Genre: Romance

Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone | Audiobook Review

Posted May 24, 2021 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 4 Comments

Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone
Series: Love Lines #1
Also in this series: Sweet Talk
Narrator: Luci Christian, Neil Hellegers
on October 20, 2020
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Length: 5 hours and 55 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible
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Paint your toes. Pick up the wrong coffee and bagel order. Drive from Brooklyn to Jersey in traffic so slow you want to tear your hair out. It’s amazing all the useless things I can accomplish while on hold for three hours with customer service. Three hours when I should be getting the Date-in-a-Box website ready to launch at the big business expo in a few days. Except my shiny new website is glitching, and my inner rage-monster is ready to scorch some earth… when he finally picks up. Not the robot voice I expected but a real live human named Kal. He’s surprisingly helpful and really knows his stuff, even if he’s a little awkward…in an adorable way.

And suddenly I’m flirting with him? And I think he’s flirting back.
And suddenly it’s been hours, and we’re still on the phone talking and ordering each other takeout while he troubleshoots my website.
And suddenly we’re exchanging numbers and sending texts and DMs every day, leaving voice mails (who even does that anymore?!).
And suddenly I’m wondering if it’s possible for two people to fall in love at first talk.

Because I’m falling… hard.

I have really, really fallen in love with audiobooks over the last few years, and have been having so much fun growing my list of ones I love (and narrators I love). Call Me Maybe is probably the most fun I’ve had listening to an audiobook ever. Luci Christian and Neil Hellegers did such an amazing job narrating this book! It’s optimized and written to be an audiobook, and there’s sound effects (cars, meowing cats, etc.) and great acting. It felt like I was listening to a romcom! It was so much fun, that I know I will be listening to it again soon.

I loved the customer service aspect of this. I used to work in a call center answering phones, just like Cal (although, my time was hellish and it goes really well for these two). He answers Vera’s panicked tech support call and spends literal hours (and then days) working with her to figure out why her website is totally broken. She runs a business called Date-In-A-Box and will be presenting the service to vendors at an expo soon, but she can’t do that if the site is broken. Cal is the most dedicated customer service rep I’ve ever heard of. The two of them stay on the phone for an entire day because she’s too scared to lose him (and end up talking to someone not as great when she calls back), so he’s on the line working and she’s driving around, getting stranded in a not-so-great part of town, reading, lounging at home, etc. Every once in a while, someone will say something and the conversation flows for a while. They get to know one another, share stories, and really bond over this stubborn website. The story is a mix of their phone conversations, texts, and then their individual inner thoughts and lives as things progress. I loved everything about the story, the characters, their flirtations back and forth, and even the misunderstandings (I usually hate those). I listened to this with great anticipation and a smile on my face. The romance is so swoony, and I was sad to reach the end.

Pick this one up if you’re looking for a fun romcom with great acting and a sweet love story! I can’t wait to read (or listen to) more from Cara Bastone!

Date Me Like You Mean It by R.S. Grey | Mini Audiobook Review

Posted May 20, 2021 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 3 Comments

Date Me Like You Mean It by R.S. Grey
Published by Self on November 5, 2020
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Pages: 305
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible
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I’m good at hiding my feelings.
Having to pretend I’m not in love with my best friend?
Pfft. That’s child’s play.

Here’s how I do it: I avert my eyes when he walks out of his room, shirtless in all his toned glory. I squash the butterflies that fill my stomach every time he slowly unfurls a dimpled smile. And, most importantly, I keep an arsenal of “personal massagers” in my bedside drawer. Wink.

Not to brag, but Aiden Smith isn’t hard to resist if you’ve been doing it for as long as I have. In fact, we might have continued as best friends forever if not for the fact that I needed him to play the part of my fake boyfriend.

Date me like you mean it, I told him. Nudge nudge. C’mon, just go along with a little lie, help a girl out, and then we can all return to life as we know it.

Except he veered from the plan.

He crossed the line.

Flirting with me when no one else was around? Pinning me down and kissing me like that? Okay, how exactly is taking off my bra part of the ruse, Aiden?!
I’d ask him about it if I could, but well…things got ugly and we’re not best friends anymore.

