Pucked, Lead Me Back & Butterface

I've got a mixed bag of contemporary romances to review today...

Pucked by Helena Hunting

With a famous NHL player for a stepbrother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation of many a hockey star. So of course she isn't interested in legendary team captain Alex Waters or his pretty, beat-up face and rock-hard six-pack abs. But when Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet's misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes much more than just a hot body with the face to match. Suffering from a complete lapse in judgment, Violet discovers just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants.

Violet believes her night of orgasmic magic with Alex is just that: one night. But Alex starts to call. And text. And email and send extravagant - and quirky - gifts. Suddenly he's too difficult to ignore and nearly impossible not to like. The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn't want to be part of the game.

Make no mistake about it, this book is complete and utter trash. Seriously, it's awful. The storyline is weak and the characters have very little depth and the vocabulary and phrasing used throughout the novel made something inside me shrivel up and die... But I had so much fun reading it!

It made me laugh. It made me cringe. It was utterly nonsensical when I needed nonsense.

It was sex with little substance interspersed with giggles and the occasional touch of sweet to balance the over the top media-induced relationship drama.

Plus, there's hockey. I love hockey romances. They're my favourite kind of sports romance.

Ultimately, I think this is a book that people will love or hate.

My advice would be don't take it too seriously, don't expect too much and just appreciate it for what it is - an over the top romantic comedy with a hockey backdrop.

Oh! And bonus enjoyment if you can appreciate the crudeness and immaturity.

💬 "My cooter has been in an epic battle with a cock monster." 💬 (A very mild example.)

Lead Me Back by CD Reiss

A twist of fate proves wildly explosive in New York Times bestselling author CD Reiss’s smart and sexy Hollywood romance about the cost of running from your past to get to your dreams.

Cutting all ties, Kayla Montgomery drives cross-country to Los Angeles. New start. New life. And an unexpected new job: assistant to Justin Beckett.

The Justin Beckett.

The boy band rebel with the cocky attitude and dreamy bed head who casts a spell over his fans and tests the patience of his handlers.

Now at the peak of Mount Adulthood, he has to build a clean-cut, movie star image. It’s in his contract. No partying. No attitude. No groupies.

To tie it together, he needs a normal girl.

Suddenly, Kayla’s swept up in Justin’s glamorous world, and his arms. But the most dizzying thing is Justin himself. Sweet, generous, reliable, and as eager to shed his past as Kayla is hers.

About that…

Those ties she thought she’d cut? They’ve followed her across the country with her secrets in tow, and they’re about to test Kayla’s courage, Justin’s loyalty, and a love that wasn’t part of the deal.

I almost DNF'd this book at about 20% but sheer bloody-mindedness kept me reading... It was an ARC and I don't like to bail on those but it look will-power, I tell ya!

I just didn't like the characters. I didn't like Justin Beckett and I didn't like Kayla Montgomery but I did like the supporting characters... There just wasn't a lot of page time with them.

The book was 100% the Kayla and Justin show and that is fine - great even - if you like the main characters but I've already said that I didn't so it caused problems.

Kayla is a prickly bitch and it takes a long time to get to the bottom of what her issue is. Her issue - the reason she ran across the country - is a serious one and it explained a lot but, the thing is, the reveal doesn't actually explain why she has such a shit attitude towards men in general. It's just her... And I'd say Daddy issues (even though I liked her dad).

Justin. Well. He's just the authors wanna be Justin Bieber thrown into a boy band. He is surrounded by drama and is a bit of a tool. I hated the descriptions of how he dressed, I hated his behaviours and attitude and couldn't understand why anyone would find him attractive. That said, his relationship with his grandma made me laugh (the grandma is a great character) and he could occasionally do sweet things so... I dunno.

The back and forth between Justin and Kayla almost gave me whiplash and they'd contradict their behaviour and thoughts from one paragraph to the next. As this is my first CD Reiss book, I don't know if that's supposed to be a character thing (aka they don't know what the hell they're thinking) or if it's a quirk of the writers but it drove me bonkers.

