Reading Fanatic Reviews
Books to Add to Your TBR list... or Not!Hey, ya’ll! I’m VERY behind getting my reviews up on the website! I’ve increased the reading and reviewing, leaving less of my leisure time available to update this website. I’ll do weekly posts with links to my reviews at Amazon; you can also check out my Amazon and Goodreads profiles.
By the way, I’m now a top 50 Amazon.com reviewer (#12 currently) and the top 8 US reviewer of all time on Goodreads (and top 9 in the world)… and the #6 US reviewer and #8 in the world in the past year. Cool stuff!
I hope to make updates to this site soon!
Her Fake Irish Husband by Michele Brouder
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Her Fake Irish Husband*
Well-Done Fake Marriage Trope
I read a lot of romance, so I’m not unfamiliar with the trope of a fake marriage. This particular story, however, is an absolutely delightful spin on the theme. Rachel, the heroine, is a go-getter at her problem-solving company, and when an Irish earl, Thomas, comes looking for assistance finding a fake bride so he can hold on to his inheritance, she decides she is the best candidate for the short-term contract. It will also allow her to help some friends who need money. Thomas is a little taken aback that she has put herself forward, but Rachel’s boss believes it is a brilliant solution to a problem that needs fixing in less than a week. What made this story so fun was the banter and interaction between the characters as well as the fact that it actually did take them some time to develop feelings for each other. This is no insta-love book. Instead, they are two very different people who don’t come off to each other necessarily very well at the beginning but soon prove themselves to be better people than the other one first imagined. Rachel also helps Thomas navigate the press and deal with other issues. In the manor, Rachel has some problems that she must work through with the staff. There’s also some great humor with one of Thomas’s friends, Sammy. I wish he had more page time. I loved what we saw of Rachel’s family. The various relationships in this book felt authentic and relatable. If you enjoy the fake marriage trope, you will most likely enjoy this very well-done take on that theme.
Curse and Consequence by Savannah Jezowski
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Curse and Consequence*
An Unusual Mash-up of Regency and Fantasy
And now for something completely different! I am a huge fan of Jane Austen fanfiction, and while this is not a direct spinoff from any Jane Austen novel, there are hints and flavors in this book that call up the writings of Miss Austen. How to describe this book? Part of it tries so hard at humor, succeeding mostly, that it feels like romantic Regency farce meets magical, fantasy world. This mash-up of worlds can be endearing and funny, but at times, the farce gets to be too much and starts to border on mockery. Still, all in all, it was a fascinating and very different read.
Bittersweet by K. S. Thomas
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, 24 Symbols, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Indigo (Chapters)
Bittersweet*
An Amazing Tale of True Love
Oh, my gosh! What a story! I don’t want to give anything away because this story has some shocking twists and turns to it that must be experienced firsthand. This is a beautiful love story that goes so much deeper than the typical romantic novel. The love portrayed in this book is one that transcends fear, self, time, and space, the way that true love ought to be. It starts off so happy on the couple’s wedding day, but tragedy soon strikes. At critical dramatic moments, the author shifts away from the heroine current-day perspective into the hero’s flashbacks of their relationship. Not usually for long, but enough to give insight into the couple as they were before they married (and giving a moment to hold the dramatic tension). The novel is certainly an emotional one, as the heroine embarks on a perilous personal journey to bring forth her first child even though her damaged heart may not survive the process. This book is beautifully written and a real stunner. If you like heartfelt, emotional reads that focus on the strength and power of true love, this book may be for you.
Rule the Dark by Laura Greenwood and Skye MacKinnon
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Bol.de
Rule the Dark*
Fitting End to a Delightful Series
Holy wow! I have so enjoyed this steamy, mythological series. The entire series has been full of adventure, with lots of action both inside and outside the bedroom (so to speak, as not all amorous activities took place there). Throughout all of these books, so much has gone on, yet in this final book, the authors not only are able to give yet another story with lots of twists, turns, and action but is also able to wrap it all up neatly with a bow. We see all the familiar characters, Macey and her men, as well as friends and allies. There are some new people thrown into the mix, too. There were a lot of ends to tie up over the many books of this series, but again, the authors did an exceptional job at it while telling a story that gave all the feels. Even with the waffles! I really appreciate, too, that the authors include a little summary of the previous books before each book starts; I would love, love, love if other authors did the same! While I have read all of the series, at times there has been a good stretch of time between my reading of the novels, so it is good to have a little refresher without having to read the entire set of previous books in the series. (A great way, too, to not bog down the current story with a lot of backstory.) I actually was almost amused at this one because it was so danged long! I had forgotten some details of the earlier books, so it was good to be reminded. If you enjoy RH romance and series steeped in Celtic mythology, I heartily recommend that you start with book one, and enjoy the journey with Macey and her men.
