romance

Review: Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto

~ megs14malloy

Well, That Was UnexpectedWell, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

💜🧡💛❤️💜🧡💛❤️💜🧡💛❤️💜🧡💛❤️💜🧡💛❤️💜

After Sharlot Citra’s mother walks in on her clumsily exploring her sexuality, her mother freaks out. Things are going to change around here!

After George Clooney Tanuwijaya’s father walks in on him clumsily exploring his sexuality, his father freaks out. Things are going to change around here!

For Sharlot, this change includes leaving her life in California behind, getting dragged onto an international flight, and flying to her mother’s native Indonesia where they will remain for the rest of the Summer.

For George, the change isn’t quite as shocking to the system. As a member of one of the wealthiest and most prominent families in Indonesia, George isn’t going anywhere, but he will have his family meddling a lot more into his social life.

Unbeknownst to both teens, Sharlot’s mom and George’s dad have begun quests to find appropriate romantic partners for their children. They cannot sit by and let their teens deviant behaviors progress any further.

Thus, they do what any good parent would do and they both begin cat-fishing potential love interests via social media.

And that’s how Sharlot and George ultimately end up on the most uncomfortable date ever, in one of the most beautiful coffee shops ever, struggling to live up to whatever ridiculous things their parents invented about them.

For example, Sharlot’s fake hobbies include cooking strong bone broth and hopefully one day being a good wife, while George’s hobbies include math and someday taking over the family empire.

As the teens are forced to continue the charade for a number of different reasons, they begin to get to know one other on their own terms.

Will they like what they find? And if so, how will they ever clear the air about the truth behind their meeting in the first place? What other terrible things could go wrong?!

With these two families, literally anything and everything.

Y’all, I loved this with my whole heart and soul. I was so invested in these characters. Sharlot and George have to be two of my favorite characters ever.

Well, That Was Unexpected got unexpectedly under my skin. While the humor kept me giggling throughout, certain emotional aspects got me deep in my feels. It was everything I wanted and more.

I knew going into this that Sutanto’s sense of humor meshes really well with my own. I love how realistically she writes her characters thoughts, which are always so darn on point and witty.

This story is told via alternating perspectives from Sharlot and George. It was so fun seeing both of their sides to this unbelievable situation they found themselves in. I also liked being able to see both of their thoughts involving the evolution of their feelings towards one another.

100% satisfying start-to-finish!!

This is definitely my favorite Romantic Comedy of the year and in fact, is one of my favorites ever.

I would fall on a sword for it. I would shout from a rooftop for it. I would fly to Jakarta to defend its honor…and might as well get some delicious coffee whilst I’m there… 😋☕️

Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me a copy to read and review.

I am a Jesse Q. Sutanto stan and this novel is the perfect example as to why. I can’t wait to pick up whatever she serves up next!!

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Review: Drunk on Love by Jasmine Guillory

~ megs14malloy

Drunk on LoveDrunk on Love by Jasmine Guillory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Margot has been busy the past 3-years co-running Noble Family Vineyards with her brother, Elliott. The brother-sister duo inherited the Napa Valley vineyard and corresponding business when their dear Uncle passed away.

Margot has always felt like her brother was displeased that she was included in the bequeathment. Because of this, she has continuously worked extra hard to prove herself to him.

It’s put a strain on their relationship. Nevertheless, they both show up to work every day and bust their humps.

Sometimes after a stressful day, Margot likes to go to her best friend, Sydney’s restaurant, The Barrel, sit at the bar, chat with her friend, have some drinks and food, it’s her go-to for unwinding.

On one particular night, a very handsome man ends up sitting right beside her. After some friendly prodding from Sydney, Margot ends up taking a chance and striking up a conversation with him.

He’s quite charming and the two end up hitting it off, keeping each other company for the next few hours. Before they know it, it’s time to go, but neither really wants the night to end.

Luckily, they both live close by, so it doesn’t have to. One thing leads to another and the next morning, Luke, is dropping Margot off at her apartment before work. Whoops, that might have gone too far, but boy, was it fun.

Margot’s happy. She needed that. A fun little release. She fully expects and is prepared to never see Luke again.

