From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata

 

"Love to me was honesty. Being real. Knowing someone's best and worst. Love was a push that said someone believed in you when you didn't."

Release Date: February 1st, 2018

Genre: Contemporary romance, sports romance, fiction

Rating:

Summary:

If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one.

After seventeen years - and countless broken bones and broken promises - she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close.

But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she's spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything.

Including Ivan Lukov. 

Review:

I definitely missed the From Lukov with Love train - but better late than never, as they say!

I absolutely adored this book! 5 out of 5 bunnies, easily! This is my second sports romance novel, and I am 110% HERE. FOR. IT. Specifically because it is an ice-skating sports romance. I have lazily loved figure skating since I checked out a book at my school library as a kid that was about Michelle Kwan. What a queen. So then to read Icebreaker first then From Lukov with Love, it really allowed me to get into the brain of a figure skater.

I am normally a proud member of the friends-to-lovers trope club BUT the rivals-to-lovers in this book had me SWOONING. This was such a slow burn, but it was completely worth it and made the most sense. Jasmine and Ivan had despised each other for years. It was going to take a lot of name calling, blood, sweat and tears to get these two to see eye-to-eye but it was worth the wait! The love for each other didn't happen overnight: it was gradual, painstakingly slow, and then one day, BOOM! Struck by lightning and there was no turning back.

Jasmine is ABSOLUTELY NESTA CODED. Come to think of it, Jasmine and Ivan are ABSOLUTELY NESTA AND CASSIAN CODED. There, I said it. I absolutely can see so many parallels between the characters and I'm a sucker for it. Jasmine was such a multi-dimensional, complex character. I loved her strength, tenacity, and passion. I hope to achieve all my goals in life while conjuring the determination of Jasmine Santos. Side note, Ivan with all of his rescue animals, SO PRECIOUS. Always get you a man who loves animals, green flags all around.

I am normally not a fan of epilogues, they tend to ruin things for me in the long-run...but this one was perfect and adorable. No complaints at all.

This was such an amazing read. Once again, better late than never. Pick up this stunning sports romance novel! You can thank me later!

Hugs & kisses! 

Quotes:

"You are who you are in life, and you either live that time trying to bend yourself to make other people happy, or...you don't."

"But my mom had told me once that regret was worse than fear."

"I could have been the bigger person, but fuck it, I was five foot three and I wasn't built to be that person ever."

"Nothing and nobody would ever come between my dreams and me."

"When you want something bad enough, you can always make it happen."

"Love to me was honesty. Being real. Knowing someone's best and worst. Love was a push that said someone believed in you when you didn't."

"You're enough. You will always be enough. Hear me?"

"That's the girl I know. The one I partnered up with. The one I think is the best - and you better not ever ask me to repeat that because I won't."

"I believe in you. In us. Regardless of what happens, you will always be the best partner I've ever had. You'll always be the hardest working person I've ever known. There will only ever be you."

'Because I'm okay with you having ten other people be your favorite. But you're always going to be my favorite person," he finished. "Always. No matter what."

"This was my partner. This was more than my partner. He was my other half." 

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borrison

"I don't believe in fate, or kismet, or any rule or reason to the universe and all its random, wonderful, terrible happenings. But I do believe I found Luka when I needed him the most, and I like to think my mom played a part in that. It's a comfort." 

Release Date: November 10, 2021 

Genre: Contemporary romance, Christmas romance, fiction 

Rating: 

Summary:

A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland on Stella Bloom's dreams.

In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she's loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with the Instagram-famous influencer, Evenlyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There's just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only...there is no boyfriend.

Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he's ever received. 

Review:

I'm a bit overdue on this review for a Christmas romance novel, so while I know everyone has moved on from peppermint mochas and Christmas music, just bear with me! 

This is the third Christmas romance book I've ever read in my existence. This is very exciting! I love reading themed books that match a holiday or season. It really gets me in the spirit. This book was SUCH a warm, comforting hug. This is 100% a comfort read for the holiday season. 

