Kelly

A Genius Opposites Attract Story!

Revisado: 09-04-24

This is a fun, highly entertaining yet, smart and poignant read!

Marriage of Inconvenience follows knitting group member Kat Turner (formerly billionaire heiress Kathleen Tyson) as she tries to thwart her cousin’s plan to take over the family business by any means necessary…and, it just so happens MARRIAGE is necessary! The only problem …she’s not married, not even dating. While her initial plan was to marry her close friend, his refusal means she is forced to ask long time crush, Dan the Security Man. Due to a VERY unfortunate misunderstanding, Dan O’Malley has forced his feelings for Kat down for 2 years and is ready to step in to help, AS. A. FRIEND. But, what happens when all the misunderstandings are cleared up and only feelings remain?…Apparently, a whole lot of crazy! Crazy GOOD!

This book had SO much going on and I was living for it and laughing through it! At one point, I felt like I was reading a high-end Scooby Doo and the Gang adventure and it was SO FUN! But, just chapters later, I was feeling for Kat as she described her past struggles and her mother’s battle with schizophrenia. I have to hand it to Penny Reid; while so much of the book is humorous, she was able to weave realistic facts and feelings about mental health into this book and pour vulnerability and love into each character.

I would encourage you to listen to this book rather than read it! The narrators do a fantastic job embodying and voicing all the characters throughout the book. Their delivery of Kat and Dan’s neurotic thoughts and inner dialogue is laugh out loud funny. I am not sure reading this book would have given me the same satisfaction as listening… my accents and voices just aren’t that good!

Listen (or read) if you like:
*Second Chance Romance
*Marriage of (In) Convenience
*Quirky, Smart, and Strong Heroines
*Bossy and Protective Heroes
*A Close “Knit” Girl Gang

A small warning: This book contains lots of language. It was embedded in the persona of the hero, Dan. I didn’t feel like it detracted from the story because it was just “him” but, you have been warned! 🧶

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Smart Fun Romance

Revisado: 09-04-24

A unique look at the human connection and what’s truly “necessary” for love 💕

Against her better judgement, Marie is giving online dating one more chance because she has just made her perfect match; a handsome, bearded, gentleman named Derek. However, when her “date” arrives, he looks nothing like the man in the profile & approaches their date more like an interview. After being thoroughly insulted, Marie leaves her “date” behind but, he later shows up at the home of her knitting friend, Fiona. Turns out, her match is Fiona’s old babysitting charge and new neighbor, Matt Simmons.

Matt is a brilliant professor studying & inventing a “compassion AI” robot. Due to past circumstances, Matt’s trust in humans to provide compassion is diminished & he is searching for a way to provide compassion through AI. Marie, for her part, refuses to believe robots are the answer; but, it does beg the question, can she get what she needs from a relationship without actually having a relationship-think life-coaches, professional cuddles, and orgasm meditation. Yup. You read that right!.

While Matt & Marie explore two sides of the same coin they find themselves working together to gain knowledge for each of their projects, but what happens when their projects begin to overlap, as does their time together?

Marie is a ball-buster! I love how she goes after what she wants and is a blunt, state the facts kind of woman! She is the perfect blend for sweet, reserved, seemingly self-conscious Matt. Their slow-burn friendship to lovers progress is filled with sweet inside jokes, great banter, & smart conversation. Now, a warning, I was slow-burning to this audiobook in the car until Marie & Matt finally combusted and WHOA! Matt was hiding an alternate personality! I loved the rapid shift in their relationship & their all consuming desire for each other; however, sometimes desire isn’t enough…

Listen if you like:
*Quirky, Smart, & Strong Heroines
*Nerdy Heroes
*A Close “Knit” Girl Gang
*A set of spouses a Bro-Code
*WTH moments with a science/research background
*All around smart read!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

My Favorite of the Series

Revisado: 09-04-24

Ash,
I want to give you a book so I can watch you read it. Your lips move. I watch them as I watch you. I want you to speak to me. I want your lips to move for me.
Drew

Did you swoon yet?! If not, you will, once you read Beauty and the Mustache because Drew Runous, the local game warden, is the most tender hearted, tough guy you will ever meet! That passage comes from a notebook he carries with him filled with poems & letters written to Ashley Winston. She is one lucky lady, even if it takes her quite some time to see it…

