Welcome back to Whatcha Reading! Here’s how we’re kicking off August:
Lara: I’m indulging in another instalment (number three) of the Sebastian St. Cyr series by CS Harris. ( A | BN | K | AB ) I’m delighted to have so many books ahead of me in this series! Things are getting intense with Kat Boleyn and I’m developing a crush on Hero although my first love will always be Paul Gibson.
(P.S. I forced Sarah to reveal the long term love interest to me because I was in such a state about it – anyone else sometimes seek spoilers out so you can read without the tension?)
Elyse: I just started The Summer Between Us by Jennifer Probst. ( A | BN )
Sarah: I’m reading Ravished by Amanda Quick, ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) inspired by the RT Rewind we just recorded. My gosh the heroine can be a complete doofus but the charm, it works.
Sneezy: Only Hope is back, and I just… I just…
Whatcha reading? Tell us in the comments!
Summer is heading into the dog days. July was a mild-mannered puppy in my neck of the woods, but I expect August will find me panting under the porch, y’all.
The Revenge Mishap by Jax Calder
Bingo: wrong sibling or mistaken identity.
This m/m romance is the second in a series and works very well on its own. I will have to read book one, however, just because book two is so hilariously good. Brought together by a syrup fueled assault spinning out of control, shame and sucrose turn Leo and Archie into roommates, co-workers and. eventually, lovers. The humor in this book hovers on the edge of humiliation without ever quite tipping over the brink. It’s the characters of Leo and Archie that prevent that fatal (to me) flaw. Both MCs respond to challenges with intention and control, and each is careful about the other’s limits. Calling this a grumpy/sunshine romance is a gross oversimplification; this book deserves better than to be reduced to a trope. Recommended.
One Summer by Nora Roberts
dnf @23%
There are many things worth revisiting from the 1980s, but Nora isn’t necessarily one of them. I am not rage-quitting this book, but I don’t have the patience for the performative gender crap. (She wants to excavate the depths of his soul; he’s obsessing over long legs, hair, and “lazy sexuality.”) It’ not awful, but I feel like the rage bait is just around the next corner, and it’s fucking with my concentration. The MCs are photographers from the pre-digital era embarking on a months-long road trip to capture summer in America, so there’s a lot of old tech and competence. That appeals, but I feel like I already read this article back in the day and don’t want to revisit it.
Romance Revival by Christina Lauren
Bingo: Flowers on cover, Contemporary
These authors have become an autobuy for me in recent years. I’m never quite sure what I’m going to get, but nothing in my recall was as unexpected at this book. It’s just a hair on the SF side of romance, finished with barely a twist of suspense. Mostly, though, I really enjoyed spending time with workaholic Emery and nurturing Luca as they reconstructed their faltering marriage. Also, their support team– especially Betty, the kickass octogenarian–was outstanding. Sorting out the Big Bad was a mite rushed and missing some relevant detail, but forgivable in light of the relationship focus. Overall, this was a fun book destined for the Comfort Reads folder.
Runaway Rockstar by Kylie Scott
Bingo: Performer or artist, Released in the last three months
This book is pretty standard fare for Scott. Agressively self-deprecating Ordinary Girl(™) encounters boy who is some combo of good looking, talented, sad, and overprivileged. He is immediately blown away by her wholesome ordinariness. They flirt, have (extraordinary) sex, stutterstep in the final quarter of the book, and reconcile. I felt like nothing really happened in this book, but I finished it because it was easy and pleasant, which worked for me in the moment.
Extracurricular by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Bingo: Performer or artist, Released in the last three months
Despite mixed reactions from readers, I chose to read this book because I’ve enjoyed the author’s earlier work. Professor-student romances are inherently problematic, but every so often I approach one with hope that the problems will be resolved in an acceptable way. Alas, having likable protagonists can not fully satisfy that hope. The third person present tense narration slightly distances the reader from the action and softens the hard edges of Nick and Ramona’s situation, but cannot erase the basic flaws in this trope. There’s lots of feels as well as sex packed into this relationship, and both MC’s are vulnerable, caring adults, but the risks and consequences of their affair are gently blurred in pursuit of the HEA. I finished it, but, overall, this was a nope for me.
Made for Mayhem by Aimee Vance
Bingo: Character with tattoo, Latest in series
While I really enjoyed book one of the Mayhem Hockey series, the hockey in this one is barely peripheral to the plot, and what remains is not my jam. The central theme is grief, and it permeates everything. The romance is sweet and tender; the small, can-do mountain community is both supportive and gorgeous; and there is an adorable orphan connecting the couple, as well as a plethora of slightly damaged pets. This is definitely a well-constructed story with likable characters, but, sadly,I am not a Hallmark girlie, and this level of sentimentality is not for me.
Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai
Bingo: Heist or con
Rai is one of those authors I always meant to read, but then some book would shout “Squirrel!” and I’d get sidetracked. I’m really grateful to this summer’s bingo card for motivating me, because this book is a delight. The fast-paced, suspenseful plot completely hoodwinked me, yet never distracted from the engaging characters of Mira and Naveen. Definitely a winner, and I can’t wait to read the sequel.
And One Last Thing by Molly Harper
Bingo: Friends with benefits
Back when I first started reading Molly Harper, it was all paranormal all the time. The first time I saw this title, I thoight it a bit pricey, but eventually I succumbed and left it gathering dust on Mount TBR. Finally, bingo made me open it, and–surprise!–it’s a new fav. More women’s fiction than unadulterated romance, Lacey’s story takes her from betrayed divorceé to a woman taking charge of her new and vibrant life, via a cast of colorful characters, equally colorful and funny dialogue, and Monroe, her very appealing literary neighbor..
Maggie and Arthur’s Magic Moment by Leslie René
Bingo: Person’s name in title
I found this book so inviting from the very first chapter when the masked protagonists celebrate Beltane with anonymity and passionate kisses. The bulk of the story details the initially hostile relationship of two professors at magical Hawthorne College. I really liked the down to earth nature of the magical system–its logic, its uses, and its hazards. I also liked that ther was no quest, no mission, no glory, and no Big Bad. This story is grounded in work, responsibility, and kindness with a delicate soupçon of desire that escalates slowly toward a lusty tipping point. The pacing is deliberate and suited my mood but might seem slow for another reader. Recommended.