The Worst Wedding Date by Pippa Grant

I usually love a Pippa Grant book but this one was just okay and I think it's because Theo's personality seemed to be bro-dude who likes cats and I'm just not sure why Laney would get involved with him. And the tension between Theo and his soon-to-be brother-in-law, Chandler, is kept going for way too long. I will definitely read the other books in this series, especially Theo's sister, but this one won't probably be kept when I re-read the series.

Laney's very best friend has just asked her to do the impossible, keep Theo under control. The only problem? Theo is known for playing pranks and pissing off Chandler. In fact, the story basically opens with a prank. And some of that opening scene is funny but it gets quirkier from there including Theo waking up with a hand around his dick, assuming it's Laney's, and finding out it's his own arm which had fallen asleep.

Three stars

This book came out April 13, 2023

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

I read about this book on Smart Bitches Trashy Books. Carrie S was absolutely right when she said that people would either get this book or they didn't. I didn't; not the first three times I tried to read this book. I finally made it past the first section and did enjoy the book but I don't think I'm the exact right audience for this series. 

Cinnamon is living a life she enjoys in her small village. This is the year that a group of heroes will be chosen to fight the demons that rise up every so often. Luckily, her world is protected by a benevolent goddess. At least, that's the story until Cinnamon runs into a demon and accidentally throws a bundle of spice into his face breaking him of the spell he's under. Then her whole world turns completely upside down as everything she thought she knew turns out to have been false. Good thing that bad news is balanced out by her falling in love with the demon.

Three stars
This book came out July 22, 2021

Followed by That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

A Reluctant Roommate by Angela R. Casella

At the end of the last book, Drew and Andy were moving in together. Well, Andy was moving into Drew's. And Drew wasn't incredibly excited. He likes his shades of gray living room and Andy is bringing with her ALL the colors of the rainbow. Plus, there's that whole inconvenient crush that he has on his sister's best friend.

Andy genuinely sees Drew as an older brother. They grew up together after all. But then she walks in on him... and suddenly Andy is seeing Drew in a new light. He's grown up. He's handsome. And he's willing to check up on her grandmother when she can't. 

The two are going to be spending a lot of time together and they figure out that familiarity doesn't always breed contempt.

This is a Casella joint so it's fast, fun, and fluffy with circumstances that are often over the top. Was Andy a little TOO reluctant and dramatic? For me, yes. I was also a little disappointed to see Nicole and Damien say that they're going to be taking some time off but I know that Casella will be keeping us in enjoyable reading material. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out March 30, 2023

Follows A Brooding Bodyguard

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Matchmaking a Roommate by Angela R. Casella, Denise Grover Swank

Ivy is licking her wounds in  her hometown. She doesn't particularly want to be there but between her dad's health and her own situation, she's stuck there for a bit. As an independently published romance writer, she's part of the new breed of writers. Not like her father's tenant, Lou. He's an agent for Ivy's sister's fiance (if that is easy to follow). 

Older than Ivy, Lou is in a different place in his life. He's trying to regroup after finding one of his writers in bed with his fiance. He's bemused by Ivy. And, of course, attracted.

The two start by trying to create a profile for each other for dating but quickly realize they'd rather be dating each other. But Lou belongs in New York and Ivy seems like she's ready to settle in North Carolina. Can they make it work?

Lots of big words like immolate and erudite in this book that I don't remember in other books of the series. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out February 9, 2023

Follows Matchmaking a Grump

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Murder Above the Silver Waves by Blythe Baker

Lillian Crawford and her brother are crossing the ocean to get away from some big disgrace. It's fairly large but, luckily, there are still some people on board willing to talk to them. But Lillian is doomed to be a name on people's lips once again when, while strolling the deck one night, she witnesses a murder. Being a plucky 1920s female main character, of course Lillian is going to try and solve the murder herself. Of course, she and her brother aren't the only people on board with a secret. And the more she looks, the more she's likely to get herself into trouble.

This was a decent start to a series and I have a feeling it will get better as the characters are developed more. 