Ashley has come back to her small Tennessee hometown after learning her mother is terminally ill. After 8 years away, she is greeted by her big band of hillbilly brothers & Drew, now, a family friend. Drew seems to be everywhere & his philosophizing, know-it-all demeanor irks Ashley to no end. Mix that with his moments of tenderness as her mothers condition declines & Ashley’s getting emotional whiplash. When the worst comes to fruition, the journey she’s taken leaves her torn between her big-city life & the small-town (and man) who have stolen her heart…

I applaud Penny Reid for writing such an authentic glimpse into the death of a loved one, of the hospice journey, & the grieving process. The redevelopment of Ashley’s once strained relationships with her brothers was both heart-warming & hilarious (I can’t wait to read the Winston Brother series!) But, what made this book so great was the push & pull of Drew and Ashley’s relationship. The snarky & smart banter was second to none, keeping me laughing even when the subject matter was heavy at times. Ashley & Drew are both strong and fiercely independent characters but, as the story progressed, they learned to be vulnerable with each other and the romance & relationship that blossomed from this was truly beautiful.

This book has it all! It’s heartfelt, warm, smartly written, really humorous, and brings the heat! Drew & Ash have now climbed toward the top of my Knitting in the City Couples!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Holiday Re-Listen for Eternity!

Revisado: 09-04-24

This was a re-read and will likely be a re-read every year! The audio is PHENOMENAL and done in duet!

Things I LOVED:
* Joe Arden narrates the mess out of this book! The range of emotion he conveys for Eli is FANTASTIC! The emotion as Eli shares his truth at the end of the book (sobbing), the drunk scene (stellar), and the tiny voice used for Peyton (hilarious)! He really brought the male characters to life!

* Maxine Mitchell was SO great as Whitney! Her delivery of the banter, family convos between sisters, and her flawless delivery of "tween" Gracie were excellent! SO, excellent that I maybe wanted to unalive Gracie a few times throughout the book!

* The story, overall, never gets old! Family shenanigans, sibling fights, couple squabbles, and family traditions galore bring an authentic feel to the big family Christmas vibe a know and love!

I would HIGHLY recommend this AUDIOBOOK be at the top of your holiday reads!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

An Emotional Ending to this Series

Revisado: 09-04-24

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘴
“…𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. 𝘈 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 … 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴.”

Honestly, I am in awe of Marni’s story-telling in this series. Her ability to write such a vast variety of characters in all of her books is phenomenal but, I have to say her emotional, angsty reads are truly my favorite! This book is a beautifully written story of love, heartbreak, tragedy, and resilience. A must-read for you angst lovers! I love to be on the edge of my seat, devouring the pages! This book certainly keeps you there until the very end! Using Before and After timelines Marni continues the story of how the Boston Bombing changes lives and the significant impact a moment can make on someone's life, reeling you into their story, indebting you to their outcome, even if it is painful to get there…and it is, grab tissues! You will FEEL! You will feel every emotion under the sun! You will laugh, cry, swoon, be angry, be devastated, be relieved, and be happy! There is an HEA waiting for you at the end!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Favorite Military Romance

Revisado: 09-04-24

I love Military Romance! You know what else I love?! Epistolary aspects in romance novels! There is something so special about the correspondence of the characters, the honesty that typically flows through the letters, and reading them is so enjoyable for me; which is why I absolutely LOVED Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata! I downloaded this book on audio and it was just a gem! The back and forth of the narrators was perfection!

Ruby Santos has been participating in a program where she writes to soldiers serving overseas for quite some time, but when she gets paired with Army Staff Sergeant Aaron things go a little differently than they have in the past. Over 10 months, Ruby and Aaron correspond via emails, written letters, and instant messages all the way until Aaron's return home. By this time, a serious friendship and deep connection has been formed and Aaron and Ruby aren't quite ready to let go...

