Book Reviews Archives - Page 20 of 114

Book Review: The Wedding Date Disaster by Avery Flynn

Aug 21, 2020

The Wedding Date Disaster by Avery Flynn

Pages: 330
Publish date: August 25th 2020
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
ISBN: 9781640639126
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU –

Hadley Donavan can’t believe she has to go home to Nebraska for her sister’s wedding. She’s gonna need a wingman and a whole lot of vodka for this level of family interaction. At least her bestie agreed he’d man up and help. But then instead of her best friend, his evil twin strolls out of the airport.

If you looked up doesn’t-deserve-to-be-that-confident, way-too-hot-for-his-own-good billionaire in the dictionary, you’d find a picture of Will Holt. He’s awful. Horrible. The worst―even if his butt looks phenomenal in those jeans.

Ten times worse? Hadley’s buffer was supposed to be there to keep her away from the million and one family events. But Satan’s spawn just grins and signs them up for every. Single. Thing.

Fine. “Cutthroat” Scrabble? She’s in. She can’t wait to take this guy down a notch. But somewhere between Pictionary and the teasing glint in his eyes, their bickering starts to feel like more than just a game…

The Wedding Date Disaster:

I received an earc of The Wedding Date Disaster by Avery Flynn from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I’ve read a few Avery Flynn books before and enjoyed them quite a bit. They were fun and entering. So when I was asked if I wanted to review her newest release, I said yes. The Wedding Date Disaster was a fun read. I enjoyed the characters and the story – however, I did feel that it was missing a few things.

The Wedding Date Disaster follows Hadley Donavan as she makes her way back to her home town for her sister’s wedding. She planned to bring her best friend as a decoy boyfriend, so she can survive her family. But things are flipped on its head when he sends his ‘evil’ twin brother instead. Hadley and Will Holt can’t stand each other – or they think they can’t. Will is only going on this trip to stop Hadley in her tracks. He doesn’t like her and he will do anything to get on her nerves. But being stuck together in a rural town isn’t always going to go to plan. For both of them.

Photo by Frances Gunn on Unsplash

Hadley was an interesting protagonist. I didn’t hate her, but I could love her. I liked getting to know her throughout the story, but I was waiting for something more. Hadley was easy to get along with and there wasn’t anything in particular that I didn’t like about her. One of my favourite things about her though is her passion. Even though she has just lost her job and is feeling pretty crap, she tries to find the good in it all. And that made the reading experience way more positive.

Will was not an easy protagonist to get along with in The Wedding Date Disaster. For most of the novel I didn’t like him at all. I thought he was an asshole for most of the book. I hate how he treated Hadley for so much of the book. And when I thought that he was going in the right direction, he does a full 360. I couldn’t click with him from the start. He just read as an entitled character – which he was – but I made reading about him flat.

I felt that both of Avery Flynn’s protagonists here weren’t fully fleshed out. They were almost there, but just never made it over the last few hurdles. Even at the end of the novel, it took a lot for Will to understand the way that he was thinking was wrong. I didn’t see much character growth and I wish it did have more because I enjoyed reading the novel.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

While I didn’t love Hadley and Will as characters, the romance was adorable and swoon-worthy. The Wedding Date Disaster is very much a hate-to-love romance. From the start, the reader can see all the angst and hate between the pair. It’s full-on at the start. They both have their reasons for not liking each other but they also can’t help but like each other as well. there was a lot of back and forth between the two. Along with the hate to love romance, this was also a fake romance. I loved this aspect of romance. It made for some great laughs, awkward moments and lots and lots of angst.

As soon as I read the synopsis of The Wedding Date Disaster I knew that it was going to be a fun read. And it was. There were some really good moments, especially with Hadley’s family. I love the relationship that they had with one another. It’s great seeing fantastic family dynamics in romances.

In saying that I do wish that we got to see more of Hadley’s relationship with her best friend Web. I felt that their relationship was non-existence. I know that most of the book was set in the country. But I don’t know, I wanted to see and know more about it.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Overall I had a fun time reading The Wedding Date Disaster by Avery Flynn. It was a quick romance novel that was swoon-worthy and full of laughs. The Wedding Date Disaster explores family and believing in yourself. Hadley was a great protagonist and I did enjoy the romance. Will isn’t my favourite love interest out there, but his sweetness made up for it. If you are looking for a quick ‘summer’ read kind of romance, then this one is for you.

