BookWormin'

Small-town, fake-dating, adorable banter 5 stars  Though this is book 2 of the When in Rome series, I did accidentally read this one first. And I have no regrets - this is a five star read! Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and Sarah Adams has pulled it off flawlessly in this small town romance. Annie Walker has a reputation for being the sweetest girl in town. When she’s trying to date and find the love of her life, she learns the flip side of being “sweet” - it can sometimes mean boring. Enter Will Griffin, adventure seeker and bodyguard for her soon-to-be sister-in-law (and her secret crush), who gets roped into helping her practice being her authentic self and rise above her suffocating reputation.  Annie and Will’s interactions are *chef’s kiss*. Will sees Annie for her true bold self, and Annie does the same, recognizing the vulnerability behind Will’s carefree mask. They banter and have such ease around each other that they don’t feel around anyone else and it’s beautiful

 Workplace romance, enemies-to-lovers, drama 4 stars I received  an  e-ARC of this book from  Random House Publishing Group on NetGalley. All thoughts expressed below are my own honest opinions.  Lilah and Shane have had a lots of ups and downs - mostly downs - in their relationship (both personal and professional). Every time they attempt to finally get back together, it seems something gets in the way - even when that something is themselves. I love getting to know them as individuals as we slowly learn their backstory together and the different ways they view their acting job. Their past is holding them back from the potential of a future, and to reach this realization they have to dig deep inside themselves.  Despite all the back and forth, the author’s writing is compelling and I never felt bored by the story - there is always a new element or focus. I like that the story continues to move forward, rather than stalling out as the couple tries to figure out what they want; there is

 Fake-dating, dark past, meet-cute 2.5 stars This is fake dating with several twists along the way. Harper and Luke are made for each other, but they each carry a weight from their past. Will they be able to let go of the past to make it to their future? I do think this book, while being a good read, is not one of my favorites. Harper insinuates herself into Luke’s life - with his agreement - but then keeps barreling through his boundaries without consideration or apology and everyone sides with her when he tries to address it. She’s acts entitled and it’s not her best quality. But she has plenty of better ones, and overall is a good character.  I like the side characters and their stories that we learn along the way, and I like Harper’s dedication to Luke and enhancing his life and happiness on the way. And on the flip side, I enjoy Luke’s immediate dedication to Harper’s safety and well-being. There’s a lot of stumbling blocks in this story but you can tell ultimately these two d

Meet-cute, bad decisions, pen-pals 2.5 stars   Gia has a list of bold moves to change her life. Ben is stuck in a rut, hiding his dreams away. Joined as accidental pen-pals by fate (or a takeaway order), these two slowly get to know each other as they navigate their problems and transform their lives. Though the story is intriguing and overall pretty cute, I feel like there was a lot of distractions and jumping around. The focus is heavy on some side characters, like Jay or Matt, while also only sharing very little about said characters and then suddenly a lot shared all at once. Aside from Gia and Ben, I didn’t get the impression that I got to know anyone.   Speaking of the main characters, Ben is a good one. He’s a little indecisive but clearly striving for better and moving forward, albeit at his own pace. I love his interactions with the people at the takeaway and his football team. Gia, on the other hand, kind of feels like a bit of a mess. A sweet, semi-optimistic character, but

Mystery, drama, amnesia 2.5 stars  A shipwrecked amnesiac is rescued by a quiet, keeps-to-herself woodworker in this new romance from Becky Wade. Sounds like a recipe for romance… or maybe just trouble. There’s something sinister lurking behind the amnesia, and the quiet woodworker has more secrets than she lets on. Are these two meant for each other, or just in the wrong place at the wrong time? This story is intriguing and there is mystery layered on mystery with a layer of romance on top. I kept trying to piece together clues and arrive at a convincing conclusion, but my detective skills weren’t up to the task of unraveling the delicate strings Wade tied together. This book has a lot of cute moments, a lot of confusing emotions, and a whole lot of mystery and drama. (What else would you expect from the first book in a series called “Sons of Scandal”?) That being said, sometimes I felt a little overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of everything that is happening in this book. In pla

 Meet-cute (or meet ugly?), open communication, friends-to-lovers 4.5 stars I love Hailey and Wes’ first meeting - practically the opposite of a meet-cute but such a fun story for later, as I’m sure we can all agree. These two have such a good rapport and despite their rocky start, they click on a fundamental level. The friendship of their dreams… if they can stay just friends. Sophie Sullivan wraps these characters up in warm fuzzies and friendship goodness but this author isn’t fooling anyone; Hailey and Wes are meant to be.  Despite quickly becoming best of friends, these two do have plenty of differences to overcome. Thankfully, as we saw in the other two Jansen brothers book, the Jansen boys know how to apologize (or at least are quick learners), and Hailey is quick to accept chocolate whenever it is offered (relatable).   Honestly just such a cute story of becoming friends and then so much more. While these characters have a lot to work through, they do it with grace, understandi