Category Archives: 4 hearts

Review: Gentleman Seeks Bride by Megan Frampton

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Gentleman Seeks Bride by Megan Frampton
Series: Hazards of Dukes #4 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: November 30th 2021
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

In this delightful flip of a classic romance trope, Megan Frampton creates a handsome, witty, hero in need of a wealthy bride who meets his match in Lady Jane Capel, from A Wicked Bargain with the Duke. Perfect for fans of Sarah McLean, Tessa Dare, and Eloisa James.

It’s a well-known fact that when a man is in search of a bride, a good dowry is never a hindrance.

Thomas Sharpe is handsome, well-bred, and desperately in need of a wealthy bride. His father has lost their income, his sister needs looking after, and so to save them all from a life of poverty he travels to London in search of an heiress.

Enter Lady Jane Capel. After her fiancé ended their engagement two years ago, Jane boldly left her parents’ home and moved in with her half-brother Percy. What does one more scandal matter to a family with such a curious reputation? Jane is independent, but not as well versed in life—and love—as she wants.

The two of them strike a deal: Thomas will show her all there is to know about the world —and intimacy—and Jane will help him find a bride. But the more time they spend together and the closer they get, the two of them soon realize that things aren’t so simple when it comes to men and women…

My main reason for wanting to read Gentleman Seeks Bride was the cover. Yes, I totally judged this book by its gorgeous cover. It was also my first read by Megan Frampton! I’d been wanting to read her for the longest time and I’m glad I read this one. I’m looking forward to reading the series from the start now!

Thomas is in need of a wealthy bride to save his family after a bad investment that cost his family fortune. Jane is a scandalized lady who’s living with her half-brother and in need of lessons in intimacy. The two strike a deal: she’ll help him land an heiress and he’ll teach her all the ways of the world and bedroom. I love reading these kinds of historical romances and I thought Megan Frampton did a great job at writing it!

Even though this is book 4 in a series, it read totally fine as a standalone. I wasn’t lost about anything and did enjoy the characters. The steam is great – Jane and Thomas share a lot of chemistry and they definitely act on it. The only reason why this isn’t quite a 4 star read, even though it was close, is because the second half of the book fell flat and wasn’t as engaging as the first half.

Still, for my first Megan Frampton read, it was solid! I can’t wait to read more historical romances by her and would love more covers like this one.


lacey

Reading Order: Hazards of Dukes series

 

#1 ~ Never Kiss a Duke: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Tall, Duke, and Dangerous: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ A Wicked Bargain for a Duke: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Gentleman Seeks Bride: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ Four Weeks of Scandal: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads (June 28, 2022)

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Review: Love, Comment, Subscribe by Cathy Yardley

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Love, Comment, Subscribe by Cathy Yardley
Series: Ponto Beach Reunion #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 1st 2021
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

From award-winning author Cathy Yardley comes Love, Comment, Subscribe, a fun, feisty romance about high school frenemies turned unlikely collaborators.

Back in high school, Lily Wang wanted to be popular, but she considered herself lucky to be part of a tight group of oddballs and honors students called the Nerd Herd. Now, at twenty-eight, she feels like she’s finally on the cusp of succeeding as a beauty influencer—if she can hit five million subscribers, brands will take notice and she could get her own makeup line.

Fellow Nerd Herd alum Tobin Bui has had a lot of success as a YouTube gamer. But the road to online stardom has been rocky. First, he disappointed his parents by dropping out of college, and now, after years of pranks, skits, and playthroughs, he’s struggling to come up with new content to satisfy his ever-growing fan base. His agents say he needs cross-audience appeal, a new twist.

When Nerd Herd frenemy Lily approaches Tobin about teaming up to do a video to bolster her brand and reinvigorate his, he agrees. But when their first collab video goes viral, their relationship heats up too. With the whole internet watching, will these two former misfits finally realize they’re perfect together?

An Asian romance between YOUTUBERS!!! I LOVED the premise of this one: she’s a beauty guru, he’s a vlogger, and they were part of a nerdy group of friends back in high school. He also had a crush on her back then! They collaborate on YouTube to try to revive their channels and end up falling for each other.

Love, Comment, Subscribe was so fun and adorable. It was my first time reading Cathy Yardley and I already can’t wait to read more of her, especially from this series. I really enjoyed the main characters Lily and Tobin, with their silly and sweet banter. They knew each other back in high school but were never really that close, and now they’re feeling each other out as adults. They’re very opposite people – she’s rigid and he’s laid-back, which is also how they approach their YouTube channels. They somehow make it work between their channels and people are eating their videos together up. But how much of their relationship is real and how much of it is for the camera?

I had an amazing time reading Lily and Tobin’s romance. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and sexy. I also appreciated the more emotional aspect the story, with both Tobin and Lily struggling in their careers, dealing with anxiety and burnout. It’s not as easy as it looks to be a YouTuber. Overall, this was a fantastic start to a new contemporary romance series. Their friend group is also great and I can’t wait to read more of them, especially the second chance romance!


lacey

Reading Order: Ponto Beach Reunion series

#1 ~ Love, Comment, Subscribe: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Gouda Friends: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads (March 22, 2022)

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Review: Homecoming King by Penny Reid

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Homecoming King by Penny Reid
Series: Three Kings #1
Publication Date: December 14th 2021
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Rex “TW” McMurtry’s perpetual single-hood wouldn’t bother him so much if all his ex-girlfriends didn’t keep marrying the very next person they dated, especially when so many of those grooms are his closest friends. He may be a pro-football defensive end for the Chicago Squalls, but the press only wants to talk about how he’s always a groomsman and never a groom. Rex is sick of being the guy before the husband, and he’s most definitely sick of being the best man at all their weddings.

Bartender Abigail McNerny is the gal-pal, the wing-woman, the she-BFF. She’s dated. Once. And once was more than enough. Privy to all the sad stories of her customers, ‘contentment over commitment’ is her motto, and Abby is convinced no one on earth could ever entice her into a romantic relationship . . . except that one guy she’s loved since preschool.

The guy who just walked into her bar.

The guy who doesn’t recognize her.

The guy who is drunk and needs a ride home.

The guy who has a proposition she should definitely refuse.

This was ADORABLE! If you’re in the mood for a romance that’s sweet, feel-good, and fun, you need to read Homecoming King. It’s got a grumpy football player hero, a bartender heroine who used to crush on him back in school, and a marriage of convenience. I legit could not stop smiling while I read this book.

Abby is a bartender who’s sworn off romantic relationships after the mess that was her previous marriage. Then in walks the boy she used to love all throughout school, except Rex is all grown up now. He’s a professional football player who’s had some terrible luck with his own romantic relationships. Every woman he’s ever dated ended up marrying the man she met after dating Rex. He’s sick and tired of being known as “training wheels” for the women he dates so he concocts the perfect plan to stop the moniker: enter a marriage of convenience with Abby.

I loved Abby and Rex’s relationship! Abby is a lovable dork who’s still got a her schoolgirl crush on Rex but is trying to be professional/the best fake wife she can be for him. Even though we don’t get the hero’s POV, you can clearly see Rex slowly fall for Abby and simply adore everything about her, even as she’s a little oblivious to his feelings. Both are endearing, lovely characters I enjoyed reading about so much.

Also, I should’ve realized this was a holiday romance from the cover. I wish I read this a month earlier, but still, it was so good!


lacey

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Review: Triple Threat by K. Webster

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Triple Threat by K. Webster
Series: Deception Duet #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: January 11th 2022
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

I’m a prisoner in a prestigious world.

A perfect princess locked in a tower.

My father will never let me go.

Not that I could leave. I would never abandon my little sister. Hope comes in the form of a devilishly handsome man with dark eyes and darker secrets.

With each encounter, I’m lured deeper into the labyrinth. The danger lurking beneath his surface calls to me, even as it warns me away.

Except there’s a new side of him every time we meet. A different danger each time we touch. It’s as if three different men want to devour me.

He’s not just one villain. He’s three.

I couldn’t believe when K. Webster announced she would be writing a romance for the Terror Triplets from the Cinderella Trilogy. They were nasty, spoiled bullies – but was I still going to read their book? Absolutely.