B.K. Borrison does a phenomenal job with the descriptions to really make you envision this magical small town and Christmas tree farm. I absolutely adored the small town vibes. I also discovered there are three other spin-off books based off of the characters in Lovelight Farms! I absolutely cannot wait to read those books as well! I really enjoyed all the characters in this book and I cannot wait to go on more adventures with them! 

If you know me, you are pretty familiar with my dislike for the fake dating trope. The miscommunication, the deceit, and third-act breakups. It is always the same and always predictable. NOW THIS BOOK RIGHT HERE. This book did it for me. It knew exactly how to win me over. It was so well done. I didn't find myself cringing or dreading any parts of the fake dating. It helped immensley that Luka and Stella are already such amazing friends prior to the fake dating scheme. Now, this continues my lifelong struggle of choosing which I love more...friends-to-lovers vs enemies-to-lovers? Because this is is such a fantastic book filled with the friends-to-lovers trope. Luka and Stella are so perfect for each other, absolutely fated. I loved reading about their connection, chemistry, and how well they've integrated into each others lives. 

I think this is truly such a cozy, feel-good romance that you could read it even when it's not Christmas BUT it does make it more magical when you're reading this with a cup of hot cocoa, a warm blanket, sitting by your lit Christmas tree like I did. Definitely recommend picking this up to be your FIRST read for the 2024 Christmas season! 

Quotes:

"The magic is in the details, my mom always used to say. And these details are perfect."

"I don't believe in date, or kismet, or any rule or reason to the universe and all its random, wonderful, terrible happenings. But I do believe I found Luka when I needed him the most, and I like to think my mom played a part in that. It's a comfort."

"Luka filled the empty places in my life slowly, carefully, with his easy smile and stupid jokes. He brought me back to myself."

"This feels like an oversimplification of a complicated addition to an irreplaceable relationship. I've watched enough romantic comedies to know that this is probably going to end badly for one of us, and my money is on me." 

"There's a special kind of magic on nights like this, a certain sort of nostalgia when the past intermingles with the present and flirts with the future."

"And isn't it silly, to love the way someone's things look like next to yours? Little bits and pieces of a life lived in parallel."

"Leaning on other people doesn't make your achievements any less yours, La La. You can trust me to help you carry the load. You don't have to do all of this alone. I know you can take care of yourself. You've been doing that as long as I've known you. But let me hold your hand while you do it, okay?"

"It's hard to love someone without restraint. To give yourself over to the swell and pull of it without fear of what might happen. I think it's only natural to hold a part of yourself back and protect what you can."

"I'm going to love her in all the quiet ways, the slow ways, the loud and obnoxious ways. My heart has been moving steadily in that direction since she fell down the steps of a hardware store, right into my arms."

 

The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese

 

"To be brave and lay down their defenses. That's when they see each other clearly. And they fall madly in love."

Release Date: December 1, 2021

Genre: Contemporary romance, Christmas romance, fiction

Rating:

Summary:

He loathes the holidays. She loves them. She's full of festive cheer. He's brimming with Bah, Humbugs. Besides unreasonably seasonable names, the only thing Jonathan Frost and Gabriella Di Natale have in common is a healthy dose of mutual contempt. Well, that and the same place of employment at the city's most beloved independent bookstore, Bailey's Bookshop. But when the store's owners confess its dire financial state, Jonathan and Gabby discover another unfortunate commonality: the imminent threat of unemployment.

With the Baileys' requests to minimize the expenses, win new customers, and make record sales dancing in their heads, Jonathan and Gabby conclude - barring a financial Christmas miracle - one of them will soon be cut from the payroll. Neither are willing to step down from their position, so they strike a bargain: whoever has more sales in December gets to stay on in the new year; loser will resign. With a lifetime's worth of festive tricks up her sleeve, Gabby should easily outsell her nemesis, except the unreadable Mr. Frost's every move seems purely designed to throw her off her game.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Gabby's deceptive ex won't quit pursuing her, and her anonymous online friend suggests they take a break. Worst of all, as the pressure mounts to save the bookshop and her job, Gabby meets a new, tender side of Jonathan. Is this the same man she's called her cold-hearted enemy?