Then she gets to work and that very morning is introduced to their new hire. Imagine her surprise when Luke walks into her office, just as sexy as the night before.

The two have to pretend they’ve never met, all while keeping their insane chemistry in check. The sparks traveling between them have to be snuffed out and ASAP.

How are these one-time lovers going to make this work? Can they hide their feelings from everyone, even themselves?

Drunk on Love is the 7th-book that I have read from Ms. Jasmine Guillory. I love her writing and will continue to pick up all her new releases.

While I will say this one felt a bit more subtle and serious than her other works, I still really enjoyed it. The characters were well-developed, believable and relatable. I was invested in their journeys, both together and individually.

I always like how Guillory’s characters are working through things in their careers, or family lives, that warrants equal attention to the romance involved in the story. For me, I need more substance than a strictly romantic plot to stay invested and Guillory always delivers that.

This is no exception. Both Margot and Luke are at sort of pivotal points in their lives, with their careers and in making decisions for their futures; where they want to be and what they want to be doing.

I liked the way that Guillory was able to explore them individually so deeply, without giving preference really to one over the other. The dual POV narrative definitely helped with that.

This is a sweet story. Luke is a dreamy leading man, so focused on Margot, on making her feel safe, happy and appreciated.

Margot was strong, independent and goal-oriented. I loved that about her. She didn’t need a man to make her life complete, but was willing to open her heart if the right one came along, even though it scared her to let down her defenses.

I had fun with this. I loved the setting in Napa Valley and the vineyard angle will set it apart for me, as I haven’t read any other romances taking place with that as a backdrop. It was a lovely change of pace. A perfect Autumnal romance!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Drunk on Love is available tomorrow, Tuesday, September 20th!!

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Review: Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle

~ megs14malloy

Love RadioLove Radio by Ebony LaDelle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love Radio is a hard-hitting, heart-warming, YA-Romance following two teens in Detroit approaching the end of their high school years.

Prince Jones, our male lead, has an Uncle who is a popular radio-DJ. Prince, being raised with his Uncle as a strong influence in his life, loves all things music. He also loves helping people.

So, when his Uncle offers him a segment on his popular hip-hop show, Love Radio, Prince graciously accepts. His mission, to give romantic advice to those seeking it. He is dishing advice and good music. It’s perfect.

Dani Ford, our female lead, dreams of moving to NYC and going to college to become a writer. She has always dreamed of becoming a writer. The only thing standing in her way at this point is the dreaded college essay.

You would think that would be an easy task for an aspiring author, but Dani had something happen to her a while back, a traumatic event, that has ended up having an lasting impact on many different facets of her life.

Dani has started to withdraw a bit from her peers, a fact her loving parents definitely recognize, yet they’ve been unable to get Dani to open up to them about what’s going on.

When Dani and Prince meet, he’s smitten. He’s actually been noticing her for a while, but has never had the courage to speak to her, but how can he give out serious love advice if he can’t even follow it himself.

While their first real encounter isn’t perfect, the two definitely make an impression on one another.

From there, we follow the two as they get to know one another and Prince vows to win Dani’s heart over just three dates. The Reader gets a front row seat not just to the exquisitely-adorable dates, but also to what’s going on behind the scenes in both Prince and Dani’s home lives.

Will the self-proclaimed teen love doctor be able to get the girl, or is all his love talk just hot air?

I absolutely adored this story. From the very start I was enamored with these two characters. Both of them were very well-developed and likable. It was so easy to get behind them and cheer them on.

For me, one of the highlights was all the incredible heart-felt details that LaDelle put into both of their backstories. Both Prince and Dani were very committed to their families and the scenes involving their family members were indeed some of my favorites.

And even though there are a lot of heavy-hitting topics explored, there was also a lot of fun and humor in this as well. The banter between Dani and Prince, as they got more comfortable with one another, had me laughing out loud and, at times, blushing a little.

I loved how mature these two characters were. Even though they were teens, that didn’t mean they couldn’t have their heads on straight. They both had goals, and in spite of outside influences, they both were steadily working towards achieving the things they wanted.

Additionally, I liked how they learned to support each other and help one another work through their difficulties.

I did listen to the audiobook and one thousand percent recommend that format. The narration was so spot on. The narrators absolutely brought these characters to life.

I went through it over the course of this story, feeling pretty much every emotion under the sun. I learned from these characters and was inspired by them. It melted my heart.

Overall, as you can tell, I loved this. It had so many strengths as a story and I feel like it is so underrated at this point. I really hope more people discover this wonderful book and give it a go.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to read more from Ebony LaDelle!!!

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Review: Stuck with You (The STEMinist Novellas #2) by Ali Hazelwood

~ megs14malloy

Stuck with You (The STEMinist Novellas, #2)Stuck with You by Ali Hazelwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

After the elevator grinds to a halt, Sadie cannot believe her luck. The worst luck in the world!

She’s stuck in the smallest elevator known to man with one of the largest men she’s ever met, who just so happens to also be the man who broke her heart just weeks ago.

For his part, Erik barely seems phased. It’s like he goes around getting stuck in elevators all the time. The close quarters force the two to talk, really talk, for the first time since everything went so wrong.

Through flashbacks that begin on the day they first met, with a meet cute over a barely edible croissant, the Reader gets filled in on their quick and passionate relationship.

Stuck with You is the second of Ali Hazelwood’s adorable STEMinist Novellas. Even though it is technically the second, it’s actually the third one that I have read. My trilogy experience is complete. I loved them all.

I listened to all three on audio and definitely recommend that format for these sweet and sexy stories. Unless it makes you uncomfortable listening to a narrator read fairly graphic sex scenes, then you may want to read it with the privacy of your eyeballs.

I love the idea behind Hazelwood’s stories, showcasing women in STEM seems like a simple idea, but I haven’t seen anyone do it like her. Highlighting smart, sexy women will never get old.

Science is cool, y’all, and Hazelwood proves it in her books. I take this as scientific proof. The evidence is right in front of you. Go ahead, pick them up. You’ll see.

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Review: The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

~ megs14malloy

The Dead RomanticsThe Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Florence Day, a ghostwriter for a prolific romance author, has a deadline looming over her like a storm cloud.

Unfortunately, after a break-up that left her heart shattered, Florence no longer believes in love. It’s hard for her to write what she doesn’t believe.

When her new editor, the tall and handsome Benji Andor, refuses to give her the extension she needs to wrap up her latest novel, Florence’s back is against a wall. She needs to finish this book. She cannot fail.

But just when Florence thinks things are at rock bottom, they get so much worse. After Florence receives a late night phone call from her mother, her entire world grinds to a halt. Her beloved father has passed away.

She needs to get to her small South Carolina hometown as soon as possible. It’s the first time in a decade that Florence has been back to Mairmont and as far as she can tell, not much has changed.

Her mother, brother and sister are there and the family funeral parlor is still running like a well-oiled machine. The only thing missing is her father’s presence. It’s a loss Florence feels through her entire being.

Florence and her father shared a very special gift: they see ghosts. This isn’t something Florence necessarily wants, it actually ruined her teenaged years, but she’s made a certain peace with it.

But when she sees a ghost waiting for her on the steps of the funeral home, she’s shocked and he seems equally confused to be there.

There must be unfinished business between them, something she can help him with. The more they get to know one another, the more Florence’s feelings towards love begin to change.

Y’all, The Dead Romantics took me completely by surprise. I put off reading this for a few months, because I just wasn’t sure I would be in the mood for this ‘type’ of story.

I was so wrong. I would always be in the mood for this type of story, because it’s Ashley Poston that gets me every time. I just absolutely adore her characters, writing style and smart, sarcastic sense of humor.

It’s like she sees me, and I see her too.

I cannot express enough how much I loved everything about this book. From the very start, I felt attached to Florence and getting to go on her journey with her, I felt it.

At times it was like a gut-punch, at other times it was like being tickled by butterfly wings, but I was with her every step of the way.

While there is romance in this story, to me, that aspect wasn’t the shining star. To me, the thing that stood out the most was Florence’s path of self-discovery and her relationships with her family members and her past.

I loved the exploration of love and the many facets where love can be found in the world around us. Love isn’t just mutual attraction and sex with a partner, it’s so much more than that, surrounding us from the first day we make an appearance on this earth, and following us long after.

