Romancing the Grump by Jenny Proctor

3 Stars

He’s a grump and happy to stay that way. But can her sunshine melt the ice around his heart?

Nathan Sanders didn't earn his reputation as the grouchiest player on the Appies hockey team by chance. So when Summer Callahan breezes into his life with her flirtatious smiles and endless charm, he responds like he always does: he completely ignores her.

But Summer is intrigued by the surly defenseman, so when a viral social media post requires her to step in and fake it as Nathan's girlfriend, she jumps at the chance. She's convinced the ones with the hardest shells are often the softest underneath, and she's determined to prove it.

But Nathan doesn't crack so easily. Despite their obvious chemistry, he makes his lack of interest in a relationship—any relationship—perfectly clear. But the longer they pretend, the less fake everything seems, and the more Summer starts to fall.

She can only hope her fake relationship doesn't lead to real heartbreak.

Not one of the better hockey books. It was just meh. It’s sweet but felt unfinished. Needed more to the story and connection in the story.

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Knotted Laces by Elise Faber

4 Stars

I fell for the woman who’s in love with my brother.

As a professional hockey player, there’s no shortage of women who want me.

Just…not the woman I want.

Because she’s in love with my older brother.

Until a freak summer rainstorm means that we’re stuck together. In the mountains. With the road washed out and only one hotel room to share between us.

And suddenly, all of her focus is on me.

Suddenly, I’m in the most important game of my life—

Trying to win Attie’s heart.

I loved these two. The struggle Attie had excepting Cam was into her and would work as a relationship was fun to read. I never understood where the part that Attie was in love with Cam’s brother. She never indicated she wanted him. If it was in another book I don’t remember it. I still think they were so cute together and it just works.

Book 2 Eagles Hockey

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Dear Grumpy Boss by Julia Wolf

4 Stars

I’ve spent the better part of the last few years successfully avoiding my brother’s best friend, Weston Aldrich.

As CEO of Andes Inc, the infuriatingly handsome and incessantly grumpy Weston also happens to be my new boss.

It shouldn’t have been hard to continue avoiding him. After all, he’s on the executive floor and I’m one of many copywriters.

Weston has his own ideas about how things should go between us. He’s in my emails, leaving notes on my desk, and as if that’s not enough, he arranges for me to accompany him on a business trip.

That leads to stolen touches, frenzied kisses, and the undeniable need to work each other out of our systems. That always works, right?

Except now that I know what it feels like to have Weston Aldrich appreciate every inch of my abundant curves, avoiding him is impossible.

But he’s my brother’s best friend.

And a workaholic.

We have to stop.

And we will.

Soon.

Just…not yet.

Loved this book. The snarky covertness from Elise to Weston made me laugh throughout the book. I loved how Weston was all in with Elise and her daughter almost immediately. The story flowed nicely and made me want to go and read the other books by the author. My biggest complaint was the Elise was a bit of a doormat with her baby daddy and it did get frustrating.

Part of The Harder They Fall

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PS You’re Intolerable by Julia Wolf

5 Stars

My boss, Elliot Levy is intolerable, and I tell him so everyday…in the little notes I write and then hide in the back of my desk.

I can’t exactly say to his face that I’m convinced he’s a cyborg, considering I'm about to become a single mother and I really need to keep my job as his assistant.

Elliot never looks at me, so he doesn’t even notice I’m pregnant until I’m seven months along. The first thing he asks is if I’m planning to come back to work once I have the baby.

Not unexpected.

What is unexpected is Elliot coming to my rescue when I need a place to stay after my daughter is born. While living with him, I get to see a whole other side of him…especially when he walks around his house without a shirt on.

Which he does, ALL. THE. TIME.

I shouldn’t look, but I can’t help it. He’s gorgeous in a suit, but out of one? Devastating.

Elliot shows me he isn’t the heartless robot I once thought. It’s still terrifying to take a chance on him, even when he holds my baby like she’s precious to him, and he touches me like he’s been longing to for ages.

Now that he has me, he isn’t letting me go without a fight.

And Elliot Levy didn’t get where he is in business without learning a few underhanded tricks. What will he do to keep me? To keep us?

P.S. I think I’m falling for you.

This was a surprise read for me. I find this on Instagram and sometimes those books aren’t good but this hit all the marks for me. I loved the main characters. The notes FMC made every day before she would go and talk with MMC were hilarious. When he found them and got a kick out of them I laughed so hard. It was such a cute thing for her to do. The pacing was great and I loved the world building in this book. I loved how MMC was with FMC and her baby Joey. I will definitely be picking more books up by this author.

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Unperfect by Susie Tate

4 Stars

Content Warning – There is physical abuse against the FMC (MIA) from someone other than the love interest. If this is an issue for you, please skip.

 

When Mia shows up for the interview at a well-known architecture firm, she only has 27p, a squashed loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter to her name. She needs this job. Even if she is scared to death of the owner of the company.

Max has made a name for himself as that grumpy northern architect off Dreams Homes (the most popular property design programme in the UK), after he told the famous host that designing affordable, environmentally friendly homes “wasn’t rocket science” and that most of the other projects featured on the programme were for “reight poncy bastads who want to spend a grand on a shite tap.” It turned out that the whole gorgeous-but-rough-around-the-edges-Yorkshire-man vibe was just what the country was looking for – the episode had gone viral and Max was the new, extremely reluctant, pin-up of the building industry.

