Review | Blushing in the Big Leagues by R.S. Grey

Blushing in the Big Leagues

by R.S. Grey

Published on May 18th, 2023

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Format: eARC

Source: PR Valentine

Summary from Goodreads: 

I have one simple rule: don't date professional baseball players. There are no exceptions, no workarounds.

"What if-"
No.
"Could he-"
Nuh-uh.

With a brother in the league, I've seen the good, the bad, and the downright horrifying. Those guys might seem tantalizing when they're in uniform down on the field, hitting grand slams in front of a crowd of adoring fans, but I know better. The huge egos? The insane travel schedules? The veritable buffet of female companions? No ma'am. Professional athletes are best handled at a distance, preferably far enough away that their chiseled jawlines blur into oblivion.

Enter Grant Navarro.

He's the baseball player to end all baseball players. The one I should have marked with a big red X the first moment I laid eyes on him. Only the night we met (and kissed - opps), I didn't know he was my brother's newest teammate. Imagine my shock when I realized the sexiest man in Manhattan was officially off limits. Just my luck!

Let the record show that I had every intention of following my rule and staying away from Grant. When he smiled that irresistible smile and those dimples popped, I stood my ground. When he made it very clear he'd love to pick up where we left off the night we met, I said, Hold it right there, partner. When he messaged me all sorts of naughty things on Instagram, I logged out of that app so fast I dented my iPhone screen.

Baseball players are bad, bad, bad. 

So tell me why giving in to Grant just for a night, getting one taste of what could be starts to seem not just tempting, but downright mandatory.

Yeah, about that one simple rule....haven't you heard?

Rules are meant to be broken.

Buy Link:

Amazon

---

Review

Having read the synopsis and seen that cover (come on, just look at it!), I was so excited to dive into R.S. Grey's latest release. However, while it did start off promising, it just didn't do it for me.

I enjoyed the whole storyline, especially with Tate growing up surrounded with baseball but never wanting to full on date a baseball player and then making out with Grant, the newly signed player on the team....and her brother's newest teammate. There was some depth missing in the story that truly would have make this book stand out.

While the romance was nice, it was unquestionably surface level. There was no diving deep into character emotions or building true connections, as there didn't appear to be any time for that. No really, there was no time as it seemed to be a figment of one's imagination given the amount of telling instead of showing. It would have been nice to see the main characters spend more time together to actually believe that they fell in love, especially as their chemistry was apparent.

Overall, Blushing in the Big Leagues was an okay book but not one I would pick up again.

Rating

★★★

About the Author

R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty-five romantic comedies. She loves books, chocolate, reality TV, and cold weather. She lives in Texas with her husband, two daughters, and dog.

Website│Instagram│Goodreads 

Review | Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score

Things We Never Got Over 

by Lucy Score

Published on January 12th, 2022
Series: Knockemount - Book One

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Format: Audiobook

Source: Audible

Summary from Goodreads: 

Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound Waylon. Knox doesn't tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.

Naomi wasn't just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virgina, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way....with fists and beer. Usually in that order.

Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn't changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi's car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn't know she had. Now she's stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.

There's a reason Knox doesn't do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi's life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do. is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.

At least, that's the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Indigo

---

Review

Having never read a Lucy Score book before, and with all the hype surrounding Things We Never Got Over, I wasn't really sure what to expect. But I was so pleasantly surprised when I actually ended up adoring this book!

I am an absolute sucker for tropes, this includes small town settings, sunshine x grumpy dynamics, forced proximity, and found family. So hearing all the buzz since its initial publication in January 2022 and that all these tropes will be integrated in the story, I decided to finally pick up Things We Never Got Over and check it out.

To say that I absolutely adored this book would be putting it lightly. From the very first moment Naomi and Knox were introduced, I knew I was taken with their characters. I know it's a cheesy romance, but honestly it's so gooddddd! Lucy Score truly manages to captivate and draw you into the story from beginning to end. I know with certainty that I will be continuing on with the Knockemout series, and checking out some of Score's other works.

With that being said, there were some flaws. The obvious one being that the characters truly don't act their own age, which is actually in their 30s-40s, and the book did feel like it was a bit longer than what it really need to be. However, for the latter flaw, I was completely invested in the story enough that this genuinely did not bother me.

Rating

★★★★

About the Author

Lucy is an instant #1 New York Times bestselling author. She grew up in a literary family who insisted that the dinner table was for reading and earned a degree in journalism.

She writes full-time from the Pennsylvania home she and Mr. Lucy share with their obnoxious cat, Cleo. When not spending hours crafting heartbreaker heroes and kick-ass heroines, Lucy can be found on the couch, in the kitchen, or at the gym.

She hopes to someday write from a sailboat, oceanfront condo, or tropical island with reliable Wi-Fi.

