Thursday, November 26, 2020

Tiny Tidbits: The Romance Edition



The Girl Next Door

Emma Hart
Series: The Girl Next Door, #1
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
One accidental pregnancy. One fake husband. What can go wrong?

There’s nothing like starting your Monday morning with a positive pregnancy test. Trust me, I know. Because I’m looking at one right now. All I can think is: Oh, hell. My grandmother is going to kill me. This might just send her to an early grave, so there’s only one option—pretending the father is my new husband.

If only he’d agree to fake it.

Kai Connors was supposed to be nothing more than a one-night stand. A long, dirty, one-night stand fueled by one too many tequila shots, where the only promise was to never speak of it again. But if my unfairly sexy next-door neighbor gets his way, this fake marriage could turn out to be very, very real…
This was my first Emma Hart book, and I see many more in my future. The Girl Next Door was packed with everything I love. It was rather hilarious, but also sweet and tender. And talk about tropes. This book was packed with them, and I loved each and everyone. First, there's the accidental pregnancy, which really sets everything in motion. Then, there was the fake dating. But, the icing on top, for me, was that the hero, Kai had been pining away for Ivy, and he was determined to win her heart. He was doll, and he would do and say things that would make me all mushy, and I adored every second of it. It was very sweet seeing Ivy realize Kai was the real deal, and I had such a great time watching these two fall in love.

Wild at Heart

K.A. Tucker
Series: Wild, #2
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
From the internationally best-selling author of The Simple Wild comes the continuation of a woman’s journey to Alaska and a life she never imagined for herself.

Calla Fletcher returns to Toronto a different person, struggling to find direction and still very much in love with the rugged bush pilot she left behind. When Jonah arrives on her doorstep with a proposition she can’t dismiss, she takes the leap and rushes back to Alaska to begin their exciting future together.

But Calla soon learns that even the best intentions can lead to broken promises, and that compromise comes with a hefty price—a log cabin in interior rural Alaska that feels as isolating as the western tundra.

With Jonah gone more than he’s home, one neighbor who insists on transforming her into a true Alaskan, and another who seems more likely to shoot her than come to her aid, Calla grapples with forging her own path. In a world with roaming wildlife that has her constantly watching over her shoulder and harsh conditions that stretch far beyond the cold, dark, winter months, just stepping outside her front door can be daunting.

This is not the future Calla had in mind, leaving her to fear that perhaps she is doomed to follow in her mother’s fleeing footsteps after all.
I was overjoyed when I learned we would be getting more of Jonah and Calla, and by the end of this book, I was happy it existed. I think books that go beyond the HEA romance are tricky, and for me, the direction of this book took a while to make itself clear. However, once it did hit its stride at one point, and I began inhaling each page.

I was surprised by Calla. I thought she had outgrown certain things, but some of that selfish spoiled girl would show up from time to time. Whereas, I felt like Jonah was always trying. He had me in full swoon quite a few times. He wasn't perfect, but he also was the same Jonah he was before she went back to Canada.

There were so many wonderful moments toward the later part of the book. My heart was warmed, my face was smiling, and I think Calla and Jonah were just as happy as me. I am looking forward to the novella and hope it includes something I really want for these two.

Always a Bridesmaid

Cindi Madsen
Series: Getting Hitched in Dixie, #2
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Violet Abrams has always been in love with everything love and weddings. Good thing, too, since she’s been a bridesmaid no less than seven times. Sure her turn was next, she’d been planning her own nuptials meticulously in a treasured three-ring binder...until her longtime boyfriend left her for someone else.

Fast-forward to the day of his wedding, an ill-advised match being lit to said binder, and the fire department getting called to her sister’s bakery. Violet’s always been a little impulsive and a lot awkward, but having to explain to the super-cute firefighter, Ford Maguire, why she was setting fire to a bunch of wedding dress photos? Worst day ever.

Except now her bridesmaid expertise has her helping Ford cover his “man of honor” duties in his best friend’s upcoming wedding. Ford may be a “bridesdude,” but forever is the last thing on his mind. And if there’s one thing a perpetual bridesmaid knows, it’s the importance of a happily ever after.
I find myself searching for fun and light romances, more and more each day.  Madsen has become a reliable source of such books, and I happily grabbed this one to continue the delightful series. It was great to be back in Uncertainty. This time it was Ford and Violet's turn to try and not fall in love. Violet had already dated Mr. Someday, and she was done with that. Ford was not ready to settle down, and with his father and brothers as his relationship examples, he wasn't going to be committing any time soon.

