Tag: contemporary romance

This Chick Read: Second Chance Romance (Harlot’s Bay #2) by Olivia Dade

When Molly heard her childhood best friend Karl Dean had passed away suddenly she returned to the town she never thought she’d step foot in again, Harlot’s Bay. This was the town that was closest to her heart, and where she spent her high school years. That’s where she met and became friends with Karl, someone whom she had feelings for, but those feelings were never returned. After her parents split suddenly at the end of her Senior year, she and her mother moved to California where she rooted and stayed. Now divorced, she has returned to honor Karl, but she finds that her information was incorrect and Karl is alive. He’s also still holding a torch for Molly.

I love to read Olivia Dade’s novels. They are very body positive and for those of us who are larger than a size two, it’s great to read about a character who has some similarities to themselves. Molly is not only lush and beautiful, she also makes her living narrating audiobooks, some of which are quite spicey. When she runs into Karl again, she finds out that he’s been listening to those books just so he can hear her voice. Their re-connection is fierce and has a lot of chemistry, but she agrees to stick around Harlot’s Bay until their high school reunion in one month’s time. Karl is going to use that one month and get to know her and make her fall in love with him.

Karl is our connection to the previous novel. If you read that book you’ll remember he’s the very gruff and grumpy baker who gave Athena advice. Although he’s great at giving that advice he’s not so good at taking it. This non-communicative bear of a man is a “my actions speak for how I’m feeling” kind of guy, which makes it hard for he and Molly to re-build their relationship. I’ll admit that I enjoyed their efforts though and Olivia Dade does write some great dialogue. Molly is a forthright, sassy woman, and Karl delivers those one liners right back. It makes for an enjoyable read!

Note to the reader- this is a spicey romance! Not only does Molly narrate spicey romances, but they are monster romances and there are many-penised monsters discussed and romanced. Hilarious reading but it can be a lot if that kind of language isn’t your thing. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Second Chance Romance

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This Chick Read: Reproduction (Hypothesis Series #8) by Penny Reid

The second part in the three part serial, and yes it’s #8 in a larger series, Samantha Jarlsten finds herself living with her childhood best friend Andreas Kristiansen. Faking an engagement while he adopts her (yep!) to undermine his two brothers from inheriting her father’s ex business that they swindled her out of, Sam is understandably confused. As am I after reading that previous sentence! Although her confusion is more to the fact that she’s in a fake engagement but is developing feelings for Andreas. She continues to work in the STEM field, with a new boss who hits on her all the time, and he is a chess master world champion- or something to that effect. For two very smart people, they are being kind of dim-witted.

So, they agree to a friends with benefits scheme that is surely going to bite them in the behind. As the reader in this relationship, I say thank goodness! It moved the plot forward a bit beyond the two brothers being threatening and her boss being a jerk. I enjoyed getting to know them as a kind of real couple- although it was still fake.

This being a serial and having one more book left that will be released next week, the reader will finally get a resolution to the story. This one again ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. So, will Sam and Andreas find happiness? Will Sam take control of her father’s company? Will Andreas’ two brothers stop threatening her and give up? We’ll find out all this in the next book. Whew!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Reproduction

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This Chick Read: Inheritance (Hypothesis Series #7) by Penny Reid

28 year old genetics researcher, Samantha Jarlston, isn’t interested in rehashing her past. She only has time to run sequencing experiments, grade lab reports, and avoid handsy assistant professors. When she receives a wedding invitation in the mail between her and her childhood friend chess grandmaster Andreas Kristiansen, she tries to shrug it off. Instead it sets off a series of events that finds her signing a contract to be in a passionless relationship with Andreas, setting in motion revenge against the people who destroyed her family fifteen years ago.

First thing you should know is that despite this being the seventh book in a series, it’s actually the first book in a three-parter about Sam and Andreas. You don’t need to have read the previous six books, but it is set in a world that includes those characters. I’ve read the previous six and I think these stand alone.

As stated above Inheritance is the start of Sam and Andreas story. We learn all about their being best friends as children and Andreas’ slight obsession with Sam. She hasn’t seen him in years, but you can bet he’s been keeping tabs on her. Sam wasn’t as obsessed with Andreas, but she did care for him a lot so when he approaches her with this strange story she listens to him. She now has her own life and goals and doesn’t want to be dragged back into the craziness of their families problems, but something happens that changes her mind and causes her to agree to his crazy plans. I liked the tension the author creates between these two ex-best friends and pitting the two of them against a common enemy is a great way to get my buy in, so I didn’t have a problem eating this book up.

Note- if you, too, are going to read this book you should also know that this three story arc will have each book end in a cliffhanger that will make you angry with the author. The good news is that the second episode in the story comes out pretty quickly after the first, but what should’ve been one book being split into three kind of blows. Having read the first six, this was not unexpected, but I thought you should know.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Inheritance

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Happily Never After by Lynn Painter

Maybe I didn’t care for this book because Sophie and Max, the two main protagonists whose love story I’d be reading, were objectors at weddings. No, that wasn’t it. I actually kind of liked their meet-cute, and how Sophie really got into helping out someone who needed out of their relationship at the wedding, kind of like how Max helped her. Maybe I didn’t care for it that much because Sophie argued a little too sternly over how she didn’t believe in love, even though she had this great guy who was obviously interested in her, and who she had amazing chemistry with? Maybe I also didn’t care for how long it took for Sophie to take those I hate love blinders off? Maybe it was because Max let Sophie keep up that barrier between them, again despite their great chemistry?

I don’t know exactly what bothered me, but for some reason, for the very first time in my experience, as a Lynn Painter fan, I didn’t care for one of her books. At first I did. I thought it started off different and cute, but Sophie and Max were too jaded about love. Both of them fought so hard against having these feelings for each other that I kind of gave up on them. Well, I did finish the book, but it was really hard to finish a book that I lost my “like” for. You know what I mean, when you push yourself to just finish the book already. That was me with Happily Never After. I just really didn’t care for it. That’s the thing though, just because I didn’t like it doesn’t mean you won’t! ❤️❤️❣️

*There was still some great dialogue that I’ve come to expect from this author so it wasn’t a total losss.

Click this link to purchase this book! Happily Never After

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This Chick’s Audio Review: So My Ex-Boyfriend is a Serial Killer by

How would you handle having dated someone who turned out to be a serial killer? Well, I’d thank my lucky stars that I lived to tell the story, definitely. What I wouldn’t expect is for the entire town I’m living in to think I was in on the murder. Thank goodness for Sidney’s true-crime loving girlfriends,who are the rocks who are helping her retain her sanity, but are also strategizing where Sidney’s ex may have buried his other victims. When hot guy Noah moves in next door Sidney can’t help but fantasize about what a real boyfriend might be like. When he actually wants to be friends? Unexpected!

This audiobook was free with my audible subscription and anything Kylie Scott writes is a no brainer for me, but even I was slightly hesitant at the name of the novel, and when I read the synopsis? I couldn’t even figure out how Kylie Scott was going to create a romance out of this back story. Luckily, the snarky dialogue that is Kylie Scott’s signature, and a very likable heroine made this easy to listen to and at only 6 hours it went rather quickly. Thank you also to the very talented Andy Arndt. I love her narrations- she always does an outstanding job.

So, as I stated above, the snappy dialogue and heroine checked my boxes and truthfully so did Noah, up to a point. What really threw me off is that this book was a little bit more amateur sleuth mystery than it was a romance. Yes, she and Noah develop a relationship, but it’s rather slow burn and let’s face it, Sidney has some serious trust issues. When someone gets murdered, and then her ex starts to write and call? I start to wonder what genre of book I’m listening to!

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about when a writer has quite a few books written in a genre and her identity gets set with her readers how it may be difficult to write something different. I think Kylie Scott is trying out new style’s to keep things interesting for herself as a creative person. Her last novel, Wildflowers, was a departure from the norm but this book? It definitely felt like she wasn’t sure what kind of book she was writing. Is it a mystery? Is it a romance? Is it a romantic suspense? This book definitely had all three elements, but because it messed with my emotions in unexpected ways I kind of didn’t enjoy it. Ugh, I hate saying that because I really do love most everything this author writes. This one just wasn’t for me.

❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* So My Ex-Boyfriend is a Serial Killer

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This Chick Read: Fake Skating by Lynn Painter

Dani grew up an army brat, moving around constantly and never making great friends. The only constant in her life was she and her mom’s trips back to Minnesota every summer where she would hang out with her mom’s best friend’s son, Alec who was kind of nerdy and a little soft. They promised they’d always stay in touch, until they didn’t. Five years later and Dani and her mom are back in Minnesota. Her parents are going through a divorce and they will be living with her grandpa for the final few months of her senior year in college. Here she is the new girl again but at least she’d have her friend Alec, right? Only that nerdy little friend has turned into ‘Zeus’ the semi-god who is taking their high school hockey team to the finals. They meet again as strangers and everything is super awkward. When an unlikely series of events has them fake dating they finally face what happened to their friendship and if they can overcome hurt feelings and face the truth.

Lynn Painter sure knows how to paint a great back story for her characters. Dani’s emotional journey from loner who doesn’t want to trust anyone to gradually entrusting her heart to Alec again was really well done. This young adult novel had all the feels of an adult romance without the spice. Dani had all the emotions of an adult and none of the stupid behaviours that come from being a teenager. Alec, was the more juvenile of the two, but that seems par for the course on where young girls and boys are emotionally at that time in their lives. I think Dani also had so much more to forgive and move on from- not just her past with Alec, but the divorce of her parents, and reconnecting with her once close grandfather. The author portrayed all of these things beautifully and I bought into all the plots and sub plots.

Not to say that Alec was one dimensional, because he wasn’t. However, he held onto his grudges much more than Dani so it was easier to get caught up in her journey versus Alec’s. I do love a great hockey story though, so his push to win a championship and move on to college or go pro created conflict for his character that was separate from his feelings on what happened with Dani in the past. I do wish he hadn’t been given the nickname Zeus though, I just hated that moniker. No high schooler is god-like, no matter their athletic prowess.

I really enjoyed this story and Lynn Painter has quickly become a favorite author. No matter if it’s YA or an adult romance, her story’s deliver, and her characters are always real. She’s become a must-buy for me. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Fake Skating

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: We Met Like This by Kasie West

Margot Hart is a hopeless romantic who would rather meet her one true love in a meet-cute than on a dating app. Unfortunately for her, her most consistent relationship has been with Oliver whom she’s had one horrible date (and great chemistry with!) and the apps keep asking her to swipe right. When her literary agent job blows up on the day she’s supposed to meet up with Oliver again she realizes that his steady personality is just what she needs, but he’s holding back and will his secret keep them from being together?

This new adult contemporary romance by Kasie West was the perfect read at the perfect time. I can always rely on Kasie West’s novels to entertain, but her foray into adult fiction added a little spice to her already fantastic dialogue skills. The story of the romantic Margot and her complete opposite Oliver delivered on a fun opposites attract story that also made me laugh and delivered the heat.

I always kind of sigh in fatigue when I read a synopsis that includes a romantic at heart main protagonist, but in We Met Like This our protagonist wasn’t sappy, but sassy. She was a bit determined to force that meet-cute, but when she meets Oliver, and then keeps getting served his face on the app, they start up a cute text dialogue that for me delivered on the romance and flirtation, even if it took Margot a little while to see it. I don’t know, maybe I like my men a little more steady because despite his old fashioned name, he was pretty great! Cute, nice smile, funny, and great chemistry. What’s not to like? Just like their story arc, these two took me away from the seriousness of life and delivered on a fun romance.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* We Met Like This

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Finding the One (River Rain #7) by Kristen Ashley

American/English aristocrat, Blake Sharp, and Scottish playboy Alasdair Wallace were thrust together all through their childhoods. Alasdair thought Blake was a spoiled rich princess, and Blake though Dair was a big bully. When they meet again as adults, Dair sees that the spoiled princess grew into someone who thought first of others before taking care of herself, and Blake sees that Dair may be outrageous, but he’s not a bully. They are smitten with each other and start to explore their future, but they’ve both been betrayed by past lovers. Is what they built together strong enough to hold true? Or will their personal demons tear them apart?

