ARC Review: THE CHARLIE METHOD (Off Campus Diaries, #3) by Elle Kennedy

Hello readers!
Thanks to Hambright PR I've received an early copy of a very-much discussed new release of this month, that is also the newest book by one of my favorite auto-buy authors! So, here's my review of The Charlie Method by Elle Kennedy.

Title: The Charlie Method
Author: Elle Kennedy
Publishing Date: February 25, 2025
Publisher:  Bloom Books
Pages: 528 (paperback)
Price: 17,99 $

Plot:The third in the steamy, hilarious Campus Diaries series by New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy, set in the same world as Off Campus and Briar U.

College senior Charlotte Kingston is living two lives―and she's nailing both of them. By day, she's the perfect sorority girl, a STEM student in biomedical engineering, and the adopted daughter of an overachiever family. At night, she's Charlie: a risk-taking daredevil looking for fun who finds herself chatting on a dating app with two anonymous hotties.

Will Larsen may seem like the breezy boy next door, but his congressman father is a constant thorn in his side. After a scandal hits another Division 1 hockey program, Will's dad is determined to distance his son from it, hiring a journalist to prove how squeaky-clean Will and his team are. Which means the last thing Will wants is for anyone to find out he and his best friend Beckett Dunne―a laidback Aussie shielding secret heartache―sometimes share girls in the bedroom.

When Charlie finally meets them in person and realizes she's been chatting with two gorgeous Briar U hockey players, things get steamy―fast. But all their messy secrets are piling up, and real life soon threatens to shatter the fantasy. With Charlie, Will, and Beckett all coming to terms with what they want and what others want for them, difficult decisions will need to be made.

Especially when lust starts to look a lot like love.

Series The Campus Diaries:
1. The Graham Effect
2. The Dixon Rule
3. The Charlie Method

Review: 

*presence of some spoilers*

Rate: 3.5 ⭐ 

I'm feeling a bit sad right now that this book is over, because this also means The Campus Diaries series has ended. It's been a packed-journey, since I've decided to binge read all the three books together, and I found myself with new favorite characters to add to my favorite ones list in the Briar University's world.
I can't help to be fond of these complicated, sometimes infuriating new adults, with their warts and all. And if with The Dixon Rule I already knew the main characters, because they were both a solid presence in The Graham Effect, when I started The Charlie Method I still had to know the third element of this trio: Charlie.

I immediately connected with some aspects of her personality, especially the urge to be always someone their parents will be proud of, or someone people would love to have around and not being talked about their backs. Her anxiety's attacks were well described and relatable, as much as her need to blow off some steam to stomach all the stress she endured. I didn't expect, though, it would be by driving car on racing tracks 😂That was an awesome surprise and I totally adored wild Charlie mode! It was refreshing and also entertaining to read, same as per her sassier side. This girl knows what she wants and isn't afraid to verbalize it. Then again, as Faith says, she has indeed an "onion personality", because she's a character with a multitude of different shades to discover. For example, I super appreciated her being a true reference point for Blake (even if we just see a glimpse of their relationship), her absence of fear dealing with Mitch's snarky and mean comments as well as Agatha's outbursts, the natural way she cares about not hurting people's feelings, her absolutely interest in STEM, and her fears about being loved less because she isn't her parent's biological child.
I think that the most successful part of this novel is related to her decision to track down her family roots, discovering she has an older brother, with whom she tries to built up a real relationship. Her feelings were totally believable, and I wanted to hug her multiple times when she was dealing with Harrison's sourness and resentment, attempting not to be crushed by the guilt related to the way better life she ended up with, or by the fear that her adoptive family would stop loving her if they discovered she was seeing him. Handling Harrison wasn't easy since the very beginning, and even if I understood him I can't say I like him, that's why it was a relief to see that Charlotte didn't believe all his words related to her adoptive parents. At the same time, I appreciated the steps he made to make amend, even if it's not clear at the end of the book whether their relationship has developed more or they're just acquaintances.

Another thing I really welcomed were the different cameos that appeared randomly during the book. They often made me laugh - especially Hollis 😂- , but they also made me feel the urge to have some more novellas about my favorite characters from the previous series. It's true, we see Garrett and Hannah in The Graham Effect in multiple scenes, but I would love to have them and the others as main POVs again, with a direct look in their lives as grown men and women - Yes, it would be a massive book of novellas BUUUUT can you think about it, Elle? PLEEEASE.

