Written

                                  

Title: Written

Series: The Librarian's Coven #1

Author: Kathryn Moon

Published: June 28, 2018

Pages: 226

Genre: Fantasy Romance

From her first step onto Canderfey University's campus, Joanna Wick, the new librarian-in-training, is overwhelmed by the bustle of people and the wealth of magical information now available to her. Most overwhelming of all, she attracts the attention of three handsome professors. But Aiden King, Callum Pike, and Isaac Metclaffe are a coven waiting to find their fourth and complete their home, and Joanna knows she can't be that witch. She's barely magical.

Aiden has been waiting 20 years to complete his coven. Callum doesn't want to disappoint his covenmates by turning down another potential fourth. Isaac has found a home with them both and only wants the best for his lovers. Have they found what they've all been waiting for in the skittish new hire at the university library?

Joanna, I get it, girl. You just want to be in your library with those beautiful books. And the beautiful men don't hurt! What a dream life?! 

Joanna has just moved to this university library. She is convinced she's not a witch, and by default, couldn't have a coven. But Aiden, Isaac, and Callum have other ideas. These men keep crossing paths with Joanna. Almost like they're being pulled to one another. And I was Here For It! Aiden is this refined musician. He's a bit older and very patient. Isaac is an artist, a painter. And as such, he's definitely the most observant of the coven. Then there's Callum. Callum is a veteran, and a strategy and weapon's expert. But he's also the most like the bumbling, absent-minded professor. Oh yeah, did I mention they're all professors at this university?! Hot.

Poor Joanna. She has some major imposter syndrome to work through. But it was a very good time to read about the coven convincing her that they wanted her. It was almost more fun watching them all figure out Joanna's magic. Which is saying a lot, because Joanna's magic is freaking COOL. I mean. She does accidentally unleash a very big bad guy during the learning process. Whoops! Best part about that, was that we got to see them work together with another coven. Who are also very hot! And I know. This was written a long time ago at this point. But like. Ms. Moon. If you wanted to write a tiny, 4-part series about Bryce and their coven....I WOULD LOVE IT!

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Spice: 3/5

The Grim Reaper's Lawyer

                                  

Title: The Grim Reaper's Lawyer

Series: Life After Death #1

Author: Mea Monique

Published: December 20, 2022

Pages: 318

Genre: Fantasy Romance

When having to decide between spending her afterlife in hell or as the Grim Reaper’s Lawyer, it's not even a hard choice for Joyce Parker. Of course she’d choose hell.

Joyce thought her prayers were finally answered when her client killed her. Yes, she knows, it's morbid. But, so is being a lawyer. Now dead, Joyce thought it was blue skies, angel wings, mimosas and Jesus. Well, she was embarrassingly wrong. The insufferable, but good-looking Grim Reaper needs a favor. He needs her to represent him in the newly formed Reaper’s Court. That is, of course, if she wants to go to heaven rather than to hell, which is exactly where she was heading.

What starts off as a favor turns into a whirlwind of chaos with Joyce and the Grim Reaper being in the center of it all. Not only does Joyce have to help the grumpy Reaper, but she also has to save the whole Afterworld—a job she most definitely did notsign up for. Joyce’s life on earth was boring, but her afterlife ends up being the most alive she’s ever felt. Trials, secrets, evil reapers, missing souls, traitors, stolen mimosas and unexpected romance—all the elements for one hell (literally) of a life after death.

I love a mimosa. Love. Them. But Joyce Parker is goals. You know, while reading, it felt like she drank too many mimosas at inappropriate times. But I've had some time to ruminate on the subject. This woman died because of a job she hated. DRINK ALL OF THE MIMOSAS YOU CAN STOMACH, JOYCE! YOU'VE EARNED THEM!

Joyce is very good at her job. She hates who she's working for, and the cases she's assigned. But she's a very good lawyer. Aiden is a reaper. He's also being accused of letting some souls escape their designated afterlives. So, Aiden is a reaper in need of a good lawyer. Joyce just wants to move on. There's a fair amount of manipulation involved, but she reluctantly agrees to defend Aiden in the newly formed Reaper Court. 

Their chemistry is SO hot. The ethics are not good. Right? She's being coerced into working for him. He's her client in a precedent setting case in a new court...in the afterlife. They are very antagonistic and that makes it even hotter when they finally get together! It is so very good. 

And on top of that, there's the crazy intrigue and political maneuvers going on. Eden is Purgatory made corporate. There are different departments: Heaven, Hell, Collections, etc. The world building is stunning. I can't wait for the next book!

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Spice: 3/5

Love, Theoretically

                                

Title: Love, Theoretically

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Published: Berkley, June 13, 2023

Pages: 400

Genre: Contemporary Romance

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people-pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.
 
Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and arrogant older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And he’s the same Jack Smith who rules over the physics department at MIT, standing right between Elsie and her dream job. 
 
Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?

Ali Hazelwood has solved the equation for perfect romance hero. All of the men that she writes are the same, and I am more than willing to read 1000 more books at this man. These huge, stoic simps are my catnip! 

Elsie's people pleasing tendencies hit way too close to home for me. It was actually a little affirming for me to read about someone who's got even less of a spine than me though. She was in a dark place when she met her mentor, right? And I feel that. I get being grateful to someone for giving you an opportunity that you didn't necessarily feel like you deserved. But the idea that Elsie let him call her by the wrong name, and dictate her entire academic career, is wild! Watching her learn how to be herself and honest with the people who matter was satisfying though. 

But I stuck around for Jack. And I'll read the next book for Adam/Levi/Jack/Nolan's next chapter! <3

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Spice: 2/5

A Dowry of Blood

                                

Title: A Dowry of Blood

Author: S.T. Gibson

Published: Red Hook, March 22, 2022

Pages: 250

Genre: Gothic Horror

This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. . .

Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things. 

Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband's dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.

I adore a gothic horror. A gothic retelling of a gothic classic?! And make it queer?!?! S.T. Gibson, how dare you! It's incredible! 

This story is told as a love letter from Constanta, Dracula's "first" wife, to the monster himself. The writing is unforgettable. I will be dreaming of the way that she strings words together. It's beautiful. She tells us the story of their life together. His abuse and control only becomes apparent through her journey of realization as well. 

And then she introduces us to Magdalena and Alexi. It was really interesting the roles in the home that everyone took. You have Dracula. Both creator and lover, but definitely the role of "father." Then when they bring Magdalena into the fold, she becomes their lover, but also a "sister" to Constanta. They suffer together under the weight of their creators expectations. But it isn't until Alexi joins their family that either of them become willing to fight back. Because while Constanta's been aware of the abuse, they were both suffering together until Constanta had someone she wanted to protect. Alexi was the "son" in this particular family dynamic. 

Things remain taboo and dark throughout the book. There's blood play and gaslighting and isolation. But so beautifully written that you could almost forget how dark things were getting. But you couldn't forget enough to not enjoy the hell out of their liberation! It was stunning and I highly recommend it.

Ratings

Stars: 5/5

Spice: 3/5

The Gargoyle from General Management

                                

Title: The Gargoyle from General Management

Series: Claws & Cubicles #3

Author: Kate Prior

Published: October 1, 2023

Pages: 168

Genre: Monster Romance

A siren in heat, a gargoyle who keeps getting under her skin, and an inescapable work trip...

Gwen doesn't want anyone to know she's a siren. She doesn't want anyone to know she's terrible at her job either.

Perhaps least on her list of priorities, Gwen would also like to avoid the gargoyle who saw her vibe in the TSA check. Except, the very same gargoyle is the new manager she has to work with, and he's going to the same corporate retreat she is. He reminds her too much of her past and exactly the career-driven sort of guy she can't stand from Fortune 666 companies.

