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amanda_reads13's reviews
447 reviews
So This Is War by Meghan Quinn
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
One year ago Levi met a woman at a bar, to this day he cannot get her out of his head. Imagine his surprise when he finds out that she is his coaches daughter and he has to hire her as his assistant.
As with all Meghan Quinn books, I laughed throughout the entire book. That said, I felt like there were just some things I couldn't see past.
Wylie is in her early 20s and is basically controlled by her father. She doesn't want to disappoint him, but wants to pursue her own dreams instead of what he has dictated. Her dad is a manipulative asshole, his reasoning doesn't matter.Her mother left him to pursue art, so he didn't want Wylie going into an artistic job. He treats her like his possession. I hate it. I am glad that she grew a backbone and stood up to him about what she wants and who she loves.
Levi has been manipulated and blackmailed by his coach to hire Wylie as his assistant (talk about unprofessional). He is told to basically treat her like crap so that she will go back to business school instead of following her dreams. He feels guilty, but goes along with it. Ya, he is pretty immature and should have said no.
I really do like Wylie and Levi together, but this whole "war" between them was so inappropriate. She was his employee, I don't care if it was bullshit or not, he was paying her. Why can't you just talk and say you like each other, why try to make each other "break", very immature. I think that there was just so much focus on the sexual chemistry, that it ended up lacking in the emotional chemistry. We began to feel a bit of that emotional connection near the end, but we needed more.
I love the friendships in this book and getting to revisit some of my favourite couples. I love how everyone supports each other and is always there for one another. The text messages are some of my favourite parts of these books!
Tropes: boss/employee, hockey player/coaches daughter
As with all Meghan Quinn books, I laughed throughout the entire book. That said, I felt like there were just some things I couldn't see past.
Wylie is in her early 20s and is basically controlled by her father. She doesn't want to disappoint him, but wants to pursue her own dreams instead of what he has dictated. Her dad is a manipulative asshole, his reasoning doesn't matter.
Levi has been manipulated and blackmailed by his coach to hire Wylie as his assistant (talk about unprofessional). He is told to basically treat her like crap so that she will go back to business school instead of following her dreams. He feels guilty, but goes along with it. Ya, he is pretty immature and should have said no.
I really do like Wylie and Levi together, but this whole "war" between them was so inappropriate. She was his employee, I don't care if it was bullshit or not, he was paying her. Why can't you just talk and say you like each other, why try to make each other "break", very immature. I think that there was just so much focus on the sexual chemistry, that it ended up lacking in the emotional chemistry. We began to feel a bit of that emotional connection near the end, but we needed more.
I love the friendships in this book and getting to revisit some of my favourite couples. I love how everyone supports each other and is always there for one another. The text messages are some of my favourite parts of these books!
Tropes: boss/employee, hockey player/coaches daughter
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Grief, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
God of War by Rina Kent
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ava wakes up in the hospital only to find out she has forgotten the last two years, including her marriage to Eli, the man she despises.
This was not what I was expecting at all, but in a good way. This was a lot less dark than the other books in the series. Though Eli is the definition of a psychopath, he also has a tenderness to him and that is reflected throughout the book. That said there are still a lot of TWs.
Ava suffers from psychosis and because of it, she struggles with reality. Her parents have never really taken an aggressive approach with her treatment and vices, so she has never had control over her psychosis. After being turned down my Eli, she shifted her energy into her hatred for him. Never would she imagine marrying the man, she despised him.
Eli is a psychopath. He is unfeeling and uncaring... Except when it comes to Ava. Throughout the years he has developed an obsession with her. He took the opportunity to force her hand in marriage afterhe killed a man who was attempting to rape her. He threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone.
After getting married and taking control of her care, hedistanced himself from her because the doctors felt like his face was triggering her episodes. Yet, he was always there for her even when she hated him and though him uncaring. This distance is what triggers an episode where she stabbed Eli and then fell down the stairs, causing her amnesia.
I really loved their relationship. Eli protected and cared for her, while she opened him up to the possibility of love.
The ending did feel rushed. I could have done without the weirdepilogue where she has triplets. But still a cute ending.
I'm sad that we aren't getting an Ari and Remi book!
Tropes: forced marriage, enemies to lovers, opposites attract
This was not what I was expecting at all, but in a good way. This was a lot less dark than the other books in the series. Though Eli is the definition of a psychopath, he also has a tenderness to him and that is reflected throughout the book. That said there are still a lot of TWs.