I went on a roller coaster ride with The Dead Romantics. It was a ride I never wanted to end, but I was left with such a sense of hope at the conclusion.

Ashley Poston, you have absolutely filled my heart. This is a special story, one that will stay in my heart for a long time to come. My ghost-loving heart sings!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Poston knocked this out of the park, to the moon and back!

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Review: The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill

~ megs14malloy

The Stars Between UsThe Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vika Hale lives on a struggling planet with her parents and little sister. She works as a barmaid even though she doesn’t necessarily need to.

You see, there’s a secret-side to Vika’s life, a mysterious benefactor who has been watching her since she was a child and providing in certain ways for her and her sister.

As she nears adulthood, Vika suddenly gets summoned to the wealthy nearby planet of Ploutos. It’s requested she attend the reading of the will of her benefactor, who as it turns out was a billionaire.

Lucky Miss Vika is included in his will. We love an inheritance story!

It’s at the reading of the will that Vika first learns that she had been hand-picked by the dead billionaire to marry his son, Leo Chapin, the largest beneficiary of the will. I can hear the wedding bells now!

But then in an incredibly ill-timed twist of fate, Leo Chapin is killed in a spaceship explosion, cause unknown. Can you even believe that terrible luck?

Vika is allowed to stay on Ploutos thanks to the kindness of Leo’s one-time caregivers. They have been loyal employees to the Chapin family for years and now it seems their loyalty has paid off. They’ve inherited a huge sum of money.

Mira and Hal, the couple in question, take Vika in, provide her with a healthy allowance and allow her to ingratiate herself into the upper echelons of Ploutos society.

Perhaps she can find a suitable ((read: rich)) husband, thus ensuring that her family will continue to be cared for. With a little sparkle and glamour, she’s sure she’ll be able to do it.

There are still questions surrounding Leo’s death though, especially after another ship carrying Chapin heirs is attacked. Vika vows to get to the bottom of it.

This book was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed Terrill’s writing and like the world she created here. I found the tone of the novel especially interesting.

I read in another review that this felt like a retelling, original source material unspecified, and I absolutely agree with that. It does feel like a retelling. It carries similar themes to a lot of Victorian literature. I was personally channeling a bit of futuristic Great Expectations, or Vanity Fair vibes.

The whole idea of a have-not plucked from their dire existence and place into the sphere of the wealthiest families in their society; that entire dynamic is fascinating and watching Vika navigate it, the choices she made and the motivations behind her choices, I found to be completely engaging.

This novel is told as a dual-POV. You mainly follow Vika, but you also get the perspective of Sky Foster, a rather mysterious young man who she met just prior to leaving her home planet. He actually is a lodger at her parent’s home.

Sky does work on Ploutos though, for Hal, the man who has taken Vika in. The pair have a relationship fraught with tension, but when Vika fears her life may be in danger by whoever is coming after the Chapin heirs, she turns to Sky for help.

I really liked the relationship between Vika and Sky. Make no mistake, Vika is not a perfect character. She struggles with making choices that feel right to her.

After moving to Ploutos, she sort of cuts herself off from her family. She feels like she is doing things for them, but to them, it doesn’t seem that way. It’s a really tough position for her to be in.

I felt for her, I really did. Some may see her as selfish, but I felt like she was doing the best she could. She’s young, torn between two worlds, trying to figure out what would be best for her future. There were a lot of people willing to take advantage of her, but she had to learn how to be cunning enough to prevent that from happening.

It’s all a game. It’s chess pieces moving around a board. Eat or be eaten; extremely engaging content.

With this being said, I’m not sure how long this one will stay in my memory, but I’m happy for the time I spent with this story. I loved the futuristic world with the classic themes woven throughout.

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I am definitely interested in reading more from Cristin Terrill!!

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Review: By the Book (Meant to Be #2) by Jasmine Guillory

~ megs14malloy

By the Book (Meant to Be, #2)By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

By the Book is the second novel in the Meant to Be series. This is a series of Adult Romance companion novels that are modern re-imaginings of well-loved fairy tales.

Each book is written by a different author and features its own cast of unique characters. These books do not need to be read in order.

With that minor bit of business out of the way, let’s get into this story, shall we?

