Review: Beyond the Bell by Ana Kirk Shaw

About the Book

My boss is the stiff, surly, suited city bureaucrat… and I’m the new teacher of his nightmares.

I’m desperate for a fresh start at a new school. Lucky for me, Oliver Flores, the infuriatingly hot principal of PS 2, is desperate for a new teacher.

He’s forced to hire the Sweaty Albeit Beautiful Trash Siren he found amongst the dumpsters (I had a morning, okay?). I’m forced to take the job.

He’s all label makers and lists. I’m all creativity and chaos.

He needs to loosen up. I need to tighten up.

He demands control. I need freedom.

For right now, I have no choice but to follow my boss’s every explicit directive and not make any waves. No drama llamas. Because he needs his promotion. And I need to keep this job.

But what happens when Mr. Flores’s orders go from “send me your lesson plans” to “see me after school”? What happens when they go from “take it out” to “let me in”?

For the sake of both of our jobs, we’ll need to keep this a secret. It’s a terrible idea…

…but I might just love it when Oliver orders me around.

Review

Beyond the Bell was a strong debut by Ana Kirk Shaw. I’m excited to see how this story goes. The author kept her word that this was similar to ABC’s Abbott Elementary and did her spin on it. I’m confident that any fan of the award-winning television series would enjoy this story. There’s a strong cast of supporting characters. She gives them a decent amount of screen time, and I’m sure as the story progresses, they will be given more.

While reading, it was very clear that Ana is a teacher. That specifically bled through with the characterization of Georgia and her internal dialogue and how she reacted to things. She had such a deep love for what was right and a strong commitment to her students. I loved that about her. Yes, she tended to be a little chaotic. Towards the middle of the book, Oliver comments that Georgia’s chaotic creativity went well with his organization. I read that sentence and found that a perfect way to describe Oliver and Georgia, and their relationship. Their relationship was an A plus.

Final Thoughts

Beyond the Bell was a great start to the Lessons in Love series. Ana Kirk Shaw captured an amazing romance in an educational setting that was not only entertaining but also heartfelt.

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Review: Just Between Us by Lena Hendrix

About the Book

Royal King is pure mischief wrapped in a cocky smirk and a heated stare.

Five minutes in his small town and I knew he was going to be nothing but trouble. He’s an arrogant, tattooed playboy with a secret, and I’m the woman tasked with quietly cleaning up his family’s mess.

I never dreamed he could be the mysterious stranger behind my hidden, late-night messages.

It doesn’t matter what he says or how hard he tries to get under my skin. I won’t break. Not for him. Not for anyone. But when our secrets are exposed, all bets are off.

He knows the rules—just a little fun exploration. Nothing more. But one lesson leads to another . . . and another . . . and soon I realize that he’s set out to break every rule I’ve ever put into place.

I refuse to find myself melting under his gaze or swooning at the way he makes the noise around us quieter.

I can handle men like him.

Everything will be fine as long as we can keep this just between us.

Review

There were some good things about Just Between Us that I thoroughly enjoyed. Royal King quickly became a standout for me, and I adore him. He was a top-tier MMC, and I appreciated that the author gave him layers. He wasn’t just the golden retriever to Veda’s black cat. Unfortunately, the author loses a bit of credit when it comes to Veda. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed her. She had some great moments within the story. However, her character is overshadowed by the mystery.

I had read two books within Lena Hendrix’s The Sullivan Family series which is interconnected into this one. I knew of the feud between the Sullivan and King family, and from the book that I had read, I knew that it was going to be resolved. I had not read the first two books within this series and was taken about the mystery of Royal’s mom. That mystery was heavy plot-wise within this story. I was intrigued by it; however, I think Veda took a backseat. There were hints about her childhood and life before coming to the town that should have been explored more.

Final Thoughts

Veda and Royal were a great couple. They had some amazing moments; however, there was not enough of them. Their relationship and Veda were sacrificed because of the mystery. There was a lot going on. Although the mystery was intriguing, since I had not read all the books, I would have preferred it to overshadow the main characters. If I had fully completed both series, I might have enjoyed this one more and enjoyed the large supporting characters.

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Review: Dead Rinker by Ruth Stilling

About the Book

She can’t stand me.

She also thinks she’s got me all worked out.

My Princess is determined to stay as far away from me as possible. Eighteen months ago, she wanted me, but now she’s convinced I’m bad news.

The thing is, an attraction like ours doesn’t just fade, and my need for her has only grown stronger no matter how many times she offers me a scowl instead of her beautiful smile.