Plus, a praise for Beckett's interactions with his parents. It's not so usual to see a son speaking this directly with his father (without being disrespectful), and I truly appreciated the way Beckett made him reconsider some decisions he made; then there was also the discussion with his mother related to the eventuality of going back to Australia. I really felt his longing for "coming back home", like there was a direct connection with a place he knew took his heart. Furthermore I loved his growth during the whole book, even if maybe a little bit hidden by other events. For me Beckett is the one who ground the trio together, always sure of Charlie and Will, ready to joke but also to face more serious discussions. At the same time, he conquered me with his own frailties, and I adored seeing him starting to open himself to the others again and also searching for his own path in life - even if I was a little bit sad to know he won't pursue an hockey carrier as defensman.

And talking about hockey, I think this is probably the less sport related Briar U book I've ever read, and I kind of miss it, you know? Yes, we have some scenes here and there, Coach Jensen is always the best, but hockey was one of the pillar of these series, where guys (or girls) bond and grow together and, well, so freaking hot and entertaining to read. Here, I really felt its absence.
Truth is, the usually perfect balance I always find in Elle Kennedy's novels, kind of slipped in The Charlie Method. I don't know if it's because there were too many things to focus on and following three main points of views and personal journeys isn't an easy task to accomplish, but something of this story was off.
From a certain point of the book, almost every encounter Will, Beckett and Charlie had turned into a sex scene, with very little time for them to show properly their relationship and feelings growing and consolidating into something more than a fling or a temporary arrangement.
Let me be clear, sex isn't the problem - but some scenes seemed too similar; I appreciated the little increase of this kind of scenes in this last series (and the kinky aspect was an interesting addition for sure), but besides some exceptions, what did they do together to make the readers understand they were in love? It was like the majority of times it was all off page. Plus, I can't say I really came to know Beckett and Will as much as I know Charlotte. I ended the book with the feeling I was missing almost two entire worlds, when usually at the end of any of Elle's story I know almost everything about who the main characters are, what they want, how they react, etc. That took me by surprise because Elle is usually amazing in these kind of things, instead I finished the book a little bit confused.

I suppose the fact that these three main figures didn't have the same number of chapters as POV didn't help, especially regarding Will's part. Sometimes he seemed a little bit left behind, and it could be ok if this wasn't a polyamorous situation. Regarding that, I'm not a fan of love triangles in every one of their possible outcomes, but I was willing to see if Elle could give me a key to consider it believable. Unfortunately, my thoughts at the end of the book are that I love all of them, Charlotte, Beckett and Will, and they are even cute together, but I really struggle to see how this situation will work out and last in the future. I agree that everyone should do what feel right to them, but every practical question asked (by more than one character) received almost no concrete reply, with lots of "I don't know". And that perplexed me, because Charlie is clearly a rational person, with her own proper Method to evaluate every problem in her life, and in this case after some doubts and concerns, she just goes with the flow, only worried about what people would think about it, and even this question resolved itself in a too simplistic way.
Then we have Beckett's past trauma that is kept hidden for the majority of the book and then has been resolved in an instant with just some reassurances, and there's Will, who from book two changes his own ideas multiple times, arriving at the epilogue with no specific answers about which conclusion he came to regarding how to handle their love situation. I didn't even seen clear moments that showed their strong friendship, and that's a pity. It's like they remained a sort of secondary character in their own book too.
Moreover, while in every one of Elle's books the "Briar found family" is always there for the main characters, the rest of their friends is almost nonexistent. And it's even weirder if we consider that The Charlie Method's timeline partially overlaps with The Dixon Rule's one. I though I would have re-experienced some important (and tough) moments of the previous book from the eyes of Will and Beckett, since Shane and Diana are their friends, instead everything was just... mentioned, like they were not so significant. We don't even see Ryder's goodbye to Beckett after graduation, when they should be close friends. Why?😔

So, there are little or bigger details that left me a little puzzled about this novel. And allow me to say that the use of drugs isn't something to consider even if it's just a one-time thing and under a "controlled situation". I appreciated Beck and Will's behavior related to that but... no.

In conclusion, I'm really torn because I can't say I didn't love the book at all, but it missed some of the usual Elle's magic I love so much. I really hope that the next series (because I'm sure it will arrive) will give more explanations about what happened, and also clarify what is happening between Blake and Isaac. I'm still trying to decide if I have to be worried about them or not 😂

If you read it, what do you think about it?
Let me know in the comments! In the meantime, thank you for giving some of your time to read my review.

To the next one!

Chiara

 

 

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ARC Review: "ONE ON ONE" by Jamie Harrow

Hello readers! How are you?

Any sports romance's fan here? If the answer is "yes", let me present you an amazing novel you should immediately add to your collection! Are you ready to enter in the high competitive basketball world?🔥

 

Title: One on One
Author: Jamie Harrow
Publishing Date: September 24, 2024
Publisher:  Quercus Publishing
Pages: 402 (paperback)
Price: $14.95 (*price seen on Amazon.it)

Plot:They call it March Madness for a reason: Anything can happen on the way to a national championship.
Eight years after graduation, Annie Radford is not happy to be back at her alma mater in her old job with the Ardwyn Tigers’ basketball team. Worse, her coworker from back in college, Ben Callahan, is still on the Tigers staff, and he’s annoyingly wholesome, hot, and clinging to a grudge against Annie for abandoning him and the team their senior year.
But as Ardwyn becomes the season’s Cinderella Story, things start heating up between Annie and Ben, too. And while neither of them can deny this could be something special, Annie’s afraid to tell Ben the truth about why she left basketball—the thing she loves most—in the first place. She’ll have to learn to trust him if they have a shot at being together.
In addition to being funny, romantic, and sexy, One on One examines the pressure put on college athletes, challenges the sexism in the world of sports, and exposes the dangers in whole communities idolizing the big men on campus.
For readers of The Hating Game and The Ex Talk, a workplace, enemies-to-lovers debut for anyone yearning for a courtside romance, perfect for anyone who can’t get enough sports rom-coms.

Review:

Rate: 4.5 stars!⭐

I deeply thank Quercus Fiction for sending me a free copy of this book, and also to Jamie Harrow for creating an amazing story I didn't want to end.

I've never read a sport romance about basketball before and I'm not a fan of this sport, but I was totally hooked anyway, probably hyped by Annie's love for this sport and her amazing videos. I obviously couldn't see them concretely, but believe me when I say that I could easily imagine them and get involved in the Ardwyn Tigers' team as the real viewers. It was so vivid in my head it was like I could listen to the music playing on the background, or imagine pictures or videos continue on the screen encouraging the players and foster the love and attention of the fans. It was like I was again in Madison Square Garden, waiting for the match to start!

Anyway, the first thing I have to warn you is that in this novel the game itself isn't the focus, because neither of the main characters is a basketball player, but it was interesting to see different jobs related to it, that could affect its results (videos, interviews, analytics, etc.). At the same time I loved the fact that basketball was the way Annie and her dad interacted and bonded, and how his presence in the team and in Annie's thoughts was vivid during the entire story even if he passed away years ago. It was a very delicate and respectful way to represent grief, together with the message that it's ok if a person we loved wasn't perfect and made mistakes toward us. We can remember not only the good things, but bad ones too, because this doesn't mean we love or miss someone less.

And then there's Ben. What I think I appreciate the most is the fact that for multiple aspects Ben isn't a stereotyped MC. He's kind and an adorable cinnamon roll, that's for sure, but at the same time he didn't worship her or did whatever she wants without prior thinking about what he thinks about it. Moreover, he wasn't afraid to express his feelings and his thoughts, and even when, at the beginning, he was disappointed by Annie abrupt leaving them years ago and wasn't happy to see her again, he showed it with politeness (nope, no drama reaction or snarky comments). Plus, he was always ready to express his ideas and believes in a simple but steady way, because he wasn't afraid to do it - and he could be, due to his family background, another interesting aspect I would have wanted to explore even more.
Anyway, I liked also how he and Annie bonded again, without rush. I think their is the perfect example of an healthy relationship I would personally love to have and live too. And the chemistry? The tension...? Jaime Harrow has absolutely raised the expectation bar, and that's a real problem.
Last but not least: the work/school harassment theme. I appreciated (and hated, for Annie to have experienced it) how this was handled, in a sort of indirect way where you gradually unveil what happened in the past. And even if it wasn't an "on page event", I could feel Annie's emotions clear as water and I empathized with her immediately. When this happens it only means one thing: the writing was really good.

So, can we ask Jamie to write another novel with this character? Because I'm sure you're gonna love it.
Maybe with Ben's sister as MC...?

 

 

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[REVIEW] Why did "FUNNY STORY" by Emily Henry win the Goodreads' Choice Awards' Romance Category?

Hello readers! 

I discovered I've never posted yet my Emily Henry's annual review😱, so what better time to do it after her double win at the Goodreads Choice Awards?

As always, I have to thank @prhinternational for the arc and the chance to read this beauty in advance, and to Julia Whelan because I've already re-read it in audiobook format (my first one!!) and it was an amazing experience. So, why is this story so good to win again in the romance category? After the usual information you'll find my opinion about it.

Title: Funny Story
Author: Emily Henry
Publishing Date: April 23, 2024
Publisher:  Berkley
Pages: 384 (paperback)
Price: $19.85 (paperback - large print)

Plot:

Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?

Review: 

Rate: 5 stars!⭐

Emily Henry never disappoints me. I've said that. I'm usually very superstitious about saying things like that because disappointment could always hit, but this author (as Mariana Zapata and very other few ones) owns my heart. It's like she knows exactly what story narrate to me and when. But, let's be honest, it's always the right time for an Emily Henry's romance, because I always find some connections with myself or my life. This book is no exception.

Funny Story is one of those novels that catch your attention from the very beginning. I adore every one of her incipit because they're crafted with a meticulous attention worthy of an artist, and that helps entering in the story like you just got inside a parallel world where those people really exist. I think that's why, for me, reading one of her works has the same feeling as coming home again. You can feel her characters breath, and you live their ups and downs beside them.

Here we meet Miles and Daphne in a very low moment: Peter and Petra, their partners respectively, left them few months before Daphne and Peter's wedding, discovering just now, after an entire life as best friends, they love each other.
So, since Peter expected that, after their romantic escape, Daphne would find another place to live, she decided to ask Miles to be his roommate, since she had no other place to go and her mother lived away.
At first they might seem too different to be even friends, but it was simply amazing to discover how easily they started to get along and really know each other, with a so natural chemistry I was swooning for them even before the 20% of the book. I liked the spontaneousness of their relationship and how they fit together as they were just meant to be. I've seen very few romance couples express this exact feeling with such a strong intensity without great acts or dramas to overcome, but Miles and Daphne are just two puzzle pieces that match together, it can't be otherwise. You can't stop smiling reading their scenes.

Another interesting point was how an almost immediate attraction became a slow burn one, held back by their both attempts to not ruin their new friendship (besides others matters). And, in addition, there's the fake relationship trope. It was fun to read how this started and how Emily used it to push them together, but at the same time turned it into an obstacle to really understand that their feeling for the other one were real and reciprocated.

I didn't expect to be so connected with Daphne. Well, we both love books, and that's always a good starting point, but I totally understood her struggle to make friends. She's a quite type of person, who opens herself only with someone she really trusts, always feeling a little bit clumsy and not very interesting for people to stick around. I totally relate with her fears to "not be enough" for others, and being easily replaceable when someone more cool appears around (same for Georgia in The Ex Vows). Plus, I also deeply understood Ashleigh's speech about Daphne being a we girl. I think it's good to be someone who does things with people we love or care about, but it's essential to still be independent of our other half, because when this "we" becomes too much, we risk to loose our identity, or personal group of friends, and it's not right. That's not how an healthy relationship works.

That's why I loved even more when Daphne took a chance to open up with Ashleigh, and her relationship with Julia. It was adorable to see her creating her place in the community, and how people included her without a second thought. She gained back herself, and the sweetest thing about that is that Miles helped her without taking control of it. 

Moreover, it was (painful but) interesting to see Daphne's relationship with her father. Their versions related to past events didn't always coincide, sometimes at large measure, others with slight but significant differences, and Emily has been a master to make us notice that her father was hurt by that too. That means that sometimes people don't want to see when we failed others, and without expressing that, they wouldn't understand that what they are and were doing is wrong. Communication still remains the foundation of every relationship, and not only romantic ones. One of my favorite phrases (from Miles) is: 

"Do you want to know why your dad doesn't stick around? [..] Because you see him. And he can't stand it."

Because it's also true that sometimes is easier not to think about other people and their feelings, and just following our desires, but that will mean that someone will suffer for this. I appreciate how Emily always makes us face with those overlooked realities that, actually, creates more problems, issues and hurts that others.

Let's move on to Miles. There will ever be a Emily Henry's male character I won't like? No, probably not. I super appreciated this caring, sensible man, that has empathy but at the same time is absolutely honest, without being mean. He was my hero for always being polite with Peter, even if he didn't deserve it. And he really, really didn't deserve it. Miles was steady and supportive when Daphne needed it, respecting her space, and I loved how Emily balanced it showing his own uncertainties, that made my heart ache. His complicated relationship with his parents hasn't been developed too much, but it was enough to understand his (and Julia's) emotional background.

At last, the side characters. I found them a little bit deepened than the previous books. After all, Funny Story isn't just the story of Daphne and Miles, but also Ashleigh's, that found a new friend and maybe will start to have more faith in people, and Julia's, who at the end I'm sure had strengthened her relationship with her brother. I also adored Daphne's mother, not too present on pages, but their dialogues always warmed my heart because their connection was clear and strong.
Then, we have the "main antagonists" of this story: Peter and Petra. It was easy to not like them, considering their behaviors towards the protagonists, but at the same time it was clear they weren't completely bad people, so I couldn't despise them with all my heart. Well, at least when love was not concerned, because in that matter they clearly needed help and should start not being so selfish.