When things start to heat up between them, Gwen's afraid he's going to learn all her secrets, but when he offers to help feed her siren appetite, she can't resist mixing business with pleasure.

I'm absolutely obsessed with the office drama in this series! The types of monsters are so interesting. There is a VOID named Jessica. There is a harpy with wings instead of arms. There is a man who can only be seen because of the clothes that he wears. I have no idea what this company does, and I couldn't care less. I just want to know all of their Drama!

The drama is this book Is between Gwen, a Siren, and Vlad, a Gargoyle. This man's name is Vlad Grotesce. Kate Prior is a GENIUS. There is comedy gold in these pages, people! Anyway, Gwen works with Monster Resources. Like HR, but for monsters. And Vlad is a new manager, but he works in the "other office." So they don't see each other much. (Maybe. Again, I am here for the drama, not the inter-office specifics.) 

BUT, everyone has to go on this work trip. And it happens to fall during Gwen's heat. So of course she packed her trusty vibe. And of course TSA pulled it out during her security check. And of course the hot gargoyle going through TSA at the same time saw said vibe. And of course he's not only on her flight, but in the seat next to her! And he's the new manager that she's been emailing about work all week, attending the retreat. Comedy. Gold. 

Gwen has a severe case of imposter syndrome and related anxiety. And when I tell you I felt it? I mean, my heart was racing and I have never felt more seen. But she's also going through a heat and the new manager gargoyle turns her on so much that she can't even make it back to her hotel room before she has to rub one out. Multiple times. It's so good. 

And when I tell you that rooftop scene changed my life. My life will never be the same in the best way. And honestly I'm a little bit made at Ms. Prior for showing me a need that I have that will never be fulfilled because I don't know anyone with a set of functional wings! It's rude, really! But read this book, for real. It's hilarious.

Ratings

Stars: 5/5

Spice: 5/5

A Witch Out of Time

                                

Title: A Witch Out of Time

Series: The Yaga's Riders #2

Author: C. Rochelle

Published: June 27, 2021

Pages: 276

Genre: Fantasy RH

Four hundred years is a long time to wait for your fated mates only to have two of them cruelly ripped away.

Suddenly finding ourselves in the hands of the nefarious Facility—run by my final mate’s father—was enough to make my claws twitch under my skin. The only reason I hadn’t reduced these humans to ribbons of severed flesh was that there was information to uncover, and a swan shifter to find. Hopefully alive.

I suppose I’ll behave. 

Even if we were to escape, we wouldn’t be safe. A mysterious force is destroying my forest and the veil between our world and the Nav is growing thin. My former mentor betrayed me, an enemy from my past is circling, and the god of the underworld is demanding that I return to his realm.

The past has returned with a vengeance, and I need all three Riders by my side in order to claim my power and fulfill my legacy—before we run out of time.

OK, look. I immediately jumped into this book after book 1. But thank goodness for the chapter titles! Specifically because they call out our heroes by name, so I didn't have to worry too long that one or both of the men who were SPIRITED AWAY AT THE END OF BOOK 1, are still at least alive if not well.

I will say, I thought it was going to take much longer to get them all back together. It wasn't anti-climactic necessarily. And I do get why we needed all of them together for the journey through Vasi's past. But it wasn't quite as compelling as the first book. Which isn't to say it wasn't good or compelling. Just that the first book was SO very good. 

The journey through Vasi's past was ROUGH! But I liked how she had her Riders with her through it. And each of them could relate to a different one of her past traumas in some way. So they could be there for her and help her through it. 

And then. Then, Ms. Rochelle. You are going to throw another cliffhanger at me?!?! And you're going to threaten Nox?! I had to take a break. The cliffhanger at book 1 made me immediately need this book. But this one?! I was just made and I needed a break. But I do need to know what happened to Nox! So I'll be getting to the last book in the series pretty soon.

