Reviews by Grade: C+
RITA Reader Challenge Review

The Dirty Secret by Kira A. Gold

The Dirty Secret

Oh, hey. I agreed to review this book, but I don’t really remember much about it even though I finished it yesterday. I know that it mostly was about decorating a house, and that the heroine had a secret and that there was a LOT of not particularly interesting sex. Let’s try this again. The book starts with Vessa, our heroine, visiting a woman named Donna (like a title) Edith. Donna Edith matches people with … Continue reading The Dirty Secret by Kira A. Gold

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Before Goodbye by Mimi Cross

Before Goodbye

Trigger Warnings: suicide, rape, attempted rape, drug use, physical abuse I stopped playing the flute after sixth grade. As much as I enjoyed orchestra performances and placing in competitions, I hated practicing and it became clear this would not change. For that reason alone, musicians have always intrigued me. Their dedication to their craft and their willingness to practice for hours (HOW?!) is impressive and I enjoy novels that allow us to peek behind the … Continue reading Before Goodbye by Mimi Cross

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Alterations by Stephanie Scott

Alterations

Although I used to mainline teen fiction like there was no tomorrow, I’ve largely taken a break for the last couple of years. This is partly because I spent the last two years reading 300+ adult fiction books while I served on a committee which I lovingly referred to as “My Crazy Ass Reading Committee” but which is properly known as The Reading List Committee. Reading Alterations, I was reminded of the other reason teen … Continue reading Alterations by Stephanie Scott

Book Review

The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean

The Day of the Duchess

For those following Sarah MacLean’s Scandal and Scoundrel series, The Day of the Duchess is finally Seraphina and Malcolm, Duke of Haven’s, story. Malcolm was the one who got knocked ass-over-teakettle into a fish pond in The Rogue Not Taken  and launched the whole series with his soggy duke-pants. Now, you don’t need to read the other books to read this one, but I do think the series works really well in order. That said, … Continue reading The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean

Book Review

Amish Vampires in Space by Kerry Nietz

Amish Vampires in Space

At our podcast live recording at the RT Convention, someone stated that there is a book called Amish Vampires in Space. Clearly, one of us was going to have to read this, and that someone was me. I was fully prepared to mock it to the heavens, but it turned out to be good – in a serious way, not as a parody. I’m very confused by this. My world is rocked. According to the … Continue reading Amish Vampires in Space by Kerry Nietz

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Keeper of the Stars by Robin Lee Hatcher

Keeper of the Stars

Keeper of the Stars was thoroughly unobjectionable. I want to be able to give it higher praise than that, but I cannot do that and still be honest. The thoughts and actions of the characters, their faith expression, and the plot of the book- there was absolutely nothing about which one could object. While this might sound appealing, it was actually just really bland. Reading the book was like eating a dinner that’s not bad … Continue reading Keeper of the Stars by Robin Lee Hatcher

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Tell Me How This Ends by Victoria De La O

Tell Me How This Ends

I think everybody who reads romance has one or twelve tropes that are not their cup of tea. For some it could be the unrequited love plot or the friends to lovers one. I only have two: spies and love triangles. Guess what? No James Bonds in this book. So, I was quite determined to start reading it. For me, love triangles have only two outcomes: a polyamory situation or some character gets hurt. The former is … Continue reading Tell Me How This Ends by Victoria De La O

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Back in the Saddle by Karen Templeton

Back in the Saddle

So basically, this is your typical vows-never-to-love-again widower father meets ex-rodeo princess turned ex-famous movie star turned wheelchair-using recluse story. Unnecessarily complicated backstory aside, I had surprisingly high hopes for this book. I mean, how often do you actually find a book on Amazon with a 4.9 out of 5 rating–much less a series romance? Unfortunately, due to its lackluster plot and problematic main characters, the book didn’t even meet my relatively low expectations, much … Continue reading Back in the Saddle by Karen Templeton

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Back in the Saddle by Karen Templeton

Back in the Saddle

As the book opens, we’re introduced to Zach Talbot, a veterinarian who lives in Whispering Pines, a small town in New Mexico, and Mallory Keyes, formerly an actress and now a paraplegic woman hiding from everything and everyone. Zach is a widower, he has two boys that are 3 and 8, and while he’s kind of lonely and overwhelmed, he’s doing okay. Mallory bought a house in Whispering Pines in order to hide out from the paparazzi, … Continue reading Back in the Saddle by Karen Templeton

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Carolina Dreaming by Virginia Kantra

Carolina Dreaming

Carolina Dreaming is the fifth book in the Dare Island series, and I did feel like there was some character backstory I was missing by not having read previous books. People are introduced by name and it felt like those names should mean something to me. Jane, our heroine, played a minor role in a previous book, but that story is summed up in this book since our hero, Gabe, is new to town. Both Jane … Continue reading Carolina Dreaming by Virginia Kantra

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Two Doctors and a Baby by Brenda Harlen

Two Doctors and a Baby

I decided to review Two Doctors and a Baby because I thought it sounded like a light, slightly silly book to enjoy on my family’s vacation to Mexico last week. What I got was something cute and more bland than crazy, but still enjoyable read. The plot follows an obstetrician named Avery Wallace who rings in the New Year by getting it on with the local hospital hottie, Justin Garrett. They’ve of course had feelings … Continue reading Two Doctors and a Baby by Brenda Harlen

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