The Weekly Recap
As I sit down to write this weekly recap post, my heating pad working overtime to take away reproductive disease pains I am so “fortunate” to “live with”, the new adaptation of the Persuasion on in the background, I feel so thankful I have this place where I can channel some of my creativity into some measure of self-joy. And like Jane Austen famously wrote: “I’m drinking wine, taking warm baths, and laying face down on my bed”. If I could sum the entire week up of reads it would be a resounding rupaul meh gif. Granted so much of my brain power seems focused on work projects at the moment, and it might be my own choices but y’all I could have really loved a 5 star swoon city romance.
Here we go…
Tease by Melanie Harlow (Free with KU)
Book 8, in the mostly enjoyable Cloverleigh Farm series of interconnected romances. This was *shocker* just ok for me. Some of the characterization of Hutton was just a skooch too much for me (socially awkward, very smart genius man makes his money in crypto, but is unfeeling until he’s in the bedroom then its BDSM master class guy). And Felicity with the stress compulsion to hair cutting, I just didn’t really connect with it. However the mean girl from high school continues to be mean and you just want them to stfu and have some karma was nice.
Bound to the Alpha by Olivia T. Turner (Free with KU)
A short palette cleanser in the form of a shifter fated mates romance. Gave me some Boarlander’s vibes (crew of mate seeking grizzly shifters + a dragon shifter), but was quick and very horny.
The Last Hellion by Loretta Chase
I could NOT get into this one and it pains me so much. I loved Lord of Scoundrels almost to distraction and my god this one bored the sh*t out of me. So much that I can barely recall a whole lot of it, female reporter, prostitution ring, large mastiff. Cardi B voice WHAT WAS THE REASON?! I wish I knew why but this one was a slog.
A Duke for Diana by Sabrina Jeffries
Again with the slow historical romances! Fam I am just as upset as I assume you are to read this! I felt like this had all the parts I like in HRs (contention to begrudging allies to lovers, women bucking convention, a hot duke who is also useful) but I again, couldn’t really get into it. Couldn’t really make myself care all that much.
The Player by K. Bromberg
Sometimes you just want to read a baseball romance but realize that KD Casey has set the bar so freaking high, mostly everyone else pales in comparison. And OOF y’all this book (part 1 of a duet) was a hot mess. Including a cringe-fest wherein the author can’t make up her mind between Chinese food and Japanese food being the same cuisine? Also, if you have experienced alcoholism in your family, or have a sick or dying parent, this one might also bring up some things for you.
The Catch by K. Bromberg
Book two was more protracted drama and storylines that probably could have just been in one single book, but who’s the dumb dumb that stuck out both? Me, that’s who.