Category: Romance

My favorite book of the month October 2024: Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

“We will never accomplish anything worthwhile in life if we require the guarantee of success at the onset.”
― Sherry Thomas, The Burning Sky

Goodreads Synopsis:

It all began with a ruined elixir and a bolt of lightning.

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she’s been told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the most powerful tyrant and mage the world has ever known. This would be a suicide task for anyone, let alone a reluctant sixteen-year-old girl with no training.

Guided by his mother’s visions and committed to avenging his family, Prince Titus has sworn to protect Iolanthe even as he prepares her for their battle with the Bane. But he makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the tyrant closing in, Titus must choose between his mission—and her life.

My Thoughts:

I love a romantasy, but I appreciate that this story leans more on plot than romance. Iolanthe and Titus’s feelings are more of an undercurrent to the mission of defeating the Bane. This was a fun adventure with a fascinating cast of characters.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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My Favorite Read of June 2024: A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley

“Lucifer, why did so many human emotions feel like physical illness? It was a wonder humans didn’t visit the doctor on an hourly basis.”
― Sarah Hawley, A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

Title: A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

Author: Sarah Hawley

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mariel Spark is prophesied to be the most powerful witch seen in centuries of the famed Spark family, but to the displeasure of her mother, she prefers baking to brewing potions and gardening to casting hexes. When a spell to summon flour goes very wrong, Mariel finds herself staring down a demon—one she inadvertently summoned for a soul bargain.

Ozroth the Ruthless is a legend among demons. Powerful and merciless, he drives hard bargains to collect mortal souls. But his reputation has suffered ever since a bargain went awry—if he can strike a bargain with Mariel, he will earn back his deadly reputation. Ozroth can’t leave Mariel’s side until they complete a bargain, which she refuses to do (turns out some humans are attached to their souls).

But the witch is funny. And curvy. And disgustingly yet endearingly cheerful. Becoming awkward roommates quickly escalates when Mariel, terrified to confess the inadvertent summoning to her mother, blurts out that she’s dating Ozroth. As Ozroth and Mariel struggle with their opposing goals and maintaining a fake relationship, real attraction blooms between them. But Ozroth has a limited amount of time to strike the deal, and if Mariel gives up her soul, she’ll lose all her emotions—including love—which will only spell disaster for them both.

My Thoughts:

A demon with a soul was such a fun premise. I loved the unique take on the demon plain. Even though the demons are evil, they’re just regular people doing their job. The jobs just happen to involve dasterdly deals and soul stealing. I didn’t give it a full five stars because the pacing seemed a little off at times.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Let’s Talk About Romance Books

Romance is one of my favorite genres, but it doesn’t get featured as often as some other genres at Nicole’s Nook. I like to have a romance going most of the time because they’re generally light, quick reads with a guaranteed happy ending. But, I often choose something different for my favorite book of the month. So, romance doesn’t get as much love as it should at Nicole’s Nook. I thought I’d take some time to shout out some of my favorite subgenres and tropes.

Romance

Fake Relationships

Even though fake dating, arranged marriage or marraige of convenience plots are crazy and unrealistic, they’re my favorite. It took me awhile to figure out why I was so drawn to these plots. I finally realized that it’s because my reading preferences are character driven. These plots tend to have more character development because these characters don’t know each other well and have a turning point where they look differently at each other. Here are a few of my favorites:

Click on book for description

Second Chance Romances

Another of my favorite tropes is the second chance romance. This is usually about couple who have drifted apart or broken up, then reunite. In some cases they may have had feelings for each other, but never acted on them due to life circumstances, and are brought together once again. This also creates an interesting character dynamic because they are very familiar with each other, but are also getting to know how time has changed them as well. Here are a few of my favorites:

Chick Lit Romance

Stories I consider chick lit romance are generally humorous contemporary romances. I love the bantor and crazy situations these characters get into. Here are some of my favorites:

Regency Romance

To me, the mother of all romance is Jane Austen. So, even though today’s regency romances are not as refrained, that time period is still the most romantic. Here are some of my favorites:

Finally, here are links to my reviews for romance books that did make my favorite books of the month (I intentionally left them off the above lists)

The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak

Aaron by Dale Mayer

The Happily Ever After Playlist by Abby Jiminez

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

My favorite read of 2023

I posted my top 23 books of 2023 last week, but I left out my overall favorite, so it could get it’s own post. The Very Secret Society of Witches was a perfect blend of heart and humor. Every single character in this book is delightful and intriquing in their own way. There’s a feeling of hope and the value of small changes.

You can see my original review here.

My favorite read of July 2023

Goodreads Synopsis:

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules…with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for….

Reasons I loved this book:

  • It’s a beautiful combination of whimsical and heartwarming
  • A delightful cast of diverse characters with unique backgrounds and personality quirks
  • Found family trope
  • I loved how Mika looks at people through the lens of nice vs. kind
  • It’s a great model for making social change in small steps

Throw Back Thursday Book Review: 7/19/23 Alphabet Weekends by Elizabeth Noble

Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Publication Date: January 1, 2000

Date Read: November 22, 2008

Goodreads Synopsis:

Natalie and Tom have been best friends forever, but Tom wants them to be much more. When Natalie’s longtime boyfriend walks out on her just when she thinks he’s going to propose, Tom offers her a different and wildly romantic proposition. He suggests that they spend twenty-six weekends together, indulging in twenty-six different activities from A to Z, and at the end of that time Tom’s convinced they’ll be madly in love. Natalie, however, is not so sure. As Natalie’s touring the alphabet with Tom, her mother’s going through her own romantic crisis—while Tom’s unhappily married sister-in-law, Lucy, struggles with temptation. And over the course of six amazing months, three generations of passionate dreamers are going to discover that, no matter how clever they are, love—and life—is never as easy as A, B, C . . .

