Barbara Rachel's Reviews

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace My rating: 5 of 5 stars really enjoyed I really liked reading this book—it was highly entertaining with tons of humor, had hockey, steamy romance, what more could I want?  It was very spicy so if that’s not your thing, this book is probably not for you, but I really enjoyed it. The struggles that each of the main characters went through was really engaging. One thing I didn’t like was that Robbie and Bobby had such similar names — I would get confused as to who we were talking about. But maybe that was just me. Otherwise— loved it.  One trigger warning: body dysmorphia and body shaming. Also to know: it is the 1st in a 3 book series. 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🏒 #sportyRomCom #CharactersThatNeedThearpy #ContemporaryRomance #HockeyRomance

 I loved this series. I had read Conventionally Yours and I remembered I really enjoyed reading it but I forgot how addictive Annabeth Albert’s writing is! She writes so seamlessly—all I can say is #goals to that. These MM military romances are not for those that like a modest story — these books have an extra spicy 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ content level. I read a book a day until I was done with the entire series and if you enjoy MM romance, I highly recommend these books. Each book touches on issues with sensitive topics including PTSD, so be sure to read the content warnings in the introductions. #🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈  I read the entire series in a few days. 🌶️  — 5 alarm spice — do not read if you do not enjoy explicit intimacy  🏷️ trigger warning: PTSD #ContemporaryRomance #romcom #ExMilitaryRomance #LGBTQ+ #ExtraSpicyRomCom

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews Okay, there is so much I loved about this book... But, some of the dialogue was eye roll inducing. So much of this story was smart, funny and touching. And then... there times the conversation fell flat, did not support the story or was just cringe inducing - not because of the alpha male and the age difference... not issues for me. I mean if you are coming to a Tessa Bailey Party, don't expect anything less. I am here for all that. Just sometimes, maybe in an effort to make Burgess out to be a meat head, the conversation just seemed needlessly uninspired. Sorry Tessa Bailey - not that you will ever read this - I am a huge fan and just bought a pile of your books - I am here for the long haul. I just expected a little more.  The audio book was well read and produced. I purchased it through Barnes and Noble. The actor was wonderful and took you right ...

Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews I really enjoyed this book — a marriage on the rocks, this is a highly relatable subject to anyone that has been married more than a minute — although this couple is in an extreme case to be sure. Fair warning — this is not only extra spicy but this couple is definitely into a vibe that many people may find antiquated or a bit too caveman. There were parts that I thought were a bit much, to be sure, but overall, I appreciated the story. I also really liked the incorporation of the love languages into the story — I find that subject fascinating and it was really different to see these built into the story. If you enjoy reading about spicy alpha males, this book may be right up your alley. Trigger warning: Veteran associated PTSD ExtraSpicy

Funny Story by Emily Henry My rating: 5 of 5 stars Okay, usually Rom Com means the occasional chuckle. This book had me laughing so hard more than once. But what a rollercoaster. I mean there is some serious drama and some parts were at a tear-jerker level. I also really appreciated the coverage of how the friends sometimes break up when a romantic relationship ends and how that can be just as traumatic. I loved this. It more than made up for (Un)Happy Place which I am still bitter about, not going to lie. This was Book Lovers level — and that is in my top 5 in the genre. One triggering thing for me was Daphne’s relationship with her father. Oof — that hit close to home.  Loved Daphne, Miles, the little sister, the librarians, the town — this is such a great book. Daphne has so many layers that are unpacked — her character arc is such a rich storyline.  Julia Whelan is the voice actor for this — amazing narration. She transports, as u...

My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey My rating: 4 of 5 stars A second grade teacher takes a vacation at the beach with her brother and there is a dead body in their rental. Enter a bounty hunter who is ex-police and some fairly primal chemistry between teacher and hunter and a mystery to be solved in the background… I really enjoyed this. Read it in a day and a half. It was funny, very very spicy - as expected from Tessa Bailey.  Okay so this book seems to have Bailey’s fans divided. I was actually surprised by some of the negative reviews. To me it was just a Tessa Bailey with some Ali Hazelwood elements thrown in - without the STEM. Some people found the age gap and class difference “cringe.” Whatever - it was fun to read a romcom mystery. I enjoyed it. So I guess if you don’t want your goodie-two-shoes teacher attracted to danger and you want your male lead clean cut and not 9 years older than your female lead - don’t read this book. Or be prepared to ...

Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey My rating: 5 of 5 stars When a broken down has-been pro golfer teams with his biggest (and only) fan whose life is a total disaster, true love may be on the horizon. While it sounds like such a far-fetched concept — it really works. Fan Girl Down was a super fun read. Tessa Bailey truly is a master at what she does. If you are not familiar with her work, she is so talented at creating characters that I am absolutely cheering for. There are a bunch of classic romcom tropes here including grumpy-cheerful, edgy-innocent, forced proximity.  It is importantly to note that her books are definitely for readers comfortable with explicit material. This particular book also works in some really heavy themes such chronic illness, lack of health insurance, childhood neglect, alcohol abuse, medication rationing. And yet the book was entertaining and engaging. I really loved this book. If you do not mind extra spicy intimacy...

Sweetest in the Gale by Olivia Dade My rating: 5 of 5 stars I love all three short stories included in this book. My only complaint is that I wanted each story to be longer. As always, I love the characters, their development and the diversity rep in Dade’s books! Another winner! ⏰ I read it in a few days. 🌶️ very spicy/mature/adult #ShortStoryCollection #ContemporaryRomance #RomCom #BodyDiversity #spicy🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ #womenwhowerentbornyesterday #iFeelSeen

A few pre-spoiler notes: Read. This. Book.  Loved it. I love everything Olivia Dade writes, even her newsletter emails because she makes me smile and I need more of that, believe me.  It takes place on the eastern shore so - that was so fun for all of us that live or have lived locally in D.C., as I do. This is bodice ripping spicy 🌶️ so if that is not your cup of tea, best move on. It is a slow burn but it gets there. Several times.  There is a rather unusual fetish of some adjacent characters, but it leads to so much hilarity, bring it on I say.  Okay I never do spoilers but this book had my favorite line of the year so far, and it is kind of a big reveal line so if you do not want a spoiler. Stop. Don’t read further. ⚠️ ______________ A for sale sign that reads. “1 Broken 🖤. No need to buy. It’s always been yours. I’m so sorry.”  Come on Olivia Dade?!? How is one supposed to continue read the remaining 20 odd pages through never ending tears? Okay this is m...

 Loved this audiobook! Fun characters, could not “put it down.” I definitely want to read more from Sarah Adams. #SmallTownRomance #HurtPeopleFindingTheirWay #CharactersThatNeedTherapy #AudioBook #FakeDatingTrope

I loved this book.  Everly is our hero in this story of a young woman set to be featured in a reality TV makeover show geared toward plus-sized participants. Prior to this, she has been trying to hide herself for so long that she has procrastinated    pursuing any of her dreams.  As her story unfolds she begins to face challenges - some from unexpected places - as her character grows and changes. This was funny and entertaining but also a really worthwhile read. Initially, I expected the plot to be fairly straightforward, but there are some surprising twists and turns afterall. What I liked most about this story was the development of Everly‘s gumption.    I laughed, I gasped and cried my way through this book.  This is another book that I’m reading this year that features a female main character who becomes her own hero and really rescues herself. As far as the intimacy level, it was more implied than explicit, which is fine and left plenty to the ima...

Mr. Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer My rating: 4 of 5 stars As the creator and CEO of the popular Jewish dating app J-Mate, matchmaker Dara Rabinowitz knows the formula for lasting love—at least, for everyone else. When it comes to her own love life, she’s been idling indefinitely. Until her beloved bubbe shares Dara’s checklist for “The Perfect Jewish Husband” on national television and charming news anchor Chris Steadfast proposes they turn Dara’s search into must-see TV. As a non-Jewish single dad, Chris doesn’t check any of Dara’s boxes. But her hunt for Mr. Perfect is the ratings boost his show desperately needs. If only Chris could ignore his own pesky attraction to Dara—a task much easier said than done when Dara starts questioning if “perfect on paper” can compete with how hard she’s falling for Chris. I loved this book and the representation of a young Jewish woman with a severe anxiety disorder who has her world turned u...

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer My rating: 5 of 5 stars Avital is a worn-out family bakery manager with chronic pain who has her world turned upside down by her new hire, Ethan. Ethan, meanwhile has his own struggles as the orphaned heir to a bakery empire; he has taken a job with Avital - not to learn his way around a kitchen - but to steal a secret recipe from a rival family. What is already complicated becomes next level due to their mutual attraction.  At first, I was taken aback by the transparent description of Avital’s struggles to get from one day to the next. I read this in one day because I could not put this book down. It is a romance, between two unlikely heroes but there is so much more. There is chronic illness, emotional abuse, grief and loss. And there is marijuana. A surprising amount of discussions revolving around cannibus, that I was not expecting.  I loved this book. It was honest, painfully so at times. I laughed and smiled but...

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood My rating: 5 of 5 stars A physicist has a double life as a fake girlfriend and it threatens to catch up with her as she is trying to land her dream job. I loved this book. I have not been a fan of some of Ali Hazelwood’s books but this was absolutely incredible. She apologizes for making this too academic, but I disagree, I think it really worked here. The politics and the dynamics of the MC’s relationships within academia were so eye opening and moving. The personal journeys both MC’s have to make are moving and so relatable. Truly I laughed, I cried and just really loved this book - so happy I gave this author another chance.

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun My rating: 4 of 5 stars An artist, Ellie, seems to have lost it all until she enters into an unusual arrangement that blows up her life in ways she may not have imagined before. I loved the premise and the characters. I did not like going back and forth in the story however. I think I would have enjoyed this more if it was told in a linear fashion. The audio version was voiced so well but the going back and forth in time made this difficult to keep track of what was going on. Overall I enjoyed it and recommend this book. View all my reviews

Happy Place by Emily Henry My rating: 1 of 5 stars Um. Nope. This book, the characters and the story all enraged 🤬 me. I wanted to love this book - I have loved everything else Emily Henry has written. Huge fan. Wish I could write like they do. I think this is the lowest stars I have given a book I have finished. I get why someone would like it, I think. I mean EH is an incredible writer and all of the basics are there. Characters, dialogue, a universe. I liked the cover…😂 I love Maine 🦞 and 🖤 the Stephen King references. I usually love a troubled-by-awful-parents and rising-from-the-ashes-of-a-dumpster-fire childhood story. And it is NOT that in the end the MC’s made the choices they did. They honestly could have made any choices by the time I was in the last 10% because I just wanted to know what happens and I just wanted the book to be over. Basically, if I wanted to listed to whining and waste my time, I would have a conversation with an over-privil...

Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews Delilah Green is a photographer working hard to make it on her own in NYC when she is given a chance to return home and photograph her step-sister’s society wedding in the Pacific Northwest. She could use the money but it will be at the cost of her peace of mind as her hometown, step sister and step mother are all places and people she would rather leave behind.  What she never would expect is to fall into a romantic entanglement with one of her step-sisters best friends as they all are thrown together the week leading up to the wedding.  The result is a spicy, hilarious and at times heartfelt journey into what it means to come home and what success really amounts to.  I had read these books out of order, because..well it was an accident. So I knew the outcome before I picked up the book but I still loved it. Ashley Herring ...

Heat Wave by T.J. Klune My rating: 5 of 5 stars This was the #audible version. Up front, let me just get to it - this is more of a love letter to the series than a real review. So if you are looking for a real critical review - move on to someone else.  As an ADHD reader I love feeling seen in the characters I read and Nicholas Bell (also known as the Extraordinary, Guardian) has a brain much like my own. I love him for it. He is messy, and almost annoying except he is so endearing. This is really the book where he comes of age and grows. #ADHDonthePage #WhyAreWeThisWay. We return to NovaCity for this YA, LGBTQ+, superhero fantasy (The Extraordinaries Series) finale. I do not like to give spoilers    so I feel like I cannot say too much about the plot here. My recommendation is if you read the first 2 books - read this. It was fantastic.  Part of my #ADHD life is accepting I do not like to finish anything and when I do not w...

My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine My rating: 4 of 5 stars A young artist, struggling to make ends meet, is evicted from her apartment and finds herself with a new landlord who is as awkward as he is gorgeous, landlord. As the title suggests, it turns out he is a vampire. Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable and lighthearted book. I did find the beginning a bit slow going but I never know if that is the book or just my attention span. Some of the premises were a bit silly but it was refreshing to read a funny vampire romance. ⏰ Fast Read: a few days 🌶️ It goes there - not for my tween to read ⚠️ No triggering - super lighthearted  🏷️ #VampireRomCom #ContemporaryRomance  #MyRommateIsAVampire #romcom

The Holly Project by Angela Pearse My rating: 5 of 5 stars This was such a fun book! Holly is a Christmas hater, and is trying to flee town after a social media post starts going viral. Bailey is a Rudolph sweater wearing Christmas lover that Holly cannot stand. Just add a transportation failure, a horrible inn and a warm and loving family to complicate everything for Holly. I love a good Christmas themed romance and this was a fun story with a wonderful grumpy-cheerful theme as well as the classic close proximity trope. Holly’s tough exterior and underlying history brought more depth to this story than I expected. It was funny, so well written and the characters were compelling. I loved the book and highly recommend it! Thank you Book Sirens, Clamp Publishing and Angela Pearse for the opportunity to review this book. I did receive this advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. ⏰ Read in one day! 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Once it go...