Source: Publisher (Netgalley)

A Court This Cruel & Lovely by Stacia Stark | Book Review

Posted February 13, 2025 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 0 Comments

A Court This Cruel & Lovely by Stacia Stark
Series: Kingdom of Lies #1
Narrator: Tim Paige, Meg Sylvan
Published by Dreamscape Media on October 24, 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy
Pages: 562
Format: Audiobook ARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon • Buy on Audible

For years, when I fell asleep, I dreamed of a man with blazing green eyes and a cruel smile.

The day I meet him, the ruthless mercenary leaves me for dead.

Just hours after humans are born, the gods take what little power we have. In return, they protect our borders from the vicious, merciless fae.

The humans who manage to keep their power are known as the corrupt.
And they are burned.

When my forbidden power is discovered, I’m forced to flee my tiny village and the life I adore.

To survive, I make a desperate bargain with the mercenary who abandoned me at my weakest.

Our deal is simple: I’ll help him and his mysterious friends sneak into the city. And he’ll help me learn to wield the strange, dark power I’ve always kept hidden. The power that may just be the key to my survival.

But the ruthless mercenary is hiding secrets of his own. Secrets that threaten the safety of everyone I love. Secrets that could tear this kingdom—and perhaps even this world—apart.

Please note: A Court This Cruel and Lovely is an NA/adult romantasy book with steam. While this series is slow burn, the chili pepper rating will increase for each book.

Last year I was needing something to quench my thirst for a Fourth Wing kind of story while waiting (a long time) for Onyx Storm to come out, so I explored many romantasy books looking for that feeling of being completely entranced by a book and unable to think about anything else. I also love ACOTAR, and I’d read that this gave off similar vibes so I gave it a go. Long story short, this is no ACOTAR. And can I sidebar for a second and talk about how much I hate how many books have given in to the “a court of whatever and whatever” trend? I feel like it tricks readers into thinking they’ve found THE book everyone is talking about. “What’s that ‘a court of…’ book my friend likes so much? Oh, it’s this one!” And then it’s not. lol. Similar title… also about fae… you get the picture. Anyway, I listened to this one because I love dual narration. I was crocheting, the narrators did a great job, and it was a thing to listen to that helped distract me during a hard thing I was going through personally. But it left many things to be desired, and I’m struggling to articulate my feelings in a way that makes sense. This is also one of my more negative reviews and the guilt is setting in a bit as I re-read this before scheduling it to go live soon. I hate writing negative reviews, but I feel obligated to do so since I received this for review from the publisher. So here are my honest thoughts.

To sum it up, this book didn’t feel unique to me. You’ve got the over-used tropes like fae versus human, enemies to lovers, found family, a feisty heroine who doesn’t know she’s magic, etc. These story elements cannot stand on their own existence, though. I feel like they were just there because that’s what people look for. I can tell that this book set out to check off a lot of boxes to please readers, but there was no strong framework, no intricate worldbuilding, and no details given that immersed me in the story. I can’t tell you what anyone looked like, what the world looked like, or anyone’s backstory or defining characteristics. The cookie cutter main characters were unremarkable and flat. The secondary characters were background props. I couldn’t help but feel like the desire to write a unique cast of memorable characters and a rich world… wasn’t there. It seemed more like the goal was to give me enough to remind me of characters I loved from another book and then fill in the blanks on my own with their traits and their personalities. I felt like I was supposed to patch the plot holes and supplement the information I was given with information from someone else’s fully developed world. That’s just, for lack of a softer word, lazy writing.

The spicy moments were uncomfortable for me, and the romance didn’t feel believable and all-consuming. The pacing was off, with a lot happening all at once and then nothing happening at all. The story really dragged in places, and the same things kept happening. There was a lot of telling and very little showing. The more I think about this book, the more confused I am as to why I finished it. I tend to abandon books when I’m feeling like this, especially when they’re this long. I was clearly engrossed in my crocheting and needed a distraction during a difficult time when I didn’t have the brain power to absorb something deeper. I was able to drift in and out and not miss anything, and I think that’s a big part of why I finished it. I also liked the soothing voices of the narrators. It was very easy to keep listening to it, and sometimes that’s what you need in a book. I wanted to love this so, so much, but I will unfortunately not be continuing with the series.

Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise | Book Review

Posted January 30, 2025 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 0 Comments

Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise
Series: Secret Society of Governess Spies #2
Also in this series: Never Blow a Kiss
Published by Forever on February 4, 2025
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
Add to Goodreads

To find her missing sister, an unconventional governess must infiltrate an infamous gambling den owned by a devilishly handsome rake.

Frankie Turner should be the perfect she’s genteelly born, impoverished, and owns a pair of ugly oversized spectacles. Now if only she didn’t have an alarming tendency to forget her charges while contemplating mathematics principles...

When Frankie’s impulsive younger sister goes missing, Frankie has no idea where to begin the search to find her. But when she discovers hasty marriages materializing between “troublemaking” women and men who don’t deserve them—she knows her sister is somehow involved. The only thread connecting the groomsmen is a membership to Rockford’s, an exclusive gambling hell owned by the devilish Jasper Jones. And it just so happens that Jasper has recently become the guardian of a sullen fifteen-year-old.

Jasper suspects his new governess has an ulterior motive for being in his household, but he can hardly find the time to uncover it when his life is in a constant uproar. First, Frankie teaches his niece how to count cards and then she tries to break into his study. When he finally learns Frankie’s true reason for being there, he agrees to help the brilliant mathematician find her missing sister, even if it means giving her a fake dowry and watching men trip over themselves in her presence. As he and Frankie work together to dismantle a nefarious scheme, Jasper realizes that for the first time in his life, he’s gambled his heart—and possibly lost it.

I loved the first book in this series, Never Blow a Kiss, so much that I’ve been eagerly waiting for this next book for over a year! I thought it would be the perfect book to start off my 2025 reading, and I really enjoyed it! The best part about this series is the mysteries that surround these governess spies. Each book features a different governess, who is under the direction of a mysterious and very connected woman referred to only as “The Dove”. These women go undercover as governesses in the homes of the members of the ton to solve crimes. They correspond with The Dove during their entire stay in these homes and eventually gain enough information so she can anonymously turn over dossiers to the police that help them close their cases. These women are strong and resourceful, and they push the boundaries of society. I always come away feeling proud and empowered. And, of course, each woman finds love while undercover. What a fun and unique concept for a historical romance series! I love historical romance and mystery, but my favorite is when they’re combined.

This book is about Frankie. She’s an odd spinster with a brain for mathematics, and her sister has gone missing. When The Dove approaches her and offers her the opportunity to help bring down a ring of men called the Dowry Thieves, Frankie strikes up a deal and requests that The Dove find her missing sister in exchange for her help. These Dowry Thieves orchestrate compromising situations that entrap women into marriage so they can gain control of their dowries, and Frankie knows her sister is somehow involved. Frankie is placed in the home of Jasper Jones, proprietor of the most lavish gambling hell in London: Rockford’s. The thieves have all been traced back to Rockford’s, and it’s Frankie’s job to figure out if he’s involved and what’s actually going on. Jasper just inherited the most hilarious and precocious 15-year-old niece and is desperately in need of help, so it works out perfectly. Frankie infiltrates his home and his heart, and I loved reading about her adventures.

Frankie is such a fun character. She was unable to find a match after being out for four Seasons, and has decided she doesn’t need a man anyway. She’s a brilliant mathematician, but is significantly undereducated in the ways of society. She’s awkward, brutally honest, and liberated. You can’t tell her what to do or silence her. She’s got very strong opinions, is extremely intelligent, and charmingly witty and flirtatious without realizing it. I just loved her. Jasper is a former fishmonger who worked his way to the top rather than being placed there at birth. He’s got a conscience and a strong moral fabric. He values women for their minds and sees them as equal to himself!! Be still my heart. He’s had a rough life and feels unlovable. Frankie feels the same way about herself. And rather than finding love in each other first, it’s Cecelia, the 15-year-old girl, who makes the both of them realize they are capable of loving and being loved in return. Cecelia is very observant and whip-smart. She pushes the both of them to follow their hearts, and she is the absolute sweetest. She says some of the most jaw-droppingly outrageous (for the time) things, and I smiled at her strength each time. I fell in love with her as quickly as Jasper and Frankie did. I love this found family, and was so pleasantly surprised by how sweet and tender their relationships are with each other. The romance is also very swoony and the spice had me fanning my face at times. I really loved some of the things Jasper says to Frankie, although I did feel the dialogue got pretty cheesy and had me rolling my eyes a time or two.