In fact, we’re the exact opposite.

Now, I have to play nice even though I want to crush his heart in the palm of my hand.

Pretending not to love Aiden was the easy part.
Pretending not to hate him?
Well…I might need a little more practice.

I love a good friends-to-lovers, fake dating romance! And I loved the last book I read by R.S. Grey, Hotshot Doc, so I was eager to get to Date Me Like You Mean It once I learned that it includes some of my favorite tropes in the romance world! I wasn’t disappointed at all!

Aiden and Maddie met at a wedding when their siblings married each other, and formed an instant friendship. They ended up becoming roommates, and Maddie had to suffer silently as she fell in love with him while an endless stream of women poured in and out of their apartment over the years. A situation arises where Maddie accidentally says Aiden is her boyfriend, and he’s a good sport and plays along until… is anyone even playing anymore?

This was a really, really sweet story. I loved Aiden and I really liked Maddie. Their friendship is special, and I love their banter. The romance is a very slow burn, and there’s so much miscommunication that I almost lost my mind. How can two best friends who know each other inside and out suck so much at communicating? There’s drama and unhappiness, but the swoon factor is off the charts and the ending is wonderful. I ended the book sad to say goodbye and completely satisfied with this adorable love story. I listened to Date Me Like You Mean It on audio, and it was a joy. I could not stop listening, and flew through the story. These narrators are fabulous, and I’m going to look out for other books they read (especially together).

All in all, Date Me Like You Mean It is another win for R.S. Grey! I’m quickly becoming a major fan of hers, and can’t wait to read more of her books!

Mr. Mayfair by Louise Bay | Audiobook Review

Posted May 13, 2021 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 4 Comments

Mr. Mayfair by Louise Bay
Series: The Mister Series #1
Narrator: Shane East, Saskia Maarleveld
Published by Self on October 1, 2019
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 296
Length: 8 hours and 19 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible
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It should be the most shocking news I’d ever gotten—My boyfriend is getting married.

Okay, technically he’s my ex-boyfriend. Two months ago he decided he wanted a break. I still thought he was my happily ever after.

On any other day, knowing he was gone for good would be the worst thing that could possibly happen.

But not today.

Because not only is my boyfriend getting married—his bride is my best friend.

And they’ve sent me an invitation.

There’s no way I’m going to attend. I don’t care if it’s in beautiful Scotland.

Nothing and no one could convince me.

Not even when a deliciously handsome stranger tells me he needs to go as my plus one.

Not even when he shoots me a wickedly, sexy smile.

But then he offers me the opportunity of a lifetime—a dream come true. How can I say no?

But I have one condition. He has to be my new boyfriend. I mean, my pretend new boyfriend.

I'm about to find out that faking it can be a whole lot of fun.

Mr. Mayfair is the first book I’ve ever read by Louise Bay, and I must admit that I was initially drawn to this one because it’s narrated by my beloved Shane East. I love finding new authors, but my loyalties lie with Mr. East, it would seem. Then I discovered that it’s a fake dating romance, which is my absolute favorite trope, and I was sold! Overall, this was a very fun story but… our heroine leaves much to be desired. As always, my main points are bolded.

1. The audio was enjoyable for the most part. Saskia was great! I have another narrator on my list of favorites now! I also love Shane East’s voice, but I really wish that he would read the female dialogue in his normal voice instead of raising it up an octave and using a wispy tone. It made me cringe, especially during the sexytime scenes.

2. Stella is probably the most pathetic and frustrating heroine I’ve ever read about. She’s a complete and total doormat, and that never changes. She sacrificed everything she wanted for her ex, Matt, and gave up every dream and opportunity she was given in order to cater to his every need and whim. For 7 years, she put up with his selfishness. And then when he gets engaged to her best friend while they are supposedly on a break and not actually broken up (Ross and Rachel, is that you?), she blames herself. She decides to attend the wedding even though these two most likely snuck around behind her back for a very long time. Cheating and betrayal by two of the most important people in her life, and she spends the time and the money to go watch them get married. She never stands up to them and never asks for an explanation. She goes and smiles to their faces and lets them be so unbelievably rude to her without protest. She has major trust issues, obviously, and spends most of the book cowering and running away. I was looking for a strong, powerful moment where she would tell them off and feel amazing after, but that never happens. If this book were not an audiobook read by two great narrators, I would have DNFed it because of Stella. I suppose I was also waiting for Stella to stand up for herself. I kept thinking she would!!