Anyway, each one of those characters has their own complexity and it was a pleasure to read about them. This is the case I would have loved the book had no end, because I didn't want to leave them. I still don't want to leave them! 😂 I hope we will see them in the future, in some mini novellas as Layover or in other books. 

P.s. Is it only me, or we had a Beach Read's Easter Egg?

So, that's why I totally voted for it at the Goodreads' Choice Awards and I was so happy about Emily winning again - but there were multiple books that I equally adored, I have to say that. A pity you can pick just one.

Again, thank you, Emily, with all my heart for this beautiful book (I know she won't ever read it, but in case) 💗, and to @prhinternational for this free copy. 

And what about you, readers? Have you already read it? What did you think?

Let me know!

To the next review💖

Chiara

 

 

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ARC Review: "LOST AND LASSOED" by Lyla Sage

Hello readers! 

The time has finally come and now I can say: Happy Publication Day to Lyla Sage for her Lost and Lassoed 💚
I'm so happy you can finally read this book, that I'm sure won't disappoint you.
In the meantime, I have to thank Penguin Random House International for the free copy. I'm so proud to be one of your International Partners.

So, first of all, the useful information:

Title: Lost and Lassoed (Rebel Blue Ranch, #3)
Author: Lyla Sage
Publishing Date: November 05, 2024
Publisher:  The Dial Press
Pages: 336 (paperback)
Price: $17.99

Plot: She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other.
From the author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the highly anticipated next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance in which enemies turn to lovers when they're forced to work together during one hot summer.
Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan. She’s never needed one before. She’s always been more of a go with the flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn’t seem to be going her way this time.
Her favorite vintage suede jacket has a hole in it, her sewing machine is broken, and her best friend just got engaged. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s starting to change. Teddy’s used to being a leader, but now she feels like she’s getting left behind, wondering if life in the small town she loves is enough for her anymore.
Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He doesn’t know what’s taking care of his family’s 8,000 acre ranch, or parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter, who is staying with him for the summer. Gus has always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he has to admit that he can’t manage everything on his own. He needs help.
His little sister’s best friend, the woman he can’t stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy's the only option he’s got. Teddy decides to use the summer to try and figure out what she wants out of life. Gus, on the other hand, starts to worry that he’ll never find what he needs.
Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether or not to act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned?

Review: 

Rate: 5 ⭐

My love for PRHinternational is endless, because they always grant me in advance to read a good amount of my most expected books of the year (thank you Rafa! 💚).

The first thing I have to say is: there's one queen in my cowboy romance era, and that's Lyla Sage.
I can't think about another author (in this subgenre) as skilled welcoming readers in such a natural atmosphere, because Rebel Blue Ranch feels like home, and you can easily imagine wind ruffling your hair, sun warming up your face while surrounded by nature. Anyone can immediately understand Lyla's love for the environment she grew up with just reading her novels.
That said, Lost and Lassoed is the story everyone wanted to read after ending Done and Dusted, I'm sure you all agree with me, and I want to reassure you immediately, readers, you won't be disappointed. At the same time, I'm sorry Lyla experienced so much pressure for this reason, but she really gifted us with a precious story to treasure.

Teddy and Gus are two strong main characters with an hell of a chemistry that Lyla amazed to describe on the page. So be prepared, because the tension, the looks they share, the sweet moments will raise you from the ground. But I'm sure you already imagine that, and maybe if this was the only noteworthy characteristic of this book you would find it boring in the long run.
Thankfully, Lost and Lassoed has so much more to tell than that.
With this novel we come to know for real both Gus and Teddy, going under the fierce masks they use to  present themselves to the world.
I honestly didn't imagine I'll appreciate them so much, especially Theodora, but the love they have for the people they care about conquered me in one second. Teddy's relationship with her father is amazing, I loved every single moment between them; not to mention how she entered in Riley's daily life without an effort, always respectful towards her parents. It was beautiful to see them interact in such a natural way, without having the impression Teddy will substitute Cam's role in Riley's life. At the same time, even if she was barely present, I liked how Cam appeared here and there, to not make us forget that she's Riley's mother and she cares about her daughter. It could appear a stupid note to add, but in a good amount of books this kind of details is often left forgotten, but I think it gives the story a more realistic nuance.