Now, I know I'm giving the book a bit of a roasting and I'm sorry for it because the ending was actually quite satisfying. If the entire book had lived up to the final quarter, it would have been a really good read - but it didn't. I have a feeling that this book will really work for some people but it just was not for me.

Butterface by Avery Flynn

It’s true. I’m not what most people would call “pretty” and, well, high school was rough. Fast forward ten years and life is good…

Until a bunch of jerks think it’s hilarious to put the “butterface” (AKA me) on a wedding Kiss Cam with the hottest guy ever—and that old humiliation hits hard.

I recognize him immediately. The sexiest cop in Waterbury and totally out of my league.

But then he kisses me. And we totally forget the room, the crowd, everything.

Then he tells everyone we’ve been dating for months.

Soon everything starts to feel too real, from adorable fights over “necessary” tools to fix my broken porch to surviving a free-for-all dinner with his six siblings to picking up where our last kiss left off.

But there’s something he’s not telling me about why he’s really hanging around, and I’m pretty sure it has to do with my mob-connected brothers.

Because this is not a make-over story, and Cinderella is only a fairy tale…

I'm not going to lie - I expected far more from this story than it delivered.

The writing was good, the story was good, the characters were likeable but Gina got annoying very quickly with her complete lack of self-esteem and I got super tired of the negative physical descriptions... There's only so many times you can read about big noses and bulging eyes before you start picturing a creature from the lagoon instead of a normal looking woman with a big nose, you know? And it got in the way of sinking into the story and enjoying the romance.

And don't even start me on the behaviour of the guys in the police department relating to Gina... They're grown ass men acting worse than children! All over a person's appearance! 😑

However, it's a fun story. It's sweet, it's sexy and the Hartigan family were a hoot who I'd like to read more about so I'll definitely continue with the series even though this one was a bit of a mixed bag for me.

Brazen & The Beast, His Bride For The Taking & The Wallflower Wager (Regency Romance)

Today, it's mini-reviews Regency edition!

Brazen and The Beast by Sarah MacLean

The Lady’s Plan When Lady Henrietta Sedley declares her twenty-ninth year her own, she has plans to inherit her father’s business, to make her own fortune, and to live her own life. But first, she intends to experience a taste of the pleasure she’ll forgo as a confirmed spinster. Everything is going perfectly... until she discovers the most beautiful man she’s ever seen tied up in her carriage and threatening to ruin the Year of Hattie before it’s even begun. 
 The Bastard’s Proposal When he wakes in a carriage at Hattie’s feet, Whit, a king of Covent Garden known to all the world as Beast, can’t help but wonder about the strange woman who frees him—especially when he discovers she’s headed for a night of pleasure... on his turf. He is more than happy to offer Hattie all she desires... for a price. 
 An Unexpected Passion Soon, Hattie and Whit find themselves rivals in business and pleasure. She won’t give up her plans; he won’t give up his power... and neither of them sees that if they’re not careful, they’ll have no choice but to give up everything... including their hearts.

I really liked this one! Hattie is strong-willed, unconventional and delightful but with a slight leaning towards pig-headed and annoying. Whit is interesting, sweet, sexy and utterly addictive. They compliment each other beautifully and I was fully invested in their relationship from their first meeting.I'm a complete sucker for the hard-ass with a fierce reputation falling head over heels for a feisty female and this book delivers that alongside a fast-paced story with just enough drama and mild-peril to keep things spicy and exciting. If you're looking for a well-written regency then I definitely recommend giving this a try! 
Brazen and The Beast is book two in a trilogy and while it can stand alone, I think I'm going to go back and read book one as I liked Whit's brother and sister-in-law and want to see how their romance unfolded plus I'm super super intrigued for how the third book in the trilogy will play out and feel like I wouldn't be getting the full set up for that without having read the first two.  
His Bride For The Taking by Tessa Dare

It’s the first rule of friendship among gentlemen: Don’t even think about touching your best friend’s sister. Sebastian, Lord Byrne, has never been one for rules. 

