These are the Advance Reader Copies I read that release this month. Read on to see my verdicts on each of them! Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the copies in exchange for an honest review.
Dream On by Angie Hockman
Verdict: Pretty Good!
The novel’s unique premise really carried it far. This is great for readers of “You Were There Too” and “Meant to Be Mine.”
I loved Cass, she was such a relatable character, and I rooted for her the whole time. Most of the other characters are more morally (light) gray. They’re overall good, but also flawed.
I flew through reading this book, though, because I wanted to know how it all came together and what was going on with Cass’ coma memories. The love triangle added a lot of tension to the book, more tension that I prefer in a romance novel, but it did make the novel compelling.
This is mostly closed-door, except for the very end.
This Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan
Verdict: Not as good as the first book.
The plot was so confusing and I didn’t understand why anyone was doing anything. BUT I kept reading for the vibes, which were great. The sexy and romantic parts were excellent.
Because this is in first person POV, but the story is expanding, as second books in a fantasy series do, the POV is very constricted. Some lazy storytelling devices were used to compensate for the limitation in scope like having her overhear so many conversations and having convenient dreams and prophesies that move the plot along.
I will read more of this author, but this book just lost its way.
From the Jump by Lacie Waldon
Verdict: DNF at 35%
I was bored. I couldn’t get a sense of who the characters were, or why I should care about them.
I could maybe see myself trying this again later. Also, the ARC was formatted terribly, which made for a bad reading experience.
Some of it Was Real by Nan Fischer
Verdict: Not worth it.
Started out strong and then totally petered out. There was way more in this plot than the book could hold.
Too many coincidences but I can let it slide because this book is about a medium after all and it’s part of the ‘discourse’ the characters have.
The sex was so cringey. Maybe because it was from the man’s perspective? Maybe because it’s a journalist sleeping with a source? Maybe because it felt like it came out of nowhere?
Speaking of voices, this is a dual POV romance, which I think was the right choice for a doubter/believer narrative. However, the voices weren’t quite distinct enough for me. It wouldn’t take too long for me to switch over, but even a small pause for calibration is not good.
I wanted more subtlety. OF COURSE the journalist hates mediums because his mom has been duped by them. I just wonder is there another way to get this tension without having such a pointed backstory? Can it be a little more complicated?
The ending was also very dark and I came here for romance, not true crime.
CW for adoption trauma, death of a family member, death of a pet.
Return of the Duke by Lorraine Heath
Verdict: I liked it!
I liked Esme, she was confident and complex. Her love affair with Marcus is interesting, because she was *kind of* his father’s mistress. They fall for each other hard and fast despite that weirdness. I am glad they didn’t stew about getting together for too long.
The espionage plot was alright. It didn’t detract from the love story too much, but it was a bit odd and jarring to have Queen Victoria herself be a character. I know there’s not reason not to, it’s just an unwritten rule that the monarchy never actually appear in Historical Romance.
Overall nothing terribly amazing and yet the execution was pretty great. I gave it a whole extra star just for the great spicy scenes though.
Nobody’s Princess by Erica Ridley
Verdict: Pretty fun
Nuni is visiting England on a quest to prove she has what it takes to be a royal guard in her home kingdom. Graham is a Wynchester who falls head over heels, right away.
It gives into whimsy at times, and the action and adventure sometimes overwhelms the love story, which was a disappointment. But it had its moments of fun!
I appreciated the takes on workers’ rights, found family, and racism.
The Body Guard by Katherine Center
Verdict: Amazing!
Another Katherine Center novel that makes me cry! (And laugh, too.)
I wish this book was a bit longer; it’s barely 300 pages. I wish we got a few more scenes of Jack and Hannah. Even still, Center’s intentional, efficient prose packs a big punch. Everything in the story has a purpose and keeps the pace moving along at a clip.
Center is also a master a fake-out third-act conflict. You think you’re past the worst of it for the couple, but wait, there’s more!
This isn’t my favorite Center novel, but I still thought it was so effective and will widely recommend. There’s a lot of heart and it’s overall just a fun romance read.
No sex on page, CW for gun violence, car accident, and death of a parent.
The Second First Chance by Mona Shroff
Verdict: DNF at 20%
A few things made me put this down.
First, the action started too fast; the characters were fighting and there was hardly time to get invested in them yet. It was jarring.
Second, the writing was sophomoric and confusing at times, with a lot of adverbs and hyperbole. Just wasn’t my style.
The Proposition by Madeleine Roux
Verdict: Enjoyed it!
This historical romance almost qualifies as a full-on pride and prejudice retelling, if Darcy was ambitious and cunning and Elizabeth wanted to help him take down Wickham in a plot of utter takedown and revenge. I found this compelling and unique.
I loved the writing, the footnotes especially. At first I thought they were weird, but once I realized who was the voice of the narrator/footnotes, I was sold. They offered such funny commentary. This book really seeks to examine what would happen if a woman who grew up skeptical of marriage gets trapped into a marriage anyway.
The details of the plot are complex, so this would be great for readers who like “The Importance of Being Earnest” and “Mr. Malcom’s List.”
Bend Toward the Sun by Jen Devon
Verdict: Just OK
I couldn’t put this book down even though I was overall unsatisfied with it. This sweeping story is high angst with complex, deeply flawed characters who make mistakes right up until the end.
I honestly wasn’t even rooting for them by the end, even though I was invested in all the drama and self-destruction the characters were experiencing. And I definitely cried. The third act conflict was extremely long but I do need to give props for surprising me; it did not go the way I expected at all.
Harrison is an OBGYN and there were several comments/jokes about how that makes him uniquely qualified to be good at sex; and that was a hard NO for me!
CW: traumatic birth, death of a parent, sexual content, panic attacks
The Fossil Hunter by Tea Cooper
Verdict: Just OK
This wasn’t what I expected; there was much more intrigue, mystery, murder and even monster lore. I was entertained even though the pacing was slow. I enjoyed the tidbits about life in Australia in the 1800s, early fossil hunting, and World War I.
The details about the setting and every day life really kept me reading this. I wasn’t enamored by any of the characters; none stood out as particularly interesting.
I’d say this is great for readers of historical fiction who like darker stories and a bit of mystery.
Would You Rather by Allison Ashley
Verdict: DNF at 27%
I found this wholly unimaginative. I’ve seen this story before, and this wasn’t offering anything new or exciting. Marriage of convenience in contemporary romance are only plausible in a few very specific circumstance: needing healthcare.
So instead I spend all my reading time frustrated, once again, about the US’ lack of universal healthcare. Also, the characters are so worried people will find out that they married only for her to have insurance. But honestly, I think most rational people wouldn’t judge that harshly. Is it even really insurance fraud? I’m not an expert but these are the questions I find myself pondering while reading instead of enjoying two friends become lovers.
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
This was just OK for me. I’m worried Hazelwood’s “The Love Hypothesis” was a one-hit wonder.
The writing style is what we’ve come to expect from Hazelwood, a bit zany, frenetic, and intense. I was entertained and captivated the entire time, even though I spent plenty of time cringing in secondhand embarrassment and rolling my eyes at some of the theatrics.
Other Hazelwood hallmarks: she’s super tiny and he’s super big and he’s a genius who can do whatever he wants in his career field. you get the drift.
The climax is a bit unhinged; way too serious and dark than fit the tone of the rest of the book.
Also, the references to Anal Secretion needed to be cut in half. So annoying.
CW: gun violence, sexism, sexual harassments, sexual content, medical content.
Meg Loves Words 