The seventh book in a series that the author writes with the help of her fandom, with requests for suggestions on certain characters or plot lines. It’s a lot of fun and Kristen Ashley is a pro at building a relationship with her readers. In Finding the One, she continues in this vein and you know what? This book turned out tremendously. In fact, behind Chloe and Judge’s novel, this is probably my second favorite in the series. Why? The characters were developed well and I really loved their journey to trusting each other.

Dair is an ex-professional Rugby player, which means he’s very physical in nature, but he’s also Scottish and the author creates his Scottish persona with a few nods to his heritage in the manner in which he speaks. This could’ve been overdone, but she handled it well, choosing one or two mannerisms and not going overboard with the Scottish burr. Similarly, Blake was a strong character as well. She was brought up to be the ice queen but because her ex was a cheater, she had a lightbulb moment and changed her ways. Not to say she wasn’t a tough cookie, she was, but her shell was built to protect her inner gooey layer and with Dair she allowed that gooiness to come out.

There are many reasons to read a Kristen Ashley novel, you love her character building, you may love the way she writes her romantic scenes, you like an alpha hero, or love a sassy heroine. For me, it’s a combination of all of the above. Her books aren’t perfect all the time but they are always enjoyable. For me, Finding the One, was a KA book that was well written, made me laugh, and touched my heart. It hit all my buttons.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Finding the One

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Crazy Spooky Love (Melody Bittersweet #1) by Josie Silver

Melody Bittersweet see’s dead people. Psychic powers run in her family and Melody decides to separate from the family business and open up her own- Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency. With her best friend Melanie and brand new ghostbuster in training Artie, they get their first client. Unravel the mysterious haunting of a local mansion who’s owner would like the ghosts to stop scaring away the potential buyers. Up against her ex-boyfriend Leo Dark and trailed by local reporter Fletcher Gunn who is always trying to discredit her family, Melody is determined to solve this case and launch her business.

This was not your typical Josie Silver novel. It had a cozy mystery feeling, with hints of wackiness and a very small amount of romance. This author works her magic and despite this not being something I’d normally read, she captured my interest because I was kept wondering what craziness could possibly happen next!

I very easily cast reality aside and with Crazy Spooky Love, you really need to throw away the logic and let in the cookiness. This book is a bit silly, but Josie Silver still writes characters that a reader can love. I felt kind of sorry for Melody’s unlucky in love persona because I’m sure growing up seeing dead people couldn’t have been easy for a teenager. As an adult, though, she’s doing alright! She has two handsome guys vying for her attention and has the smarts to put the ghostly clues together to come out on top in the end. Again, silly, but fun and very easy to read- if you’re in the mood! ❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Crazy Spooky Love

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: For the Record by Emma Lord

I’ve read most of Emma Lord’s young adult novels but For the Record is 100% adult fiction. It’s not too spicy, but it’s a very emotional story. Sam and Mackenzie’s bands were on tour together and their schtick was to pretend like the two of them were arch enemies. Of course, their fans ate it up but at some point they actually started caring for each other. All of a sudden Sam disappears and cuts off their budding relationship. At the same time Mackenzie has surgery on her thyroid which affects her vocal chords, so she can no longer sing her own bands songs.

Two years have gone by and Mackenzie is finally singing again but under a pseudonym, and Sam wants to start up a solo career. The only way their record label will even consider backing them is if they become a duo. Old hurts and feelings make it a rocky start but of course, with trust and lots of chemistry their old feelings start to come back.

All of the trauma from what happened to each of them two years earlier makes their present situation with a lot riding on the outcome a joy to read. I loved how the author made it so easy for me to hate or like these characters. The story was great and this reader was definitely rooting for both their career and their relationship to succeed. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase this book!* For the Record

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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