August 2023 Mini Reviews - part 4
A Lady's Guide #2
Published: 31st August 2023 by HarperCollins
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
I love a good Regency romance, and it seems as though everyone else does at the moment too! I had heard great things about the first book in this series, A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting, so I was excited to dip into this one. I've started to really enjoy a 'former flame' trope in romances, and this one certainly didn't disappoint! Although there were times when I couldn't decide whether I wanted Eliza to end up with Melville or Somerset, I appreciated that this love triangle didn't take over the story completely, and that we got to see Eliza as a fully-fleshed woman with passions and a mind of her own. I actually didn't see the twist in this book coming, which was a nice change for once, and I appreciated how it brought a deeper meaning to the romantic relationships in the book; it also allowed for Eliza to keep her agency while finding true love at the same time. I will definitely be going back and reading the first in this series!
The Hollywood Jinx by Sariah Wilson
Published: 25th July 2023 by Montlake
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
The premise of this sounded so fun - a big Hollywood star coming to a small town to help out for their annual festival - and it definitely was! I always enjoy a small-town setting and the tight-knit community that normally comes with it, and this was no exception, but I do think if the book was slightly longer it may have allowed for some of the secondary characters to be developed more. Even the two main characters, Jane and Nick, felt a bit underdeveloped at times, and personally, I found it a bit unrealistic that Nick, a huge celebrity, would open up to the extent that he did with Jane so soon after meeting her, even if it did come from a level of attraction and trust. However, the chemistry between Jane and Nick was ridiculously entertaining, and I sped through the book as a result of it - the slow burn, the anticipation! Definitely one to check out if you enjoy a cleaner romance too.
The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy
Avalon Bay #3
Published: 18th July 2023 by Piatkus
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
This is honestly one of my favourite romance series - I love the beach town setting, I love the extended group of friends and the different relationships within that, and I love the writing! Elle Kennedy has done it once again with The Summer Girl, giving us such a cute summer relationship to read about that I had to finish it in one night. Kennedy manages to create unique and interesting protagonists with each new book, and I really enjoyed Cassie and Tate in this one - how Tate isn't afraid to admit that he has such a high standard of love, while being so sweet and close with his parents, while Cassie remains such an optimistic person while struggling with a difficult family situation. They worked so well together and I had the biggest smile on my face just lapping up their interactions. I really hope there's more in this series!
The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley
Published: 1st August 2023 by MIRA
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
This was such a cute romance! I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy it going into it because friends-to-lovers isn't necessarily my favourite romance trope, but I loved seeing Claire and Graham's relationship grow. I think the whole marriage pact concept is fun and I liked how it spurred things on between the two of them by making them consider this jokey arrangement a bit more seriously. I do wish that we could have seen a bit more of Graham in action as a firefighter, but I also very much enjoyed the quality time he and Claire spent together while he recovered at home, and I did really enjoy reading about Claire working in the hospital - I find it always makes for a good workplace setting. Their chemistry was great and I loved seeing them integrate into each other's lives as more than just roommates and how they learned to compromise for one another.
3.5 stars
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