Review: Honeyed Fables by Whitney Dean

About the Book

Fallon Madison is a woman with secrets—especially the one she hides about the night her parents died. She fled her small Missouri hometown, leaving behind a life full of guilt, and started over in Sanderling, New Hampshire, where she owns a charming bookstore that’s quickly becoming the heart of the town. But when business rivalries heat up, Fallon’s quiet life is threatened by forces she’s not prepared for.

Enter Hayes Fitzgerald—a billionaire heir with a reputation for being as elusive as he is charming. Drawn to Fallon’s strength and vulnerability, Hayes begins working at her bookstore under a false name, his identity hidden to keep his family’s business ambitions at bay. But the chemistry between him and Fallon is undeniable, and as their connection deepens, so does the danger of his secret.

Caught between the woman he’s falling for and the empire he’s expected to build, Hayes must decide how much he’s willing to sacrifice for love—and whether the woman who’s healed his heart can ever forgive the lies he’s built between them.

Review

I was surprised that this was Whitney Dean’s first published contemporary romance book. Amongst her other works, her writing felt the strongest during Honeyed Fables. Also, this might be my favorite of hers. In the same breath, Honeyed Fables is not a perfect story.

The plot is one all too familiar. A CEO wants to eliminate a small, local bookstore. The CEO gives his son the task, and instead of making his intentions known to the bookstore owner, he conceals his identity. Dean marketed this book as a dark romance, and it’s very far from it. Despite the incorrect marketing and familiar plot, the book did hook me. That was mainly because of Fallon and Hayes. I won’t call it enemies to lovers because it’s not that either. Fallon dislikes him, not because she knows who he is, but because of how he presented himself. There are some good back-and-forths between them before the plot is kicked into high gear. Fallon and Hayes have a physical connection; however, their emotional connection is barely there. That and the alarmingly fast plot knocked this book down a few stars for me. Oh, and that ending. The entire conflict with them and Hayes' father is unresolved. An author's note states to follow Whitney Dean for future bonus content, including Fallon and Hayes' fight against his dad. I’m just confused about why she would leave such a big moment out of the book. Is there going to be a second installment? I’m just confused about the entire situation.

Final Thoughts

Honeyed Fables is Whitney Dean's first attempt at a contemporary romance. It is a decent effort. There was a disconnect between the marketing strategy and the book's actual plot. In addition, the book moved too fast for its own good and did not allow for a smooth buildup between the characters and romance. A lot was left to be desired. Despite its flaws, I hope Dean continues to write more in this genre.

Buy on Amazon

Review: The Sublet by Greer Hendricks

About the Book

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Greer Hendricks comes a chilling story about the hidden cost of perfection.

Anne is barely keeping it together. A frazzled ghostwriter and aspiring novelist, she juggles nine-year-old twins and a listless marriage from an overcrowded Manhattan apartment, spreading herself thinner each day. Just as Anne is about to give up on her dreams, she lands her biggest client yet: Melody Wells.

Melody paints a picture of serenity and empowerment in the lavender haze of her visualization workshops—however, the one thing she can’t manifest are the pages her publisher is demanding for her new motivational book. Enter Anne.

As Melody invites Anne deeper into her magical world, Anne finds herself working impossibly long days and traveling far beyond her comfort zone.

When Melody passes along a lead on a spacious sublet complete with East River views, built-in closets, and three bedrooms, Anne can’t believe her luck. Melody seems to know just what her family needs. But as small, unsettling incidents begin to accumulate, Anne starts to wonder what price she’s willing to pay for the good life.

Review

While reading, I could not decide if this was meant to be satire. It seemed serious; however, it felt unbelievably cliché. My final conclusion is that I don’t believe that satire was the author’s goal, which unfortunately leaves this book a two-out-of-five-star read for me.

The Sublet has an interesting premise. Anne is a ghostwriter whose life has become almost unfulfilling. After taking on Melody Wells—a popular wellness guru—as a client, unsettling events begin to unfold, and she struggles with reality. Readers are promised a “thrilling” adventure. Instead, they are treated to a story that feels rushed and predictable. This could have been a different reading experience if the author had slowed down and further developed the story.

Additionally, I wish the author had explored Anne more as a character. There were so many opportunities to explore her fears and her marriage.

Final Thoughts

The Sublet felt like a first draft of a thriller movie. An idea was formed; however, work was not completed to fully develop it. So much more could have been added to give it the extra kick it needed. It felt overwhelming and rushed. There was no character development or satisfying ending. Maybe the issue was that it was too short and that this would have worked better as a full novel.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Audible | Paperback | Bookshop.org

Review: Lush by Tinia Montford

About the Book

Laurene King had it all: beauty, wealth, and a sexy secret affair with Reese Ashbourne— the brooding heir of her family’s sworn enemy.

