Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade Review | Fandom Romance at its Finest!! ft. a couple that writes fanfiction

Spoiler Alert
Author: Olivia Dade
Release Date: October 6, 2020
Publisher: Avon
Get it Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:
Olivia Dade bursts onto the scene in this delightfully fun romantic comedy set in the world of fanfiction, in which a devoted fan goes on an unexpected date with her celebrity crush, who’s secretly posting fanfiction of his own. 

Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. While the world knows him as Aeneas, the star of the biggest show on TV, Gods of the Gates, he’s known to fanfiction readers as Book!AeneasWouldNever, an anonymous and popular poster.  Marcus is able to get out his own frustrations with his character through his stories, especially the ones that feature the internet’s favorite couple to ship, Aeneas and Lavinia. But if anyone ever found out about his online persona, he’d be fired. Immediately.

April Whittier has secrets of her own. A hardcore Lavinia fan, she’s hidden her fanfiction and cosplay hobby from her “real life” for years—but not anymore. When she decides to post her latest Lavinia creation on Twitter, her photo goes viral. Trolls and supporters alike are commenting on her plus-size take, but when Marcus, one half of her OTP, sees her pic and asks her out on a date to spite her critics, she realizes life is really stranger than fanfiction.

Even though their first date is a disaster, Marcus quickly realizes that he wants much more from April than a one-time publicity stunt. And when he discovers she’s actually Unapologetic Lavinia Stan, his closest fandom friend, he has one more huge secret to hide from her.

With love and Marcus’s career on the line, can the two of them stop hiding once and for all, or will a match made in fandom end up prematurely cancelled?

CAN THIS BOOK NOT? To be quite honest, I loved every aspect of this book and found a new author to look out for. Marcus and April are absolutely adorkable, and reading from their perspectives made my heart ache in the BEST of ways. Whether it’s because of April’s strong exterior/soft interior persona, or Marcus’s insecurities and fake celeb personality, these characters have really struck my heart. I love them both individually, and I love how they are as a couple. Full of sparkling wit and fun modern references, SPOILER ALERT pays homage to fandom culture through a romance between a fanfiction-writing celebrity and his beta-reading writer friend and fan. Let the fun begin!

Deal with the Devil by Kit Rocha Review | Post-Apocalyptic FUN with a Dash of Romance!

Deal With The Devil
Author: Kit Rocha
Series: Mercernary Librarians #1
Release Date: July 28, 2020
Publisher: Tor Books
Get it Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

Deal with the Devil is Orphan Black meets the post-apocalyptic Avengers by USA Today and New York Times bestselling author duo Kit Rocha.

Nina is an information broker with a mission—she and her team of mercenary librarians use their knowledge to save the hopeless in a crumbling America.

Knox is the bitter, battle-weary captain of the Silver Devils. His squad of supersoldiers went AWOL to avoid slaughtering innocents, and now he’s fighting to survive.

They’re on a deadly collision course, and the passion that flares between them only makes it more dangerous. They could burn down the world, destroying each other in the process…

Or they could do the impossible: team up.

This is the first book in a near-future science fiction series with elements of romance.

I don’t think I’ve read Kit Rocha’s books before, but I’m definitely checking out their backlist after this book! I adored DEAL WITH THE DEVIL. It’s a post-apocalyptic adventure with a smoking romance, betrayal, and badass characters that you can’t help but root for throughout the entire story. It’s action-packed and full of chemistry. DEAL WITH THE DEVIL gripped me from beginning to end, and I absolutely can’t wait for the next book!

The story takes place around the 2080’s – natural disasters and corporation takeovers derailed the earth into an apocalyptic wasteland. Technology is advanced, but usually accessible to the people who can afford it. The world-building is full and comprehensive. It was so easy for me to get sucked into the world, especially from the lenses of Nina and Knox. There’s really great exploration into technology (such as the racial biases of facial recognition programs) and a clear explanation of how the world came to be how it is (including human engineering/experimentation that created our characters). At the heart of it all is a squad of unique people with full hearts and rare skills. Their leaders, Nina and Knox, get entangled in a plot that could cost both their lives.

