The DNF Report #5: August – November 2020

Let’s just say I had been doing this every other month. Then school started and I got behind, so you get a bunch of months together! I also realized that when I do review books on here, I can post it as a DNF instead of a star rating, so I might be doing that starting with this very post! November was not a good month for me, I had three DNFs just in that month. For December I’ve already had one, but I’ll save it for the next one of these posts since it was a review book.

Unexpected Expectations (425 Madison Ave #18) by Lauren Helms:

I received this book for free from Forever Write PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Unexpected Expectations by Lauren Helms
Series: 425 Madison Ave #18
Published by Harlequin Dare, KB Worlds LLC, Natasha Madison, Romig Works LLC, Sourcebooks Explore on August 17, 2020
Genres: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Forever Write PR
Format: E-galley
My Rating: DNF
Goodreads

KevinWith everyone around me settling down, I’m happy to continue living my life single and carefree.That is unless I can convince the concierge, Lucy Wilson at 425 Madison to finally take me up on that offer to go out on a date.
She’s beautiful, friendly, and her compassion for each and every one of the residents is admirable. Something tells me that she doesn’t see herself that way at all though.
This is why I’ve made it my mission to break her out of her overly cautious shell starting with a lucky penny and a $10 raffle ticket.
It was all supposed to be a little fun but when a large dose of lucky graces us, everything suddenly becomes unexpected.
LucyHe thinks I don’t see him, but I do. Oh yes, I’ve been aware of the all too good looking Kevin Harper for quite some time now.
The thing is, I’m not sure that we have enough in common and I sure don’t have the free time for a social life between my job and school. Dating? That’s pretty far down on the list of things I’d like to check off - not by choice.
That is until Kevin convinces me that a little fun is good for the soul.
What started as a $10 raffle ticket turned into a vacation in Vegas and a whole lot of expectations that neither of us saw coming.
I always believed in fairy tales, but I wonder if what we have is too good to be true. I can only hope that it’s true what they say…
After all, 425 Madison is the perfect place to fall in love.

My thoughts:

So I had a lot of trouble getting through several of the books in this round of this series. I’d read and liked the other two books by this author, so I thought I’d be good with this one. But it just didn’t work for me. Don’t have a lot of reasons why exactly, I just didn’t get into it. There are still books by this author I want to try to read in the future, so I think it just was this story that didn’t work for me.

Melting Wynter (425 Madison Ave #20) by J. Marie:

I received this book for free from Forever Write PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Melting Wynter by J. Marie
Series: 425 Madison Ave #20
on September 14, 2020
Genres: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Forever Write PR
Format: E-galley
My Rating: DNF
Goodreads

Weston Croix Okay, so I might have a few playboy like tendencies. That tends to happen when you fall in love and don't end up with the happily ever after of your dreams. I built a wall around my heart and decided to have a little fun instead. Now, I've found myself falling for the ice queen herself. Did I mention that she's also my editor-in-chief? She's not interested in me or being an us, but when our best friends start dating, we can no longer escape our insecurities or the fire burning between us.I guess I'm just going to have to turn up the heat and melt her heart.
Wynter Carlisle I've got the perfect job, an apartment in NYC's elite 425 Madison high rise and life as I know is great.If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that people are fickle and love isn't always permanent. I'm the only one I can always count on, well except for my best friend Addison.I had a plan to protect my heart. That was, until Weston - the cocky columnist who works for me...in more ways than one.Can we really break down our own barriers or will our destiny go up in flames? We're about to find out.
After all, 425 Madison is the perfect place to fall in love!

My thoughts:

I know why I didn’t like this one. The guy was kind of creepy, and he was definitely sexually harassing his boss, our heroine. And even with that, I just didn’t get how it was supposed to be a love story from that. I probably won’t try this author again, this was the first book by her that I tried. Like I mentioned above, it’s too bad there were several in this round of the series that I couldn’t get into.

Cop-Out (The Everyday Heroes World) by Misty Walker:

I received this book for free from Grey's Promotions in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Cop-Out by Misty Walker
Series: The Everyday Heroes World
Published by KB Worlds LLC on September 24, 2020
Genres: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Grey's Promotions
Format: E-galley
My Rating: DNF
Goodreads

Liv-I came to Sunnyville broken, battered, and bloody.I was saved, rescued by an angel wearing a badge and from that point on, I wanted to be just like him.
Flash forward two years and I finally have my opportunity.But then Topher Harding asks me out on a date.He’s sexy, he has dimples, and he’s a cop.One date turns into five turns into me thinking this guy might be my forever.Unfortunately, things don’t always go to plan.
This is my life and I refuse to let anyone, or anything stand in my way.Especially a sexy, dimpled cop who thinks I need a hero.
Topher-From the second the new dispatcher walked into the station, I wanted her.She’s smart, quick thinking, and on a scale of one to ten, her body is a fifteen.For the first time in my life, I want to stop adding notches to my bedpost and buy a new bed.One I can share with Liv for the rest of my life.
After everything she has been through, I need is make sure nothing and no one can touch her again.Then I find out she’s been keeping a secret that I can’t get over.So, I let her walk out of my life.
Now she’s back with a shiny new badge of her own.And being the department’s Field Training Officer, she’s put under my wing.
She still doesn’t need a hero.But she does need me.And I’ll prove it to her.

