Review: King of Country by C.W. Farnsworth

About the Book

Kyle Spencer is the king of country music.

She’s the city girl, sent to talk him into returning to the stage…

Piper Egan landed her dream job straight out of college—working at Empire Records. But instead of discovering new talent and changing lives, like she’d hoped, her time is spent taking meeting notes and catering to spoiled celebrities. When the chance to change that finally appears, she should be thrilled.

Unfortunately, Piper’s promotion involves the charming cowboy she’s spent years attempting to avoid. And flying to middle of nowhere, Texas, in a desperate attempt to talk the king of country music into returning to the stage.

It’s a work trip with no boundaries. Piper is determined to head back to New York with a signed contract in hand, no matter what it takes. But that plan becomes complicated when she’s greeted by a scowl instead of Kyle’s trademark grin. Becomes challenging when she glimpses the genuine guy beneath the superstar. Becomes impossible when she learns the reason he walked away from the spotlight.

When she realizes…her only plan should have been to protect her heart.

Review

C.W. Farnsworth earned her spot as an author who had potential to be an automatic buy with me. Fake Empire felt like it was written with me in mind, and I absolutely adored that book. Serve took longer to grow on me, and with confidence I can say that I ended up enjoying that book more than I had originally thought. It snuck up on me. I read a few other books by Farnsworth, and unfortunately, they have all tended to be fine, and felt like a big junk had been cut from them. I felt like I was missing something. I wasn’t feeling the connection with the stories or the characters, and it felt rushed. I say all this because I was hesitant to read King of Country. However, I was craving a sweet cowboy romance and gave it a go.

I’m so happy I gave it a go. Finally! Farnsworth has hit jackpot with me again. I couldn’t put this book down. I have few complaints, if any. I felt this to be well paced, and the romance is just great. I loved every second with this one. Kyle and Piper were so perfectly matched.

Piper was sent to Texas to convince Kyle to sign a new deal with the record label that she works at. If she is able to complete the task, she will be given a promotion once she returns to New York. Kyle is determined to quit music forever and live a quiet life back in his hometown, after having a successful career.

There was so much to love about them. It’s not love at first sight with them. They have a natural attraction progression, and as they grow more comfortable with each they share more about their past. I found it really beautiful that Piper was able to see both sides of him, and that Kyle supported Piper and accepted her dreams. I adored them. And I was so satisfied with their conclusion.

Final Analysis

King of Country just felt cozy and sweet. Both MCs are great, and I loved their character arc. I thought the ending suited them both very well. This book restored my faith in Farnsworth, and I’m excited for future releases again.

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Review: A Kiss of Iron by Clare Sager

About the Book

In the cut-throat game of court life, masters manipulate pawns—and you never know which one you are. One thing is certain: there’s no space on the board for love.

A penniless noblewoman, Kat is on the verge of losing everything when she’s offered a well-paid job that could be her salvation… or her ruin. Drawn into court’s deadly intrigues, she’s given a single task: spy on the powerful fae lord known as the Night Queen’s Shadow.

Bastian Marwood is handsome, ruthless, and cunning, but Kat can’t decide if he’s a threat to her kingdom or just her heart. To uncover the truth, she must play a dangerous game of desire and deceit, pushing him to reveal his secrets while protecting her own. But Bastian’s shadows have a hold on her—one she isn’t sure she wants to escape.

Kat soon learns that at court, nothing is as it seems and even the best-laid plans can be destroyed in an instant. As a pawn on the board, she can’t afford to fall victim to love—only fight for survival.

A Kiss of Iron is the first book in a new series featuring court intrigue, a morally grey hero, and an unforgettable enemies-to-lovers romance. Perfect for fans of Gild and From Blood and Ash.

Review

As the year is quickly ending, I’m starting to realize that most of the fantasy books that I have read have been more hits than misses for me. Authors in this genre have been constantly pushing the bar and crafting unique characters, romances, and stories. A Kiss of Iron is no exception. There is so much goodness packed into this 600-page novel. Political intrigue, fae magic, sabercat races, amazing outfits, thievery.

Kate, oh Kate, oh Kate. My heart ached for her. This was a woman who had an abusive childhood, was forced into a marriage, and then took it upon herself to care for the estate in her husband’s absence. And to continue to care for the estate she enters an agreement with a cruel man and is brought to the palace to serve the Queen and spy on a fae by the name of Bastian. This is a woman who is trying the best that she can in a world that isn’t kind to her. Her internal monologue is great with witty responses. She’s smart, and really just a great FMC.

