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bookrecsbyjess's reviews
1017 reviews
The Run Option by Annah Conwell
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Thank you to the author for the ARC of The Run Option by Annah Conwell. All opinions are my own.
This is book three in the More Than a Game series. It can be read as a standalone, but there are some spoilers in it from the previous two books in the series.
The Run Option follows a professional football player with a bad reputation and a woman that does the social media for the professional football team. When both people find themselves in a bad situation, they decide that a marriage of convenience is the only way to fix their problems.
I really liked this book and enjoyed watching Jason and Willow become friends due to their circumstances. While Jason had it pretty bad for Willow from early on in the story, it took Willow a while to warm up to him.
They were both protective of each other, and I liked that Willow learned to see Jason for who he had become not who he was in the past.
I also enjoyed the interactions between Jason and his friends, and it was fun to see characters from the previous books in the series.
Overall, I would recommend this book! It was cute, sweet, and just the type of book I wanted to read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Injury/Injury detail
Holiday Hostilities by Katie Bailey
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC of Holiday Hostilities by Katie Bailey. All opinions are my own.
When I found out that Season’s Schemings was getting a sequel, I was ecstatic. I loved that book and was excited to return to those characters. I think that the author actually surpassed my high expectations with this book! It was that good.
This story follows Aaron and Olivia who have known each other since they were teens. Aaron’s best friend also happens to be Olivia’s older brother, which means she’s always been off limits to Aaron. After seeing each other for the first time in years, Olivia is annoyed because she still holds a grudge against something Aaron did to her as a teen. Aaron, on the other hand, is secretly so happy to have Olivia back in his life. When they find themselves spending a lot of time together, they soon realize that their thoughts from the past can’t out shadow their chemistry in the present.
One of my favorite things about this book was the tension and banter between Aaron and Olivia. They were constantly going back and forth teasing each other and giving each other a hard time. Their banter was funny and entertaining.
Aaron was honestly such a sweetheart and loved the people around him so well. Olivia, while grumpy quite often, was a very lovable and easygoing character. I liked the fact that she didn’t care about the famous hockey players at all.
There were so many funny scenes in this book that made me laugh out loud. Besides Aaron and Olivia being funny, Aaron’s teammates were hilarious as well.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book! I stayed up late multiple nights just because I didn’t want to put it down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Stalking and Death of parent
The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right by Suzanne Allain
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Thank you to PRH Audio for the ALC of The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right by Suzanne Allain. All opinions are my own.
If you’re looking for a lighthearted and fun historical romance to read, then I’d recommend this book.
I previously read The Ladies Rewrite the Rules by the same author, and this book very much has the same feel to it. It’s enjoyable, quick, and easy to read. I really appreciated that the conflict wasn’t too stressful either.
The characters were likable, and the writing was entertaining and funny. I also enjoyed both romances in this book, but I especially enjoyed the main romance because of how charming the characters were.
I listened to the audiobook for this story and loved it! Elizabeth Knowelden is one of my favorite narrators, so I was so happy to have her tell this story. I’d recommend this format!
Overall, I would recommend this book!
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse and Death
Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Bethany House Fiction for the ARC of Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer. All opinions are my own.
This is book three in the Texas Ever After series, but each book is a standalone book about different characters with a unique fairytale retelling.
I’ve read the other books in this series and enjoyed both of them. However, this book is definitely my favorite, and I didn’t want to put it down!
This book was romantic, exciting, and full of great spiritual moments.
Letty and Philip quickly became friends, and their friendship seemed so natural and sweet. I liked that they never tried to be someone they were not. They were sweet and caring, but I was also impressed with the physical boundaries they put in place since they were alone together so much.
The journey throughout the book was exciting and at times funny. Letty’s pet wolf Rusty was such an enjoyable addition to the story with how protective he was and the funny moments between him and Philip.
One thing that really impressed me and made me enjoy the story even more was the faith elements. I could tell that the characters were strong Christians, but they weren’t pushy or preachy with their faith. I really admired their selflessness and self-control that they exhibited throughout the story.
Overall, I really loved this book and was so sad when it was over.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Blood and Death of parent
A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan
adventurous
medium-paced
4.0
Thank you to Libro.fm for the ALC of A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan. All opinions are my own.
This story follows two characters who are thrown together and have to make the best of their situation.
I liked that this was an easy romantasy story to get into. Even though I haven’t read any of this author’s previous books, I didn’t struggle to understand this world.
Tamsyn and Fell’s romance was a bit insta-love, but I didn’t hate it. I actually appreciated how thoughtful Fell could be considering his warrior status and brutality when dealing with other people.
Because this story was so short for a fantasy book, I do think there were several loose ends that made me want to read the next book in the series.
I liked the introduction of dragons but expected there to be more of a focus on them in this story. I can see how the author is setting the series up to include a lot more emphasis on dragons in the next book, but I would’ve liked to see more of them in this story.
This story is open door and contained more spice than I would’ve preferred. The first open door scene was also weird considering the atmosphere.
I listened to the audiobook of this book and enjoyed the different narrators for the different characters’ points of view.
Overall, it was a quick read, and I’d recommend it to people looking for a fun romantasy to start.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
The Love Interest by Helen Comerford
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
I thought the writing was kind of cheesy, and I didn’t like the characters or their attitudes.
Ace, Marvel, Spy: A Novel of Alice Marble by Jenni L. Walsh
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC of Ace, Marvel, Spy by Jenni L. Walsh. All opinions are my own.
This historical fiction novel follows the life of Alice Marble as she becomes a famous tennis player, goes through many hardships, and contributes to the war efforts during World War Two.
I found that this novel read a bit like a biography even though it’s historical fiction. It is based off a real person, but I liked how the author chose to tell Alice’s story.
If you enjoy tennis, I think you’ll really enjoy this book because there was quite a big focus on Alice’s career in tennis. She had some setbacks due to health and discrimination in the world of professional tennis, but she still had an amazing career.
I actually enjoyed the relationship aspects and her time as a spy the best in this story. I thought her time working for the government was very interesting and exciting compared to other parts of her life.
Alice went through a lot of hardships, and I really felt for her during every setback and loss. The relationship losses were the hardest part to read.
I enjoyed Alice as a character even if I thought she sometimes came across a bit conceited. My feelings towards her coach were mixed because she did a lot for Alice over the years, but she was also controlling and manipulative at times.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys tennis, historical fiction, or biographies.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Sexism, Car accident, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Sexual content, and Antisemitism