Make Me Hate You By Kandi Steiner |

 

Title: Make Me Hate You
Author: Kandi Steiner
Genre: Romance
Rating: 5 ⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

Best friend's brother wins every single time

The Vibe:

Best friend's brother, second-chance romance, small town romance

My Review:

I must have been living under a rock because this book was pure gold!!

I laughed a little. I cried a little. This is what romance is made for.

Jasmine returns home for her best friend's wedding after fleeing Bridge Chester, New Hampshire, seven years ago. While she's stayed close with her best friend, returning home means facing the one person she's spent years trying to leave behind... her best friend's brother, Tyler.

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that what tore them apart years ago wasn't a lack of love, but a heartbreaking misunderstanding. Seeing them reconnect after so much time apart was emotional and, at times, frustrating. Despite how hard they tried to fight it, the chemistry between them never faltered, even after seven years.

Several moments genuinely made me laugh, while others completely broke my heart. Ms. Steiner did a wonderful job balancing the lighter moments with the emotional weight of lost time, regret, and finding the courage to fight for the life you truly want.

My only small criticism has nothing to do with the story itself. I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated entirely by Holly Warren. Since the epilogue switches to Tyler's POV, I would have enjoyed it even more if that final chapter had been narrated by a male voice. That's not me taking anything away from this narrator she did a solid job, but hearing Tyler's perspective from a male narrator would have made those final moments even more impactful.

That said, it didn't take away from my enjoyment at all.
This was my first Kandi Steiner book, and if all of her stories are like this I'm officially a fan!

5 ⭐

I received this ALC from NetGalley & Keeperton Audiobooks in exchange for my honest review



Synopsis:

If he kisses me right now, I’ll drown.

Every sip of air is shallow and burning, because in the arms of my best friend’s brother, I’m the closest I’ve ever been to sin.

His eyes flick to my lips, and I remember the first time I tasted him, seven years ago before I left this town and vowed never to return. His hands grip my waist, and I remember the pain when he rejected me, when my entire world crashed down at his command. His jaw clenches, and my senses come alive with one stinging reminder.

I’m not his to kiss, and he’s not mine.

I tried to stay away from Tyler Wagner, putting an entire country between us. But when his sister’s wedding brings us back to the same town, to the same house, I can’t avoid him, no matter how hard I try.

He’s always there, his dark eyes bewitching, luring me into their depths. The memory of us pulls me under like a rip current, and when he flashes that smile, I lose my breath, along with my will, unable to escape his grip and find the surface.

Now, hours before our plus ones arrive for the wedding, I’m in his arms, begging him to make me hate him, knowing he never could.

If he kisses me right now, I’ll drown.

And I’ll take him down with me.

All the Truth In My Lies By Elisabet Benavent | The Truth Always Finds Its Way Out

Title: All the Truth In My Lies
Author: Elisabet Benavent
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

This started as a fun bachelorette trip and quickly turned into a messy emotional roller coaster. Between the secrets, lingering feelings, romantic poetry, and questionable matchmaking, I knew things were going to fall apart. I just wasn’t prepared for how much Coco’s journey would make me reflect on some of my own relationships.

Read This If You Like:

Friends to lovers, Romantic Chaos, poetry

My Review:

The emotional toll secrets and lies can have on our lives… this one made me look back at some of my own relationships.

What was supposed to be a fun bachelorette trip quickly turned into a wild, messy ride filled with lingering feelings, hidden truths, and questionable matchmaking.

Coco is secretly in love with one of her friends, and she knows she shouldn’t be because he is the ex of another friend… talk about messy!

As secrets begin spilling…let’s face it, they always do…relationships are tested, and everyone is forced to confront the things they would normally avoid. Coco’s romantic life becomes increasingly tangled, and my heart genuinely broke for her at certain points. She finally finds the courage to be honest about what she wants, only to be hurt almost immediately afterward.

When she finally finds love, she quickly learns that maybe love isn’t enough after all. Two people can care about one another and still be unable…or unwilling…to give the relationship what it needs. That one hurt, but it also forced her to choose herself. In the end, that is something we all need to remember.

This story is full of complicated friendships, misguided matchmaking, romantic poetry, emotional avoidance, and people attempting to repair their relationships instead of continuing to run away. You know, normal people shit 🤭. It was chaotic, dramatic, funny, frustrating, romantic, and sad.

I originally picked up All the Truth in My Lies because of its upcoming screen adaptation, and now I’m even more excited to see these characters and all their mess come to life.

4⭐️

I received the arc from NetGalley & Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for for my honest review


Synopsis:

Six best friends on a bachelorette road trip. One RV packed with secrets.