We all know how these things go, but still, I found Ford really frustrating at times. All I'm going to say is he was lucky Violet loved him. In-between this budding relationship, we got to catch up with the couple from the previous book. Their wedding drama was pretty funny, and I am glad we got to attend their nuptials. Also on the plus side -- puppies!

This was a fun addition to the series, and that little peek we got at the end has me eager to read the next.



Favorite romance trope?
Let us know in the comments!

20 comments:

  1. It's been years since I've read a KA Tucker novel, I think the last one was Until it Fades, so it's been a long while. I bought a copy of The Simple Wild last year and haven't gotten around to reading it as yet but hoping to over the Christmas break. I need more swoon on my life. So glad you enjoyed these Sam, lovely reviews!

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    1. The Simple Wild was actually my first Tucker book (this, my second). I hope you get to The Simple Wild, because I thought it was such a beautiful story of family and forgiveness.

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  2. It was so easy to love Jonah and it really did feel like he was truly trying. Sometimes it seemed like Calla had one foot out the door and resisted the change in her life every step of the way. But I loved seeing the slow changes in her and how bit by bit she made a place for herself there. I'm so excited to get my hands on Forever Wild!

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    1. I definitely struggled with Calla in this book, and I agree with you, I never felt she was all in. I just wish the story had gotten to that point sooner. It seems to meander a bit for me, but once she and Jonah had that confrontation, it took off for me.

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  3. Reading the blurb and your review for The Girl Next door just made be feel lighter. It sounds utterly adorable!

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    1. It was so fun and cute. I know I will definitely be reading more by Hart.

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  4. I am adding The Girl Next Door to my TBR right now-I love a pining hero!!!

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    1. I adored Kai, and the book was super fun. I listened to the audio and enjoyed the performances as well. Hope you liked it as much as I did

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  5. I loved The Simple Wild and I really want to read Wild At Heart; I love that the story keeps continuing and we get to see an actual HEA at work.

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    1. Overall, I did like it, even if I thought it should have gotten where it was going a bit sooner. I know I will be reading the follow up novella.

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  6. I loved all of these books, so it was exciting to see you loving them as well. Even if Calla and Ford drove you nuts at times. I totally got that. They did the same for me.

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    1. I feel like you always have to have a character in the romance who makes you a little bonkers. Then we can be really happy with how much they grow and change.

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  7. You’ve got me dithering with The Girl Next Door, on the one hand it has fake dating, my ultimate trope, but then it’s an accidental pregnancy which is a very hit or miss trope. I’m glad to see you enjoyed Wild at Heart, I have been putting off reading because I loved the first book so much. I do need to get around to it.

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    1. I adored The Girl Next Door. It was very rom-com and sweet. You have to catch up with Calla and Jonah, because the novella is coming out in a bit.

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  8. I'm glad to hear Wild at Heart is a good read. The Simple Wild is on my short list to get to before the end of 2020 and I already have this one waiting as well. The Emma Hart book sounds fun too. I've not tried her books yet but have heard good things.

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    1. The Simple Wild was amazing! Wild at Heart didn't hit me quite the way The Simple Wild did, but it was good. This was my first Emma Hart and it was really fun and sweet.

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  9. These all sound great! I should really try Madsen. I like the sound of Always a Bridesmaid and I understand what you mean about reaching for fun and light romances.

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    1. It's a cute series set around childhood friends. I have enjoyed her standalones too. Fun and light is my goto, always.

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  10. I LOVE Emma Hart! So glad you've gotten a taste and are ready for more! She's an easy read, but so much fun! I enjoyed the Cindi Madsen books I've read in the past, but need to read more! I need to start that series. I haven't read K.A. Tucker, need to read those as well. Great reviews!

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    1. The Simple Wild was my first from Tucker, and I absolutely loved it. Hart was hilarious. If her other books are that funny, I will definitley enjoy them

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