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Spice: 5/5

Rise of the Witch

                               

Title: Rise of the Witch

Series: The Yaga's Riders #1

Author: C. Rochelle

Published: March 27, 2021

Pages: 290

Genre: Fantasy RH

As with most beginnings, it started with death.

When I had nothing left to lose, I traveled to the hut in the woods; the one no one dared approach. The witch who lived there recognized the darkness in my soul and took me under her wing—to witness her reign of terror firsthand and eventually, to inherit her legacy as my own.

Now I’m the monster they fear; the one humans avoid at all costs. In this welcome isolation, I've attempted to forget my past and the future that was taken from me.

Until three men appear, somehow able to break through my protective wards and see me in my true form. While resistant to their intrusion, I recognize they may be the ones I’ve been waiting for—the ones I need to ascend to my full power.

Too bad I would rather grind their bones than invite them in.

But something is mysteriously devouring the forest, and I suspect the threat may be the same one I barely escaped many moons ago. If it is, he will find me a more worthy opponent than the last time we met.

I am the Yaga and I may be broken, but my edges are sharp.

This book is shockingly funny. Like, I genuinely was not expecting it to be as funny as it was. It was a very pleasant surprise. And the overall content is dark...and capital "S" Spicy. But the characters and their chemistry do lighten the mood in perfect moments. 

Vasi is the Yaga. She lives her life in the woods, protecting the forest, and mess with humans who wander too far into her space. Asa, Nox, and Tan are a unit from The Facility. They're on a mission, and they get lost in Vasi's woods. They come upon her bathing in a hot spring. The chemistry is palpable from then on. They all think Vasi is very hot, and she thinks the same of them. She may want to rip Nox's face off, but she still thinks he's hot. 

All while these 4 are getting to know one another, we are learning about a horrible sickness that's taking over the forest. Death and accelerated decay are running rampant through Vasi's home. This sickness seems to originate from The Facility. And Vasi is determined to figure it out. 

There is a lot going on in this book. I really enjoyed the magic system, and world-building that went into it. And did I mention the spice? Because it is Good! I love a why choose / reverse harem, and this is a perfect specimen of a reverse harem. What I didn't love? The dang cliffhanger!!! This is a trilogy all surrounding this one harem. And the end of this book was a HUGE cliffhanger, so beware! But I do recommend. I immediately started book 2 when I was thrown from this cliff.

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Spice: 5/5

Mister Magic

                              

Title: Mister Magic

Author: Kiersten White

Published: Del Rey, August 8, 2023

Pages: 293

Genre: Horror Suspense

Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.  

But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who—or what—the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former Circle of Friends has. 

Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it’s been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since. 

After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap? 

Because magic never forgets the taste of your friendship. . . .

This one hit a little close to home. So it wasn't very scary until like the last quarter of the book. But then the parallels were very scary! It got so real. 

So this woman is 38 years old and her father has just passed away. At the funeral she is confronted with men that she has not seen or thought of in 30 years. And she recognizes them instantly. Cannot relate. If someone that I hadn't seen since I was 8 years old walked up to me and told me their name, I would be lucky to recognize the name, much less the face! Also, her father has had her in hiding on a ranch in the middle of nowhere. And she just trusts people that roll up at his funeral and tell her that her mother is alive and they can take her to her? WILD. 

But she does trust them. And she does leave her father's funeral with 3 men she supposedly knew when she was 8 years old. Without telling anyone. She eventually texts the owner of the ranch, who was like a stand-in aunt to her. But with one of the guy's phones because she also doesn't have a cellphone. The red flags are only just beginning. But ultimately that's not the scariest part of this dang book.

All of these people were on a children's show together. Something happened, Val left, and the studio burned down. So now it's 30 years later and they're doing a reunion podcast about it. I think my favorite thing about the book was the way they talked about the show. There are no existing recordings of the show. There isn't really a consensus of what happened in the show, or what the characters looked like or did. But there are a ton of blog posts and fanfic about the show. And the author intersperses clips from these throughout the story, which was really fun.

