Tag: reading

This Chick Read: The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

When Osric Mordaunt, member of the Fyren Order of assassins, falls ill, he realizes he needs the expertise of a very specific healer. As fate would have it, that healer belongs to an enemy faction, the Haelan Order. Aurienne Fairhrim and her fellow Haelan are inundated by sick children suffering from an outbreak of a long-forgotten Pox. Unable to get the funding needed to launch an immunization program, the Haelan Order is desperate for money – so desperate that when Osric breaks into their headquarters to bribe Aurienne to heal him, she is forced to accept. As Osric and Aurienne work together to solve not only his illness but the mysterious reoccurrence of the Pox, they find themselves ardently denying their attraction which only fuels the tension between them.

There were quite a few surprises in this novel. The first was that even though I expected it to be a slow burn romance, as noted on the synopsis, I didn’t expect my own ambivalence to both characters and whether their romance ever achieved that status. Osric, had a laissez-faire towards killing and in fact, went about it on a daily basis. Whereas Aurienne was a healer and saved lives, also daily. Their two life callings were at complete opposite ends of the spectrum and the thought that they would fall in love seemed pretty unlikely. The second surprise was that she was a cold priss and Osric was an egomaniac with delusions of being a supermodel. Neither was likable at all. Why would they ever even get together? I was curious how the author was going to make things work for them so I did finish the novel, but I will say that I thought several times about putting it down and starting something else. This was a slow burn that was a slooowwww buuuurrrrnnnnn. It took a long time to get to the point.

Needless to say, I really didn’t enjoy these characters. I really don’t enjoy writing negative reviews but thanks to receiving an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review, I honestly felt I needed to give one. I will say that I’ve seen some reviews for this novel where those reviewers really enjoyed it so it could be that this one just wasn’t my jam. If it intrigues you, try it out for yourself and give it a go! ❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Irresistible Urge to Fall for your Enemy

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This Chick Read: Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle

Dragon eggs are highly coveted for their magic, and crime syndicates hire thieves to go into these dangerous lands to steal these eggs so they can be sold to the highest bidder. Brynla Aihr is searching for dragon’s nests with her magical dog when she’s kidnapped and blackmailed by Lord Andor to help steal eggs for House Kolbeck. Brynla and Andor clash at every turn sparking heat that Brynla’s never felt before. In a world rife with betrayal and secrets how close to the flames is she willing to stand?

When I read the synopsis for this novel I was immediately drawn to this world that dragons inhabit and the magic from their eggs is currency. As I started to read it I found it easy to read and the world that Karina Halle built easy to understand. Brynla was the kind of heroine I’m usually drawn to, so why did have such a difficult time enjoying this book? I made myself keep reading it because like I said, it wasn’t hard to read or understand. I just didn’t enjoy the story. Maybe it was the fact that eggs were being stolen, or that Brynla wasn’t the easiest person to like. When Andor entered the picture I kept reading because I thought their romance might give the story a bit of a push I felt it needed. Nope. In fact, I didn’t get them as a couple at all. Sure he was big and attractive and she was mysterious and had a magic dog. Truly the dog was the most interesting character in the book. I wish I’d known a bit more about his back story! LOL.

I finished the book, so it’s not on my DNF list, but that’s the best thing that’s come out of reading this novel. It took me about 10 days to get through, which I hate. Too many books to read and too little time to do it to spend on a book I am not really loving or hating. The cover was pretty awesome, so I liked that and the dog. Hey, it’s better than nothing! ❤️❤️❣️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Realm of Thieves

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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This Chick Read: Problematic Summer Romance (Not In Love#2) by Ali Hazelwood

Maya Killgore has been in love with her brothers best friend for three years and she just can’t get over her feelings. They haven’t talked in almost a year but her brother’s destination wedding is going to force them to be together for one week straight. Maya knows she can handle it, but being with Conor Harkness is going bubble all of those feelings to the surface and she’ll have to face being treated like a child by the man she loves. Conor has a real problem with their age difference. Maya is twenty-three and Conor is thirty-eight. She decides a summer fling might be just what she needs even if it’s a problematic one.

