc, was impossible not to fall for from the very first moment we are introduced to him and it only becomes more impossible as the book continues. This man was swoon-worthy, down-bad, a dirty-talker who looks at Rue in such an awe-inspiring sort of way. His personality was a lot different, I think, from Ali's other male leads. He was super charming, charismatic, and laid-back. When I say it's impossible not to like him, I really mean it. He also has a giant dog named Tiny and he has curly hair and was a hockey player. So . . . honestly what's not to love? He is so opposite of Rue and I think that was really endearing in this particular context, especially because he never felt like Rue needed changing or to be anything other than exactly who she is.
The supporting cast of characters are really wonderful and I loved the chemistry and flow that we saw within all of the different relationships throughout the book. There's a lot of depth to everyone on the page and we get to see more of that as the book goes on instead of just keeping it surface level. I just really love how real this one felt with everyone's quirks and baggage regardless of whether they were the main characters or just background characters.
The overarching conflict and plot was enjoyable. However, Ali's books definitely have me wondering (as someone who has never been in STEM in any capacity) if people are really as untrustworthy and cut-throat as they are in her books. So someone will have to share that information with me because wow. LOL
I want to say thank you to Berkley Romance for sending me an e-ARC of Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood. This book is one of my most anticipated releases for 2024 and it was phenomenal being given the opportunity to read it before it's release date.
TWs/CWs: (taken from Ali Hazelwood's website) a lot more graphic explicit scenes. childhood poverty and food insecurity, anxiety around food, mentions of addiction (secondary characters), social anxiety, parental death (accidents, illness / off page, in the past), parental neglect, power exchange, attempted assault of the fmc by her brother (she is unharmed), pregnancy of a secondary character (only mentioned briefly)
- dual pov
- "let's get it out of our system"
- she's grumpy / he's sunshine
- STEM (but the least out of Ali's books)
- forbidden romance
- insta lust
- angsty
- difficult familes
- traumatic pasts
- he's obsessed
- rivals with benefits
- secret entanglements
- he falls first
- found family
- slow burn romance but fast burn spice
- rivals to friends to lovers
My Ali Hazelwood Ranking:
Love, Theoretically
Not In Love
Bride / The Love Hypothesis
Love on the Brain
Loathe to Love You Novellas
Wild Love by Elsie Silver
"There's nothing funny about the way I want you."
Elsie Silver is the queen of small-town romances I think and Wild Love is literally no exception. Thank you so much Elsie Silver for providing me a digital ARC of Wild Love this was a 4.5 star read for me (rounded up here on Goodreads) and I am already so excited for the next installment in this new series! Before I dive into my full review, I also just want to take a moment for both of the covers because they are iconic and gorgeous and PINK!!!!!! SO CUTE and perfect for this book.
I am a sucker for the brother's best friend trope, especially when it's a dynamic like this one where they both go to bat for each other and the pining has been happening secretly for years and years. When you combine that with a wonderful cast of supporting characters, gorgeous scenery that you just want to jump right into and two super solid and likeable characters falling for each other, it's set up for a success in my opinion.
Rosie is a girl after my own heart. I found her very relatable with how she reacts and handles things and I adored the growth that she has as a person from the beginning to the end of the book. Essentially the girl who wanted to be the "easy" child and who didn't want to ruffle feathers really grows into herself and takes what she wants without apology and I for one am all about that. I think that her relationship with Cora was one of my favorite dynamics throughout the entire book (aside from Rosie and Ford together) and I loved the vibe that was each and every single interaction that they had throughout this book.
I think Ford is going to really shake up a lot of people's rankings of Elsie Silver male characters. He is so likeable it hurts and I think getting not only his point of view, but also being able to see how Rosie sees him is going to have people swooning really hard because I sure did. He is one of those characters that is just so good and even when he makes mistakes and messes up, you can see where he was coming from all while he takes accountability for his actions and actively tries to do better.
I loved the storyline between Ford and Cora probably the most in this entire book. It was a unique and surprising twist on the single dad front and I really enjoyed the way that it was introduced and handled throughout the entire story. Cora really stole the show honestly. I loved that girl's personality and how she shook things up, not just with how she showed up but just by being herself and being the little spitfire that she is.
This book was wonderful and I adored it so much! Whether or not you're already a fan of Elsie's books, I think you'll enjoy this book!
- brother's best friend
- single dad
- he falls first
- banter and tension for days
- childhood frenemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- small town romance
- they are protective of each other
- workplace romance
- he falls first / he's always loved her
- billionaire romance
- diary entries and emails
- dual pov
- open door
4.5
Rosie Belmont has been igniting a fire in Ford Grant for as long as he can remember. But that fire is a forbidden longing — because Rosie is his best friend’s younger sister, and off-limits in every conceivable way.
