Tag: romance

This Chick Read: Seeing Other People by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Morgan is haunted by her ex. Seriously, his ghost is following her around and basically making her life hell. It wouldn’t be so bad if she knew him, but they only went out one time and she can’t figure out why she’s the one he’s haunting. Sawyer’s fianceé turned ghost is starting to fade and he’s not ready to let her go. At a support group for humans and their haunters Morgan and Sawyer meet and although they face opposite problems they decide to work together to solve their problems. As Morgan and Sawyer work towards figuring out their ghosts unfinished business, they start to develop feelings for each other, feeling more alive than they’ve ever felt.

This was a surprisingly sweet and funny story. Morgan’s ghost, Zach, tends towards poltergeist shenanigans while Sawyer’s ex-fianceé is just getting more sad as the days go on. Sawyer keeps trying to live their lives like she’s alive, but has actually stopped living, afraid to move on because he’s not ready to lose her. When they meet up at the support group Sawyer doesn’t really want to have anything to do with Morgan, but for some reason he allows her to move into his studio rent free while they sort out their ghosts unfinished business. I really enjoyed the friendships that Zach, Sawyer, and Morgan created. Zach was mischievous in death, and as they got to know what he was like in life their feelings for him became bittersweet. Yes, this was a little bit of a love story between Morgan and Sawyer, but truthfully, I liked the friendship trio that Zach’s ghostly presence created. He was such a quirky individual and added a lot of heart to this story. Without Zach I think this story would’ve been two dimensional.

If you’re looking for a ghost story, well, there are ghosts in the plot but it’s not spooky at all. It was a story about holding your loved ones close, but also it was a story about it being ok to let go and keep living. I liked that theme a lot!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Seeing Other People

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

This Chick Read: The Marriage Method (The Crinoline Academy #2) by Mimi Matthews

When newspaper editor Miles Quincey starts questioning the intentions of the Benevolent Academy for the Betterment of Young Ladies the academy sends one of their brightest graduates Penelope “Nell” Trewlove to quell his interest. What’s supposed to be an easy task gets complicated when Nell arrives in London at the same time one of Miles’ reporters gets murdered. When Miles and Nell get caught in a compromising situation they agree to an arrangement that will save their reputations while enabling them to investigate the story that lead to a man’s death.

When I’m in a historical romance mood, I immediately think of Mimi Matthews. Her novels are romances, but more importantly she really seems to research and know the period she is writing about lending her novels a lean towards historical fiction rather than romance. The Crinoline Academy touches on the subjugation of women in this period of history. The Academy where Nell resides does a bit more then enable women to launch into society, they are also training these women on how to ‘distract, disrupt, and discredit men in power who would seek to harm the advancement of women’. It’s during this time that women are starting to fight for their rights, and I love that Mimi Matthews has chosen this time in history to set her stories.

Nell is a bit of a fish out of water. She’s never left the academy in large part due to her disability. She was injured as a child and walks with a cane. She tires easily, but doesn’t let her fragility stop her from pursuing the leads that draw her into danger. Miles rose in station through hard work and takes his job and place in life very seriously. When he and Nell get caught in a compromising position he offers her marriage, but it’s not until they are investigating the murder that the two of them really get to know each other. It’s during those moments that the story really becomes interesting and the chemistry takes center page. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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 Marriage Method

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

This Chick Read: The Seven Rings (The Lost Bride Trilogy #3) by Nora Roberts

Sonya had inherited the grand house in Maine from her dead father’s twin brother. A brother he never knew he had. In the previous two books Sonya eagerly moves into this home along with her best friend and finds out that, surprise!, it’s haunted by an evil witch. A curse was laid on the Poole family’s brides, each one dying in that home with the witch collecting their seven wedding rings. In this third installment Sonya, her boyfriend Trey, and their two friends battle this evil witch and banish her from their home, giving those brides a place to remain or move on from.

These types of novels are among my favorites to read by Nora Roberts. A good vs. evil theme, two besties who are determined to stick it out and best the big bad, and a little romance as a side dish. In this series we also get to know some of the ghosts who inhabit the mansion, especially Sonya’s grandmother, a young boy, and a young maid. The author does a great job of weaving spookiness with humor and love to give the reader an enjoyable story with a little bit of everything to get them involved.

What set this novel apart for me was that Sonya, who is a Poole by blood, but was raised under another name could travel through mirrors to see the brides stories. She had a guest on these journeys and it wasn’t her boyfriend Trey, but her own cousin Owen, another Poole, who came along for the ride. It was an interesting way to tie family together, but also the two couple’s who were developing romances. I’ll admit to finding Cleo and Owen’s love story a bit more interesting becauses Cleo was kind of a wacky character and Trey was kind of pedantic. However, all in all the book did it’s job. I was entertained, invested in the story and characters, and felt good at the plot resolution. You can’t ask for much more than that! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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 Seven Rings

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

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

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

Owen Mallory is a failed soldier, historian, and son of a rather anarchical father. Owen’s grey life has been filled with imagery of the Dominion’s greatest hero, Sir Una Everlasting. Una’s life was similarly grey, until as a young orphan she is swept away by the Queen, given wars to win, and tasks to fulfill. Her life becomes the Queen’s, until one day she meets Owen, who has fallen through time in order to write a book about Una. Immediately, the two are connected. By fate, by their journey, and by chemistry. They are tangled together in time and as Owen writes and rewrites Una’s story their fates too are entertwined.

Excited by all the five star ratings, I was really eager to read The Everlasting. However, I turned the first page with a little trepidation. I read Alix E. Harrow’s acclaimed novel The Ten Thousand Doors of January and I had trouble connecting with the main character. I thought the prose elegantly written, but that elegance created a barrier that made it hard to identify with the main character. The Everlasting is also very elegantly written, but this story reminded me of my classes in college where I would fall into the epic tails of Gawain, Sir Lancelot, and even Beowulf. Instead of creating a barrier where I had trouble identifying with the characters, Harrow’s lyrical words opened doors into a world I had zero trouble falling into.

