All these posts by Lara:

Squee from the Keeper Shelf: Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter Series

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Content warnings for the series: Some pretty graphic violence, some questionable consent around bodily autonomy (but not by the characters we’re supposed to like). We’re dealing with immortal beings here who break ennui by doing ever more extreme things, both sexual and physical, so do be prepared for that. Don’t worry, the characters we’re supposed to like break free from this ennui through love and become ever more humane. … I’m not a huge fan … Continue reading Squee from the Keeper Shelf: Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter Series

Book Review

And Then There Was The One by Martha Waters

Georgie Radcliffe finds herself acting as an amateur sleuth because she a) pays attention and b) is a keen horticulturalist. She lives at Radcliffe Hall in Buncombe-upon-Wooly, a small village in the Cotswolds in the 1930s. In that tiny village, there have been four murders, three of which she solved through her horticultural knowledge. So far you’re thinking that this is about as cosy as cosy mysteries get, and you wouldn’t be wrong, but there … Continue reading And Then There Was The One by Martha Waters

Book Review

Love Bites by Cynthia St. Aubin

The following review is for two books which are being released somewhat together. Love Bites was originally released in 2020 but was picked up by Tor and is being re-released on September 9. The sequel, Love Sucks, is also available digitally and will be re-released by Tor on October 7.  … After many happy weeks in the land of a favourite author, I stuck my head above the parapet and looked for something new to … Continue reading Love Bites by Cynthia St. Aubin

Lightning Review

Love at First Fright by Nadia El-Fassi

I have to be upfront about some personal pet peeves first. I hate cosy witch stories. I don’t like twee and I don’t like cutesy. This book has touches of that initially and a lot towards the end, which has definitely coloured my experience of this book. So if cutesy, twee, and cosy are things that bring you joy, then bump this grade up a level or two. Lara, it’s already a B, I hear … Continue reading Love at First Fright by Nadia El-Fassi

Book Review

Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter

This is an average length book at 368 pages. But it flew past in the blink of an eye. If I were to make a reading recommendation, I would say block off half a day and forbid anyone from interrupting you, then dive into this book and just revel in it. This is a fake relationship book that has that most rare of things: the reason for the fake relationship actually makes sense. I did … Continue reading Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter

Book Review

Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess

I don’t enjoy reading women’s fiction and this book is women’s fiction, so please keep that in mind when you read this review. I shall do my best to correct for my preferences, but it’s best to be upfront about these things. So why on earth did I pick it up? Well, it was the premise you see. It totally sucked me in. I was so curious how this set up would unfold because this … Continue reading Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess

Book Review

Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood

I almost never read celebrity romances. Second-chance romances really turn me off, mostly. Enemies-to-lovers is tough to make convincing. I am so glad that I didn’t judge this book based on my past experience of these tropes because this story was ELECTRIC, particularly the chemistry between the two protagonists! I had a phenomenal time reading it. Cynthie Taylor is 20 years old and has been cast in a small British Regency movie. This is her … Continue reading Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood

Book Review

Writing Mr Wrong by Kelley Armstrong

Many moons ago, I read a few of Kelley Armstrong’s witchy books and loved them. When I saw her name pop up with a contemporary romance, I was intrigued. I’m so glad I picked this up. It’s fake dating done right, in my humble opinion. Gemma is a debut romance author who was told that ‘bad boy’ protagonists sell. Think alpha-hole. So she decides to write what the market is buying and she has the … Continue reading Writing Mr Wrong by Kelley Armstrong

Book Review

Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler

I picked this book up only because I loved Adler’s second book, Happy Medium. (I haven’t read her first yet) For this book, I didn’t feel particularly moved by the blurb. I wasn’t interested in anything to do with a treasure hunt and second chance romance is usually a turn off for me. Yet I still picked this book up and I am so very glad I did. This ended up being a Bad Decisions … Continue reading Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler

Lightning Review

Rebel in the Deep by Katee Robert

I’m keeping this review brief because there’s only so much you can say about the third book in a trilogy without completely giving away the other two books. Also, this book is kind of a letdown. The glory and wonder of that angry vampire in book two is admittedly a tough act to follow. But let’s unpack. There are two plots in this book: the romance plot and the adventure plot. The romance plot focuses … Continue reading Rebel in the Deep by Katee Robert

Book Review

Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews

This is my first Bad Decisions Book Club of 2025. Sleep became a distant memory with this book. For context, I have a newborn. I had the opportunity to sleep, but chose not to because this book was much more important. It is also the start of a series and it’s a series I’m now very excited about! Euphemia Flite was raised in a school for girls on the outskirts of Victorian London. Her origins … Continue reading Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews

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