He’s thought about touching Mary Clayton—a lot—and struggled to resist temptation. But when Mary’s bridegroom leaves her waiting the altar, only Sebastian can save her from ruin. 

By marrying her himself. In eleven years, he’s never laid a finger on his best friend’s sister. Now he’s going to take her with both hands. To have, to hold…and to love. 

 This novella was originally published in Rogues Rush In: a Regency Duet (2018), by Tessa Dare and Christi Caldwell

This was a short novella designed to be devoured in a single reading session.

It packs the usual charm of a Tessa Dare Regency romance but it was lacking in any depth or decent character development due to the length. The story is super basic, and a little far-fetched, but it's a fun read. I think if you don't go into it with the expectations Dare's full-length novels evoke you'll probably enjoy it... I did but it's not something I'm likely to remember in a year or ever read again. 

The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

They call him the Duke of Ruin. To an undaunted wallflower, he's just the beast next door. 

Wealthy and ruthless, Gabriel Duke clawed his way from the lowliest slums to the pinnacle of high society—and now he wants to get even. Loyal and passionate, Lady Penelope Campion never met a lost or wounded creature she wouldn’t take into her home and her heart. 

When her imposing—and attractive—new neighbour demands she clear out the rescued animals, Penny sets him a challenge. She will part with her precious charges if he can find them loving homes. 

Done, Gabriel says. 

How hard can it be to find homes for a few kittens? 

And a two-legged dog. 

And a foul-mouthed parrot. 

And a goat, an otter, a hedgehog . . . Easier said than done, for a cold-blooded bastard who wouldn’t know a loving home from a workhouse. 

Soon he’s covered in cat hair, knee-deep in adorable, and bewitched by a shyly pretty spinster who defies his every attempt to resist. 

Now she’s set her mind and heart on saving him. 

 Not if he ruins her first.

Out of the four friends, whose lives and marriages make up this series, Penny is my favourite so I was super excited to see how her love story played out and let me tell you that it didn't hang around!

Chapter one is where Penny and Gabriel meet in a less than proper and traditional fashion and it sparks a wonderful (if reluctant on Gabriel's part) friendship that grows into an epic romance.

Penny with her love of animals and kind heart and Gabriel with his love of making money and utter ruthlessness... It's a match made in romancelandia heaven!

It was sweet, funny, and utterly charming!

In theory, these two had nothing in common. Penny is the daughter of nobility and Gabriel is a street urchin that clawed his way up out of the gutter, but both are a little bit broken and in sore need of someone to love and to love them.

They found what they needed in each other and they worked to make it a reality and then fought to keep it.

I loved it. I loved them. I loved the quirky and humourous moments where Chance and Ash (the Dukes from the first two books) bonded with Gabriel and I loved the ending.

Basically, I just loved this book. So, yeah. I think you should read it.

Would You Rather Tag Edition #2!

Another would you rather tag! I love these and this time I'm answering 10 questions set out by Chuckles!
My set of questions are the same as when I answered Greg's questions earlier in the month because I'm too lazy to create a second set! 😜

If you want to be tagged, consider yourself tagged!

🌻

1) Would you rather be a vampire or a werewolf?

Neither! I'd rather be a witch.
However, if I had to choose, I'd probably go with Vampire.

2) Would you rather use magic or technology for an easier life?

Magic!
Technology is boring in comparison.

3) Would you rather be invisible or able to fly?

Invisible! Oh, the possibilities...

4) Would you rather have gas or electricity?

I don't think I really understand this question... Gas or electricity like the utilities?
If so, electricity.

5) Would you rather read fiction or non-fiction?

Fiction.

6) Would you rather have sweet or savoury snacks?

Depends on my mood but I probably lean more towards sweet.