I think what hooked me the most about this story was that the author combined several tropes seamlessly. First, the obvious, Good vs. Evil, and the reveal of that character happens slowly which makes their evilness so much more delicious. So, yes, I was drawn in by that first trope, but it was the fairy-tale elements to the story that secured that hook. The lyrical writing, which bothered me in her other novel worked perfectly in this setting and the pace and thoughtfulness in developing these characters fully was beautiful. I’ll also admit that I love a good romance and the slow build of Owen and Una’s relationship and love for each other was both breathtaking and heart-breaking. Normally, being captured by a story I would breeze through a book, but The Everlasting was methodical and I didn’t want to ruin the pace of her writing because of my own impatience to see what happens at the end. I’m glad I took my time because that ending was just fabulous. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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 Everlasting

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

This Chick Read: Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder

Merritt Valentine has escaped her career as a famous singer-songwriter in LA after a much published breakdown, and is now living with her sister in Crested Peak, Colorado. Trying to keep her life together and heal her wounds, she hasn’t written or sung a song in years. When she buys a house that needs some work, she hires Niko Petrakis, a too good looking and kind-hearted handyman, someone she’d chew up and spit out. Despite everyone’s warnings to steer clear of each other, Niko and Merritt are drawn together. Niko can’t shake his fascination with Merritt and as they spend more time together their mutual attraction sparks a deeper connection.

Some Kind of Famous was not a light-hearted romance. Merritt had a ton of baggage that she’s still working through. Her traumatic past is almost too much for her to get past. Niko moved to Crested Peak for another woman doing and he hasn’t had a true relationship since she left. Neither of them trusts love but his job of fixing up her house brings them together and gives them a chance to get to know each other without giving in to their romance. At times the heavy subject matter made me pause and reflect on if I wanted to keep reading, but for some reason I was curious as to how these two people, who didn’t have a lot in common and had very disparate backgrounds, would find their happily ever after.

I’ll admit that I also like to root for an underdog and both Merritt and Niko seemed to have a lot weighing things against them. Merritt needed to overcome her past and get her head on straight, and Niko needed to be happy living life the way he needed- utilizing his skills as a wood worker and artist despite his lack of a formal education. Everyone wanted them to stay away from each other, but they ended up being each other’s best friends and helping each other find their inner strength. So, ever though it was heavy reading, I really liked the story and how these characters fought for everything they had together.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Some Kind of Famous

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Mate (Bride #2) by Ali Hazelwood

Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left—if he’ll have her.

As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.

But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her—and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…

This world is quite a departure for this author, but after devouring Bride, the first novel in this series, I’ve totally bought into this Human, Vampyre, Were world. Each species is so distinct and separate, so when it becomes known that Serena exists she becomes a tool to be used. Serena not only doesn’t want to be used, but she doesn’t have time to be used as a political tool. However, she’s willing to be a red herring so that little Ana will not have any of the focus on her that is now on Serena. This act of self-sacrifice puts her back into the hands of her mate, Alpha- Koen Alexander. It is only with Koen that she feels safe. It is only with Koen that she wants to find a way to survive and thrive.

Serena and Koen’s love story is fraught with political tension, not just inter-species, but also just among the Were’s. Not everyone wants their alpha to be mated to a hybrid. There is also a lot of sexual tension- neither of them are willing to give in to this attraction which creates a lot of frustration. Then something from Serena’s past is revealed that brings a whole new level of danger to the Northwest Were’s. Luckily her mate is alpha enough to face this new danger, but when Serena uses herself as bait it just might be Koen’s breaking point. I loved this danger trifecta in Mate! This book had all the tension! This was a slow burn romance of the best sort, ending with some very satisfactory togetherness. Ahhh, Were love. LOL.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

I would recommend reading Bride first as there is some sub-plots that will make more sense if you read this series in order. Enjoy!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Mate

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

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

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Overdue by Stephanie Perkins

29 year old librarian, Ingrid Dahl and her boyfriend Cory have been together for 11 years. When her younger sister announces she’s getting married, Ingrid and Cory decide they need to experience more life and agree to separate for one month to experience dating other people. Neither has been with anyone else. Ingrid even has someone in mind that she’d like to date, her co-worker at the library, Macon Nowakowski, whom she has secretly crushed on for years. Things don’t go as they seem and at the end of the 30 days, Ingrid and Cory need more time.

As I was reading this novel I kept saying to myself, well, this is a different kind of love story, isn’t it? It’s kind of a love story for Ingrid, or really, a story where Ingrid discovers herself and what she needs to feel loved. I really connected with her journey because it’s something all young women in their 20’s go through at some point or another, right? Even if you end up married to your high school sweetheart there are moments where you want to or wish you could explore your options to make sure your decision is what you truly want. Through this journey for Ingrid to “explore her options”, she was really exploring who she was and who she wanted to be. That journey was very satisfying.

Ingrid’s love life was a little more frustrating, more so because it brought back all of those memories of when I was single and remember how bad those days were but also how funny some of those dates were too. Ingrid’s journey away from Cory and towards Macon was at times frustrating, but in the end it ended up being warm and wonderful. Macon was grumpy, kind of irritating, but oh so kind, and in the end, very loving. The second half of the book was an ode to falling in love, and I was so on board with that story. Fair warning though, it did take a bit to get to the happily ever after Ingrid was seeking. Because of the journey, I did appreciate the outcome more than I would have if Ingrid had left Cory and immediately got what she wanted from Macon. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Overdue

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

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

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