Three stars
This book came out December 26, 2021

Followed by Murder Within the Uneasy Crowd

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Mrs. Mix Up by Candace Harper

Two librarians have a mutual crush but are both hesitant to make a move. When they end up in the same room at a conference, their feelings finally come out.

This felt like a first book but an earnest effort. It took me a little time to get through because some of the language hadn't been quite smoothed out but was a fun little diversion.

Three stars

This book came out February 29, 2020

Ebook from Kindle

Opinions are my own

A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon

I heard about this book on an episode of Smart Podcast Trashy Books. They made it sound fun and interesting and Kindle Unlimited had it available so I thought, "Why not?" 
This was one of the few times that SPTB and I will have to agree to disagree. I never connected with Esther or could tell what kind of person she was outside of the fact that she really, really, really likes to have sex. And I'm not slut-shaming here, I just would have liked to know more about her or any of the gentlemen that she gets to know throughout the story.  

Two and a half stars

This book came out March 23, 2021

Followed by The Basilisk of Star Manor

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

A Murder in Long Island by Colette Clark

Apparently the Kindle Unlimited algorithm has decided that I like 1920s mysteries with a plucky heroine. And this is about my favorite so far. Penelope was disinherited by her father for unknown reasons three years ago. She lives with her father's cousin Cordelia and makes money by gambling. Her edge? Her eidetic memory. But shock of all shocks, her father has called her for dinner. Her mother's dear friend Agnes is dead. Supposedly she did herself in but Penelope isn't so sure. Especially since the same people who were there at her aunt's car accident are the same ones who are there this weekend. 

The mystery is maybe a little thin and I really wish we had gotten to know Agnes but I am looking forward to getting to know the other characters. 

Four stars

This book came out February 11, 2022

Followed by The Missing White Lady

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Charms and Firearms by Trixie Silvertale

Mitzy is going on a trip with Rory Bombay. She's been warned against him but she's decided that she knows best. They are going just out of town to a ski hill that's seen better days and an owner who is a decided lush. Of course, it's Mitzy who discovers a body on the hill. She and Rory also do a quick search of the body (who, even in 2020 when this was written, doesn't know to leave a body where it is?). It's a photographer who has some incriminating evidence on an SD card that eventually makes its way to the police.

I'm going to read the next book in the series because I got a three-book file from Kindle Unlimited but I am really not liking Mitzy. I get that she's young but she is not listening to anyone in her life and is doing things that will actively get her potential love interest in trouble. 

Warning for racist stereotyping: thieving "gypsy"

Two stars

Finished March 17, 2020

Follows Sparks and Landmarks

Followed by Bars and Boxcars

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Seashells, Spells & Caramels by Erin Johnson

Imogen's scrimped, saved, and lived as simply as possible in order to save up for her dream. She was adopted and has always felt like she was on the outside of life but an unexpected order from her boss for a wedding cake that goes over better than she ever thought gives her just enough money for the bakery she's always dreamed of. 

At the wedding, two people make some very odd remarks about her cake. There are a wink and a nod that Imogen doesn't understand. One of the guests even hands her a flier about a cooking contest. Imogen is confused but she decides to bake for the contest, getting to the point of wrapping her contribution in the flier, just as the instructions say. It's just too bad that her house catches file that night and she is left with nothing. Except that her submission seems to have made it in because she gets instructions on how to get to the baking contest. She is again confused as to how she is able to get there but it looks like Imogen actually has some magic and the baking contest is to become the next chef of a magical world. It seems the last chef died under mysterious circumstances but we don't learn much about that in this story. Instead, the focus is on world-building (which is really well done; enough revealed that we know what is going on but not too much of an info dump) and on the baking contest. 

A really nice start to a new series. 

Four stars

This book came out October 29, 2017

Followed by Black Arts, Tarts & Gypsy Carts

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Sparks and Landmarks by Trixie Silvertale

There's good news and bad news when Mitzi wakes up to a fire next door. The good news? She gets out with her life. On the other hand, somebody else didn't. It gets worse when she finds out it's the judge who sentenced her father to jail. Sure, the man has lots of enemies but Mitzi's father is nearby. And he has another connection to the building that makes it even more likely that he is the arsonist. 