We’ve been playing a game of cat and mouse since the day she wore my jersey, and fortunately for her, I love the chase. I love to watch the way her body reacts to mine. I’d fall to my knees in front of her if I didn’t think she’d kick me while I’m down and unearth painful memories from my past that I’ve worked to keep hidden for so long.

I’m not the only one with secrets and a hurtful past, though. The walls she’s built around her are so high that I doubt anyone can see the real Kate. But I can; I see it all. I know what makes my girl tick and what she truly wants from life. I was just waiting for a chance to prove it.

And now that it’s here, I’m going all in to make Kate Violet Monroe fall in love with me.

Review

Dead Rinker was my first book of the year, and unfortunately, it wasn’t a pleasant experience that I had hoped it would be.

Kate and JJ could have been together earlier; however, miscommunication kept them apart for over a year, and that miscommunication caused them to hate one another. It doesn’t help that they are in the same friend group and are required to be in the same space often. This forces them to learn to tolerate each other, and of course, since this is a romance book, that becomes something more.

Their romance didn’t personally do anything for me. The entire book catered to JJ, and Kate wasn’t treated fairly. Most decisions were made for her—something that she had struggled with in the past because of her abusive parents. JJ pressured her into a relationship, and she wasn’t given any options regarding her pregnancy. It appeared like she was required to have this baby. She wasn’t presented with options, and the author didn’t allow a moment for the main character to gather her feelings about the situation especially when readers are told that she never wanted kids. Her doctor even knew she did not want kids. Lastly, I would have loved some explanation for why JJ called her Princess because that seemed random.  

Final Thoughts

I’ll probably forget that I had read this in a month or two. As of right now, this book left me feeling upset regarding the treatment of the FMC.

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Review: The Office Games by Whitney G

Book Summary

All I wanted for Christmas was for my most-loathed coworker to get hit by a bus.

Unfortunately, Santa decided to give him a promotion: my BOSS…

I couldn't afford to quit, so I suffered through his egotistical reign and hoped that my wish would be granted next season.

Does Santa even read our lists anymore?

Between an ice storm for the ages, getting arrested for “breaking and entering,” I wind up trapped inside his car for a never-ending road trip, and any time I think the journey home can't get worse, the universe throws me another wicked curveball.

The games are just beginning...

The third book in the bestselling Holiday Homecoming Collection.

Review

The Office Games was a very disappointing read. Unfortunately, there is little that I liked regarding this story. Taryn and James have worked at the same marketing company for years. They have a rivalry and have been trying to sabotage each other. For example, Taryn had her assistant slash James’ tires, and James had locked her out of the building. Both are up for the same promotion. James is promoted over Taryn for a reason that isn’t explained nor does the book attempt to prove why either deserved the promotion. Instead, the book skips one year later after a few short chapters.

Something that happened before the skip is worth mentioning. James visits Taryn’s house and they have dinner together and watch television. It’s alluded that this is something that has happened often. That little detail would have made the book more compelling if it had been explored more. Two rivals who hate each other at the office but secretly find comfort in each other outside office hours? I would have loved that if done correctly. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen in The Office Games. As mentioned before there is a one-year time skip, and canceled flights force Taryn and James to drive together to Colorado for the holidays. Taryn and James lack real chemistry and almost all their interactions felt forced and rushed. I don’t for once second believe any of their love confessions. Not only that but the plot points are weak and predicted, and everything feels disconnected. I haven’t even touched on the memory loss plot.

Back when she was a teenager, Taryn was involved in an accident and lost her memory. While in college, she made a Christmas pact with a friend (Cameron) that if they were single when they were turn thirty, they would get married. I don’t understand how Taryn didn’t immediately see red flags when talking to Cameron. Like James, he had cringy dialogue, but he was much worse and so much pushier. It’s obvious how the memory plot will play out as the story progresses, and it’s a lackluster conclusion.

Final Thoughts

The Office Games was poorly written with a lackluster romance, cringy dialogue, and a weak, predictable plot. There’s zero emotional depth here. And the most hideous crime is that for a book called The Office Games, there is barely any time spent in the office. Most of the time is spent in the car. 

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Review: Failure to Match by Kyra Parsi

About the Book

He’s the arrogant, grumpy billionaire bane of my existence... and now I’m his full-time, live-in dating coach.

I’ve never failed to match a client—until him.

Jackson Sinclair has dragged me through eight months of matchmaking hell, and I have the carnage of broken hearts to prove it.

But I refuse to get fired from my dream job because of some infuriatingly gorgeous billionaire and his absurd criteria for a wife.

The plan is simple.

All I have to do is infiltrate his penthouse, pretend to be his blind date, and figure out what the actual f*ck his actual f*cking problem is.

It’ll be fine. He doesn’t know what I look like.