Website│Instagram│Goodreads 

Review | Fallen Foe by L.J. Shen

Fallen Foe

by L.J. Shen

Published on May 9th, 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Format: eARC

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads: 

One (crumbling) French castle. Two enemies-at-first-sight. The holiday of a lifetime.

Merry DeLuca has a problem - a big problem. Her sister just married her best friend and the only man she's ever loved. Her life is rapidly spiralling down the drain and she doesn't have an escape plan.

So when Merry is offered a three-month holiday living in a romantic castle in the French countryside she leaps at the chance. Merry knows her French holiday will fix everything - there will be mouthwatering pastries, delicious (meaningless) flirtations, and languid strolls through vineyards at sunset. Her holiday will be perfect.

At least, Merry believes that until she arrives and finds Noah Wright - the best man at her sister's wedding and the worst man she's ever known - staying in her castle.

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Indigo

---

Review

Having read the first book in the Cruel Castaways series, Ruthless Rival, I figured that I would enjoy Fallen Foe as well. While this book did have a bit of a slow start, I truly found it to be an entertaining read.

Arsène Corbin had a complicated and harsh childhood which turned him into the man he is today. Ruthless. Angry. Complex. Then we have Winnifred Ashcroft, a sweet and passionate actress. These two opposites meet each other at difficult points of their lives, with tragedy and betrayal bringing them together.

Fallen Foe really pulls you in from the very beginning, with it being well written, having a captivating plot, intriguing story, and true character growth. There are also various topics in the books also may be relatable and difficult to read at times.

There were two things I didn't necessarily like in Fallen Foe. The first was the stepbrother/stepsister relationship between Arsène and Grace, he didn't love her and even went as far as to not only admit this to himself but also felt he could control her with his money. (Extremely dysfunctional to say the least.) The second aspect I didn't like was that Winnie, the main female character, was only truly integrated into the story in the second part of the story, after briefly meeting both Arsène and Grace in part one.

While this might not have been my favourite L.J. Shen's work, it still was an overall light and enjoyable read.

Rating

★★★

About the Author

L.J. Shen is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, and #1 Amazon bestselling author of contemporary, new adult, and young adult romance. Her books have been sold in twenty different countries, and she hopes to visit all of them.

She lives in Florida with her husband, three rowdy sons, and rosier pets and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows, and reading to her heart's content. Connect with her on her website, Instagram, and Facebook group.

Website│Instagram│Goodreads 

Release Blitz | Blushing in the Big Leagues by R.S. Grey

                                

Blushing in the Big Leagues by R.S. Grey is now live!

I have one simple rule: don’t date professional baseball players. There are no exceptions, no workarounds.

“What if—”

No.

“Could he—”

Nuh-uh.

With a brother in the league, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the downright horrifying. Those guys might seem tantalizing when they’re in uniform down on the field, hitting grand slams in front of a crowd of adoring fans, but I know better. The huge egos? The insane travel schedules? The veritable buffet of female companions? No ma’am. Professional athletes are best handled at a distance, preferably far enough away that their chiseled jawlines blur into oblivion.

Enter Grant Navarro.

He’s the baseball player to end all baseball players. The one I should have marked with a big red X the first moment I laid eyes on him. Only the night we met (and kissed—oops), I didn’t know he was my brother’s newest teammate. Imagine my shock when I realized the sexiest man in Manhattan was officially off limits. Just my luck!

Let the record show that I had every intention of following my rule and staying away from Grant. When he smiled that irresistible smile and those dimples popped, I stood my ground. When he made it very clear he’d love to pick up where we left off the night we met, I said, Hold it right there, partner. When he messaged me all sorts of naughty things on Instagram, I logged out of that app so fast I dented my iPhone screen.

Baseball players are bad, bad, bad.

So tell me why giving in to Grant just for a night, getting one taste of what could be starts to seem not just tempting, but downright mandatory.

Yeah, about that one simple rule…haven’t you heard?

Rules are meant to be broken.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon | Amazon Worldwide | Goodreads

 

Meet R.S. Grey

R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including seven #1 bestselling romantic comedies. She lives in Texas with her husband, two daughters, and dog.

Connect with R.S. Grey

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram

TikTok | Pinterest

Review | Pretend You're Mine by Lucy Score

Pretend You're Mine

by Lucy Score

Published on May 9th, 2023
Series: Benevolence - Book One

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Format: eARC

Source: SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books via Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads: 

From The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over

I only wanted to protect you...

Luke Garrison is a hometown hero, a member of the National Guard ready to deploy again. He's strong, sexy, broody. The last thing he's looking for is a woman to ruin his solitude. When the wildly beautiful Harper stumbles into his life, though, he realizes that she's the perfect decoy. A fake girlfriend to keep his family off his back until he's deployed.

So what if kissing her sends his mind to wicked places? He can control himself. Can't he?

Harper was on her way to starting a new life...again. But something about Luke makes her want to settle down in this small town and make his house a home. When she's in his arms, she finally knows what it's like to feel safe. Protected.

One night of sharing a bed turns into something much, much more...and soon Luke can't keep his mind off Harper's wide gray eyes or his hands off her luscious curves. He never thought he'd feel this way about a woman again. But he knows that he can't tell her the truth about his dark past. And she can't reveal what she's running from.

At least this isn't a real relationship. It's only for a month. It's only pretend. Until it isn't...

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Indigo

---

Review

Having recently read Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score, I was beyond excited to dive into Pretend You're Mine. I was expecting something that would draw me into the story and keep me captivated from beginning to end, and in a way it succeeded in doing so. However, while I absolutely adored the main and side characters from TWNO, I didn't feel that connection with some characters in Pretend You're Mine.

While I did like Harper, finding her to be very likeable and spirited, I did find her at times to not be assertive enough in what she needed and wanted in a relationship. While I may not have fully supported some of her decisions or actions, I do have to admit that I admired her sense of compassion and understanding. On the other hand, Luke was for a majority of the novel hung up on someone else and it almost felt like his past was never properly resolved before getting committed to Harper. I mean you can honestly feel Luke's pain in relation to his past, it was still a bit difficult to read.

With that being said, it truly was a nice book to read especially during Spring. If you enjoy small towns full of kind-hearted people then I would recommend checking this book out.

Rating

★★★

About the Author

Lucy is an instant #1 New York Times bestselling author. She grew up in a literary family who insisted that the dinner table was for reading and earned a degree in journalism.

She writes full-time from the Pennsylvania home she and Mr. Lucy share with their obnoxious cat, Cleo. When not spending hours crafting heartbreaker heroes and kick-ass heroines, Lucy can be found on the couch, in the kitchen, or at the gym.

She hopes to someday write from a sailboat, oceanfront condo, or tropical island with reliable Wi-Fi.

Website│Instagram│Goodreads 

Review | French Holiday by Sarah Ready

French Holiday

by Sarah Ready

Published on April 26th, 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Format: eARC

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads: 

One (crumbling) French castle. Two enemies-at-first-sight. The holiday of a lifetime.

Merry DeLuca has a problem - a big problem. Her sister just married her best friend and the only man she's ever loved. Her life is rapidly spiralling down the drain and she doesn't have an escape plan.

So when Merry is offered a three-month holiday living in a romantic castle in the French countryside she leaps at the chance. Merry knows her French holiday will fix everything - there will be mouthwatering pastries, delicious (meaningless) flirtations, and languid strolls through vineyards at sunset. Her holiday will be perfect.

At least, Merry believes that until she arrives and finds Noah Wright - the best man at her sister's wedding and the worst man she's ever known - staying in her castle.

Famous travel documentarian by day and arrogant devil by night, Noah refuses to leave the castle. Which means that Merry and Noah are stuck together in France, in a crumbling castle, in a holiday where nothing goes right. Not for Merry and not for Noah.

So they strike a truce - they'll live as cohabiting friends for three-months, and then they'll amicably part ways, never to see each other again.

But the thing about friendship? Sometimes secrets are uncovered. Mysteries revealed. Hearts laid bare. And friendship can start to feel a lot like caring. A lot like love. It can even make you wish that the holiday never has to end.

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Indigo

---

Review

French Holiday is the first Sarah Ready book I've picked up, and it certainly won't bee the last.

Needing to get over her unrequited love for her best friend asap, considering how he just married her sister, Merry accepts her godmother's offer to visit France and live in her chateau. What she doesn't know is that Noah, bff's other friend, just rented that castle in order to complete research and work on his next documentary. The problem? There's only one bed and did I forgot to mention that they also hate each other. Their respective pasts make it difficult for them to trust in love, but slowly they go from enemies to friends to more, opening up and trusting in one another.

While I enjoy a good dual POV from time to time (uhm....Archer's Voice), I felt like reading the story from solely Merry's perspective was pleasantly refreshing. You don't have the chance to know or dive straight away into Noah's feelings or where his mind was at during certain scenes, instead you get to experience the ways in which both main characters slowly begin to open up and become more involved with each other. I also liked the mystery behind the chateau itself and, while I didn't initially like them, the side characters truly grew on me as they became more vulnerable with their emotions.

French Holiday was such a sweet and fun book to read. It had a perfect balance between both love and lust with a nice added dash of mystery. It made for an overall cute, hilarious, and absolutely amazing spring read! If you like reading while on vacation or a good romcom, you'll most likely enjoy this book.

Rating

★★★★

About the Author

Author Sarah Ready writes contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Her books have been described as "euphoric," "heartwarming" and "laugh out loud." Her debut novel The Fall in Love Checklist was hailed as "the unicorn read of 2020." She lives in the Caribbean with her family and water-loving pup.

Website│Instagram│Goodreads