The mystery was exciting and intriguing. I never try too hard to suss out the resolution to a mystery like this because I enjoy the journey and I love to be surprised. I did figure this one out a page or two before the reveal, but I didn’t mind! It was all so much fun. I love The Dove, and cannot wait until the day the author tells us who she is. At the same time, I don’t want to find out because that will most likely end the series. I’d love to know more about her and her connections and how she came to be in this line of work. Give us a prequel for The Dove, please!! Just like the first book, this book ends with an epilogue that introduces the next governess. It’s like a mini cliffhanger to get you excited for the next one. And it has worked both times, because I am SO excited about the next book now! I highly recommend this book and the first one (although, this one can stand alone if you don’t mind some cameos from the characters in the previous book) if you’re looking for historical romance with some intrigue and a story driven by more than just romance! It’s still incredibly romantic, but there’s murder too! The perfect combination!

Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson | Book Review

Posted January 23, 2025 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 8 Comments

Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson
Narrator: Flint Park, Samantha Summers
Published by Berkley on December 3, 2024
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Comedy
Pages: 416
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon • Buy on Audible

A woman discovers that not all monsters are her enemy—the opposite, in fact—in this new paranormal romance by Lana Ferguson, author of The Fake Mate.

Keyanna “Key” MacKay is used to secrets. Raised by a single father who never divulged his past, it’s only after his death that she finds herself thrust into the world he’d always refused to speak of. With just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father’s life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, Key has no idea what she’ll find in Scotland. But repeating her father’s mistakes and being rescued by a gorgeous, angry Scotsman—who thinks she’s an idiot—is definitely the last thing she expects.

Lachlan Greer has his own secrets to keep, especially from the bonnie lass he pulls to safety from the slippery shore—a lass with captivating eyes and the last name he’s been taught not to trust. He’s looking for answers as well, and Key’s presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. It’s even more troublesome when he gets a front row seat to the lukewarm welcome Key receives from her family; the strange powers she begins to develop; and the fierce determination she brings to every obstacle in her path. Things he shouldn’t care about, and someone he definitely doesn’t find wildly attractive.

When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after—and that she might also be the key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they’ll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairy tales, and that love can be a real loch-mess.

I love cryptids, but I really love the Loch Ness Monster. Nessie is my favorite legend, and one of my biggest bucket list items is to go sit on the shores of Loch Ness for a few weeks and try to spot her myself. This is the first romance I’ve ever seen that centers on Nessie, so I was very excited to read it! The blurb is pretty vague, so as not to spoil anything, so I will also be vague! We meet Keyanna, still mourning the loss of her father. He had never shared much about his growing up years with her, and they never went to Scotland together to visit her family. His dying wish was for her to return and spread his ashes at Loch Ness. While there, she meets her grandparents and other extended family. She doesn’t get the warmest welcome from her grandma, but the rest of her family quickly embraces her. She also meets Lachlan, who works on her family’s property even though he hates the entire family. Their meeting is cold, but there’s also a small spark of intrigue. As he and Key get to know one another better, secrets are revealed on both sides and feelings grow.

The book starts off really strong, but the middle two thirds of this book really dragged for me. I was very intrigued by the mystery, the dangerous loch, the family secrets, the magic, and folklore, but I’m not going to lie… this was a slog to get through at times. We spend a lot of time in both characters’ heads while they sift through their feelings, worries, concerns, etc. It got quite repetitive, because their thoughts mirrored each others’. I really loved Lachlan. He’s a grumpy cinnamon roll, who has been very hurt in the past and is alone in this world. He doesn’t know where his future will take him. He’s very loyal and sweet and his ability to love deeply tugged at my heartstrings because of all the heartbreak he’s endured. Key was meh for me. She came off as both very smart and very dumb at times. She pretends to be humble, which is a pet peeve of mine. But I liked them together, and I was pulling for them the entire way through. I also liked Key’s cute grandpa and her grandma grew on me by the end.

The romance didn’t do it for me, and it’s kind of hard to explain. I think it’s a combination of the audio and the kind of romance this is. The blurb doesn’t specifically call this book a monster romance even though, in hindsight, the cover and blurb hint at it very heavily. Still, though, the monster romance genre is different than a romance with humans who are not fully human. I guess I was expecting the same kind of situation as a vampire or werewolf romance. But I avoid “monster romance”. It’s just not my thing, and I didn’t realize that’s what I was getting with this one. Many monster romances I read about have some spicy elements that I don’t find appealing. The spice level in this book is not what I expect from books with covers that look like this one. The scenes are much longer (some of them are 20+ minutes long in the audiobook), more intense, more detailed, and contain word choices that made me uncomfortable. Perhaps listening to the audiobook magnified everything. The audio is done in a true duet style. Lachlan and Key narrate their own chapters, but the narrators also read all the lines of dialogue for the character they’re portraying. It sounds like a movie. I love when books are done like this, but not necessarily during spicy scenes. I felt like I was sitting in the bedroom while these two go it on. I ended up fast forwarding through all the spicy scenes, which helped me really enjoy the rest of the story.

I actually wish there was no romance in this at all and that Key and Lachlan were just friends who maybe fell in love in an epilogue or something. Their relationship is what I would consider to be “forbidden”, but it’s also insta-love and I had a hard time wrapping my head around how they were able to open up and trust each other so quickly when history shows them that they shouldn’t have. I would have preferred a stronger focus on the lore, history, magic system, mystery, etc. I love medieval folklore and magic and really enjoyed learning the history of two dueling Scottish families and how their history has continued to spread mystery throughout this area of Scotland up to the present day. I loved the parts where someone discovered something important or a revelation was made. There’s some suspense and searching and I loved all of that. I loved the descriptions of Scotland and the loch and I loved exploring a medieval castle. I loved Nessie. But then, circling back to the issue of pacing, things dragged a lot in between the parts I loved. The major climax happened with an hour still left in the book and I remember wondering what they heck they were going to do with with last hour. This book was extremely long and it wasn’t necessary. I wish everything had been tightened up more so momentum wasn’t lost. I will also note that there’s more swearing in this book than I’m used to, and found it to be distracting.

Bottom line, there were parts of this I really loved and parts that I skipped entirely. I wish I had been more aware of what I was getting into with this book (although, it’s Nessie so I’m sure I would have read it anyway), but I made it work for me by skipping the parts I wasn’t interested in and ended up really enjoying the story I got as a result. I even got emotional at times because of some sweet family moments and some swoony things Lachlan said. I don’t think I’ll be reading more books by this author, though, because the storytelling didn’t work for me.

Audio notes: Flint Park is a dream. I went to look for more audiobooks he’s read, and this is the only one! I could listen to him forever. He’s got the most delicious Scottish accent, and he reads with such emotion. He can sound so tender, but then he’s also got this rough growly voice that made me shiver. He did such an amazing job. Samantha Summers was not my favorite. She’d try to sound flirty and squeaky and was overly perky. And when Keyanna got mad or emotional, Samantha’s over-the-top crying voice or yelling voice grated on me. The final hour and a half also seemed to have some production issues with sound getting very loud and very quiet. I kept having to adjust my volume every few minutes.

Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer | Book Review

Posted August 8, 2024 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 1 Comment

Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer
Published by GP Putnam's Sons on August 6, 2024
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

A tender, laugh-out-loud debut romance about a woman who ends up in over her head after a little white lie . . .

When thirty-year-old post-double-mastectomy BRCA 1 carrier and reluctant thrill-seeker Alison Mullally arrives at her ex-boyfriend Sam’s funeral to find that no one knows he dumped her, she agrees to play the grieving girlfriend for the sake of the family and pack up Sam’s apartment with his prickly best friend, Adam Berg. After all, it’ll only take four weekends . . .

But Adam doesn’t want Alison anywhere near him. Forced to spend long hours with the grump, and his monosyllabic demeanor, Alison decides she must put her people-pleasing abilities to the test. She will make him like her. And after awkward family affairs and packing up dilemmas, the two form a tenuous friendship . . . if “friendship” means incredible chemistry and tension between them. Can Alison come clean and finally embrace the life and love she's always wanted? Or will her little white lie get in the way of her new, unexpected romance?

One of my favorite things about being a book reviewer is being exposed to books I probably never would have picked up on my own. I never imagined falling in love with a book that had the word “Funeral” in the title, and I didn’t think it was possible to giggle and swoon while reading a book that included such heavy subject matter. But here we are! Ellie Palmer did a beautiful job of balancing out the humor with the emotional aspects of the story, and really made me fall in love with these characters and their individual stories.