I ADORED this book! I love a FMC that's a bit quirky and tends to say what she is feeling before realizing she should have maybe reeled it back in...because, that's kind of me 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣. She was so endearing to me and her correspondence with Aaron was filled with things that were truly just her. Aaron initially gives the "cool guy" vibe but, quickly warms to Ruby and overtime he becomes a swoony protector of her, even from afar. I know some might have issue with the length of epistolary correspondence but their letters had me laughing and swooning throughout! The way MZ wrote them drew me into the characters, making me feel like I was part of their friend group and rooting for them to be together! The only thing I would have liked was more time with the characters in-person because they are absolutely the cutest! It didn’t keep me from giving it 5 STARS!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A PHENOMENAL M/M Romance-LOVED IT!

Revisado: 09-04-24

I had already read Book 1 in The Lost Boys series and loved it; plus, I knew I could trust Emma Scott's writing to pull me into the character's stories by the heartstrings, and that was absolutely the case.

Holden Parrish is the out-spoken, witty genius who has survived the unfathomable as his parents rejected his choices and placed him in a conversion camp in an effort to make him "the perfect son". River Whitmore is by all appearances "the perfect son", the star quarterback with his life already planned out to go pro in the NFL, except it not HIS dream. Two seemingly opposite men brought together one night during a juvenile game of 7 Minutes in Heaven only to have an undeniable spark and connection that just can't seem to go away...

Wow did I love this story! Each tortured in their own way, Holden and River had their own journey in this story that led them closer together, even during the hardest and darkest of times. Watching Holden learn to trust himself and River while showing his true self was a beautiful thing to watch and read. And River's journey to acceptance of himself was so hard fought and equally beautiful. The way Emma Scott connected these two lost souls into completeness was a roller-coaster or angst, heartbreak, and triumph. My heart hurt as she dove deep into their insecurities but, soared as they each learned to trust and redefined what love truly means for themselves, to each other, and to those around them.

When You Come Back to Me is a true journey that shows the vulnerability of two men who overcome their own pre-existing definitions of love and prevail to define what truly matters to them...each other. There is a raw realness to Emma's writing in this story that captures the all encapsulating definition of love and I can't recommend this book enough! If you haven't read M/M romance and want to try it out, this is the story for you.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Phenomenally Fun Holiday Read with Heart

Revisado: 09-04-24

This audio had me CACKLING! If you love a second chance, once-married story line & LOTS of banter, this is the read for you!

Emergency Contact is the story of a “grinchy” Katherine, who finds herself in the hospital after an accident leaves her concussed & under the care of her ex-husband, Tom. You see, Tom was never officially removed as her emergency contact. With no one else to watch her, Tom begrudgingly brings her home for Christmas. Together these two endure all the misfortunes of holiday travel while rediscovering what made them fall in love in the first place.

The banter in this was on another level! These two former exes went no holds barred on each other’s flaws during their travel together but, as the barbs were traded, they also unraveled a new understanding of each other and what went wrong. The audio narration was perfect for his humorous and healing read!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Great Start to a Series!

Revisado: 09-04-24

Oh Matthew Walsh, won't you be mine! To be pursued by an attractive, thoughtful man like Laruen was would be nice! These two were fire together with exponential chemistry! I enjoyed the way he brought out the fun in her professional, slightly closed off nature and their relationship progressed! The sibling chatter always makes me laugh and this story had some great moments!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Loved this Winter Story!

Revisado: 09-04-24

Oh how I loved this book! I listened to it on Audible because, well, Irish accents and I couldn't get enough of it!

Megan left her golden-boy fiancé at the alter (and her hometown) "runaway-bride" style four years ago and hasn't returned home since! But, this Christmas she's heading back and she is dreading it; but, so is Christian, the perma-single, job-driven man from the same hometown as Megan, and coincidentally, the first to see her flee the scene on the day of her wedding. Equally unenthused, they draw up a pact to be each others fake dates for the holidays, how hard could it be?! Turns out, with meddling families, a small hometown, long standing hurts, new feelings, and a few nights snowed in at a cabin, a whole lot can go wrong...and, very, very right!

Catherine Walsh writes witty banter like no one else and, for the holidays, she wraps it up with a bit of emotion and some major swoon! The way Megan and Christian continually go to bat for each other regardless of the situations they come up against just made my insides a bit gooey and may have given me the heart eyes. I just adored this read and would highly recommend on audio or with your eyeballs! I don't think it HAS to be a holiday read, as I would consider it Christmas-Lite (with holiday vibes) .

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona