ARC Review: The House Guest by Penelope Ward

 

Penelope Ward is one of my favorite authors and I couldn’t wait to read The House Guest as soon as I read the blurb. This book was really good and I honestly couldn’t put it down. If you love angsty and emotional reads, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Primrose has been staying with her aunt and her aunt’s husband while attending art school. After their untimely passing, her aunt’s husband’s son comes to the estate to handle matters as well as take over his dad’s business. Dorian agrees to let Primrose stay while attending school and the two strike up a friendship. Their connection grows over time and soon they find themselves feeling something unlike they’ve ever felt before. But just as they realize they are falling for one another, life suddenly changes again. 

Primrose and Dorian were so good together. I loved the chemistry between them and really enjoyed them getting to know one another. Their connection was so genuine and felt easy, it was clear why they both were having the feelings they were. I wanted them to really give things a go, and I was surprised with how things went. I was not expecting the curves life threw at them, and was just as shocked as Primrose to learn the entire truth. 

While I did like how things ultimately ended up, their path wasn’t an easy one. I felt for both of them, doing what they could with the knowledge they had. It was rough at times, but I really felt like these two belonged together and would find a way back to one another. 

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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ARC Review: Denim & Diamonds by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

 

Vi Keeland and Penelope Douglas are one of my all-time favorite author duos and I will read pretty much anything they write at this point. I have long since stopped reading the blurbs for their books and just immediately add to my TBR. Denim & Diamonds was no exception. Luckily, they never disappoint and that was the case here as well.

I really liked February and Brock’s story. With them being so different, him a small town simple guy and her being a successful business owner from a big city, it didn’t seem like a natural fit. But the more time they spent around one another, the more it made sense. Their chemistry was everything you look for in a great romance, and their connection just grew stronger the more I read. I couldn’t get enough. While there were many obstacles stacked in their way, I just knew there had to be a way to make it work for them. 

I always recommend Vi and Penelope’s books to others, and this one is another winner. You can’t go wrong with their solo books, but they really shine when writing together. These two are able to deliver books full of heart and soul, while also bringing the heat and chemistry, every single time they team up. Denim and Diamonds is not to be missed!

**ARC Provided by GIve Me Books**

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ARC Review: The Rules of Dating A Younger Man by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

The Rules of Dating A Younger Man is the 4th book in the Laws of Opposites Attract series from Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. Each book is a standalone story about one guy from a group of friends and the lucky lady that wins each of their hearts. This group of friends is one that I have been obsessed with since the very first book, and I just love them all so much. I highly recommend reading each book if you can because they are really great stories, and seeing them each fall in love  over the course of this series has been so enjoyable.

This book is Brayden’s story. He is the least involved with the building the group owns in the city, but runs the Ryan’s House charity. It was so great to see him so passionate about helping others and using his resources for good. I really felt connected to him here, and fell even more for him as I read this book. He is just such a great guy, and I loved how sweet and caring he was. His maturity level and good head on his shoulders made it impossible not to fall for him! This is probably why I struggled a bit with Alex from time to time. I understood some of where she was coming from, but Brayden was just so amazing it was hard to see how she couldn’t see it also!

I didn’t see the twist coming, and while Alex’s way of dealing with it was not my favorite, it made me like her more. I got a new understanding and appreciation for her that I really needed. I did feel like Alex and Brayden had strong chemistry and a great connection. They fit well together and it was easy to see why their connection was so easy and genuine. 

Overall, this one was really good and I enjoyed it a lot. Brayden is worth the read all by himself, but I really liked him and Alex together and it was great to catch up with the group and see familiar faces! I can’t wait to see what Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward write next! They are such great authors alone, and when you get to read one of their co-writes it is guaranteed to be a great read! Their styles blend seamlessly and they are probably my favorite author duo ever. Another winner here, I can’t recommend their books enough!

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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ARC Review: The Rocker's Muse by Penelope Ward

Penelope Ward is an auto-buy author for me and has been for years! I always look forward to her books and they never disappoint! The Rocker’s Muse was no exception! This one was such a great read, and once I started I didn’t want to put this one down.

Tristan and Emily’s story starts when Emily finds herself going on tour with Tristan’s famous rock band. Despite the age difference, Emily and Tristan find themselves drawn to each other from their very first meeting and their connection continues to grow as they spend time together on tour. What Tristan doesn’t know is that Emily has a secret that changes everything. 

These two had such a genuine and easy connection. I loved seeing them get to know one another and how natural it was, despite the fifteen years that separated them. They were supportive of one another and really helped the other in ways that no one else could. Penelope Ward made it so easy to feel connected to Tristan and Emily throughout the story, and it feels like the reader is right there with the characters experiencing everything that the characters were. 

The Rocker’s Muse had so many great moments that I honestly wanted to keep reading, while also wanting to slow down and savor each bit of the story for as long as I could. While there were some really emotional parts of the story, there were so many lighthearted and funny moments as well. I always enjoy Penelope’s books and this one was one of her best! Tristan and Emily will definitely be characters I think of in the future, and I have no doubt i’ll be reading this one again to revisit them at times! I am already anxious for her next book and I think readers are going to really enjoy this one like I did. You can’t go wrong with anything Penelope writes alone or with her co-author, Vi Keeland. If you haven’t read anything by Penelope, you are truly missing out and The Rocker’s Muse is a great place to start!

