Love Rescheduled by Jennifer Peel

 

Synopsis:

My name is Natalie Archer, and I confess to loving nothing more than scheduling my life. And by scheduling, I mean every aspect. So why not schedule my wedding? Do I have a groom? No. Am I dating anyone? Also no. But I have a plan. A good plan, even, to find a Mr. Right who fits all my criteria. The biggest one being he MUST not be famous. Been there, and never doing that again.

I’m just about ready to put my plan into action when my famous ex reenters the picture. Josh Keller, the hottest stand-up comedian around, otherwise known as the thorn in my side and the love of my life. With him comes a major embarrassing moment, caught on video no less. It only proves exactly how incompatible we truly are and that I made the right choice leaving him three years ago. Unfortunately, Josh doesn’t think so, and he’s doing everything in his power to prove that you can’t schedule love. Well, I’ll show him. Maybe. Possibly. Why does the dang man have to be so annoyingly charming? And how can we make it work when his famous life is way out of my comfort zone? Is there any way for us to save the date?

My Review: 5 Stars

As most of you know, I'm a sucker when it comes to second chance love stories. Add in a quirky heroine with a troubled past and I am hooked. Once I started Love Rescheduled, I had no desire to put it down and ended up staying curled up in bed reading it until the very end. I just couldn't get enough of Nat and Josh!

Oh my heart! Their journey had all the feels I have come to adore in second chance stories. My heart broke for our sweet Natalie. With a troubled upbringing, she didn't see any other choice than to push Josh away. All she wanted was for him to be happy. She thought she was doing good on her own until fate brought Josh back into her life. Now her life has been turned upside down and she doesn't know whether to run to or from Josh.

Speaking of Josh... *dreamy sigh* If ever anyone was perfect for Nat, it would be him. He loved her unconditionally and refused to give up on them without a fight. I loved that he knew just which buttons to push to help her step outside her comfort zone and own who she really is, quirks, schedules, and all.

Every introvert should have at least one extrovert best friend. But what's even better than that? TWO extrovert best friends! Tara and Jolene were the best! I adored these two and the story definitely would not have been complete without them. I'm crossing my fingers that we'll get their stories as well. I am not ready to be done with this trio! They are seriously the best!

One of my favorite things about Ms. Peel is she's not afraid to embrace the hard stuff. She has the ability to take the taboo topics of real life and write them in a way that's easy to read, all while still tugging at your heartstrings. She never fails to make me feel all the feels. I am definitely looking forward to seeing what she has in store for us next!

And of course I can't forget my casting. This one was a bit hard but I absolutely love them! What do you think?

2023 Genre/Trope Reading Challenge

Happy New Year my fellow Book Dragons! Welcome to my 4th Annual Genre/Trope Reading Challenge! 

1. Grumpy/Sunshine: 

2. RomCom: 

3. Enemies-to-Lovers: The Retreat by Hailey Gardiner

4. Urban Fantasy: Midnight Rider by Stormie Black

5. Forbidden Love: 

6. Magic: In Darkness Forged by Kenley Davidson

7. Opposites Attract: A Lady on the Chase by Jessica Scarlett

8. Sports: The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams

9. Forced Proximity: A Newport Christmess by Jess Heileman

10: Military: 

If you're a fan of any or all of these genre/tropes, feel free to join me! If you do a blog post, make sure you share the link in the comments so I can add it to my post.

2023 Genre/Trope Challenge Participants:

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

2023 Reading Challenge

Happy New Year my fellow Book Dragons! Welcome to my 7th Annual Reading Challenge! 

1. A book featuring an inheritance: 

2. A book you meant to read last year: Later On We'll Conspire by Kortney Keisel

3. A book with script font on the cover: More Than Falling in Love by Remi Carrington

4. A book that makes you happy: 

5. A book you gave 5 stars: 

6. A book with a flower on the cover: 

7. A book written by a new-to-you author: Until Theft Do Us Part by Emily Fluke

8. A book with a 4 word title: 

9. A book set at the beach: 

10. A book written by two authors: Eloise and the Grump Next Door by Jenny Proctor and Emma St. Clair 

Does this challenge sound like one you would love to try to accomplish? If so, feel free to join me! If you do a blog post, make sure you share the link in the comments so I can add it to my post.

2023 Reading Challenge Participants:

Heidi Reads

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Top 20 Books of 2022!

Even though this year was full of life changes, 2022 was still an amazing year for books! Just like last year, I laughed.. I cried.. I got so angry I wanted to throw my kindle across the room.. I let out a lot of dreamy sighs.. and I loved every minute of it! I found new authors that I absolutely adore and wait with great anticipation for their next book baby to be released! I was able to read over 160 books (the most I've ever read in a year!) and I finished BOTH of my Reading Challenges!

Before I look ahead to the New Year and new books, I thought I would pay tribute to some of these favorites that I fell in love with in 2022. I decided to put the books in alphabetical order again since there is no way I'd ever be able to rank them. I just love them all way too much! 

So... without further adieu... here are my TOP 20 of 2022!

What are some of your favorites of 2022?

How to Kiss Your Grumpy Boss by Jenny Proctor

 

Synopsis:

Perry Hawthorne is my boss. Only my boss. And I do NOT have a crush.

When one of THE Hawthorne brothers—known by their chiseled jawlines and their family-run farm and event center—hires me to be his virtual assistant, I do everything I can to keep him firmly in the work zone.

His grumpy demeanor helps.

His smoking hot profile picture does not.

But even if I do have a crush (a very tiny one), I can’t catch real feelings for a million different reasons.

Besides the whole business part of our relationship, I’m a single mom. I have to think about what’s best for my son, Jack. And my grumpy, divorced, humorless boss isn’t exactly giving me “ready to be a stepdad” vibes.

When Perry upgrades me from virtual to in-person assistant, I wonder if I’ve gotten him all wrong. He’s actually pretty great with Jack. And with me? Let’s just say the chemistry crackling between us might vaporize all my reasons for keeping my distance.

Trouble is, after his messy divorce, I’m not sure Perry’s ready to bet on a new relationship. But it isn’t just my heart that’s on the line. It’s Jack’s, too. And after everything we went through before my husband died, I’m not sure that’s a gamble I’m ready to take, no matter how desperate Jack is for a daddy.

My Review: 5 Stars

*WARNING* Make sure you clear your schedule before you even think about starting this book. Trust me!

My first thought when I woke up this morning was... I'm just going to read a couple of chapters and then I'll get up and get ready for the day. After a couple of chapters I thought... just a couple more chapters. A couple more chapters later I had to force myself out of bed to eat breakfast and then I went right back to reading... just a couple more chapters. Y'all. I stayed curled up in my pjs all day long telling myself just a couple more chapters until I finished the book. I was so engrossed in the book that I didn't realize until I was cooking dinner that I didn't eat anything for lunch. Oops! 🙈

From the very beginning I fell in love with all things Perry and Lila. It wasn't hard to root for them. They were easy to relate to and they just felt real to me. Their relationship had the ups and downs that come with dating a single parent. I loved how they pushed and helped each other to become better and more confident. Watching these two get their HEA turned me into a big ol' pile of goo. 🥰

And of course I can't forget little Jack! He quickly stole my heart and had me laughing at his antics. I mean how can you resist becoming his stairdad?! Gotta love a kid who knows what he wants and isn't afraid to go after it. 😉

Y'all. I may or may not have started crying at one point but then I may or may not have started swooning and letting out all kinds of little dreamy sighs. Oh who am I kidding with the may or may not's?! This book had me feeling all the dang feels! And I loved every single minute of it! 

You guys know how much I love amazing side characters and this one was full of them! Perry seriously has the best family! They had me wishing I could be apart of it. Haha. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series. I have a feeling it's going to be one of my favorites that I'll be reading over and over again! 

Okay. Confession time. This is my first book by Ms. Proctor and I'm sitting here trying to figure out why in the world it has taken me so long to pick up her books. Talk about being late the the party! But don't worry. This will not be the last one I read. I've already preordered the next book in this series and downloaded some of her other books. I can't wait to dive in!

And of course I can't forget my casting! I seriously love these two! What do you think?!

Doctorshipped by Savannah Scott

 

Synopsis:

I’m the absolute last remaining single woman in the entire town of Bordeaux.
Okay, maybe not the very last.
Just the last one with all her teeth, natural hair color, and the ability to remember where I set my keys.

I decided years ago that I’m going to remain single until my dying day.
I’ll infuse a new, hip meaning into the term “old cat lady.”
I don’t need a man.
I’ve got my bulldog, my cats and some of the best friends in the world.
My cup’s not half-full—It’s overflowing.

My man-free life is going along fine until the day I walk into my new job as a part-time tutor to the daughter of the new doctor in town. The sight of this man is making my skin tingle and my breath hitch, and something very much like butterflies are erupting in my stomach.
Butterflies!
I don’t do butterflies over a man.

My reaction doesn’t mean I need to change my stance on men. After all, Grant’s a broody, stern, cantankerous man. If I were going to start dating, it certainly wouldn’t be someone who obviously hasn’t smiled since he was forced to for school pictures.

But then his daughter walks in the room and his face lights up.
That smile. Who knew swooning was a real thing?
Still, I’m not dating. And that’s final.

My Review: 5 Stars

I was having one of those days where I didn't want to do anything except curl up and read the day away. I had no clue what I was going to read until I turned on my Kindle and saw this baby sitting there waiting for me to dive in. So dive in I did... and finished it in about 8 hours. 🙈

There's no better feeling than opening up a much anticipated book and being instantly transported to one of your favorite fictional places. A place where the world around you ceases to exist and, just for a little while, you can forget all your worries and just live in the moment with some of your favorite characters. These moments and books are ones I will always treasure.

From the very beginning I fell in love with all things Jayme, Grant and Fiona. Their meet-cute is probably one of my favorites this year. You can't help but fall in love with these three and root for them to discover their happily ever after. Their journey did have a few bumps along the way, and it took them a little while to get there, but they did. It was real, it was raw, it was beautiful, and it was definitely worth it.

Y'all. I was feeling all the feels in this one. And by all the feels, I mean ALL the feels! I was so engrossed in the book that I didn't even realize I was doing the same thing the characters were doing. I found myself getting teary-eyed, laughing out loud, giggling, and letting out all kinds of little dreamy sighs. I love when an author can make me feel like I am right there with the characters, listening to them tell me their story. It's one of my favorite things about reading!

I loved seeing and catching up with all my old friends from the previous books in this series. They made the book even better than it already was! And now the countdown begins for Brooks' book. Eeeeeek! I can't wait to see what Ms. Scott has in store for him! Just a little reminder for myself... *Writing takes time. Writing takes time. Writing takes time.*

Ms. Scott has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I don't even read the synopsis anymore. I just one-click that baby, sit back, and enjoy whatever ride she wants to take us on next! She is amazing! If you haven't read any of her books yet, I highly recommend checking them out!

As for my casting... I am loving these two! What do you think?!

Christmas with the Boy Next Door by Jess Mastorakos

 

Synopsis:

He's a Marine turned small-town cop, and she's the single mom next door. Can the magic of Christmas unite them even with all that stands in their way?

Marine veteran Jack Rhodes returns to Snow Hill, PA to join the local police force. It's a good gig because it means he'll be close to his sister and her growing family, but taking this job has other perks, too, like living next door to his sister's best friend.

Robin McBride is determined to give her daughter a happy, stress-free life. So even though she's had a crush on Jack since the day they met, he's a police officer now, making him off-limits. Her late husband worked for the same department and died in the line of duty. There's no way she'll put her daughter—or herself—through that again.

As they grow closer over hot cocoa and holiday traditions, Jack knows he needs a Christmas miracle to convince Robin to risk her heart. And when her past comes back to haunt her, he’ll do anything to show her he’s worth believing in.

My Review: 5 Stars

Have you ever picked up a book, started reading it, and instantly knew you were going to have the hardest time putting it down? Well, that's what happened to me with this book. The world around me ceased to exist and I was immersed in all things Jack, Robin, and Abby. I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved these three!

Jack and Robin have known each other for a few years but because of Jack's profession, Robin has done everything in her power to keep her distance from him whenever he's in town. But all that changes when he moves to Star Hill to be closer to family and ends up buying the house right next door to her. Fate has something special in store for these two and all I can say is bring on the swooning and dreamy sighs. Their journey from friends to love to happily ever after is absolutely beautiful!

And I can't forget little Abby. She is adorable! She stole my heart from the very beginning. I loved watching her relationship with Jack develop. From her first unexpected hug to pizza on a bad day to snowmen to the ball to Christmas morning. Y'all, it was so sweet! I loved that he made her such a big part of his relationship with Robin. Have I mentioned how much I love these three?

Confession. I have not read the first book in this series. 🙈 How in the world did that happen?! Yes, this one can standalone, but you better believe I'll be reading Nick and Holly's book ASAP! And I cannot wait to get my hands on Tommy's book! I was secretly hoping he'd get one! 😍

Okay. It's official. I think Ms. Mastorakos needs to start writing romantic suspense. It's hard for me to find authors who write clean, secular romantic suspense so whenever I get even the slightest taste of it from a favorite author, I instantly want more! She is a natural and had me hooked from beginning to end. I'm really hoping we get to see more books like this from her. 😊

And for my casting... *dreamy sigh* I'm in love! What do you think?

The Holiduel by Hailey Gardiner

 

Synopsis:

When my pastry school rival, Finn Calloway, suddenly reappears back in the Nashville food scene, all of my plans are thrown off. Turns out we’re both stuck working out of the same commercial prep kitchen during the holidays. To top it off, Finn’s Canadian crepe truck is getting booked at events left and right, stealing my thunder and my gigs.

The coals of our competition start to burn again, made red hot by my resentment over the fact that he kissed me five years ago and then ditched town. Never making the effort to talk to me again.

But the more time I spend around Finn, the more I begin to see a different side of him. I’m tempted to set aside our rivalry and give him a second chance. Which I definitely can’t do. Because even though it might land me a permanent spot on Santa’s naughty list, I’d rather be a winner than a forgiver.

My Review: 5 Stars

Y'all. I can't believe these words are about to come out of my mouth for this second chance, slow burn romance. Are you ready?! 

Oh holy cuteness Batman! I absolutely adored this book! I was sucked in from the very beginning and refused to put the book down until the very end! It was the perfect break from reality!

Ava and Finn have a bit of history together. It all started back in culinary school and ended with a kiss on graduation that rivaled any kiss either of them had ever had. And then nothing. For five years. Five very long years where Ava definitely did not hold a grudge against Finn. Nope. Not. At. All. And she definitely doesn't have any issues whatsoever with Finn coming back to town and stealing the holiday gig she really wanted. None. What. So. Ever. Well. Maybe just a teeny tiny bit. 

Y'all. Bring on the all the sass and witty banter. I couldn't get enough of Ava and Finn. There was chemistry aplenty between these two whether they wanted to admit it or not. I loved watching them work out their past and get their HEA. It was full of laughs and all the dreamy sighs. Gah! I love these two!

A bit of advice for readers. Do not read this book if you're hungry or if you currently have a sweet tooth. All the yummy goodness mentioned in this book will drive you crazy! I may or may not want to try some of the deliciousness that Ava and Finn made. 

It's no secret that I am not a fan of slow burn romances. This book was so well written that I didn't even realize it was one until closer to the end. Any author who can get me to read a slow burn without knowing it's a slow burn definitely deserves all the stars. 

This was my first book by Ms. Gardiner and it definitely will not be my last. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series. 

And of course my review wouldn't be complete without my casting. I'm loving these two! What do you think?!