Our heroine, Alison, opted for a preventative double mastectomy after she tested positive for the BRCA 1 mutation. She’s grappling with survivor’s guilt and feels she must live a big, meaningful life in order to feel worthy of escaping death. To her, this means she must live a life of adventure even though she’d rather be at home on the couch than out camping and hiking in the mud. She’s essentially trapped in a life she doesn’t feel worthy to have, living it in a way that isn’t true to who she is. Her feelings about her life and her new body are so raw and poignant and they really touched my heart. She’s so strong and has been through so much. She’s still navigating through the changes of losing her breasts, and is facing an uncertain future as she considers other life-altering procedures to further preserve her health. I felt for her so much, and really identified with parts of what she’s going through. As a way to fuel the adventure in her life, she dated an adventurous, adrenaline-seeking guy named Sam for a while. Ultimately, they were too different and broke up shortly before his sudden passing. Instead of telling his family of their break-up, though, Sam let them think that he was getting ready to put down roots and get married. It’s not until she arrives at Sam’s funeral that Alison learns that they all believe her to be his grieving almost-fiancée. At the request of Sam’s sister, she plays along with the charade and ends up volunteering to help his best friend, Adam, pack up his things and prepare his home to go on the market. And that’s how she ends up spending a funeral and four weekends with him.

I loved the set-up for this story. It’s so unique and has so much depth. You’ve got two people grieving in very different ways, going through many different emotions, all while this layer of untruth rests on top of them. As they work together, they develop this special connection that begins as a timid friendship and blossoms into something far deeper than that. Alison is trying so hard to check off all the boxes in the life she thinks she should be living that she isn’t completely sure of what she wants. She’s confused and struggles to be herself. Adam is trying not to think any romantic thoughts about Alison because she’s his best friend’s girlfriend, so he’s grumpy, standoffish, and alternates between hot and cold. But you can tell he cares about her and wants to know everything there is to know about her. As she opens up more about who she is and what she wants in life, he’s so accepting and compassionate. It’s a bit of a rocky road for them at times, but it felt real and they felt it was worth fighting for. I loved seeing them develop and heal separately as well as together. The romance between the two of them is quietly powerful and very, very sweet. It’s sexy and swoony, with no spice. Any heat is behind closed doors.

This book takes place over the holidays, so there’s festive cheer in the form of Christmas carols, a cookie party, and snow sprinkled throughout. I loved those moments so much. There’s lots of humor and light moments juxtaposed with more serious topics and conversations between Alison and Adam as well as Alison and her mom. Trivia nights play a big role in the story, which gives us lots of time with Allie’s friends (she has some really amazing girlfriends), all of whom were really fun. These people take their trivia very seriously! Alison is really funny, too! I laughed out loud at some of the things she said. There’s talk of Pizza Hut’s Book-It personal pan pizza program, gel pens, Christmas music that can never be played too early in the year, a run-in with a difficult parking enforcer, school concert shenanigans, loving someone means never running out of Girl Scout Cookies, and a cat named Colonel Corduroy. So. Much. To love.

The ending was magical and everything I wanted. I absolutely adored Four Weekends and a Funeral, and my love for it kind of snuck up on me as I immersed myself more into the story. It’s emotional and heartwarming and so unbelievably tender and sweet. And funny! It felt like reading a classic rom-com like While You Were Sleeping (which seriously, I swear this book was inspired by that movie because I feel like I found a million Easter eggs for it… Adam builds furniture and there’s even a mention of leaning at one point. If you know you know.). I highly recommend it, and am shelving it with all my other favorite romances!

Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle | Book Review

Posted April 4, 2024 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 2 Comments

Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle
Published by GP Putnam's Sons on April 2, 2024
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

From the celebrated author of You Deserve Each Other and Just Like Magic, a steamy second-chance romance about a magical florist’s unexpected reunion with her high school sweetheart as she fake dates his soon-to-be stepbrother.

A small, magical town tucked away in rural Ohio, Moonville is the perfect place for flora fortunist Romina Tempest to expand her shop, where she uses the language of flowers to help the hopeful manifest their love lives. After giving up on her own big romance eleven years ago, at least she can bask in the promise of others’.

So, when the shop’s potential financier shares news of his wedding, Romina jumps on the opportunity to discuss buying the business. What better place to negotiate a deal than at a wedding, even if she has to fake-date her chaotic colleague Trevor to get an invitation? But all hell breaks loose when she discovers Trevor’s soon-to-be stepbrother is none other than Alex her high school sweetheart. Her greatest love. The boy who, eleven years ago, broke her heart, and who now thinks she and Trevor are dating.

What starts as an innocent misunderstanding becomes a week-long fake dating scheme, as Romina resolves to make Alex pay for breaking her heart. The only issue? She can’t deny their still-burning connection. Caught between proving to Alex what he lost, and coming clean and risking her business, Romina must decide whether giving Alex another chance means going back on herself, or finally releasing her hold on the past.