7) Would you rather have Indian or Italian food?

Italian!

8) Would you rather have a beachside house or a riverside cabin in the woods?

Cabin in the woods as I like the peaceful setting, trees and the sound of water.

9) Would you rather visit Asia or Africa?

Hmmm... Probably Africa. I'd like to do a real-life African Safari.

10) If you could only read one genre for a year, what would it be?

Urban Fantasy.

🌻

My Questions:

1) Would you rather eat out or have a home-cooked meal every evening for the rest of your life?
2) Would you rather visit theme parks or visit castles/historical sites?
3) Would you rather have instantaneous travel in the present or the ability to time travel to the past?
4) Would you rather live in perpetual night or perpetual day?
5) Would you rather walk a mile on lego bricks or broken glass?
6) Would you rather lose the internet (i.e it ceases to exist) or lose your eyesight?
7) Would you rather play a game you love with people you hate OR play a game you hate with people you love?
8) Would you rather own the Mona Lisa or Starry Night?
9) Would you rather wear clothes that are always too big or always a little too small?
10) Would you rather burn books for warmth or freeze to death?

Books That Should Be Netflix Shows or Movies (Top Ten Tuesday)

Oh man, this is a tough one...

Not because it's hard to choose what I'd want to see as a TV show or movie (although that IS kinda hard) but because tv/movie adaptations are, more often than not, a hot freakin' mess and just lead to rage...

But, assuming they're done well, the books/series that jump to mind are:

The Hollows Series by Kim Harrison

There is so much to unpack in this series that it would make a truly awesome TV show!

Wrapped Up In Christmas by Janice Lynn

This would make a wonderful Christmas movie. It's got that wholesome, Hallmark, vibe to it which makes a whole load of sense considering the publishing imprint.

I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk

Angie and her mad antics on the screen? Alex in the flesh?! Yes, please!!

That said, I don't think the full series would translate well... But this one definitely would.

Blood Type series by KA Linde

This hotter than hell paranormal romance series with a major dystopian kick would make for pretty good watchin', if you ask me... 

In Bloom by Katie Delahanty

This would be the perfect summer flick.

The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning

It's been a long time since I read this series (and the author has expanded it extensively with even more books!) but I'd love to see it on screen even though I have no clue who could bring Barons to life...

The Georgina Kinkaid Series by Richelle Mead

It's been a long time but I still want to see Georgina and Seth's story played out on TV... I'll never give up hoping even though it's pretty hopeless!

🌻

I also wanted to include Daisy Jones and The Six and the Percy Jackson series on this list but figured they're already being adapted into TV shows so left them off. 

If any of the others are being adapted, I'm not aware of it but, please tell me! 

I can't wait to get excited even though it'll probably end in disappointment. 😂

🌻

So, what's on your list?

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Millers and Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Two wonderful books that live up to their hype!!

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.

I listened to this book on audio and I need to give the narrator a high five for he was wonderful! He told the story wonderfully and breathed life into Patroclus but irrespective of how good the narrator Miller's writing was so beautiful! This was such a beautifully written book that I just can't get over it.

Everyone knows (or I assume they do?) the story of the Iliad. Of Hector and Achilles, Helen and Paris, of Agamemnon, Menelaus and Odysseus... And of Patroclus. It's a story of friendship, love, loss and fate and Miller's retelling is perfection. It's more engaging than the original text (although that wouldn't be hard...) Through the eyes of Patroclus, she makes the arrogant Achilles likeable! She makes a well-trod tale seem new and fresh. She made me smile, took me on a journey to the past and made it come alive. I knew what was to come yet she still managed to destroy me when it happened! Patroclus and Achilles... The way she told their story, the love they had for each other... I just can't describe it. You need to read it.

This is a perfect example of a book I loved with every piece of my soul yet have no words to tell you why. It just struck a chord and I suspect I'll love it forever.

Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six: The band's album Aurora came to define the rock 'n' roll era of the late seventies, and an entire generation of girls wanted to grow up to be Daisy. But no one knows the reason behind the group's split on the night of their final concert at Chicago Stadium on July 12, 1979 . . . until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock 'n' roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.

I think you have to have been living under a rock if you're a reader and haven't heard of Daisy Jones and The Six. This book released with a bang and the hype train just got bigger, louder and more emphatic as the months went on and more and more people read it.

I must admit, I was curious but intimidated by the hype. Overhyped books come with expectations and that rarely ends well but, in this case, it did!

Daisy Jones and the Six is worth the hype. I found the beginning to be a bit... Slow? It was interesting learning about Daisy and about The Six but it wasn't unputdownable. However, the minute Daisy and The Six collided I was hooked! Together is where the story took off for me and I couldn't stop turning pages until I'd read the last one.

A rollercoaster of emotions is a phrase that gets used a lot but there is no other way to describe how I felt reading this book. From soaring high to sinking low, the book takes you on an unforgettable journey that you wish was real. It feels real. It feels like you should be able to head over to your preferred streaming service and listen to the album, click on youtube and watch endless clips, and head to the book store and read countless biographies... These people are fascinating... Not always likeable but compelling just the same! Their journey is engrossing. And the fact that they're a figment of the author's imagination blows my mind. The characters jump off the page vibrant, living, breathing beings and the fact it's all just a story is perhaps the most heart-wrenching element of the entire book!

I can't recommend the book highly enough. It was wonderful. The only reason it was 4.5 stars (and not 5) for me was because of how I perceived the beginning but I can one hundred per cent see why so many people would disagree and give it all the stars!

Would You Rather Tag! (Greg's Questions)

Everyone loves a nice game of would you rather, right?!

Right. So, today I'm answering 10 questions set out by Greg.

My set of questions are at the bottom of the post so if you'd like to participate consider yourself tagged!

1) Would you rather read or watch Netflix for an entire year?

Honestly, I could do with a year of solid reading followed by a year of solid Netflix in order to catch up on all the things I want to read/watch but just never have time to!
However, if one had to go... It would be Netflix. Obviously. I'm not a monster.
Books win!

2) Would you rather read all new releases or used/ backlist books for a year?

Easy. Backlist.
I spend most of my time reading backlist anyway.

3) Would you rather have pizza or Chinese food?

Pizza.
I love Chinese food but I could eat pizza daily, for multiple meals, and be happy. 

4) Would you rather use Bookstagram or Twitter- only one- for a whole year?

Probably Twitter.
I'm using Instagram a bit more nowadays but I still prefer Twitter for bookish things.

5) Would you rather have your blog professionally designed or do you like to DIY?

A bit of both?
I like having a fully customisable, mobile responsive, template that I purchased (as I think blogger's default templates suck) but I don't know enough to properly design my own from scratch and botching something together isn't my thing.

6) Would you rather have a bookstore or be hired by your fave publisher?

Own a bookstore. I'd never want to work in publishing.

7) Would you rather have dogs or cats?

Cats and I do have cats. Two of them.

I grew up with dogs and think they're lovely but I do not want to ever own one as an adult.
My routines and personality would not make me a very good dog owner.

8) Would you rather go to the past or future?

Past but only as a silent observer and I'd need the ability to understand whatever language is being spoken around me. I wouldn't want to be seen or have any influence over anything. I just want to see what people looked like, watch how things truly unfolded etc. 

9) Would you rather be in a Victorian-era mystery or a future setting book?

I guess I don't really care as neither are my thing but if I had to choose I'd probably go Victorian Mystery.

10) What is your best book of 2020 so far?

Nope, sorry, can't choose one! As per my Mid-Year Freek Out tag, it's one of these:

Druid Vices and a Vodka - Annette Marie

The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller

Daisy Jones and The Six - Taylor Jenkins Reid

Lost Talismans and a Tequila - Annette Marie

🌻

As I said at the beginning, if you want to answer some questions, consider yourself tagged!

