Stealing Our Hearts

Are you shocked? Another 5 star review of a Tessa Bailey book. This insanely talented woman can do no wrong. I’m not lying. Every single book I read that was written by her is absolute gold. I found a paperback version of this book for sale at a discount bookstore and immediately had to buy it because…truthfully…I think I might need to own every book Tessa Bailey has ever written. Is that crazy? Naaa. 

So I used to listen to the podcast Read Me Romance when Tessa and the two writers who make up author Alexa Riley were all on it. I haven’t listened to it in a while, but I think Tessa may have either taken a break or left. Regardless, the last two books in this series were read for listeners on Read Me Romance and when I tell you they are not safe to listen to while working in an office, I am NOT exaggerating. Those two novellas or shorter stories were my very taste of the magnificent Tessa Bailey. I am a devoted and very loyal reader now. This book follows Addison, a sexy, spunky, independent woman and her love interest Elijah, a dashing, delicious, army captain who also happens to be her cousin’s fiancé. Her cousin Naomi gets her own book in this series because she leaves Elijah at the altar and Addison shows up in her car and serves as his getaway driver in a way. 

The chemistry between these two is INSANE. I was sweating. SWEATING while reading this book. Hot hot hot! Elijah is running for Mayor but being jilted at the altar has just made him front page news in a bad way, so he needs a place to lay low for a bit. Addison agrees to let him move into her grandmother’s old apartment with her but get this – the place is filled to the brim with Christmas decor because her grandmother ran a holiday decor booth at the daily market in town! Addison feels called to continue her grandmother’s business and Elijah finds peace in being treated “normal” by Addison. They begin an unlikely friendship steeped in a LOT of sexual tension, but never cross the line until…he wins the election. 3…2…1…TAKE OFF! Holy moly. The sex scenes catapult from there and we get a little taste of almost everything you could want. Also, pegging. I love a good pegging scene and you are hard pressed to find one in a heteronormative romance. Bravo, Tessa! 5 stars all around for a freaking perfect book. I love you, Tessa Bailey!!!!!!!

This was the first book that I ever pre-ordered on Amazon. But Rachel, how can you have read so many books in the past few years and never pre-ordered a book before? Well let me tell ya. LOL. I never trusted an author enough to spend money on a book that I hadn’t read or seen reviews for…until J.B. Salsbury. Guys, I think this author is officially an auto-buy for me. I say that with my fingers crossed though, because I have yet to read anything written by her outside of the North Brothers series. Sooooo don’t hold me to it. Regardless, this book was f*cking phenomenal and I am SO glad I pre-ordered it. I’m not glad that I waited so long to read it after it came out though lol but there’s only so much I can control aaaaand my book edging habits are not one of them. 

This book follows Hudson and Lillian. Hudson’s twin brother, Hayes, is Lillian’s boss and he’s a total douche-canoe. Lillian has severe ADHD and Hayes doesn’t have the patience for it. At an office holiday party, shit hits the fan and Lillian accidentally ends up punching Hudson thinking he’s Hayes and curiosity is sparked. Hudson is famous for being unable to resist helping out damsels in distress and that’s exactly what Lillian is, in his eyes. These two are combustable. The chemistry and fire between them is delicious. But the thing I love most about them? THE COMMUNICATION! Because of Lillian’s ADHD, she is a straight shooter. She says exactly what she thinks all of the time and it forces Hudson to be open and honest with her at every turn. There is no third act conflict, there is no OW drama or unnecessary miscommunication trope, there is simply two people growing together in a relationship. It was SO BEAUTIFUL I wanted to cry. I absolutely adored this book and it broke my heart reading J.B.’s note at the end about how this “might not be her best work”. I can say, with sincerity, that if you read this novel, you will love it. 

Hudson, for me, was the ultimate book boyfriend. He was kind and attentive. He tried to resist Lillian because of the working relationship, but very quickly realized that he could not deny the feelings and pull between them. He also was aware enough of himself to know that he has a weakness for wanting to help women and Lillian doesn’t need handouts, she just needs his supportive words. She never had anyone root for her, and he does exactly that. At every turn. *my eyes are tearing up again* These two were so perfect and I freaking loved their story so much. I cannot WAIT to read Hayes’ book. I’ve despised his character for the last three novels, but i know his story is going to knock me on my ass. If anything, I’m looking forward to it even more now with that big bomb that was dropped at the end of this book! YES!! Give me more!! Bravo again to our brilliant author. I cannot wait to dive into her backlist. 5 stars for this wonderful read!! ❤ 

Here’s a quote from Hudson to get you through the day *kisses*:

“He cups my jaw and looks down at me with an expression that is much more Hayes than Hudson. ‘You are more magnificent than every sunrise and sunset combined.’ His thumb passes along my cheek. ‘You’re brilliant, creative, fun as hell, and stunning beyond any beauty described in the human language.’” 

SWOON!! AM I RIGHT OR AM I RIGHT??! *sigh*

“I didn’t just wait my entire life for you, Atlas. I saved all my kisses and compliments. I swallowed every promise. I guarded my loyalty…for you. I kept my heart as hard as stone so that when the day came I found the woman I couldn’t hold any of that back for, I’d know without a doubt that I’d found the one.”

I absolutely loved this book!! B.B. Reid hasn’t released a book in over a year and she’s back with a BANG. This story brings so much to the table. It’s dark, gritty, sexy, and suspenseful. There’s drama, sexual tension, and tons of fights. I ate it up! If you’re looking for something different with fantastic POC representation and out of this world intimacy scenes, this is the book for you.

We meet our heroine Atlas, when she arrives in a small-town after leaving her old life behind. Her father died and her relationship with her mother withered away. She received a very cryptic letter telling her to find the “Pride of Kings” and uncover something that she’s somehow connected to. Little does she know that she will fall in love along the way. Our hero Rowdy is…in plain words…TOXIC beyond belief. LOL. This man is the epitome of a morally grey antihero, but I love him so much. The moment he sees Atlas, it’s over for him. Their relationship goes through some insane ups and downs, but by the end of this book I was rooting for this couple SO hard.  Age gap is my favorite trope that these two being sixteen years apart was everything I wanted. Our author also threw some Daddy kink into the wildly delicious s*x scenes and I was absolutely blown away. This one was definitely riding the upper end of my spicy scale! 

There is a rather huge plot twist towards the end of this novel that could potentially be triggering for some people, so please make sure you check all trigger warnings before diving into this book! This highly anticipated novel was everything I dreamed it would be. B.B. Reid has outdone herself with this story. I fell in love with the characters and this world and I can only hope that she might one day write a book for Golden (pleeeeease). Bravo, B.B. Reid! 

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

I honestly cannot tell you the last time I read a plain fiction book. As you know, if you’ve been reading my blog or if you follow my account on Instagram, I am a romance reader (which I know is within the fiction genre). I do not ever stray from pure romance because it’s where I’m comfortable and what I enjoy. I would never degrade someone for choosing any genre of book to read, and I appreciate that I haven’t experienced the level of sarcasm or disrespect that some women do when they carry romance books around. THAT BEING SAID, I stepped out of my comfort zone for this one. The movie adaptation of this book is coming out in theaters this Friday, July 15th (2022), and I wanted to have read the book prior to seeing the movie. I’m one of those people who cannot read a book for the first time after they’ve seen a movie version of it. Anyway, so I read it. I did it. And I have a lot of mixed emotions.

So this book ends tragically. In fact the entire novel is a tragedy in my opinion. I don’t care what other people say and I don’t even care if that’s a spoiler. It does not have a happy ending. I probably should have know by the tone of the entire novel, but it still left me feeling like a live wire.  We meet our heroine, Kya, when she is six or seven. She is abandoned by her mother and left in a home with four (maybe?) older siblings and her abusive, alcoholic father. Eventually every single siblings leaves her behind as well and at the whopping age of seven or eight she has to figure out how to basically take care of herself because her father is a worthless piece of trash. Then she meets Tate. A sweet, adorable older boy who lives semi-close to her and used to be friends with her older brother. He starts caring for her and he teaches her to read and write and they fall in love. When he’s eighteen he goes to college and deserts her.

That’s basically the theme of this entire book. People always leave. If you’re a One Tree Hill fan, you’ll remember Payton Sawyer’s angsty phase where she painted a picture of a red stop light and wrote that exact line on there. *Sigh* I realize this book is supposed to be impactful and a beautiful coming-of-age story, but it’s just so heartbreakingly sad. Woven throughout the timeline of Kya growing up, there is a present day plot happening about the death of a man in town. We find out that after Tate leaves for college, Kya starts a new romance with this man, Chase. Lots of things happen. It’s sad. It’s frustrating. And then the author allows you to hope for one brief moment that we might get some relief in a happily ever after. Do we? NOPE. Sorry. She rips the rug out from under you just to leave you, the reader, gasping for air from that unplanned impact. 

Was there anything remotely wrong with this book? Not really. There are a lot of triggers. Keep in mind that it’s set in the 50s and 60s so there is racism on top of everything else. Was it eloquently written? Absolutely. The prose were stunning. I didn’t really want to spend fifty pages listening to a murder trial, but to each his own. I gave this book 4.5 stars. I finished in about 6 hours because I couldn’t put it down. Did I enjoy myself? Most definitely not. That’s why I deducted a half star. I don’t enjoy tragedies. I wanted Tate and Kya to get their happily ever after. They didn’t. I don’t really care what other people think, because I’m sure some of you probably think they did. Unfortunately, my brain just doesn’t agree lol. I look forward to seeing the movie adaptation! 

Heads up on this one, friends – BIG OL’ CLIFFY at the end of this bad boy! I need the next book RIGHT NOW!!! This book gave me grown up Twilight vibes. I really really enjoyed it. Our heroine, Jane is a plus size barista who works nights in New York City (I think). She is sleep-walking her way through life when a new neighbor moves in next door to her in her apartment complex. He is mysterious and sexy and Jane can’t stop thinking about him. I was fascinated by Samuel’s past and the vampire culture in this world. He is immediately taken with Jane. There’s just something about her that draws him in. It has reawakened him in and makes him feel extremely possessive and protective. 

I loved the chemistry between the hero and heroine and how quickly things really started moving in this story. I hope we get to learn more about both Samuel and Jane’s pasts in future books because they both have really interesting backstories from what this book revealed. I also adored Sam’s ‘brothers’ Francis and Matthew. These men were intriguing and I am holding out hope that we might get books for them as well! This story followed a pretty predictable formula, but it didn’t take away from the richness of the plot or the appeal of the characters. If you love paranormal vampire romance novels, this book will DEFINITELY tickle your fancy. Passion, mystery, intrigue, and a sprinkle of blood play? Sign me up!! Grab this one asap, ladies. It’s a story you won’t want to miss!!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

“You’re my inevitable, Charlie.”

My heart is so full. This book was like sunshine after a year of rain. I am so happy that Ella Maise is an author. Honestly, I would read absolutely anything she writes. This story was exactly as wonderful and sweet as I hoped it would be. We get an office romance mixed with a theme of serendipity and it’s perfect. Throughout this novel, our couple continues to run into each other like fate has stepped in. Their chemistry is undeniable and ardent. I will forever hold Charlie and William in my heart.

When we first meet our heroine Charlie, right off the bat the reader learns that she is special in so many ways. She’s thoughtful, funny, and people are drawn to her. She works at her father’s crisis management company and excels at her job. When a new partner is hired, Charlie is mortified to learn that he is the same man she met years ago and has never forgotten about. It’s clear to her that he doesn’t remember their time together, so she goes about avoiding him in the most hilarious of ways. As Charlie and William work together, they find that they cannot resist one another. This romance is a delicious slow burn that pulls at your heart strings. I adored the way Charlie and William communicated, and watching the yearning and need build up to an explosive first kiss was the highlight of the book for me.

I need to put it out there – the first kiss scene between Charlie and William was THE BEST first kiss scene I have ever read. I loved it so much that I re-read it and then went back and read it again after I finished the book. Ella Maise knows how to write passion. WOW. Bravo. And their first intimacy scene? Goodbye. I died and went to heaven. This book was such a treat. I did end up taking half a star off because I didn’t love the third act breakup. That one part of the book felt a little disjointed but of course the ending made up for it all. I cried so much in the last third of this book, I’m glad I was reading on my kindle and not a paperback copy! This story will absolutely be a favorite for the month of May, if not the entire year. I can’t wait to see what Ella Maise writes next! Bravo!! 4.5 stars

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wowza. This was my first full length Tessa Bailey book and it looks like I might have to buy her entire backlist now. Sorry not sorry. This book was phenomenal. I’m a huge sucker for the grumpy/sunshine trope and this one delivers TEN FOLD. You definitely get some Mariana Zapata vibes with our hero, Brendan. He’s kind of mean to the heroine when he first meets her. He’s surly and prefers things a certain way, but he also goes out of his way to help Piper out without admitting to it. I mean…rekeying her place for her randomly? YES PLEASE. I swooned so hard. I loved the dynamic between our hero and heroine. Piper and Brendan have insane chemistry but they are both very stubborn and don’t back down when the other tries to intimidate them. They are explosive when they finally get together.

Listen, we have to talk about Tessa Bailey’s dirty talk. Like whaaaat?? Where does this incredible woman dream up exactly what we all want to hear. Holy crap. It’s so hot. I haven’t read dirty talk like that in…well maybe ever? Keep it coming, please, Tessa! Big fan!