But one reckless night shattered everything.

Tragedy struck. Laurene disappeared. And Reese was left with betrayal, unanswered questions, and scars he’ll never forget.

Now, Laurene is back, forced to return to the life she fled, but her homecoming comes with a cruel twist. Their families, teetering on the edge of ruin, have resurrected an old deal to save themselves: an Ashbourne and a King must marry—or lose everything.

Only this time, Reese is the groom. Not his brother.

Haunted by the past, Reese craves revenge as much as he still craves her. Trapped in a forced proximity neither can escape, their chemistry ignites—and so do their secrets.

But someone knows the truth about that night. The lies that tore them apart are unraveling, and the shadowy danger lurking in their luxurious world could destroy them both.

With their second chance at love and their families’ legacies hanging by a thread, Laurene and Reese must choose: bury the past or watch everything crumble to ashes.

The clock is ticking, and some truths are better left buried…

Review

Lush was marketed as a mystery book with themes found in an 80s soap opera. That was the perfect way to sell this book. It was precisely that. I must applaud the author for recognizing that and leaning into that genre. There wasn’t a second where I was not entertained.  

Years ago, Reese Ashbourne and Laurene King were lovers and hid their relationship from their families—two prominent families within the city. The Ashbournes and the Kings are enemies; however, they are willing to plot for the sake of their legacies. Their plot involved having Laurene marry Reese’s other brother. Of course, Reese and Laurene were distraught and plotted together in secret. However, tragedy struck, and Laurene flees, and Reese mourns. After being summoned by her mother, Laurene returns to the city, and a new plan is established— now Laurene and Reese must marry.

This book was rich people drama. Excellent rich people drama. It’s soapy, yet it doesn’t feel corny or making fun of the genre. Montford does a great job setting the scene and building this rich, dangerous world. There were layers upon layers of material here. Reese and Laurene are the main characters; however, every character felt fully fleshed out and had their own story and motive. I’m excited to see where this series goes and what happens with the other characters.

Reese and Laurene were the perfect characters to kick off this series. Both have been victims of their families’ legacies and puppets. And when they attempted to break free from it all, it all went horribly wrong. Reese lost a brother and felt betrayed by Laurene. He’s always felt like the last option and screw-up in his family, and he thought Laurene really saw him. Laurene was alone and missing her voice. They are still healing from the results of what happened six years ago while dealing with their parents. When they see each other after so many years, they have a lot of hurt feelings that they have to work through. Also, they have to deal with someone blackmailing them. A lot is going on in their life as they rediscover their love for each other.

Besides Reese and Laurene, everyone in this book is a suspect. I wasn’t sure who I could trust and who was blackmailing Reese and Laurene. I made at least three different final guesses before it was eventually revealed. My first guess was correct, but with how everyone was acting, I kept second-guessing myself.

Final Thoughts:

Lush is a great 80s soapy romance book. It contains a lot of blackmail, lies, and twists and turns. It’s an entertaining ride that almost feels like a television show. The mystery is strong and engaging.

Buy on Amazon

Review: Unloved by Peyton Corinne

About the Book

The USA TODAY bestselling follow-up to Peyton Corinne’s “unputdownable and unforgettable” (Bal Khabra, author of Collide) TikTok sensation Unsteady follows hopeless romantic Ro and player—on and off the ice—Freddy as they forge an unexpected bond that slowly turns into a life lesson in self-worth and the healing quality of love.

Matt “Freddy” Fredderic is all smiles—at least on the surface. On the ice, he’s the star left winger for the Waterfell Wolves with a stellar reputation in bed and a potential future in the NHL. But in the classroom, he’s barely scraping by on a 2.0 GPA, retaking failed classes and struggling with a rough mix of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD. Now tied to an NHL contract upon graduation, Freddy needs help to pass biology with a professor he has a tumultuous past with.

Ro Shariff is a hopeless romantic with terrible luck in love—and now, Freddy’s newly assigned tutor. Trying to convince herself that she’s very happy with her on again/off again boyfriend, Ro is desperate for real affection. As her tutoring sessions with Freddy lead to late-night phone calls and a deep understanding of each other’s hidden pains, a real friendship strikes up between them.

And, inevitably, a wistful secret pining hidden by them both. Ro can’t stop thinking about her first kiss her freshman year with Freddy—a spine-tingling moment that Freddy doesn’t seem to remember. Meanwhile, Freddy can’t let go of Ro’s drunken heartfelt confessions from the night she doesn’t remember.