Date Monsters Shifter Agency Box Set by Lisa Daniels
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Date Monsters Shifter Agency Box Set*
Fun Set of Shifter Novels
This box contains four novels in the Date Monsters series. The premise behind the entire series is that there is an agency that hires out a variety of shifters for different types of jobs, from sexy escort services to business consultants to bodyguards. The latter two may also include an element of the former mixed in. I’ll talk a little about each book below.
Date with a Dragon: In a very amusing scene, Lena has stuck her foot in it, stating that she has a hot relationship with an out-of-town dragon shifter… all because she doesn’t want to be a loser at her 10-year class reunion. She goes online and hires a shifter to be her date for the week, culminating in the reunion. Oskar, the wealthy son of the owner of the Date Monsters agency, is the one who says yes to her request (even though it is for far less than his usual fee). In the week leading up to the reunion, they to get to know each other, and a genuine attraction grows between them (though he is quite surprised at the way it is turning out). Will it all go up in flames, or will the fake boyfriend turn into a real one? This book had so many funny scenes. There is a rich vein of humor running through this book, starting right the very first moment. Lena is a people pleaser; Oskar is entitled and arrogant. But underneath it all, they are decent people who come to a better understanding of themselves and each other. The book does use a fair amount of profanity, so if you have an issue with that, you might want to stay away. There’s some suggestive talk throughout, but it doesn’t get too steamy until the end. In all, this is a delightful short dragon shifter romance that is a perfect way to while away a few hours.
Date with a Werewolf: While I like the hero in this book, and I love following his thoughts, I could never quite identify with the heroine, so this book didn’t quite work for me. I think I was turned off at first by the level of profanity, as I don’t remember that being as much of an issue in the other books I’ve read by her. I am just turned off by excessive profanity in books, as I think they tend to be the crutch of authors who don’t write so well (and I don’t believe this author falls in that category). I grew up reading books that didn’t have a lot of profanity, so it is always jarring when I read such in books. I also didn’t like her cavalier attitude about sex. In this book, the relationships between the sisters are fraught with some tension, and the hero actually walks into a circumstance that is perhaps more than he bargained for, with the state of the dilapidation of the ranch as well as the broken family relationships between the siblings due to their upbringing. I wish I could say that I liked this more, because I do like most of the other books by this author, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
Date with a Bear: This one follows on the last story featuring the sister ranch owners. This time, it’s Regina’s turn to be the focus. She is the eldest of the sisters and the one who took the brunt of their father’s abuse when they were children. Not only are cattle going missing on the ranch, but Regina is receiving death threats and other verbal harassment, so they bring in a family of bear shifters as bodyguards. Oswin becomes Regina’s personal bodyguard, and he gets to know the real woman beneath the prickly exterior. Together, they get to the bottom of what is happening on the ranch.
Date with a Tiger: In this one, the heroine decides to use someone from the Date Monsters agency play her fake boyfriend. Will it stay fake? Will her mother believe what’s going on?
Homepreneur by Amanda Brown
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Homepreneur*
Good Information, But Subtitle Doesn’t Match the Content
This book has some reliable, straightforward information about becoming an entrepreneur who is based at home rather than having an office or a store to conduct business. I found the subtitle to be misleading, though, as it states that the book will be about running a home-based business for optimal work-life balance. Very little is actually said about work-life balance. There is a chapter that’s specifically about that, and within a few chapters, there are a few nuggets that could be seen to be about that topic. Really, the book is about setting up a successful home-based entrepreneurial business. I do think that informational nonfiction needs to be super clear and on point; the title and subtitle should actually reflect what is in the book. In this case, it does not, but the book does still have useful information. There were some issues with grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage, the one jumping out at me at first was a mix-up of waiver and waver.
The book is split into four parts, and the author uses a construction model as a framework for the book. So, the Blueprint section discusses being a home-based entrepreneur in general, the Foundation section goes over key points like finances and routines, the Build section looks at ideas about marketing in a networked world and coping with change, and finally, the Interior Design section has topics that cover mindset, isolation, and habits. All in all, this book is full of good information, but it does not adequately address what it is promised in the title and subtitle.