She was like the fantasy of a simpler world come to life, a world of honest work and country dances and lazy nights under the stars, with no evil corporations waiting to destroy everything you’d ever loved.

A Touch of Stone and Snow by Milla Vane Review | A Second Chance Romance In A Fantasy Setting

A Touch of Stone and Snow
Author: Milla Vane
Series: A Gathering of Dragons #2
Release Date: July 21, 2020
Publisher: Berkley
Get it Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

Milla Vane returns to a world of kings, magic, and passion in her exhilarating A Gathering of Dragons series, as a great alliance forms to stand against an evil warlord intent on their destruction.

Danger lurks in the western realms. The Destroyer’s imminent return has sent the realms into turmoil as desperate citizens seek refuge—but there’s no safety to be found when demons and wraiths crawl out from the shadows. Even Koth, a northern island kingdom left untouched by the Destroyer a generation past, is besieged by terrors spawned from corrupt magics.

When Lizzan leads the Kothan army against these terrors, only to see her soldiers massacred and to emerge as the only survivor, she is called a coward and a deserter. Shunned from her home, Lizzan now wanders in solitude as a mercenary for hire, until she encounters a group of warriors seeking new alliances with the northern kingdoms—a group that includes Aerax, the bastard prince of Koth, and the man who sent her into exile.

Though they were childhood friends, Aerax cannot allow himself to be close to the only woman who might thwart his treacherous plan to save their island realm. But when a goddess’s demand binds them together, Lizzan and Aerax must find a way to overcome their painful pasts. Or there will be no future for the western realms…

Check out my review on GoodReads over here! Check out my review of the previous book in the series here.

Milla Vane continues to write MAGIC into her adult fantasy romances!

I went into A TOUCH OF STONE AND SNOW with trepidation since I loved the previous book so much. I didn’t want high expectations to dim my enjoyment, you know? But I shouldn’t have been scared – Vane delivers and more. A TOUCH OF STONE AND SNOW was a fierce sequel in this series that also stands on its own, with cameos from familiar characters while focusing on a new region in Vane’s extensive world. All the characters – main and otherwise – ooze life into the pages, and you really can’t help but love them. Don’t be fooled by the covers! (I admit, I was when I first saw them.) This series is PERFECT for readers who love a delicious blend of romance and fantasy, with extensive world-building, action, and storyline to keep pages turning, and a scorching romance to tug at heartstrings. Vane’s writing completes the fantasy feeling – it’s a bit long-winded, but not so much where you get lost in the narrative. Her characterizations are masterfully crafted, creating flawed heroes that you can’t help but cheer on. And finally, this book features the best second-chance romance I’ve read this year.

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa Review | Okay, This Is How Your Write A ‘Hate To Love’ Romance

The Worst Best Man
Author: Mia Sosa
Release Date: February 4, 2020
Publisher: Avon
Get it Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

Critically acclaimed author Mia Sosa delivers a sassy, steamy enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about a woman whose new job requires her to work side-by-side with the best man who ruined her wedding: her ex-fiancé’s infuriating, irritating, annoyingly handsome brother. Perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory, Helen Hoang, and Sally Thorne!

A wedding planner left at the altar. Yeah, the irony isn’t lost on Carolina Santos, either. But despite that embarrassing blip from her past, Lina’s managed to make other people’s dreams come true as a top-tier wedding coordinator in DC. After impressing an influential guest, she’s offered an opportunity that could change her life. There’s just one hitch… she has to collaborate with the best (make that worst) man from her own failed nuptials.

Tired of living in his older brother’s shadow, marketing expert Max Hartley is determined to make his mark with a coveted hotel client looking to expand its brand. Then he learns he’ll be working with his brother’s whip-smart, stunning—absolutely off-limits—ex-fiancée. And she loathes him.

If they can survive the next few weeks and nail their presentation without killing each other, they’ll both come out ahead. Except Max has been public enemy number one ever since he encouraged his brother to jilt the bride, and Lina’s ready to dish out a little payback of her own.

But even the best laid plans can go awry, and soon Lina and Max discover animosity may not be the only emotion creating sparks between them. Still, this star-crossed couple can never be more than temporary playmates because Lina isn’t interested in falling in love and Max refuses to play runner-up to his brother ever again…

I was a bit skeptical coming into this book because romances with siblings as exes are a bit iffy for me. (Also a bit icky… I just can’t imagine, haha.) BUT Sosa writes the situation in THE WORST BEST MAN so well, drawing out the sibling rivalry and making this plot point work. There’s honestly so much great stuff going for it; it pushed all the right buttons for me as a romantic comedy and I can’t help but recommend it for romance lovers. I came because the cover was too hilarious to pass, and I stayed for the smart comments, passionate romance, and headstrong heroine that I couldn’t help but root for. I’m so happy I took the chance with this one, and I’m looking forward to reading more of this author’s works.

The moment you let your guard down with someone and let them into your life – truly into your life – you are at your most vulnerable, but you’re also utterly open to a beautiful experience if they reciprocate.

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston | Fell Into the Hype and Found it aDORKable!

Red, White, and Royal Blue
Author: Casey McQuiston
Release Date: May 14, 2019
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Get it Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

What happens when America’s First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales?

When his mother became President of the United States, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius—his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There’s only one problem: Alex has a beef with an actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex/Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse.

Heads of the family and state and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: Stage a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instagrammable friendship grows deeper, and more dangerous, than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the presidential campaign and upend two nations. It raises the question: Can love save the world after all? Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to ben? And how can we learn to let our true colors shine through? , how will history remember you?

Check out my review on GoodReads over here!

Jumped into the bandwagon, and came out to say I have been converted. I’m a big fan. 4.5 stars rounded up!

(It helped that a good, longtime friend of mine has been pushing it since last year. The hype was worth it!) I’m also shocked at the depth of this book’s fandom. There are seriously creative and talented people on Tumblr making magic from the pages of this book.

This was a story about a boy, and a boy, and how they #makehistory.

McQuiston writes from Alex’s third person POV as a biracial First Son of the White House, where his mother serves as the President of the United States in this re-imagined contemporary setting. His voice is effortless and quick-witted, sarcastic and political. At the start of the book, he’s entering his final year of college and is looking forward to a career involving the government. While he’s balancing his life, he’s also attending political functions with his family and helping his mother’s campaign for re-election. One of these political functions is a royal wedding, where he meets his nemesis in popularity: Prince Henry, heir to the British throne. Alex has this obsessive rivalry with the prince and his stuck-up ways. But readers are all giggling because we’re like, “Sure you hate him, sureee.” Anyway, a toppled wedding cake and a promise to set the media straight by becoming Henry’s ‘best friend’ brings the boys together and unresolved feelings/tensions out in the open.

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai | Super Cute Indian Rom-Com That Will Melt Your Heart

The Marriage Game
Author: Sara Desai
Release Date: June 9, 2020
Publisher: Berkley
Get it Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

A high stakes wager pits an aspiring entrepreneur against a ruthless CEO in this sexy romantic comedy.

After her life falls apart, recruitment consultant Layla Patel returns home to her family in San Francisco. But in the eyes of her father, who runs a Michelin starred restaurant, she can do no wrong. He would do anything to see her smile again. With the best intentions in mind, he offers her the office upstairs to start her new business and creates a profile on an online dating site to find her a man. She doesn’t know he’s arranged a series of blind dates until the first one comes knocking on her door…

As CEO of a corporate downsizing company Sam Mehta is more used to conflict than calm. In search of a quiet new office, he finds the perfect space above a cozy Indian restaurant that smells like home. But when communication goes awry, he’s forced to share his space with the owner’s beautiful yet infuriating daughter Layla, her crazy family, and a parade of hopeful suitors, all of whom threaten to disrupt his carefully ordered life.

As they face off in close quarters, the sarcasm and sparks fly. But when the battle for the office becomes a battle of the heart, Sam and Layla have to decide if this is love or just a game.

Check out my review on GoodReads over here!

THE MARRIAGE GAME was sweet, sexy, and a wonderful, diverse contemporary read! I really recommend it for romance lovers because the romance is super sweet and I loved the resilient main characters, as well as their family dynamics. I also adored the Desi representation, and the super yummy food descriptions and fun Bollywood references. Overall, this was a great addition to the contemporary romance genre, with super smart and sexy characters that had amazing character development.

“Layla made him feel things he wasn’t ready to feel. She made him think about things he’d buried years ago. She was redemption made real. But was he worthy of being redeemed?”

The story starts with Layla breaking up with her media star boyfriend and getting fired from her job. She goes back to her family’s restaurant where they cook traditional Indian cuisine and starts to work her own recruitment agency upstairs. The problem is, she finds herself having to share an office with another businessman whose job is to FIRE people. Cue sparks, and the marriage game is on. While Layla’s father is recovering from a heart attack, he sets her up with 10 Desi men, which she goes on dates on… with Sam (the hero) as a chaperone, hehe. Sometimes the story seemed a tad silly and unrealistic, but overall it was all-around fun and chaotic good energy.

“‘Having you in the office, watching you run your business, is inspiring. And instead of wanting to chase you out …’ Her cheeks heated. “I want to let you in.’”

Both Sam and Layla are really sweet characters who are trying to do good in their lives. Layla is trying to start over after seeing her cheating boyfriend and getting fired from her job. This time, she’s ready to embrace her family, whether that’s helping them at their restaurant or going on blind dates per her father’s will, while setting her life to rights. Sam, on the other hand, doesn’t feel like he deserves the love of his family after failing to save his younger sister from an abusive arranged marriage. He’s on a quest for vengeance against his ex-brother in law, which becomes a large point of conflict. I think he should have opened his eyes earlier to his obsession with revenge, as it dragged more than it should have and really halted the relationship development. Nevertheless, readers experience a good grovel as Sam realizes that his life is more than revenge.

THE MARRIAGE GAME is sweet, fun, and has the exciting energy of a Bollywood bop! I really recommend this #ownvoices contemporary romance as it explores two lost souls and the culture and shenanigans that bring them together.

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for the review copy!

Blog Tour: Warrior of the Wild by Tricia by Tricia Levenseller | Moodboard

Hello everyone!

I’m really happy to be here today to help celebrate the release of Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller! While I adored Levenseller’s previous duology, Daughter of the Pirate King, this book blew it out of the waters. It’s a historical fantasy, but packed with an intense adventure, beautiful friendships, and a triumphant victory that will leave a mark on readers. Let’s begin!

Warrior of the Wild
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Release Date: February 26, 2019
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Get it Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

How do you kill a god?

As her father’s chosen heir, eighteen-year-old Rasmira has trained her whole life to become a warrior and lead her village. But when her coming-of-age trial is sabotaged and she fails the test, her father banishes her to the monster-filled wilderness with an impossible quest: to win back her honour, she must kill the oppressive god who claims tribute from the villages each year or die trying.

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare (Girl Meets Duke #2) Review | Another Historical Romance Hit!

The Governess Game
Author: Tessa Dare
Series: Girl Meets Duke #2
Release Date: August 28, 2018
Publisher: Avon
Get it Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

He’s been a bad, bad rake—and it takes a governess to teach him a lesson

The accidental governess.

After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the streets and devil in the sheets. The ladies of London have tried—and failed—to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra must reach his heart… without risking her own.

The infamous rake.

Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to give her an education—in pleasure. That should prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling… and he’s in danger of falling, hard.

While this is the second book in the series, you don’t need to read the stories in order! Check out my review for the first book, The Duchess Deal, over here!

I! Scream! Because I love this book! So much!

Seriously, I was screaming and gasping while reading The Governess Game. Also lots of rubbing my chest where my heart is too, and some tearing was involved.

Tessa Dare never fails to write an exemplary historical romance.