But to Mia, huge, grumpy men aren’t sexy, they're simply terrifying. She knows from experience that even men of average size can be dangerous. If she wasn’t so desperate, she’d run. She’s used to running. Running away is Mia’s special talent, together with invisibility – survival techniques she’s perfected over the years. So, she’ll put up with Max and his moods, ignore him calling her a teen emo freak (he’s not to know that her black hair used to be honey blonde or her heavy eyeliner isn’t by choice) and just bloody well jog on. Just try to survive. Try to hide.

It’s easy to hide when nobody really sees you. But what happens when Max finally opens his eyes?

 

This book has all the feelings. You are rooting for Mia to get everything she deserves and then some. She’s a sweetheart and has been through hell to get where she’s at and it isn’t over yet. I loved seeing her come out of her shell and get to her HEA. Max took longer for me to like and want to see Mia end up with her. Once he stops being a dick to Mia and starts helping her, I began to like him. Can’t wait to read the next book.

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Monster Mishap by Rory Miles

4 Stars

Daisy just wanted to have some fun in the tub when she’s transported to another world. Now she’s mated to a crabby orc who wants nothing to do with her. He’s trying to stay away from his father and his responsibilities as prince. Daisy is trying to get used to this new world and dealing with his attitude when she falls but will he give her a chance or is he willing to let her walk away just to show up his father?

This was a super smexy, funny, good read. I loved Daisy and Orcus. Daisy is out of her depth, but she rolls with it. The way she ends up with Orcus is hilarious. Orcus is such a grump except with her and it’s perfect. One thing that bothers me and isn’t pivotal to the story but I am still thinking about it so I am saying it here. Would no one notice that Daisy is no longer on earth and if they did how would they react. I also want to mention the page count is 414 pages and it doesn’t feel like it is that long. To me this means it is a really good read. Can’t wait for the next book.

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Keep by Anna Hackett

4 Stars

Macy knows life is too short and refuses to be down about anything. She’s sunshine and daisies about everything. Colton Fury is the opposite. He knows how hard life can be and that not everything works out the way you plan. He has too much on his plate to be fantasizing about his assistant but when she starts getting weird calls and someone breaks into her home all bets are off. He will do anything to keep her safe.

I absolutely loved Ember and Colton. They are so opposite that they work together. The story was well written and I loved the struggle between Colton and Ember. Neither of them wanted something permanent and they fought it so hard but fail epically. The one big issue I had was how the bad guy is caught. Ember does something that is too stupid to live. It all works out and I am going to overlook it for the rest of the story being so good. Can’t wait for the next brother.

Book 2 Fury Brothers

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Cracked Foundation by Bex Dawn

3 Stars

Shiloh is trying to get past her divorce, but she keeps being stood up on her dates. A bartender takes pity on her and offers her a new job and a new start. She is hesitant but she takes the leap only to find out her new boss is HOT but also grumpy. There is an instant attraction but will they fall?

This was a super short and smutty book. Logan was all in with Shiloh including all of her fantasies. It’s more sex than plot but worth checking out. It would be interesting to see more with these two and have more stories with the brothers.

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Blood Moon by Jillian Graves

3 Stars

Hazel loves working her bar and seeing her supernatural regulars. She occasionally needs to blow off steams, but anonymous strangers work for that until she meets Vlad. She thinks he’s an excellent lay but is definitely running away when she finds out he’s the owner of the night club that just opened a crossed from her bar that is trying to close her down. Will they find their HEA?

This was a super spicy short story. I wanted more world building and character development but for a short story it was really good. Loved the main characters story and seeing them get their HEA. Will definitely check out other books by this author.

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Queen of Vengeance by Poppy Jacobson

4 Stars

I was hoping for my fairytale ending with my prom king boyfriend. Only it turned out he had other plans with his buddies. They took something I never intended for them to have. I’ve finally able to get out of my nightmare 10 years later and get the revenge I am owed. An unmarked grave in the backyard isn’t enough and all of the men need to pay for what they did to me. The only thing that is in my way is two childhood friends who abandoned me when I needed them the most. Will they be there for me now?

If you are like me and like seeing people get what they deserve this is the book for you. It is very dark and FMC is very much out for revenge against those who SA her in high school. After reading the story I was left with some questions like why did her parents make her marry the guy? I know why she stayed but not how she ended up forced into marriage. I did love how everything was handled with her guys and the trauma she was still working through. Definitely pick up if you are in a rage against men time.

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Blindly Indicted by Katie May

 

4 Stars

Nina never remembers being able to see. She’s been in one prison or another. She thinks she’s finally escaped when she’s thrown into Nightmare Penitentiary for allegedly murdering someone. There she finds the boy who promised her he would always be there for her. He and his cohort run everything in the prison. Will they discover how Nina ended up there?

It was on the darker side but still good. Loved each of the men she ends up with. There were so many questions in the book that were brought up and were answered but more came up towards the end of the book that makes me want the next book now.

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Her Monstrous Valentine by Honor St Jean

 

4 Stars

Jessica just wanted a cup of tea to help get over her day instead she summoned a minotaur. The only way the minotaur will leave is if he brings her to release. The problems keep coming as him showing up triggers her family elf to come and save her. He makes sure the minotaur doesn’t hurt her but lets it play out to the pleasure of all of them. Every time Jessica makes tea she ends up with the minotaur. With family pressures will Jessica find her happy?

This is a short story and was awesome to read. It's a light and easy to read with lots of smexy scenes. Sometimes with short stories the pacing is off but with this book I didn’t feel that way. I got to end and said NOOOOO. I wanted more but that was because I liked the characters. The one big issue I have is I am left wondering about Jessica’s family. I want to know if the gods come down on them or not. Can't wait for another book by Honor St Jean.

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