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rainbowsandbookshelves's reviews
607 reviews
Rinkmates by Nova Banks
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thank you LoveNotesPR and Nova Banks for the eARC in exchange for am honest review.
Rinkmates is an enemies to lovers, hockey & figure skater romance with lots of spice and love! I absolutely flew through the book, enjoying it way more than I was expecting. I love that both Riley and Liora had a lot of things they needed to work through but we saw them grow throughout the book, supporting each other but making changes for themselves. Also, Riley - what a cutie! He always has Liora's back and it was all just so nice to read.
I enjoyed the tension and spicy scenes between them, loving their back and forth.
I found the side characters equally loveable and am hoping the next two books may follow the two couples that were hinted at - either way, I can't wait to read them! The friendship between Priya and Liora was lovely to read about and I can't wait to get to know Rosalie more, I feel like there's a lot of potential for her.
Also, no third act break up - always a win for me!
If you enjoy hockey romance with some enemies to lovers elements, spice and tension, I highly recommend Rinkmates!
Rinkmates is an enemies to lovers, hockey & figure skater romance with lots of spice and love! I absolutely flew through the book, enjoying it way more than I was expecting. I love that both Riley and Liora had a lot of things they needed to work through but we saw them grow throughout the book, supporting each other but making changes for themselves. Also, Riley - what a cutie! He always has Liora's back and it was all just so nice to read.
I enjoyed the tension and spicy scenes between them, loving their back and forth.
I found the side characters equally loveable and am hoping the next two books may follow the two couples that were hinted at - either way, I can't wait to read them! The friendship between Priya and Liora was lovely to read about and I can't wait to get to know Rosalie more, I feel like there's a lot of potential for her.
Also, no third act break up - always a win for me!
If you enjoy hockey romance with some enemies to lovers elements, spice and tension, I highly recommend Rinkmates!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Enemies to Lovers by Laura Jane Williams
Thank you netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Enemies to Lovers - from the title I thought I'd love this book as it's my favourite trope and I love a summer romance so thought this would be perfect. However, a few things in this book really didn't click for me, unfortunately.
For the most part, I struggled with our main character Florence. I felt like there was very little depth to her - pretty much every page mentioned Jamie, the 'enemy', and we didn't really get any other thoughts from her, it just felt like an obsession about him. But we somehow didn't get to know him and why she actually liked him? They had no chemistry and I just didn't understand their romance - especially as 'enemies to lovers'. They weren't enemies -they'd hooked up once and now 'hated' each other but found each other hot still.
Romance books are my favourite to read but I like the main characters to have a bit more to them than just their love interest but Flo had nothing apart from Jamie and a breakdown. Again, mental health could have been a great aspect to explore but I felt like it was done very shallowly as a throwaway comment - she'd had a breakdown a few years ago and that was all people knew her as and therefore became her personality.
I really wanted to enjoy this book but I really did struggle to get through it, unfortunately.
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
Thank you netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Enemies to Lovers - from the title I thought I'd love this book as it's my favourite trope and I love a summer romance so thought this would be perfect. However, a few things in this book really didn't click for me, unfortunately.
For the most part, I struggled with our main character Florence. I felt like there was very little depth to her - pretty much every page mentioned Jamie, the 'enemy', and we didn't really get any other thoughts from her, it just felt like an obsession about him. But we somehow didn't get to know him and why she actually liked him? They had no chemistry and I just didn't understand their romance - especially as 'enemies to lovers'. They weren't enemies -
Romance books are my favourite to read but I like the main characters to have a bit more to them than just their love interest but Flo had nothing apart from Jamie and a breakdown. Again, mental health could have been a great aspect to explore but I felt like it was done very shallowly as a throwaway comment - she'd had a breakdown a few years ago and that was all people knew her as and therefore became her personality.
I really wanted to enjoy this book but I really did struggle to get through it, unfortunately.
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.25
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC of Such Charming Liars.
Having been a big fan of Karen McManus and read all her previous books, I was very excited to be approved for Such Charming Liars! I don't read blurbs as I like to go in not knowing too much so I wasn't sure where the story was going.
I did find it a bit slow to start as it took a while to get to any murders so I was wondering at first if it was just going to be a heist. I didn't really connect with Kat as a character so I struggled to get through the beginning.
I did find that it picked up a bit towards the middle and end with a much more fast pace ending but I found some of the conclusion to be a bit anticlimactic. Not my favourite although I will always read more Karen McManus!
Having been a big fan of Karen McManus and read all her previous books, I was very excited to be approved for Such Charming Liars! I don't read blurbs as I like to go in not knowing too much so I wasn't sure where the story was going.
I did find it a bit slow to start as it took a while to get to any murders so I was wondering at first if it was just going to be a heist. I didn't really connect with Kat as a character so I struggled to get through the beginning.
I did find that it picked up a bit towards the middle and end with a much more fast pace ending but I found some of the conclusion to be a bit anticlimactic. Not my favourite although I will always read more Karen McManus!
If You Hate Me by Helena Hunting
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Hunter by Melissa Belle, Melissa Belle
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse
The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst by Katie Lumsden
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0