Ava suffers from psychosis and because of it, she struggles with reality. Her parents have never really taken an aggressive approach with her treatment and vices, so she has never had control over her psychosis. After being turned down my Eli, she shifted her energy into her hatred for him. Never would she imagine marrying the man, she despised him.
Eli is a psychopath. He is unfeeling and uncaring... Except when it comes to Ava. Throughout the years he has developed an obsession with her. He took the opportunity to force her hand in marriage after
After getting married and taking control of her care, he
I really loved their relationship. Eli protected and cared for her, while she opened him up to the possibility of love.
The ending did feel rushed. I could have done without the weird
I'm sad that we aren't getting an Ari and Remi book!
Tropes: forced marriage, enemies to lovers, opposites attract
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Losers: Part II by Harley Laroux
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
We continue to follow Jessica and the men as they navigate their new relationship and deal with outside pressures.
I felt like he overall story and conflict took a backseat in this book and was almost an afterthought. We got the occasional issue with Manson's dad or Jessica's Ex, but not enough to build the tension needed for the reader to care.
I do appreciate that we get more backstory on the men which allows us to see more of their personalities and their motivations. I think they are all interesting characters, but with 5 different POVs (+1 in this book), it is really hard for the reader to form a solid connection with each of them.
That said, you can feel the love between them. They are fiercely protective of one another and would do anything to keep one another safe. Unfortunately, they have always been a target from the community, but this has lead to such a strong and emotional bond between the men.
We definitely saw the most character growth from Lucas. As he accepted the love and care of his partners, we saw him relax into the relationship more and become more confident in himself. He held onto so much anger and resentment, that when he let go and began to heal, he allowed himself to really feel that love and support.
I hate to say it, but many of the spicy scenes felt like they were just thrown in there to get a reaction. Not many of these scenes progressed the plot or added to our understanding of the characters. This duet could have been edited down to one book. This would have allowed the author to place more focus on scenes that gave us solid character development or advanced the plot. It would felt less repetitive and would have allowed for us to connect to the characters more.
I really appreciate the openness of their relationship. They all have amazing communication and are so supportive of one another. They aren't afraid to talk about everything and anything. I love how open they are about mental health struggles and the conversations around therapy and medication. I wish we had delved a bit deeper into the mental health side.
Tropes: found family, poly, enemies to lovers
I felt like he overall story and conflict took a backseat in this book and was almost an afterthought. We got the occasional issue with Manson's dad or Jessica's Ex, but not enough to build the tension needed for the reader to care.
I do appreciate that we get more backstory on the men which allows us to see more of their personalities and their motivations. I think they are all interesting characters, but with 5 different POVs (+1 in this book), it is really hard for the reader to form a solid connection with each of them.
That said, you can feel the love between them. They are fiercely protective of one another and would do anything to keep one another safe. Unfortunately, they have always been a target from the community, but this has lead to such a strong and emotional bond between the men.
We definitely saw the most character growth from Lucas. As he accepted the love and care of his partners, we saw him relax into the relationship more and become more confident in himself. He held onto so much anger and resentment, that when he let go and began to heal, he allowed himself to really feel that love and support.
I hate to say it, but many of the spicy scenes felt like they were just thrown in there to get a reaction. Not many of these scenes progressed the plot or added to our understanding of the characters. This duet could have been edited down to one book. This would have allowed the author to place more focus on scenes that gave us solid character development or advanced the plot. It would felt less repetitive and would have allowed for us to connect to the characters more.
I really appreciate the openness of their relationship. They all have amazing communication and are so supportive of one another. They aren't afraid to talk about everything and anything. I love how open they are about mental health struggles and the conversations around therapy and medication. I wish we had delved a bit deeper into the mental health side.
Tropes: found family, poly, enemies to lovers
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Losers: Part I by Harley Laroux
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After graduating post secondary, Jessica returns to her home town. She immediately finds herself drawn back to the "losers" from high school. She becomes "theirs" temporarily, but what happens when their agreement ends?
Please read the TW first.
I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book. I liked how different all of the men were and how they each had their own distinct personalities. I even started to like Jessica. She was very insecure and immature to start, but as her relationship with the men developed, she seemed to come into her own more.
I felt like this was well written and I really enjoyed the story line. That said, it did feel too long and a bit repetitive at times. I really wish we spend a bit more time in the past to understand the men's relationships and personalities more.
