ARC Review: The Stars Are On Our Side by Jennifer Hartmann

I was so excited to hear we were finally getting Gabe and Tabitha’s story! If you’ve read Still Beating and/or Lotus, you will recognize these characters. You could read The Stars Are On Our Side if you haven’t previously read those two books though as this is about separate characters. I will say though if you are planning on reading either Lotus or Still beating, you will want to read those first as those stories will be spoiled by reading The Stars Are On Our Side.

Still Beating was the first book I ever read from Jennifer Hartmann, and after finishing that one, I immediately wanted to read everything that I could from her, and that started with Tabitha and what happened before Cora and Dean’s story. So to say this story is something that I had always hoped we would get, is an understatement. Gabe and Tabitha’s story was really a journey. If you know anything about this world from Jennifer Hartmann, you know that this is not an easy ride. These two had so much to go through to get to where they were, and I honestly felt so much for each of them. I cannot even imagine being in their shoes, but I felt so connected to them. They were amazing. I can’t say much more than that without spoiling anything, which I refuse to do as this is one you just need to experience. But what I will say is that I absolutely love these two characters and they are absolutely perfect together. 

I will also say that this one is not an easy story and at times was a little tough to push through. I just felt so much for them and reliving Tabitha’s past was rough. If you have any triggers, I would definitely recommend checking them. But what I will say is that this book is everything I had hoped for and I am so glad I read it. This book was well written, captivating, and emotional. I feel like it was some of Jennifer’s best writing, which is saying something as I have loved everything I’ve read from her. I already cannot wait to see what she will write next! Gabe and Tabitha are everything, make sure to check this one out!

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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ARC Review: Mr. Hook-Up by Marni Mann

 

I couldn’t wait to read Mr. Hook-Up after reading The Bachelor by Marni Mann, and it was everything I hoped for and more! This book is a standalone story, and the start of Marni’s new Hooked series. Readers first meet some of the characters from Mr. Hook-Up in Marni’s book The Bachelor as Camden Dalton helps Declan Shaw take on a case that becomes a large part of this series. Not only do I highly recommend the whole Dalton series (they are interconnected stand-alones) as they are all fantastic reads, but I definitely recommend reading The Bachelor first if possible as it was so good and gives you a little glimpse into this book!

This book has one of my favorite tropes ever, texting/secret identity, and I couldn’t get enough. It is split into two parts, and I was honestly so in love with this story as I read it. I won’t give anything away, but I had to know how things would go after part one and didn’t want to put this one down for anything! These characters are sexy and witty, and I just loved every second of this one!

Fans of Marni will love this book as it has everything i’ve come to expect and appreciate about her stories! Her writing is so good and you can’t help but fall in love with her characters and want to be right there with them. She also always brings the spice, and this one was no exception! I can’t wait to read this one again and to also get more in this series! I love Marni’s books, but this one could possibly be my new favorite! Mr. Hook-Up will have you Hooked from the very first page, an absolute must-read!

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: The Summer I saved You by Elizabeth O'Roark

I have loved everything I’ve read from Elizabeth O’Roark, but I especially loved The Summer We Fell, so I couldn’t wait to read The Summer I Saved You. This book is a standalone and you do not need to have read The Summer We Fell before starting this story. While I wanted to love this book, this one just didn’t live up to what I had been hoping for.

I really struggled with Caleb for the majority of the story. I understand he had been through a lot, but honestly it didn’t excuse his behavior. He never seemed to really apologize or grovel and instead just tried to justify everything he did wrong. Lucie also just forgave him time and time again and just let him get away with it all. I also just felt like her feelings for him were so much stronger than his were and when he did say he had feelings for her, it really felt more like him telling us he had them than him actually having them if that makes sense. 

The third act breakup was just not it for me. There were so many things here that set this one up to be such a great read, but ultimately just didn’t deliver, and had this one falling flat for me. I highly recommend The Summer We Fell and the entire Grumpy Devils series, but this one was disappointing for me. I will probably still read the next in this series, though I am not sure how that one will be for me after I saw who the main characters are. I love Elizabeth O’Roark’s books but this one was a miss for me.

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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ARC Review: Pucking Wild by Emily Rath

 

Pucking Wild is the second book in the Jacksonville Rays series by Emily Rath, and while technically it is a standalone story, I highly recommend reading these in order. This book had a different feel than previous stories, yet it fit in this world perfectly! Those that are already familiar with this world will be happy to know we get plenty of time with familiar faces and favorites, but not so much that they take over Tess and Ryan’s story.

Tess and Ryan were so amazing. They each had vulnerabilities and insecurities that they didn’t show to others, yet they were able to learn and grow together here. I loved the support they gave to each other. They really helped one another in so many ways and were perfect together. They had steam and chemistry, and I honestly couldn’t get enough of them together. But it was their undeniable connection that I loved the most. Don’t get me wrong, I love Rachel’s guys, but there is just something so irresistible about Ryan that I could not love more. He definitely gives Jake a run for his money as my most loved character from Emily. 

This book was funny from start to finish in a way that I have come to recognize with Rath’s writing, but it was also perfectly balanced with steam and chemistry as well as heart-warming moments that keep you wanting to read and not put the book down. I loved the glimpses Emily gave us here of things to come in this series, and I already can’t wait for the next installment in the series! Morrow, Novy and Poppy are sure to be new favorites of mine when their book Pucking Sweet releases later this year! If you are new to Emily Rath, I highly recommend her books, and I’ll admit I’m a little jealous you get to experience her words for the first time!

**ARC Provided by Author**

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ARC Review: I Could Never by Penelope Ward

 

Penelope Ward never misses, and I Could Never was no exception. I love her books and this one was really good. I honestly didn’t even read the blurb before starting this one, that is how much I love her writing and she has become an auto-buy author for me over the years. This book had everything you could want in a great story though, humor, romance, angst, and so many beautiful heartfelt moments.

From start to finish, I really loved the characters here. Carly and Josh were so genuinely likable. I felt their insecurities and emotions like I was connected to them. They had so much that they’d each been through and that they didn’t know they had in common. But once they really started to get to know one another, I loved seeing things progress. They were a lot of fun and so cute together, I loved their notes and interactions. But they were also so much more than that. They were supportive of each other and so open and honest. I really just loved their story. 

This book was a journey for these two, and I was so glad to be on the ride with them. I felt every bit of the story was exactly as it should have been, and there was purpose in everything that happened. The ending left me happy that I had gotten to know them as they had each other and was just one of those feel good stories. Besides these characters having a great, even if surprising to them, connection, they also had such strong chemistry and I loved seeing them fall for one another. Highly recommend this one and can’t wait for Penelope’s next book.

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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