Saturday, June 3, 2023

Review Round Up ~ June 3




New(er) Releases:


My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend

Review Copy Provided by Author

I'm Snow Into You introduces us to the community of Sven's Beard, a grumpy police chief, and a fish-out-of-water newspaper owner. Avon shows up in town to collect an inheritance she didn't expect and finds way more than she bargained for. Ryan Grady is the police chief and he is prepared to keep his distance from the red-haired tourist. Ms. Rothert gave us a great, heartwarming read with these two.

Both Avon and Grady have wounds that appear to have healed but have definitely left scars. Their interactions are fun and it was entertaining to see them evolve from slightly antagonistic to friends and potentially more. Add in personal growth, an intrigue element, and a fantastic secondary cast amongst the town of Sven's Beard and you really have a book that was a joy to spend time with.

This was a well-written read and I really hope we get to see more of this community soon!

Amazon   


The Man She Loves to Hate (Texas Cattleman's Club: The Wedding, #6)The Man She Loves to Hate by Jessica Lemmon

3.5 stars - Worth a Reader's Time

Review Copy Provided by Author

The Man She Loves to Hate was a fun read but was not what I expected based on the title and blurb. I was expecting more of an enemies-to-lovers story and while there is a definite conflict element early on - it does not go as far as “enemies”

Rylee and Trick are the entertaining main characters in this connected stand-alone (the other books are by other authors). I enjoyed their adventures as he encouraged her to loosen up and she showed him that plans are okay too. The conflict in the story flowed naturally as it was personality based.

There is a large secondary cast here since this is part of a series. These supporting players help move the story along, but the reader doesn’t feel lost for having not read the other books.

If I enjoyed the book, why only 3.5 stars? It’s a personal preference thing, but it’s the setting of the book. The book supposedly takes place in Texas, but several times Ms Lemmon references “mountains” in the background. The only part of Texas where you would get mountains in the background is not conducive to the wealthy environment of the TCC or Rylee’s upbringing. I get that I am being picky and that fiction allows for creative license, but this little bit of being unrealistic bothered me and pulled me from the story when it came up.

Amazon


Unscripted With MilaUnscripted With Mila by Melanie Moreland

My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would recommend to a Friend

Review Copy Provided by Author

Unscripted with Mila brings the BAM/ABC world to a conclusion with the story of Mila (the adopted daughter of Van and Liv) and Nick. Mila is a character that we saw some of in previous books, but haven't really gotten to know until now. As we get to know her, we see her leave her comfort zone for work and meet the movie star she's had a crush on.

I found myself liking Mila and Nick. Both characters have struggles that are not obvious given the privileges that their lifestyles afford them. The fact that these issues aren't obvious doesn't make them less real, but it does add a relateable-ness to their lives as they work to figure things out. One of the things I appreciated about this couple is that while their relationship started quickly (a classic Moreland move) they helped each other grow and explore the strengths they didn't even know they had.

Since this book is part of the BAM/ABC world, there is a large secondary cast. The active portion of this group is fairly small and helps push the story forward. Nick is slightly different from some of Ms Moreland's previous leading male characters as he has a unique vulnerability. This plays into some of the interactions with secondary characters and influences the story. It was nice to see "flawed" characters succeed in life and find the potential happy ending of a good partner.

I'm sorry to see this series end, but maybe, just maybe Ms Moreland will let us see this crew pop up in other places in the future.


 *Buy links belong to E-Reading After Midnight and we may be compensated if you choose to make a purchase. 

No comments:

Post a Comment