I received an early copy of Old Flames and New Fortunes back in October of 2023, but wanted to wait until after the holidays to read it and I’m so glad I did! Sarah Hogle told me in her comments section on Instagram that she had rewritten some of the story and that “the dynamic between two particular characters has been tweaked” since the earlier draft. Since the Netgalley was updated after early reviews started popping up I thought it was worth mentioning for prospective readers who are trying to decide if this book is for them. Old Flames and New Fortunes was truly such a cozy, delightful, and romantic book and it’s a new favorite of mine!

I think the best part of the book for me was the cozy, springtime cottagecore atmosphere. Romina is a witchy florist who tells fortunes with flowers and helps her clients find the magic of romance in their lives. I’m not usually a fan of witchy stories, but the magical touches are so subtle and definitely enriched the story. I love flowers, and I had fun reading about what different flowers mean. I really enjoyed the setting. Moonville is dripping with lovely, small town vibes. Romina’s house sounds like a colorful fairyland, as does her garden and flower shop. There’s quaint shops filled with unique small businesses (no big box stores or chain restaurants here!), lots of trees, and it’s all coated in sunshine. I could hear the birds singing and feel the springtime breeze kissing my cheeks, the warmth of the sun enveloping me in a hug. I didn’t want to leave!

This town is filled with so many wonderful characters. And wow, there are so many of them. lol. I’ll be honest, I had a hard time keeping track of everyone at times and how they’re connected, but they were all so much fun! Romina shares a building with her sisters, Luna and Zelda, who each have their own small shop within. Romina has a flower shop, Luna makes candles, and Zelda has a bookstore filled with magical and paranormal tomes. They’re in the process of expanding, and will have a greenhouse and space for an outdoor night market soon (if all goes according to plan). Trevor, Romina’s close friend and fake-dating partner, is a not-so-silent investor in their business as a whole. I LOVED Trevor. He’s hilarious and might be my favorite character in this book, and I’d like for Sarah to please write about his love story. And then you’ve got Alex, Romina’s childhood sweetheart, and Trevor’s future stepbrother. Yep, you read that right. Romina is fake-dating her best friend to make her ex-boyfriend jealous and oops, these two guys just found out they’re about to become family. And oh, the wedding between their parents is very soon and everyone’s family shows up and there’s fake feelings and real feelings floating all over the place and sooooo many people in such a small town. lol. Phew!

I loved watching Trevor and Romina try to pretend to date because they were so bad at it. lol. It was so silly. Try picturing what it would be like if Joey Tribbiani and Phoebe Buffay from Friends had tried to fake date and convince people of their love. That’s how Trevor and Romina felt for me, and I loved it. Because of Alex’s suspicions surrounding their relationship, he decides to invite himself to sleep on Romina’s couch since he has nowhere else to go… so of course, Trevor has to move in and share Romaina’s bed and oh my gosh, I was giggling at their antics.

Second chance love stories are one of my less favorite romantic tropes, but I enjoyed how Sarah Hogle wrote about Alex and Romina. The flashbacks to their previous relationship were so swoony, and these moments softened my heart to the initial animosity between them in the present. I don’t like it when a book’s love interests don’t like each other (or hate each other) at first, but it was so obvious that it was all for show in this book and because of some deep-seated longing that was very thinly veiled. I love how it was done. The angst felt very real. Watching Romina and Alex fall in love all over again was so sweet. He says some of the most romantic things to her, and the grand gestures were on point. I need an Alex. Unlike Sarah’s other books, Old Fortunes and New Flames has some open door (or just… outdoors in the open lol) steaminess. The spice level is still on the mild side, but enough to leave me fanning myself and needing a glass of water.

Sarah Hogle is such an amazing storyteller. I’ve read and loved all of her books, and you can always count on them to contain unique elements, some quirkiness, characters you fall in love with, magical writing, and extremely romantic conversations and encounters. She can turn me into a puddle of goo just by having the male character kiss the female character’s wrist. It’s such a small gesture, such a tiny moment, but hundreds of these gestures and moments make up what I’ve come to expect from a Sarah Hogle book. They’re unlike anything I’ve ever read, and each are so unique on their own as well. I keep thinking she will never be able to get another 5-star rating from me and she just keeps on doing it. I can’t wait for what she writes next!