A Lovely Little Book Blog

Books are political

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30 something year old writer, reader and member of the Travel Industry. I used to read more than I do, so it’s all about getting that enthusiasm back.

  • You & I, Rewritten by Chip Pons

    Title: You & I, Rewritten
    Author:     Chip Pons
    Source:     Kindle
    Genre:     Contemporary, Romance
    Trigger Warnings:     Parental Abuse, Parental Death, Alcoholism.
    Explicit?     Yes.
    Summary:     Not to jinx it or anything, but the stars seem to finally be aligning for Will Cowen. After accepting a dream promotion at one of New York City’s most renowned publishing houses and moving in with his oldest friend, he’s ready to dive headfirst into this new chapter and take the literary world by storm – that is, until he crosses paths with Graham Austin.

    No matter how hard he tries, he can’t help but put the wrong foot forward in front of the all-business and inconveniently gorgeous heir to the publishing empire.

    So, when a heartbreakingly beautiful manuscript lands on his desk, Will seizes the opportunity for a win. Could this prized new author be his big break or, his downfall?

    Will’s confidence and hope for his professional future is obliterated when the author ghosts him at an important publishing event. Fueled by insecurity and an open bar, he finds himself in need of comfort, which comes from the least likely person, the normally cold and distant Graham. This small glimpse behind Graham’s icy exterior is the spark that sweeps these two up in an epic and unforeseen romance.

    As his author’s manuscript begins to take shape, the words that initially brought them together become more and more tangled, making it painfully obvious to Will that despite your best efforts, there is truly no hiding from the past.

    But can it be rewritten?

    (more…)

  • A Little too Late by Sarina Bowen

    Title: A Little Too Late
    Author:     Sarina Bowen
    Source:     Kindle
    Genre:     Contemporary Romance
    Trigger Warnings:     Miscarriage, Parental Death, Alcoholism
    Explicit?     Yep.
    Summary:     How to behave when the guy who broke your heart two thousand miles away turns up in your office:

    One: Don’t drop your lucky coffee cup in shock, even though it’s been ten years.

    Two: Don’t get defensive when he asks how you ended up working his family’s ski mountain… and why you kept it a secret.

    Three: Give him the worst room in the resort. He deserves it for suddenly waltzing back in like he owns the place. (Which he kind of does.)

    Four, five, six, seven, eight and nine: Do not kiss him in the hot tub.

    Ten: Try to keep your heart intact after you break all of your rules.

    Because Reed is leaving again. Hate can’t turn back into love. And it’s a little too late…

    (more…)

  • Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

    Title: Boyfriend Material
    Author:     Alexis Hall
    Source:     My shelves.
    Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Trope: Fake Dating, Found family
    Trigger Warnings:     Parental abandonment, homophobia and verbal abuse.
    Explicit?     Yep
    Summary:     Wanted:
    One (fake) boyfriend
    Practically perfect in every way

    Luc O’Donnell is tangentially–and reluctantly–famous. His rock star parents split when he was young, and the father he’s never met spent the next twenty years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad’s making a comeback, Luc’s back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.

    To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice, normal relationship…and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He’s a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and he’s never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words: perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately apart from being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.

    But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that’s when you get used to someone. Start falling for them. Don’t ever want to let them go.

    (more…)

  • Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

    Title: Red, White and Royal Blue
    Author:     Casey McQuiston
    Source:     My own shelf.
    Genre:     Contemporary Romance.
    Tropes: Enemies to lovers, secret relationship.
    Trigger Warnings:     Internalized homophobia, forced outing.
    Explicit?     Yes, yes it is.
    Summary:     First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations.

    The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex is busy enough handling his mother’s bloodthirsty opponents and his own political ambitions without an uptight royal slowing him down. But beneath Henry’s Prince Charming veneer, there’s a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him.

    As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. And Henry throws everything into question for Alex, an impulsive, charming guy who thought he knew everything: What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

    (more…)

  • On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe

    Title: On the Plus Side
    Author:     Jenny L Howe
    Source:     Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
    Genre:     Contemporary Romance, Reality TV Romance, Grumpy Lumbersexual x Actual Sunshine.
    Trigger Warnings:     Fatphobia, online bullying, emotionally abusive parents.
    Explicit?     Skirting the edges, it does get spicy.
    Summary:     Everly Winters is perfectly happy to navigate life like a good neutral paint color: appreciated but unnoticed. That’s why she’s still a receptionist instead of exploring a career in art, why she lurks but never posts on the forums for her favorite makeover show, On the Plus Side, and why she’s crushing so hard on her forever-unattainable co-worker. When no one notices you, they can’t reject you or insist you’re too much.

    This plan is working perfectly until someone secretly nominates Everly for the next season of On the Plus Side. Overwhelmed by the show’s extremely extroverted hosts and how much time she’ll have to spend on screen, she finds comfort in a surprising friendship with the grumpy but kind cameraman, Logan. Soon Everly realizes that he’s someone she doesn’t mind being noticed by. In fact, she might even like it.

    But when their growing connection is caught on camera, it sends the show’s ratings into a frenzy. Learning to embrace all of herself on national TV is hard enough; can Everly risk heartbreak with the whole world watching?

    (more…)

  • Stars in Your Eyes by Kacen Callender

    Title: Stars in Your Eyes
    Author: Kacen Callender
    Source    : Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
    Genre: Contemporary Romance, Actors, Fake-Dating, “Unrequited” love.
    Trigger Warnings:     Childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, online bullying, suicidal ideation, homophobia, biphobia, parental rejection and abuse, potential overdose.
    Explicit?     Yep.
    Summary: Logan Gray is Hollywood’s bad boy—a talented but troubled actor who the public loves to hate. Mattie Cole is an up‑and‑coming golden boy, adored by all but plagued by insecurities.

    When Logan and Mattie are cast as leads in a new romantic film, Logan claims that Matt has “zero talent,” sending the film’s publicity into a nosedive. To create positive buzz, the two are persuaded into a fake‑dating scheme—but as the two actors get to know their new characters, real feelings start to develop. 

    As public scrutiny intensifies and old wounds resurface, the two must fight for their relationship and their love.

    A heartfelt, hopeful, and nuanced story about identity, healing, and growth.

    (more…)

  • Happy Place by Emily Henry

    Title: Happy Place
    Author:     Emily Henry
    Source    : Indigo
    Genre: Contemporary Romance, Fake Dating, Friends to Lovers to…
    Trigger Warnings:     None that I can think of.
    Explicit?     Yes yes, and yes again
    Summary:     Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

    They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

    Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

    Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?

    (more…)

  • Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa

    Title: Plot Twist
    Author:     Erin La Rosa
    Source:     Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
    Genre:     Contemporary Romance
    Series:     The Hollywood Series
    Release Date: November 14, 2023
    Trigger Warnings:     Alcoholism, Abusive Language, Stalking
    Explicit?     Yeppers.
    Summary:

    She’s written off more than she can chew…

    Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went viral: she’s never been in love. Though her debut novel made readers swoon, Sophie’s having trouble getting her new characters to happily-ever-after, and she blames it on her own uninspired love life. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s block: reunite with her exes to learn why she’s never fallen in love—and document it all for her millions of new TikTok followers.

    Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and offers to help. But he doesn’t mention that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol and he intends to keep it that way. His family is Hollywood royalty, so Dash has to steer clear of scandal.

    As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash’s pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside of her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author would: a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…

    (more…)

  • For Butter of Worse by Erin La Rosa

    Title: For Butter or Worse
    Author:     Erin La Rosa
    Source:     Kindle
    Genre:     Contemporary Romance
    Series: The Hollywood Series
    Trigger Warnings:     Misogyny, Mental Illness
    Explicit?     Yes, yes it is.
    Summary:     Chef Nina Lyon dreams of cooking her way to culinary stardom and becoming a household name. She thought hosting The Next Cooking Champ! was her golden ticket, but she and her co-host/arch-nemesis Leo O’Donnell go together like water and oil and he undercuts her at every turn.

    So when Nina unexpectedly quits the show–on live TV, no less–to focus on her restaurant, she doesn’t anticipate the he-devil himself showing up at her door begging her to come back. Nor does she expect the paparazzi to catch them in what looks like a passionate kiss, but is actually Leo tripping into her. When the fans go crazy over Nina and Leo’s “secret romance”, keeping the ruse going might be the only way to save both their careers. That is, if they don’t kill each other first…

    (more…)

  • Mile High by Liz Tomforde

    Title: Mile High
    Author:     Liz Tomforde
    Series: Windy City
    Source:     Kindle Unlimited.
    Genre:     Contemporary Romance
    Trigger Warnings:     Fatphobia, parental abandonment.
    Explicit?     Very much so.
    Summary:

    Zanders

    Chicago hockey isn’t complete without me—everyone’s favorite player to hate. I know my role, and I play it well. In fact, I thoroughly enjoy spending the majority of my game time in the penalty box before leaving the arena with a new girl on my arm each night.

    What I don’t like is the new flight attendant on our team’s private plane. She works for me, not the other way around. But I’ll be sure to remind her of that, and I can guarantee, by the end of the season, she’ll be begging to quit her job.

    But every road trip blurs the lines, and I can’t quite figure out if I keep pushing that flight attendant call button in order to push her buttons or if it’s more than that.

    Stevie

    I’ve been a flight attendant for years. I thought I’d see it all, but when my new job lands me onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL, I start to second guess everything. Including the promise I made to myself of never hooking up with an athlete again…no matter how annoyingly tempting he may be.

    Evan Zanders is unfiltered, unapologetic, and too attractive for his own good. He loves his image, but I hate everything about it.

    Everything but him.

    (more…)