Blanca's September wedding is the perfect excuse for one last adventure, so Coco, Loren, and Aroa rent a camper and plot a week of sun splashed beaches, campsite dinners, and dancing till closing time. Marín and Gus jump onboard at the last minute. It should be idyllic—if only the truth weren't riding shotgun.

Coco and Marín are the kind of roommates who make life look easy. Too bad Coco is in love with him. To keep it hidden, she pretends she's still hung up on her ex, Gus… who seems to be writing love poems to someone he won't name. Marín and Aroa's breakup? Messier than anyone admits. Blanca should be glowing for her fiancé, yet she's miles away. And Loren—poor Loren—knows more than he should and can't tell a soul.

What starts as a carefree farewell becomes a pressure cooker of almost confessions and half truths. As the miles roll by, the stories they've told about themselves start to crack, and each of them has to choose what to the friend group they've always been—or the person they might finally be brave enough to become.

Barcelona With Love by Ian Ostroff | Sometimes You Just Have to Go

Title: Barcelona With Love
Author: Ian Ostroff
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

Noah's trip to Barcelona reminded me that life doesn't begin when everything is perfectly planned. Sometimes you just have to go

The Vibe:

Self-discovery

Feel-good

Bittersweet romance

My Review:


I went into this expecting a romance, but what I found was so much more.

After a breakup turns his anniversary trip into a solo adventure, Noah decides to take the leap and travel to Barcelona on his own. Along the way, he meets people from all over the world, forms unexpected friendships, and discovers that sometimes stepping outside your comfort zone can lead to the most memorable experiences.

As I was reading, I couldn't help but think of Eat, Pray, Love..not because the stories are the same, but because they both capture how travel has a way of changing you when you least expect it. This felt like a male perspective on that same idea, and I found myself appreciating the journey just as much as the romance.

I also enjoyed how Mr Ostroff showed us that traveling alone doesn't always mean being lonely. Sometimes all it takes is being open to new experiences and new people for an ordinary trip to become something unforgettable.

While parts of the romance developed a little faster than I would have liked, it fit the whirlwind feeling of traveling and experiencing everything for the first time. The ending wasn't what I expected, but after sitting with it, I think it was exactly the ending this story needed.

More than anything, Noah's trip to Barcelona reminded me that life doesn't begin when everything is perfectly planned. Sometimes you just have to go.

4⭐

I received this arc from the author in exchange for my honest review.




Synopsis:

Noah Pérez, a third-year architecture student convinced he’s starring in God’s favorite sitcom, believes he’s planned the perfect anniversary surprise: a romantic trip to Barcelona for his girlfriend Rachel Segreto. The goal? To reconnect with his Sephardic roots and reignite their relationship before graduation. But then, Rachel’s family invites him to their annual Amalfi Coast getaway at the last minute—ruining his anniversary plans.

When he tries to convince Rachel to pick Barcelona over Amalfi, she views it as being forced to choose between her relationship and her family. With the Segreto family’s reputation already a source of tension for their relationship, it all eventually leads to a painful breakup.



Heartbroken but still determined, Noah sets off on the trip alone and finds himself in a world of hostels and backpackers. That’s where he meets Phoebe, a British entrepreneur who plans to open a café in Portugal. Her fearless approach to life prompts Noah to blurt out an impulsive lie: that he’ll be in The Algarve for her grand opening, even though he’s due back home for senior year. If he stays in Europe, he risks sacrificing what he worked hard for in school. But if he returns home, he risks giving up the “everything” he always wanted to find.

Vacation Situation By Jenny Alexandra | Love Wasn't On the Itinerary

 

Title: Vacation Situation
Author: Jenny Alexandra
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

I came for a quick vacation hookup, but stayed for a feel-good vacation romance.

The Vibe:
Forced proximity, he falls first, witty banter, slow burn


My Review:


This is the kind of story that sneaks up on you.

What starts as a fun meet-cute at a beach resort slowly turns into a romance that had me genuinely rooting for Frankie and Theo.

These two are complete opposites. Frankie is impulsive, unapologetically herself, and incredibly talented, even if she doesn’t always see it. Theo is steady, compassionate, and the kind of man who uses his success to lift up the people around him. On paper, they shouldn't work together, and at the same time, they fit perfectly.

Their banter kept me going. It was witty, playful, and never felt forced. Even when the story explored heavier topics, the humor kept everything balanced.

Both Frankie and Theo felt like real people. They each carried their own insecurities and baggage, but instead of trying to fix one another, they simply saw each other for who they were.

I went into this expecting a fun vacation fling filled with chemistry, but it turned out to be so much more. When you find someone who sees the parts of you that you've spent so long trying to hide, it's a win for me every time.

4⭐️

I received this ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review.