While Freddy is determined to protect Ro from his reputation and prove to her how worthy of love she is, Ro wants to show Freddy that despite what others have led him to believe, he’s worth more than just his body. Together, with gentle affection and true admiration, they will show each other how easy it is to love the right person, no matter their flaws.

Review

Peyton Corrinne knows how to make a girl cry. I’d say that I was close to tears for probably eighty-five percent of Unloved. Ro and Matty’s story is just so beautiful. Both had been manipulated by someone close to them and broken. They want to survive and maybe put the pieces back together. There are heavy topics in this, ranging from grief to cheating. The author does a great job of letting her characters feel and be vulnerable.  

Ro has a highly gentle soul and is compassionate. She’s been told in the past that she’s a burden and struggles with standing up for herself. Matty feeds into his playboy and party boy reputation while inside he’s struggling with family issues, asking for help, and having insecurities. Both respect each other’s boundaries and develop this beautiful friendship. Their friendship is built on kindness and trust. Not only do they learn that they are capable of being loved, but they also realize that they are much stronger than they give themselves credit for and go on a personal journey.  

Final Thoughts

Unloved is the story of two people who have been mistreated by others, finding their worth and love. The characters and romance felt authentic and special. I hold them and this story dear to my heart.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Audible | Paperback | Bookshop.org

Review: Roomie, Lover, Friend: A New Hope Novel by Shon

About the Book

BLAIR BELLAMY’s luck for the past year has been tenuous, at best. Nothing is going right. She lost her job, her relationship and now, her housing.

She needs something—just one thing—to go right. And when she downloads the Roomie app, she thinks she’s headed in the right direction. That’s until…

ELIJAH CUNNINGHAM’s life is simple. He has a job that doesn’t drain him, a workout routine he’s perfected, and favors his own company over anybody else’s. Teased all his life for being a homebody, imagine his surprise when the woman of his dreams shows up on his doorstep. He’s not looking for a roommate, but something about Blair won’t let him leave her alone…

Review

Roomie, Lover, Friend certainly isn’t my favorite by this author. Though, I don’t have many complaints. It’s a cute, quick story about friends-to-lovers. There are a dozen unforgettable romantic moments in this one. I especially loved them binge-watching Eli's favorite anime. I thought that was so sweet. And Blair and Eli were a great couple. After one meeting, Eli was fully prepared to give everything he had to Blair. It was attraction at first, but it turned into something more.

Blair was the standout character within this one. The small plot involving her and her mom carried the book's emotional weight. Although small, that plot line gave a lot of context to Blair's character and helped elevate her character growth. Eli’s not a bad character. He’s likable, and there was a scene involving him and his sister that I think really showcased him as a character. And, of course, all his scenes with Blair showed what a caring soul he is. He wanted nothing but the best for her. However, this is very much a story about Blair, and most of his character development concerns her.

Final Thoughts

Roomie, Lover, Friend features a cute romance with an MMC who would do anything for his leading lady. Often, his story would be non-existent without her; however, I have no complaints. Blair’s plot was the emotional weight of the story and provided a realistic deception of how mother and daughter’s relationships can develop.

Buy on Amazon | Audible | Paperback

Review: Storm Cloud by J.S. Jasper

About the Book

Even if it’s difficult sometimes, Sophie loves the winter.

The bright sunny days that are few and far between, the crisp morning air and the blush on people’s cheeks. It’s her favourite time of year. On the tough days, the days when the sky is so dark she wonders if she’s stuck in perpetual night time- all she really needs to see is the sun.

Though she’ll never tell anyone that.

Not until he walks into her bookstore.

And Sophie decides he looks like sunshine.

Review

Storm Cloud felt like a cozy Hallmark, low-stakes novella. It was cute, charming, and sometimes predictable. I enjoyed myself while reading. The author does a very good job of establishing Sophie as a character. Right from the beginning, it’s very clear who Sophie is as a character, and her reasoning for being hesitant about Lukas is obvious. Most novellas try to skip out on character development and focus on getting to the romance. This would not operate that way. I’m thankful. I enjoyed Sophie as a character.

Unfortunately, Lukas does not get as much development as Sophie. He felt very much like the “perfect book boyfriend” and didn’t feel quite as fleshed out as Sophie. Despite that, I did enjoy him and their romance.

Final Thoughts

Storm Cloud is a cozy, refreshing read—fitting since it mainly takes place within a bookstore. 

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback