"Twenty-nine is nothing. Thirty is nothing. If I wanted to start again at fifty, I would. Time is just that - time. It dictates too much of our lives already for us to start letting it dictate what we can and can't accomplish."

GENRE: Comtep. Romance
RATING:4.75/5
FORMAT:eBook
Tropes:Enemies to lovers, Office Romance, Anxiety, Self-discovery

Review:
This one hit so close to home for me because of how Maddison is a type A personality with so many notebooks (honestly, highly relate to that) and it was such a sweet story, with character developments that I enjoyed

Quarter-Love Crisis is exactly what it is, a crisis right before Maddison hit the 30s, especially since she hasn't achieved any of her big things on her list yet and the moment it clicks in the book? It's all so worth it seeing it coming together. I think Jasmine Burke did such an amazing job of showing how sometimes, its the things we ask of ourselves that put so much pressure on us and drive us mad. This book truly captures that feeling of being in your 20s and feeling like you're truly running out of time due to anxiety, pressure and so many other things.

Watching Maddison let these notions go (especially as that's a journey I've done myself recently and still undergoing) and embrace living in the moment with the help of Aiden Edwards made the book a fun ride and I finished it in less than 24 hours (with a pause to sleep because I am too old to stay up at night now lol)

I think this was an amazing debut and I will say that, usually with single POVs, you get to focus on one character and don't really learn much about their love interest. I think Burke did a good balance in here by bringing Aiden's story without letting it out-shine Maddison's. And I loved getting to know her friends group too

I cant wait to read more by Jasmine Burke, I love Romance books set in the UK and this one was set in London plus the dynamic & writing won me over! It's a perfect book for those of us entering our 30s and realising that actually, we've just start our lives while enjoying Maddison & Aiden's relationship blossom and her friendship + family thrive!

"You never know what's waiting on the other side - whether things work out the way you planned them or not. Everything will be all right in the end. And if it's not all right, it's not the end."

GENRE: Romance
RATING:4.5/5
FORMAT:eBook OR physical
Tropes:Ex-childhood best friends to lovers, small town, found family

Review:
Okay first, we get to continue in the Oaks Sisters series AND second, we get a ex-childhood best friends to lovers in one book with Fable and Theo? AHHHHH

Oh what a lovely book. We get to dive into the story of Fable and Theo, which is such an emotional filled journey. Fable is going through grief after the loss of her grandfather and is trying to find what she is meant to do in her life while living in her late grandfather's A-frame that is slowly crumbling. Meanwhile, Theo is back in town as a Vet and wants to settle down for good after escaping the place he thought could never be home.

Both of their stories are so emotional in different ways. Slowly throughout the book, we get to know both of our MCs and watch how they ended up where they did today. Learning about Theo's past and how hurt he was growing up helps us understand who he is now and learning how Fable and him grew up together and what caused them to drift apart was such a wholesome and emotional story.

In a way, they both have something that they need from the other and can only give it to each other by learning to trust one another and being vulnerable, which is HARD for them (& really for all of us as humans, let's be honest).

I dont know if this review makes sense as I dont want to give away any spoilers, but essentially, this book is about finding who you are and learning to forgive yourself for your past mistakes. It's about learning to trust yourself and your choices. It's about being okay with falling in love and trusting people again. And oh, what a lovely journey it is!

Oh and I always love it when one of our MC (or both really) love reading and we get to dive into books in our books! I think this one is perfect for those of us who love our emotional Romance with a lovely, emotional & wholesome journey for our MCs. I was provided a free advance reader copy and I’m sharing my honest thoughts.

"When a game makes room for our words, our tastes, our creations, we become a part of it. And if it feels like this world has a soul, maybe that's because we infuse it with our own."

GENRE: Non-Fiction
RATING:4.25/5
FORMAT:eBook/physical ARC

Review:
What a nostalgic book on Nintendo games and what a visit through all our games that we grew up with. I'm slowly expanding into non-fiction and so I took this book one step at a time, read a chapter and just digested it in terms of nostalgia. It reminded me of so many things throughout my life in terms of gaming and my god, the memories I had forgotten. One of the games I was obsessed with was Nintendo Dogs and I had totally forgotten about it till reading this book.

Diving into Super Nintendo and reading about the various games was a fun journey. I didn't get to play all of them as I am Deaf and games didnt always have subtitles so they werent accessible. And yet, I grew up around Mario, Zelda and so much more.

This is a non-fiction that tells you so much about Nintendo itself but also tells you about how we keep our child spirit alive long after we've grown up and life has taken over and how a lot of people now are passing this love of Nintendo to the next generation.

It was also so interesting to see how Nintendo focuses on innovation and creativity as opposed to always aiming for a fast turnover, especially in today's climate. The idea that no work goes to waste in the long run was also super interesting. It's the balance between productivity and creativity that was explained so well in here and leaves you feeling inspired. It's the idea that we do things for the sake of enjoying them and then hoping it succeeds rather than designing something to succeed without any joy in it, but in an efficient and smart way.