When Rosie makes a dramatic return to Rose Hill, she brings with her the force of a storm: stunning, disordered, and completely irresistible. When she pitches herself for a job at Ford’s company as his business manager, it’s a no-brainer despite the complications that might come along with it.
Ford, dubbed the World’s Hottest Billionaire by Forbes, is more focused on launching his new music studio than on accolades. However, his plans hit a roadblock when he's confronted by a young girl claiming to be his daughter, thrusting him into the dual roles of businessman and father, all while struggling to maintain a professional distance from Rosie. Despite his best efforts to keep her at bay with curt words and brooding glances, their verbal back and forths only fan the flames of a deeper attraction — one that could burn them both.
Ford has pledged to himself that he would stay away from Rosie and maintain a boundary he deems necessary. But as tension morphs into undeniable chemistry, he finds the line between “shouldn’t” and “can't” blurring. And despite every rule in the book, there’s one thing Ford finds impossible: resisting Rosie.
"There's nothing funny about the way I want you."
Elsie Silver is the queen of small-town romances I think and Wild Love is literally no exception. Thank you so much Elsie Silver for providing me a digital ARC of Wild Love this was a 4.5 star read for me (rounded up here on Goodreads) and I am already so excited for the next installment in this new series! Before I dive into my full review, I also just want to take a moment for both of the covers because they are iconic and gorgeous and PINK!!!!!! SO CUTE and perfect for this book.
I am a sucker for the brother's best friend trope, especially when it's a dynamic like this one where they both go to bat for each other and the pining has been happening secretly for years and years. When you combine that with a wonderful cast of supporting characters, gorgeous scenery that you just want to jump right into and two super solid and likeable characters falling for each other, it's set up for a success in my opinion.
Rosie is a girl after my own heart. I found her very relatable with how she reacts and handles things and I adored the growth that she has as a person from the beginning to the end of the book. Essentially the girl who wanted to be the "easy" child and who didn't want to ruffle feathers really grows into herself and takes what she wants without apology and I for one am all about that. I think that her relationship with Cora was one of my favorite dynamics throughout the entire book (aside from Rosie and Ford together) and I loved the vibe that was each and every single interaction that they had throughout this book.
I think Ford is going to really shake up a lot of people's rankings of Elsie Silver male characters. He is so likeable it hurts and I think getting not only his point of view, but also being able to see how Rosie sees him is going to have people swooning really hard because I sure did. He is one of those characters that is just so good and even when he makes mistakes and messes up, you can see where he was coming from all while he takes accountability for his actions and actively tries to do better.
I loved the storyline between Ford and Cora probably the most in this entire book. It was a unique and surprising twist on the single dad front and I really enjoyed the way that it was introduced and handled throughout the entire story. Cora really stole the show honestly. I loved that girl's personality and how she shook things up, not just with how she showed up but just by being herself and being the little spitfire that she is.
This book was wonderful and I adored it so much! Whether or not you're already a fan of Elsie's books, I think you'll enjoy this book!
- brother's best friend
- single dad
- he falls first
- banter and tension for days
- childhood frenemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- small town romance
- they are protective of each other
- workplace romance
- he falls first / he's always loved her
- billionaire romance
- diary entries and emails
- dual pov
- open door
The Alpha of Bleake Isle by Kathryn Moon
"Chosen, claimed, always meant to be mine."
Kathryn Moon has once again delivered a book that I find myself absolutely obsessed with. A romantasy in the vein of Bridgerton with dragon shifters and omegaverse dynamics but with a twist that you will find charming and impossible to put down. This book is such a sweet romance where we have a hard-edged alpha falling for the omega that has been overlooked and is seen as a wallflower and the two of them growing and blossoming into two wonderful people who are fantastic together.
Mairwen is seen by Dragonkin as less than, underestimated and overlooked and because of that she is used as currency basically between her parents and a suitor. Ronson is the alpha of the island who has decided that this selection would be the one that he finally finds himself an omega and hopefully secure an heir. The two literally collide unexpectedly and everything from there on out is a magical experience.
I loved reading through Mairwen's growth and how she gained her confidence in a way that drove home that she always had this power and beauty but it was everyone around her who overlooked. Ronson's love for Mairwen is probably one of my favorite things about this book and how down bad he is for her. I think if you looked up the definition of that phrase in the dictionary, there would be a photo of him right there.