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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ARC Review: The Surrogate by Penelope Ward

I always hoped that Penelope Ward would give us Sig’s story after finishing The Aristocrat, so I was so excited when she announced The Surrogate! This book can easily be read as a standalone story, though you do meet Sig in The Aristocrat and Leo and Felicity’s story will be a bit spoiled if you don’t start there. I highly recommend reading The Aristocrat if you haven’t as it is one of my all-time favorites and I just loved it so much that I have read it multiple times now.

Sig’s story is an emotional one, and I was fully invested right from the start. I think even if readers are new to Sig, they will be just as drawn in as I was. Sig has been through a ton, and I felt so much for him. Abby was exactly what he needed and I instantly loved her. She has such a kind heart and was a heroine that you can’t help but fall for right along with the hero. While these two were ones that I felt like I could relate to, their journey is anything but easy. Their situation is unique and honestly unlike any i’ve previously read about. Things are a bit messy, but the ride was so worth it. These two are just such great characters that I never wanted their story to end. 

Penelope Ward never disappoints, but The Aristocrat and The Surrogate are some of my absolute favorites of hers. I just felt so connected and invested in all these characters and they are definitely ones I think of often. I know i’ll reread this one again, and I think that fans will love this book. It is emotional, heartfelt and while it wasn’t always smooth sailing, it was filled with hope and some really funny moments as well. Penelope is one of my all-time favorite authors and The Surrogate is a must read!

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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ARC Review: The Rules of Dating My One-Night Stand by Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

The Rules of Dating My One-Night Stand is the third standalone story in the Laws of Opposites Attract series by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. Each book features different characters from a group of friends that co-own a building together and I honestly cannot recommend this series enough! Each book is fantastic and the characters are all so easy to love.

This book features Devyn and Owen. I could not get enough of these two! They were perfect for one another and I loved how even though they did things backwards most of the time, it was exactly right for them! They had chemistry right from the start, but seeing their connection grow as they got to know one another was what kept me flipping pages! 

It was also great to see familiar faces have a role here as well. Don’t worry if you haven’t read previous books, it isn’t necessary to understand this book. I do recommend reading them though as they are great reads. You can never go wrong with anything written by Vi and Penelope, but I love this series so much. The Rule of Dating My One-Night Stand has everything I look for in a great story and I think readers are going to love this one as much as I do. The characters are genuine and likable, being so easy to relate to. This one is a must read!

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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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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ARC Review: The Rules of Dating My Best Friend's Sister by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

 

I couldn’t wait to get Holden’s story after reading The Rules of Dating by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. You do not need to read The Rules of Dating to understand this story, but I do think that you get a great experience and some background on the characters if you do read it before reading The Rules of Dating My Best Friend’s Sister. This one was really enjoyable, and I already can’t wait to get more of these guys!

Holden and Lala had known each other for so long as Holden was best friends with Lala’s brother Ryan. They had a connection that went beyond that though and it was there from the start. These two had a ton of chemistry between them, but I loved that it was so much deeper than that. At first glance, these two didn’t have a lot in common. Holden was a musician that had a past full of girls, while Lala was smart and more focused on her future and career and had only been with a few guys. But even though it didn’t appear to make much sense, these two complimented each other so well and I loved seeing them circle one another. 

The one thing that kept this book from being a five star read for me though was Lala. I struggled a bit with her at times. She made a lot of judgments about Holden that I wasn’t quite sure where they came from if she truly knew him. Luckily, things didn’t drag though and these two were able to communicate in a way that I liked. The one thing I absolutely love about these books besides the couples is the fact that the friend group is so strong. They would do literally anything for one another and I just love them all. I can’t wait for the next book, and I recommend reading both this and Colby’s book before as they are great stories! Holden and Lala’s book was enjoyable and a great addition to this world. Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward are some of my favorite authors, and you can’t go wrong with anything they write!

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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ARC Review: Toe the Line by Penelope Ward

I absolutely love Penelope Ward and her writing style. While I have enjoyed every single one of her books, I of course have my favorites. Toe the Line is now added to that list! This one was so good, and honestly I didn’t want to put it down. Something about these characters had me hooked from the very first page until the last. I definitely could have read this in one sitting if it wasn’t for real life getting in the way. 

Penelope Ward is always so great at character development, and I always feel like her characters are so unique and genuine. You really feel like they could be real, and that was definitely the case here with Archie and Noelle. They had such a great foundation built from years of friendship, and it was easy to see how strong their connection was. The chemistry between them was also there right from the start, and you just kept waiting for it to ignite!

This book is set over the course of several years, and I loved seeing how things progressed from start to finish. So much happens and it felt like I was right there experiencing everything along with Noelle and Archie. I loved their friendship and how they were able to really be vulnerable with one another, while also having so much more beneath the surface. I am so glad I read this book and went in completely blind. I highly recommend all of Penelope’s books, but this one is at the top of the list!

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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ARC Review: The Rules of Dating by Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

 

Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward are two of my all-time favorite authors. I honestly just love each of them as solo authors, but also when they co-write! They never disappoint and I know I am going to love whatever I read from them. The Rules of Dating was no exception! I was invested right away and didn’t want to put this book down. 

I loved the way this book started. It had me cracking up right away and I was hooked! Billie and Colby were easy to like and I felt the chemistry between them right away. I loved their undated and how genuine things were between them. I also really enjoyed the supporting characters here as well and was so glad to see we are getting another book in this world about one of them!

This book was everything I love about Vi and Penelope’s books, and romance novels in general. It was sweet and sexy, funny and entertaining. I think contemporary romance fans will love this one as much as I did and I highly recommend it! I already can’t wait for the next one!

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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