The Relationship Clause by Emily Evermore

Synopsis:

Keeping an eye out for corporate espionage is hard enough when you're not falling for the boss...

The gig of fake secretary is find the mole trying to sabotage my grumpy boss's tech company while simultaneously keeping his mother off his back. In the meantime, I get to collect a tidy sum which I desperately need.

Piece of cake.

Or, it would be, if he wasn't so attractive and he didn't also happen to be my best friend's brother...

But I can be professional. I'm terrible at long-term relationships anyway and besides that, I signed a contract.

Unfortunately, nowhere in that contract did it say I'd be going on an overnight trip with him.

It also didn't say we'd be pretending we were in a real relationship.

And for sure there was no warning or clause or stipulation for how to conduct myself when I accidentally see my fake boyfriend/boss in just his briefs passed out on my bed.

Worst of all?

No one said falling for him would hurt so much.

My Review: 5 Stars

Y'all. It's been months since I've been able to read something new. MONTHS! It finally took two little words to grab my attention. Corporate espionage. 

Oh holy swooniness with all the feels Batman! Where do I even begin?! I absolutely adored this book! It had everything I've come to love and crave in the books I read. All the feels? ✓ Swoony? ✓ Sizzling kisses? ✓ Giggled/laughed out loud? ✓ Let out all the little dreamy sighs? ✓ Sweet moments between characters? ✓ Big gestures? ✓

From the very beginning I fell in love with all things Junie and Owen. It wasn't hard to root for them. They were easy to relate to and they just felt real to me. Both of them have issues when it comes to relationships but 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. Gah! I just loved them! 

I've said it before and I will continue to say it. I love amazing side characters and this one had a few of them. My two favorite? Keira and Shane. Y'all. These two are seriously the best. They were the best friends that our beloved Junie and Owen could ask for. They loved them unconditionally, imperfections and all. I'm definitely looking forward to their story. 

This was my first book by Ms. Evermore and it definitely will not be my last. I'm looking forward to reading more book in this series. Even if May 2025 feels like a million years away... I'm definitely invested.  

As for my casting... I wasn't going to do one. But these two just called to me so I had to add them. I'm kind of in love. What do you think?

Death Wish by Rebecca Deel

 

Synopsis:

Computer programmer Simone Kent's life is finally on the right track. After escaping a traumatic past, she has a job with an elite security company, good friends, and a new assignment with a man who fascinates her. Simone's former life, however, won't stay buried. When an old enemy targets Simone, one man stands between her and certain death.

Fortress Security operative Jesse Phelps is tasked with protecting a sassy computer programmer during an undercover assignment. Although he's playing the role of her boyfriend, his growing feelings for Simone are all too real. After an attempt on their lives, the line between fantasy and reality blurs. Jesse vows to keep Simone safe from harm, no matter the cost to himself. This time, though, Jesse's medical skills and battle readiness might not be enough to save the woman he loves.

My Review: 5 Stars

I'm going to be straight up honest with you guys. I was terrified to start this book. Jesse has been my absolute favorite of the Texas Team since they were introduced way back when. The last several books by Ms. Deel have fallen flat for me and I was picturing this one going the same way. Y'all. I have never been happier to announce how wrong I was! 

What can I say about Jesse and Simone?! I adore these two! From the very beginning they were thrown together for a very dangerous undercover assignment. Jesse didn't want Simone anywhere near the operation, but he knew he couldn't keep her away. He would just have to work extra hard to protect her all the while winning her heart with sweet gestures and swoony kisses. Y'all. These two were absolutely perfect for each other. And it was refreshing to see them working together and watching their relationship develop without any outside interference from his meddling teammates and their wives. IYKYK.

I loved the action-packed, fast pace of this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and had me reading late into the night. It's been awhile since a book has done that to me. I also loved seeing Sawyer again and getting a glimpse into Artemis. I'm intrigued.  

Death Wish felt more like her older books and reminded me just how much I love them! There are certain books that I reread regularly and this will be one that gets added into the mix. It was good to see that most of the issues that I've had with the newer books were pretty much non-existent, which was a huge relief. I was able to immerse myself in the story and just get lost in all things Jesse and Simone.

However, there were some discrepancies. Jake Davenport is not the medic for Wolf Pack, he's the medic for Phantom. Teagan states from the very beginning that she doesn't drink coffee, only hot chocolate and tea. But later in the book she just has to have coffee strong enough to peel paint. Why are beta readers/editors/proofreaders not catching these? Another thing that bugged me was names. Either names that are being repeated throughout the series (i.e. Sophie, Martin, Coleman), or names that have changed from one book to the next. With the billions of names out there, why are so many of them being repeated across all three series?

But those issues didn't stop me from loving this book! It's so different from what Ms. Deel has been releasing lately and I love that! I'm crossing my fingers that we'll get more of this kind of writing with Sawyer's book. I didn't realize how much I've missed it until I started reading this one. 

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

One Enchanted Evening by Trish LeBaron

 

Synopsis:

Was Thea mad over Mason’s unannounced reappearance?
Furious that she’d fainted at the sight of him?
Angry that she’d swooned over him when she came to?
The answer was obvious. D: All of the above.

Thea Halliwell has resigned herself to singledom. She lives with two cats, runs a small-town bookstore by day, and has only book boyfriends to keep her warm at night. The daily hum-drum has Thea looking for a little magic in her life—literally. Magic is part of the makeup of her island hometown and when she signs up for a six week course to explore her magical potential, the new adventure has her bubbling over with anticipation. That is, until Mason Bleeping Tuttle arrives at orientation. Okay, so that’s not really her ex’s middle name, but it should be.

Mason Tuttle hasn’t stepped foot on home turf in ten years. When he’s enlisted to oversee the fall session of magical boot camp, he doesn't expect to run into his old flame, Thea, or to see so much hurt behind her not-so-discreet glances. And he knows why she’s hurt—he feels it too. Their teenage romance ended in tragedy and Mason being sent to the midwest to finish high school. Now, seeing the woman she’s become has his heart pounding like he’s seventeen again. But there’s just one problem—she’s made it clear they have no reason to get reacquainted.

Is Mason grown up and good looking? Yes. Is Thea peeking over the pages of her novel to check him out? Oh, yes. But it’s more than just a painful past keeping these two apart. Someone in their present is meddling with their second chance at having a future.

My Review: 5 Stars

Moonrise Cove! Oh how I have missed you! I was so excited to get my hands on this baby! From the very first page, I was transported to one of my favorite places were I quickly fell in love with all things Thea and Mason! Y'all! Talk about all the feels, heart eyes, and dreamy sighs. 

Thea and Mason have been friends forever. Somewhere along the way it turned into something more. At the age of seventeen a life changing event happened and instead of it bringing them closer together, outside forces used it to tear them apart. But 10 years later the magic of Moonrise Cove brings them back together. 

The journey back to each other is definitely a rough one for Thea and Mason. There's a lot of heartbreak and hurt that they have to wade through. But the love they have for each other gives them the courage and that little push they need to face the hard things and find their happily ever after. Their story was so heartachingly beautiful and I loved every minute I spent with them. 

If you guys haven't read any of the books set in Moonrise Cove, I highly recommend checking them out! I have loved every single minute I've spent there. Oh how I wish I could live there! It's enchanting and magical and just a fun place to be! 

Ms. LeBaron has done it again! She never ceases to amaze me. I am in awe of her talent. She has a way of capturing the reader and not letting them go until the very end. There's a reason why she's one of my favorite authors. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!

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

2024 Genre/Trope Reading Challenge

Happy New Year my fellow Book Dragons! Welcome to my 5th Annual Genre/Trope Reading Challenge!

1. Single Parent: One Last Play by Annah Conwell
2. RomCom: The Relationship Clause by Emily Evermore
3. Second Chance: One Enchanted Evening by Trish LeBaron
4. Suspense: Covert Misson by Rebecca Deel
5. Sports: My Lucky Charm by Courtney Walsh
6. Food Fiction: My Phony Valentine by Courtney Walsh
7. Contemporary: The Spy Who Ghosted Me by Jennifer Peel
8. Small Town: Off the Beaten Path by Madison Wright
9. Fairytale Retelling: Mountain of Dragons and Sacrifice by Tara Grayce
10. Best Friend's Brother/Sister: Merry Little Hate Notes by Jennifer Peel

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.

2024 Genre/Trope Challenge Participants:

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!