Synopsis:

What happens at the Evermore will change your life forever…

Frankie Sinclair doesn’t do relationships—only killer special effects makeup, horror movie marathons, and men she never sees twice. So when her best friend invites her on a last-minute getaway to the Evermore—a dreamy cliffside inn perched above the Pacific—Frankie happily takes the spare spot.

Her plan? One week of fun, zero attachments, and at least one very hot mistake.

Theo Beck is a workaholic and recovering relationship addict. Fresh off a brutal breakup and in the midst of a company acquisition, he's reluctantly sworn off work for a much-needed vacation—something he’s struggling to stick to until he collides with Frankie in a single, unforgettable night.

What starts as a steamy backseat hookup quickly turns into a week-long vacation situation, with three rules: stay (sexy) friends, no big feelings, no expectations.

Except Theo’s already imagining a future he didn’t see coming… and Frankie’s planning her exit before it can become something real.

Tropes:

- spicy
- opposites attract
- he falls first
- forced proximity
- vacation romance
- small town
- situationship

Just a little tease (in no particular order):

- a pirate-ship dance floor
- a high-heel mishap
- fogged-up car windows
- a beach bonfire gone wrong
- chocolate-covered strawberries
- bestie love, always
- “happy ending” massage
— on-again, off-again sexual tension that sizzles

Last Night Was Killer By Mary Pauline Lowry | A Killer night out ...Literally

Title: Last Night was Killer
Author: Mary Pauline Lowry
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Rating: 3 ⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

This was giving Good Girls meets The Hangover, funnier

The Vibe:

Mystery & suspense, Romance, Humor

My Review:

Have you ever had a killer night out with your friends, drank way more than you probably should have, and then woke up the next morning only to find a dead body in your trunk? 🤭

I’m happy to say that has never happened to me. Unfortunately for our FMC, Tilly Turner, that is exactly how her morning begins.

Tilly is a struggling comedian and single mother of two young children who decides to take up pole-dancing classes. After a wild night out with her friends from class, she wakes up with almost no memory of what happened and a dead man in the trunk of her car.

Now, Tilly has one goal: figure out who killed him while desperately hoping it wasn’t her.

This story was hilarious. The situation was completely ridiculous, the characters were entertaining, and I was genuinely curious about what happened during their night out.

However, somewhere in the middle of Tilly’s ‘investigation’, the story started to lose my interest. A lot of the story is spent following her as she tries to retrace their steps and remember what happened that night. After a while, it began to feel repetitive, and the mystery wasn’t moving forward fast enough to keep me fully invested.

As Tilly and her friends attempt to piece together their missing memories while avoiding suspicion, the story gave me major ‘Good Girls’ vibes .. a group of ordinary women getting themselves tangled in a criminal situation that continues to spiral further out of control.

Overall, this was a funny and chaotic read with a great concept. I only wish the humor and momentum carried consistently throughout the rest of the story.

3⭐️

I received this ALC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Synopsis:

When Tilly Turner signed up for an introductory pole-dancing class, she was looking for a distraction. Reeling from her mother’s passing, and with her career as a stand-up comedian in ruins, Tilly has just moved back to the Idaho hometown she was desperate to leave, with her twin daughters in tow.
But Tilly gets more than she bargained for after a night out with her new pole-dancing pals. She wakes to a raging hangover, no memory of the evening before, and a dead body in the trunk of her car.

Who was the dead man? And more importantly, who killed him? Tilly has no alibi and needs answers. But investigating a murder is complicated, especially with an old frenemy circling, childcare plans falling through, and pole-dancing classes to attend. And don’t even mention the sexy ATF agent who she’s trying (and failing) to keep at arm’s length.

As Tilly races to solve the mystery before the police come knocking, she finds herself implicated in a larger plot that includes political subterfuge and arms dealing. But who knows—maybe busting a criminal enterprise will be just the shake-up she needs.

Balancing both heart and hilarity, and with a witty take on the struggles of modern motherhood, Last Night Was Killer is a charming introduction to the most unlikely—and likable—of sleuths.

Awkwardly Ever After by Lindsay Maple

Title: Awkwardly Ever After
Author: Lindsay Maple
Genre: Romantic comedy
Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

I came for the witchy premise and stayed for the laughs. This was a charming rom-com that reminded me not everything in life needs a magical explanation.

The Vibe:

Romcom, friends to lovers, self discovery, lgbt

My Review:

Awkwardly Ever After immediately gave me The Craft vibes.

The story opens with a group of girls at a sleepover, trying out a spell for what feels like harmless fun. Fast forward years later, and one of them may still be paying the price for it.

Aubrey has been on what feels like a million first dates, and somehow every single one ends in complete disaster. After another failed attempt at finding love, she ends up confiding in Lex, the sister of one of her dates, convinced she's been cursed ever since that night years ago.

Lex, however, isn't buying it.