It will be up to Mitzi and her ghostly grandmother to figure out what is actually going on.

We get some movement with all of the characters which is nice. 

Three stars

This book came out January 28, 2020

Follows Wings and Broken Things

Followed by Charms and Firearms

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

The Something About her by Rachel Higginson

Dillon's brother Ezra has decided that he wants her to be the new executive chef at his least successful restaurant. She's not at all sure that she's ready to be in charge but this might be her one shot. Besides, her friend Vera's brother Vann sort of goads her into it. Then he rescues her when her car battery dies. And then when she needs help taking charge in her own kitchen. He's there. 

And I liked that about Vann? What I didn't like as much? Same thing as Book 2 in this series. There's a lot of concentration on the fact that Dillon was sexually assaulted and then it's all taken care of in a few sentences. It was better in this book but still fixed rather fast. Overall, still a good read.

Three stars

This book came out February 26, 2019

Follows The Problem with Him

Ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

The Problem With Him by Rachel Higginson

A sous chef in a popular kitchen, Kaya Swift is pretty certain that she is one day going to be a head chef. If only Wyatt Shaw, the head chef, weren't such a hardass. And if only he weren't so darn hot.... But he's the head chef and in charge of her. Kaya thinks they have a hate-hate relationship but it might be that Wyatt sees them differently. She loves being a chef and knows that her time at Lilou, one of the best restaurants in the city, is coming to an end. She is ready for the next step in her professional career but there is the possibility of something good with Wyatt.

I didn't love the end; would Wyatt know about Kaya's job for 3 weeks before she does? That's just... ick.

Four stars

This book came out June 26, 2018

Follows The Difference Between Us

Followed by The Something About Her

Ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

A Brooding Bodyguard by Angela R. Casella

Sinclair Jones is a famous actress who has a few problems. First, she's not sure what she wants to do with her life now that she's no longer playing a teenager on TV. Second, her mother (former momager) trashed her reputation so her reputation in the industry isn't exactly sterling. Oh, and she seems to have picked up a stalker.

For the first, she's been trying a number of new things like painting or creating things with clay. For the second, she's fake dating a man who tapes television shows about man vs. wilderness. For the last, she has a bodyguard.

Rafe used to be a painter. Then he got shot and became a personal fitness instructor (and got ripped.) Now, in between jobs, he has been asked by some of his father's friends to watch over Sinclair. He is expecting a snobby millionaire but finds someone who is much more complex. The more time they spend together, the more he wants to plumb her depths (har.) But her stalker is escalating and no one seems to be able to figure out exactly how to stop them.

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 19, 2023

Follows A Stolen Suit

Followed by A Reluctant Roommate

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle

Opinions are my own

The Difference Between Us by Rachel Higginson

Molly Maverick is happy for her BFF, Vera. Vera's in love and getting married.  It's just too bad that Vera's fiance comes along with HIS BFF, Ezra Baptiste. Model-gorgeous, Ezra is a multi-bazillionaire who seems to have a fascination with Molly. Apparently, nobody else in his life tells him "no" and the fact that she did means that she is unique. So he basically strongarms her into helping him, even after a pretty decisive turn down from Molly by doing an end run and hiring the firm she works for as a designer and specifically requesting her. And Molly already has enough to deal with given the fact that her boss's son doesn't seem to have gotten the memo on the things that constitute sexual harassment. And there is a LOT of this book that is devoted to the description of that harassment. Which would have been fine had it not all been resolved in a couple of sentences. So much build-up for so little in return. Higginson's writing saved this from being a DNF for me and she handled Molly's reactions and why she acted the way she did pretty well but I wanted more on-page justice.