Tropes: opposites attract, found family, poly
Please read the TW first.
I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book. I liked how different all of the men were and how they each had their own distinct personalities. I even started to like Jessica. She was very insecure and immature to start, but as her relationship with the men developed, she seemed to come into her own more.
I felt like this was well written and I really enjoyed the story line. That said, it did feel too long and a bit repetitive at times. I really wish we spend a bit more time in the past to understand the men's relationships and personalities more.
Tropes: opposites attract, found family, poly
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
The Dare by Harley Laroux
Jessica was a mean girl in high school and Manson was her favourite target. Years later at a party, she has accepted his dare and her pride won't let her back down. The dare - she is his "slave" for the night.
Approach with caution... Read the TW.
Tropes: bully, revenge
Approach with caution... Read the TW.
Tropes: bully, revenge
The Catch by Amy Lea
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Mel, a social media influencer, ends up in small town Nova Scotia, where she meets grumpy fisherman Evan.
As usual with Amy Lea's books, this is a very cute story with a spicy edge. It had more of a Hallmark-y feel to it than the other two books. It was definitely my least favourite of the series and was basically the same plot as It Happened One Summer. I wish this had been dual POV.
Mel's entire identity is basically being her grown brother's caretaker and faking a glamorous life on social media. She doesn't have any deep attachments and keeps everyone at arms length. After ending up in a small town she discovers that there is more to life than material things and that maybe she should start letting people in. I found it interesting that she pesters her brother about therapy... But doesn't go herself. She has major abandonment and trust issues. This woman needs therapy.
Evan is an asshole to Mel because he thinks she is a prissy rich bitch. After getting over the asshole attitude at the start, he is actually a very kind, caring, and thoughtful man. He puts everyone first and wants nothing more than his family to come back together. He blames himself for his cousin's accident... He also needs therapy.
There banter was fun, but throughout the first half of the book they were both super immature. I found their relationship to be very surface level, lacking a relationship emotional depth. ALSO: She up and decides to move to another country to be with him after knowing him for mere weeks?! I guess if you know you know, but just doesn't seem plausible to me.
The whole thing with the 11 year old "stalker" kid was just weird to me. How is that the conversation that makes her realize she can't live without Evan? Was weird and creepy to me.
Tropes: opposites attract, fake dating, enemies to lovers
As usual with Amy Lea's books, this is a very cute story with a spicy edge. It had more of a Hallmark-y feel to it than the other two books. It was definitely my least favourite of the series and was basically the same plot as It Happened One Summer. I wish this had been dual POV.
Mel's entire identity is basically being her grown brother's caretaker and faking a glamorous life on social media. She doesn't have any deep attachments and keeps everyone at arms length. After ending up in a small town she discovers that there is more to life than material things and that maybe she should start letting people in. I found it interesting that she pesters her brother about therapy... But doesn't go herself. She has major abandonment and trust issues. This woman needs therapy.
Evan is an asshole to Mel because he thinks she is a prissy rich bitch. After getting over the asshole attitude at the start, he is actually a very kind, caring, and thoughtful man. He puts everyone first and wants nothing more than his family to come back together. He blames himself for his cousin's accident... He also needs therapy.
There banter was fun, but throughout the first half of the book they were both super immature. I found their relationship to be very surface level, lacking a relationship emotional depth. ALSO: She up and decides to move to another country to be with him after knowing him for mere weeks?! I guess if you know you know, but just doesn't seem plausible to me.
The whole thing with the 11 year old "stalker" kid was just weird to me. How is that the conversation that makes her realize she can't live without Evan? Was weird and creepy to me.
Tropes: opposites attract, fake dating, enemies to lovers
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Abandonment
The Pucking Wrong Date by C.R. Jane
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Olivia is a world renound singer who has been put under a conservatorship by her mother and manager. When attending a hockey game with her cousin, Walker (Disney) sees her and becomes obsessed.
I actually didn't find this one as dark as the others. But, as with the other books Walker has very dubious morals.He messes with her birth control and pokes holes in condoms to get her pregnant. Be aware that there are lot of issues around deception and consent of contraception use.
Olivia has been abused and used by her mother and manager all her life. Her reputation has been destroyed and she has major trust issues.