Ultimately though, this show was a way for this exiled sect of people to spread their personal brand of morality to children around the world. It was gross. The scariest part of the whole book was that these people were trying to force their world views on children, and had previously been extremely successful at it. YIKES.

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

                              

Title: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Author: Sangu Mandanna

Published: Berkley, August 23, 2022

Pages: 334

Genre: Cozy Paranormal Romance

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.
 
But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.
 
As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when peril comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for....

Mika Moon is the cutest of the cute. I love her and she is to be protected. Ok. Now that that is established.

Mika is a witch. Through her social media accounts, the caretakers of Nowhere House find Mika and reach out to her. They are in need of a witch's help to care for the three young witches in their charge. So Mika accepts. She has a lot to work through about her own past, and she pledges not to allow these three young girls to grow up the same way that she did. 

These three young girls are adorable! Rosetta, Terracotta, and Altamira are so spunky and sweet. They love one another and their lives at Nowhere House. They aren't all willing to welcome Mika right away. But Mika's shockingly patient with the two most obstinate family members. One is about 8, so she took little convincing really. But Jamie, the grumpy librarian, is particularly tricky to win over. 

I love the chemistry between everyone who lives at Nowhere House. Louise, Ken and Ian are like the sweet, doting grandparents. Jamie is the overprotective father figure. And Mika swoops in to be the vibrant, nurturing mother. It's perfect. They are care for one another, and take care of one another. Well, eventually. It takes a bit for Mika to carve out a space for herself, and for Jamie to allow it. But it's lovely to watch that happen. Then you've got the girls. Learning magic and being mischievous. Weaseling their way into all of their (and our) hearts. It's magical. 

And then you have the romance. It is very swoon. Jamie is grumpy as Heck. But he's also incredibly nurturing. And he just wants to show Mika that there are people out there who will care about her. That it's worth it to let some roots grow, and to let people know you as well. He does it almost begrudgingly, but in the face of Mika's unending sunshine....his grumpiness eventually wilts. And it is glorious to behold. 

I can't leave out the audio production. If this story were any more soothing, it would have been the perfect bedtime story. As it is, if I had tried to listen at bedtime I would never have been able to sleep. It's entirely too compelling. But Samara MacLaren's narration was perfection. 

Ratings

Stars: 5/5

Spice: 1/5

Meeting Millie

                              

Title: Meeting Millie

Series: Oxford Romance #1

Author: Clare Ashton

Published: March 1, 2023

Pages: 421

Genre: LGBT Romance

Oxford – celebrated city of dreaming spires and class warfare – is an ambition come true for lesbian, geeky, upper-middle-class Charlotte and straight, charismatic, working-class Millie.

Against the odds, theirs is an instant, best friendship. Forever.

Exuberant Millie is a breath of fresh air for polite Charlotte and a force of nature within the university's hallowed walls. And they are going to be the best lawyers of their year and change the world.

But their world changes instead when things go queerly sideways, and they haven’t seen each other since.

Ten years on and Charlotte returns to where it all began. She has a new job at a prestigious law firm and Oxford is as beautiful as ever. She’s a safe distance from her overbearing barrister mother Nicola and three office floors from her snappy college mentor, Olivia.

Then Millie bounds around the corner wanting to be friends again and it's as if the last decade never happened. Will it be different the second time around? Can they be friends again? Or will love and attraction change things?

Meeting Millie is a sapphic romance about the nature of friendship, how two people change over the years, and how they see themselves and each other.

This was a really sweet book. Millie and Charlotte were best friends and college and they're reuniting ten years later, back in Oxford where it all began. 

I loved the use of time in this book. You have the past, where Charlotte and Millie are meeting and becoming best friends in college. Then you have the present, where Charlotte and Millie are reunited and reliving all of those feelings in the same places. Reminded at every turn at how happy they were. Then you have this vague, vaguely sad, middle past where they had a falling out and haven't spoken to one another for 10 years. 

