Thought I was going to be able to at least keep up monthly, but February was crazy busy, and of course a shorter month even with its extra day, so I will be making up for my January audiobooks that haven’t been reviewed yet for this post.
A Very Beardy Christmas (Winston Brothers Bonus Content #10) by Penny Reid:
Release Date: October 14th, 2019
Source: Author gave away through newsletter on Authors Direct app
My rating: 5 stars
I really liked this one of all the bonus content we’ve been getting. Just getting to have one of Cletus’s awesome one-liners made it a blast! “Don’t fondle my sausage whole you’re looking for the berries.” God I love Cletus! But the story itself had to do with Scarlett and Billy really, and Scarlett attending a Winston family Christmas, which meant we pretty much got to see all of our favorite characters.
Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
A Very Beardy Christmas was originally published as an exclusive scene in Penny Reid’s newsletter in December of 2018.
New Orleans Rush by Kelly Siskind:
Release Date: April 23rd, 2019
Source: Borrowed through Audible Escape
My rating: 4 stars
The story was cute. I had a little bit of issue with the third person way it was written, but that’s more a personal thing than any reflection on the story itself. I also ended up speeding up the audiobook to 1.25 speed. I prefer to listen at regular speed unless the narrator is slow, so this one required the speeding up. I was clued into a treat I had not discovered in the three times I’ve been to New Orleans, and that is beignets with cream filling. Something I’ll just have to go back to try. There were some of the things that frustrate me, her not reading all the messages at the end, him letting someone else put doubts in his head, but I do have to say that the whole death scene at the end was a big surprise that I didn’t see coming! Now I don’t see that it is a series, but I would definitely be interested in reading about Huxley’s brothers finding their own romance!
Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Falling for your surly boss is a rotten idea.
Letting him saw you in half is even worse…
Beatrice Baker may be a struggling artist, but she believes all hardships have silver linings…until she follows her boyfriend to New Orleans and finds him with another woman. Instead of turning those lemons into lemonade, she drinks lemon drop martinis and keys the wrong man’s car.
Now she works for Huxley Marlow of the Marvelous Marlow Boys, getting shoved in boxes as an on-stage magician’s assistant. A cool job for some, but Bea’s been coerced into the role to cover her debt. She also maybe fantasizes about her boss’s adept hands and what else they can do.
She absolutely will not fall for him, or kiss him senseless. Until she does. The scarred, enigmatic Huxley has unwittingly become her muse, unlocking her artistic dry spell, but his vague nightly activities are highly suspect. The last time Beatrice trusted a man, her bank account got drained and she almost got arrested. Surely this can’t end that badly…right?
Elements of Chemistry series by Penny Reid:
Attraction (EOC #1, Hypothesis #1.1):
Release Date: April 6th, 2015
Source: Borrowed through Audible Escape
My rating: 5 stars
Reid brought out some hilarious one-liners for our main character in this one, Kaitlyn: “Praise Bunsen and his burner.” “Hot Hottie from Hotsville.” But this book gave me a lot of feels. Like the part about guys have the girls that they think are ones they would marry, and the others are only good for sex. That is horrible. I know it’s true though. And I’d always thought I’d be the one to get married, even though I wasn’t one who went to school for an M.R.S. degree, I guess I ended up being considered as the other type. I felt a lot of things in the book were definitely realistic, especially the way Kaitlyn felt after her first time.
Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
One week.
Private beach.
Invisible girl.
Jerk-faced bully.
What’s the worst that could happen?
Kaitlyn Parker has no problem being the invisible girl, which is why she finds herself hiding in various cabinets and closets all over her college campus. Despite her best efforts, she can’t escape the notice of Martin Sandeke—bad boy, jerkface bully, and the universe’s hottest, wealthiest, and most unobtainable bachelor—who also happens to be Kaitlyn’s chemistry lab partner.
Kaitlyn might be the only girl who isn’t interested in exploiting his stunning rower’s build, chiseled features, and family’s billionaire fortune. Kaitlyn wants Martin for his brain, specifically to tabulate findings of trace elements in surface water.
When Kaitlyn saves Martin from a nefarious plot, Martin uses the opportunity to push Kaitlyn out of her comfort zone: spring break, one week, house parties, bathing suits, and suntan lotion. Can she overcome her aversion to being noticed? Will he be able grow beyond his self-centered nature? Or, despite their obvious chemistry, will Martin be the one to drive Kaitlyn into the science cabinet of obscurity for good?