I really do love all of Ali Hazelwood’s female protagonists. Maya may be only twenty-three but she is a brilliant scientist. Her outlook on life through that microscope lense does make her a bit more mature than your average young woman starting a career, but there are moments when the reader is reminded of her inexperience. Most of those are seen through flashbacks to three years ago when she and Conor really got to know each other. I think they are supposed to represent not only their history, but also a contrast to how young she was then to the more mature Maya three years later. It works a bit, she does know what she wants, but without a little life experience she does seem a little young. Conor on the other hand, at thirty-eight does have his own business, but is a bit emotionally stunted from things he went through in his youth. He’s older, but feels a little younger. That narrows down their age difference to around 12 years. Does that really matter? Each reader is going to have their own opinion on that scenario. Despite Conor’s bringing it up all the time, I wouldn’t really have noticed the age difference.

In this novel, the author returns to a slow burn format. This is where our two romantic leads percolate through the whole book, building tension until the reader wants to give them a good shove in order to get the romance started. With the main conflict being their age difference, I really liked that they didn’t immediately get physical. I think that would have felt a bit icky, but because the tension built by the time they declared their feelings and got physical, their age difference felt natural and the reader was able to enjoy the story.

Ali Hazelwood is exploring a lot of themes in her books lately. The theme of an age difference in Problematic Summer Romance was interesting and surprisingly hot. Conor had that perfect amount of surly Alpha that the author does so well and Maya had just enough brilliance to match his experience. This novel is going to appeal to a lot of her readers. I know I enjoyed it.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Problematic Summer Romance

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This Chick Read: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist. She’s still searching for her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer Prize winning grump. They are both on Little Crescent Island on a one month trial to write the biography of the octogenarian who claims to be THE Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress from one of the most storied families in modern history. Despite the odds, Alice is keeping her head in the game, because Hayden is looking at her like she is the competition. The problem is that neither she nor Hayden are getting the whole story, only the pieces that Margaret chooses to share with them and they’ve signed NDA’s and despite their yearning for each other, they aren’t allowed to share any information they’ve learned. Margaret’s biography could be anything, a romance, a mystery, or a tragedy depending upon which one of them tells it.

I look forward to Emily Henry’s novels every year and this year I was lucky enough to have a vacation planned when it was released. A slight departure from her usual the more romantic genre, this novel told two sets of stories, the one that Margaret chose to share with Alice, and the relationship that was developing between Alice and Hayden. Each of them were interesting but I’ll be honest and say that I’m here for the romance and both stories had an abundance.

Alice was all bright colors, smiles, and charm and Hayden was serious, quiet and just slightly grumpy. He was charmed by Alice even though she was a talking whirlwind. Emily Henry did such a great job developing their friendship through the huge amount of chemistry they were feeling. The reader felt how much they liked each other, not just how much they wanted each other. For me, that’s the best kind of romance. I couldn’t forget that they were competing for the honor of writing this legend’s story. The reader only got the conversations between Margaret and Alice so I was definitely team Alice, but as the novel went on you could tell that they may not have been getting the same kind of information. It was intriguing and interesting and I wanted to learn more- so I kept reading and the tale just got more riveting.

I don’t want to give away even one bit of this story more than what I’ve already said but I do want to say that if you love old Hollywood glamour then you’ll also love Margaret’s story and won’t be bored with those flashbacks. She was a bit of a wild child and came from a family with a lot of loaded history so you never knew what you were going to get from one chapter to the next. Despite my love of romance and Alice and Hayden, I really wanted to learn the mystery that was Margaret too. The author did a great job of giving the reader just that little bit more in every chapter to keep them reading to find out the next tidbit.