As for Bastian, I hadn’t expected him to be the way that he was. This isn’t a bad thing at all because I absolutely adore him. I expected him to be rougher. Yes, he would do anything for Kat and had his dark moments and is mysterious, but this guy is so swoon worthy. And sweet, and such a flirt. Also, dangerous, but he’s tender with Kat. The two of them had amazing chemistry, and their slow burn was hot.

Final Thoughts

A Kiss of Iron was an entertaining and heartbreaking book that ended on a breath holding cliff hanger. Kat is a good representation of female rage. She’s a character who is trying to find her voice in an oppressive world.

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Review: The Whole Time by Catherine Bybee

About the Book

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes a tale of a strong-willed dancer exercising her independence and the rich biker she can’t let go.

Salena Barone has broken free of her family and moved into an apartment above the D’Angelos' restaurant, where she works as a manager—without a husband, thank you very much. But even on a restaurant salary, she soon finds herself strapped for cash. Salena’s never been afraid of living on the wild side, though, so she takes on a side hustle that’ll raise big bucks…and eyebrows, if anyone finds out.

Tattooed biker Ryan is the youngest of the wealthy Rutledge wine family and has never dreamed of rings, forever, or continuing the family business. He’s perfectly happy living his own life and helping out hardworking folks in his own way.

When these two independent singles spot each other at a Rutledge-D’Angelo wedding, the attraction is instant. But as their friendship with benefits evolves into something more, the secrets Salena’s keeping—from family, friends, and Ryan—threaten the happily ever after she never knew she wanted.

Review

With the conclusion of The D’Angelos series, The Whole Time, Catherine Bybee wraps up this wonderful series with Salena. Salena has been a tough one to crack but as we see with this book, her hea finally came and it couldn’t have been any sweeter.

With the series, I’m glad Salena was saved for the end. Salena has been labeled wild and troubled but deep down, she has the biggest heart and would fiercely protect the ones she loved. Her love life hasn’t been the greatest but I think mostly due to her protecting her heart from being broken. With someone for everyone, she met Ryan who was a little bit naughty but a great guy. There couldn’t have been two more perfect characters to meet than these two. I couldn’t get enough of them and their journey was worth every page in the book. Two broken people coming together not realizing they were healing themselves together kept me turning the pages.

As usual, we are surrounded by the D’Angelos clan who’s strength and commitment to being there for each other brings love to the book. We get to know more about her parents and really gain insight on why Salena is who she is. Much of the experiences in her family and their perspective had shaped her to make the choices she did. Going through life seeking their approval and love and it being met with an old school mentality really crippled her. So, getting to see her moving out, gaining her independence and finally being in the driver seat of her life, really was a nice journey to see her get to where she was meant to be. Even though her behavior was predictable in the eyes of what people perceived her to be, it was nice getting to see her be able to become the best version of herself.

Overall, this has been a wonderful series with the D’Angelo family. With each book they bring you in as if you’re part of their family. There was something so inviting and memorable about these characters that you just don’t want to let go of. If you haven’t checked this one out, add it to your tbr list.

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Review: Love Redesigned by Lauren Asher

About the Book

Julian

If I ever caught on fire, Dahlia Muñoz would fan the flames with a smile.

So, when she returns to Lake Wisteria, I fully intend to avoid the interior designer.

At least until my meddling mother exploits my savior complex.

The faster I help Dahlia find her creative spark, the sooner she will leave town.

But while I was busy getting rid of Dahlia, I overlooked one potential issue.

What happens if I want her to stay?

Dahlia

People say the devil has many faces, but I know only one.

Julian Lopez—my childhood rival and family frenemy.

I vow to steer clear of him while recovering from my broken engagement, but then the billionaire makes an irresistible offer.

Renovate a historic house together and triple our profits.

Our temporary truce becomes compromised as we face years’ worth of denied attraction and mixed emotions.

Giving into our desire is inevitable…but falling in love?

That isn’t part of the plan.

Love Redesigned is a steamy, small town romance about two family friends-turned-childhood rivals. It is the first book in the standalone Lakefront Billionaires series and has a happy ending.

Review

After a disappointing final installment with the Dreamland Billionaire series, Lauren Asher has regained my trust with Love Redesigned – the first book in her new series called Lakefront Billionaires. I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t skeptical about this one at first. However, after reading I can say that I was entertained, and I enjoyed this one so much.

Dare I say that Julian is one of Lauren Asher’s best MMC? I’m certain that I’m willing to die on that hill. He might have a grumpy exterior, but he has a heart of gold and is sweet. And oh, so smitten with Dahlia, who is also a great FMC. Both of them have a healing journey, and it’s beautiful. Instead of running from their fears, they are forced to face them head on. It made for great character arcs.