Determined to prove there's no such thing as a curse, Lex begins tagging along on Aubrey's dates. What follows is one hilarious disaster after another. I genuinely felt for Aubrey because no one should have that much bad luck... and I'll admit, there were moments where even I started wondering if maybe the curse was real.

What I loved most is that this story isn't really about whether a curse exists. It's about the stories we tell ourselves, the beliefs we hold onto, and how those beliefs can shape the way we see our lives.

By the end, I was left with my own interpretation of what had really been happening all along, and I love that the author leaves just enough room for readers to come to their own conclusions.

Overall, this was a funny, charming rom-com that had me laughing from beginning to end while still delivering a surprisingly heartfelt message underneath all the chaos.

4.5⭐️

Thank you, Harlequin Audio, NetGalley, & Lindsay Maple for providing this alc in exchange for my honest review




Synopsis:

You know what they say about hex appeal…

Aubrey is cursed. Literally. One spell gone awry in high school landed her with the most embarrassing love life ever, and now any time Aubrey is in a romantic situation everything ends up being terribly awkward. Sometimes the dates go so badly her would-be partners end up in the emergency room with... intimate injuries.

Aubrey had accepted her lonely lot in life until she meets skeptical data analyst Lex. The unlikely friends team up on a series of data-collecting dates to figure out what makes the curse tick, and what they can do to stop it… but what if that means facing the most awkward situation possible?

To break the curse, Aubrey is forced into her toughest decision date the safe, data-proven perfect candidate, or follow her heart into the unknown with the growing feelings she has for the one person she never imagined being with.

Will she ever get a shot at true love, or is she cursed beyond curing?

Blood Rising by Markus Redmond | The weight of freedom

Title: Blood Rising
Author: Markus Redmond
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5 ⭐
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

Some stories ask what it means to fight for freedom. Blood Rising asks the even harder question: what happens after you've won? This sequel challenged me in ways I wasn't expecting.

The Vibe:

Historical Fiction, Paranormal elements, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror 


My Review:

Blood Slaves was about fighting for freedom… Blood Rising is about what comes after.

I've always believed it's one thing to overthrow the people who've oppressed you. It's another thing entirely to build something better in its place. That's exactly what this story explores.

Kwadzo is no longer just fighting to survive... he's carrying the weight of an entire people on his shoulders. He wrestles with leadership, responsibility, and the kind of man he aims to become.

Freedom comes with impossible choices. Every decision carries consequences, every victory comes with a new challenge, and the line between justice and vengeance is never as simple as it appears.

Kwadzo never has to carry this story alone. The people around him continue to shape the journey in meaningful ways, each adding another layer to the story and reminding us that no battle is ever won alone.

The way Mr. Redmond blends history, horror, and fantasy continues to amaze me. Each element feels equally important to the story, and together they create something that feels incredibly unique.

The alliances that are formed and the cultural dynamics throughout the story are constant reminders that the Ramangans are still viewed as monsters. For me, that became a metaphor for the world we live in today. I couldn't help but relate it to the experiences of Black people. No matter how much progress is made, no matter how hard we fight for equality and justice, there will always be people who choose to see us through the lens of their own prejudice instead of our humanity.

If you're coming into Blood Rising expecting nonstop bloodshed, it's definitely here. But for me, the heart of this story was what happened after the battle was won.

In all my years of reading and reviewing, I don't think I've ever read a story quite like this. And I can't wait to see what Mr. Redmond has in store for us next.

5⭐


Thank you, Kensington Publishing, Dafina & Markus Redmond, for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review



Synopsis:


Kwadzo Okoro never believed the bloody legend of Ramanga was real. Now, he stands as the leader of a new Ramanga Tribe, one that sieged the Barrow plantation in a storm of righteous carnage, liberating its formerly enslaved Africans. Reclaimed as the Crimson Plantation, it is now also home to the wronged Natives who fearlessly aligned with the Ramangans.

But Kwadzo knows that freedom is not secure. Bartholomew and Constance Crabtree, the most influential slaveholders in the region since the demise of Big Jim Barrow, are galvanizing the Lakeside community to strike back—violently. The threat they pose pales in comparison to the insidious menace of Penelope Knudsen. Her white-hot hatred, now fueled by Ramangan blood, and an ability to survive the sunlight—a power Kwadzo doesn’t have—threatens to upend Kwadzo’s advancement of Ramangan might throughout the colonies, especially as she builds a white vampire army of her own and wages an all-out war against him.

But the gravest threat comes from Rafazi. His blood fathered the rebellion, but he will not take orders from his own creation. And when Rafazi makes a deadly deal with the Crabtrees, Kwadzo is forced into a battle with his maker that he may not survive, while the everlasting freedom of every enslaved person in the colonies hangs in the balance.