Tuesday, April 1, 2025

March Wrap Up


 I read or listened to a total of  15 books across 3,749 pages  pages  and 26.85 hours . My average rating was 4.10 And my total of unread 99. DNF'd  2



  1. Secret or Shutout by Leah Brunner (Kindle) (Review book) (owned) 

  2. An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon (review book) 

  3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

  4. A Ghostly Mortality by Tonaya Kappes (audio)

  5. Over the Edge by Irene Hannon (audio) 

  6. Cold Case Double Cross by Jessica Patch 

  7. The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths 

  8. The Bromance Bookclub by Lyssa Kay Adams (owned) 

  9. Sin with me by Brooke Montgmoery (kindle) 

  10. Promise me Sunshine by Cara Bastone (audio) 

  11. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (owned) 

  12. The Do over by Sarah M. Peterson 

  13. Kate Landry has a Plan by Rebekah Millet (owned) 

  14. Sunrise at the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (owned) 

  15. Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel (owned) 


Unfinished Series Update January- March 

Finished 3 series 

Made progress on  9 series 

Started 3 series


Monday, March 31, 2025

Secret or Shutout by Leah Brunner review


Title:  Secret or Shutout 

Author: Leah Brunner 

Ch: 42 plus epilogue 

Pg: 338 

Series: DC Eagles 

Genre:  Rom Com Hockey Rom com 

Rating:  5 stars 

Publisher: indie 

I thought Wes and Mel’s story was sweet, Mitch tugged out my heartstrings. Colby made me swoon. Ford melted my heart. But Bruce, well Bruce stole my heart. And at the beginning of the series, I didn’t see the goalie being my favorite or that he’d still my heart. Bruce was easy to see as the friend but not the love interest. However Secret or Shutout changed that.  I started falling for Bruce in the first chapter when I realized that my high school French hadn’t little me down and I knew what he was calling her. And that tidbit a lone made me realize there’s more to Bruce than meets the eye. The dual chapters make the story so much better. As you get to see them get to the same page. And watching Bruce fall was so sweet. Though Bruce did break a big hockey rule when it comes to teammate’s sister. 

 

Now I knew Farrah was going to be my favorite heroine when I meet her in Betrothal or Breakaway. But it was in Secret and Shutout that I saw how much I related to her. Farrah was the first time I’ve seen a heroine with PCOS on the page. And as someone with PCOs I loved seeing a heroine with the condition in a rom com. There was plenty of times in this one where my heart broke for Farrah. But there’s literally a moment in the book that Bruce not only starts healing Farrah’s heart and starts her trusting but I think a fictional hero started mending mine. And it’s this quote, “Farrah, I don’t want to build a life with you because of what you can give me someday. I don’t cherish you for your ability to have children or not. And I don’t love you based on any conditions.”  All I can say is where’s the real-life Bruce’s at?  

 

Bruce and his old truck remind me of something my grandma use to say if a man drives an old truck he knows how to stay when things get tough because he’s got patience and he’s stubborn. Which I think sums up Bruce perfectly. 

 

I loved that even though it’s Farrah and Bruce’s story we still get closure for the DC Eagles.

 

I will say Leah’s books on the steamy side of clean as there is some language, innuendo  and a fade to black scene with married couple. 

 

#secretorshutout #dceagles #hockeyromance #closeddoorromance #pcosrep #booktour

#bookedwiththeemilys

@bookedwiththeemilys @leah.brunner.writes

 

I received a copy of this book from the author  as part of a blog tour  I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

 

Tropes:

Hockey romance

Teammate’s sister

Reverse age gap

NHL goalie

Curvy heroine

Friday, March 14, 2025

My Vigilante Valentine by Jess Mastorakos review

 


Title:  My Vigilante Valentine 

Author: Jess Mastorakos 

Ch: 26

Pg: 334

Series:  Shadows and Sparks book 1

Genre:  Rom Com 

Rating: 5 stars 

Publisher: Indie 

 Not going to lie Jax Thorne gave me Bucky Barnes vibes. Not the Avengers movies Bucky but the Bucky that we see in The Falcon and Winter Soldier, And I was there for it. And I loved Luna’s spunk. And of course the marvel and DC references as well as other pop culture references adding to the slight superhero vibes. 

 

And what can I say I enjoyed this superhero rom com. As well as the crime fighting duo even if one’s a little bit grumpy but then I love grumpy heroes.  I want more Luna and Jax. And I was happy to learn that My Vigilante Valentine is becoming a series. 

 

 

I received a copy of this book from the author  as part of a blog tour  I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

 

Monday, March 10, 2025

Perfectly Faked by Grace Worthington review


Title: Perfectly Faked 

Author: Grace Worthington 

Ch: 39

Pg: 292

Series: Perfect Crush Hockey romance 2 

Genre:  Rom Com

Rating: 4 stars 

Publisher: 

 

Not going to lie I started the book out liking Leo more than Victoria and I think that’s because I “met” Leo in Perfectly Wedded but Victoria quickly grew on me.  I loved watching Leo and Victoria go from not quite enemies to more while being forced to skate together. I’ve never read a hockey rom com that also included a figure skater. But the fact that they are in opposing ice sports adds to the banter between these two. And keeps the reader turning pages. 

 

 

Hockey romance

Coach’s daughter

Enemies to lovers

Second chance romance

Ice skater/Hockey player 

Closed door

 

#perfectlyfaked #hockeyromance #coachsdaughter #secondchanceromance #closeddoorromance #booktour #bookedwiththeemilys

 

 

Thank you, Partner, @bookedwiththeemilys@graceworthingtonauthor or #gifted @bookedwiththeemilys @graceworthingtonauthor

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Perfectly Wedded by Grace Worthington review

 


Title: Perfectly Wedded 

Author: Grace Worthington 

Ch: 32 plus epilogue 

Pg: 294

Series: Perfect Crush Hockey 1 

Genre:  Hockey Rom com 

Rating: 4 stars 

Publisher: indie 


I enjoyed this one. I’m a sucker for marriage of convenience which is hard to find in contemporary romance. And of course I love a good hockey rom com. However friends to more isn’t always my favorite but Vale and Sloan had me turning pages because they weren’t the typical friends to more rom com couple. Can’t wait to read more of the series. 


I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Monday, March 3, 2025

February Wrap Up

 

   I read or listened to a total of 17   books across  4771 pages and 20.12 hours . My average rating was 3.79 And my total of unread 103. DNF'd 10 books and 3 books that wasn't' for me. 

Schooled in Murder by Victoria Gilbert 

Cold Case Takedown b Jessica R Patch 

Fake Out Hearts by Nikki Lawson (kindle Unlimited) 

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams 

The Sinners All bow by Kate Winkler Dawosn (nonfiction) 

Serial Burn by Lynette Eason (audio) 

Puck and Prejudice by Lia Riley 

Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver (audio)

The Nature of Love by Toni Shiloh 

The Trouble with the Daring Governess by Annie Burrows 

Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin 

Icebound Hearts by Nikki Lawson (Kindle Unlimited) 

Perfectly Wedded by Grace Worthington (Kindle Unlimited) (review book) 

My Vigilante Valentine by Jess Mastorakos (Kindle Unlimited) (review book) 

The Dreams We Knew by Rachel Scott McDaniel (Kindle) (review book) 

Perfectly Faked by Grace Worthington (Kindle Unlimited) (Review Book) 

Gargoyles: Here in Manhattan by Greg Weisman 

Thursday, February 27, 2025

The Dreams we Knew by Rachel Scott McDaniel Review


Title: The Dreams We Knew 

Author: Rachel Scott McDaniel 

Ch: 31 plus epilogue 

Pg: 320

Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

Rating: 5 stars 

Publisher: Kregel

No one writes 1920s like Rachel Scott McDaniel and it just gets better with each book. I loved DelvinaI mean what’s not to love about a socialite turned private investigator in New York City. Ans of course Kent who you first meet in Walking on Hidden wings

Not only I am I  a sucker for 1920s set novels I’m a sucker for a good mystery and romance full of banter which The Dreams we knew has in spades along with a second chance romance.  I finished this one in one day because I had to know what happened and I loved every minute McDaniel is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. 

 

I received a copy of this book from the author as part of a blog tour  I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.