Tag: romance novels

Another Yes for Yarros

Another Yes for Yarros

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Don’t you love a little alliteration? It’s my favorite. I read Great and Precious Things by speed writing romance icon, Rebecca Yarros. This woman has such an extensive backlist that I can’t even begin to dream of what her process might be. She mentioned in an interview earlier this year that we won’t even be seeing the fourth book in the Empyrean series next year because Onyx Storm “nearly killed her”.

Creative work can be intense and grueling. It can amount to hours spent at a desk with an aching back and a marathon going on inside of your brain. I’ve been working on my book of short stories that I hope to put out in the next 3 months or so, and have been bartering with the Gods of money in the hopes that they will help me win ANY of the writing contests that I’m entering.

Anyways, back to the book.

What It’s About

Ex-marine Camden Daniels returns to his small, stifling hometown in Colorado. He’s essentially the village leper, not only because of the havoc he used to wreak in his turbulent childhood, but because he committed the ultimate sin: He didn’t bring the Golden Son (his brother, Sullivan or Sully) back from overseas.

His little brother followed him into the service and returned home in a wooden box.

Camden’s neighbors and even his own father hold him responsible for Sullivan’s death.

Everyone except Willow Bradley: Sullivan’s ex-girlfriend and Camden’s lifelong love. While Camden would do anything to not have to deal with the unmasked hatred of the folks of Alba, Colorado, he’s been summoned home by an urgent phone call from his father. His father has early onset Alzheimer’s, and he begs Camden to return after years of silence so that his son can help him secure a DNR.

Camden’s mission is met with pushback from his older brother, Xander (who also happens to be the mayor). The two brothers prepare to battle it out in court, and the only person who’s willing to help Camden is Willow.

Willow has certain feelings for Camden that tangle with her grief over her first love. That doesn’t last long, however, as the two bend a knee to the bond that has held the two of them together since they were kids. Confusion, heat, and a bold love story ensue.

Dope Shit About This Book

So, here’s what I personally liked about this book, and what kept me coming back. Me staying dedicated to one book for days at a time is a big deal because I tend to read about 8 books at once, and I have an absurd number of books checked out from my library.

  • A female protagonist who is not afraid to want boldly. Willow doesn’t heed the hatred that palpates Camden’s presence in Alba. She is not afraid to let him know that Sully wasn’t the only man that she’s ever loved, and she takes step after faithful step back into Cam’s life, hoping that he’ll want her back.
  • An emphasis on the relationships between our parents and their expectations for us. Great and Precious Things is a cute love story for sure, complete with teasing nicknames similar to Xaden and Violet in Yarros’ Fourth Wing series. Both Willow and Camden have to untangle themselves from their parents’ perceptions of them. Camden wants his father to really see him and not his youngest son’s wild killer. Willow needs to stand in her truth in front of her judge father (he’s a judge in this town) and proclaim that she will not isolate Cam, that she will not don the mourning veil in Sullivan’s honor for the rest of her life.
  • Melty, melt, melt, romance. Camden is an undeniably likeable and well-rounded male lead. He is sensitive, protective, and a total hero. He is a tortured hero in a sense because he will never give himself credit for the good things that he has done.

Now, Go Get It

You know what I say- I always end these things telling folks to go to their local libraries. You can do that, or you can read it on Kindle Unlimited with a subscription. But I will say libraries are under attack in the US, and there’s no way of telling where things will end up in the next few years. Go to your library, get a card, and make your friends and family members get cards. Libraries need your support now more than ever.

What’s Next?

Let me know if I can take the book bullet for you and read a book you’re unsure about before you do. If the book is bad, I will have suffered so that you don’t. If the book is great, you’ll see it on this blog!

Also, comment and tell me what you guys are reading! Have you already read Great and Precious Things? Did you like it?

I’ll be posting again soon, probably about a romantasy I’m reading right now. In the meantime, stay weird and happy reading.

Alicia

Hot Killz

Hot Killz

by ajcwrites ♥ 2 Comments

Hello readers! I’m back with another slamming romance book rec, and I think you’ll really like this, hot, dark romance. Is it dark? I don’t know. A book about two serial killers that have a contest every year to see who can kill their target sounds pretty fucking dark, but I digress.