Except I nearly drown in Satan-clair’s massive pool, he figures out who I am, and now I’m forcibly glued to his side for the next 30 days.

It’s a nightmare, until it’s not.

I hate him, until I discover everything he’s been hiding.

We fight, until the tension boils over into sizzling temptation.

Jackson Sinclair may not believe in soulmates, and he may not believe in love, but little does he know, he’s finally met his match…

Review

Failure to Match is a new perfect romantic comedy.  I have zero to no complaints. Every page was needed, and the book kept getting better and better. It’s witty, steamy, and entertaining. The push and pull between the characters is so addicting. I couldn’t put it down. It was just so deliciously good.

It was Jamie’s job to find a romantic partner for Jackson; however, Jackson ended up being one of the worst clients on the planet. To save her job, she goes undercover to figure out why they can’t seem to find a partner for him. That ends up being a hilarious disaster, and not long after, she’s forced to work strictly with Jackson and live in his home.

Of course, they are misperceiving each other. Jamie isn’t just a matchmaker. And Jackson isn’t just this brooding CEO who is an awful client. There’s so much more with each of them—especially Jackson. The book is solely told in Jamie’s POV. However, Parsi did a perfect job of giving hints about Jackson’s feelings and thoughts through his dialogue and his body language. Sidenote, I adored that Jackson was so determined to win Jamie’s cat over. I found that to be so fun and adorable. Not to mention that Jackson was completely down bad for Jamie and would do anything for her.  

From the beginning, Jamie and Jackson’s chemistry is apparent, and they have such top-notch banter. And they only continued to get better as the story progressed.

Final Thoughts

I devoured Failure to Launch. It’s such a great rom-com, and everyone should drop everything and read it immediately. The author perfectly captures a dislike-to-lovers romance and there is so much nuisance with these characters and their romance. Jackson and Jamie are addicting and have such an amazing dynamic. 

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Review: Once Upon a Christmas Tree by Lulu Moore

About the Book

Alexander, Lord Burlington, hates the holidays.

But duty calls. This year he’s willing to set his feelings aside for the sake of his eldest brother who’s just been left at the altar - sending shockwaves through British high society - as they escape London for the snow capped mountains of Aspen.

However, it soon becomes obvious that Colorado in December wasn’t the best place to go for someone who usually out-grinches The Grinch.

Haven Wylder has spent the last four years paying off debts her parents left when they died. Between working on her ranch, or in her Christmas store and taking on every other job she can, there’s been no time for fun. But if there’s one thing guaranteed to put a smile on her face it’s the holidays and the annual gingerbread decorating competition.

What she wasn’t expecting was the tall, handsome stranger with the accent to die for who, *gasp*, hates Christmas.

It doesn’t take long for Haven to start changing Alex’s mind. It has nothing to do with her berry red lips and glossy caramel curls tumbling down her back, or her big doe eyes as green as the Christmas trees she selling. Or the way she fills out her jeans.

None at all.

Alexander will never not despise Christmas, but a fling with Haven Wylder might be just the thing to make it a little more bearable. That is… if he can leave her and their unforgettable connection behind.

Review

Once Upon a Christmas Tree was a good Christmas novella. I’ll go as far as saying it’s a good introduction to Moore’s new series. I’m excited to continue, especially with how this one ended. I will admit I was a little worried about how Haven and Alex’s story was going to end. I was fearful that the author was going to make it too instant love. However, that didn’t happen. Instead, Alex and Haven’s story ends on a cliffhanger, and I will be patiently waiting to see what happens next. I did research a bit and found their tropes for the next installment, and I’m excited to see how everything is going to play out. I don’t often prefer second-chance romances; however, I think Moore has me sold.

Alex and Haven were cute—in that holiday Hallmark way. She’s a hard-working, ordinary woman who enjoys Christmas and works almost every job in the town. However, her main job is a Christmas tree farm that was passed down to her when her father passed. Tragically Alex doesn’t enjoy the holiday seasons and is only in town for a few days. Oh, and to mention he’s a Lord of England.

Haven isn’t aware of Alex’s true identity when she meets him, just that she has this attraction to him. Almost at the beginning of the book, Alex is willing to do anything to get close and impress Haven, including signing up for the gingerbread competition at the bakery where she works. That was adorable. All in all, they are a sweet and lovable couple.

Final Thoughts

Once Upon a Christmas Tree is a good start to Moore’s upcoming series. There are some faults. The main one is that Alex and his brother didn’t feel like Lord’s to me. Instead, they felt like regular men. However, it’s still a good holiday novella. Alex and Haven have a great romance, and I’m excited to see where Moore takes them.  

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