I spent the entire time in this book either grinning from ear to ear or finding it relatable in the aspects of how other people talk about and view Mairwen's appearance as a larger-bodied person. I am so glad that this is the beginning of a series because I think the world-building is so cool and so unique and I am very excited to read more books featuring Dragonkin.
- historical romantasy
- bridgerton esque vibes
- dragon shifter beings
- omegaverse dynamics (but also different)
- he is down bad for her
- political intrigue
- midsize fmc
5.0
Lord Ronson Cadogan can stall no longer. He needs an omega and he needs an heir.
Settled on the obvious perfect choice, and determined to see his fate through, Ronson can't afford to wait for the next ceremony to claim what he is owed. If only he was more excited about the match.
Mairwen Posy knows precisely who the Alpha of Bleake Isle will choose, and it certainly isn't her. In fact, it's so predictable it's almost boring.
Resigned to her fate of disappearing into the background, Mairwen takes the role of observer, distracting the ache of being left out with the entertainment of dragonkin society's unfolding stories.
All is as expected, until the sudden twist in a familiar plot sends Mairwen in the least likely direction, right into the arms of the alpha.
"Chosen, claimed, always meant to be mine."
Kathryn Moon has once again delivered a book that I find myself absolutely obsessed with. A romantasy in the vein of Bridgerton with dragon shifters and omegaverse dynamics but with a twist that you will find charming and impossible to put down. This book is such a sweet romance where we have a hard-edged alpha falling for the omega that has been overlooked and is seen as a wallflower and the two of them growing and blossoming into two wonderful people who are fantastic together.
Mairwen is seen by Dragonkin as less than, underestimated and overlooked and because of that she is used as currency basically between her parents and a suitor. Ronson is the alpha of the island who has decided that this selection would be the one that he finally finds himself an omega and hopefully secure an heir. The two literally collide unexpectedly and everything from there on out is a magical experience.
I loved reading through Mairwen's growth and how she gained her confidence in a way that drove home that she always had this power and beauty but it was everyone around her who overlooked. Ronson's love for Mairwen is probably one of my favorite things about this book and how down bad he is for her. I think if you looked up the definition of that phrase in the dictionary, there would be a photo of him right there.
I spent the entire time in this book either grinning from ear to ear or finding it relatable in the aspects of how other people talk about and view Mairwen's appearance as a larger-bodied person. I am so glad that this is the beginning of a series because I think the world-building is so cool and so unique and I am very excited to read more books featuring Dragonkin.
- historical romantasy
- bridgerton esque vibes
- dragon shifter beings
- omegaverse dynamics (but also different)
- he is down bad for her
- political intrigue
- midsize fmc
Of Sword & Silver by January Bell
"There's nowhere you could go that I wouldn't find you."
I've been in a bit of a reading slump between the end of February and the beginning of March but picking this up has cured me. This is the fantasy romance book of my dreams and I will literally be thinking about it nonstop until the next book comes out. It's giving Witcher vibes. It's giving Baulder's Gate 3 vibes. It's giving a magical world that I would like to be transported to immediately if I can have the Sword call me pretty little liar.
Kyrie's story gives me major Shadowheart vibes from Baulder's Gate 3 but only if she were a really sarcastic rogue. I love her with my whole being and I really enjoyed how she was written because it felt like as the people around her learned more about her, so did we as the readers. It felt like the further I got into the book, the more trust was being shared and the more she was stripping herself of the layers she has to protect herself. I think her entire backstory is so interesting (sad but interesting nonetheless) and I loved the fact that January Bell did not hold back when it came to the flaws that make Kyrie who she is.
The Sword was literally written for the people who love a dark, broody fae man who grunts more than he actually speaks. The same way that January Bell unraveled secrets with Kyrie, she did with the Sword but in a bit of a different way so we would get abrupt half-answers to questions we didn't even realize we had. It was frustrating but I loved how he was trying to give Kyrie the answers without actually giving the answers. (Especially funny if you take into account the fact that he talks about hating the Gods riddles on multiple occasions.) I think that this is a character that the bookish community is going to be obsessing over, and honestly as they should because same.
There was a really strong supporting cast of characters, including a direcat and a mule who had their own personalities that you cannot help but love. The supporting characters all have their own web of intricacies that I found really compelling while I was reading. They all have their flaws but you love them all the same. I think January Bell did a really great job at bringing out their humanness which sounds so silly but I think with fantasy books and anytime there are otherworldly things happening, the writing of characters can feel less human even when they're supposed to just be human so I just really appreciated that.