Have you read The Wedding Date Disaster by Avery Flynn yet? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: Who Wants to Marry a Duke by Sabrina Jeffries

Aug 17, 2020

Who Wants to Marry a Duke (Duke Dynasty #3) by Sabrina Jeffries

Pages: 352
Publish date: August 25th 2020
Publisher: Zebra
ISBN: 9781420148572
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

A past kiss with adorably bookish Miss Olivia Norley should be barely a memory for Marlowe Drake, the Duke of Thornstock. After all, there are countless debutantes for a handsome rakehell to charm beyond a young lady whose singular passion is chemistry—of the laboratory type. But Thorn has not forgotten—or forgiven—the shocking blackmail scheme sparked by that single kiss, or the damage caused to both their names. Now Thorn’s half-brother, Grey, has hired the brilliant Miss Norley for her scientific expertise in solving a troubling family mystery. And the once-burned Thorn, suspicious of her true motives, vows to follow her every move…

For Olivia, determining whether arsenic poisoning killed Grey’s father is the pioneering experiment that could make her career—and Thorn’s constant presence is merely a distraction. But someone has explosive plans to derail her search. Soon the most unexpected discovery is the caring nature of the reputed scoundrel beside her—and the electricity it ignites between them…

Who Wants to Marry a Duke:

I received an earc of Who Wants to Marry a Duke by Sabrina Jeffries via NetGalley from Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

The other day I shared my reviews for Project Duchess and The Bachelor, the first two books in this series and today it’s Sabrina Jeffries newest release turn. I love this one so much. It has everything that I love about historical romance and is the perfect sequel.

Who Wants to Marry a Duke follows Marlowe Drake, the Duke of Thornstock, otherwise known as Thorn. He hasn’t had the best experience when it comes to Olivia Norley. He could never forget the kiss that they shared, but he also won’t forget about the blackmail that followed. Now his half-brother has hired Olivia to help solve a family mystery. But Olivia might be in even more danger than anyone thought. And close quarters and high stakes bring Thorn and Olivia closer together.

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

This was such a fun, entertaining and romance filled read and I could not put it down. Thorn and Olivia were an absolute blast to read. Who Wants to Marry a Duke isn’t just a great book on its own but stands brilliantly in the series.

Thorn is a classic historical romance male and he made all the right moves. From the start, he stood out on the page. The reader can see who he is right away, and he doesn’t change much from there. His voice is very strong, and I loved that. He has a fantastic character arc that was explored throughout Who Wants to Marry a Duke. I wanted to know more and more about him as the novel went on. I wanted to know why he was acting the way he did. And I wanted Olivia to knock him on his feet. At times Thorn could be a little ‘mean’ but that I think that was the front that he was putting up to hid myself from hurt.

Olivia was a pleasure to read. I love having a woman of high education in my historical romances now and again. It’s a dynamic that is interesting to see. I loved that Olivia wasn’t taking shit from anyone. She knew what she wanted, and she knew what she was good at – and didn’t let anyone stop her. But this also meant that she had a tight wall around her that was tough to get through.

Sabrina Jeffries is fantastic at writing characters that are different from one another, but all fit into the same world. Thorn and Olivia are quite different from the other couples in the series and I loved that. The stood out on their own. But also completed everyone else.

Photo by Matt Briney on Unsplash

I love, hate to love romances, but there is something about hate to love in historical romances that is just perfect. Sabrina Jeffries has done an excellent job here and writing a romance that is full of angst and it worked so well. Olivia and Thorn both have issues with one another, and a lot of that steams from miscommunication. Normally I wouldn’t like it at all, but it worked out so well in Who Wants to Marry a Duke.

This isn’t a historical romance series that you should or could read out of order. There is a mystery that is intertwined through all the novels that get more intense as you go on. I think that is what makes this series and out for me. For the most part in nearly all historical romance series, you can read them out of order. You might get teased about who ends up with who – but in reality, it doesn’t matter all that much. However, in Who Wants to Marry a Duke everything connects. There is one overarching storyline and I love that.

One of my favourite things about this series is the banter! There is banter between everyone and gosh it made for such a fun read. I laughed so many times throughout Who Wants to Marry a Duke. The relationship between the step and full siblings was just fantastic. It explores them fighting, playing and not getting along. But it is such a good representation of a sibling relationship.

Photo by Sergio Rodriguez – Portugues del Olmo on Unsplash

Overall, I love reading Who Wants to Marry a Duke by Sabrina Jeffries. It’s a fantastic addition to the series and just as good on its own. It was such a wonderful reading experience and has everything that I look for in a historical romance. I adored Thorn and Oliva as both protagonists and lovers. Who Wants to Marry a Duke is a fantastic sequel and I simply adored the romance. I can’t wait to read more in this series and find out more about the mystery. If you haven’t picked up this series yet – do it’s fantastic.

Have you read Who Wants to Marry a Duke by Sabrina Jeffries yet? What did you think of it? Are you planning to? Have you read any books from this series? Let’s Chat!

The Duchess and The Bachelor | Mini-Reviews

Aug 15, 2020

As I have been reading more and more historical romance I thought it would be a good idea to share some mini-reviews of ones that I have read lately. I love writing mini-reviews. They are a great way to be short and snap about the things I did or didn’t like about a book. They are also a way to either give a book my love or maybe not so.

Anyway today I’m sharing my thoughts on Project Duchess by Sabrina Jeffries and The Bachelor by Sabrina Jeffries. A quick note. I loved both of these.