So, like I mentioned above, Butcher and Blackbird is a wildly hot story centered around the slow-burn romance of Sloane (Blackbird) and Rowan (Butcher and absolutely steaming hot male lead). Each of them is an iconic serial killer in their own right, with Rowan being the famed Butcher of Boston and Sloane is known for her trademark– gouging out them eyeballs.

Both of them have a penchant for justice and make a point of only going after other serial killers. Serial killers that are, you know, worse than them.

Sloane is an achingly beautiful protagonist, afraid of getting her heart broken and keeping herself closed off from anyone for years, except for her absolute best friend, Lark. She expresses herself in her naughty habit of killing, so when she meets the Boston Butcher, she finds a kindred soul.

Their meeting kicks off a years-long contest to essentially see who is the best killer. They meet up once a year, and the slow burning, sizzling heat between them grows with every meeting. Sloane is under the impression that she’s too fucked up to be loved, but clearly, Rowan disagrees.

The attraction between them is almost tangible. Rowan is such a hot male lead. He is protective and fierce, and he knows exactly what he wants more than killing and that’s… Sloane.

When it comes to heat, Weaver knows exactly what she’s doing. The love scenes in Butcher and Blackbird are a masterclass in writing a seamless sex scene. Every lingering stare and every touch that lingers just long enough to be anything friendly. This carefully devised love story will leave you breathless.

As you can see, I’m quite passionate about this one! Check out this hot read here (I bought it and you should, too), or hit up your local library and proudly check out this smut. I work at a library and I promise you, we’re not judging :).

4 Books For The Long Weekend and Beyond

4 Books For The Long Weekend and Beyond

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hello! I work with some of the most impressive speed readers I’ve ever met. I wish I read at a faster rate so that I could make content more quickly, but alas, I tend to read at least 6 things at once, and (Can I be honest?) only finish half.

Anyways, I compiled this short list of books for you to read, because why not? You need something to do this weekend if you don’t like going outside and barbecuing. So, here are 4 books that I like in general and why:

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

You knew Miss Maas was going to make it on here, right? Yeah, you did. I should point out that you need to read the other books in the ACOTAR series before you get to this deliciously, finger licking good latest installment. As a writer that’s partial to writing fantasy, I aspire to weave an emotionally fraught story as good as this one.

Without spoiling too much, the book focuses on Nesta Archeron, the eldest sister of the Archeron women. Nesta is tested by her own abilities and by the mouth-watering Cassian, one of the strongest fae warriors seen in millennia. Cassian takes Nesta under his wing (and body, sorry, sorry) and teaches her what it means to be a Warrior.

Nesta is her own worst enemy, and you can expect to see plenty of self-sabotage, magic, and unwieldy tempers in this book. I cannot reiterate enough though, you gotta read the other books in the ACOTAR series. Honestly, I could use this entire blog post to try and convince you to read the ACOTAR series but we just don’t have the time.

Onward!

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kaylnn Baron

Ooh, spooky scary! I love a good teen horror novel, especially a slasher. (I feel like the slasher isn’t as respected anymore. As a young millennial, I’m offended) I feel like this particular niche is becoming more and more popular lately with works like Out There Screaming and All These Sunken Souls.

The story takes place at what is essentially an overnight haunted house. Except the haunted house is a bunch of cabins on a presumably haunted lake. We follow the main character Charity, who has ascended to the coveted role of the Final Girl at Camp Mirror Lake. She’s been employed there for years and when she finally receives the promotion, she’s thrilled.

Until things start to go very, very, wrong.

Her boss is suddenly absent, her friends are acting strangely, their cell signal doesn’t work, and when her friends start disappearing? The opportunity of her teenage lifetime turns into a nightmare.

Filled with mystery and absolutely heart-pounding, I started thinking about this book today and got a small chill. I devoured this book in maybe 2 days, and it is an undeniable slam dunk for the author, Kalynn Baron. Baron doesn’t usually write horror but I am so glad she tried her hand at it.

Next!

The Family Chao by Lan Samantha Chang

This is one of my favorite mysteries and you could probably finish it in a weekend. It’s a mystery but we see the recurring themes of the impact of a narcissistic parent, loneliness, and not feeling good enough.

The story follows three Chinese American brothers: Dagou, Ming and James.