The Governess Game was just another amazing addition to her repertoire. I especially adored Alexandra, the governess heroine who loves astronomy and space and fantasizes about a certain Bookstore Rake with smoldering green eyes. She’s honestly perfect and if Chase wasn’t such a caring hero, I would take her for myself.

Blog Tour: Revisiting A Lush World With Star-Touched Stories by Roshani Chokshi

Hello everyone!

Today I’m here with a review of Star-Touched Stories, the third book that takes place in the beautiful setting of The Star-Touched Queen (my review here and fanart here), and A Crown of Wishes (my review here and fanart here). Star-Touched Stories, however, brings forth three short stories that not only ties these books together, but wrap them in an epilogue that will leave readers brimming with love and emotions. Chokshi’s writing is always so passionate, and this master storyteller leaves not a thread hanging in these stories.

Star-Touched Stories
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Series: Book 2.5
Release Date: August 7, 2018
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Get it Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

Three lush and adventurous stories in the Star-Touched world.

Death and Night

He was Lord of Death, cursed never to love. She was Night incarnate, destined to stay alone. After a chance meeting, they wonder if, perhaps, they could be meant for more. But danger crouches in their paths, and the choices they make will set them on a journey that will span lifetimes.

Poison and Gold

Now that her wish for a choice has come true, Aasha struggles to control her powers. But when an opportunity to help Queen Gauri and King Vikram’s new reign presents itself, she is thrown into the path of the fearsome yet enchanting Spy Mistress. To help her friends, Aasha will have to battle her insecurities and perhaps, along the way, find love.

Rose and Sword

There is a tale whispered in the dark of the Empire of Bharat-Jain. A tale of a bride who loses her bridegroom on the eve of her wedding. But is it a tale or a truth?

Throughout these stories, Chokshi’s writing remains provocative and sensual – perhaps leaning towards the purple prose side for some readers. I for one really enjoyed her heady descriptions and imaginative metaphors, and any reader who has enjoyed her previous two books in this world will adore this one. It ties in so many stories and characters, as well as presents itself as a final kiss and goodbye to the stunning world that we have visited twice already.

Note: this review will contain slight spoilers to The Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes!

Death and Night

“Love was extraordinary.
Extraordinarily spiteful.
Extraordinarily blind.
Extraordinarily misleading.”

This story is a prequel to Chokshi’s debut, The Star-Touched Queen. In TSTQ, Maya and Amar are given a second chance to revisit their love and correct their mistakes. But what happened when they first fell in love?

I love how Chokshi set-up Death and Night’s characters in this story. Night sold her wares at the Night Bazaar, which consists of this dream fruit that is coveted by many, but at a high price. She wants recognition. Death has been lonely these past years, and he needs to take a bride. The only catch is: he can’t fall in love with her. Despite obstacles and all odds, they meet each other and begin a sweet, sometimes snarky, but altogether delightful courtship that is tested through the threads of time. I loved this little insight to Maya and Amar’s past life, and seeing familiar characters!

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik Review | Another Fairy-Tale Fantasy Hit!

Spinning Silver
Author: Naomi Novik
Release Date: July 10, 2018
Publisher: Del Rey
Get it Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders… but her father isn’t a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife’s dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty–until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers’ pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed–and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold.

But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it’s worth–especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand.

“A moneylender’s daughter, even a bad moneylender, learns her numbers. I wrote and figured and wrote and figured, interest and time broken up by all the little haphazard scattered payments… And when I had my list finished, I took all the knitting out of my bag, put my shawl on, and went out into the cold morning.”

And thus begins Miryem’s beginning as a cold moneylender, and eventually the queen of the cold.

This was another winner from Naomi Novik! After reading and adoring Uprooted when I first started reviewing books (you can find my review here), I was exceptionally eager for Spinning Silver and I was NOT disappointed. While the books are not connected at all, they follow a similar fantastical theme, with the most recent being fairy-tale based. Both books are amazing for different reasons, and I can’t wait for readers to pick up and love Spinning Silver like I did.