Review: Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
Series: Bellinger Sisters, Book 2
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9780063045699
Release Date: March 1, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

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?

Hook, Line, and Sinker is friends-to-lovers romance at its finest. Tessa Bailey returns to the small fishing town of Westport, Washington and pairs up music-loving Hannah Bellinger and king crab fisherman Fox Thornton. The result is a fast-paced, engaging romance that will make you smile one moment and tug on your heartstrings the next.

Fox broke my heart. The handsome relief skipper is used to his good looks attracting women and the razzing he gets from everyone in Westport. But beneath the carefree surface is a deeply wounded man with low self-esteem. Toxic masculinity and oversexualization from a young age have chipped away at how he sees himself. He doesn’t think anyone – even those he loves the most – will ever take him seriously and doesn’t try because of that. But he’s a kind man with a huge heart and a sharp mind who is so easy to fall for. I loved that Hannah saw him, got beneath the surface, and wouldn’t compromise. She wouldn’t let Fox devalue himself and she fought for him and for what they could have. Hannah is at a crossroads in her life when she comes to Westport. She sees herself as supporting actress material, but not leading lady. Just like she does for him, Fox sees Hannah for all that she is. He supports her, urges her to step out from the shadows and into the sun, putting her skills and talents to use. I loved watching both of them come into their own over the course of the story.

Separately, Hannah and Fox are great characters. But together they’re absolute dynamite. There’s a lot of push-pull between them, but it makes sense and Bailey makes every bump in the road to happily ever after worth it. Fox and Hannah have fantastic chemistry; their banter made me smile, the sexual tension was sizzling, and the way they supported one another captured my heart. I loved every page of Hook, Line, and Sinker, from the zippy text messages to the unexpectedly sweet moments to the spicy bedroom scenes to the heartbreaking and heartwarming character development. I cannot wait to revisit Hannah and Fox again and again and again!



FTC Disclosure: 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.

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Review: The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George

The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George
Series: The Gilded Age Heiresses, Book 3
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9780593197240
Release Date: February 22, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Tall, dark, and brooding—to say that American Maxwell Crenshaw stood out in the glittering ballrooms of London is an understatement. He vowed never to set foot in England again, but when a summons from his father along with an ultimatum to secure his legacy has him crossing the Atlantic for the last time, reuniting him with the delectable Lady Helena March, he can’t deny the temptation she presents. Or the ideas she inspires…

Lady Helena March is flirting with scandal. Instead of spending her time at teas and balls in search of another husband, as is expected of a young widow, Helena pours her energy into The London Home for Young Women. But Society gives no quarter to unmarried radicals who associate with illegitimate children and fallen women, and Helena’s funding is almost run out. So when the sinfully seductive Crenshaw heir suggests a fake engagement to save them both—him from an unwanted marriage and her from scorn and financial ruin—Helena finds herself too fascinated to refuse the sexy American.

As their arrangement of convenience melts oh so deliciously into nights of passion, their deception starts to become real. But if Max knew the true reason Helena can never remarry, he wouldn’t look at her with such heat in his eyes. Or might the Crenshaw heir be willing to do whatever it takes to win the one woman he’s never been able to forget…

A fake courtship feels all too real in The Lady Tempts an Heir. Sparks flew between Max and Helena in the last Gilded Age Heiresses book so I was delighted to see the final Crenshaw fall for the independent widow.

If Max thought that being male would prevent him from being subjected to the same pressure to marry as his sisters, he was wrong. If he doesn’t fall in line and secure the Crenshaw legacy, then his father will derail his sister’s current project. Max doesn’t want to be pressured into marriage, but he needs to buy time to protect his sister’s work so he decides to propose a fake engagement to Lady Helena March. Helena is a widow who cares deeply for others. She’s trying to secure funding for The London Home for Young Women, but her own father is pressuring her investors to pull out because it’s “unseemly” for Helena to be associated with unwed mothers and their children. Max’s proposal seems to be the perfect solution to her problem. But what starts as a mutually beneficial fake relationship quickly becomes real.

Helena and Max are easy to like both individually and as a couple. They’re well-matched, smart, kind characters who stand up for what they believe in. Max truly listens to Helena and doesn’t dismiss her ideas or plans, even if they come into conflict with his own. He isn’t perfect, but he learns and becomes an even better person over the course of the story. The two of them support one another and I loved that. They have excellent chemistry and no matter that they believe this courtship is temporary, it’s clear for all to see that they’re falling in love.

Love, however, may not be enough for Max and Helena to get their happily ever after. Both have established lives on different continents, and Helena carries a secret that has her pulling back from Max. I was rooting for them every step of the way and I loved how author Harper St. George handled Helena’s secret. St. George really made her characters consider what it would mean for them and that made the love story all the stronger. I adored The Lady Tempts an Heir – the Crenshaw siblings and their partners are all a delight to spend time with – and I cannot wait to see what St. George has in store for her next American heiress!



FTC Disclosure: 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.

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Review: A Perfect Equation by Elizabeth Everett

A Perfect Equation by Elizabeth Everett
Series: The Secret Scientists of London, Book 2
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9780593200643
Release Date: February 15, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

How do you solve the Perfect Equation? Add one sharp-tongued mathematician to an aloof, handsome nobleman. Divide by conflicting loyalties and multiply by a daring group of women hell-bent on conducting their scientific experiments. The solution is a romance that will break every rule.

Six years ago, Miss Letitia Fenley made a mistake, and she’s lived with the consequences ever since. Readying herself to compete for the prestigious Rosewood Prize for Mathematics, she is suddenly asked to take on another responsibility—managing Athena’s Retreat, a secret haven for England’s women scientists. Having spent the last six years on her own, Letty doesn’t want the offers of friendship from other club members and certainly doesn’t need any help from the insufferably attractive Lord Greycliff.

Lord William Hughes, the Viscount Greycliff cannot afford to make any mistakes. His lifelong dream of becoming the director of a powerful clandestine agency is within his grasp. Tasked with helping Letty safeguard Athena’s Retreat, Grey is positive that he can control the antics of the various scientists as well as manage the tiny mathematician—despite their historic animosity and simmering tension.

As Grey and Letty are forced to work together, their mutual dislike turns to admiration and eventually to something...magnetic. When faced with the possibility that Athena’s Retreat will close forever, they must make a choice. Will Grey turn down a chance to change history, or can Letty get to the root of the problem and prove that love is the ultimate answer?

One passionate mathematician plus one aloof viscount equals an entertaining second installment in the Secret Scientists of London series. A Perfect Equation is an enemies-to-lovers tale with endearing characters, romantic tension, and the odd hedgehog or two. In other words, it’s the perfect formula for an engaging read.

Letty is a brilliant mathematician who is preparing to compete for the Rosewood Prize. She doesn’t need distractions, but her best friend has left her in charge of Athena’s Retreat – a secret club for female scientists. It’s hard enough making sure the place doesn’t burn down without adding the maddening distraction of Viscount Greycliff, with whom she shares responsibility for the club. Letty has isolated herself from all but her family and her best friend. She was hurt six years ago and the scandal that resulted from that betrayal made her retreat behind a shell. She’s sharp and cynical, but beneath all that lies a romantic I wanted to see get the happily ever after she so deserves.

Grey has lived his life strictly controlled. He has his reasons for not wanting to give into excess emotion, but Letty has a way of knocking him off-kilter. The two of them bicker over how to handle Athena’s Retreat and the dangerous, sexist men targeting it. Author Elizabeth Everett weaves the political and social issues of the era into the background of this book and it works really well. Grey is a protector by nature so it’s a war within him between pulling back and jumping forward to protect the scientists of Athena’s Retreat from harm. He has conflicting loyalties between the path he and his uncle have in mind for him and his growing understanding of the importance of Athena’s Retreat and what it means to the scientists for whom it’s a safe haven.

A Perfect Equation is a story of stepping out of what is comfortable and safe in order to shine; I loved watching Letty in particular do so. Her romance with Grey was a slow burn, but once things got going it was steamy and all together delightful. The two of them are wonderfully imperfect protagonists you can cheer for, and I finished their story a well-satisfied reader. I cannot wait to see what Everett has in store for the next Secret Scientists of London book!