Millie and Charlotte as best friends are wonderful. They have a lot of love for one another, and a lot of fun together. It's clear that they're both miserable without the other. Millie and Charlotte as platonic life partners, also wonderful. I love the idea of building your life with your best friend by your side. The idea that you could have a beautiful life together, even if it never gets romantic or sexual, is..beautiful. 

*SPOILERS AHEAD**

But then they have this bi awakening for Millie, and look at that....she is super attracted to Charlotte. The chemistry was good, don't get me wrong. But I kind of hated it also... I wish I didn't. It was so sweet. But I really didn't love them together as a full couple. I wasn't rooting for them in that way.

I think the main thing about it that I didn't love, was that Millie needed a "why" to come to this realization. I know that everyone's journey is different. I know that people realize truths about themselves in a myriad of ways. But Charlotte was there and in love with Millie for Years. Then she couldn't be there because it wasn't good for her anymore. Loving Millie, and being looked over by her, became too hard. Then they're reunited and Charlotte is convinced she's over it enough to try to be friends again. And look at that, now Millie can't look at Charlotte without getting turned on. And if that had been it, she just finally realized she was bi, it would have been a near perfect book. 

But that wasn't it. I could have used a trigger warning for this part, I think. Maybe the trigger warnings are available. But we all know I'm terrible at preparing myself for what I'm going to find in a book that I've decided to read. But Millie hasn't been experiencing sexual attraction for years before she's reunited with Charlotte. She hasn't because she lost a baby late-term in her pregnancy. She had made all of these plans for her baby and her life, and she was brought to this crashing halt. And holy cow. That was super hard to read. But it also really made me so angry that this was why it was OK for her to face her attraction and romantic desire for Charlotte. Like Charlotte deserved better... 

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Spice: 2/5

D'Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding

                              

Title: D'Vaughn & Kris Plan a Wedding

Author: Chencia C. Higgins

Published: Carina Adores, January 25, 2022

Pages: 332

Genre: LGBT Romance

Instant I Do could be Kris Zavala’s big break. She’s right on the cusp of really making it as an influencer, so a stint on reality TV is the perfect chance to elevate her brand. And $100,000 wouldn’t hurt, either.

D’Vaughn Miller is just trying to break out of her shell. She’s sort of neglected to come out to her mom for years, so a big splashy fake wedding is just the excuse she needs.

All they have to do is convince their friends and family they’re getting married in six weeks. If anyone guesses they’re not for real, they’re out. Selling their chemistry on camera is surprisingly easy, and it’s still there when no one else is watching, which is an unexpected bonus. Winning this competition is going to be a piece of wedding cake.   

But each week of the competition brings new challenges, and soon the prize money’s not the only thing at stake. A reality show isn’t the best place to create a solid foundation, and their fake wedding might just derail their relationship before it even starts.

So you're telling me this is a book about a fake engagement reality show, AND they're queer. Say less. I am all the way in. If I'm going to watch TV, there's a 33% chance it's going to be a reality dating show. I LOVE THEM. I also love reading about them! 

D'Vaughn has struggled to come out. So she signs up for this show to come out, with a fake fiancé, on national television. I get that this could really help a lot of people struggling with talking about their sexuality with their families. However. I could not relate to this AT ALL. Like, girl. I guess the only thing I can say in her defense is that it wasn't aired live, and Kris did end up being someone very important to her. But dang. It could have gone so badly! 

Then Kris. She's doing it for the clout, and that felt very genuine. Her family was amazing. Don't get it twisted, D'Vaughn's family were also very supportive. But the Zavalas were so fun to read about. They were funny and loving and kind of perfect.

The chemistry between Kris and D'Vaughn was HOT. I just loved them. I could not put this book down. It only took me so long because I was trying to pack and leave for a family vacation. I regret nothing, though. Because this got me through the flight, laughing out loud the whole time.

Ratings

Stars: 5/5

Spice: 3/5