My Questions:

1) Would you rather eat out or have a home-cooked meal every evening for the rest of your life?
2) Would you rather visit theme parks or visit castles/historical sites?
3) Would you rather have instantaneous travel in the present or the ability to time travel to the past?
4) Would you rather live in perpetual night or perpetual day?
5) Would you rather walk a mile on lego bricks or broken glass?
6) Would you rather lose the internet (i.e it ceases to exist) or lose your eyesight?
7) Would you rather play a game you love with people you hate OR play a game you hate with people you love?
8) Would you rather own the Mona Lisa or Starry Night?
9) Would you rather wear clothes that are always too big or always a little too small?
10) Would you rather burn books for warmth or freeze to death?

Warping Minds and Other Misdemeanours by Annette Marie & Rob Jacobsen (GC: Warped #1)

My name is Kit Morris, and welcome to my warped life.

Picture the scene: Me, an average guy with psychic powers—not that my abilities are in any way average—just trying to scrape by in a harsh world. So maybe I've conned a few people, but did I really deserve to be thrown in MPD jail alongside magic-wielding serial killers?

According to Agent Lienna Shen, one-hundred-percent yes.

But her hardass attitude and “Arcana prodigy” status aren’t enough to bring down my former best friend, who slipped through the MPD’s fingers and is days away from unleashing untold horrors upon the city. Or he’s going to steal something. I don’t really know.

Whatever he’s up to, that’s why I’m sitting in an interrogation room with Lienna. And that’s why I just offered myself as her temporary new partner for the purposes of thwarting my ex-accomplice.

And that’s how I’m going to escape. I might even help with the case before I cut and run.

*ARC received via the authors in exchange of an honest review*

I put off starting this book for almost a week after I received an ARC because I was nervous about reading it. I was nervous because it wasn't Annette Marie. It was Annette Marie and Rob Jacobsen. 

It's no secret that I love Annette Marie's writing and I love the Guild Codex universe but how would the addition of the unknown factor of Mr Jacobsen affect the writing? The characters? The world?!

In short, it doesn't really. 

The Guild Codex world is the GC world. The plot and execution are as tight and enjoyable as all the others. It feels like an Annette Marie book... BUT it also feels other. 

You could attribute the "otherness" to the fact it's a new character (Kit) and it's told exclusively from a male pov (which the other books are not) but that's not why. 

The "otherness" is most definitely Rob Jacobsen and it hilarious, weird and wholly enjoyable. 

As I mentioned above, Guild Codex: Warped is not a guild based series but an MPD (think magic police) based series but I can already tell it's going to be unlike any kind of law enforcement series I've ever read!

Kit is a wonderful character with unique and interesting magical gifts. He's technically a criminal but still a good guy with a good heart. His backstory hit me in the feels and made me want to hug him while he simultaneously had me snorting tea out my nose at his one-liners and whacky observations. 

I'm super curious about what's to come for Kit and as to what the full scope of his magic actually is.

Lienna Shen is more of an enigma. A magical prodigy working for the MPD. She seems fierce, smart, kind and loyal but despite spending an entire book with her, I feel like we know next to nothing about her. I guess this is because Kit knows little about her, and we only know what he does. I'm excited to learn more about her and I'm already shipping her and Kit... The book isn't a romance but these two have awesome chemistry!

Warping Minds and Other Misdemeanours is very much an introduction... An origin story if you will. 

I was utterly engrossed throughout, it was super fun and easy to read, and I finished it wanting more but I have no clue where the series is going or what the overarching plot of the series will be.

I know from the other Guild Codex series that somehow Kit and Lienna's paths will cross with the Crow and Hammer more than once but I don't know why. 

It's all very exciting.

If you have a love for magical adventures, quirky characters and weird humour - and would like to escape reality for a few hours - give this a read! 

Seriously, I doubt you'll regret it. 

I have a new obsession.