My thoughts:

So I love that K. Bromberg is doing something very similar to the SmartyPants Romance books, in that she is letting other authors write in her worlds. Unfortunately some of the books just aren’t up to the same writing standards that I get when I read Bromberg’s books and this was one of them. While the story wasn’t bad from how far I got, the romance was kind of cringey for me as I read, and I just couldn’t get far. While this was my first book by this author, it isn’t her first book, but I’m not thinking I’ll read anything else by them.

Only One Chance (Only One #2) by Natasha Madison:

I received this book for free from Wildfire Marketing PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Only One Chance by Natasha Madison
Series: Only One #2
Published by Natasha Madison on October 20, 2020
Genres: Adult Sports Romance
Source: Wildfire Marketing PR
Format: E-galley
My Rating: DNF
Goodreads

Miller

They called me the pretty boy on and off the ice. Hockey’s most eligible bachelor.
When my teammate asked me to donate one date to his charity, I figured why not. Worst case, I’d spend the night with a fan. Best-case scenario, she would be hot. What I wasn’t expecting was for my dream girl to be the highest bidder.
For years, she brushed me off, and now, I finally had a chance to take her out and show her who I really was.
With only one shot at this, I really hoped I didn’t mess it up.

Layla

At the top of my career, I was riding the wave of my sports talk show having the best rating on the radio.
I also made it a rule to never date any sports players.
It was my one rule, and I was sticking to it until I bid on the only man who gets under my skin.
All it takes is one touch, one night, one kiss, and only one chance.

My thoughts:

My problem began with when they were at this auction and Layla kept saying how much she didn’t like Miller, and then all of a sudden she bid on him, kind of out of nowhere. We get the gist that she is now maybe a little drunk, but that came on kind of sudden too. And then, when Miller was talking to his friends and asking for help with how to win her over, one of his friends chimes in with how he’s in a bad marriage and has a kid to worry about, Miller butts back in and says, “can we talk about me now?” Um, that would have been funny if it had been more of a random dating story that they all were telling, but when one of your friends has marriage issues and a kid to worry about, well, that was just really shallow and didn’t endear Miller to me at all. And that’s the point where I quit. I’m disappointed because I’ve followed this author on social media for a while, and the writing wasn’t bad really. So I might give her another chance in the future, since this was the only thing I’d read or tried to read so far.

Band Nerds: Poetry from the 13th Chair Trombone Player by DJ Corchin:

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Band Nerds: Poetry from the 13th Chair Trombone Player by DJ Corchin, Dan Dougherty
Published by Sourcebooks Explore on October 1, 2020
Genres: Poetry
Source: the publisher
Format: ARC
My Rating: DNF
Goodreads

A hysterical take on Band Nerd life as the book is filled with humorously inspiring poems and illustrations. A definite must have for anyone ever involved in band.

My thoughts:

So this was an unsolicited ARC that I received with some other ARCs from Sourcebooks. I gave it a try, even though I am not really much of a poetry fan, and I was never in a band class, I can’t play any instruments. I had a short period of some lessons with an acoustic guitar, but that was it. So it wasn’t bad. But I’m sure someone who was actually part of a band class would enjoy it more.

Rules of Engagement (The Everyday Heroes World) by Jessika Klide:

I received this book for free from Grey's Promotions in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Rules Of Engagement by Jessika Klide
Series: The Everyday Heroes World
Published by KB Worlds LLC on November 19, 2020
Genres: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Grey's Promotions
Format: E-galley
My Rating: DNF
Goodreads

Jessika Klide steps into K. Bromberg’s Everyday Heroes World with an enemies to lovers, steamy, standalone romance from her Heroes For Hire Romance Series about a case of miscommunication that leads to total crisis management.

In the game of love, winners never quit.

(Featuring a precocious K9.)  Jorja Jones: My boss, Editor in Chief of Modern Family Magazine, Sidney Malone, informs me that I will be writing our entry into the First Annual Thorton Publishing House Contest, and the theme is Everyday Heroes, featuring Sunnyville’s recently returned Navy SEAL Jocko Malone.   
Jerk-off Jocko? Just my luck! We have bad blood, high-school history. 
The day before he left for the Navy, the arrogant ass took his torture to another level. He kissed me like we were lovers. It was humiliating. Six years later, the memory still makes my blood boil, and my toes curl.Fuck my life! 
Jocko Malone:
The last time I saw Juicy Jorja, her body that’s built like a brick sh*t house was pinned between my hard-on and the lockers, and I had kissed the ever-loving fuck out of her sassy mouth. The memory of which got me through all the hell I faced. She’s the reason I returned to Sunnyville.  She and I have unfinished business.   Get ready to fall hard for Sunnyville's returning hero, Navy SEAL Jocko Malone as he fights to win back the girl he left behind. Failure is not an option.  Jessika Klide’s Rules of Engagement is a fast-moving, action-packed, all-the-feels, contemporary romance written in K. Bromberg’s Everyday Heroes Worlds project.