Another notable thing was the fact that Nintendo slowly expanded to different population for gaming, which included everyone from kids to older people that would not have grown around Gaming itself. Its watching all generations fall in love with coming together and playing, whether it's truly Wii Sports, Mario, Animal Crossing and more.

And finally, the start of games because they're vibe-based and cozy started here in Nintendo and if you dont know me, Cozy games are my FAVOURITE so reading into this, seeing how the way was paved by Animal Crossing and generally Nintendo was a fun dive into the history of cozy gaming itself.

This was a lovely, nostalgic book. I think its a great read for those who don't usually pick non-fiction but love gaming to remind you of the memories we grew up with over the years (no matter when you did) and if you're new to gaming, it's a great book to see how Nintendo and the love for gaming started. I was provided a free advance reader copy and I’m sharing my honest thoughts.

"This is a risk. The idea of loving him, of losing him, scares me to death But living safe hasn't made me happy. Hasn't brought me joy. We're on the path. Now we have to keep going. Day by day. Step by step. That's how we'll climb the mountain. That's how we'll get to the top."

GENRE: Romance
RATING:4.75/5
FORMAT:eBook Arc
Tropes:Grumpy x Sunshine, Found Family, Only one Tenet, City Girl x Country Boy, Dislike to Lovers

Review:
If you've been around for a while, you know I love grumpy x sunshine and the reason is that we get to see beneath BOTH of these type of personalities. While they're both on the opposite end of personality types, they stem from the same thing: hiding the vulnerabilities of who we are and eventually, really, it becomes who we are.

Walk this Way focuses on both Angus and Rowan as they meet during their hike that they both need as a breather from life and just stepping away from everything else. These two individuals are looking to heal in this walk set in the highlands in Scotland with beautiful views.

We dive deep in this book in a lot of themes, including grief, mental health, struggling to fit in and accepting who you are and finding your place in the world. There is also discussion of family, how they shape us and how unconditional love may not be so unconditional or at least, it never truly feels that way.

The author does an amazing job of diving into these themes, showing us how heavy some things are in life and how we cope with them. Some of us (Rowan) cope by putting up a front, wearing clothes that are bright and trying to bring them brightness into our lives through that means. Others (Angus) go back home and reclaim the space we always called home, while trying to make it our own.

Essentially, this is a journey of two characters finding each other, learning more about themselves and making their way back to each other when they are both ready, rather than rushing into it. I think it was a lovely book and the fact that it's set in Scotland is a bonus point with a Scottish hiking trip and beautiful description of the Highlands. Oh and the found family/friends they make along the way? So wholesome! I think we get a little insight into all of their lives in a way that doesnt take anything out of Angus & Rowan's story and I enjoyed that so much!

Thank you to the author for the Arc copy in the exchange for my honest opinion.

"To those readers, I simply say, look closer. The path to happily ever after is rarely a straight line. And every love story - no matter how predictable - is always earned."

GENRE: Romance
RATING:4.25/5
FORMAT:eBook Arc
Tropes: This one is in the book cover as given by the title (love this!)

Review:
Tropesick was an interesting (in the best of ways) read, one that is filled with emotions and sadness. I'll admit it definitely broke my heart and fixed it, only to have it broken again throughout reading the book.

This is a SAD Romance with a HEA. It's sad because it's true, love stories aren't always easy. Not everyone finds their person and hits it off immediately without life getting in the way and oh, how life got in the way for these two. When it's time to try again, it's difficult because giving anyone a second chance is like saying to them that actually, hey, you hurt me so much the first time but I love you so wholeheartedly that I'll give you another chance so please don't hurt me again

Both Katie and Tyler are hurt and broken from the past, from losing someone close to them and the aftermath of it all. Katie, dressed in all colourful and glitter, is trying so hard to hold it all together and pretending to be normal. She's struggling with grief, loss and so much more after losing her brother. Meanwhile Tyler, who lost his best friend (Katie's brother), has to continue to face his inner demons and we all know those never rest and let us breathe.

And when they come together to ghostwrite for Meredith Bradford? Oh, the sparks that fly. The way they start to be vulnerable and learn who they are again while healing from their past.

There's a lot of emotional heaviness in Tropesick, it's worth ensuring you're in the right headspace before you dive into it and checking the trigger warnings for this book but what's a little Romance and love story if it doesnt hurt in the process, especially if it has a little bit of magic in it?

I will say that while I really enjoyed reading the story, I think the main thing that brought the rating down a bit for me was that the connections between the tropes, the story that Katie & Tyler were writing and their own story was a bit all over the place. We have dual-pov, timeline jumps and two stories happening at once so it was a tad bit a lot at times to keep up but it was a well worth journey at the end of it, to see how their love story folded out.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the Arc copy in the exchange for my honest opinion.

"In a world without discernment, in the attempt to give everything a chance, you could die without tasting chocolate. I was not sorry."

GENRE: Lit Fic/Romance
RATING:5/5
FORMAT:eBook Arc

Overall Impression:WHAT A BOOK!!! This is the type of book that will linger long after I've finished it, as it breaks down in my head in the best of ways.

