Mini Reviews (part sixteen)
Hi everyone!
Welcome to another round-up of my 2023 non-podcast reads.
I know it’s been a while but life has been hectic what with starting a new job and changing our release schedule to have an episode every week. Reading has been much slower as a results, but I am making steady progress and am back to share 5 more books I’ve read outside of the podcast this year.
The Right Wrong Number by Katie Warren
Thank you to the author for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This started out quite well, I liked the premise of a grieving man reaching out to his dead husband as part of his healing journey. I thought the texting between Liam and Jules was nice, I liked the progression of their friendship. Even the first time they met was good, but everything sort of came apart for me when the romantic relationship began - it all became predictable and not in a good way.
To be honest, I didn't really like any of the characters.
Nora, who is supposed to be the supportive best friend, was too sarcastic and just yelled a lot at Jules - there is a fine line between tough love and insensitive, Nora for me was more rude than helpful.
Liam was alright on the surface but all of his interactions with Oscar made me dislike him a bit more each time - I get that Oscar was supposed to be the 'homophobic sexist alpha male' to counter-balance Liam's open-mindedness but it didn't work for me. Liam's treatment of him was dismissive and aggressive - especially the scene at the bar near the end painted Liam in a negative light more so than Oscar.
Jules was just fine, I don't have much to say about him.
The mothers - they were only there briefly, but were just older versions of Nora.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that all of the characters lacked real depth.
I liked some of the humour, but other times felt like the author was trying too hard. I especially disliked the inclusion of the cat chapters - an obvious parallel to the Sad Cat Diaries video from Youtube. The mishap with the mobile phone was meant to be funny but was really kind of unbelievable.
The conflict at the 80% mark was SO obvious, as was its resolution. It was the most over-the-top miscommunication and overreaction ever.
I did think the smut was well written, I enjoyed those scenes. Overall, this was a quick read that felt a bit superficial.
Rating: 2.5/5
Beautiful Things (Second Sons #1)
This was my first Regency romance and it was ... fine. I think I'm just not interested in the social politics of that time, it mostly frustrates me. I also find it difficult to fully understand how sex was viewed - it is portrayed as sinful and scandalous, and yet most of the characters openly have sex or discuss sex. This is probably just my own ignorance, but it did mean that I couldn't fully accept the polyamorous relationship as it progressed.
Rosalie is the typical 'not-like-other-girls' heroine in so far as she is opinionated, outspoken and categorically NOT interested in marriage. Three eligible bachelors immediately become obsessed with her.
I will finish this duology for sure, because I do like all of the characters and am curious how the cliffhanger ending will resolve itself but this book didn't grab me the same way Emily Rath's other RH - Pucking Around - did. I found myself skimming a bit, this was quite the slow-burn.
Rating: 3.5/5
Never A Hero (Monsters #2)
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for the rating system.
Only a Monster was in my top 3 books read in 2022 so the sequel was one of my anticipated releases this year. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.
I appreciated that there were mentions of the events of the previous book, which was useful because I had forgotten some of what happened but after a while, it became quite repetitive - especially Joan's constant internal monologue reminding herself that the Nick and Aaron she knew, are gone.
I felt that the story dragged a little bit in places and I wish we had had more Aaron and less Nick, whom I find to be quite a bland character. The workings of time travel also confused me at times (if only a few days passed for Joan, how could Nick have been gone for 3 weeks?)
Overall it was just alright for me, we got some answers to questions from the previous book and the cliffhanger sets up the next book nicely.
Rating: 3.5/5
His Grace, The Duke (Second Sons #2)
I was on a real Emily Rath binge this summer…
I liked the development of the relationship between the main characters, although James frustrated me a bit. Overall, a very enjoyable sequel to Beautiful Things.
Rating: 4/5
Alcott Hall (Second Sons #3)
My favourite of the Second Sons series. I preferred Madeline as a character to Rosalie in many way and I really liked the dynamic between her, Charles and John.
It was nice to be back in Alcott Hall and to revisit characters from the previous books.
Rating: 4/5
Have you read any of these books? Do you agree with my ratings? Let me know in the comments below, via e-mail or DM us on Instagram - we love to hear from you!
Until next time, keep reading!
Lucia