Maybe he's got a motive she just can't figure out - or maybe Jonathan Frost isn't as chilly as she once thought. Maybe Jonathan and Gabby already know - and love - each other in ways they never thought possible. 

Review:

✅ Autistic representation 

✅ LGBTQIA+ representation

✅ Holiday romance

✅ Grumpy x sunshine

✅ Enemies to lovers

✅ Forced proximity

✅ Workplace romance 

This book started off my holiday romances for December. It was a super cute and quick read! The festive elements throughout the book were an absolute gift. The author paired a different holiday song with each chapter. I *ABSOLUTELY ADORE* when there is a playlist for a book. It is similar to the score for a movie; it really sets the tone for what you're reading to allow better connection and absorption. 

There were many references and conversations in relation to Pride & Prejudice which I absolutely loved. I am always a sucker for a book with Pride & Prejudice parallels or if the book/move is referenced. I also love that the setting of this book was in a bookstore. ALWAYS a sucker for a book with a backdrop of a bookstore or library. I love reading about book lover such as myself. Instant bonding and connection. 

There was quite a hefty dose of spice at the end of the book. While this was a very cute, wholesome story but there was also that perfect addition of sexiness toward the end. Well-deserved after the slow burn. "It's like a reward."

I really loved all the characters, their quirks, and their interactions with each other. I appreciated the LGBTQIA+ and autism representation. I felt that most of the book was very slow to develop then the ending happened in 10x speed. It all moved so quickly. I do think the pacing could have been better but overall think this was a good book! 

Quotes:

"Here's the thing about reading romance: it's taught me an appreciation for a good grovel, but it's also taught me to recognize a toxic character when I see one."

"To be brave and lay down their defenses. That's when they see each other clearly. And they fall madly in love."

"Just because you're loving them differently than they love doesn't make it any less loving. My mom says there are countless kinds of love, and love enough for everyone. That love is an infinite resource whose expressions are just as innumerable."

"Two people, who couldn't have hated each other more at the outset while battling inconvenient desire, ultimately choose humility and forgiveness."

"That ends up really working for them. It's the heartbeat of their connection, being drawn to each other's differences, stretching themselves to narrow that distance between each other without losing themselves. They...grow. Together. And more deeply into their true selves."

"Your capacity for joy," he says quietly. "It's...humbling."

"No, Gabriella. I don't think it's silly or odd or strange or juvenile to hold on with both hands to the best parts of who we are when we're young and not let life take that from you. I think it's brave and badass and infuriatingly impossible not to admire you for it."

"I know I don't get it, in the sense that I don't have diabetes, but...maybe I understand it a little, living with something persistent and beyond your control. You can't take it off or walk away from it or lay it down for awhile. And even when you've become accustomed to its reality, when it's not really bad or good, it just...is, sometimes it's hard when you're with others. When you feel that sense of difference and distance from them as you deal with the part of yourself that they don't understand, that you have to think about in social situations and in your daily life in ways they don't."

Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino

 

"It's not just the fluency, but the confidence. I know who I am. I don't need to be more hearing or prove my deafness. I can bring both worlds together. Just being myself, I'm complete."

Release Date: July 11, 2023

Genre: YA

Rating:

Summary:

Lilah is stuck in the middle. 

At least, that's what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes-when you don't feel "deaf enough" to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to meet the world's expectations. But this summer, Lilah is ready for a change.

When Lilah becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind, her plan is to brush up on her ASL. Once there, she also finds a community. There are cute British lifeguards who break hearts but not rules, a YouTuber who's just a bit desperate for clout, the campers Lilah's responsible for (and overwhelmed by)-and then there's Isaac, the dreamy Deaf counselor who volunteers to help Lilah with her signing. 

Romance was never on the agenda, and Lilah's not positive Isaac likes her that way. But all signs seem to point to love. Unless she's reading them wrong? One thing's for sure: Lilah wanted change, and things here are certainly different than what she's used to.