FTC Disclosure: 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.

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Review: Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy
Series: Avalon Bay, Book 1
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781250796738
Release Date: February 1, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
Elle Kennedy Reading Order

She does everything right. So what could go wrong?

Mackenzie “Mac” Cabot is a people pleaser. Her demanding parents. Her prep school friends. Her long-time boyfriend. It’s exhausting, really, always following the rules. All she wants to do is focus on growing her internet business, but first she must get a college degree at her parents’ insistence. That means moving to the beachside town of Avalon Bay, a community made up of locals and the wealthy students of Garnet College.

Twenty-year-old Mac has had plenty of practice suppressing her wilder impulses, but when she meets local bad boy Cooper Hartley, that ability is suddenly tested. Cooper is rough around the edges. Raw. Candid. A threat to her ordered existence. Their friendship soon becomes the realest thing in her life.

Despite his disdain for the trust-fund kids he sees coming and going from his town, Cooper soon realizes Mac isn’t just another rich clone and falls for her. Hard. But as Mac finally starts feeling accepted by Cooper and his friends, the secret he’s been keeping from her threatens the only place she’s ever felt at home.

A rich college girl and a bad boy townie are a case of not-quite-opposites attract in Good Girl Complex. Elle Kennedy’s writing keeps this new adult romance flowing at a quick clip and kept me engaged, despite a plot that feels like it fell out of a teenage rom com from twenty-five years ago.

Mac is an independent twenty-year-old chafing at her parents’ restrictions. She’s already created a successful company and has no interest in going to college when she could be growing her empire. But her dad’s a congressman and her mom is all about appearances, so Mac caves into the pressure to attend Garnet College, where her perfect boyfriend also goes. Except Pres isn’t as perfect as he appears to be, as Cooper Hartley knows. Without spoiling the story, I’ll say that Cooper has it out for Pres, and with good reason. The problem is that Mac is his means of revenge, even though she has nothing to do with and no knowledge of her boyfriend’s behavior and is an independent person, not an extension of the man.

Cooper is from Avalon Bay and he’s used to the rich kids treating the townies like trash. He and his friends hate the “clones” as they call the Garnet students. But it’s clear to him pretty early on that Mac is nothing like the students who have looked down on him all his life. Yes, she’s ridiculously wealthy, but she’s smart, kind, and hardworking. Mac and Cooper have an easy chemistry that sucks you in and makes you want to forget the lies and the emotional cheating that are the rocky foundation their burgeoning relationship is built on. Despite my issues with the plot, I was rooting for these two because they’re engaging characters. Cooper is hardworking and we see enough of the injustice the clones dish out to understand his bias against him, plus there’s added childhood trauma to trigger more sympathy since his sex appeal wouldn’t be enough to balance out his initial revenge plot. There are a number of fun and sexy moments to Good Girl Complex that made me smile and sigh. I was satisfied by their romance even though I had serious issues with the beginning of it, and I do wish there had been an epilogue to show Mac and Cooper down the road.

Good Girl Complex is the first book in the Avalon Bay series but it’s only because I’ve been an Elle Kennedy fan for well over a decade that I’d consider picking up the next book in the series. I pretty much hated most of the supporting cast. Yes, they’re all young and have growing up to do, but there’s some definite meanness (a lot of it stemming from throwback plotlines that have not aged well) that turned me off. I have mixed feelings about Good Girl Complex overall. Kennedy’s writing sucked me in and Cooper and Mac were entertaining characters; I just couldn’t get on board with the basic premise and the supporting cast.



FTC Disclosure: 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.

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Review: Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher

Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher
Series: Supernatural Singles, Book 1
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9781250807991
Release Date: February 8, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Magic-less witch Violet Maxwell wants nothing to do with alpha wolf shifter Lincoln Thorne—the man who broke her fragile, teenage heart. But when the two of them are forced by arcane Supernatural Laws to find mates, Violet and Lincoln agree to fake-date their way to a fake-mating in order to conjure themselves some time.

The joke’s on them. When old feelings make a reappearance—along with Violet’s magic—they both realize there’s nothing fake about their feelings. But there are old secrets and looming threats that could snatch away their happily ever after, again. One thing’s for sure: magic doesn’t make dating and love any easier.

In Not the Witch You Wed, April Asher brings all the hilarity and sweet, sexy moments you love in a romantic-comedy—plus a fun dose of magic—to this spell-binding new series about being sexy, single, and supernatural in New York City.

Not the Witch You Wed is a delightful supernatural romp. April Asher introduces an interesting world of witches, shifters, demons, vampires, angels, and more and it was a whole lot of fun diving into it.

Violet Maxwell is the granddaughter of the current Prima and the eldest of a Magical Triad. By rights, Vi should be a super powerful witch; instead she’s a magicless witch known as the “Maxwell Dud.” Vi is happy with her life and there are definite perks to leaving the politics and society maneuvering of being the Prima Apparent to her sister. Except a run-in with Lincoln Thorne, Alpha wolf of the North American Pack, stirs something in her. Linc broke her heart when they were teens and she’s never forgiven him, but somehow his reappearance happens at the same time as her magic starts to make an appearance. When both of them run into a problem of arcane supernatural laws forcing them to find mates, Vi and Linc agree to put the past aside and fake date in order to buy time. Except there’s nothing fake about the feelings that never died between them…

Vi and Linc are fun, likeable protagonists who are easy to root for. Linc is noble, wanting to change shifter society to make it democratic, fighting to overturn arcane laws that take away people’s choices. He’s determined to do what’s right and I liked that about him a lot. Vi has also forged a path different from the one she was born into. But the sudden appearance of magic in her is causing chaos and she’s desperate to get a handle on it. She and Linc have instant chemistry when they’re reunited after years apart, but old wounds, secrets, and the con they’re pulling get in the way. I adored Linc and Vi together and wanted to see them get their happily ever after. They’re entertaining together and also really sweet with a nice dash of spice; it was easy to fall into their romance.

Vi and Linc are the heart of Not the Witch You Wed, but Asher introduces a world of supporting characters who not only flesh the story out but are interesting in their own right. I loved Vi’s relationship with her sisters, Rose and Olive, and ooh does Asher tease HEAs for them that have me eager for more Maxwell sister books. But I also loved Vi and Linc’s best friends and can’t wait to see more of them. Not the Witch You Wed is a zippy romance with magic, humor, heart, and a world I cannot wait to explore more.



FTC Disclosure: 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.

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Review: Lightning in a Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz

Lightning in a Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: Fogg Lake, Book 3
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense 

ISBN: 9780593337752
Release Date: January 18, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Olivia LeClair's experiment with speed dating is not going well. First there was the nasty encounter with the date from hell who tried to murder her and now the mysterious Harlan Rancourt—long believed dead—sits down at her table and tells her she's the only one who can help him locate the legendary Vortex lab.

This is not what Olivia had in mind when she signed up for the Four Event Success Guaranteed package offered by the dating agency. She doesn't have much choice, though, because her psychic investigation firm works for the mysterious Foundation and Victor Arganbright, the director, is adamant that she assist Harlan. There's just one problem—no one knows Harlan's real agenda. His father once ran the Foundation like a mob organization, and Harlan was destined to be his heir. There's a real possibility Harlan has returned to claim his inheritance.

For now, however, it's a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend because others are after the secrets of the long-lost lab. Unfortunately for Olivia, the one thing friend and foe have in common is that everyone is convinced she is the key. Her unique psychic talent is required to defuse the ticking time bomb that is Vortex.

Neither trusts the other but Olivia and Harlan soon realize they must work together to survive and unlock the Bluestone Project's most dangerous secrets before more innocent people die.

Jayne Ann Krentz brings the Fogg Lake series to a satisfying conclusion in Lightning in a Mirror. Krentz ups the paranormal activity as the hunt for the legendary Vortex lab hits its climax.

Olivia LeClair is a private investigator and aura reader who is being targeted for her supposed oracle abilities. Harlan Rancourt has spent the past five years on the run after his father’s murder but is now back to find Vortex. The two are tasked by the leaders of the Foundation to work together and find the lost lab. It’s a straightforward quest made complex thanks to various factions, all with their own agendas and paranormal skills. I enjoyed diving further into the paranormal world Krentz has built over the course of the series. There are points at which this book feels a bit like paranormal Indiana Jones which is a lot of fun. Yet despite all the action I can’t quite say this is the most exciting of Krentz’s books – there was a lot of exposition which weighed things down at times.

Harlan and Olivia are at the center of Lightning in a Mirror and I really enjoyed them both. Olivia is warm, likeable, and straightforward; she’s got talent and she uses it for good. Harlan works more in the grey area due to his talent. He cloaks his skills and uses them to hunt monsters, but he sees himself as a potential monster as well. I absolutely adored Harlan and his lack of social skills. He and Olivia click from the start and just work well as a couple, romantically and on this quest. Their love story is understated but works thanks to their easy chemistry and entertaining interactions. And though the romance is really secondary to the overall story, it was my favorite part of the book.

I can’t talk much about the plot of Lightning in a Mirror without spoiling it, but suffice it to say Krentz wraps up the Fogg Lake trilogy and the Vortex lab storyline in a satisfying manner. She does, however, leave room for more stories in the same universe and I am curious to see where she goes with this. Also, if you’re a fan of Krentz’s Amanda Quick or Jayne Ann Castle books, there are mentions of the Arcane Society and the Jones family, so perhaps we’ll see more connections in future series to the “Jayneverse.”



FTC Disclosure: 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.

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Review: Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Weather Girl Rachel Lynn Solomon
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9780593200148
Release Date: January 11, 2022
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Ari Abrams has always been fascinated by the weather, and she loves almost everything about her job as a TV meteorologist. Her boss, legendary Seattle weatherwoman Torrance Hale, is too distracted by her tempestuous relationship with her ex-husband, the station’s news director, to give Ari the mentorship she wants. Ari, who runs on sunshine and optimism, is at her wits’ end. The only person who seems to understand how she feels is sweet but reserved sports reporter Russell Barringer.

In the aftermath of a disastrous holiday party, Ari and Russell decide to team up to solve their bosses’ relationship issues. Between secret gifts and double dates, they start nudging their bosses back together. But their well-meaning meddling backfires when the real chemistry builds between Ari and Russell.

Working closely with Russell means allowing him to get to know parts of herself that Ari keeps hidden from everyone. Will he be able to embrace her dark clouds as well as her clear skies?

What happens when two reporters team up to Parent Trap their bosses? Antics, friendship, and an unexpected romance. Weather Girl has an entertaining premise and its characters’ easy, low-key chemistry makes it enjoyable, but what really makes it stand out is how author Rachel Lynn Solomon addresses mental health in this romance.

Ari Abrams is a meteorologist for KSEA news and though she loves her job, her office is miserable thanks to the constant battles between her boss and KSEA’s station manager. The exes are constantly at each other’s throats, but there’s chemistry there that makes Ari think that all the love between them may not be gone. At an office Christmas party, she and sports reporter Russell Barringer decide to nudge their bosses back together. Their plotting leads to an easy friendship springing up between Ari and Russell, and it’s not long before that friendship turns into something more. Ari and Russell never quite grabbed me as a couple, but I still liked them enough to just roll with it. I particularly liked that Russell had insecurities about his looks (it’s a refreshing change of pace) and that Ari thought he was totally hot.

The romance was OK in this book but what really made Weather Girl shine for me was Ari’s mental health struggles and the sensitivity Solomon showed in addressing this topic. Ari has depression and the way Solomon writes it is so realistic and relatable that it grabbed my heart. Even though Ari has been successfully managing her depression for years, it’s not something that goes away no matter how adept you are at handling it. She feels like she always has to show a smiling face to the world, that no one could love all of her. I wanted to see her realize that she could be loved on good days and bad and I loved that Solomon gave that to her.

Weather Girl is a lovely, sometimes messy romance with endearing characters. I loved the Jewish representation in this book as well as the way different families are shown. Solomon isn’t afraid to make her characters imperfect and give them love, which I really liked. All in all, Ari and Russell’s story is an entertaining read to curl up with in sunshine or storm.



FTC Disclosure: 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.

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