3. Beck is a dream and Stella does not deserve him. He’s sexy and has a great career. He’s so sweet and caring and thoughtful. He’s incredibly loyal and protective. I also enjoyed his back story, and learning more about why he so badly wants to attend this wedding that he strikes a deal with a complete stranger so he can be her plus one. He had a rough childhood and has been a player for his entire dating life, never getting attached to anyone, but the right girl (who is Stella grrr…) has him feeling deep things and thinking of settling down. His growth and evolution were so refreshing to read about.

4. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Stella and Beck. I couldn’t figure out why he fell for her so hard, so fast.

5. There are some great secondary characters in this story. Stella has a close friend (…whose name I can’t remember), who pushes her to stand up for herself and is so kind. Beck also has a group of close guys friends he gets together with for drinks. They’re all really funny and care a lot about Beck, and I love friend groups like that. Dex was my favorite of the bunch, and I’ve just discovered that the second book in this series is his love story! Exciting!

5. Scotland! The entire wedding week (yes, a week… wow) takes place in Scotland and there’s castles and fun activities the guests get to participate in. There’s also some downtime and Stella takes Beck shopping. I liked that scene.

6. The writing was great, but I could have done with fewer f-words.

All in all, this was fun! Stella drove me insane and made me want to give up a few times, but my love of Beck and my interest in his story kept me going. I’m glad I finished it! And I’m interested to see what’s in store for Dex!

Well Played by Jen DeLuca | Mini Book Review

Posted April 29, 2021 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 5 Comments

Well Played by Jen DeLuca
Series: Well Met #2
Also in this series: Well Met, Well Matched, Well Traveled
Published by Berkley on September 22, 2020
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Pages: 313
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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Stacey is jolted when her friends Simon and Emily get engaged. She knew she was putting her life on hold when she stayed in Willow Creek to care for her sick mother, but it's been years now, and even though Stacey loves spending her summers pouring drinks and flirting with patrons at the local Renaissance Faire, she wants more out of life. Stacey vows to have her life figured out by the time her friends get hitched at Faire next summer. Maybe she'll even find The One.

When Stacey imagined "The One," it never occurred to her that her summertime Faire fling, Dex MacLean, might fit the bill. While Dex is easy on the eyes onstage with his band The Dueling Kilts, Stacey has never felt an emotional connection with him. So when she receives a tender email from the typically monosyllabic hunk, she's not sure what to make of it.

Faire returns to Willow Creek, and Stacey comes face-to-face with the man with whom she’s exchanged hundreds of online messages over the past nine months. To Stacey's shock, it isn't Dex—she's been falling in love with a man she barely knows.

Another laugh-out-loud romantic comedy featuring kilted musicians, Renaissance Faire tavern wenches, and an unlikely love story.

Ahhhhh! I loved this! It’s even better than Well Met, and I loved that one too! This book gives us a romance that develops through text messaging and mistaken identities. Stacey believes she’s texting Dex, the man she’s had a crush on for quite some time. She’s completely delighted that this man who is… not too deep or easy to connect with is all of a sudden such a great conversationalist. The reader knows who Stacey is texting, but it takes her a while to figure it out on her own. And luckily it doesn’t take too too long, because I get bored with this trope and frustrated by the deception after a while. Jen DeLuca moved things along at the perfect pace for me. I’m glad that this relationship is given the chance to flourish and grown once the truth is out there, because if the reveal had happened at the end in a “You’ve Got Mail” style of, “Oh my goodness, it’s you. I wanted it to be you.” and then the book ended I would’ve thrown something!

I love the Ren Faire setting. I’ve always heard of these events, but never felt all that interested in attending one. This series makes me want to dress up and go pretend! Stacey is easy to relate to, and the romance is so, so sweet. The man she discovers she’s been texting is wonderful. So much better than Dex. I love Jen’s writing and her characters, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle | Book Review

Posted March 25, 2021 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 5 Comments

Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle
Published by GP Putnam's Sons on April 6, 2021
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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Can you find real love when you've always got your head in the clouds?

Maybell Parish has always been a dreamer and a hopeless romantic. But living in her own world has long been preferable to dealing with the disappointments of real life. So when Maybell inherits a charming house in the Smokies from her Great-Aunt Violet, she seizes the opportunity to make a fresh start.

Yet when she arrives, it seems her troubles have only just begun. Not only is the house falling apart around her, but she isn't the only inheritor: she has to share everything with Wesley Koehler, the groundskeeper who's as grouchy as he is gorgeous—and it turns out he has very different vision for the property's future.

Convincing the taciturn Wesley to stop avoiding her and compromise is a task more formidable than the other dying wishes Great-Aunt Violet left behind. But when Maybell uncovers something unexpectedly sweet beneath Wesley's scowls, and as the two slowly begin to let their guard down, they might learn that sometimes the smallest steps outside one's comfort zone can lead to the greatest rewards.

Ok. Everyone knows that I REALLY loved You Deserve Each Other. And everyone also knows the worry that comes with loving an author’s debut so much: will they be able to keep up that momentum? Will they end up being a one hit wonder? How can they possibly do it twice? Well. Sarah did it. Sarah wrote another hilarious, heartwarming, happy, swoony, super romantic, feel-good book that tackles deeper situations. Another amazing couple has jumped from her mind to my heart. I can’t pick which of her books I love more. I’m a fangirl. Take my money, Sarah. Just take it all. Give me all the books. I have put off writing this review as long as I possibly could because I have too many feelings! My head is in the clouds! What even is a book review? What are words? How do I do this again? As always, my main points are bolded.

1. Maybell is precious and anxious and visits a special cafe that exists only in her mind because it’s where she feels safe in stressful times. She’s so pure and sweet, and she has the biggest dreams. I loved her quirky personality so much. Her desire to take on the world made me smile so much.

2. Wesley is the grumpiest teddy bear and I want to cuddle up with him on the couch and watch a movie together. And it’s not even necessarily for romantic reasons (although. I’d love a romance with Wes, thank you), it’s because I see so much in him that reminds me of myself. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t elaborate on this but Wesley’s character will make so many people feel seen and understood in this world. Oh my goodness, he’s just. I can’t even explain him. He’s a sweet little cinnamon roll with so many layers and a story and is so sweet I can’t even handle it. He is definitely one of my favorite characters ever.

3. I loved the setting: a charming, fixer-upper mansion that Wesley and Maybell both inherited. There’s bickering on who gets their way on what becomes of this house, which is so fun. I love bickering. But the house and the surrounding grounds are perfect and so whimsical sounding. And magical.

4. There is mental health representation in this story and it is done SO WELL.

5. SO. Many. Feelings. I have so many and I don’t know what to do.

6. Sarah’s sense of humor is my sense of humor’s soulmate. And her writing is a balm for the soul.

7. Maybell and Wesley are so good for each other. The romance just made my heart soar. The way they see each other and speak to one another and help accommodate each other’s needs was perfect. I love them so much together that I don’t want to steal Wesley for myself. And that’s saying something. We can just be friends, Wesley. Best friends.

8. Loch Ness. Nessie. One of my favorite subjects ever. Sarah clearly wrote me my own book. Thank you, Sarah. I guess we can let others read it as well.

So… this review proves that I can clearly come up with words when I don’t have any. But… what do all these words mean? I know I’m being vague about so much, but it’s because you need to read it to fully appreciate anything else I could possibly say! Bottom line, read this. This is just the book we need right now while the world is on fire. Allow yourself to escape to the Smoky Mountains and float around in the pure sweetness of this story and the lives of these two characters. I’ll just be over here basking in the sunlight of it all and eagerly waiting for Sarah’s next book.