Heat (EOC #2, Hypothesis #1.2):
Release Date: May 5th, 2015
Source: Borrowed through Audible Escape
My rating: 4 stars
So this book I didn’t like quite as much as the first one. About halfway through I came really close to giving up and moving on to something else. I actually did stop for about a week and try listening to something else. Which I think then I did DNF that one, and will post about it later. But I came back to this and ended up being interested enough to go on to the final book. For example: the thought about how being desired, feeling desirable is something so hard to let go really resonates with me. And I totally get it, it’s very addictive. And I said a big amen to the part about violence and bad language ok, but the human body being so horrible in America. So frustrating!! Something Kaitlyn did or said was that if no one can see you because you’re hiding, then they can’t ignore you is probably something I do myself. The part that made me almost give up was another bit about “the marrying kind” of girl, and how she shouldn’t be giving him a blow job if she was that kind of girl. I mean WTF! So judgemental I was really irritated. I get some men may think that way, but I didn’t expect it from the guy we are supposed to be falling in love with along with the heroine.
Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Four days left.
Private beach (…and boat).
Not so invisible girl.
And maybe less of a jerk-faced bully than originally thought.
What’s the worst (or the best) that could happen?
Kaitlyn is finding life outside of the science cabinet of obscurity to be quite illuminating …and so are her pants.
When things heat up between Kaitlyn Parker and Martin—previously known as the jerk-faced bully—Sandeke, she places her trust in the one person she never thought capable of earning it, let alone keeping it safe. Fortunately or unfortunately for Kaitlyn, where she gives her trust she can’t help but also give her heart.
But how will the world beyond the sanctuary of their newfound connection react to their relationship? Soon senators, chinless billionaires, and elements beyond Martin and Kaitlyn’s control want to weigh in on the young couple’s future.
Navigating the chaotic inferno of new love might be more than Kaitlyn bargained for, and much, much more than her trust—or her heart—can handle.
Capture (EOC #3, Hypothesis #1.3):
Release Date: May 11th, 2015
Source: Borrowed through Audible Escape
My rating: 4 stars
So, I had a whole review written for this and my WordPress somehow lost it! Grr! Let’s see if I can remember all that I said. First of all, once again I did not enjoy this one as much as I liked the first book in the series. I know that socially awkward people aren’t great about picking up on common social cues, but Kaitlyn was just ridiculously blind/stupid about everything Martin was doing and the fact of why he was doing those things. I got so frustrated and spent so much of the book wondering when in the world she might finally catch on! So that was a bit annoying. Eventually however, the book turned out to be a satisfying ending to the series, and I liked things like how her parents dealt with her and her choices.
Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
One week.
Manhattan apartment.
Super-hot ex-boyfriend.
…What’s the worst that could happen?
It’s been nine months since Kaitlyn Parker has seen or heard from Martin Sandeke—nine months and five stages of matter. She’s lived through the worst of first-love heartbreak, and is most certainly stronger (and less likely to hide in science cabinets) than ever before.
But now Martin is back. And he wants to be friends. But he’s sending mixed signals to the Bunsen burner in Kaitlyn’s pants.
Will Martin re-capture Kaitlyn’s heart? Can Kaitlyn and Martin ever be just friends? Or, despite an abundance of chemistry, are some bonds just too unstable to endure?
Sweet Cheeks by K. Bromberg:
Release Date: November 14th, 2016
Source: I am part of author’s Audiobook review group and they offered us a few different choices if we hadn’t read yet, and this one I needed still.
My rating: 5 stars
So, I love the name of the main character Saylor’s bakery, Sweet Cheeks, which is also the title of the book. It was a fun read, lots of humor as well as angsty parts. And when things worked out for the two deciding to give things a go, it seemed very early in the story with so much time for things to happen! But I like the way things ended up being handled, the publicity, all of it. Another great story! I listened to this one when I was disappointed by the author’s latest book and gave up listening to it. So this reminded me just why I love this author.
Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
It all started with the invitation. To my ex-fiance’s new wedding.
I should have ignored it.Thrown it away. Set it afire. But I didn’t. I replied.
With a plus one.
And then my assistant accidentally mailed it.
Enter Hayes Whitley. Mega-movie star. The man who has captured the hearts of millions. But I gave him mine years ago. He was my first love. He was my everything. Right until he up and left to chase his dreams without so much as a simple goodbye.
When he showed up out of the blue ten years later, I should have known to steer clear. I should have rejected his offer to take me to my ex’s wedding. I should have never let him kiss me.
But I didn’t.
And now we’re left wondering if the pieces of the life we once shared still fit together somehow. First loves are hard to forget. The question is, do we want to forget? Or do we risk the chance and see what happens next?
0
0
0
20
Leave a Reply