This book had me laughing. This book had me crying. This book had me throwing it down on the bed because I was so frustrated or shocked by what was happening. And I can't wait to read the next book. A very strong 5 star read that I highly recommend.
- fantasy romance
- enemies to reluctant allies to lovers
- slow burn
- high romantic tension
- loads of wonderful banter
- "little liar" as a pet name
- forced proximity
- really interesting magic
- a prison breakout, a heist and a masquerade ball
- touch her and die vibes
- found family, so much so
- grumpy hero / sassy heroine
- open door
- loads of secrets to unravel
5.0
Kyrie is a silver-tongued thief, gifted with magic by the Goddess Sola that allows her to detect lies and force people to believe hers, and she has stolen from the wrong mark. She went in believing she’d made off with a priceless treasure from a disciple of the death god but instead has been cursed and the only one who can help stop it is a dark warrior who is simply known as The Sword who is also the most feared of all the death God’s worshippers.
After Kyrie breaks the Sword out of prison (where he resides after the murder of a slew of Sola followers), the two make an oath to one another so that he can get his freedom and Kyrie can be cured of her curse. But The Sword seems to have his own agenda on this quest. And as their journey progresses, these enemies grow closer but there are secrets between them all.
"There's nowhere you could go that I wouldn't find you."
I've been in a bit of a reading slump between the end of February and the beginning of March but picking this up has cured me. This is the fantasy romance book of my dreams and I will literally be thinking about it nonstop until the next book comes out. It's giving Witcher vibes. It's giving Baulder's Gate 3 vibes. It's giving a magical world that I would like to be transported to immediately if I can have the Sword call me pretty little liar.
Kyrie's story gives me major Shadowheart vibes from Baulder's Gate 3 but only if she were a really sarcastic rogue. I love her with my whole being and I really enjoyed how she was written because it felt like as the people around her learned more about her, so did we as the readers. It felt like the further I got into the book, the more trust was being shared and the more she was stripping herself of the layers she has to protect herself. I think her entire backstory is so interesting (sad but interesting nonetheless) and I loved the fact that January Bell did not hold back when it came to the flaws that make Kyrie who she is.
The Sword was literally written for the people who love a dark, broody fae man who grunts more than he actually speaks. The same way that January Bell unraveled secrets with Kyrie, she did with the Sword but in a bit of a different way so we would get abrupt half-answers to questions we didn't even realize we had. It was frustrating but I loved how he was trying to give Kyrie the answers without actually giving the answers. (Especially funny if you take into account the fact that he talks about hating the Gods riddles on multiple occasions.) I think that this is a character that the bookish community is going to be obsessing over, and honestly as they should because same.
There was a really strong supporting cast of characters, including a direcat and a mule who had their own personalities that you cannot help but love. The supporting characters all have their own web of intricacies that I found really compelling while I was reading. They all have their flaws but you love them all the same. I think January Bell did a really great job at bringing out their humanness which sounds so silly but I think with fantasy books and anytime there are otherworldly things happening, the writing of characters can feel less human even when they're supposed to just be human so I just really appreciated that.
This book had me laughing. This book had me crying. This book had me throwing it down on the bed because I was so frustrated or shocked by what was happening. And I can't wait to read the next book. A very strong 5 star read that I highly recommend.
- fantasy romance
- enemies to reluctant allies to lovers
- slow burn
- high romantic tension
- loads of wonderful banter
- "little liar" as a pet name
- forced proximity
- really interesting magic
- a prison breakout, a heist and a masquerade ball
- touch her and die vibes
- found family, so much so
- grumpy hero / sassy heroine
- open door
- loads of secrets to unravel
Sunny Disposition by Deanna Grey
"I stole a few more seconds because I couldn’t help myself. She was a Sun, and I was a frozen Earth, desperate for a change in season."
If Deanna Grey has a million fans, I'm one of them. If Deanna Grey has one fan, it's me. If Deanna Grey has no fans, I'm dead. Every single book that she writes is a hit, she literally never freaking misses. TLDR; when I saw that this book featured amnesia, I was hesitant. I haven't loved how it was approached in other reads but I should have trusted Deanna Grey from the start because I literally love every single thing she writes. Auto-buy author. I will be recommending her books for the rest of my life, even from the grave. Put it on my headstone: EVERYONE READ DEANNA GREY'S BOOKS RIGHT NOW.
I freaking loved that Naomi was a gamer/streamer. As a gamer girl myself, it was so fun to see it explored in this particular way. I really loved the fact that we didn't see any sort of negative viewing of her as a gamer and that it was a sort of safe-haven space for her to be. Naomi's sunshine personality could be felt coming off of the page, especially when the story progresses and Finn pushes her to show more emotions and that she doesn't have to be happy all of the time.
