Review: Winging It With You

October 31, 2025 Ashley LPLeave a comment

Title: Winging It With You
Author: Chip Pons
Release Date: June 10, 2025
About this Book: Here
Source: Local library then local bookstore.
Would I buy it as a gift for others? Yes, yes, yes.

My Thoughts:

I think many of us have stayed in a relationship because it felt routine, it felt safe and it was what we were used to. Some of us maybe also made ourselves smaller, less loud and different in order to keep that comfort with us.

And when that comfort gets taken away? It can lead to some slightly irrational decisions and then questioning those decisions.

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Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

July 17, 2023July 15, 2023 Ashley LPLeave a comment

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.

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Book List 2023 · Reviews

Stars in Your Eyes by Kacen Callender

July 7, 2023July 6, 2023 Ashley LPLeave a comment

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.

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