lost_windsock's reviews
465 reviews

Flake It Til You Make It by Beth Bolden

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4.5

I'm a big sucker for a bit of fake dating, and this one was really enjoyable! There was an ever so slight touch of angst, and it was a bit of a slow burn, but the whole book really flowed, and Rocco and Taylor were such a fun couple. I loved all of the dates they went on together, and we got an adorable-turned-spicy snowball fight, which I always love to see. The main plot of Rocco trying to win back the town and Taylor trying to cement his place in it had me flying through the story. I loved how Taylor really understood Rocco and his desire to bring his family's history with him to Christmas Falls. He saw the hurt Rocco tried to cover up from the town's rejection and knew he needed to help put things right, just like how Rocco could see how deeply Taylor cared for the town and the people who lived there, and wanted to help him win over the town counsel. There was a lot of soul searching and character growth, as well as plenty of sweetness and spice, and it fit right in next to season one of this series. 
The Snuggle is Real by DJ Jamison

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4.0

This was a super cute Christmas story. The way it started with Ford being so dead set against anyone helping him with anything could have gotten old really fast, and it was right on the brink, but then Charlie showed up and he opened up to letting people help. Still begrudgingly, but he did finally get a lot more agreeable about it, and the way that led to him becoming friends with Mason was actually super cute. He slotted right in with the two of them, and he and Ford's relationship changing to a romantic one just made all the sense. I also really liked that there was no break up and I thought the ending was really sweet and perfect. This was a great little low-angst holiday read for sure.
Tis the Season for Tentacles by Chloe Archer

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5.0

These Chloe Archer Christmas tentacle books are truly some of my favorite Christmas reads! When I read the first book, I fell in love with Najar and I was so hoping we would get a book about him! We did, and it was just as lovely as I hoped it would be! I really liked Felix, and I liked that he was a bit older, someone who had achieved a lot and who spent his adult life really grinding to accomplish his goals. It gave him a lot of depth, and made his frustrations with his job and his desire to do something bigger and more for himself that much more believable. He and Najar made a great pair, and I liked seeing Felix knock down Najar's walls. There were some seriously silly moments in this book, and some sincere, sweet ones. If I'm remembering correctly, I think this one has less spice than Khephren and Sasha's book did, but there were still plenty of spicy good tentacle shenanigans. I feel like this entry was less centered around Christmas, too, which for me wasn't a bad thing, but if your list of Christmas books is long and you're running out of time, this would be a good one to read at pretty much any point before or after the holiday. 
Hard Hats and Hollywood by Leighton Greene, L.J. Greene

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3.0

I was excited to read this because Leighton Greene books are always amazing, and while this one was good, it didn't hold up to how great every other Leighton book is. I think I just really didn't like either character very much. Tavian was a spoiled rich kid who didn't know he was spoiled and was offended and huffy when it was pointed out. And Ash, while he was right to call out Tavian for certain things, was just as frustrating as him. He let the chip on his shoulder fester so terribly that he ended up being an even bigger jerk than Tavian. At least Tavian was just kinda dumb; he didn't know he was being an ass. Ash knew he was being unfair but he refused to listen or communicate. I did like how it ended, mostly because they both admitted that they were going to fight a lot but liked each other enough to give it a try anyway.
I'm Not Your Pet! by Fae Quin

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5.0

This book! Was so cute! It had me swooning and laughing and crying just a little, and I loved it the entire way through. I absolutely adored Hugo and Roark both, and from the moment they first met to their happy ending, the chemistry they had and the easy way they just clicked together was so much fun to read. The language barrier was such a fun element of this book, and it influenced the direction of their relationship in a big way. Hugo always felt safe with Roark, but until they were able to speak to each other, he didn't know where they stood. Roark was planning a wedding while Hugo pouted in what he thought was a dog bed 😆 The whole section of them finally getting translators and being able to ask questions and learn about each other was probably my favorite part of the book, though there wasn't a single part of this book I didn't like. It was truly so, so sweet, and had all the heart you'd expect from a Fae Quin read.
Ice & Sweet by Charlie Novak

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4.5

This was such a sweet(and very spicy) romance! I found both characters instantly likable, and their history in each others' periphery made their attraction believable. I'm also just a huge sucker for this world that these characters exist in, and I was tickled to have little bits of Laurie and Theo and Austin and Kane sprinkled throughout the book. Luke and André were really perfect together, and a snowed-in cozy upscale hotel wedding was a really fun setting for most of the book to take place in. This book was just simply delightful, with no drama, all fluffy spicy goodness!
Snow Storm: A Winter Romance by E.M. Lindsey

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5.0

How do you make an insta-love story perfectly believable? No one knows how better than E.M. Lindsey, I swear. Two lonely men, both broken from their individual circumstances, an incredible amount of fiery chemistry, and enough vulnerability and sweetness to rot your teeth. I adored these two characters, and each of their stories were so sad that it made them finding each other even more satisfying. Claude discovering his enjoyment in being a little more dominant than he knew ended up being a perfect fit for Harley, who had a hard time expressing himself out loud but took to his gentle commands happily. Although this was a snowed-in trope book, I actually loved that there were other characters around for Harley to intact with. I liked that both Harley and Claude could seek out a friendly ear or a quiet place to be alone if they needed the space. They both acknowledged right away that it felt too fast to be falling in love, but they both maturely handled their feelings and made sure to communicate with each other and take time for themselves to be sure they wanted to take the risk anyway. This whole book was just so sweet and at times had me laughing. I really enjoyed it. 
Priest by Kiki Clark, E.M. Lindsey

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4.25

The plot thickens! So much more intrigue was added in this book to the overarching mystery the series is centered around. I thought Priest and Oliver's story added a lot to the grand plot, and I really loved the fact that not only did Priest get his mate, but they also got a budding badass half-angel to add to the team. Oliver has a really fun personality, and I think he evened out Priest perfectly. All of the new side characters that we met were really intriguing, too, and in excited to see more of them as the series continues. 
Creek by Nora Phoenix, E.M. Lindsey

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4.0

This book was a lot less drama and angst-filled than I was expecting it to be, which was both a good thing and also a little disappointing. It wasn't a bad story, I just really enjoy some good angst and dramatic situations 😆 I did really like this book, though, and all of the characters in it. I loved how mushy soft Creek became once he let down his walls with Heath. I think their hate to love timeline was a little quick at the beginning, since the kiss was very sudden and it felt like both of their attitudes changed really quickly, but after they established that they were doing love instead of hate, I think the pace was really perfect. It was super sweet that Creek was so worried about getting it right, and their easy, laid back dates were really cute. The spice was also pretty spicy, but it was laced with a lot of tenderness, too, which I liked a lot. I'm looking forward to reading Bean's book next!