Project Duchess (Duke Dynasty #1) by Sabrina Jeffries

Pages: 352
Publish date: June 25th 2019
Publisher: by Zebra
ISBN: 9781420148558
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

A series of stepfathers and a difficult childhood have left Fletcher “Grey” Pryde, 5th Duke of Greycourt, with a guarded heart, enviable wealth, and the undeserved reputation of a rogue. Grey’s focus on expanding his dukedom allows him little time to find a wife. But when his mother is widowed yet again and he meets the charmingly unconventional woman managing his stepfather’s funeral, he’s shocked to discover how much they have in common. Still, Grey isn’t interested in love, no matter how pretty, or delightfully outspoken, the lady . . .

Beatrice Wolfe gave up on romance long ago, and the arrogant Duke of Greycourt with his rakish reputation isn’t exactly changing her mind. Then Grey agrees to assist his grief-stricken mother with her latest “project” schooling spirited, unfashionable Beatrice for her debut. Now that Beatrice is seeing through Grey’s charms to his wounded heart, she’s having trouble keeping him at arm’s length. But once Grey starts digging into her family’s secrets, she must decide whether her loyalties lie with her family . . . or with the man whose lessons capture her heart . . .

Project Duchess:

I’ve been wanting to pick up Sabrina Jeffries for some time now and when I received the third book in this series for review, I knew it was time. I loved Project Duchess so much. It’s entering, swoon-worthy and I could not put it down.

Fletcher “Grey” Pryde, 5th Duke of Greycourt has a guarded heart. And instead of finding a wife, his goal is to expand his dukedom. But that all might change when he meets Beatrice Wolfe, the women helping his mother with this stepfather funeral. When Beatrice gave up on love, she didn’t expect to meet Grey. Now his mother has taken Beatrice on as her latest project and Grey agrees to help. Each has their secrets, but they have also both captured each other’s hearts.

The romance in Project Duchess is swoon-worthy to the max. I love the angst that builds up between Grey and Beatrice. It made me smile the whole book. While it isn’t strong hate, Project Duchess also has a ‘hate to love romance’ and gosh was it done well. Sabrina Jeffries is excellent at writing tension and a build-up without me hating every minute of it.

Grey and Beatrice are also such great characters. I loved their arcs, both as individuals and as a couple. Both have had heartache and difficult lives growing up. But together they both can understand one another, even if they don’t see it at first.

I also enjoyed the overarching plotline that we do see later in the series. While I do like standalone romances sometimes. I love when historical romances series are bonded together but this overarching story.

Overall, I loved reading Project Duchess by Sabrina Jeffries. It has a fantastic romance, endearing characters and a plot that keeps on giving. If you are looking for a new historical romance series – start here.

The Bachelor (Duke Dynasty #2) by Sabrina Jeffries

Pages: 275
Publish date: February 25th 2020
Publisher: Zebra
ISBN: 9781420148565
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Lady Gwyn Drake has long protected her family’s reputation by hiding an imprudent affair from her youth. But when her former suitor appears at Armitage Hall, manhandling the heiress and threatening to go public with her secrets, it’s Gwyn who needs protecting. Her twin brother, Thorn, hires Joshua Wolfe, the estate’s gamekeeper, to keep her safe in London during her debut. As a war hero, Joshua feels obligated to fulfil the assignment he has accepted. But as a man, it’s torment to be so very close to the beauty he’s fought to ignore . . .

With handsome Joshua monitoring her every move, Gwyn would prefer to forget both the past and the parade of money-seeking bachelors at her coming out. But Joshua is unmoved by her attempts at flirtation, and the threat of blackmail still hangs over her. With danger closing in, Gwyn must decide which is the greater risk: deflecting a scoundrel’s attempts to sabotage her–or revealing her whole heart to the rugged bodyguard she can’t resist . . .

The Bachelor:

As soon as I finished book 1, I had to read more and I’m so glad that I did. Because The Bachelor was fantastic. While I didn’t love it as much as Project Duchess, it was still such an enjoyable read and added to the overall story.

The Bachelor continues to follow the same family and this time it’s Lady Gwyn Drake turn. When a past suitor appears and threatens to go public with her secrets, she needs protection. That is when her twin hires Joshua Wolfe. With Joshua watching her ever move Gwyn has to be even more careful, but she can’t seem to resist his charm or his heart.

This was a delight to read. I love Lady Gwyn so much. She was such a fantastic protagonist. She added some brightness to this story that at times could be very dark. In the first book, I wasn’t sure how I felt about her, but in this one Lady Gwyn shines. The reader gets to see her vulnerable and that adds to her characterisation.

Joshua Wolfe was the grumpy male hero and I love him. Seriously he gave me such a good laugh.

The Bachelor explores the nature of the world at the time. What some men would do just to bring up their standing or to get money. It explores the inequality that women had at the time and how they either had to rely on their husband or their family for anything in life.

In saying all this I did feel that something was missing from this one, I can’t pinpoint what it was. I just didn’t love it as much as the first book.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Bachelor by Sabrina Jeffries quite a lot. It was full of angst, blackmail and tension. The romance was adorable, and I enjoyed both protagonists. It was a great second book in a series and I can’t wait to read more.

And those are some historical romance mini-reviews! Have you checked out this series yet? What did you think of them? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!