In her sweet and swoony debut, Anna Sortino delivers a poignant coming-of-age story and a revelatory exploration of Deaf culture, its vastness, and its beautiful complexities. 

Review:

This utterly adorable YA novel incorporates deaf and blind representation that is paired perfectly with a sweet coming-of-age story and it is a completely welcomed breath of fresh air. 

Anna Sortino does an impeccable job incorporating the diversity of the deaf/HOH community while also weaving a heartwarming tale about finding your community and falling in love at summer camp. 

 I have been looking to read books with more representation and I think this does a fantastic job. I highly recommend! 

This was also my first time annotating a book before. I don't think I will be showcasing any of annotations anytime soon...I am a bit shy while I am trying to navigate this new element of reading. I thoroughly enjoyed annotating this book though. I felt a deeper connection to the story and the characters. I definitely cannot wait to continue annotating books as I read but also interested in re-reading some of my favorites to annotate! 

Quotes:

"There's so much energy, emotion, and personality that goes into ASL, and it clearly translates to their approach to this job. The way they move around, eager to take up space. It's not just vocabulary and grammar that I need to learn, but also how to set my expressions and movements free."

"This is how I want to embrace my disability and the access I need. It's not hearing loss, it's Deaf gain."

"It's not just the fluency, but the confidence. I know who I am. I don't need to be more hearing or prove my deafness. I can bring both worlds together. Just being myself, I'm complete."

"There's still plenty of summer left," he says. "And a whole life ahead of you. You can keep finding yourself again and again. The important part of all of that is just being true to what your heart tells you."

I'm in Love with Mothman by Paige Lavoie

 

"If I am your Moth, you are my flame." Then, in a voice as dark as the night sky, he says, "I couldn't stay away even if I wished it."

Release Date: December 2022

Genre: Fantasy fiction, paranormal fantasy, paranormal romance, contemporary romance

Rating:

Summary:

22-year-old Heather is suffering from an epic case of burnout.

So, just like any other young influencer, she abandons all of her social platforms, gathers up her best flowy dresses, and moves to a desolate cabin.

Heather imagines spending her #unplugged days traipsing through the woods and tending to her garden. However, her cottagecore fantasy is turned upside down when a wounded cryptid crashes into her roof - and her heart.

With no help from her internet followers, and the local monster-hunter growing suspicious, Heather's quiet life in the wilderness has suddenly become a little more complicated. To make matters worse, she thinks she might be falling in love with the brooding winged man in her living room. 

Review:

A delightfully peculiar romance. I feel that is one of the best ways I can describe this book.

This book was a gift from my sister, Madi. I sent her on a mission to the bookstore to surprise me with a pick to read! She definitely blew ANY expectations I had right out of the water. I was so shocked when she gave this time. I asked for a surprise and she definitely delivered. I have never read any book like this before: a cryptid romance. I figured it was a great theme for October and I'd give it a shot! Side note: I do truly adore when people buy books for me to read and they are completely under my radar and surprise me. It warms my whole heart! 

I genuinely thought I would be able to breeze through this book fairly quicky but I will say, it took me the whole month to get through. I just didn't find myself reaching for this book, excited to read it. I'll be honest, sometimes it felt like a chore. I feel like this book wildly exceeding my expectations while simultaneously missed the mark on all my expectations at the same time. If that is even possible? 

I absolutely loved the cozy, cottage core vibes this book gives. I, too, would like to disconnect like Heather and spend some time in the cottage tending to my garden and baking pastries. I also think I would be like Heather and struggle immensely because my dreams are way more picture perfect than reality more often than not. I loved that Heather was this extremely feminine, romantic character. I also absolutely loved the LGBTQIA+ representation in this book AND chronic illness representation. It was unexpected and I appreciated that! 

This was a really wholesome romance. Don't get me wrong: there was a substantial amount of cryptid smut. This is not a book for the faint of heart. BUT the love between Heather and Moth felt so genuine and it was really sweet to experience their love blossom. It felt like two people who had been lost for so long who finally found each other. 