Lost Magic by Alexandria Clarke
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Lost Magic*
Fascinating World But Not Enough Suspense
This is the first book that I read by this author, so I’m not familiar with the entire Witch Myth series or world. I appreciated that the author didn’t start off the book with a bunch of backstory to catch those of us up who aren’t familiar with this Yew Hollow. Instead, she allows the world to unfold through the eyes of Gwen, the first-person protagonist. The author has created a fascinating world of magic. You’ve gotta love a world with a magical tree! I didn’t feel like enough happened in the story, like there wasn’t enough of a plot. The author calls it a cozy mystery, but mystery or suspense didn’t really take center stage. It felt more like a character and community study than a full-blown novel. That said, I did enjoy the world, but I was just expecting more to happen.
Sugar Rush by Delilah Peters
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Sugar Rush*
Steamy, Fluffy Contemporary Romance
This contemporary romance is as light and fluffy as the title suggests. It had some interesting moments in the beginning. I particularly enjoyed the heroine’s relationship with her brother and the early moments of her fractious relationship with the hero. I thought it was so funny that the heroine’s nickname was Tickle. I thought things got a little too sensual too quickly for the hero and heroine given their history. But there were some definitely laugh-out-loud moments in the book. I didn’t really appreciate all the profanity. It started off rather light with the curse words, but they seem to increase as the book went on. This is definitely a steamy read, as much of the later portions of the book seem to be almost exclusively those kinds of scenes was just a little glue in between. If you take it for what it is, a steamy contemporary romance, you might enjoy this very light romance as a beach or weekend read.
To Gamble on an Earl by Diane Dario
Available at Amazon only
NOT with Kindle Unlimited
To Gamble on the Earl*
Some Good and Not So Good
I am of several minds about this book. I think the author did an excellent job showing the heroine in a light that seemed more realistic to Regency times than contemporarily written Regency romances tend to be. I thought that her reaction to the traumatic event the ball turned out to be seemed realistic for a sheltered woman, no matter how vivacious she had been before. Even the way that she turned down her friend at first for a social call—how it was handled in that scene—seemed very accurate to Regency to me.
There were other aspects, however, that didn’t seem as true to Regency, including how the hero acted when he found out about the incident. Knowing that the heroine’s reputation was on the line, would he really have talked with his friends about it in such detail? He could ruin her so easily by telling such information to a wider group of people. If one word got out…
Other parts of the story felt scattered. The story jumps forward without much preamble, and that was confusing. Besides what happened at the ball, too, it felt like not much really happened for much of the book. In the first third, we get to see the heroine’s reaction to what happens to her, see her reveal the incident to the hero, and get a little slice of life for the both of them. But nothing really happens in the romance department—which I never like in a romance—and, honestly, nothing much happened at all.
One aspect of the book that I did like was the way the author handled the wounded warriors of Waterloo. Two of the characters are former military, the hero and his friend. Both suffered physical and mental wounds from their experience. The hero has a large scar on his face, and the friend has lost part of a foot. The heroine’s friend suggests the heroine come over for a dinner party because that friend is now awkward in society due to his wound. The hero has come back a changed man, becoming what we might call an adrenaline junkie. This was spurred on by his time in the military, but now he can only feel that excitement he had felt in battle when he gambles. The author also took great pains to show some of the aftereffects of war, namely the widows and orphans home that the heroine and her good friend, the sister of the hero, had chosen as their particular charity. These little moments, with the hero, his friend, and the widows and orphans, show part of the devastation of war. For a romance novel, I thought it was realistic. All in all, I didn’t really like the book as much as I should have because I felt like not much happened, but I did enjoy the window onto what happens after the war for a variety of people.
An Earl’s Redemption by Joyce Alec
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
An Earl's Redemption*
A Few Surprises for a Regency Romance
I thought that this story suffered from too much of an information dump right at the start. This is a somewhat longer novella, almost novel length, so the author did have time to sprinkle in the backstory as needed rather than reveal everything all at once. Parts of this story, though, were slightly different spins on what is typical for Regency romance. I liked how it was the hero who suffered from the ton’s disapproval for his actions during the previous Season. Usually, it is the lady’s reputation that is in danger in a Regency. The heroine is put upon by her family, and she is determined to forge her own destiny rather than stay within an uncaring family fold. So, she is not immune to the hero, despite his reputation. Much more is in the works in this story, including a naughty widow who would like to make the hero her next conquest. All in all, I found parts of the story amusing, but it did have the issues with too much backstory as well as problems with grammar, punctuation, and usage.
Jamie Brydone-Jack
Reader, Editor, Writer
I’m an avid reader, for both fun and work/business. I enjoy a wide variety of books, including literary fiction, romance, thrillers, cozy mysteries, and fantasy for fiction and history, contemporary issues, philosophy, music, medicine, and cookbooks for nonfiction. I’m a freelance copyeditor who also does beta and alpha reading. I have two websites that are all about romance and mystery. You can also follow my reviews at Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub.
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