Review: Fall With Me (Playing for Keeps Book 4) by Becka Mack

About the Book

From bestselling author and TikTok sensation Becka Mack comes the next book in her sizzling hockey romance series about a playboy defenseman and the team photographer who reforms him.

The fourth book in the globally popular Playing for Keeps series that New York Times bestselling author Hannah Grace calls “endlessly sexy and funny.”

It was supposed to be a one-night stand. But what if they can’t leave it in the past?

Jaxon Riley is exceptional at three things: starting fights on the ice, picking up women post-game, and going home to fulfill his role as the world’s best cat dad. Relationships, unfortunately, missed the list.

Lennon Hayes is supposed to be on her honeymoon. Instead, she’s alone and single, vacationing next door to a surly tattooed man who ran his date off the resort. When a run-in at the bar results in a night of bickering and cocktails, she finds herself tumbling into bed with the enemy next door, then sneaking out before the sun comes up.

Lennon’s plan to start over in a new city is going great, until she starts her new job. The job? The Vancouver Vipers’ new photographer. And the defenseman scowling at her from across the room? The one-night stand she wasn’t supposed to see again. Good thing neither of them are looking for anything serious… Right?

Jaxon may not be used to falling, but if he’s going to go, he refuses to go alone. If he falls, he wants Lennon to fall with him.

Review

I have a complicated and toxic relationship with this series. I have read all four books, and I keep expecting different results. I rated the first two books poorly; however, I did enjoy the third book- Unravel Me, and many of the problems that I experienced in that book I also experienced with this book. Unfortunately, it feels like those problems multiplied. I’ll scream it a dozen times if I must. There are specific characters within this series that continue to get worse.  Mack struggles with how to balance her characters’ personalities. Many of them come across as immature and corny. The scenes with all the friends together felt repetitive and distractingly annoying.

In fact, Lennon’s friendship with the girls didn’t feel genuine to me. I saw no real connection to them. They forced a friendship upon her. I would have much preferred Mack to highlight the connection between Lennon and Serena. Their friendship felt genuine. I think this is the only friendship that Mack established where her brand of humor wasn’t annoying. She found the perfect balance with them.

While reading Fall with Me, I concluded, that for me to rate this book, I need to omit the group scenes. That would have tanked my rating, and I felt that Lennon and Jaxon didn’t deserve that. I loved their story and I loved almost every aspect of it once I omit the scenes with their friends.

Final Thoughts

Fall with Me is a victim of Mack’s inability to write characters normally. Ninety-nine percent of characters within this book should not act like immature teenagers when they are pushing thirty years old. Especially, when she has few straight-laced characters to balance it all out.

Everyone is on level one thousand in their corniness when they are together. The dialogue often feels like Mack is reminding readers how attractive and devoted the male characters are to their female love interests. So devoted that they can’t function if the female character looks away from them for a second thus causing them to demand their attention in a child-like manner. As for the female friendship, that falls extremely short. Most of their conversations are centered on how “hot” their hockey player love interests are. There’s no real depth to it. This causes their friendship to feel ingenuine and repetitive. The same can be said about the male friendships.

Mack wants to write “golden retriever” male love interests; however, struggles with how to effectively do that. Previous male characters are still annoying four books later and somehow continue to act more childish than before. Adam Lockwood (Unravel Me, Book 3) might be the only male love interest that outshines the rest. Compared to the others, he just worked. Jaxon is a close runner-up. He had his moments of being over the top, but he’s light years ahead of the other two. Out of the female characters, Lennon by far is my favorite. I enjoyed that she let Jaxon have it right back.

Unfortunately, the supporting characters hinder the reading experience for Lennon and Jaxon’s story. This couple works best when they are away from their friends.

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Review: Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver

A rugged mountain town seemed like the perfect escape from a life in shambles. But on day one I ran full tilt into the world’s hottest single dad and now all my plans are ruined.

As a chart-topping country singer with a recent streak of bad press it’s hard to find any peace. But I find it in Rose Hill. With a little boy and a little girl who steal my heart just as thoroughly as their dad.

Weston Belmont.

The man is a shameless flirt. He oozes confidence and masculinity in a way that’s downright distracting. And in bed? He’s addictive.

Everything with him is wild and impulsive and I’m desperate to regain some control.

But no one has supported me like West does. And no one has ever made me feel as loved as he does either.

So, while my brain says settling down with a small-town horse trainer is impossible… my heart says I’m right where I belong.

Still, my life as a celebrity haunts me. It has the power to pull us apart.

I can see in his eyes that wants me to stay. And I want that too.

But I know better than anyone that we don’t always get what we want.

Review

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year. For most of the book, I had fun. When I think about my experience with this book—having finished it a few days ago, the favorite scenes that come to mind involve West. I enjoyed him as a main character, and I absolutely adored his kids—Ollie and Emmy. Kudos to Silver for giving readers this amazing guy who had a great and silly relationship with his kids.