Walker is obsessed with Olivia from the moment he meets her. He will literally do anything to keep herincluding getting her pregnant, blackmailing her cousin, and handcuffing her to him. Yes, he is over the top and a psycho, but he does manage to get revenge on her manager and mother and free her from the conservatorship. (Pancake penis iykyk)
The chats between the guys are pretty funny and I liked the budding friendship between the women.
Tropes: stalking, obsession, athlete/singer, hockey, dark
I actually didn't find this one as dark as the others. But, as with the other books Walker has very dubious morals.
Olivia has been abused and used by her mother and manager all her life. Her reputation has been destroyed and she has major trust issues.
Walker is obsessed with Olivia from the moment he meets her. He will literally do anything to keep her
The chats between the guys are pretty funny and I liked the budding friendship between the women.
Tropes: stalking, obsession, athlete/singer, hockey, dark
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Stalking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape
Nero by S.J. Tilly
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Payton is a poor girl with a sad past. One evening while at home a man breaks into her apartment while escaping the cops. He becomes obsessed with her, she goes a long with it because he is hot and rich.
I am trying to wrap my head around what I just read. This book has so many good reviews and I just don't get it. It is just so bad. It so poorly written and I was cringing half of the time. There was barely a plot. It's just about a woman who was once independent becoming a man's possession.
I went in wanting a mafia plot, but it was barely there. The big "conflict" ends so quickly and is anti-climatic.
There is zero character development, actually they regress. Payton was insecure, but independent and hardworking. She allows Nero to take over her entire personality and life. Nero has zero personality and depth.
I wanted to DNF, but pushed through. Honestly wish I had DNFd.
Tropes: mafia
I am trying to wrap my head around what I just read. This book has so many good reviews and I just don't get it. It is just so bad. It so poorly written and I was cringing half of the time. There was barely a plot. It's just about a woman who was once independent becoming a man's possession.
I went in wanting a mafia plot, but it was barely there. The big "conflict" ends so quickly and is anti-climatic.
There is zero character development, actually they regress. Payton was insecure, but independent and hardworking. She allows Nero to take over her entire personality and life. Nero has zero personality and depth.
I wanted to DNF, but pushed through. Honestly wish I had DNFd.
Tropes: mafia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Hawke by Jescie Hall
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Nicole "Cole" uprooted her whole life to be with her very Catholic/conservative boyfriend Patrick. Everything is going as planned until Patrick's "friend" Hawke moves into their house after being released from prison.
I HATE the cheating trope and there is no excuse for it. Ya, Patrick was a misogynistic jerk, but no one deserves to be so blatantly disrespected by their partner. If you want to be with someone else, then breakup with your bf! Ugh! It was also weird how she would just "play house" with Patrick in front of Hawke then become jealous when Hawke is around other women.
Hawke has recently been released from prison formurder. He was convicted of driving under the influence and killing his best friend in a car accident. Only, that is not the whole story. We get the impression that he is this bad boy who does nothing but bang random women and do drugs with his vagrant friends. But really he is a broken and sad boy who has endured so much loss, trauma, and pain. He has never truly been loved or respected by anyone. He has always been looked down apon or cast aside. All he really wants is for someone to love and understand him, his rough exterior is nothing but a mask.
Cole is a lost woman. She thinks that she has a good life. Sure Patrick is a bit of a misogynistic ass, but he loves and takes care of her. As her relationship with Hawke grows she realizes how truly blind she has been. Patrick sees her as an accessory to creating this picture perfect life. He never consults her on any decisions, gaslights her, and completely disrespects her.
Overall, she was very judgemental and childish. Unfortunately, there wasn't much growth to her character. She spent the whole time whining about how she was cheating on her "perfect" boyfriend with Hawke, but never did anything to change the situation....
Patrickit turns out is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He was the one who killed Hawkes best friend. He then fled the scene and pinned it on Hawke. Hawke not only lots his best friend, but he was then forced to take the fall for his death. At least Patrick got what was coming to him.
A few things - I really wish this had been dual POV. That would have added so much to the story. The writing was ok, but the story did drag and become very repetitive (Especially with Cole reprimanding herself that the cheating is wrong and her talking about Hawkes lip ring -mentioned 1000x). I felt like we didn't really dig deep enough into the characters and they felt a bit one dimensional.
Tropes: enemies to lovers, opposites attract, cheating, taboo, roommates, force proximity
I HATE the cheating trope and there is no excuse for it. Ya, Patrick was a misogynistic jerk, but no one deserves to be so blatantly disrespected by their partner. If you want to be with someone else, then breakup with your bf! Ugh! It was also weird how she would just "play house" with Patrick in front of Hawke then become jealous when Hawke is around other women.
