These are the books that I decided not to finish this past month.
How to Get a Life in Ten Dates by Jenny L. Howe
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.
How to Get a Life in Ten Dates by Jenny L. Howe Published by St. Martin's Griffin on December 10, 2024
Genres: Adult Contemporary Romance
Pages: 320
Source: the publisher
Format: E-galley
My Rating:
Goodreads
Dating as a plus-size woman has been exhausting for Haleigh Berkshire. Sure, she's only twenty-five, but she's been doing it for a decade, and she's beginning to think it's time for a sabbatical. It doesn't help that she's been madly in love with her best friend, Jack, for years--but one disastrous weekend in college taught her the hard way that they'll never be more than friends.
With her sister's engagement party fast approaching, and her friends and family nagging her about a plus-one, Haleigh and Jack do what they do best: scheme. Haleigh agrees to let her friends and family set her up with ten men or women--and she's sure that, once none of them prove to be good matches, her loved ones will finally let her fade into romantic retirement in peace.
To her surprise, some of Haleigh’s dates go better than expected, and for the first time in forever, she's actually having fun. Until Jack starts breaking all the rules they’d made to mend their friendship in college. He produces a laundry list of flaws for everyone she likes, crashes some of her nights out, and finally shocks her by throwing himself into the mix. Dating Jack has always been the dream, but Haleigh is afraid of the reality. Is it worth risking her best friend for something that may have never been meant to be?
My thoughts:
So I liked the other book I read by this author and was excited for this one. I don’t know if I just wasn’t in the mood or what, but it wasn’t hitting me in a way that I cared whether I kept reading or not. So I decided to DNF and move on. Other people might really like it though, like I said I liked the last one I read, so you might still read it if you liked her other stuff.
Doubled Pucked (My Hockey Romance #1) by Lauren Blakely
Double Pucked by Lauren Blakely Series: My Hockey Romance #1
Narrator: Samantha Brentmoor, Robert Hatchet, J.F. Harding
Published by Lauren Blakely Books on June 30, 2023
Genres: Adult Sports Romance, Erotica
Length: 08:29
Source: Purchased
Format: Audiobook
My Rating:
Goodreads
A jilted book nerd, a plan for sweet revenge, and the two hockey studs who volunteer as her tributes in this best-selling hockey romance performed with duet narration by Samantha Brentmoor, JF Harding, and Robert Hatchet.
When I discover my boyfriend is cheating on me, I move out right away, taking what I love most–my dog. As I fly out the door, I make sure to swipe the thing my ex loves best–the VIP tickets he won to a hockey game, complete with the chance to spend an evening with the city’s two biggest NHL stars.
I can’t wait to snap selfies with my ex’s idols and rub it in his face. Except, when I head out with the two hockey studs, they have something else in mind besides sweet revenge. Would I like to spend the night with both of them? Talk about the VIP experience. That’s what I get for one knee-weakening, sheet-grabbing night.
In the morning, I plan to return to my bestie’s house to crash on her couch with my dog. But when they learn what happened with my awful ex, they ask me to be their temporary roomie for the week. Oh, and one of them needs my help with his grumpy reputation. The other? Well, he wants me to be his fake date at an upcoming wedding.
Looks like I’m about to get double pucked. Again.
My thoughts:
It’s not that it’s not good. I just am not feeling it right now. There was a time when these types of romances (mfm) were what I was all about reading. Now, I think I just need more than the sexy parts and more story then what I was getting with this. But for the newer to this genre people, or those who still are into it, this one is definitely worth it!
If the Shoe Fits (Once Upon a Romance #1) by Laurie LeClair
If the Shoe Fits by Laurie LeClair Series: Once Upon A Romance #1
Published by Laurie LeClair on September 26, 2013
Genres: Adult Contemporary Romance
Pages: 211
Source: Amazon Freebie
Format: eBook
My Rating:
Goodreads
What happens when a modern day Cinderella's dreams don't involve getting married?
Romance? Love? In this Once Upon A Romance Series Book 1 romantic comedy, Charlotte (Charlie) King doesn't have time for either one. All she wants is her late father's dream to come true by making his beloved King's Department Store thrive again. However, her stepmother has other ideas. Charlie agrees to help her stepmother find grooms for her sheltered stepsisters. In exchange, the stepmother will release her stronghold on the store's budget. After all, one good deed deserves another, right? But, Charlie has no idea what her heart's in for when...
Alexander (Alex) Royale, dubbed by society newspapers as Prince Charming, arrives for dinner to meet the all-female King family. His ailing grandparents yearn for his marriage and then the baby carriage. Well, that and running the family company. Having unsuccessfully searched for months, Alex doesn't hold out any hope in finding his future bride among the King sisters. However, all his expectations, including his idea of a business-like marriage of convenience, vanish the moment Charlie crashes into him.
When Alex sets out out to win over Charlotte, he has no idea he has to bargain with the stepmother, secretly buy the store, court Charlotte after the wedding, and, oh yeah, be featured in Charlie's new fairy tale ad campaign, The Charmings, based on them. Can a guy ever get a break?
The couple never factored in falling in love with each other. Now, faced with losing all their families ever wanted, Charlie and Alex must choose: Do they live their families' dreams or do they finally live their own?
My thoughts:
So this was a freebie. And I tried, but I just never cared if I picked it back up in between other books, so I’m taking it out of my list to read. It wasn’t bad per se, I just couldn’t seem to get into it much.
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I get exactly what you mean about Double Pucked. I can’t read some romance anymore where the concept is too ridiculous or unrealistic. I could read a few of those back in the day but now I can’t seem to read any. There has to be more plot and believable characters and emotions.
It just needs to be about more than wanting to have sex with them and all that. When I first got back into romance, about 10 or so years ago, I was okay with just that, but there’s too many good books out there to waste time on those anymore.
I can enjoy MFM romances or polyamory stories, but I definitely need there to be more than just the steamy parts. I have had a bunch of DNF’s like your last one as well were I just never really cared enough to continue and decided to set it aside. That’s too bad about this Jenny L. Howe book not working for you as you enjoyed another one of hers, but maybe the next one is better again.
Yeah, these days I need more than just that to the story to keep my attention. I will probably try at least one more Jenny Howe book before I give up!
Your DNF report reminds me that I need to be better about quitting when I’m not feeling it. This past year I pushed through on several that were never more than mediocre at best or were a drudge because my mood was for something else.
Forcing myself to read something feels like school all over again! And I was someone who loved school, lol, but I hated being told what to read and having to read something I didn’t like.
I totally get the “i am not feeling it right now” I have several I set aside for that reason. Another is it’s a little too relevant to real life and I can’t handle it right now…lol
I just have too many books I already own that I want to read, not to mention too many coming out by favorite authors, to waste time if I’m not enjoying it. I just feel like that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good book, it just means it’s not the book for me!