Moreover, he had a great relationship with their mother. Bonus points. It gets extremely old reading stories where the mother is villainized or absent and the single dad is made to be the hero. That isn’t the case here. Sure, West and his ex-wife didn’t work out; however, they can efficiently co-parent and be in the same room together without screaming at each other. And not to applaud a fish for swimming, but it was refreshing that West didn’t blame his ex-wife for their marriage ending and did not hate her. West and his family elevated the book for me and stole the show.

I was a little weary of Skylar in the beginning. She isn’t my favorite Silver’s FMC, and honestly, I think I would rank her low. She felt out of touch with reality to me. Yes, she grew up privileged; however, I would assume that she should know how to make her bed. My feelings of her did improve. She was dealing with some personal struggles and attempting to rebuild her life after being controlled by her family. I did enjoy the soccer game scene with her and the gang. I thought that was fun, and I craved more. I also loved how the kids immediately were taken by her. And that West was a secret fan. That was adorable.

As the story approached the third half, my rating of the book significantly decreased. I would have preferred if Silver took a different approach this half. The drama didn’t add anything, instead caused me to be ignored. What was the purpose if there wasn’t going to be an emotional deep dive or revelation regarding one of them?

Final Thoughts

Wild Eyes was an underwhelming follow-up to Wild Love. Especially with the characterization of Skylar. With more time and consideration, I think there could have been a far more interesting story than what readers were presented.

Review: Homebound by Meredith Trapp

About the Book

A sweet, slow-burn, childhood friends-to-lovers, small-town romance!

She’s Texas's toughest bull rider, and he’s determined to win her heart.

Dakota and Wyatt. Storm and sunshine. Growing up, they were as inseparable as a pair of cowboy boots. The best of friends—or so Dakota thought. Every summer, Wyatt would come home to his family’s flower farm in Granite Falls, Texas and they’d stargaze in the fields, pinkies brushing, laughter rumbling with the cicadas until one summer… he never came back.

Dakota Cutler hasn’t heard a peep from Wyatt Patterson in over three years, and a lot has changed. He’s the hockey world’s golden-boy, and she’s developed a reputation for riding bulls and leaving men with broken hearts. After a string of one-night stands, the last thing Dakota needs is a distraction, but when her oldest childhood friend waltzes back into town, begging to move into her barn with the most adorable baby girl on his hip, everything changes.

Wyatt Patterson’s back to get the girl he’s been obsessing over for years, and he’s doing everything to get her to see him as more than a friend—two-stepping at the rodeo, jumping into Cibolo Creek, even rendezvousing in outdoor showers. All Dakota wants is to keep her distance from her ex-friend, but when she learns the truth behind why Wyatt left, it turns out the scorching Texas sun might not be the only thing that burns them this summer.

Review

Homebound reminded me why I avoid friends-to-lovers. Before I air my grievances, I’ll talk about what I liked. I loved that despite Dakota and Wyatt being on rocky terms initially, she was still willing to assist him with Viv. I also enjoyed the moments of Viv and Dakota bonding. Tripp did a great job crafting a believable relationship with Viv and Dakota. That’s one of the most important things when having a single-parent romance story.

Now for what I disliked. The chemistry between Wyatt and Dakota was severely lacking to me. I understood why she had him in the friend zone for so long, and I would have supported her if she decided to not give him a chance. I don’t think Wyatt was the best choice for her. He was in the friend zone for fifteen years, and for me to be sold—there needs to be mutual longing on both parts. I didn’t feel that in Dakota’s POV.

On top of that, I found this book to be boring at times. For the most part, it was Wyatt determined to win over Dakota and waiting for her to realize that she loved him. I appreciated the moments between him and his daughter; however, other than that I didn’t find him to be interesting like Dakota.

Final Thoughts

Homebound unfortunately wasn’t a hit for me. Dakota is advertised as a “grumpy black cat” however, that can be debated. Wyatt has few qualities and the only one that makes him interesting is that he’s a single dad; however, that isn’t enough to carry him. There was no need for him to be a hockey player. In fact, I don’t think we got a clear closing on that chapter. The romance is boring, repetitive, and cheesy. Justice for Dakota. Everything would have worked better if Dakota and Wyatt stayed super best friends and got other love interests.

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Review: Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

About the Book

NOTICE TO STAFF: There has been a disturbing increase in cheeriness, sprightly behavior, and overall optimism of late. Please resume your former dark, ominous terrors at your earliest convenience. ―Mgmt

Evie Sage has never been happier to be the assistant to The Villain. Who would have thought that working for an outrageously handsome (shhh, bad for his brand) evil overlord would be so rewarding? Still, the business of being bad is demanding, the forces of good are annoyingly persistent, and said forbidding boss is somewhat…er, out-of-evil-office.

But Rennedawn is in grave trouble, and all signs―Kingsley’s included―point to catastrophe. Something peculiar is happening with the kingdom’s magic, and it’s made The Villain’s manor vulnerable to their enemies...including their nemesis, the king.