Even though this was a different kind of Emily Henry novel, I wasn’t disappointed in the least. I know I’ll be grabbing the audiobook soon becauses the estimable Julia Whelan is the narrator and she will give these characters even more life than the author. I can’t wait! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Great Big Beautiful Life

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This Chick Read: Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

In order to survive the monsters called the Crux, the five realms have signed a magical treaty. A princess in one realm, the Sparrow, would be wed to a prince of another realm, uniting the kingdoms so that they’d help each other in their time of need. The next Crux is coming and Odessa was not chosen to be the Sparrow by her father. Instead, her younger sister Mae is chosen to wed the Prince, except the Prince does not wed Mae, he weds Odessa and regardless of her feelings, she’ll be the next Queen of his realm. Odessa has not been trained, doesn’t know anything about his realm, and prefers painting and needlework to swords skills and spying.

Devney Perry’s typical novels are contemporary romances but I love it when an author tries something new, especially if they do it right. Devney Perry did an amazing job with her world building, she crafted unique and interesting characters, and she gave them all something to fight against, monsters that will wipe out humanity if they don’t learn how to stop them. Then on top of that she created a virus that is spreading and may be contagious, turning monsters and humans rabid.

There was a lot going on in this novel, but throughout it all Odessa was a rock. She was not prepared to be Queen – or a spy for her father, but she challenges herself to become what she is not. A skilled fighter who can defend herself and the ones she comes to care about. Her relationship with the Prince is pretty non-existent, but her reaction to The Guardian, or the monster killer, is immediate. She hates him with a passion. I love a good enemies to lovers trope and we certainly get one in Shield of Sparrows. The Guardian taunts her, trains her, and helps her become who she needs to be to survive in this deadly world. The two of them together were everything.

There were a lot of great characters and back story’s in this novel. You could tell the author spent time developing the world, the relationships, and well, the monsters. They were the ultimate bad guy after all. This was a fast-paced, fun book to read and I can’t wait until we get the next one! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Shield of Sparrows

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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This Chick Read: The Things We Water by Mariana Zapata

Nina Popoca needs help. She has adopted a magical puppy and the only place that they’ll be safe is on a sprawling ranch in Colorado. It’s a place where a community of magical beings can live in safety and peace. And if that ranch is owned by her best friend’s handsome cousin? There are worse things than having to live next to Henri Blackrock.

Mariana Zapata normally writes slow burn contemporary romances and The Things We Water definitely had hints of her usual format. A pleasant heroine who has a traumatic family back story- check, a large somewhat surly romantic love interest- check, even the adopted child, this time in the form of a magical puppy- check, then there’s the romance itself and this instance definitely slow burn- double check. What makes this story unique for this author is the fact that it is her first attempt at the fantasy genre. I’m all for author’s trying new things and will never say that they should stick to the tried and true. If I were the writer I’d probably get bored doing the same format all the time too. So I was pleased to hear about her shift into romantic fantasy, but I was also a little fearful after the last disappointing novel (When Gracie Met the Grump).

What did I like about the novel? I loved Nina’s relationship with Duncan, her adopted magical dog. Duncan’s love for Nina was so sweet and beautiful. She was his mommy and you felt that from their bond to each other. As with all of MZ’s books, there are nicknames that you’re going to either love or hate. I found them charming, and was reminded of all of my own nicknames for my dog. They might have been used a little too much, but gosh, I called my dog Nashburger or Doodlebug more than I did his own name “Nash”. I can’t fault her for using Duncan Donut or donut.

I thought Henri was pretty obvious about his feelings for Nina pretty early on and so her insecurity in reminding him constantly that she asked him to marry her and he said he wouldn’t was a little annoying. However, how often have we seen this relationship question used from this author in a book that we have loved? I can think of two right off the bat- Luna and the Lie and Wait for It. It’s repetitive but not a make or break character default for me. In fact, it just reminded me of how much Henri had been showing her that he was all in, pretty much right from the beginning and made me like him for it. He was quiet but his actions showed his true feelings.

Let’s talk the fantasy elements of this novel. There was minimal world building which I was not a fan of, however, this world that Nina and Henri lived in was not unfamiliar to us. It was the modern world but all of the creatures that we’ve heard of before, werewolves, sasquatch, gnomes, etc. all presided in it. I didn’t have to learn what a werewolf was, I already knew. What I did need to know that might’ve been different in this world, the author shared with the reader. The history of the ranch was something the reader needed to know, and we learned that as we read the book. I wasn’t bothered by the minimal world building although I do think the story would’ve felt rounder with a little more detail.

I enjoyed reading this novel. I did think it was a little long, but I think that about all of her novels so wasn’t surprised at the length. I thought it was a solid first attempt at a romantic fantasy and if she does another one I know it will be even better. This author learns and grows with each novel she writes, I’m hopeful that we’ll get another from her a little sooner than the three years we had to wait for The Things We Water. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Things We Water

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This Chick Read: Dire Bound (The Wolves of Ruin #1) by Sable Sorenson

This debut fantasy novel did not read like a debut novel at all. I can’t wait to find out who the mysterious writing duo is that makes up Sable Sorenson and fully expect to read a couple of recognizable names. The world building was amazing, the characters well developed, and the action kept me turning the pages. I knew after the first few chapters that this would be a five star rating from me and crossed my fingers the author wouldn’t disappoint, and she didn’t!

Meryn Cooper helps her family survive by training and fighting in the underground arena and as a side job, teaching the kids in her neighborhood how to defend themselves from the “Nabber”. Someone who sneaks into their rooms at night and steals them and gives them to immortal monsters, never to be heard from again. Meryn is one tough cookie but she can’t save her sister Saela from her fate of being kidnapped. Knowing the only way to save her is to fight in the war at the front, Meryn enlists in the army. What she doesn’t realize is that the enlisted will be put through the bonding trials- bond with a direwolf or die trying. Meryn has never imagined being one of the Bonded but when she bonds with a direwolf, she also doesn’t expect that direwolf to completely ignore her. She and Anassa will have to learn to communicate or they will be seen as weak and be culled from the pack.

Meryn was such a great character. She had to learn to be hard in order to survive the poverty in her neighborhood, but her feelings for her sister, her boyfriend, and her mother showed different facets to her personality. As she was going through the Bonding Trials, her loyalty and honor also became apparent and it was hard not to like her. The one critique I’d give is that she had a one track mind and sometimes that became annoying and didn’t allow her to see the whole picture. She had tunnel vision and despite her need to save her sister, that tunnel vision became a weakness. Could I over look that? Sure! This world she was living in was really fascinating, her bond with Anassa was difficult but I couldn’t wait for them to connect and kick butt, and although I had doubts, the romance was also sizzling. What’s not to like?

If you liked the Fourth Wing series, you will love this book. No there aren’t any dragons, but there are Direwolves! They are huge, deadly, and have interesting personalities. I found them just as fascinating and really enjoyed learning all about this new world. I’m going to guess that if you love fantasy novels, you will too. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Dire Bound

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This Chick Read: Spark the Flames (Secret of the Syphon #1) by Ivy Asher

I haven’t loved all of Ivy Asher’s books, but this one hit all the right notes. It’s an epic fantasy with a strong female protagonist, the characters shift into dragons, the male lead is kind of quiet but strong and hot, and did I say there are dragons? The book starts off super fast. Ever has escaped from a stronghold where she’s tortured for her blood, the bad guys are after her and she chooses jumping off a cliff to a certain death instead of ending up back in her cell. Instead of dying she wakes up in a hospital where she’s told that the Horde has been called to retrieve her and again she must escape her fate. She’s been taught that the Horde (also dragons) killed her family and is her enemy, but when she comes face to face with them she sees a unit that acts loyal to their leader, is snarky, and makes her curious. The leader is Aeson Noctis, the King’s second son and he is fascinated with Ever.

The fast paced action and quick-witted dialogue kept me turning pages, but it was the mystery of Ever’s origin story that I was really curious about. She’s a kind of dragon called a Syphon, and her brand was supposedly wiped out with the killing of the previous king’s reign. Her identity as a Syphon is mysterious, as is Ever’s mission, to kill the people who took the Syphon powers away from them. As a plot, it’s not a bad one, but everything Ever thinks she knows about what happened to her family is not necessarily as she believes it, which throws a big kink into her revenge. Oh, and then there’s the love interest, Aeson- she doesn’t count on falling for one of the Horde.

As with most of Ivy Asher’s books, there are some great side characters, some of whom we want to know more about and don’t get to, but they do certainly add some much needed warmth and color. If the plot were only going to be about Ever’s need for revenge it would be kind of boring, but she develops some feelings for the people around her which makes her plotting even more tremulous. The reader is left hoping she knows the truth and her plans will be a redemption arc instead of Ever turning into an anti-hero. We’ll have to wait for the next book to find out which side of the coin she lands on. I can’t wait!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Spark the Flames

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This Chick Read: Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts

Natural Resources police officer Sloan Cooper had just arrested three men taking down hikers in the Western Maryland mountains with her partner, when they stopped at a convenience store. Sloan walked right into a robbery in progress and got shot in the chest almost losing her life. She was shocked back to life on the operating table and took some time off to recover at her family’s home in Heron’s Rest. Having a hard time not working, when Sloan hears of a woman who goes missing leaving her car behind in a grocery store parking lot she searches through the database for similar cases. She finds a lot of cases matching the description but nothing ties the victims together. The new man in her life, Nash, proves to be a great sounding board for her theories and with his help she soon finds that missing connection.

There’s just something about the comfort of reading one of Nora Roberts romantic suspense novels. Her pacing is steady, allowing her to build the characters back stories and allow the reader the time to really connect with and care for the characters, but she also develops the romance at that same pace. The two plots don’t outdo each other but rather complement each other so that moving from the romance to the mystery doesn’t distract from the other but rather adds to it. I loved that especially about Hidden Nature.

Sloan’s rehab from her wounds gives the reader a great gage of her head space. She’s exhausted, then frustrated, then angry, then resolved and we’re along for the ride with each of those feelings. When she’s finally ready to embrace those romantic feelings for Nash the reader is brought along seemlessly into those new emotions and is ready for Sloan to feel better, so begins to root for their romance and for Nash to jump on the we love Sloan bandwagon. Of course, he does, and that part of the story feels very natural.

The hardest part for me to read was from the killer’s point of view. Of course, it’s natural to feel uncomfortable, but I kind of wished for a little less of them and more of Sloan and Nash. That’s my only criticism of a really solid novel.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book! Hidden Nature

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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This Chick Read: It’s A Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

Jane Jackson has built her adult life on the mantra ‘Fake It Until You Make It’. Her childhood was spent on a sitcom as the sidekick “Janey Jakes” but now she’s trying to make it as a Hollywood Executive. When she claims to be able to talk a popular musician, Jack Quinlan, into writing a track to help them launch a movie she’s pitching Jane has to ask for help from her one-time crush Dan Finnegan. Jack is playing a festival in Dan’s hometown and she needs Dan’s connections to help her, well, connect with Jack. A week in close quarters with Dan is Jane’s idea of hell, but stranger things have surprised her.

I recently discovered this author when I finally listened to an audiobook that I’d purchased of one of her other books, and fell in love. I love her style of writing, her lovable yet flawed characters, and most of all that slow burn romance. Annabel Monaghan believes in that big build-up in tension and I just love how that makes me eagerly turn the pages. It’s a Love Story had me feeling all that pent-up emotion that I remembered from the first novel of hers I read, Phoebe Goes Off Script. When combined with humor, charm, and an emotional punch you are left with one stand-up novel that’s just really easy to sit back, read, and enjoy.

Dan was set up to be this kind of co-worker jerk who had stood in Jane’s way on another project but by the end of this novel he was the sweet misunderstood hero that every woman wants to meet. On the flip side, Jack Quinlan is the trauma from Jane’s past that serves as a tool for the conflict Jane’s character needs to overcome to believe in love. The juxtaposition of her past and present with the men from her present and past really gave this novel a punch of feeling. I loved Jane’s journey but especially when she and Dan finally work things out. I can’t wait to listen to this book on audio because I think a great narrator could make me love it even more the second time around.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* It’s a Love Story

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.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads