Review: Four Steps

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I finished this book just a couple of days ago and basically, I’m still flailing and trying to form a coherent sentence. So damn good! This deserves all of the awards and I’m blown away that this was a debut novel. Holy moly, what a start!

There’s a mystery that is revealed little by little, mostly through flashbacks. There’s a romance between the reclusive Alex and Lori, who’s finally realising she has settled for something that’s not quite what she wants. There’s a cast of great characters, plus all the beauty of the Scottish countryside and… just read it already if you haven’t!

At first the two plotlines in Four Steps by Wendy Hudson seem completely separate, but of course they won’t stay that way. When they intersect, the action speeds up and you will be hard pressed to stop reading and do something else (like go to sleep). It gets violent, though, so be warned if you’re squeamish.

The love story is slow and sweet and I’ve rarely read a more beautiful sex scene. All of the feels, none of the clinical description. The characters all seem real and believable, the baddies included.

Note to self: buy the paperback too!

🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯

Review: Falling Hard

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This was a nice book. Nothing too dramatic, nothing too angsty, just an opposites attract sort of story. Jordan is a bit of a player, Emma isn’t. Emma has a kid, Jordan doesn’t. Jordan is a surgeon, Emma was cheated by one.

Jordan gets injured and helpful neighbour Emma lends a hand.. and things develop from there. The characters are all pleasant enough and I did like the way the slow burn romance was done.. and I might even read it again.

It’s just that Falling Hard by Jae contains no surprises. A tiny bit of drama with the ex and that’s about it. The player is easily transformed into someone who wants a steady, exclusive relationship and although some people around her are surprised, most aren’t.

So, nothing wrong with anything.. but still, there was something missing (and I can’t put my finger on it). Liked it anyway, but I know Jae can write better.

🎯🎯🎯½ (rounded up to 🎯🎯🎯🎯)

Review: Chasing Stars

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Swiftwing is a superhero. She is also a humble assistant to Hollywood star Gwen Knight. When Gwen needs someone to pretend to be her new girlfriend, Swiftwing/Ava steps in to help. The problem is, Ava already has a crush on her boss and it gets more and more difficult to just pretend.

Add some alien bugs, human drama, and a bit of angst, and it’s a highly entertaining romp. Chasing Stars by Alex K. Thorne is sweet, funny and action-packed – well worth a read even if you’re not that into science fiction or superheroes.

I especially liked how the character interactions and relationships were written – not just between the main characters but also the supporting ones, like Ava’s best friend Nic or Gwen’s son Luke.

Way back when this was a fanfic story, I read it at least three times. Now I’ve read the book version twice. It’s that good.

🎯🎯🎯🎯

Review: Confessions from the Heart

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This is the prequel to the Confessions series, which I haven’t read yet. After this, I definitely will!

Cori is an aspiring writer, with a famous author as mother. She seems to have everything under control, but in reality, not quite. She and her best friend Annie have a friends with benefits thing going on, but when Cori runs across Kat and things soon get serious, complications arise.

Confessions from the Heart by T.B. Markinson is told from Cori’s point of view and it’s easy to see how Cori is sometimes clueless about things happening around her. The dialogue between Cori and Kat is brilliant, the supporting characters are fully fleshed out and not everything is revealed to the reader… which would be odd; Cori isn’t omniscient!

Next I’ll have to read the other two books in the Confessions series – I really liked these characters and want to know more about them.

🎯🎯🎯🎯

Review: Perfect Rhythm

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Now this was a refreshing story! I don’t think I’ve encountered an ace main character in any book (least of all romance) before.

Leo is a super popular singer/musician, and now she’s back in her old hometown – to see her father, perhaps for the last time. Holly is the nurse who takes care of Leo’s father and who has almost become another family member. Holly is not impressed by Leo (or rather her public persona, Jenna), at all.

Add a difficult father-daughter relationship, small-town attitudes and expectations, and an almost reluctant friendship – plus a “charming” manager… Leo sure has her hands full, with no time to think of her brilliant career.

The romance in Perfect Rhythm by Jae is a real slow burn – apparently typical of this author – but not a boring one. Far from it; you won’t have to wait until the end before something happens. The relationship is nicely shown to contain much more than simple attraction, kissing and (the usually inevitable) sex.

Sure, there’s a bit of explaining about asexuality – in case the reader has no idea what it entails – but that’s ok, I didn’t think it interfered with the plot.

🎯🎯🎯🎯

Review: Greengage Plots

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Kit Sorel is new to the island of Greengage. The island is a bit different from what she’s used to: here kittens can race, fruit can be sexy, wheelbarrows can be menacing, straight women might not be so straight after all, the owls are not what they… oh wait, that was another place! Anyway, when Kit tries to use her talents for plotting to help a friend, she soon discovers that on this British island anything can happen.

Kit tries to stay diplomatic and calm among the quirky locals, feuding families included, all the while working at the local library and not being interested in love or anything like that at all.

Greengage Plots by Emma Sterner-Radley has a whole bunch of funny characters, great lines and dialogue that wouldn’t be out of place in a 40’s screwball comedy (if it was made in Britain), hilarious and sweet moments. Especially the budding romance is a lovely mixture of cheesy and cute – sort of like in Tinderbox Tales, where tropes are simultaneously put to use and made fun of.

Really loved this story – I’m smiling even as I’m typing up this review – and will definitely recommend it to anyone who’s willing to listen (and even if they aren’t).

I wouldn’t mind reading more about the island of Greengage and its inhabitants, especially the co-owners of Pub 42!

🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯 

Review: A Woman Lost

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Rich, successful Elizabeth Petrie seems to have everything: a job, a nice apartment, a girlfriend. What she doesn’t have is the approval of her parents, or any idea what she wants out of life.

Talk about flawed main characters! Lizzie is totally clueless, very self-absorbed and a bit of an asshole. At times I just wanted to smack her upside the head, at times I felt guilty because I recognised some of Lizzie’s traits in myself.

Lizzie has one confidant, with whom she has no problem talking about – well, almost everything. Too bad this person isn’t her girlfriend! Little by little, though, things start to change… but not before Lizzie really screws up and has to face the consequences.

An enjoyable, captivating read. I really liked it that it wasn’t always comfortable reading and that this wasn’t a usual girl-meets-girl type of a romance novel. Now I need more 🙂 Good thing then, that A Woman Lost by T.B. Markinson has a sequel.. and a prequel!

🎯🎯🎯🎯 

Review: A Girl Called London

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Part three of the London Romance series, A Girl Called London by Clare Lydon is heaps better than the first book (which was ok, pretty nice, but not quite worth four stars IMnsHO).

Here are again two women who are quite different from each other: Tanya who on the outside is the super confident, successful, even seemingly entitled, type – and Sophie, who needs a new job on short notice and is definitely not interested in a relationship. They keep running into each other, and after a bunch of coincidences they’re off to a road trip together!

It’s not all fluff but then again, nothing too heavy or angst-ridden, although the bits about homophobia may hit too close to home for some of us. You know there’s going to be a happy ending, and the only thing you wonder is how and when – and what about that situation or this character…

The characters are great – multifaceted, believable, far from perfect. And there are dogs! Dogs make everything better (ask any dog-owner).

This was a really enjoyable read, and now it looks like I’ll have to read the rest of the series. The fourth, newest book is out at the end of this month (27th June, 2018) and I’ve only read two so far!

🎯🎯🎯🎯

Review: Nothing to Lose

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Nothing to lose by Clare Lydon – here’s what I wrote on Goodreads when I’d read it (20th November 2017): “bought it yesterday at 22.15 (Kobo), finished reading today at 02.45. Damn, it was good – couldn’t put it down and got all exasperated at my spouse who kept talking to me and interrupting my reading!

”Another nice, feelgood romance to read over and over, another writer to fangirl over, more books to buy (physical copies next!)… *groan* :-D”

This was the first book by Lydon I read and it really seems like I started from the top. It’s a lighthearted romance with some more serious undertones, but nothing is ever really angsty or too tough.

Scarlet is among the many people in her hometown who has to be evacuated because of a flood. Joy is one of the volunteers who offer temporary accommodation – and she’s also the town mayor. Scarlet is a pessimist, sort of adrift in her life, while Joy is a recently divorced life coach and mostly an optimist.. just a bit hesitant to come out. Their romance is actually quite predictable, but really sweet, and the supporting cast is great.

I had nothing to lose by buying this book (the e-book was a limited-time 0,99€ bargain) and it made me want more… like loads more. Glad there’s a lot to read; Lydon is quite a productive writer.

🎯🎯🎯🎯 

Review: Shadow Haven

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Shadow Haven by AJ Schippers – now this is how you write a BDSM relationship story! You start with an actual storyline – in this case, with a forced holiday on a private island. Julia is sent away by her boss, to relax at a luxury resort or something like that… or so she thinks. Alexandra is the owner of the private island and guesthouse – and she’s a professional dominatrix.

After the first meeting, arguments and misunderstandings, the two women, who are now trapped together because of weather conditions, must try to get along. Slowly but surely they warm up to each other, learn from each other, and eventually fall for each other. Hey, it’s a romance – it’s supposed to happen!

At times I wanted to yell at Julia and her childish temper, but also at Alexandra for being so damn obtuse 😀 There are only a couple of visiting side characters so the focus is totally on the two main characters.

If you’re like me and not really into BDSM, no worries – this story is more about the point and foundation of a good BDSM relationship, and less about the pain and humiliation (which way too many people think it’s about).

🎯🎯🎯🎯