I shouldn’t have doubted K. Webster because Triple Threat was so good! It’s a reverse harem romance with a heroine and three identical triplet heroes. The Mannford boys have grown up now and they’re not as spoiled and bratty. Sparrow, Scout, and Sully kind of work for the mafia but all they want to do is escape so they can live their own lives. Their uncle gives them one last assignment before they can be free – dupe the daughter of a tech billionaire into believing they’re one man and get close to her so they can find out her father’s secrets.

Landry may come from a rich family, but she lives in terror because of her abusive father. She wants to escape but she stays for her younger, deaf sister to protect her. Landry has never gotten close to anyone but she finds solace in a new, gorgeous classmate named Ford… who at times seems like he has a split personality.

I enjoyed this reverse harem romance so much! Each triplet clearly has his own personality and way of being with Landry, but I still fell for all 3, though I’m going to need more when it comes to the craziest brother, Scout. Landry was a strong heroine who I really felt for. I was on the edge of my seat reading this, just waiting for the moment when Landry would find out the truth about the brothers.

This is the first book in a duet and I am dying for Death Wish already. You can see the cliffhanger coming but it still killed me. Triple Threat is hot but not as steamy as I would expect from this author so hopefully we get more in the sequel!


lacey

Reading Order: Deception Duet

#1 ~ Triple Threat: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Death Wish: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads (March 29, 2022)

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Review: Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

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Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
Series: Bellinger Sisters #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: March 1st 2022
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Hardcover • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

In the follow-up to It Happened One Summer, Tessa Bailey delivers another deliciously fun rom-com about a former player who accidentally falls for his best friend while trying to help her land a different man…

King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a sexy, carefree flirt. Everyone knows he’s a guaranteed good time—in bed and out—and that’s exactly how he prefers it. Until he meets Hannah Bellinger. She’s immune to his charm and looks, but she seems to enjoy his… personality? And wants to be friends? Bizarre. But he likes her too much to risk a fling, so platonic pals it is.

Now, Hannah’s in town for work, crashing in Fox’s spare bedroom. She knows he’s a notorious ladies’ man, but they’re definitely just friends. In fact, she’s nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague and Fox is just the person to help with her lackluster love life. Armed with a few tips from Westport’s resident Casanova, Hannah sets out to catch her coworker’s eye… yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead. As the line between friendship and flirtation begins to blur, Hannah can’t deny she loves everything about Fox, but she refuses to be another notch on his bedpost.

Living with his best friend should have been easy. Except now she’s walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall, and Fox is fantasizing about waking up next to her for the rest of his life and… and… man overboard! He’s fallen for her, hook, line, and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he’s all in, she’ll choose him instead?

I had such high hopes for Hook, Line, and Sinker after loving book one, It Happened One Summer. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and it was actually my first 2022 release that I read! I enjoyed this one a lot – it was REALLY good, but I will say, Fox and Hannah didn’t draw me in like Piper and Brendan did in the previous book. It’s surprisingly slow for a Tessa Bailey romance and this is the first time I’m going to say I wanted more steam in a book by her. Still, if you loved the first Bellinger Sisters series, you won’t want to miss this second one. It’s a fun, breezy, flirty friends-to-lovers romance!

Fox and Hannah were first introduced as Brendan’s best friend and Piper’s sister, respectively. We felt some fantastic chemistry between them and now we finally get their romance! Fox is a (former) playboy hero who unexpectedly becomes best friends with the last person he expected to become BFFs with, Hannah. He’s usually known as a ladies’ man, but she’s the one woman immune to his charms. They grow a beautiful friendship, and he even offers her a room to stay at his place while she’s in town for work. But soon enough, Fox realizes he’s fallen for his new best friend, though he’s terrified of his reputation ruining things so he keeps her in the friend zone.

I had a wonderful time reading this book. It’s a really sweet friends-to-lovers romance and I enjoyed Fox and Hannah’s characters. I especially loved revisiting Westport, Piper, and Brendan. I just didn’t love it quite as much as the previous book – it was missing that charm from book 1 for me. Still, I always have so much fun reading Tessa Bailey and this was no different!


lacey

Reading Order: Bellinger Sisters series

#1 ~ It Happened One Summer: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Hook, Line, and Sinker: Ebook • Paperback • Hardcover • Audible • Goodreads

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