Reviews by Grade: C
Lightning Review

Yakuza Fiancé, Vol 1. by Asuka Konishi

Yakuza Fiancé, Vol. 1

I forgot where I heard about Yakuza Fiancé initially, but that cover was a strong motivator. Yoshino, the granddaughter of a crime boss in Osaka, and Kirishima, the grandson of a Yakuza boss in Tokyo are instructed to date (and possibly marry) to strengthen an alliance between the two families. Yoshino is a bit of a fish out of water, leaving Osaka to live in Tokyo with the Miyama family. She transfers to Kirishima’s school … Continue reading Yakuza Fiancé, Vol 1. by Asuka Konishi

Lightning Review

The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

The City of Stardust

When I first read the description of The City of Stardust, it seemed like a tempting amalgamation of things I love in a quasi-dark academia package. Things I heard and read alluded to a magical mystery, vengeful gods, and a forbidden romance. Yes, I can confirm the book had all of those things, but wow, did it take a lot of time to get things done. Violet Everly knows her family is cursed. Once in … Continue reading The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

Book Review

The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson

The Fake Mate

For context, you need to know that I’m a big paranormal fan, I enjoy fake relationships a great deal, and I love a steamy book. So this book should have been perfect for me and the first 60% absolutely was. Unfortunately, it hit the skids at about 70% and didn’t really get back on track properly after that. Mackenzie is an ER doctor in Denver and she’s a shifter and an omega. The rumours are … Continue reading The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson

Book Review

It Had to Be a Duke by Vivienne Lorret

It Had to Be a Duke

This is my first Vivienne Lorret historical romance. I picked it up because I feel like I’m forever chasing the Good Book Noise™ or rather Good Book Experience I had with Tessa Dare’s When a Scot Ties the Knot. I want a leading character who plays along with the lie of being betrothed, or dating, etc. It’s a slightly different flavor of fake dating with a little more oomph and tension. Rather than two people … Continue reading It Had to Be a Duke by Vivienne Lorret

Lightning Review

Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath

Never Wager with a Wallflower

Man, I should have known better. Venus Merriwell was annoying as hell in the first book, but she was less annoying in the second, so I did hold out hope that she would be an interesting protagonist in her book. Alas! Alack! Woe! She was not. I still read the whole thing, though. Venus Merriwell’s great passion in life is the orphanage that she runs with her partners. They need to expand and with a … Continue reading Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath

Book Review

Appointment in Bath by Mimi Matthews

Appointment in Bath

This book drove me crackers but I still read the whole thing in a couple days. While it was as compelling as Matthews’ usual work, it brought me none of the joy. The reason for this is the role a character from a previous book played in this book. But first, let’s focus on this book on its own merits. Ivo Beresford is a young man with his eye on the future. He wants to … Continue reading Appointment in Bath by Mimi Matthews

Book Review

Velvet by Lisette Marshall

Velvet

Y’all, this book is kinda bananas, but I also think it will definitely be some people’s catnip, so I have to Alert the Bitchery. I mentioned Velvet in Watcha Reading a while ago (like, a really long while ago before I was sucked into the vortex that was nursing school). I described it as having fanfiction vibes then, and I stand by that assessment. Like, it’s not obviously veiled fanfiction of anything in particular; it … Continue reading Velvet by Lisette Marshall

Book Review

Guest Review: A Witch’s Guide to Fake-Dating A Demon by Sarah Hawley

A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

This guest review is from Brigid F. Brigid is a Queer fantasy and romance reader who believes fantasy and romance make the perfect book cocktail. She reviews at Grimdark Magazine and loves writing fantasy and romance recs for blogs and media sites. They love curses, faeries, cozy witches, and wicked characters. … A Witch’s Guide to Fake-Dating A Demon is magical, demonically sexy, and at times very witty. It’s the ‘90s sitcom Sabrina the Teenage … Continue reading Guest Review: A Witch’s Guide to Fake-Dating A Demon by Sarah Hawley

Book Review

A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

A Very Merry Bromance

A Very Merry Bromance is the fifth book in the Bromance Book Club series, and while it can be read as a standalone, the sheer number of characters from other books can be distracting. It’s a Christmas romance, but it deals quite a bit with toxic families and childhood trauma, so I wouldn’t consider it cozy reading, which is what I had been expecting. Gretchen Winthrop had a one-night-stand with country music star Colton Wheeler … Continue reading A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Book Review

Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson

Love in the Time of Serial Killers

Love in the Time of Serial Killers is an enjoyable book, but I struggle to classify it purely as a romance because so much of the novel is spent on the heroine overcoming her anxieties and struggling to move forward in her adult life. By contrast the hero really has no obstacles to overcome; he just has to wait for the heroine. Phoebe Walsh is busy working on her dissertation about rhetoric and genre theory … Continue reading Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson

Book Review

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

The Dead Romantics

I am very confused by The Dead Romantics, a contemporary romance between a ghostwriter and an actual ghost. This book has a lot of parts to it, and I’m not sure how I feel about almost all of them. I will therefore write this review as a list of all the pieces and how I felt about them. Expect frequent use of words like “ambivalent” and “confused.” None of these are spoilers – they are … Continue reading The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

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