Finn is probably one of my all-time favorite book boyfriends from here on out. I was swooning hard from start to finish. I love how real his journey felt and the exploration of him having amnesia and growing through it. Also, he is just so freaking poetic when he thinks about Naomi so prepare yourself to be down bad for this man.
Together their relationship felt so real and believable. I loved the dynamic of him being the anonymous mod for her streams and I think the overall setup at the beginning was an iconic way of breaking into the story. It made for a really hooking read that made it really difficult to put down. You will be rooting for both of them separately and especially together because they're just literally the absolute best.
I also really enjoyed the side characters and how intricately everything wound through the stories so flawlessly. I'm hoping we get books for all of the hockey players and their love interests. I know we have Sam's book next that I'm very excited to read here soon!
I think that Deanna Grey has a wonderful way of writing love stories that are really captivating and feel . . . well real. Her writing flows really well and I love the pacing. She always manages to put in quotes that I can't help but highlight and save for later. And I honestly cannot recommend this book enough. One of my all-time favorite romance books for sure.
- college romance
- hockey romance
- girl gamer fmc
- forced proximity
- friends to lovers
- and they were roommates
- slow burn
- dual pov
- hidden identity
- grumpy/sunshine
- amnesia
5.0
Naomi finds herself pulled in by Finn Howard, one of the four hockey players she shares a house with this semester. Despite Finn's reserved demeanor and occasional disapproval, there is something oddly familiar and comforting about him to Naomi. She says that she is not falling for Finn, but can’t help but feel drawn to him. She sees breaking through his stoic demeanor as a challenge worth taking on and that this distraction might help her move on from the guy she’s been pining over online who mods her streams.
Finn usually maintains his composure, except when he's on the hockey rink. So why does he feel a pang in his chest whenever Naomi Lewis looks his way? Her humor, kindness, and constant joyfulness intrigue Finn. If her infectious positivity isn't enough, the similarity between her voice and that of the online streamer he moderates anonymously adds to Finn's dilemma. If Naomi turns out to be the streamer, Finn fears her disappointment. He acknowledges that he is not the person she thinks he is, at least not after a fight that leaves him with amnesia.
"I stole a few more seconds because I couldn’t help myself. She was a Sun, and I was a frozen Earth, desperate for a change in season."
If Deanna Grey has a million fans, I'm one of them. If Deanna Grey has one fan, it's me. If Deanna Grey has no fans, I'm dead. Every single book that she writes is a hit, she literally never freaking misses. TLDR; when I saw that this book featured amnesia, I was hesitant. I haven't loved how it was approached in other reads but I should have trusted Deanna Grey from the start because I literally love every single thing she writes. Auto-buy author. I will be recommending her books for the rest of my life, even from the grave. Put it on my headstone: EVERYONE READ DEANNA GREY'S BOOKS RIGHT NOW.
I freaking loved that Naomi was a gamer/streamer. As a gamer girl myself, it was so fun to see it explored in this particular way. I really loved the fact that we didn't see any sort of negative viewing of her as a gamer and that it was a sort of safe-haven space for her to be. Naomi's sunshine personality could be felt coming off of the page, especially when the story progresses and Finn pushes her to show more emotions and that she doesn't have to be happy all of the time.
Finn is probably one of my all-time favorite book boyfriends from here on out. I was swooning hard from start to finish. I love how real his journey felt and the exploration of him having amnesia and growing through it. Also, he is just so freaking poetic when he thinks about Naomi so prepare yourself to be down bad for this man.
Together their relationship felt so real and believable. I loved the dynamic of him being the anonymous mod for her streams and I think the overall setup at the beginning was an iconic way of breaking into the story. It made for a really hooking read that made it really difficult to put down. You will be rooting for both of them separately and especially together because they're just literally the absolute best.
I also really enjoyed the side characters and how intricately everything wound through the stories so flawlessly. I'm hoping we get books for all of the hockey players and their love interests. I know we have Sam's book next that I'm very excited to read here soon!
I think that Deanna Grey has a wonderful way of writing love stories that are really captivating and feel . . . well real. Her writing flows really well and I love the pacing. She always manages to put in quotes that I can't help but highlight and save for later. And I honestly cannot recommend this book enough. One of my all-time favorite romance books for sure.
- college romance
- hockey romance
- girl gamer fmc
- forced proximity
- friends to lovers
- and they were roommates
- slow burn
- dual pov
- hidden identity
- grumpy/sunshine
- amnesia