Now it’s time for Evie to face her greatest challenge: protecting The Villain’s lair, all of his nefarious works, and maybe (provided no one finds out) the entire kingdom. No pressure, Evie.

It’s time to step out of her comfort zone and learn new skills. Like treason. Dagger work. Conspiring with the enemy. It’s all so…so…delightfully fun.

But what happens when the assistant to The Villain is ready to become his apprentice?

Review

Hannah Nicole Maehrer is on a winning streak with this series. I wholeheartedly enjoyed this installment. Like the first, there’s so much humor, an entertaining plot, and witty banter. Of course, the slow-burn romance is to die for. The Villain and Evie do not get together yet; however, there is some development. Some squeal worthy and some were bound to make me cry if they didn’t figure it out. It’s safe to say that I do adore them both. I specifically loved Evie’s growth from assistant to apprentice. The title has certainly been earned.

As for the other characters, I’m pleased to report that we get more insight regarding them. A big theme that I noticed throughout this book was family. And I loved how all the characters through their families were connected in some way. It’s also worth mentioning that Lyssa—Evie’s younger sister—was delightful and a scene-stealer. As well as Becky. She and Evie had a sweet moment in the latter half of the book that I highly enjoyed.

Final Thoughts

Apprentice to the Villain is another hit. This is a perfect follow-up to the first book that beautifully expands this exciting universe. I am patiently waiting for the next book. I had loads of fun while reading this, and at times, the story really pulled at my heartstrings.  

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Review: The Curious Secrets of Yesterday by Namrata Patel

The Curious Secrets of Yesterday by Namrata Patel, brings together a story of a young woman torn between self discovery and familial expectations. Tulsi Gupta desires a life beyond the traditional healing at her family’s spice shop in Salem. Raised by her mother and grandmother, the expectation is to continue the tradition but Tulsi has other plans.

When the discovery of a letter by her grandmother exposes secrets from the past, Tulsi uncovers information about her grandmother and mother that affect her own life choices. As she learns more and their secrets come to light, it inspires a sense of purpose and a determination to mend the past. 

I love the journey that begins with the discovery of the letter. Through her own exploration of her life, and learning about the past it helps shape the narrative of the impact of her culture and heritage in navigating her journey. That internal struggle between what she wants and her sense of duty to her famly will resonate with those who have faced similar experiences. Bringing the reader into their world, exposing us to a rich culture and allows us to connect to the characters on a more intimate level.

There’s an authenticity to their characters and the blend of generations gives a balance that allows us to live through their past, present and future.

On a lighter shift in the book, the love interest introduced into Tulsi’s life was everything she needed. The uncertainty of the possibility gives her a boost of confidence that contributes to her growth as a character and a person seeking her definitive path. 

The book was so lovely with all that it represents. There’s something special with multi generational books that are so engaging. When you have complex family relationships, cultural expectations and secrets that shackle healing and forgiveness, that journey to letting go and mending old wounds really make a good read. If you are inspired by journeys of self discovery, love, family and cultural inspirations, this would be wonderful book to dive into.

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Review: Clean Point by Meg Jones

About the Book

Former tennis prodigy Scottie Sinclair is a cheat.

Or at least, that’s what the world thinks. After all, who would believe she was secretly drugged by her own father before winning the women’s singles title at Wimbledon?

The tabloids have called “Game, Set, Match” on Scottie’s career—but an offer at redemption, and more importantly revenge, may give her the chance at a clean serve.

Nico Kotas reigned the tennis world for almost a decade—until an injury took him from the baseline.

Now with a clean bill of health, he’s hungry for one last title. But his public image needs a new game plan—and according to his coach, his former rival’s daughter is the perfect advantage.

But with old enemies on the sidelines, scandal is seconds away.

Because, after all, revenge is best served Centre Court

Review

I enjoyed Clean Point. I found it to have a solid plot and thought that it was well-written. It’s about two competitive tennis players who have been thrown together to win Wimbledon. Nico is dealing with a botched knee surgery that’s slowing him down. And Scottie’s career has been ruined by her father’s actions. Coincidentally, the two of them have been connected for years. Nico’s victory over her father completely changed Scottie’s life. Things are rocky between them at first because of their perceptions of each other. However, they eventually come together to get revenge on her father and fall in love.

I want to give kudos for how Jones handled Scottie’s story. Scottie was very clearly abused by her father, and the author handled this story with care and did not blame her main character for what happened.

Final Thoughts

Clean Point was an amazing tennis story from an author who clearly adores and respects her characters. Scottie and Nico had a lot to overcome and learned that teamwork is beneficial—while also having an emotional and amazing love affair. I was hooked on them earlier on. Every time Scottie would steal Nico’s hat, or any cats would surround him I found myself smiling. My only complaint is that I wish he had picked another nickname for her. I don’t particularly find “cockroaches” endearing. It’s also worth mentioning that there was one specific character who surprised me. I can say that I’m happy the author took that route. 

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