Tag: romance

The Paradise Problem – Reviewed

On By KaylieIn FIVE STARSLeave a comment

I gave The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren FIVE stars.

The Paradise Problem follows Liam, ultra-rich professor at Stanford who is set to inherit hundreds of millions of dollars, and Anna, an unemployed and starving artist with pink hair, who is also supporting her father and his medical bills as he battles cancer.

When Liam and Anna were in college, Anna was friends with Liam’s brother, Jake, who introduced her to Liam. Both struggling to afford a place to live, they decide to marry solely for the benefit of subsidized housing, with the intent to divorce upon leaving the apartment. However, Liam’s inheritance is contingent upon him being married for five years before he receives the full amount. Three years after leaving the apartment, Liam shows up at Anna’s door, tells her they are actually still effectively married, and asks if she will accompany him on a trip to a private island for his sister’s wedding to convince everyone they’ve been happily married the entire time. After some negotiating, Anna agrees and three days later they’re off to the private island to attend the wedding, and spend time with Liam’s absolutely terrible family! Liam assures Anna the trip will be well worth both their time, as it is necessary for him to get his inheritance, and she will be generously compensated for her time. But, just as you’d expect, this doesn’t go to plan and they just might actually fall in love.

Full disclosure, I ordered this as my Book of the Month Club pick by accident, but it was such a happy accident. I loved this book! I stayed up way too late reading it, because I just could NOT put it down. This book features points of view from both Anna and Liam, which I love. Liam and Anna come from such different backgrounds, so I think the dual POV was really necessary to effectively tell this story, and they captured their individual voices so well. 

The authors hit the ground running and didn’t waste any time in the beginning with any unnecessary background info or monotonous droning on. They get straight to the point of the book, and that was what really hooked me. The alternating points of view, relatively short chapters, and casual writing style made it so easy to keep reading. Once the book started to pick up, I was so excited to read how on earth these two people were ever going to end up falling in love, because for a bit it seemed like pigs flying was more likely.

This book really has it all. Two people from entirely different backgrounds and an unlikely love story, a little bit of spice, really good banter throughout the whole book, some heartache, some scandal, some forgiveness. I was laughing, giggling, grinning, and gritting my teeth throughout this entire book. 

I adored Anna’s character. She was quirky, genuine, lovable, relatable, and she really had everyone’s best interest at heart. Even while having to play the charade of a billionaire’s wife as someone who was for all intents and purposes the exact opposite, she still managed to not lose herself in it. She fosters meaningful relationships with a few of the people in Liam’s family, despite that seeming to be an absolutely daunting task. Even when things were up in the air, or she was being treated poorly, she was always the voice of reason, even if she didn’t actually VOICE the reason.

Liam really needed Anna’s perspective in his life, in my opinion. He probably should have just actually dated her when he married her, and he could have avoided a lot of hardship in his own life, but I digress. Good guy with a good heart, just a bit closed-minded about his situation.

An honorable mention is Alex’s character. Now, I am inclined to feel bad for him, but I really can’t decide. If you’ve read this book, let me know if you think he was the hero or the villain.

Lastly, the thing that really won me over about this book, too, was the ending. This book did not end abruptly, and I finished it feeling satisfied with the outcome. I didn’t feel like anything was missing, and the only reason I feel like I want more is just because I love Anna and Liam so much. The authors really gave the reader closure at the end of this one, and for that, THANK YOU LADIES!

Just for the Summer – Reviewed

On By KaylieIn FIVE STARSLeave a comment

I gave Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez FIVE stars. I loved this book!

“Am I the a**hole?” Justin asks in a Reddit post where he mentions he has a curse where all of his girlfriends have found “the one” immediately after they break up with him. Emma, a travel nurse with the same curse, reads it and sends him a flirty message. The two devise a plan to fake date, fake breakup, and then find real love. What could go wrong? It’s not like they’ll fall in love, right?

Emma and her best friend, Maddy take turns deciding where they will take their next travel nursing contract, and it is Emma’s turn to choose. She moves them to a cute little cabin on Lake Minnetonka in the interest of fake-dating Justin, and falling in love after their fake-breakup.

I was so invested in all of the characters and all of the conflicts in this book. Some of the conflicts were serious, but most were just funny and unique. Two of the main conflicts in this book center around Justin’s and Emma’s mothers. Justin’s mother, whom he loves, is going to jail for six years, which leaves him now to parent his younger siblings, which is an issue for Emma because she is falling for Justin (obviously), but doesn’t want kids. This issue kind of left me feeling annoyed and like Emma was being a bit childish herself, because this situation was very unique, and Justin’s siblings were not his actual children, or even Emma’s responsibility. Justin was so genuine and sweet, and I was really sucked in to how he was handling all of these new responsibilities.