Two and a half stars

This book came out 

Follows The Opposite of You

Followed by The Problem with Him

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson

Vera has made a mess of her life. She had set out to be a famous chef but had sidetracked her life  in a massive mistake. Now she's back home, taking care of her dad who had cancer. She's also decided to open a food truck. Too bad the five star chef across the street has decided that she's competition, or something. He seems personally affronted that her food truck is across the street. Plus, he's taken up writing notes about how her food could be better. Even worse, he's usually right.

This was a great read even if I didn't quite  get how the two clicked together. Am excited to have found a new series.

Four stars

This book came out March 30, 2017

Followed by The Differences Between Us

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

The Witch Is Inn by Danielle Garrett

Holly and Adam have officially bought the Beechwood Inn but they are having problems with their liaison to the Haven Hospitality Committee. They need to do all of the things he says or they won't get rated by the HHC, the only way they can advertise to the magical community. No advertising, no guests. So they'll have to figure out how to work with Pierre Ancel. Too bad he ends up dead just outside of Holly's greenhouse. Even worse, someone saw a man who looked like Adam arguing with Pierre early the evening before.

The mystery ends up being a little thin with the end being way too quick. There was nice development of some of the side stories though with Holly going on a date with a human and Evangeline's baby shower being in the planning stages. We also get a nice set up to the next book which will feature Lacey's return. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out July 30, 2020

Follows Sassy Witch

Followed by Men Love Witches

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

The Tyrant Alpha's Rejected Mate by Cate C. Wells

I don't remember which podcast I heard about this on and I'm not sure why I enjoyed this book so much but I did. If I had to guess, it was just waiting to see what happened next. I'm not sure I'll read other books in the series since they seem to focus on young/new adults and that's not my favorite but I am glad I read this one.

Una is one of the lowliest members of the her pack. She is unmarried, unmated, female, and has a bad leg resulting from a childhood injury. So why is she suddenly going into heat and telling the entire pack that her mate is the alpha. He tells everyone that she is wrong or maybe moon mad. Una runs and accepts the local healer's offer to break their bond. But Fate is tricky and Killian is stubborn. It may just end up that Una is his mate after all. And, if that's true, he's not letting her go.

Three and a half stars

This book came out November 12, 2021

Followed by The Heir Apparent's Rejected Mate

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Riley Thorn and the Blast from the Past by Lucy Score

Riley Thorn is supposed to be settling into her HEA. She's got a hot boyfriend, a new house, and a good job. `But the new house has a closet that still has a ... particular smell, and the good job is a little uneven as the man running the show, her hot boyfriend, Nick, is obsessed with his former (police) partner's sister is the focus of his attention. 

Six years ago, Beth disappeared and turned Kellan's life upside down. Nick is wanting to finally close this unsolved case. In the meantime, the rest of his work is suffering. 

A new character shows up who is just as wild as the rest of the group but she just might lead Riley and the rest of their crew to some answers about Beth. If only Riley's psychic powers didn't choose this moment to go on the fritz. 

A fast, fun, and fluffy ride with a large dose of hijinks thrown in. Maybe a little too many hijinks but I am glad that this planned trilogy is going to continue for a longer series.

Four stars

This book came out April 21, 2022

Follows Riley Thorn and the Corpse in the Closet

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Resting Witch Face by Juliette Cross

There are trigger warnings at the beginning of this book and they are accurate. I hadn't been enjoying the violence in this series but really wanted to read the story of Jules and Ruben. It was fine but there was a lot of woe-is-me from Jules because she broke up with Ruben and a lot of I'm-the-best-boyfriend-ever-with-no-missteps from Ruben. She is a super powerful witch who doesn't even get to save herself.

Her work is about to come to fruition. Jules has been campaigning to get the werewolves on the witches council (which also includes vampires) and is enjoying some success. Now she needs to take it to a higher power. But her ex-boyfriend is the one who is coming with her and she's not excited.

Ruben, on the other hand, is delighted. It's been twelve years since they broke up and it's time for him to claim his fated mate.  

Two and a half stars 

This book came out October 31, 2022

Follows Always Practice Safe Hex

Followed by Grim and Bear It

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own