My Thoughts:

This as a fun friends to lovers story. Tom and Natalie alternate picking ideas for each weekend which coordinate with the letters of the alphabet. This was a fun concept and the different activities chosen helped to develop the characters in a unique way.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Throwback Thursday Book Review: 7/6/23 The Chocolate Thief by Laura Florand

Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.

Publisher: Kensington

Publication Date: July 31, 2012

Dead Read: February 28, 2016

Goodreads Synopsis:

Paris

Breathtakingly beautiful, the City of Light seduces the senses, its cobbled streets thrumming with possibility. For American Cade Corey, it’s a dream come true, if only she can get one infuriating French chocolatier to sign on the dotted line…

Chocolate

Melting, yielding yet firm, exotic, its secrets are intimately known to Sylvain Marquis. But turn them over to a brash American waving a fistful of dollars? Jamais! Not unless there’s something much more delectable on the table…

Stolen Pleasure

Whether confections taken from a locked shop or kisses in the dark, is there anything sweeter?

My Thoughts

Cade is an heiress to a chocolate company which appears to be a thinly disguised version of Hershey. While they have some of the best selling chocolate in the world, it does not have the quality of French chocolate. She is determined to discover the recipe, even if it means breaking and entering. Sylvain is apalled by the plebian American chocolate and refuses to share his secrets. But, when the natural enemies meet, sparks fly.

This is a fun hate-to-love romance which is the first book in the Amour et chocolat series. While the characters are connected, they can be read as a stand alone. Warning: you will crave chocolate while reading this book

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Throwback Thursday Book Review: 6/28/23 The Boyfriend of the Month Club by Maria Geraci

Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.

Publisher: Berkley Books

Publication Date: December 7, 2010

Date Read: December 11, 2010

Synopsis:

This sexy, funny new novel asks: Can a woman find a modern-day Mr. Darcy in Daytona Beach?

At thirty, Grace O’Bryan has dated every loser in Daytona Beach. After the ultimate date-from-hell, Grace decides to turn her dwindling book club into a Boyfriend of the Month Club, where women can discuss the eligible men in their community. Where are the real life twenty-first century versions of literary heroes such as Heathcliff and Mr. Darcy?

Could it be successful and handsome Brandon Farrell, who is willing to overlook his disastrous first date with Grace and offers financial help for her parents’ failing Florida gift shop? Or maybe sexy dentist Joe Rosenblum, who’s great with a smile but not so great at commitment? Unfortunately, like books, men cannot always be judged by their covers…

My Thoughts:

This is a fun contemporary romance for anyone who loves classic love stories. Grace and her book club categorize the men in their lives as Austen and Bronte characters. But real people are more complex. This results in some misteps on the road to true love. These modern characters made me look at their classic versions with new eyes.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Throwback Thursday Book Review 6/15/23: Austenland by Shannon Hale

Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Publication Date: May 29, 2007

Date Read: September 14, 2012

Favorite Quote: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a thirty-something woman in possession of a satisfying career and fabulous hairdo must be in want of very little”
― Shannon Hale, Austenland

Goodreads Synopsis:

Jane is a young New York woman who can never seem to find the right man-perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of “Pride and Predjudice.” When a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-obsessed women, however, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become more real than she ever could have imagined. Is this total immersion in a fake Austenland enough to make Jane kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

My Thoughts

This is my favorite Jane Austen fan fiction that isn’t a retelling. While it pays homage to Austen, it’s really more of a tribute to Janeites. Which of us hasn’t dreamed of living in Austen’s world for just a moment? While this is a dream come true, it also brings in the reality of what it would’ve really been like to live at that time. Part of the reason there are so many busybodies running around is that gossip is the main form of entertainment. Since most of the characters in the book are actors catering to women’s Austen fantasies, the line between fantasy and reality is blurry, and keeps you on your toes throughout the book.

If you’ve seen the movie, it strays from the book, and I didn’t like it nearly as much.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

My Favorite Read of May 2023: A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong

“Everyone needs things that serve no greater purpose than to make them happy.”
― Kelley Armstrong, A Stitch in Time

Goodreads Synopsis:

Thorne Manor has always been haunted… and it has always haunted Bronwyn Dale. As a young girl, Bronwyn could pass through a time slip in her great-aunt’s house, where she visited William Thorne, a boy her own age, born two centuries earlier. After a family tragedy, the house was shuttered and Bronwyn was convinced that William existed only in her imagination.

Now, twenty years later Bronwyn inherits Thorne Manor. And when she returns, William is waiting.

William Thorne is no longer the boy she remembers. He’s a difficult and tempestuous man, his own life marred by tragedy and a scandal that had him retreating to self-imposed exile in his beloved moors. He’s also none too pleased with Bronwyn for abandoning him all those years ago.

As their friendship rekindles and sparks into something more, Bronwyn must also deal with ghosts in the present version of the house. Soon she realizes they are linked to William and the secret scandal that drove him back to Thorne Manor. To build a future, Bronwyn must confront the past.

My Thoughts

This book was a taste of all my favorite genres: romance, fantasy, historical fiction and mystery. It has the feel of a classic with a modern twist. I enjoyed the way Armstrong weaves in just enough small details to build suspense throughtout the story so that you’re guessing until the end.

Reasons I liked A Stitch in Time:

  • Bronwyn loves William, but doesn’t just give up her life for him
  • The fun way Bronwyn exchanges information about the future with William through food and financial advice
  • Enigma the kitten is a great “character” who adds a touch of humor

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