Tag: Slow Burn Romance

Book Reviews/

Dreadful by Greer Rivers Book Review

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Dreadful by Greer Rivers

Blurb

A dark, modern, romantic retelling of Sweeney Todd with a Medusa twist and a happy ever after.

Their revenge is sweet… their love is unhinged.

Fifteen years ago, a girl sacrificed her life for mine. I’ve wanted only justice ever since.

Then Talia entered the stage.

I’m the barber’s son. The Boss’ nephew. A prince without a throne and only revenge to fuel me.

She’s the bakers’ granddaughter. Sweet Tallie. Their dolce nipotina. My vipera.

My desires have always stopped at vengeance. She’s made me want more. But my vendetta will destroy everything in my path, and I won’t risk bringing her into my world.

I never suspected she’d snake her way in on her own.

I craved a bite of her sugar and spice, but my little vipera is fangs and venom.

Now all I want is to be bitten.


DREADFUL is a dark, revenge mafia retelling of Sweeney Todd, Hamlet, and Medusa, set in modern-day Boston and a complete STANDALONE in the Tattered Curtain Series. Guaranteed HEA. This story has triggers so please check the author’s website for trigger warnings.

Sensitive Content

Here is the potentially sensitive content that I observed while reading this book:

  • Ableism
  • Alcohol
  • BDSM
  • Child Abuse (Sexual Assault)
  • Childhood Trauma
  • Death of a Loved One
  • Dubious Consent
  • Gore
  • Kidnapping
  • Murder
  • Profanity
  • PTSD
  • Sexually Explicit Scenes
  • Somnophilia
  • Stalking
  • Survivor’s Guilt
  • Torture
  • Violence

Ratings

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Book Reviews/

Storm by Carian Cole Book Review

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Storm by Carian Cole

Blurb

Carian Cole brings you her debut novel in a series of popular interconnected stand-alones showcasing members of a rock band finding the love of their lives in the most unlikely ways.

A series of weather and driving mishaps leaves me trapped in the woods during a blizzard with a complete stranger in the back of his pickup truck for forty-eight hours.

A stranger with long hair, tattoos, and rippling with muscle.

A stranger with an insanely sexy voice and a wicked smile that turned my insides to jelly.

A stranger who held me in his arms, calmed me, and then set a fire in me that I couldn’t put out.

A stranger who I later find out, is a famous rock star.

Storm lives up to his name. Dangerously alluring. Tumultuous. A beautiful, unexpected clash of hot and cold. He’s used to getting everything he wants.

And now he wants me.

Me? A quirky, girl-next-door-type who has no business dating a rock star.

Some people chase storms for the thrill. What happens when the storm chases you?

Sensitive Content

Here is the potentially sensitive content that I observed while reading this book:

  • Alcohol
  • Car Accident
  • Cheating
  • Panic Attacks
  • Profanity
  • Sexually Explicit Scenes
  • Slut Shaming
  • Snowed in (temporary confinement)

Ratings

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Book Reviews/

The Problem with Dating by Brittainy Cherry Book Review

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Blurb

If I had to choose a person to hate, Alex Ramírez would’ve been first on the list…

Welcome to Honey Creek, Illinois, where life was as sweet as the town’s name suggested. That was, until Mr. Fine Dining himself, Alex Ramírez, rolled into town with a permanent scowl. Even worse, he decided to park his snooty five-star restaurant across from my cozy dog daycare. He was tall, dark, and about as warm as a frozen entrée.

After one too many unpleasant interactions, I was determined to stay out of his way and to keep him out of mine.

But fate had a quirky sense of humor. When Alex inherited his great-aunt’s cranky canine, he had no choice but to come to me, the local dog whisperer, for help. As for me? I needed a fake boyfriend to ward off my ex-husband, who was determined to win me back.

So, we struck a deal: I’d turn his dog into the town’s best-behaved pet, and in return, he’d be my arm candy for a few family events and social gatherings. Simple, uncomplicated, and absolutely not romantic—at least, that was what we told ourselves.

As we played house, I couldn’t help but notice that underneath Alex’s prickly shell was a dash of charm that wasn’t listed in the ingredients. Our pretend dates started to feel a little too real. And our feigned kisses? They were getting laughably close to crossing the line. Suddenly, our interactions felt less like a food fight and more like foreplay.