Review:
WHAT A BOOK!!!! Okay, I repeat, what a book.

Bad Words is a tale in which we have two different people who come together with all the intentions of hating one another and we watch it blossom into a love story. It's a story in which we meet Parker, the chronic people pleaser as he argues with Selina, our critic who wants to preserve art, criticism and staying honest to oneself.

This book delivers a commentary on two different parts of the Book world: an author and a critic while being witty, funny and just bluntly honest about the reasons humans do the things we do. It shows how criticism is important, and yet with the world we live in today, everyone can comment on anything that's been said and done.

At the same time, Bad Words dives into what it means to be a human and to want to be loved. It delves into the fact that Parker, a people pleaser and a peace chaser, has never felt seen before Selina. He goes through life with a way of fitting in between people, wanting to be loved AND yet, when all is said and done, he cant help but feel that he did a disservice to himself. This results in him realising that people never understood his work and the themes he wanted to deliver with his book.

Selina defies this by sticking to her principles, by being that one corner in the literature world that is honest. There was a beauty in her perspective, the way she loved what she did and was honest to it. The way that she wouldn't sacrifice this just to appeal to people or more accurately, to please them.

We also dive into the affect of social media and how, at all times, if something goes wrong or viral, everyone is going to have an input and without barriers in place, you can get stuck in there and never come out of it. None of us can ever truly know the people we interact with on social media and more importantly, we get to see that anyone who writes (Authors, critics...etc.) put their soul into their work but the interpretation of it is left upon us readers to look into.

I dont know if this review can do justice to how much I enjoyed this book, how I flew through it and how funny yet powerful & emotional it was. Its a beautiful blend of Literary fiction with Romance together in a way that shows us all we really want is someone to rise up to who we are and to see us truly rather than someone who wishes to change us.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the Arc copy in the exchange for my honest opinion.

"He looked at the photo of Lauren again and thought about all the strange coincidences and seemingly otherworldly things that had happened since meeting Tanika. Was this predestined? Maybe she was right. Perhaps someone was pushing them together. Helping them to write a new chapter in their lives."

GENRE: Romance
RATING:4.75/5
FORMAT:eBook
Tropes:MCs over 40s, Sport Romance, Magical Realism

Review:
Losing Sight is the first book in an inter-connected series and we get to follow the journey of Tanika and Gideon, both older MCs and watch them fall in love while finding the one.

I really enjoyed getting to know both our MCs in here. Tanika is a Sports reporter who is currently struggling because she loss her spot in her Thursday Night football and we get to dive into this throughout the story, seeing how she works and copes with different individuals in her work as a Black woman.

We also get to see her as part of her friend group, which is called Boss Chick Village and see how Tanika fits in with her best friends. Their friendship is a lovely group and you can see the love they have for each other plus the support and trust that is there.

And through her friend group, Tanika meets Gideon, our MMC. Gideon is an optometrist and recently widowed. I think the way we get to know Gideon through his POV was lovely as you get to see him struggle with his grief and balancing that with moving on with Tanika. We get to see him try to build his life after his loss and I think the development that happens throughout the story is done in a way that is very much a reality of the ups and downs of losing someone you love.

And them getting to know each other and learning to be vulnerabilities together? That was a lovely read and journey as we got to know both Tanika and Gideon separately and then together and just watched how they come together and build a life together.

If you're looking for book 2 review, check it out here!

"Bookstores: the one place in the entire kingdom that promise something beside dull conversations about economics and local politics and whatever else I'm meant to be thinking about. Books promise you that your life can change in an instant. And bookstores? Bookstores offer refuge, a home away from home. No matter how far you travel, you can always find a little piece of home inside a bookstore."

GENRE: Cozy Romantasy
RATING:4.25/5
FORMAT:eBook ARC

Review:

I love when we have books about books and Stay for a Spell was a lovely combination of Cozy fairy tale vibes with an FMC that loves books and wants to own a bookshop. Her dream comes to life through a curse, which she can't undo unless she unlocks her heart's desire essentially.

Tandy (our FMC) was lovely to get to know as she moves into her bookshop ins the small town of Little Pepperidge, which again SO cute. This is a tale of Tandy learning to not be a people pleaser and to put herself first for once, despite feeling the weigh of her responsibility as a Princess. As another people pleaser (not exactly like Tandy because I don't have a bookshop), I felt that a lot of this was relatable. She got to slow down and learn what she wants from life, even if it takes her a while to admit it to herself.

We also get to see her blossom in her friendships with Sasha and other characters plus we get to see her blossoming romance and the start of her falling in like with her pirate, Bash. The setting is so fitting for Tandy as a person to allow her to breathe in for the first time in her life and realise who she is and what she wants.

I think the only thing I wanted a bit more of is a bit world building and an understanding of where the various Princes came from and how they differed. I feel we got this a little as we they were all unique and stood out, with some of them being funny, some droopy...etc.

All in all, this was a lovely Cozy book that features a bookshop and I look forward to reading more by the author.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the Arc copy in the exchange for my honest opinion.