By the Book is Jasmine Guillory’s modern-take on the classic Beauty and the Beast; think the Disney version. We follow 25-year old, Isabelle, who is just starting her career in the publishing industry.

Her first job out of college is as an editorial assistant at Tale as Old as Time publishing house. Isabelle, Izzy to her friends, is a charmingly-enthusiastic young woman who cannot wait to prove herself and move up the corporate ladder.

Unfortunately, achieving the success she dreams of is slow going; very slow going. Meanwhile, she’s still living with her parents, commuting into the city and struggling to get her boss, Marta, to notice her.

When Izzy overhears Marta complaining about a young male celebrity, Beau Towers, who has failed to turn in a manuscript for his long-awaited memoir, Izzy sees it as an opportunity to get within Marta’s good graces.

As luck would have it, she will soon be attending a work convention in California and the author in question happens to live in that state, in Santa Barbara. She hatches a plan and volunteers her services to Marta.

All she has to do is go to Beau’s house, figure out what the deal is with his memoir and aide him in any way possible in order to get him to turn it in.

Due to some very personal issues, Beau has been locked away in his Santa Barbara mansion for the last year, seeing no one but a few personal staff members.

Izzy has a tough nut to crack, but she’s determined. This could be sink or swim for her career. She makes her way into his home and eventually into his head and his heart.

By the Book was so cute. I really enjoyed this and am very happy that I made time for it right now.

This was exactly the ray of sunshine I needed as a palate cleanser between all my super dark recent reads. Thank you, Ms. Guillory! You have filled my heart.

I really enjoyed both Izzy and Beau as characters. I especially enjoyed the scenes where Izzy was coaching him through his writing. I thought that was so well done and a great, realistic way for them to form a bond quickly.

I also loved the set-up of her getting to stay at his Santa Barbara mansion while she is helping him. It was so fun. Izzy, an East Coast girl, was a little out of her element, but she adapted easily and actually was happy for the escape.

As always I appreciated how well-fleshed out these characters were. I always love how Guillory includes real-life struggles for her characters to work through. Even the characters who seem to have it all also have personal challenges.

Both Izzy and Beau were working through issues and watching them move through that and grow together was immensely satisfying. Even though this wasn’t as steamy as some of her prior works, in my opinion the level of romance fit this story perfectly.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Hyperion Avenue, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was such a delight.

I’m such a Jasmine Guillory fangirl and look forward to her future works!

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Review: Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon

~ megs14malloy

Weather GirlWeather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ari Abrams has been fascinated by the weather for as long as she can remember. She grew up in Seattle watching Torrance Hale, the local meteorologist, and idolizing her the way other kids idolize sports stars or other celebrities.

As an adult, Ari is so close to achieving all her dreams. Torrance Hale is now her boss and while Ari loves her job, she wishes she were allocated more responsibility and more challenging stories.

Half the problem is that Torrance is too distracted by her turbulent relationship with her ex-husband, Seth, the station’s news director. It seems most days she barely notices Ari at all.

Ari is growing increasingly frustrated and finds someone to confide in at the office. Russell Barringer, a sports reporter, is also frustrated with the toxic atmosphere at the station created by Torrance and Seth’s constant fighting.

In the aftermath of a calamitous office Christmas party, Ari and Russ come up with a plan to get Torrance and Seth back together. The Parent Trap is referenced, so you get the deal.

From that point on, Ari and Russ spend progressively more time together as they plot and scheme to get the ex-couple reunited.

Weather Girl is really touching. Much like the weather, this story has both dark and light aspects. I enjoyed all the characters so much and it felt particularly good watching Ari and Russ open up to one another.

Rachel Lynn Solomon is such a gifted writer. I will continue to pick up every single thing she ever offers; YA or Adult, it doesn’t matter, it’s all incredible.

I know a lot of people have mentioned in their reviews that this one wasn’t as light-hearted as they were expecting and that may have decreased their enjoyment level a bit.

Ari does suffer from depression and works through a lot of issues relating to that. I thought it was handled really well though. One thing I always enjoy about RLS’s work is her inclusion of mental health issues.

I feel like having her characters mentally working through those types of things makes them more believable and relatable. I can understand how some Readers may not want so much of it included in a book they are expecting to be a light Rom-Com though.