Anyway, I also appreciated the slow but steady burn between Teddy and Gus, that allowed me to savor them really discovering one another, giving themselves the chance to understand the other one without the usual prejudices or their too sharp banters. To be sincere, I think that the thing that won me the most were the soft moments, the tender gestures between them, the pillow talks, the honesty in expressing their feelings without shame... It was good to see Gus learning to ask help and understand that he can't bear the entire weight of the world on his shoulders and, as per Teddy, I was glad to witness her discovering her strength to pursue her dreams and becoming aware she has someone who see her for who she really is and has her back.

Oh, guys, can I go back in time and read it again? I already miss them so much!
I also enjoyed every conversation and discussion Emmy and Teddy had, because for me they're the true friendship endgame: not perfect, but a bond formed by people who care about each other and are willing to learn from their mistakes. But this is a Ryder trait I suppose, every Amos' child is not afraid to have a confrontation and resolve things. I'm also a fan of Gus and Luke as well, and I'm still hoping to have a chance to see more of it in the future.
Furthermore, I loved (and cried a lot for that) how Lyla talked about the fear to loose someone we deeply love knowing we're not eternal nor immortal, and the way she linked it with the idea to preserve in our heart the heartwarming moments we share with them. This father-daughter bond is expressed in different shades during the entire story with a delicateness I really admired, but I can't forget also Amos role in all those books: he's the constant presence in his children's lives, always caring and discreet, but also stern when they still need him to be. 

So, to wrap up, this book will be a roller coaster with some heart attacks along the way, but have faith in Lyla and be prepared for a moving but passionate novel that will make you fall in love even harder for the Rebel Blue Ranch's characters.

 

Thanks for reading me until the end, let me know what you'll think about it💚
To the next review!

Chiara

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ARC Review: "FIND ME IN THE FIRE" (Nighthawks,#5) by Pru Schuyler & "MR. HEARTBREAKER (The Nest, #1)" by Piper Rayne

Hello readers!
How are you?💖
Be prepared because you'll have a good amount of reviews in the following days. Today we talk about sport romance, to be more precise, hockey romance. Do you like them? I do, a lot. I think they're one of my favorite sub-genre at the moment and I just can't get enough.
Here I present you two of new releases I read in the past weeks.

A warm thank you to the authors for the chance to read these books in advance.

FIND ME IN THE FIRE

Title: Find me in the Fire (Nighthawks,#5)
Author: Pru Schuyler
Publishing Date: September 21, 2024
Publisher:  Independently published
Pages: 368 (paperback)
Price: $18,99
Plot: When the inferno begins, will they find each other amongst the flames or become lost in the smoke?

Piper Hartwell exudes confidence and sex appeal, having no problem speaking her mind or going after what she wants. As a highly successful wedding planner, she is detail-oriented and a bit of a control freak. But behind that hardened shell, sky-high walls, and painted-on smile lies a girl who has sworn off love, knowing firsthand the damage it can leave in its wake.

Brett Burns, a powerhouse forward for the New York Nighthawks, lives every second with his heart on his sleeve, loving nothing more than spending time with his family and his team. He is playful, kind, and a hopeless romantic to the core. When the two run into each other at a Nighthawk player’s wedding, they can’t deny their intense chemistry, happily giving in to their every desire. Piper quickly informs Brett of his skillful shortcomings in the bedroom despite his impressive tools.

Desperately wanting to see her again, he offers that they become exclusive friends with benefits. She gets her no-strings-attached relationship while he gets sexy lessons from the girl of his dreams. They are a perfect pairing, but their deal has to remain hidden because Piper is the daughter of one of Brett’s assistant coaches, and their relationship threatens Brett’s professional hockey career. Their plan should go perfectly. But the late nights, intimate moments, and secret hookups in the arena begin to lead to something more. Before they know it, they become intertwined in one another’s lives in ways they never see coming, including discovering a dark secret that lingers in the shadows.

Although their forbidden romance is fiery hot, there’s a problem when you start playing with fire...you can get burned. But sometimes, that blazing heat can forge things stronger than they ever were before.

Review: 

Rate: 3.8 ⭐

First of all, thanks to the author for the chance to read this book in advance.
This is my first Prue Schuyler's book and I'm quite confident it won't be the last.
The starting point was totally cup of my tea, but I didn't expect how this story unfolded. It was a good surprise, a little different from the usual.
I didn't immediately connect with Piper, but just because I'm shyer than her and totally way more insecure; that said, I appreciated her growth during the entire story. I would have been interesting to explore more how the ending between her parents affected her, but what I've read was absolutely enough to create a solid ground to explain Piper's averse feelings towards love and relationships. The scenes between her and her father were so bittersweet they squeezed my heart in a tight grip! (Btw, it would have been amazing to read about Coach's love story too💞)
Brett was my baby since the very beginning. I loved his relationship with Piper. He was always respectful and gave her the time and space to process things, even his feelings, so it was good to see that, when he understood he loved her, he didn't make her consider him just a distraction anymore. It was such a good relationship to read about, I'm totally satisfied with it.
Then: the hockey. 