All respect to everyone who loves these kinds of novels. It was just extremely hard for me to forget that he was a moth...a moth man. There is also a second book coming out where they get engaged. I will not be continuing my journey with Heather and Moth but I wish them all the best. 

Quotes: 

"Put some gratitude in your attitude!"

"Be good to these woods, and I'm sure you'll be very happy here."

"It's hard to get into the groove with cleaning if I don't have the right playlist."

"I hold tight to the vintage copy of Pride and Prejudice tucked under my arm. I can - and I will - have my cute tree-climbing-moment if it kills me."

"At the top of the tree, with the hem of my dress blowing in the breeze, I feel like a rebellious Victorian lady who refuses to bend to society's norms."

"You are my forest witch."

"You -" Before I can process the tenderness of his voice, his hand cups my face just under the chin. "-are a wildflower; vibrant and unpredictable; wherever you choose to settle, roots will follow."

"If I am your Moth, you are my flame." Then, in a voice as dark as the night sky, he says, "I couldn't stay away even if I wished it."

"My love, flame, and flower - everything he calls me makes me feel precious and wanted."

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

 

"But that is how a tragedy like ours or King Lear breaks your heart - by making you believe that the ending might still be happy, until the very last minute."

Release Date: April 11, 2017

Genre: Thriller, mystery, literary fiction

Rating:

Summary:

ENTER THE PLAYERS. There were seven of us then, seven bright young things with wide precious futures ahead of us. Until that year, we saw no farther than the books in front of our faces.

On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. Detective Colborne wants to know the truth, and after ten years, Oliver is finally ready to tell it.

A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory; a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. In this secluded world of firelight and leather-bound books, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingenue, extra. 

But in their fourth and final year, good-natured rivalries turn ugly, and on opening night real violence invades the students' world of make-believe. In the morning, the fourth-years find themselves facing their very own tragedy, and their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, each other, and themselves that they are innocent.

Review:

This book is sublime for a moody, dark academia, autumnal read. I highly recommend dim-lighting (candlelight would be even better), rainy ambience, and a warm beverage to really offer the most immaculate vibes.

This book was absolutely riveting and impossible to put down. The dual timeline was exceptional. I love the duality between his past and his present as well as how they intersect. The concept was so unique and the writing was fantastic. I love the way M.L. Rio pieced together this book, set up similarly to a Shakespearean drama. The book is split into five acts and there are scenes within the acts. There are Shakespeare references and quotes throughout the book. I have a very base level, minimal knowledge of Shakespeare and theater but found this very easy to read. Do not think you need to be a devout thespian or Shakespearean to enjoy this.

I personally didn't connect with any of the characters and, shockingly, I was content with that. When I am reading a book, I try to connect with a character and find parallels between our personalities or shared experiences. However, while reading If We Were Villains, I truly read this story as if I was watching a play in the comfort of my cushioned seat in a theater.  I was safely detached from the characters and their self-destruction but completely in awe of the raw emotion. Without any spoilers, the ending completely wrecked me but then sprinkled potentially a dash of hope. 

This book was everything I expected but also, nothing I had anticipated all at the same time.

A moment of perfection: when I closed this book after reading the final words, I was left in a moment of contemplative silence and deep reverence. THAT is an extraordinary book for me. A book to render me speechless but completely thoughtful. 

Quotes:

"When we first walked through those doors, we did so without knowing that we were now part of some strange fanatic religion where anything could be excused so long as it was offered to the altar of the Muses. Ritual madness, ecstasy, human sacrifice."

"For someone who loved words as much as I did, it was amazing how often they failed me."

"You can justify anything if you do it poetically enough."

"But that is how a tragedy like ours or King Lear breaks your heart - by making you believe that the ending might still be happy, until the very last minute."

"How tremendous the agony of unmade decisions."

"Through the thorns, to the stars."

"Actors are by nature volatile - alchemic creatures composed of incendiary elements, emotion and ego and envy. Heat them up, stir them together, and sometimes you get gold. Sometimes disaster."