Julian and Dahlia grew up together and have had this rivalry since childhood. From their pranks to their banter, and heartache, it was a great romance journey. I especially loved how their stories have major HGTV vibes.

Another thing that I loved about this story, was their family. Dahlia and Julian grew up together because their mothers are close. Their mothers are wonderful, and in fact, I love their entire family and their family dynamic. It felt warm and cozy.

Final Thoughts

Love Redesigned is a great introduction into this new series. Julian and Dahlia are the perfect leads, with a great and emotional love story built on second chances and childhood rivalry. The side characters shine bright, and it was exciting to see callbacks from Lauren’s other series. I can’t wait to read the next installment, and get glimpses into Julian and Dahlia’s life.

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Review: Wild Card by Maggie Rawdon

About the Book

The infamous playboy and star wide receiver for the Seattle Phantom is the last person on earth I would ever expect to come to my rescue. Tobias Westfield and I can’t see eye-to-eye on anything.

But when my date goes to hell and I end up stranded in the pouring rain on my birthday, he’s there—holding my hand and playing the adoring boyfriend. I might have had him all wrong.

Until a leaked video and a motorcycle accident turn everything upside down.

When he struggles in the aftermath, walling himself off from the rest of the world, our friends volunteer my help—whether he wants it or not.

So we’re stuck together while my job is in limbo and he fights to save his career.

But every door I open and every day we spend together has me wondering if we're really all that different.

Review

If Wild Card had been written differently, I would have enjoyed this book more. The book starts off on a high. Scarlett’s POV right off the bat, was gripping and I was so sure that she would be a favorite of mine. Then, Tobias is introduced, and the dynamic between them is entertaining and hot. Unfortunately, the book is unable to hold my attention.

It kept going downhill. From the accident to the leaked video, everything felt as if it was introduced but not fully expanded among. And because of that, the emotional connection was missing between the scenes and especially between Scarlett and Tobias.

Final Thoughts

Wild Card felt like most of the good stuff had been edited out and left an almost emotionless book that had started off strong. It felt disjointed, and even the romance could not save it at the end. I expected more from the romance because on paper it seemed like a good idea.

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Review: Flame and Sparrow by S.M. Gaither

About the Book

On the eve of her twentieth birthday, Karys woke to the sight of a divine creature dying outside her home.

Two weeks later, her sister disappeared, leaving nothing but a trail of blood in her wake.

Convinced the gods were responsible for the disappearance, Karys has spent the past five years plotting her revenge with the help of a cutthroat band of likeminded elven rebels. So when Dravyn—one of her world’s most powerful deities—descends upon her kingdom in search of humans worthy of serving him, Karys knows what she must do. Earning a place at the god’s side will allow her to find out what truly happened to her sister…and then destroy the gods from the inside out for what they did.

Thrown into the dazzling but deadly world of the divine courts, she must navigate complicated politics, strange magic, and dangerous trials to prove herself worthy of standing among the gods.

Among the most dangerous of these trials is Dravyn himself.

Karys knows better than to trust the enigmatic God of Fire. The flames of passion that stir between them are only divine trickery. And yet, the more she learns about him, the hotter the forbidden sparks burn. The more she begins to question all she thought she knew about the world of gods and mortals and everything in-between.

And the more she risks betraying her own secrets, which may be the most dangerous thing of all.

Review

This might be one of my top fantasy books of the year. Not sure yet. Ask me in December. However, today, I am fully prepared to gush about my love of this book. I don’t have many complaints. In fact, I don’t think I have any complaints.

Karys was such an interesting and original character. Her character development can beautifully be mapped out within this book, and I really loved reading her POVs. At the beginning of the book, she is so against the Gods, and doing everything to get revenge on them for the death of her sister. And as the book progresses, she learns new information and with that new information she struggles with everything that she has been doing and everything about her sister.

The world building within this story flows well. One of the biggest issues I struggle with while reading fantasy series is how the world is introduced and how everything works. This book does have a complex hierarchy of gods, but I was able to understand it fairly well.

Oh, and the romance. I have to give tens where tens are due. I didn’t know how deep I was invested until a specific moment within the middle of the book. It hit hard. And from that point onwards, I was solid on this book. I was solid before but this moment made me realize that this might be a five star read from me.

The last half of this book was so intense, and I was hanging on the edge of my seat. The story is so beautifully planned and well thought out, that I can’t wait until the second one.

Final Thoughts

Flame and Sparrow is a thrilling ride with a great slow burn relationship. The MMC is so sworn worthy. I love him so much. And Karys is such an interesting character with an incredible journey. I’m looking forward to the next installment.

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