I'm starting watching NHL for real and that has been useful in matches' chapters and scenes, because Pru Schuyler clearly knows what she's talking about and I loved it! I adore when a sport romance ACTUALLY talks about sport and takes the reader inside its dynamics. Plus, Brett's team was so fun to read I really enjoyed those moments.
So, a good starting point (for me) to discover this author who, I have this feeling, could do even better than this - and "this" is already very good.-

 

 

MR. HEARTBREAKER

Title: Mr. Heartbreaker (The Nest,#1)
Author: Piper Rayne
Publishing Date: October 13, 2024
Publisher:  Piper Rayne Inc.
Pages: 308 (paperback)
Price: $14,61

Plot: I made a deal with my brother a long time ago to never date his teammates.
Technically, Rowan Landry, the hot as hell center for the Chicago Falcons, is no longer my brother’s teammate. Or his best friend. Their college days are long behind them, and they barely talk now.
Also, I’m not dating him—we’re just sleeping together. There’s a difference.
Except there’s not a lot of sleeping going on, and neither one of us wants to stop what we’re doing. It’s all fun and games until my brother is traded to the Falcons, because Rowan doesn’t know I’m the new goalie’s little sister. Oops.

 

Review:

Rate: 3 ⭐ 

Again, thanks to the authors and @valentine_pr_ for the chance to read this book in advance.
This is the first installment of a series that is focused on "The Nest" inhabitants, an apartment building where some of the Falcons' players live.
The novel has a raw start: Kyleigh discovers her mother cheating on her dad and then, while attending a wedding party she helped her mum organizing, she meets Rowan and they end up in bed together. She don't tell him that she already knows him not only as an hockey fan herself, but also because he played with her brother in college - and the two of them were pretty close. It's clear she expects just a night of passion and nothing more, especially after her mother betrayal, that destroys her idea of love and relationships. Unfortunately fate has other in mind: they meet again almost immediately and the urge between them is so strong they decide to continue their only physical relationship until their chemistry will blow out; instead, they find themselves falling in love with each other. And then Connor arrives in the picture.

Generally, I enjoyed this story and I appreciated the comradeship between Rowan and his team, besides Rowan support toward Kyleigh, even if he didn't know what troubled her almost until the very end. After that, I really liked them as a couple, without the stereotypical moment where they doubt they're not good for the other. I also appreciated how Kyleigh and Connor's father dealt with his personal situation (even if his reaction and following actions were always a little bit too... detached? I didn't feel great emotions coming from him or his wife). Then, the romance. This book has multiple sex scenes that are really well written. So, if you're a fan of an open door story, I think Mr. Heartbreaker could be your cup of tea. If not, you would have to skip a good amount of pages, I'm afraid.
Furthermore, the secondary characters: they were all recognizable, and the authors added little pieces of details that it obvious will create the bases for the next books. I love this kind of things, and I hope that each novel will always have different dynamics to explore.

At the same time, I have to admit that, even if I'm not (at all) against a good amount of sex scenes, having them for the majority of the first 39% of the book has been a little bit too much. I would have loved if they had been more spaced out, leaving room for something else that concretely showed how gradually Rowan and Leigh started to bond and have feelings for each other. In my opinion, the passage between strangers with benefits to friends to lovers could be handled a little bit better, because it's almost nonexistent.
Another thing that didn't entirely convinced me was Connor's reaction. I understood it, but it felt juvenile, especially because no one seemed to find a way to make him come to his senses - and they're all adults. The thing is that every issue in this book misses some depth and empathy. I wasn't able to be totally involved in what I was reading, and that disappointed me because the potential was there to be explored in a better and mature way.

Anyway, with ups and down I still enjoyed the reading and I'm curious about the next book of the Nest series, hoping it will convince me more than the previous one.

Have you already read them?
What did you think about them?

See you to the next reviews!

Chiara

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Review: The Rule Book by Sarah Adams

Hello readers!
How are you?

Here I am again with another review. As always, I have to thank for the free book to PRH International, that always allows me to read some of my most expected books of the year. Today is the time of a novel I was really curious about (you'll know more in my review's premises), and that I'm sure will be loved by every sport romance reader 💗. So, here is my review of The Rule Book, by Sarah Adams.