For me, I found Ari to be extremely realistic. She recently went through a break-up from a long-term relationship and is still processing that dissolution.

Ari’s mother also has battled depression for decades and wasn’t always there for her children. As you can imagine, that has had a lot of impact on Ari’s life.

Russell has his own insecurities that he is working through. I enjoyed learning about his life. Russ isn’t your stereotypical leading man and I loved him all the more for it.

The banter between the two, in RLS’s signature style, is witty and engaging. I was rooting for the two of them from the start. They had such a sweet dynamic.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. The mix of serious and fun was compelling, thought-provoking and heart-warming. While this isn’t my favorite of Solomon’s work, it’s still wonderfully done.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to Solomon’s next release!!

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Review: Below Zero (The STEMinist Novella #3) by Ali Hazelwood

~ megs14malloy

Below Zero (The STEMinist Novellas, #3)Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Below Zero is the second of the STEMinist Novellas from Miss Ali Hazelwood that I have read.

Being aware that this is technically the third in the series, it interested me the most, so I was super pumped when my audiobook hold came through from my local library. I couldn’t put it off. I had to dive in right away!

Throughout this trilogy we follow the stories of a trio of girlfriends: Mara, Sadie and Hannah. This is Hannah’s story.

Out of the three, Hannah has the most difficulty letting people in. She is fairly guarded by nature and even found it uncomfortable at first getting close with Mara and Sadie. She has her reasons.

Fresh out of graduate school Hannah finds herself new in her career as a NASA aerospace engineer. Some may say she got there via some helpful tips from a man named, Ian, but she would never say that. He’s irrelevant.

Although if we’re being honest, Ian is never far from her mind. Ian is her rival, her nemesis and the man who haunts her most lurid dreams.

When Hannah finds herself on the brink of disaster, injured and stranded at an Arctic research station, Ian is the one who risks everything to save her. Hannah’s so confused. Why would he do this?

He legitimately tried to stop her research and sabotage her career. What could be his motivations now and why does her stomach feel so queasy anytime he’s around?

This novella bounces around a little as the different stages of Hannah and Ian’s relationship is pieced together. I enjoyed it so much. Watching the blanks be filled in and their connection grow.

I related a lot to Hannah. I found her to be such a convincing main. I liked that she was the type of person who didn’t let people in easily. It made you really recognize how special those people she has chosen to be in her life are.

This had some steamy scenes. In the novellas there aren’t a ton, it’s only 124-pages, so obviously there’s not going to be that much. However, what is there is top notch stuff.

Hazelwood can get your motor running, that’s for sure.

I’m really looking forward to getting to the final novella, Stuck on You, soon. I’m sure it won’t disappoint!

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Review: Under One Roof (STEMist Novellas #1) by Ali Hazelwood

~ megs14malloy

Under One Roof (The STEMinist Novellas, #1)Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Perfection in 112-pages!!!

Ali Hazelwood taught me something last year. A very important something. If you’ve read The Love Hypothesis, you may know exactly what I am talking about.

Essentially, Hazelwood taught me that steamy STEM romances are definitely something I am into!

Luckily for me and others like me, while patiently awaiting Hazelwood’s 2022-full length release Love on the Brain, there are three all new STEM novellas to enjoy.

Under One Roof is technically the first of these novellas, but after reading this one, I would say that they can really be read in any order.

In this one we follow Mara, an environmental engineer, who moves to D.C. post-graduate school after inheriting half of a house from her academic mentor.

The other half of the house is owned by said mentor’s extremely dreamy nephew Liam, who just so happens to be an attorney for big-oil.

Liam expresses from the start, with all the swagger he can muster, that he is not down for a random roommate.

Unfortunately for him, Mara is not taking no for an answer. She really doesn’t have the option to say no with her new job in D.C. starting soon and she literally hasn’t the money to find another place. Plus, she has just as much legal right to the premises as he does.

After they move in together, anger and annoyance eventually leads to sparks. You know the drill.

Y’all, how did Hazelwood make me feel so invested in only 112-pages?! Seriously, how?!

I did listen to the audiobook for this one and the narration was straight-up fabulous. Loved, loved, loved. I cannot wait to get to the other two novellas!!

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