melstylensubstance's reviews
484 reviews

Book 3 in my billionaire brother series. Didn’t like it at most. They fought too much. Both stubborn shitheads. But then a twist and a reveal at the end made it all make sense, and now the next day I’m still thinking about these 2 idiots. So I guess that makes it a good book, even if the couples dynamics weren’t for me.

Just finished this - I’ve been reading more contemporary romance of late and finding it hard to get back in to a HR groove. But I loved this one!!! I haven’t felt this invested in a couple’s journey for a while.

Adding Rocco to the book boyfriend list. He rescued a cat!!

Well, add Peter Reedton to my list of book boyfriends. Add Maria Ivarsson to my “I wanna grow up to be just like her” list. This book just fit right in after Spoiler Alert and All the Feels by Olivia Dade. I had Ship Wrecked on pre-order basically since the moment I finished All the Feels, and was gifted an alternate cover dust jacket, illustrated in homage to campy bodice ripper romances of old. The book was just filled with such great humour and banter. And I feel like I now know some Swedish curse words too - so there’s that

This was so adorable. Very much cheesy hallmark movie vibes, with some kink thrown in. It works tho.

Ew. How did this book get on my tbr?? I didn’t like the writing, I’ve read better fanfic. I think it was trying to be dark erotica but failed horribly. There was many levels of gross. I skimmed through to the end, but ends on a cliffhanger. And you know what? I don’t even care.

Wow. I know this is the “bonkers gorilla twin” book, but it was so gosh darn beautiful!!!!! It was written so well. I was worried there would be an ick factor in Edward passing himself off as Albert to Julia, but the book rang true. The feelings were real, growing through the small intimacies, the kindness, the affection. Edward knew his words had import, and managed not to blatantly lie. He must be a pretty sharp cookie to be thinking so quickly.

Julia’s reaction at the reveal also felt true. Like - how did this bananas plot actually WORK??? It was angsty and swoony and hot. It all works out in the end , duh - but how it gets there is just a level of skill I think I’ve only seen once before. I recognized the checkoff’s gun early on for how it would all be resolved. But I was still second guessing myself the whole way on HOW it would all work out.
PS The epilogue made me want to weep
PPS Why do I think I’ve read about Ashebury, Locke, Marsden before??? This book is the first I’ve read in the series, but I have read others by LH and I will drive myself nuts until I find what Im thinking of - either by LH or names similar enough by a different author.

Meh. To me the most interesting parts were the ones that set up the next book. The relationship with Ashe and Minerva was missing something. I didn’t quite buy it. Wasn’t satisfying.

I don’t know why, but I always assumed Locke to be nerdy socially awkward and shy. So the first part of this book had a bit of dissonance. Once I got over that, maybe about halfway, I enjoyed the developing love story between Locke and Portia. I figured early on she was pregnant and just looking to be married, surprised the men didnt figure that out right away. But I. The writing, what I think was meant to be little teases were far too frequent to be intriguing, and became annoying.
At the end though, love me a good “I’ll find you no matter what”, beatings on Beaumont and how Locke accepted all of Portia.
And the relationship with the Marquess was so tender. He was a good father and a good soul at heart. Misunderstood.
The epilogue? Good lord.
All in all, I wasn’t in to the book really until the end. I wish it had been more consistent.

I’m not crying, you’re crying! This novella is the best of the whole series. “You’ll have 4 sons, 2 dark hair and 2 blond”