With every playful touch and lingering glance, I couldn’t help but wonder: Was this fake relationship with Alex secretly penning its own authentic ending? Or was I risking it all for someone who was nothing more than make-believe?

Sensitive Content

Here are the potentially sensitive content that I observed while reading:

  • Alcohol
  • Anxiety/Panic Attacks
  • Cheating (not main characters)
  • Death of loved one
  • Emotional spousal abuse (not main characters)
  • Grief
  • Profanity

Ratings

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Book Reviews/

Irresistible by Willow Aster Book Review

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Blurb

A single mom who’s sworn off men…
And a sexy doctor who wants to change her mind.

With my little girl in tow, I pack up my Texas roots, seeking a fresh start in Landmark Mountain. Leaving behind a trail of shattered trust and a cheating ex, the last thing I expect is to collide with a sexy stranger.

Our first encounter is a whirlwind of heated words and fiery glares. But fate’s twisted sense of humor places him right in my path, not once, but many times over and over again.

Why does Dr. Wyatt Landmark have to be related to my best friend’s boyfriend?

But Landmark has a way of softening my heart, both the man and the town. This place already feels like home, and Wyatt’s interactions with my daughter reveal a side of him I hadn’t expected.

It isn’t long before his small acts of kindness begin to chip away at the walls I’ve so carefully constructed around my heart. That, and the passion between us I can’t deny whenever he looks my way.

Despite swearing off love, the resolve I’ve had is stripping away as Wyatt becomes more irresistible by the day.

Sensitive Content

Here is the potentially sensitive content that I observed while reading this book:

  • Alcohol
  • Cheating (not main characters)
  • Divorce
  • Pregnancy
  • Profanity
  • Sexually Explicit Scenes

Ratings

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Book Reviews/

Between Love and Loathing by Shain Rose Book Review

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Between Love and Loathing by Shain Rose

Blurb

Fake dating my enemy so I can design my dream bakery should be easy … as long as I don’t fall in love with him.

Dominic Hardy might be an award-winning architectural engineer with fancy degrees and considerable accolades, but he doesn’t know a thing about baking.
He doesn’t even like sugar.
So when my late stepfather’s will states that Dominic Hardy is set to inherit the Pacific Coast Resort he’d painstakingly designed, as long as my bakery can be plopped in the middle of it, it’s no surprise he balks.
And my jaw drops when another stipulation requires us to mutually approve plans for my bakery’s design.
His stuffy taste will never mix with my whimsical vibe.

But then Dominic comes to me with a proposal I can’t refuse. He’ll give me everything I want in my bakery as long as I agree to one thing:

Fake date him for five months.
Keep his ex away by pretending we’re in love.
Smile and stare into his piercing green eyes at a gala or two.
Maybe share a kiss.
Nothing extreme.
Five months of acting in love when I really loathe him and his filthy mouth.
Even when he’s using it on me.

This should be a cakewalk.
Except there’s a fine line between love and loathing, and I think I’ve made the colossal mistake of blurring it.

Sensitive Content

Here is the potentially sensitive content that I observe, while reading this book:

  • Abusive Relationship (not main characters)
  • Alcohol
  • Child Abuse (off page)
  • Chronic illness/disease
  • Profanity
  • Sexually Explicit Scenes
  • Violence

Ratings

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Book Reviews/

Moonlit Temptation by Penelope Black Book Review

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Moonlit Temptation by Penelope Black

Blurb

They say everything happens in threes.
Good luck and misfortune.
I got fired, inherited my late-grandmother’s house, and moved across the country all in a weekend.
I thought I would get a reprieve, eager and excited to spend my summer with my cousin.

But no one warned me the rule of three could apply to men.
The charming playboy.
The enigmatic stranger.
The grumpy single dad.

Known collectively as the St. James men. And the most coveted bachelors in all of Rosewood. They run the Rosewood Reapers, an allegedly reformed motorcycle club. I find myself irresistibly drawn to all three of them in a way I can’t ignore.
So I don’t.

The only problem is, there are more secrets than people in this town. And I fear there’s one that could shake our very foundation.

Sensitive Content

Here is the potentially sensitive content that I observed while reading this book:

  • Alcohol
  • Attempted murder
  • Death of a loved one
  • Profanity
  • Sexual Content
  • Violence

Ratings

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Book Reviews/

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston Book Review

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Read the Disclosure here.

Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Blurb

What happens when America’s First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales?

When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius―his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There’s only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse.

Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper, and more dangerous, than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations and begs the question: Can love save the world after all? Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to be? And how can we learn to let our true colors shine through? Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue proves: true love isn’t always diplomatic.

Sensitive Content

Here is the potentially sensitive content I observed while reading this book:

  • Alcohol
  • Bullying
  • Cancer
  • Death of a parent
  • Drug/ Drug use
  • Emotional Abuse
  • Grief
  • Homophobia
  • Misogyny
  • Outing
  • Panic Attacks
  • Profanity
  • Racism
  • Sexual Content
  • Stalkiing

Ratings

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Book Reviews/

Happy Place by Emily Henry Book Review

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Happy Place by Emily Henry

Blurb

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blissful week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week…in front of those who know you best?

Sensitive Content

Here is the potentially sensitive content I observed while reading:

  • Alcohol
  • Death of a parent
  • Depression
  • Profanity
  • Pregnancy
  • Sexual content

Ratings

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Book Reviews/

Never Too Soon by Chelle Bliss Book Review

Never Too Soon by Chelle Bliss

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Read the Disclosure here.

Never Too Soon by Chelle Bliss

Blurb

Grace Bianchi has always been drawn to men who are allergic to relationships. But when a mysterious man walks into her shop, saving her from a disaster, she finds herself wondering… is he different than the others?

Ryder Cooper is fumbling his way through life. He’s been lost since his wife passed away, leaving him to raise two young children alone. But when he meets a beautiful tattoo artist with a zest for life, she makes him wonder…could he love again?

Never Too Soon is a journey of two broken hearts who believe in love as they mend their broken hearts, finding their happily ever after.

Sensitive Content

Here is the sensitive content I observed while reading:

  • Cheating (not main characters)
  • Grief
  • Loss of a loved one
  • Miscarriage/Infertility
  • Sexual Content

Ratings

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Book Reviews/

In The Case of Heartbreak by Courtney Kae Book Review

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In The Case of Heartbreak by Courtney Kae

Blurb

With a gorgeous beachfront mansion, salty ocean breeze, steamy nights, and ALL the summertime feels, this funny, sexy queer rom-com is a celebration of summer love, as a cinnamon roll of a pastry chef finds his indie rocker crush suddenly within reach. Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston, Roan Parrish, Alexandria Bellefleur, Ruby Barrett, and Alexis Hall!

Ben has been baking his mother’s cinnamon rolls at the family café for years. He’s been quietly in love with Adam Reed, his musician-slash-mechanic neighbor, for just as long. But Ben’s done waiting behind the pastry case. Despite his fear of failure, he’s entered a make-or-break competition to build his recipes into a national brand. He’s going to take charge of his business instead of nearly tanking the café—again. And he’s going to finally confess his feelings for Adam. ON LIVE TV.

Except his big plans get punched down before they even half-rise. Soon Ben is dashing down the coast to his grandma’s 80th birthday party on the beach, hiding his broken heart in Maywell Bay, California. Sun, sea, and fresh breezes should blow in something new—except they don’t. They blow in Adam Reed, grinning like a pirate and stealing the show as the musical entertainment hired by Grandma for her big bash. Grandma’s signature Heartbreak Tea is the only remedy, and Grandma’s tea could take the paint off a fence.

But there’s a burn of truth along with the booze in his bottle, and Ben has a decision to make. Can he take the sweetness in front of him, and brave the bitterness that comes after? Or is a little sea salt just what this cinnamon roll needs?

Salty cinnamon rolls? Ew. Ben would never.

Sensitive Content

This book does have a content warning printed in the book. Here is the sensitive content I observed while reading:

  • Alcohol
  • Anxiety
  • Childhood trauma (neglect)
  • Depression
  • Divorce (parents)
  • Gaslighting
  • Emotional abuse
  • Profanity
  • Sexual content

Ratings

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There are possible **SPOILERS** beyond this point!

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