"The thing about Shakespeare is, he's so eloquent...he speaks the unspeakable. He turns grief and triumph and rapture and rage into words, into something we can understand. He renders the whole mystery of humanity comprehensible."

"The future is wide and wild and full of promise, but it is precarious, too. Seize on every opportunity that comes your way and cling to it, lest it be washed back out to sea."

"Hatred is the sincerest form of flattery."

"Nothing unites men like a common enemy."

"I don't know, it's like I look at you and suddenly the sonnets make sense. The good ones, anyway."

"When did we become such terrible people?" "Maybe we've always been terrible."

"How could we explain that standing on a stage and speaking someone else's words as if they are your own is less an act of bravery than a desperate lunge at mutual understanding?"

"Make art, make mistakes, and have no regrets."

"You can't quantify humanity. You can't measure it - not the way you mean to. People are passionate and flawed and fallible. They make mistakes. Their memories fade. Their eyes deceive them."

"The water, too, was still and I thought, what liars they are, the sky and the water. Still and calm and clear, like everything was fine. It wasn't fine, and really, it never would be again."

The Nanny by Lana Ferguson

 

"You can have good things, but you have to let yourself have them."

Release Date: April 11, 2023

Genre: Fiction, contemporary romance

Rating: 

Summary:

Suddenly unemployed and on the brink of eviction, Cassie Evans is left with two choices: get a new job (and fast) or fire up her long-untouched OnlyFans account. But the job market is terrible, and as for OnlyFans...Well, there are reasons she can't go back. Just when all hope seems lost, an ad for a live-in nanny position appears to be the solution to all her problems. It's almost too perfect - until she meets her would-be employer.

Aiden Reid, executive chef and DILF extraordinaire, is far from the stuffy single dad Cassie was imagining. He shocks her when he tells her she's the most qualified applicant he's met in weeks and practically begs her to take the job. The idea of living under the same roof as Aiden-with his hands that make her hind-brain howl and eyes that scream sex-feels dangerous, but with no other option, she decides to stay with him and his adorably tenacious daughter, Sophie.

Cassie soon discovers that Aiden is not a stranger at all but instead someone who is very familiar with her-or at least her body. Given that he doesn't remember her, Cassie is faced with an impossible situation. As their relationship heats to temperatures hotter than those reached in any kitchen Aiden has ever worked in, Cassie struggles with telling Aiden the truth, and the more terrifying possibility-losing the best chance at happiness she's ever had.  

Review:

If you have been looking to add a super sexy book to your TBR, look no further. The Nanny ABSOLUTELY delivers. 

✔️ Forced proximity

✔️ Found family

✔️ Workplace romance

✔️   Zaddy single daddy

                                                      ✔️    Spicy 🌶️

I absolutely loved the modern elements to this book, referencing Taylor Swift albums, OnlyFans, Shrek, etc. I do think that the OnlyFans aspect could have been utilized more. 

The connection between Aiden and Cassie is INSTANTANEOUS and HOT. Muy caliente! 🔥While Cassie and Aiden did have instant chemistry, I would have loved to spend more time really developing their connection OUTSIDE of the sexual tension. 

The two best characters in the entire book: Wanda and Sophie. They are hilarious side characters! Together? They are even better! (This is also saying a lot because I normally do not enjoy children but I loved Sophie's personality and mannerisms). 

There are lots of serious, mature elements that are expertly mixed in with the light-hearted nature of this book. I think it is a great "filler" book because it is a super easy read. Definitely recommend! 

Quotes:

"You can have good things, but you have to let yourself have them."

"The dream is  coming home to someone who loves  you every day."

"I'm trying to pull myself out of my gloomy mood by blasting Taylor Swift's entire discography on the drive to the restaurant, but even my Spotify seems to be against me today, playing entirely too much evermore and not nearly enough Red. It's like the universe wants me to cry today."

"You've never seen Shrek?" "No." "Sophie. It's a cultural phenomenon. An epic love story. A comic masterpiece. I can't in good conscience allow you to continue through life without having seen it."