Title: The Rule Book
Author: Sarah Adams
Publishing Date: April 2, 2024
Publisher:  Dell, Trade Paperback Original
Pages: 416 (paperback)
Price: $18.00 USD, $24.95 CAD

Plot: College exes break all the rules when they reunite years later in this enemies to lovers, second-chance romance, the highly anticipated companion novel to the TikTok sensation The Cheat Sheet—from Sarah Adams, the New York Times bestselling author of Practice Makes Perfect.

Nora Mackenzie’s entire career lies in the hands of famous NFL tight end Derek Pender, who also happens to be her extremely hot college ex-boyfriend. Nora didn’t end things as gracefully as she could have back then, and now it has come back to haunt her. Derek is her first client as an official full-time sports agent and he’s holding a grudge.

Derek has set his sights on a little friendly revenge. If Nora Mackenzie, the first girl to ever break his heart, wants to be his agent, oh, he’ll let her be his agent. The plan is simple: make Nora’s life absolutely miserable. But if Derek knows anything about the woman he once loved—she won’t quit easily.

Instead of giving in, Nora starts a scheme of her own. But then a wild night in Vegas leads to Nora and Derek in bed the next morning married. With their rule book out the window, could this new relationship save their careers or spark the romance of a lifetime?

Review:

Rate: 4 stars⭐

After enjoying to The Cheat Sheet, I was very curious to see what Sarah could present to the readers. Her previous book was a lovely delight, but at the same time it was too swoony to be totally relatable – and yes, I was envious of Bree because Nathan was too perfect. So, I didn't know if it convinced me at 100%.

But you know what? Every now and then, a good happily ever after's book, without too many difficulties or tough themes to face, is a perfect cozy treat to enjoy, and The Rule Book is the perfect embodiment of that.

I appreciate the writing pace, the entertaining banter between Derek and Nora, and the tender moments where they really talk and discuss about their relationship and themselves. Finally, a book with no miscommunication's trope! That was a great relief. Maybe I would have loved a little bit more spice, but the tension leading to those moments was perfect, so, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Just a warning: there are not many big events in this book, that is centered on the relationship between the two main characters and how it would affect their career. I'd consider it more an introspective book, if I have to describe it. Another thing I didn’t expect to find but was a great thumbs up for me was the idea that even when two people are meant to be together, this doesn't mean the first time would be the right one. I liked the fact that, even if it was a mistake made by Nora’s fear to jeopardize her future career for a love relationship, the message underneath was that sometimes people have to have more experience and grow up individually, before arrive to the right moment in space and time to have another shot. Of course, my stupid romantic heart cried nonetheless for their time loss. Fortunately, Derek dealt with the revelation of their break-up so well I wanted to hug him: instead to show anger or refusal, he was understanding, sweet and thoughtful.

Even if I didn’t consider him the soft side of the couple, because they’re both well balanced, I have to admit it was cool to find a main male character who deals with panic attacks and insecurities, an aspect that often is represented by a female figure. And it was refreshing seeing him face his fears regarding his career with Nora and also opening up about his dyslexia, maybe forgiving himself for all the time he hated his low performances at school.

Then, it’s true, there are some similarities with The Cheat Sheet, and you’ll find here as well a supporting brotherhood that will always cheer for the "grumpy bear" of this story to find his happy ending with the woman he loves. Personally, I would have loved to see them even more, because those scenes were hilarious, and I’m a sucker for Bree and Nathan! hat said, in the Rule Book the focus also shifts on the difficulties a woman has to face when entering a field usually "reserved" to men and working in a toxic environment. I liked how Nora and Nicole have been shaped by Sarah, and how they deal with this current issue with their different kind of personalities and approaches during the length of the story. Plus, it was good to show that to fight for yourself you don’t always have to make big scenes or brawls, you can just be yourself, faithful to your personal principle and kind to the others, even when they don’t deserve it.

I also loved all the underlining of the importance to have a partner who supports you, understands you, and doesn't limit your dreams and ambitions; not to mention the message to love ourselves and our physical aspect even if it's not perfect. You find those little phrases here and there during the book, like a soft reminder to be kind with ourselves, to remember our own value and that we deserve to find someone who really sees it, both at work and in a relationship.

At last, I didn't expect that kind of ending, because the story seemed to go in another direction. Anyway, it was cute and I hope to see glimpses of Derek and Nora (as well as more Nathan and Bree) in future books.

And what about you?
Have you already read it? If yes, did you liked it? Let me know in the comments💗

To the next review!

Chiara

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