In terms of Emma’s mother, Amber, she was never rarely around, basically a dead beat, and comes and goes as she pleases. When Amber arrives, she finds someone to take advantage of, and when she leaves, she blows everything up, sometimes literally. I hated Amber, but I really couldn’t wait to read what was going to happen with her next.

At various times throughout the story, Abby Jimenez brings back all of the characters from the previous two books, and she did so in such subtle and satisfying ways. We also get justice for Alexis when something tragic happens to Neil’s house! 

There were a few twists and turns in this book that I didn’t see coming, and one that made me super angry. Like, I wanted to throw the book across the room, angry. I kept reading, though, and I am so glad I did, because the ending was the best part! We love a book that can make us feel all of the emotions, right?

Abby Jimenez brings this book full circle, when it ends with Justin, once again, asking Reddit if he’s the a**hole, but for an entirely different reason. I loved this ending, and I found it so perfect and satisfying.

I think Abby Jimenez’s writing is so easy and refreshing to read, and I enjoyed every second of this book. This is only my third Abby Jimenez book, but I also find she does character development really well, really consistently. This book is written from two different points of view, Emma’s and Justin’s, and this type of writing makes this story specifically really interesting. I love knowing how each character is perceiving what is going on. Honestly, I think all of my favorite books are written in at least dual POV!

I recommend this book to everyone, however I do recommend you read the other two books first. There are references to the previous books, and as I stated characters from both books pop up all throughout this book, and the context given from the other two books is certainly helpful.

Featured

May TBR

On By KaylieIn To Be ReadLeave a comment

Last month was an unusually slow reading month for me, I only finished two books. I am feeling good about this month though, and I have some books I am really looking forward to on deck!

First, Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez. This is the third book in the Part of Your World series, and I thoroughly enjoyed the first two, so I have high hopes for this one.

Second, Funny Story by Emily Henry. I have been waiting for this one to be released for quite some time, and I am so excited to finally read it! Daphne’s Fiance, Peter, leaves her for Miles’ girlfriend, Petra, then Daphne and Miles move in together, and probably fall in love.

Then, Faithful Place by Tana French. This is the third book in the Dublin Murder Squad series, and this one follows Frank Mackey, and the mystery of the disappearance of the girl he was in love with when he was young, which he thought nothing of until now, decades later. These books are so well written; if you like a good slow crime/mystery, this series is definitely for you.

Next, The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren. I actually did not mean to order this as my Book of the Month, but I did, and it doesn’t sound bad. Anna and Liam marry in college for cheaper housing, and she is under the impression they have since divorced. However, in order to inherit a sizable fortune, Liam must show his family he has been happily married for five years. With a vacation coming up, and the two of them still, in fact, married, Liam convinces Anna to come with him to prove he has fulfilled the prerequisite for the money.

Also, The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter. Growing up, I LOVED the Gallagher Girls series, and I was SO excited to hear this book was coming out! I am hoping it will be like Gallagher Girls, but grown up. I finally got my hands on the book, and I plan to wait to read it until I have a whole day free so I can read it through without stopping!

Last, Beach Read by Emily Henry. I ordered this simply because it sounded like a cute little romance, and because I have heard people have loved it. Basically, two writers are on a beach, complete opposites, both with writers block, and they come up with a plan to switch genres.

Leave me a comment if you’ve read any of these!

Funny Story – Reviewed

On By KaylieIn Three StarsLeave a comment

I gave Funny Story by Emily Henry three out of five stars.

This “Funny Story” follows Daphne after her fiance, Peter, leaves her immediately after his bachelor party for his female bestie from childhood, Petra (who also attended Peter’s bachelor party, by the way). Peter gives Daphne a week to move out of their home, and she ends up moving in with Miles, Petra’s now ex-boyfriend. Living in Miles’ spare bedroom, Daphne and Miles form a special connection, which is inspired in part by a lie Daphne tells Peter — that Miles is her new boyfriend. Miles is totally cool with this, and sees a great opportunity to make Petra jealous. With that, the fake relationship between Miles and Daphne blossoms.

Overall, I enjoyed the story this book told.

What I liked: It was entertaining, oddly relatable at times, and I actually laughed out loud more than once. I felt like Daphne’s character developed well throughout the story, and I LOVED Miles. I thought Emily Henry did a great job slowly revealing facts about each character that let us get to know them better, in a very authentic, realistic way. Throughout the book, Daphne makes a new friend, Ashleigh, forms a relationship with Miles, and befriends Miles’ sister, Julia, and through the writing I felt like I was getting to know and understand each character just as Daphne was.

I also loved the characters themselves. Daphne had so much growing to do, and she did it. Miles was the PERFECT boyfriend. Julia was such a typical little sister, but the little sister you want to have around. The friendship between Daphne and Ashleigh formed and progressed in a way that was relatable and satisfying to read about, including the conflicts between them. Peter sucked. Petra also sucked. If nothing else, Emily Henry was successful in making me feel genuine feelings for each of the characters.

What I didn’t like: The overall vibe of this book was that someone had a writing assignment and wasn’t even close to the required word count by the time they finished, so they had to go back and add pointless filler details and sub-storylines. There were a LOT of unnecessary parts to this book that I don’t feel contributed to the story in any way at all. One example: any mention of Daphne’s ex-friend, Sadie? Filler. Just extra words. Every time I put this book down, I was shocked by how many pages I still had to read. If all of the filler in this book was dissolved, and it was 100 pages shorter, I am confident it would have been a five star read for me. There was also a spelling error on the second to last page.

As for the ending – at no point during this book did I have any inclination the ending would be any different than it turned out to be. I suppose this is the case with most romance novels, but just once, I want to be shocked!!

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a lighter, not very serious, read.

Yours Truly – Reviewed

On By KaylieIn FIVE STARSLeave a comment

I gave Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez FIVE stars. This is the second book in the Part of Your World series, and I would recommend reading Part of Your World first. It’s not required, but would give you a better understanding of the backgrounds of some of the characters.

I was so upset when this book was over; I wish I could read it again for the first time. If you are considering reading this for the first time, cherish it! You’ll only get to read it for the first time once!

The first few pages of this book I wasn’t so sure how I felt about it, but sure enough, every time I picked it up (three times in total) I didn’t want to put it down.

Briana Ortiz is an ER physician, and also the best friend of Alexis – the main character of Part of Your World. Briana’s brother is in renal failure, and her divorce is almost final when an annoying, and annoyingly handsome and perfect new doctor, Jacob Maddox, transfers to her hospital. His first day, he kills almost every one of his patients and everyone hates him, especially Briana after he barges in on her lunch/secret cry closet. Everything changes though, when Briana gives Jacob a bit of unsolicited advice, and in response he gives her a handwritten letter… and her brother his kidney…

This book made me laugh, it made me tear up, and it made me want to cry. I didn’t cry, but I could have. The development of Briana and Jacob’s relationship starts off as a fake relationship to appease Jacob’s family into thinking he is fine, after Jacob’s ex-girlfriend and his brother announce they’re getting married. Obviously, things don’t go as planned with the fake relationship, and everyone develops some very not-fake feelings. The journey of self-doubt through this book on the part of both Briana and Jacob, relating to their feelings for each other and doubting the other person feels the same way, is so realistic and so relatable, and in turn SO frustrating. There were plenty of times throughout this book I just felt like screaming nothing in particular into the ether because of it. I LOVE a book that can make me feel that way!!

This was another novel where Abby Jimenez wrote about past trauma in relationships and how they show up in current relationships, and I thought she did such a great job conveying this reality. I felt like for the duration of the book the trauma Briana went through in her previous marriage was hinted at and maybe minimized, until it came in like a WRECKING BALL, just as it might present in a real life situation. I don’t like to bring other reviews into mine, but I have seen some other reviews that have suggested this detail wasn’t executed well, because the reader didn’t have all the information prior to the bombshell, and it was surprising to us, therefore we couldn’t understand it well. I disagree with this viewpoint. I think the presentation/initial omission of the extent of Briana’s trauma made her response to the events of her relationship with Jacob SO much more impactful. As the reader, we were left waiting for an explanation, just as Jacob was. And oh my, did my heart just entirely go out to Jacob during that time?? I really don’t think any book has ever made me FEEL as much as this one did.

She also tackled social anxiety HEAD ON, and reading between the lines I believe she intended to portray that Jacob was actually autistic. A constant theme throughout the book, was that Jacob was super duper wicked uncomfy in social situations, and that Briana brought him out of that, and knew how to manage it. I thought this specific dynamic between the two of them was so well-written, and it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I felt through this aspect of the story, we could really feel the love between them.

I also loved the incorporation of Alexis and Daniel into this storyline. It didn’t feel necessary, per se, but it was definitely an added bonus. A gift, if you will, to be able to get a little update on them throughout this other really incredible love story.

My only neutral observation was that the moments where they were both at work felt very Grey’s Anatomy inspired. I can’t call this a complaint, as a Grey’s Anatomy fan, and I can’t think of any way I’d have liked to see these moments written differently, I just felt like my thinking about a Grey’s Anatomy-esque environment took a little bit away from the story at hand. Maybe that was just a me problem!

There is so much I am missing in this review, but I really don’t want to ruin the thrill of the read for anyone.

I would recommend this book to anybody and everybody. I LOVED this book with all my heart, and again, I wish I could have the experience of reading it for the first time.

Yours Truly,

Kaylie 😉

Part of Your World – Reviewed

On By KaylieIn Four StarsLeave a comment

I gave Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez four stars! This is the first in the Part of Your World series, and I vow to include zero spoilers in this review.

Part of Your World follows Doctor Alexis Montgomery, as she navigates life, post-divorce, and bearing the weight of a family legacy of world-renowned surgeons. She is expected to continue the family legacy at Royaume Northwestern Hospital, where her family has performed as prominent surgeons for decades, but will that plan be derailed when she attends a funeral out of town? She ends up putting her car into a ditch on the way home, and then along comes Daniel, who tows her out, and also happens to be a carpenter and the town Mayor, and maybe the love of her life?

This book felt like I was reading a Hallmark movie, and I can’t lie, I love a good Hallmark movie. Big city girl goes to small town, falls in love with small town boy, but her rich pretentious family would never accept small town boy as their own, so what is she to do?? This book includes some sensitive topics, such as emotional and physical abuse, and Abby Jimenez tackles then perfectly in my opinion.

In the beginning, Alexis thinks she and Daniel are polar opposites, and their lifestyles certainly serve to say so, but as the story goes on and Alexis learns more about Daniel, she learns more about herself as well. I thought the character development in this story was so well-done and relatable, and I loved that Alexis shared everything with Briana from the start. I also just read Yours Truly, the next book in this series, and knowing all of the details from Alexis and Daniel’s story just made Briana’s story that much more interesting.

The conflict in this story comes from Alexis being a big-shot doctor in Minneapolis, Daniel being an all-around, do everything guy from a small town outside of the city, and Alexis not wanting to admit to herself, or WORSE, her family, that she is in love with him. I loved the back and forth, both literally and figuratively, on Alexis’s part, of hiding this relationship, and then coming to terms with it.

This book was written in such an honest, real, and candid tone, and I found myself giggling throughout it. With that being said, I was also deeply concerned the entire time that the ending I thought NEEDED to happen, was somehow not going to, and I could not put this book down in the interest of finding out how everything played out. I was seriously invested in this book. The reason I gave four stars, and not five, is because I was slightly underwhelmed by the ending. I felt like it was a bit rushed, and the predictability of it for literally half of the entire book preceding the ending made it even more underwhelming. Overall though, a great read.

I have said it before, I am not a huge romance novel girlie, but after this I think I might be turning into one. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a cute, easy to read, relatable rom-com that they can get through in a weekend!

Annie Bot – Reviewed

On By KaylieIn Four Stars, Three StarsLeave a comment

I gave this book three and a half out of five stars…though I did battle with giving it a four star review. I’ve categorized this in both three and four star reviews, because after writing this review, I still am torn.

This book was unlike anything I’ve ever read. Throughout this novel, we follow Annie, who is essentially a sex bot who is trying her best to be as human as she can possibly be. Annie analyzes everything, from what the humans around her are doing to how they are feeling to help her figure out how to act just like them. Even though Annie is literally a robot and I am pretty sure I’m not, I felt like this was so relatable.

Annie belongs to Doug, who created her to satisfy his needs, and to not create any more issues. As time goes on, however, Annie learns more about what it means to be human, and about self worth, and she starts wanting to feel loved and valued. Which are human emotions, not emotions robots should have. She also learns about lies, cheating and deceit, all in an effort to ultimately please Doug…

I don’t feel like I can write a great review of this book without giving too much away, but we follow as Annie is faced with challenged she feels like taking on will make her more human, and the consequences that comes with each of these challenges. The book took turns I didn’t expect it to take, but that I also can’t share in the interest of not giving key information away. Over time, Annie starts to learn about her own self worth, and essentially what she wants from a partner. More importantly, what she DOESN’T want in a partner.

This book was a journey of self-love for Annie, which was found through many mistakes, and there’s nothing more human than that.