My thoughts:

So the story started out pretty good. The only issue I was having was that the author didn’t use contractions. If you’ve followed my blog and reviews long enough, you know that I have a lot of trouble reading books where contractions aren’t used in characters’ dialogue or thoughts, or anywhere that just is how common every day people think and talk. And that right there just totally slowed me down so much I couldn’t keep going. There was also some dialogue by characters I knew from the original K. Bromberg series that was just not the way they would talk. Like saying “cuz” I think was one of them. So while I haven’t read this author before, I don’t know if I’ll try again or not. I’m afraid if she’s got this many books already published and she’s still writing like that, I probably would have issues reading the earlier ones as well.

Dusk (Dangerous Web #1) by Aleatha Romig:

I received this book for free from Wildfire Marketing PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Dusk by Aleatha Romig
Series: Dangerous Web #1, Sparrow Webs #10
Published by Romig Works LLC on November 24, 2020
Genres: Adult Mafia Romance
Source: Wildfire Marketing PR
Format: E-galley
My Rating: DNF
Goodreads

“When your whole world is shaken from all the risks we have taken, dance with me. Dance with me into the colors of dusk.” ~ Ben Harper.
I’ve served my country, a man, and a cause. I’ve given my whole being while at the same time finding its true meaning. There was no way for me to know the day I met the men who were to become my best friends that they would introduce me to the love of my life.
Fiery red hair and hypnotizing emerald eyes caught my attention. Creamy, soft skin, a stark contrast to mine, seduced my body. Strength, devotion, and determination stole my heart.
I am Reid Murray, and I’ll kill without regret to once again dance in the dusk with my wife. This war has only begun. I won’t rest until it’s done.
From New York Times bestselling author comes a brand-new dark romance, DUSK, set in the dangerous world of Sparrow Webs. You do not need to read Web of Sin, Tangled Web, or Web of Desire to get caught up in this new and intriguing saga, Dangerous Web.
DUSK is book one of the DANGEROUS WEB trilogy that continues in DARK and concludes in DAWN.Have you been Aleatha’d?

My thoughts:

Oh how much it pains me to say I had to DNF a book by an author that I normally can’t put down. But I think that something I always have trouble with is when we start with a married couple and I didn’t get to be there with them through their stages up to that point. Now, partly that’s my fault for not having read all the different Sparrow Webs series, because I would have gotten their story through whoever the main characters at the time were I think. But unfortunately I just couldn’t get into this one because of my own issues. Definitely won’t stop me from reading more by Romig though!

Unwrapping the Best Man by Rachael Stewart:

I received this book for free from Rachel's Random Resources in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Unwrapping the Best Man by Rachael Stewart
Published by Harlequin Dare on December 1, 2020
Genres: Erotica
Source: Rachel's Random Resources
Format: E-galley
My Rating: DNF
Goodreads

A Hot Holiday Romance
On the first night of Christmas, her sexy crush finally gave to her—an unbelievably hot night! Now she’s ready for nights two, three and four… Unwrap the steamy sequel to Getting Dirty by Rachael Stewart.
I’ve lusted after brawny, gorgeously rough Jackson Black for six lust-fueled, unrequited years. But Jackson has rules, and the big one is “no getting involved with clients” of his elite London sex club. Including me. But our best friends are getting married, and for one deliciously hot night, the maid of honor and best man agree…what happens in the Scottish Highlands, stays in the Scottish Highlands.
It was everything I wanted and more…until the complete jerk disappears during the night.
Now it’s Christmas, and I have a plan to prove to Jackson Black just how much I don’t care, that he doesn’t turn me on like a Christmas tree. Only Operation: Naughty Elf is backfiring big-time. That aching need for his touch is stronger than ever. It’s painfully clear that I want more than just a fling from the untouchable Jackson Black.
I have one chance to unwrap the best man. But is this sexy, guarded grinch about to steal my heart…or break it?
Take control. Feel the rush. Explore your fantasies—Harlequin DARE publishes sexy romances featuring powerful alpha males and bold, fearless heroines exploring their deepest fantasies.

My thoughts:

I’ve read one other book by this author, Naughty or Nice, and it was another one right around the holiday time, so I decided to sign up for another. I knew it would be really hot, because that other book was, but I didn’t really care for the direction this one went. However I know I’ll still probably give more books by this author chances in the future, because I think it just was the characters in this one that didn’t work for me, not that there was anything wrong with them.

Final Thoughts:

Well, technically that is four months worth, so I guess 8 DNFs averages out to only 2 per month. So not as bad as it seems. It’s just because I waited so long to make a post that it is this long.