Dagou aspires to take over his Dad’s restaurant. Leo Chao is a boisterous, at times cruel man that wants to be seen as one of the Joneses in their small community in the fictional town of Haven, Wisconsin. Leo has tried to assimilate his Chinese family into this predominantly White community, but even after years of serving their neighbors some of the best Chinese food they’ll ever have and holding his own as a business man, the Chaos are still looked at as outsiders, and face prejudice daily.

Ming is the successful, wealthy son that made a life for himself outside of Haven, and tries his hardest not to look back until Leo’s death.

James is a young college student, scared of being alone and even more afraid of being a failure. James tries to navigate the pitfalls of first love while trying to keep his parents out of his affairs at college.

When Leo Chao is found frozen to death in the freezer of the Chao’s family restaurant, an investigation is launched into who might have locked him in there.

The public suspects who they think is the obvious choice: Dagou. Since Dagou has been a frequent target of Leo’s cruelty, and was most recently publicly embarrassed by him hours before his death, Dagou is put on trial and is effectively at the mercy of the small town residents that have never really seen him as one of their own. Meanwhile, James and Ming are on a mission to find out what really happened, while harboring small doubts themselves.

Even while they fight to prove Dagou’s innocence in court, the question still lingers- Did Dagou kill their father?

One more!

We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian

I’m not even completely done with this one, but I can tell you right now that is so damn good. The story is a queer romance set in the US in the 1950s.

My eyes have been glued to my screen as I read Nick and Andy’s story. Nick is an established reporter who is hiding his gayness from his family and his coworkers. After all, the 50s were not a great time for queer people. What I like is that while there are reminders of the progress we’ve made since this decade, Sebastian does such a good job of making you forget the perils of being a gay man in the 1950s and offers up a soul-warming, and at times heartbreaking romance between two men.

Andy is a certified mess. He is disorganized, he’s constantly losing his keys, and he feels that he will never be competent enough to live up to his father’s expectations and take on the role of running his father’s longstanding newspaper, The Chronicle. Nick works at the Chronicle and he is at first reluctant to spend any time with his boss’ son, but Andy is just too… helpless to ignore. While Andy isn’t good for much else, he does a fantastic job of melting the ice around Nick’s heart.

This is a cute, sweet story that I can’t wait to finish– you should finish it with me and tell me what you think in the comments!

And that is it, my dear people! Let me know what you’ve read, and if there’s anything else I should have mentioned on this to list to start on the long weekend.

I would normally tell you about where to get these books, but I honestly want you to visit your local library, whether digitally or in person, and pick up these books. Not judging if you’d prefer to dog ear your own copy from a brick and mortar book store though!

Stay weird~

Rip My Heart Out, Why Don’t You

Rip My Heart Out, Why Don’t You

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hello, and welcome back to ajcreads! I’m back a week after my last post (it’s my intention to post more) and I’ve been busy devouring Say I’m The One by Siobhan Davis. I hadn’t heard of Davis before this week, but when I was prowling Audible for a good listen, I found this in my feed.

I listened to this book and read it on Kindle Unlimited, and I was hooked. Not a single shower was taken without this book playing on top of the toilet.

I’ll get right into it.

Say I’m The One is a searing hot romance with an unexpected twist. It is not for the faint of heart, and it’s not an ooey gooey read, although I do like my ooey gooey romances. Davis does a spectacular job of dropping you right into the mind and body of Vivien Mills, the daughter of two Hollywood actors. Vivien prefers to stay out of the spotlight, but when her childhood best friend turned boyfriend, Reeve Lancaster, breaks out onto the scene as a fresh face in Hollywood, she is thrust onto the world’s stage as Reeve’s clingy highschool girlfriend that won’t let him go and be great without her.

It makes matters worse that Reeve seems to be changing. He’s not the same sweet boy that Vivien has come to worship. He’s angry and defensive and nothing like himself as Hollywood sinks its claws further into him.

Their love is tested when Reeve snags the starring role in the Rydeville Elite series, where he we’ll be working up close and personal with Saffron Roberts (a literal psychopath) who is hell-bent on claiming Reeve for herself and breaking up his relationship with Vivien.

This book will give you a whirlwind of emotions that you leave you cheering for, and screaming at Viv as she navigates the new obstacles in her relationship. Davis does an incredible job of always launching straight into the action, giving us the good stuff right away.

The second half of the book left me feeling like I was reading a telenovela instead of a romance novel. The next part of the story is when we are introduced to Vivien’s new, and dangerous love interest.

Irish singer Dillon O’ Donoguhue is nothing like the soft-hearted man she’s used to. Dillon is fiery, his love is passionate and hot. Vivien experiences a wholly different kind of love with him, and the question she’s left asking is: Is Dillon’s love enough to finally give up on Reeve?

There is an incredible twist at the end of the book, so hold on tightly because I in no way saw it coming. This searing hot novel is the first in a duet. I’m going to start reading the second book as soon as I finish typing this.

What can I say other than: (squeal) Read the book!!

You can read it for free on Kindle Unlimited if you have a subscription. When I snagged the audiobook, I got it from Audible for about $7.

Let me know if you read this book or have read it before in the comments. Love triangles bring me back to my high school years when the pressing question was Team Edward or Team Jacob? (I’ll never tell.) With Team Reeve or Team Dillon at the forefront of your mind while reading this, you will be hooked down to the very last word.

Keep it weird until next time~

Good Girls Get Dragons

Good Girls Get Dragons

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Violet Sorrengail, a petite but whip smart daughter of one of the commanding generals of the Kingdom of Navarre, is in for the ride (see what I did there?) of her life when she is forced to enroll in the Rider’s Quadrant of Navarre’s war college.

Frail and having been initially trained to join the Scribe quadrant, Violet will have to hope that a dragon doesn’t leave her in a pile of ash, and actually chooses her to be its rider.

This is the fantasy I’ve been looking for forever. It has been literal years since a fantasy like this kept me on the edge of my seat, and dying for more with each scene. Fourth Wing is sensual, and addictive, and left me in that place where you have a silent scream in your throat while the characters do their thing.

Violet is forced to ride alongside some of the descendants of Navarre’s traitors, men and women who led a rebellion many years ago. More than a few of them have a score they’d like to settle with General Sorrengail.

I should mention that there is a sensual, satisfying slow burn to look forward to with the one guy she shouldn’t want. Her life is on the line, and her heart is too when she comes face to face with one of the strongest men that wear the Rebellion Relic, Zayden Ryerson.

To make matters worse for her but even sweeter for us, Zayden happens to be her Wing Leader this year.

While Violet can depend on her smarts to help her escape certain death, she might not truly survive and thrive without Zayden’s help, especially since he might want to get even with General Sorrengail, too.

Ah! I don’t want to spoil too much. Just know that I am internally screaming along with you. This is a long read and will keep you busy for a while so treat yourself to it here or visit your local library.

The sequel, Iron Flame, comes out this November.

Don’t forget to subscribe and come back when I post my next book rec.

See you next time!

The Universe Provides a Fake Boyfriend: How to Fall in Love When It’s Most Inconvenient

The Universe Provides a Fake Boyfriend: How to Fall in Love When It’s Most Inconvenient

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hello, readers! I’m back with another book review. Thank you to those of you who have started receiving updates for my posts, it means a lot! Please follow for more fun!

Anyways, let’s get to today’s book recommendation: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert.

Hibbert has knocked it out of the park on this one, yet again. I’ve made it my mission to finish the entire Brown Sisters series and tell you all about them on this blog.

This is the story of Dani Brown, an aggressively driven PhD student coming up on the event that will make or break her career. Dani is whip-smart, drop-dead sexy, and entirely opposed to romantic commitment. Men and women have flown in and out of her orbit like satellites, and nothing ever sticks. And that’s how Dani (a shameless heartbreaker) likes it.

Dani asks the universe to provide her with her next fuck buddy, and to her delight, it takes the form of an enormous, sensitive, and delectable ex rugby player– Zafir Ansari.

However, what’s the catch to delighting in this delicious gift from the universe?

She’s falling for him.

Yes, Dani Brown’s commitment to staying uncommitted is tested when Zafir asks her to be his fake girlfriend after a pic of Zafir holding Dani after saving her from a broken elevator goes completely viral. #DrRugBae begins to circulation online and people can’t get enough of them. He asks for her help in the hopes that the attention they’re getting will help TackleIt, his rugby nonprofit for young men.

This book is so cute. Zafir is actually one of my all-time favorite male leads in a romance novel. He’s a lover of romance books (same), fiercely protective, and you can’t help but cheer him on as he forges a new path for himself after the tragic death of his father and brother. With Dani’s love and fantastic breasts (her words, not mine) he just might be able to move on.

I highly recommend this one, I’ll be reading and reviewing the last book in the series, Act Your Age, Eve Brown, as soon as I can.

You can get a copy of Take a Hint, Dani Brown here or you can make your daily trip down to your local library. (What do you mean, you don’t go daily? What’s the matter with you? Get down there now!)

Until next time! Thanks for reading.

Red Hot: How to Get a Life 101

Red Hot: How to Get a Life 101

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hello, hello! I have so many great books to tell you about, and today’s book is Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert.

Let me start by saying that this book has made me a forever fangirl of Hibbert’s. It’s sweet and sexy and it kept me busy for about three days. I can’t think of a better way to procrastinate writing my own romance book, frankly.

So, let’s get into it.

Serious and ultimately misunderstood, Chloe Brown doesn’t have a life. Or, at least, she doesn’t have the life she wants. She usually prefers to stay in her apartment due to the chronic pain she experiences from living with fibromyalgia. Chloe supports herself by being a freelance web designer and she also has the safety net of her well-off family if shit really hits the fan.

Chloe is a creature of habit. When she deviates from her daily routine by attempting to rescue a cat that she thinks is stuck in a tree, she’s ultimately saved by her building super, Red. Her super cute, paints with his shirt off and window open at night building super.

Chloe and Red’s relationship is already tinged with tension because of Chloe’s wealth and general standoffish personality. However, despite his best efforts, Red is drawn to who Chloe might be under her prickly exterior, and so he allows Chloe to employ him in her plan to complete her list of ‘get a life’ activities. In exchange, she promises him a website that he can display his art on.

The push and pull between them as they accidentally deviate from their plans and end up toying with the possibility of forever will leave you squirming in your seat. Hibbert does a fantastic job of building up tortuous sexual tension.

It’s hot, cute, and I was sad to see it go when I finished the book. Oh, and one last thing!

Red is such a believable, irresistible, and fresh character. Hibbert pushes against society’s expectations of men as it relates to trauma and obliterates the macho man narrative.

This is the first in the Brown Sisters series, and I will be reading and reviewing the other two books soon.

You can get a copy of Get a Life, Chloe Brown here or you can visit your local library, an institution we must protect until the end of time.

Thanks for reading, until next time!

Sweet Gains, Bro

Sweet Gains, Bro

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Holy shit! I’ve been away from the wonderful world of WordPress for over a year. So many cool things have happened, a new job, getting more help for my depression, and a total revamp in the way that I approach writing and reading.

I will admit, there was a period where nothing felt good enough to post or brainstorm. I spent a lot of time on books on the craft of writing (which are great, don’t get me wrong) and didn’t spend as much time reading fiction. Well, in the last eight months or so, I have read/listened to so much fiction. Which brings me to today’s post.

Love at First Set is a sexy queer rom-com that often carries an honest, realistic take on the way that class affects us while we try to live our lives. In other words, the capitalist hellscape that we live in just can’t seem to leave us alone, and that is 100% true for our protagonist, Lizzie.

Lizzie is a well-rounded character that has financial and emotional trauma from a less-than-ideal childhood. When she’s asked to attend the wedding of her wealthy best friend’s sister, the last thing she wants to do is share the same rare air that most of the wedding guests have been living in their entire lives. To make things worse, her best friend’s (James) parents are her employers, which is a nightmare.

Lizzie’s ambition is to someday own her own gym so that she doesn’t have to empty out her savings to pay for her mother’s existence. Lizzie reluctantly attends the wedding and ends up being an accidental hypeman for Jame’s sister (the bride) to leave her fiance at the alter. Which she does.

To make matters worse, Jame’s sister, Cara, is smoking hot and everything Lizzie wants in a girlfriend.

Readers can look forward to seeing Lizzie bounce between trying to be the perfect friend, daughter, and secret girlfriend.

I can’t say enough good things about it! Read it, just read it. You can buy a copy here, or you can do one of my all-time favorite things/ addictions and visit the bookplace, or you know, your local library (libraries are integral to having an educated society. Go to the library, damn it!).