This book was entirely different than I expected it to be. At times it was steamy, but mostly it was raw, emotional, and honest. Maybe it was personal, but this book had be bordering on emotional a couple of times. When you pick up a book about a robot to read, I feel like naturally the character you think you’ll be drawn to is the human, but I felt most connected to Annie and her struggles. Throughout the book, I found that Sierra Greer’s writing made me feel tuned into Annie’s feelings, and I really cared about what happened to her in the end. Overall, even though I really wasn’t sure it would be, this book was so empowering.

Additionally, if there is one thing I look for in a book, it is often the ease of the read. I have enough going on in my real life, I don’t want the book I’m reading to be work. Greer’s style of writing was so easy to read, and was intriguing. Sometimes, even with books I am enjoying, I am dreaded picking them up because the writing is just too much, and this wasn’t the case. Every time I picked this up it was EASY to get back into. This book was so different than anything I’d ever read, to the point that one or two times I wondered why I was reading it, but I never considered not finishing it. Greer had me invested in the ending from the first page.

There is a big part of me that wants Sierra Greer to make this a series and write about the lives of some of the other characters in this book…. I’d read them in a heartbeat.

TBR’s April TBR

On By KaylieIn To Be ReadLeave a comment

Hi! I’ve already posted this to my instagram, and I know it’s a bit late, but I figure it’s better late than never, right?! As of last night, I have already finished the first book on this list, but without further ado, here is my to be read list for April:

First, Annie Bot by Sierra Greer. In this novel, we follow Annie, a sex bot, who tries her hardest to learn how to act as human as she possibly can. This is interesting, since her owner, Doug, spent tens of thousands of dollars to have a robot instead of a human companion.

Next, Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez. This is Abby Jimenez’s most recent book, and I came across it a few days after it’s release in a really tiny bookstore, so I had to pick it up. Honestly, I didn’t even know what it was about when I bought it, I was just excited about another Abby Jimenez novel, but it sounds like a cute little romcom!

After that, Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris. Lately I have been trying to go through books that are actually on my bookshelf to read instead of buying new ones. I feel like this will be relatable to some, this is one of those! Every year for Christmas, my parents used to put a gift at the end of our bed to occupy us as children, so we would wait longer to wake them up in the morning. I have a sister who is much younger than I am, and I have tried to spend the night there every Christmas eve. About four years ago, I think this book was left at the end of my bed, but I definitely just went back to sleep. Funny enough, this book has been recommended to me bunch of times since then! This seems like a thriller about how you just never know what is going on beyond the façade people create for their friends and family, and seems like a really good thriller!

Then, Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reed. This novel was lightly inspired by Fleetwood Mac, and is about a band of six who go on the road, one of them an expectant father, and the wild ride from there. I have heard people rave about this book, and I am excited to read it. I LOVED Malibu Rising, so I am hopeful this will be another five star rating!

Next up, is Tinkers by Paul Harding. I picked this book up in a little bookstore the other day, because I thought the cover was beautiful. This book follows George Washington Crosby who, lying on his death bed, drifts in and out of consciousness reflecting on his past. The reason I bought this book was because it sounded like it would make me cry – I’ll let you know.

Lastly, and not pictured, Funny Story by Emily Henry. This is Emily Henry’s latest novel, which is set to be released April 23, 2024, and follows the story of Daphne, who maybe falls in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fianceé’s ex? We’ll see how that turns out.

As always, I’ll link my reviews as soon as they’re published, and if you have any thoughts on these titles, PLEASE share them! I’d love to chat!

The Seven Year Slip – Reviewed

On By KaylieIn Three Stars1 Comment

I gave this book three out of five stars. As a DISCLAIMER: I am not typically one for cute romance novels, so this certainly could sway my opinion.

This book follows Clementine, as she navigates her life in her new New York apartment, which was left to her by her late aunt. Of course, the apartment itself has a secret! Somehow, in some randomly determined fashion, it transports the occupants back seven years, to a time when a different person lived in the apartment. In this case, Ewan is who Clementine meets in her apartment. The book follows the story of Ewan and Clementine, both seven years in the past, and during present day.

This is the first book from Ashley Poston I have read, and I thought her writing style was very easy to follow. The storyline was cute enough, and really highlighted how people change over time, and the effects that small decisions can have on the big picture of your life. Even so, it was playful and cute.

I was super sucked into this book in the beginning, but my interest slipped slightly around halfway. I was still looking forward to finishing it, but I didn’t feel as though I couldn’t put it down.

I would recommend this book if you are looking for a cute, lighter read! It was an interesting idea for a love story!