rachrreads's reviews
474 reviews

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Man this one ripped my heart out and then put it back together. 

Molly is a cynic, especially when it comes to love. The kicker? She writes rom-coms for a living. The night of graduation Molly breaks it off with the one man she’s ever loved— Seth Rubinstein. 

Seth is a hopeless romantic, constantly looking for the one. But surprisingly, he also just so happens to be a divorce attorney!?

On the night of their 15 year high school reunion, the two reunite… and just so happen to be stuck at the same table. After a drunken hookup, the two make a bet— 5 years, 5 couples and whether they’ll still be together. If Molly is right, love doesn’t exist. If Seth is right, soul mates are real. The 5th couple? Molly and Seth. Seth tells Molly she’ll be madly in love with him, Molly says he’s delusional.

Gosh I absolutely love a second chance, grumpy/sunshine novel! Molly struggles with trusting herself (and others), which makes it so hard for her to have a relationship. After watching her parents ugly divorce, she’s not sure she can trust someone that deeply. After all, they’ll just end up leaving. It was so painful to watch Molly continue to self sabotage. (Don’t worry there’s a happy ending 🫶🏻)

Read if you like:
• second chance romances
• grumpy/sunshine
• opposites attract
• mutual pining

I received a copy of this book from Booked With the Emily’s. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Natalie Mann loves everything about her town, Fox Creek. As the city clerk, she deals with many of the residents. Unfortunately, that also means dealing with her rival, Samuel Warner. The two families have been feuding ever since the Warner’s set foot in Fox Creek. 

Samuel Warner is the CEO of his family’s business and he seems to love nothing more than being a pain in Natalie’s butt.

When Natalie notices her cousin is in love with a Warner, but too scared to do anything about it, she comes up with a plan. Fake date a Warner and pave the way for her cousin to be happy. Unfortunately, that means teaming up with Samuel, which will be hard to sell. But Samuel seems to be all too eager to agree… even worse? Natalie’s heart doesn’t seem to have gotten the memo that it’s all fake. 

The ending was a bit much for me. The families REALLY got involved, but otherwise I enjoyed reading this one! I am a sucker for fake dating and this one delivered. 

If you’re looking for a fun romance to just sit back and enjoy, this is definitely worth it! The little dates they went on were so cute!

Read if you like:
• family feuds
• enemies to lovers
• he falls first
• small town romance
• fake dating

I received an eARC from Love Notes PR. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After a disastrous night in Chicago three years ago, Violet Amin and Mason Hayes haven’t talked. Violet completely iced Mason out after he seemingly turned her down, again. Now, as a third year PhD student at Westchester University, she just wants to focus on finishing her research, teaching, and securing fellowships. 

After one too many concussions, Mason Hayes had to quit his dream of playing in the NHL. He finds himself back at the school that gave him his start, Westchester University, as an assistant coach. When Mason runs into Violet, he cannot believe his eyes. Unfortunately, Violet still wants nothing to do with him.

Violet is forced to interact with Mason when one of his star players is struggling in her class. As the two begin to work together, Violet tries to keep Mason at arms length, but soon she begins to fall for his charms again. Mason thought he would never get the chance again to be in Violet’s life and he’s determined to do whatever he can.

I really enjoyed this one, but was hoping for more tension. I understand the two grew up together, but I felt like they fell into a relationship really quick. Also, I would have loved if Mason’s sister (also Violet’s best friend) could have been utilized a bit more. Overall, I loved seeing them support each other. Mason struggled with imposter syndrome and was still mourning his loss of the NHL, while Violet was struggling with anxiety and spreading herself too thin after a rough first year with a toxic advisor. 

Read if you like:
• second chance romance
• childhood friends to lovers
• hockey

This book was a lot longer than I was expecting, but I still really enjoyed this book.

 

I think I could have done without the whole revenge porn side plot though. Felt a bit out of left field.

The bonus chapters were so incredibly cute though! I loved seeing the two of them grow over the course of the book. 

Thank you Penguin Random House and Layne Fargo for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR NOWWWWW

I haven’t devoured a book like this in a while. This book hooked me from the start!

As a kid, Katarina Shaw was mesmerized by Olympic gold medalist Sheila Lin. Kat knew that one day she wanted to be an Olympic gold medalist in ice dance. When Kat meets Heath Rocha, a kid stuck in the foster care system, they have an instant connection. The two begin to skate and their connection makes them a formidable ice dancing pair. The two begin to win competitions, and capture the hearts of everyone with the searing chemistry, rollercoaster relationship, and unconventional skating routines. Their partnership comes to a shrieking stop when a shocking incident occurs at the Olympic Games.

As the ten year anniversary of the incident, and their final skate, approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha claiming to uncover the “real story” through interviews with fellow skaters and close friends. The two want nothing to do with the documentary, but Kat can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So after a decade of silence, Kat opens up— about everything. From their tragic childhood that kept them clinging to each other to what tore them apart, nothing will be left out.

This book had everything I wanted— drama, backstabbing, intense chemistry, characters with interesting backstories, and had me constantly wondering what was coming next.  I am still reeling over the ending days after finishing. It didn’t end totally the way I was hoping, but it was still a fantastic end to a whirlwind of a book. I think the ending was a  perfect end to a story with so much intensity.

Fargo does a fantastic job of making you feel the electricity that was buzzing between Katarina and Heath. The side characters were so well thought out— I had a love/hate relationship with them, especially the Lin twins!

I am still struggling to put my thoughts into words, but this is definitely a must read in 2025!

Read if you like:
• dramatic stories
• figure skating/ice dancing
• the Olympics
• intense chemistry
• the drama of Evelyn Hugo put together with the public craze of <i>Daisy Jones and the Six
• complex family dynamics

This was a great second epilogue. I loved seeing Amanda all grown up and finding her own love. I also loved how close her and Eloise stayed all these years— Eloise was meant to be her mom 

I loved this one! Honestly this may be my second fave of the Bridgerton series.

Eloise is so smart and her love for the twins and Phillip warmed my soul. I am so glad Eloise waited for the kind of love she deserves!!! Phillip would do anything for Eloise and his kids. He may not always do the right thing, but he does everything out of love. They were made to be a family <3

 I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


I really tried to get into this one but I don’t think this one is for me. The writing just did not pull me in and the attraction felt a bit forced. 

Loved the daughter and FMC connection though!  

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


Melody recently got out of a long term relationship and ends up back in her hometown crashing at her twin brother’s place. She feels like a failure for not making it in the city. On her first weekend back home, her brother asks her to take his spot on a camping trip. Melody begrudgingly complies, only to find out she has to share a tent with Zac— the man who broke her heart ten years ago. When a storm hits, their group of friends looks to escape. Unfortunately, Melody and Zac end up getting stranded back at the campsite. 

After a weekend being stuck in the woods, they realize they cannot sleep without the other. This is great news to Zac, but Melody refuses to admit this means something. Zac realizes he needs to be patient as Melody is healing from her manipulative ex still. But what’s a few more months when he’s spent a decade pining for her? The other problem? Melody’s twin brother would have a fit.

I loved seeing Melody learn to love herself again and find what makes her happy. Zac was so patient and so kind. 


Read if you like:
• brothers best friend
• childhood friends to strangers to lovers
• forced proximity
• FMC finding herself again
• football coach

Such a fun Christmas hockey romance! 
Maddie and Seb <3 
Seb is such a cinnamon roll underneath that rough exterior 

Read if you like:
• marriage of convenience/fake marriage
• hockey romance 
• getting back at your ex
• “my wife”
• drunken Vegas elopement’s  
• closed door romance