nikkijeanreads's reviews
128 reviews

5.0

emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The boys in the bunkhouse are back and smoldering more than ever.

Warren Farrow will steal your heart - Sexy, and sweet, he is the perfect hero pairing for stubborn, anxiety ridden Savvy in this fake dating, found family, small town romance.

I absolutely loved the anxiety representation and the encouragement and support the FMC receives from those around her to help navigate these challenges. What makes this series so special is the incredible bond that these brothers (at heart) all have and how they will defend the ones they love to no avail.

Lawson once again delivers steamy love scenes that will have you squeeling YEE HAH (um...hello tractor!) and fits in fun banter that will leave you giggling.

I absolutely adored this book, and I can not wait to return to the ranch and see what is in store for Tripp and Heston!

If you love supportive friendships, a Mama's boy, and a bit of action...your gonna love Fire Away!

Thank you to @laineylawsonromance and @sunnybabepr for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

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emotional hopeful inspiring relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

As a complete stranger to Julie Sotos writing, I received Not Another Love Song unsure of what I could expect. I never would have anticipated placing this book amongst some of my favorite reading experiences.

Popping in my earbuds and setting my phone to a continuous rotation of the 2 Cellos (I highly recommend reading this book this way), I found myself completely engrossed in one of the most sensual romance reads I have (quite possibly ever) experienced. From settling into a beautiful calm, to experiencing the feeling of my heart racing, I am not sure I will every fully be able to explain the connection I felt and the disappointment I had as I turned the final page. I didn't want it to end.

The most magical moment occurred when, to my utter shock, one of the songs that began playing in my ears was the exact song that was referenced during a pivotal point in the book. I had to rewind and flip my pages backward, just to experience it for a second (and a third) time.

This rivals to lovers romance is filled with beautiful friendships, complex family dynamics, and a unique connection forged between two musical prodigies. Alex and Gwen play off each other's strengths while supporting each other so perfectly through their own individual struggles, and I was cheering for them the entire time. I loved the energy and personalities of the sub characters, and I think they added the perfect amount of support to the storyline.

If you are a lover of instrumental covers particularly those created with strings or an orchestra, a dark and mysterious MMC, and the found family trope, I can almost promise you will quickly get lost within the pages of this love story. ❤️

Thank you to Julie Soto and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Content Warnings

Older by Jennifer Hartmann

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dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

If there is one thing you can count on Jennifer Hartmann to do, it is deliver consistent writing. Time and time again, she produces characters that bury themselves deep within your heart, where they leave you vulnerable to the weight of the trauma and heartache that accompanies them.

Older is an age gap romance that brings together an unlikely pairing, the result of a chance encounter one fateful night. As a reader, you will learn that this connection comes with extra baggage in the form of secrets, angst, and is forbidden and taboo.

While the MMC often left me feeling frustrated and, at times, angry, his redeemable qualities somehow managed to keep me cheering in their corner for a HEA.

Hartmann, a queen in the art of the slow-burn romance, held out as long as painfully possible before delivering steamy love scenes that had me tossing my opinions out the window and begging for more.

Born in the 80s, the bulk of my teenage years were spent in the 90s, and I absolutely loved the nostalgia felt while reading about items like compac discs, pagers, and beanie babies. I believe the choice to deliver this story within this decade allowed me to feel more connected as though these individuals could have been friends of mine once in the past.

Older is a great choice for those who enjoy taboo concepts, a found family storyline, have an open mind, and love a HEA.

Content Warnings

If You Give a Single Dad a Nanny by Ann Einerson

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

4.5 ⭐️

If you filled your December reading with holiday romances like I did, you probably stumbled upon 𝑰𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑨 𝑮𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒑 𝑨 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑾𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕 and fell in love with the Stafford family, especially little Lola.

𝑰𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑨 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒅 𝑨 𝑵𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒚 is an interconnecting standalone that has readers returning to Aspen Grove and the home of Dylan Stafford (brother to Presley), who is a single dad raising his 6 year old daughter. When their new neighbor Marlow moves in with her energetic pup Waffles, she shakes up their family dynamic in ways Dylan could have never imagined.

This grumpy x sunshine romance brings humor, banter, an age gap, and open door spice, while simultaneously touching on topics of absentee parents and the struggles many neurodivergent individuals face each day.

My biggest critique from IYGAGAHW was with the pacing and dialogue of the open door scenes. However, I noted a significant improvement in this second installment of the series. While these scenes still seem to not quite hit the mark for me, it may just boil down to my personal preference for this type of writing.

That aside, Einerson does such a fantastic job of finding balance between the light and heavy moments in this storyline. I often found myself grinning and laughing out loud. She does such a wonderful job of creating characters that you can connect and form emotional connections with. As a creative individual with ADHD, I found myself becoming quite emotional when reading about Marlow. I often felt I was looking in a mirror, and as a reader, sometimes you forget how much representation matters until you find yourself in someone's story.

IYGASDAN is a beautiful story about found family, learning to trust, compromise, and, of course, love. If you enjoy reading authors like Abby Jimenez and Meghan Quinn, I think Ann Einerson will be a good fit for you.

Thank you Ann Einerson for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced