shamelesslyintroverted's reviews
356 reviews

 There’s just something about TJR’s stories that break through reading slumps. She’s quickly becoming one of my favorite authors of all time. I adore her writing style and Julia Whelan’s narration is just *chef’s kiss.*
 
To be honest, I was terrified to read this book since it hits really close to home, but it’ll be seven years this year and I no longer identify as a widow. I identify as a wife. I figured it was safe. 
 
If you want to know what it’s like to be a young widow who finds love again, read One True Loves. I’ve never felt so seen. The grief, how it felt to go on a first date… all of it was more accurate than I was expecting.
 
The story is split into before and after and it’s clear what the fault line is: before Jesse died/came back and after Jesse came back. You’re given all of this information up front and then pulled back to the past to meet Jesse and discover how they fell in love. And then how she lost him.
 
We also get to see her grief, growth, and how she fell in love with Sam. 
 
I took some time before going into the after because I didn’t want to see Emma’s world implode. 
 
Once I finally turned the page, I had some… conflicting emotions.

There was this one quote on pages 268-269 that I think summed up the entire book and served as the crux of the theme:  “I nod but what I want to do is tell him about what Marie said, that she told me this isn’t about who I love but rather who I am. I want to tell him that I’ve been asking myself that question over and over and it’s starting to seem glaringly obvious that I am different from the person Jesse loves. I am not her. Not anymore.”
 
Emma realizes that she belongs with Sam because grief shaped her into a different person. I can relate to this because I am not the same puppet that John was used to puppeteering. He wouldn’t like who I’ve become because he wouldn’t be able to control me or make me feel inferior enough to manipulate me.
 
And then the very next page solidified why I'm not a huge Jesse fan.  They have a huge argument because Jesse can’t see Emma’s side of things at all. I get that he’s been through a trauma, but so has she. They’ve both changed and he expects her to drop everything, all the progress she’s made and changes she’s gone through, to be with him. 
 
He’s so stubborn and stuck in his own head that he’s angry with her for moving on because she should’ve waited. WTF?! Meanwhile, Sam over here is taking a huge hit, but cares enough about her to let her process. He’s putting her needs over his own and Jesse is being a selfish child. He’s immature (driving without a license and banging on the kitchen counter). It seems like her attraction to him is grounded in nostalgia and lust, but she's much more attracted to Sam because he’s willing to meet her where she’s at. 
 
She even outlines what she wants from him after she says that she plays the piano, and it’s so simple that it’s sad that he doesn’t say these things. She simply wants him to show an interest, to get to know the woman she’s become… but instead he takes it defensively and asked what playing the piano proves. Like. After all of that, if she chooses Jesse… I’m going to scream.
 
Thankfully they both came to that conclusion. They’re not the same people and he desperately needs therapy. I don’t mean that in a bad way! He’s been through some SHIT and would benefit from processing it with a professional.
 
That being said, I am thankful that he came around and that they had this very adult conversation about their future and what it would look like. I also loved that she emphasized the reasoning here. It’s not Sam versus Jesse, but rather would her and Jesse even still work? Does she want it to?
 
When she realized that she loves both men and that it's okay, she allowed herself to fully fall for Sam and accept that the life she had with Jesse was in the past. She doesn’t want the life that Jesse wants and she misses Sam desperately.
 
They say goodbye to each other (in an unhealthy way in my opinion—they shouldn’t have had goodbye sex, but whatever) and they head home.
 
Sam shows up in the parking lot of her store as she was about to go chase him down and he wants to fight for her. He’s not in high school anymore and he’s ready. Luckily, it’s not necessary and they get married. 
 
Jump to 8 months later and Jesse calls. He’s met someone and he gets it now. How she could love him, but still love Sam. Loving someone doesn’t erase the loves you’ve had in the past. A true love doesn’t have to be forever. 😭
 
As a side note on craft:  

The chapter after Emma and Sam, pages 85-93, the one where we go through Emma’s life as she takes over the bookstore and settles into a routine that her parents would be proud of, is such a great written example of a montage. I want to dissect it as a writer, is that weird?  

 
It was well written, and the message was beautiful, but it was hard for me to read and not a fun time. This was not a situation I wanted to escape into.
 
I did love how it ended, which I was worried about, so I’m giving it a solid three stars because, fundamentally, this is a good book. 

Would I recommend it? Not really. 

Oh and not a super summery book. The cover is deceiving! 

I wrote up a halfway update that I didn’t end up posting, but I’m kind of glad I didn’t since my opinions have changed. While, I’m not a fan of domestic thrillers and need a dash of fantasy/supernatural in my spooky stories, I really loved this one.

This is a whodunnit where you’re trying to figure out who took Billy, with a paranormal twist since Ethan returns to his hometown thirty years later and is convinced he’s being haunted.

I’m going to get into spoilers in a second, but for now know that if you’re going into this with yearnings for the supernatural (like me), you’re going to be a little disappointed. The vibes are subtle at best. Speaking of vibes, I didn’t love the setting and atmosphere. There’s only so much you can do when the book is set in suburbia, but I loved his other settings much better.

All in all, I enjoyed the hell out of this book even if it was a bit slow. The ending was truly shocking to me and I didn’t see the twist coming. I also loved how this one made me all emotional. I really connected with the characters and I found myself crying a few times toward the end.

I will be purchasing a physical copy for my shelves. 📖 

Okay, let's talk spoilers. When it was revealed that there wasn't any real haunting happening and it was all neighborhood / teenager bullshit, I was very disappointed. I didn't like that he introduced all of this paranormal stuff, only to have it be Billy's brother fabricating it to evoke memories out of Ethan. 

I did, however, love that we did get an essence of Billy when Henry fell into the waterfall and Ethan dove in after him. I thought this section was beautifully written and I could totally believe that Billy was guiding both of them to the surface of the water. 

I do also have to give it to Riley on the ending. I was NOT expecting Ashley. Everybody else, sure. He did a wonderful job with giving motives to various people and feeding you stories to make you believe, since these stories were in their point of views (I'm looking at you Mary Ellen). I seriously thought it was Billy's mother because I can understand her type of anxiety. I suffer from an anxiety disorder, so I do understand her thinking when she destroyed her doll instead of living in fear of it breaking. I did think that maybe she could've translated that onto her son if her anxiety got bad enough? If it did go that way, I was prepared to write a rant review because I hate it when mental illness plays into motives of doing bad things. I'm not going to kill anyone and I have massive amounts of anxiety, you know?

Anyway, I'm getting off topic. I also loved Henry's character and how he mirrors Billy. The ending offered a strange sense of justice and poetry in Ashley serving ten years for her crimes and Ethan taking care of Henry (and even adopting him!) after he didn't want kids.

And oh my god, Ethan and Claudia?! I cried. I was crying and had to take a moment after those chapters because it was so fucking sad. It was strange because I was wondering why he'd still be texting mundane things to his wife after they'd broken up, but I figured I just missed something. Like maybe they were on good terms? But when it was revealed that she went to her thinking spot after they had just argued about having kids (since she'd gotten into a relationship with someone who didn't want kids) and passed away in the car... it just broke me. Knowing that he's been leaving voicemails and texts for a year to a phone he has access to because it's in a box was just.... OUCH.

I am glad that this didn't go in the way I feared. I was scared this was going to paint mental illness in a harsh light, but I'm happy with the ending. Wish there were more ghosts, but I did really like this book!

I read the author's note and realized quickly that this book wasn't for me, which suuuuuucks because I paid $18 for the pre-order. Damn it.

"I just wanted to drop a quick note to let you know that Not in Love is, tonally, a little different from the works I've published in the past. Rue and Eli have dealt with--and still deal with--the fallout from issues such as grief, food insecurity, and child neglect."

This part was fine, although made me a bit uncomfortable because all of these are themes I embody in my life. The issue was this next part.

"They are eager to make a connection but are not sure how to about it except through a physical relationship. The result is, I think, less of a rom-com and more of an erotic romance."

Fuuuuuck. I don't read erotica. At all. I skim past spice in rom-coms a lot of the time because it's not my thing. If the author is shifting the tone from rom-com to erotica... that's not a good sign for me. I know some readers will eat this shit up, but I am not one of them. :(

Rich people problems set on a summery island.
Dual POV with dual narration {audiobook}.

Anna has pink hair (I love that for some reason) and loves pajama bottoms. She's very down to earth and relatable, but is challenged with fitting into a rich and fancy world when her fake-husband reveals they aren't actually divorced and he needs her help to gain access to his trust fund.

Watching her flounder in this world was entertaining as hell.

I do wish that there was more tension between Anna and Liam. They seemed to transition from fake married to real attraction without notice. It was too fluid, I guess?

And the epilogue was full of info-dumping, which I usually find long and boring. However, I found myself fist pumping, tearing up, and laughing within that twenty minute epilogue.

The spice was also a bit excessive for me, but that's just a personal preference of an asexual person. I mean... there's spice in the epilogue and that's how the book ends. If you like spice, you probably won't be disappointed.

I recommend reading this one if you're looking for a beach read. It's light, spicy, and fun to read. It didn't change my life, make me think, or make me cry (a determining factor of a five star read, I've noticed), but it was an enjoyable experience.

It’s been a long time since a romance book made me cry.

♥️ Justin is cursed. Whomever he dates ends up finding their soulmate after they break up. He posts an AITA on Reddit and Emma’s best friend/foster sister pushes her to respond. Turns out, Emma has the same curse. After talking, they make a plan to date each other, breakup, and then find the love of their lives. The goal is to cancel out their curses… right? ♥️

I’ve cried several times in the last third of this book, but it’s not because someone died or something crazy tragic happens. It’s just so damn good. 

Now, if you’re looking for a fluffy romance to read at the beach… this isn’t it. This is a romance that’s sweet and summery, but it will kick you in the chest. 

Emma has a lot of childhood trauma and it’s done so fucking well (as someone with loads of childhood trauma can point out). Justin has a ton going on in his life, too. There’s a lot of deep shit happening in this book, but it’s amazing.

If you’re looking for a summer romance with romantic comedy vibes, but with serious depth… Just for the Summer will give that to you. 

This is my first Abby Jimenez and it will not be my last. ♥️

I loved the premise of a serial killer romance. It gave me Dexter vibes, but I couldn't do the writing. There's this weird time jump that goes unexplained, which I'm told happens throughout, and the game makes no sense to me. This book needs an editor. >.< I did love the audiobook, though. I highly recommend the audio if you're wanting to read this.

Kayla's review of this book is exactly how I feel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHTpY240r6k&list=WL&index=50&t=1s

This has been a true five star series! In terms of ranking, I think the second book is my favorite, but the ending was well done. I usually have issues with how series end, especially if I'm head over heels for the majority of it. However, I did like the way this series wrapped up (and I totally predicted the ending!).

In terms of brutality, I feel like this one wasn't as intense. Maybe it's because I was used to the darkness of the series by now that the horrible things that did take place weren't as bad or as dark? I don't know, but there were some slower parts and feel-good parts as Jude settles into her own and Cardan fulfils his prophecy.

Have you ever been so enamored with a book (or series) that you can't say anything specific about it? You're just giddy and shoving a the cover in people's faces while squealing gibberish? Yeah. This is that for me.

I am reeling! I haven't felt this way about a series in a long time... granted, I haven't read a series in a long time. I was shook over how the first book ended, but holy shit. I need to read the third one right now. The ending here was crazy and I'm probably going to binge the third book in a single sitting. Black is great with endings and making you run to the bookstore like a tunnel visioned book goblin. Luckily, I planned for this and bought the third book with the second.

Okay, let's talk. 

I love how you're watching Jude and Cardan have this chemistry-like-romance throughout the entire book. I mean, they make CONTACT in this book. And it's full of that fine line hatred, but then they get married and you're like... THIS IS IT. We're going to have the enemies turn to lovers... only for him to seriously turn the tables. I mean, to exile the person you promised a kingdom to? Like fuck. And then with Vivi planting revenge-flavored thoughts in her head in the epilogue. Just chef's kiss. I cannot wait to dive into the third book. 

Also: how did we feel about Vivi glamouring Heather? That whole situation was off-putting and I'm glad Heather left.

There were so many memorable things in this book: I mean, when Jude was betrayed by the Ghost and taken to the Undersea?? Like, I know that section was supposed to be horrible and it did make my stomach turn a little... but I was glad we went under the waves because I was so curious about it. I wanted to know what the mer-people were like and how their underwater systems worked.

 This series is my new obsession. Why the fuck did I wait so long??

👑 When she was seven, Jude’s parents were brutally murdered by a vengeful Faerie. He proceeded to kidnap Jude and her sisters, taking them home with him to the world of the fae. 👑

These are not cute Faeries. They’re blood thirsty, mean, and as the title suggests… cruel. Especially to mortals.

I loved this story because of how brutal it was. I like being shocked by YA and this one will turn your world upside down. If you have not read this yet, I beg you to read it.

Also! How they fuck do Cardan and Jude become lovers!? I know there’s an enemies to lovers trope and after that ending… omg. The anticipation is killing me! 

Such a sweet spring read. I finished reading this at my desk with the window open, watching and listening to the rain.

While Recipe for a Charmed Life is definitely a romance, it’s mostly about an estranged relationship between a mother and her daughter, finding your identity, overcoming failure, and practicing forgiveness. 

🥐 A book for foodies since our main character is a chef in Paris. 
🏠 Broken family dynamics (and what it takes to fix them)
🌹 An adorable romance with an oyster farmer.
✨ Magical realism

One thing that Rachel Linden did extraordinarily well was making me feel immersed in the setting. The descriptions of the food, the restaurants, the island, Paris... it all felt like I was with Georgia on her journey. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book. Super cozy and perfect to read under a tree with the spring breeze ruffling through your hair.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
📖 384 pages
🎧 12 hours
🌼 set in spring