Hawke has recently been released from prison for
Cole is a lost woman. She thinks that she has a good life. Sure Patrick is a bit of a misogynistic ass, but he loves and takes care of her. As her relationship with Hawke grows she realizes how truly blind she has been. Patrick sees her as an accessory to creating this picture perfect life. He never consults her on any decisions, gaslights her, and completely disrespects her.
Overall, she was very judgemental and childish. Unfortunately, there wasn't much growth to her character. She spent the whole time whining about how she was cheating on her "perfect" boyfriend with Hawke, but never did anything to change the situation....
Patrick
A few things - I really wish this had been dual POV. That would have added so much to the story. The writing was ok, but the story did drag and become very repetitive (Especially with Cole reprimanding herself that the cheating is wrong and her talking about Hawkes lip ring -mentioned 1000x). I felt like we didn't really dig deep enough into the characters and they felt a bit one dimensional.
Tropes: enemies to lovers, opposites attract, cheating, taboo, roommates, force proximity
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Summer Sparrow by Emmerson Hoyt
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Rylee and her sister are on the run and hiding out in the Den of Vipers. Meanwhile, due to Frank's manipulation and deception, Colton has been ripped from the Vipers and doing what he can to keep those he loves safe.
Thank you for giving us a dual POV! I really enjoyed Colton's chapters and getting a peek inside his mindset. His chapters give us some valuable insight and background to the Jackles club, which adds a lot to the story. Also, it gives us some understanding of his choices and actions. He loves his brothers and Rylee, but is willing to sacrifice himself if it meant keeping them safe.
There is so much heartache and pain that both Colton and Rylee endure, but it is integral to their growth. Your heart breaks for both of them as they are torn apart and aches for them to be reunited. They have so much chemistry and such a strong connection that they will always find their way back to each other.
Rylee is such a strong and resilient character. In this part of the story, she really comes into her own and goes through so much emotional growth. I really appreciate how Hoyt depicted the reality of PTSD. She did a really good job of getting us into Rylee's head so we could really experience and understand the effects of her trauma. You could feel her pain and fear everytime a wave of panic hit her. I love that her mental health was taken so seriously by those around her and that she was never made to feel ashamed of what she was experiencing.
One thing that really bugged me was how much Colton kept from his family. So much heartache could have been avoided has he just told them everything from the start. His family would have done everything to help him. I get that he was trying to keep them safe, but communication is key.
I continued to adore the found family aspect of this book. Alex, Minho, Danny, Holly, and now Mac, add so much depth and emotion to the story. They have such a beautiful dynamic with one another. Can we get a Holly/Mac book please?!
The endingwas wrapped up nicely. Rylees father behind bars and the other bad guys dead.
Tropes: second chance, vigilante/Robinhood retelling, found family, slow burn, grovelling,
Thank you for giving us a dual POV! I really enjoyed Colton's chapters and getting a peek inside his mindset. His chapters give us some valuable insight and background to the Jackles club, which adds a lot to the story. Also, it gives us some understanding of his choices and actions. He loves his brothers and Rylee, but is willing to sacrifice himself if it meant keeping them safe.
There is so much heartache and pain that both Colton and Rylee endure, but it is integral to their growth. Your heart breaks for both of them as they are torn apart and aches for them to be reunited. They have so much chemistry and such a strong connection that they will always find their way back to each other.
Rylee is such a strong and resilient character. In this part of the story, she really comes into her own and goes through so much emotional growth. I really appreciate how Hoyt depicted the reality of PTSD. She did a really good job of getting us into Rylee's head so we could really experience and understand the effects of her trauma. You could feel her pain and fear everytime a wave of panic hit her. I love that her mental health was taken so seriously by those around her and that she was never made to feel ashamed of what she was experiencing.
One thing that really bugged me was how much Colton kept from his family. So much heartache could have been avoided has he just told them everything from the start. His family would have done everything to help him. I get that he was trying to keep them safe, but communication is key.
I continued to adore the found family aspect of this book. Alex, Minho, Danny, Holly, and now Mac, add so much depth and emotion to the story. They have such a beautiful dynamic with one another. Can we get a Holly/Mac book please?!
The ending
Tropes: second chance, vigilante/Robinhood retelling, found family, slow burn, grovelling,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail