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5/5 drama-filled stars

This YA romance gave me some pretty strong West Side Story/Romeo and Juliet vibes with plenty of drama - though, thankfully, minus the tragic ending.

The writing is excellent, and the author manages to capture the intense feelings of first loves and teenage angst perfectly. The story also deals with heavier subjects (TW: sexual assault) in a realistic manner.

Despite the serious topics, the story made me smile and swoon and root for Maverick and Londyn in particular and the Misfits in general. While the main characters felt realistic and well developed, the antagonists seemed somewhat two-dimensional in their entitled snobbery.

I'm definitely looking forward to getting to know the other Misfits better, too! More, please?

The swoon is dialed up to 11!

“This marriage is not a cage. It’s a home. Maybe the first one I’ve ever had.”

I didn't think it was possible, but this series just keeps getting better. I fell head over heels in love with both Cayla and Holt, and "Bumblebee" Maddie truly melted my heart. I loved seeing this little family-of-convenience grow ever closer, and I appreciate the way they tackled their problems - both the very real external threat courtesy of Cayla's dastartdly ex as well as their internal hang-ups.

Highly recommended!

Boone rhymes with swoon - coincidence? I think not! ;)

Reasons why I loved this story:
Susannah Nix made it super easy for me to fall in love with Eve and Boone, and I loved how their relationship developed: a tentative and even reluctant friendship at first, but growing into so much more when they both learned to open up and trust each other.
I'm a total sucker for slow-burn romances, anyway, and all those seemingly small gestures (among many other little details) made this story special. (Le sigh! Le swoon!)

Bonus points for the chance to reconnect with Griff and Alice, who provided much-needed support as well as some well-meaning meddling.

Disclaimer: I usually avoid the secret-baby trope like the plague. But this is also a Tawna book, and A.J., the secret baby in question, is a remarkably adorable toddler - so much so that he stole the show in pretty much every scene he was in.

Add to that capable-but-reluctant-shero Renee, gobsmacked-yet-doing-his-darnedest-to-make-his-surprise-family work-despite-Renee's-reservations Matteo, the unwavering support of Matteo's family as well as the almost-retired-hitmen-support-group Dante and Seb, the usual heat and hilarity plus an intriguing suspense subplot, and you get another 5-star read that hit all the right spots and kept me reading way past my bedtime.

Next, please?

) YMMV. You might find toddlers adorable in general. I very much do not. They terrify me.

"Meet Me at the Summer Games" is the second book I've read in this sweet YA sports romance series.
I found Dmitri to be one of the good guys and very easy to root for. Reese's insistence to keep him at arm's length - for reasons that were not always based on logic - got a little old at times.
Overall, I enjoyed the pretty low-drama story and had fun meeting Dmitri's and Reese's friends as well.

This intriguing short mystery features two of my favorite protagonists in this series, Wei-wei and Gao. I fell in love with these two in The Liar's Dice and was a total goner for them after reading The Hidden Moon. While it's not mandatory to have read both stories before Death of a Sorcerer, I highly recommend it!
As always, I love how Jeannie Lin's prose paints such a vivid picture of this world and truly brings it to life.

Disclaimer: I fell in love with both Irina and Knox even before I started reading their story. (They were both awesome supporting Courtney in book #2!)
Since I'm also a sucker for friends-to-lovers and fake relationships, it was no wonder I was sold on this particular marriage of (in)convenience by Chapter 1. :D

I love the perfect balance of hilarious high jinks with just the right amount of drama and, of course, all the feels (and swoons!) when these two reluctantly (and quite grudgingly) start to discover their feelings for each other.

5/5 just-admit-that-you're-perfect-for-each-other stars

"Love always matters."

I love the "Starstruck" series, and I am chuffed to bits that Susannah Nix decided to write more stories in this world!

Star Bright is a wonderful addition to the series, and it was so easy to fall in like with both Kimberleigh and Spencer. Who'd have thought a gossip reporter could be such a good guy and a pretty awesome hero? Though I'll admit, Kimberleigh earned a bit of side-eye when she was so quick to jump to conclusions about Spencer - but in the end, I was happy with how they were able to resolve the conflict.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading more in the series!

Opposites attract? In this case, maybe not so much - at least at first. Addie is such a sweetheart, and Vince is... very much not. :) Let's just say, it took me a bit to warm up to him, especially in the early scenes from Addie's POV.

But I enjoyed their journey to get to know each other and help each other learn to better deal with their respective less than perfect lives. Addie and Vince complement each other wonderfully, and I loved to see how they bring out the best in each other.

While Addie's familiar group of friends can offer their help only remotely via video chats and texts, Addie and Vince get additional support from some of the locals you might already be familiar with if you've read books in Maggie Dallen's "Fall in Love Like a Princess" series (lookin' at you, Callie and Isla!). :)

Excellent small-town romantic suspense with all the feels!

This wonderful second-chance romance is an excellent start to the new series. (If you don't count the prequel novella - which, by the way, I highly recommend because it gives a lot more background info on Mia and Brax; plus, it's free!)

Once more, Kait Nolan puts her characters - and her readers! - through the emotional wringer. The story is a well-balanced mix of small-town romance and suspense, and it's always a bonus when we get to reconnect with familiar faces in Eden's Ridge and some of the Misfit Inn gang.

I absolutely adored Mia and Brax, and I can't wait to read more about Brax's fellow "Bad Boy Bakers" and their worthy sheroes.

PSA: Not all plot lines get resolved neatly, I expect these to continue over the next two books.

Dante FTW!

I've had a soft spot for this particular big(-hearted), Dovlanese lug ever since he made his appearance in the Ponderosa Resort series ( in"Dr. Hot Stuff"), and I am chuffed to bits that he got his own HEA. Jen is a wonderful - and capable - shero, and she's the perfect match for him.
Besides a fantastic cast of characters (the good guys/gals and the villains alike), expect the usual shenanigans, swoons, and steam in this wildly entertaining tale of sabotage, subterfuge, and starting a new life.

Can't wait for the next book in the series!

I'm sad that I ended up not liking this book as much as I wanted to (and as I had in the beginning).

Up to about two thirds of the book, I would have given it at least 4 stars. I enjoyed getting to know the quirky characters, had fun with the road-trippy hijinks, and rooted for Chloe to get over her ingrained belief of what a "soul mate" needed to be.
And it was all there. And it was wonderful.
Until it wasn't.

Is it irrational to be disappointed in fictional characters? Yes, of course it is.: D But Chloe's stubbornnes in this regard really made me want to shake some sense into that narrow-minded head of hers.

I got hooked by the blurb for this book which sounded right up my reading alley. Though, at times, the conflict felt a bit forced to me and I couldn't quite follow the Sams' logic and reasoning. (Then again: teenagers... shrugs)
Still, the story had its moments, and I enjoyed it. "Operation Mystery Lips" was absolutely ridiculous and entertaining to watch (YMMV).

I'll have to admit though that while the Sams were likeable enough, I wasn't as invested in their romance as I wanted to be. In my book (ha!), cousin Mason stole the show and totally deserves his own story.