One last quick thing in this “mini” review: Piper was written based off of Alexis Rose from Schitt’s Creek. I’m sure everyone knows this bit of info by now, but it gave this story another layer for me as the reader. I love Schitt’s Creek and the character of Alexis. I was deeply heartbroken by the ending she got in the tv show. This book re-awakened my love for the Rose family and my obsession with that show (even though it literally has nothing to do with it). I see so much of Alexis in Piper but Piper is somehow even more. She’s richer and deeper and her character arc made me tear up. In that same vein, Brendan is also incredibly complex. I have never liked the widow/widower trope, but I was able to see past it with Brendan. This was a beautiful story of second chances and true love and I cannot wait to read Hannah’s book next!! 5 stars!

“I’m not too late?” she cries. “Baby.” I pull her wet hair back and stare into the eyes that haunt my dreams every night. “You could never be too late. You told me I was yours when we were seventeen. I’m still yours. I’ll always be yours.”

Wow. Wow wow wow. I am exhausted. This book was a JOURNEY. A very long, insane, painful, yet passionate and fascinating trek. I feel like my heart has been put through the wringer. Talk about angst GALORE! I can’t tell you the last time I read a book with this much heart-wrenching trauma and pain. This book will really take it out of you. Bring tissues!

In this novel, we witness the ups and downs of a gut-wrenching second chance romance between Bianca and Madden. They first meet when they are in high school but due to circumstances outside of their control, they can’t be together. Thus begins a star-crossed, forbidden romance that will simultaneously keep you flipping pages as fast as you can while also wanting to rip your hair out. There is only so much I can include in this review to avoid spoilers, but this book has a ton of twists. Our author did a masterful job of writing a riveting storyline with unpredictable characters. I truthfully wasn’t sure where we were headed at any point during this book. Our story is told in both the past and present tense, each chapter switching back and forth. It was seamless! I never felt lost and the bits of past fit perfectly in with what we needed to know for the present. It was brilliantly executed!

I can’t forget to mention our cast of characters. Our hero Madden/Kodiak was definitely my favorite. My heart bled for him and his tortured past. This man deserves the world. Our heroine Bianca was an even more complex character, but just as easy to love. Both of these people experienced immense trauma in their lives yet they still found solace and safety in each other. Their romance was a beautiful thing to read and A. Zavarelli did a fantastic job with this couple! 4.5 stars!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“We are brilliant, baby. You and I, we shine. You make me want to be better, for you.”

This book was such an enjoyable read! A 13 year age gap romance between a grumpy, reclusive musician and the fiery journalist sent to his compound to interview him? Say no more! I was hooked from the very first page. I have not had the opportunity to read the book that preludes this one where our hero Dane is first introduced, but I felt like this novel stood on it’s own perfectly. It can 100% be read as a standalone with no issues. 

Our hero, Dane is a famous country music star. He’s been in the industry for twenty years and is known as a very private, reclusive celebrity. We find out that he has a very traumatic and heartbreaking past, and is still suffering from those wounds in the present day. He is a single dad and his daughter, Shiloh is a senior in high school, about to graduate and go off to college. She is a big part of the reason he agrees to an interview for a big exposé about his life. This is where we meet our heroine, Margot. She is the journalist who comes to Texas to interview him. Margot has just suffered her own horrible trauma and is still trying to heal from the pain. Both of our characters are broken and a little lost, and it feels almost fated when they meet. The chemistry between them is explosive from the first time they lay eyes on each other. They are both pulled to the other in a way that they can’t understand. The journey these characters go on to heal themselves and to achieve their happily ever after was so beautiful to read. There are some heart-wrenching moments in this book, but the pain is well worth it in the end.

As a native Austinite, this book struck an even deeper cord for me. Dane lives in a compound on 30 acres of land in the hill country in Austin, Texas with his daughter Shiloh and his best friend and manager Brady. It was so much fun to read about all of the places that I grew up seeing and visiting. The town has exploded in the last twenty years and that growth has been both a blessing and a curse for our city (looking at you I35). I found myself giggling when Margot comments on the Texas heat in April and how she fears all of her shirts will have pit stains by the end of the trip. I loved the mentions of Zilker and Rainey Street. It was an all-around fun experience to read a book that was so close to home. Bravo Carrie! 

I was gifted this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It just…happened. Because that’s what love does. It happens. It sneaks up on you, and then it burrows. It festers in your blood. And once it’s in your blood, you can’t just flush it out. It’s a part of you now. Trying to get rid of it would be like cutting off a limb, or carving your heart right out of your chest.

Where to even begin with this review? This book was a heart attack. I thought my heart was going to explode on more than one occasion while reading Brant and June’s story. The angst level is very high with this one, so make sure you know that going in. I always have to be careful when I dive into taboo books because the stakes are always SO MUCH HIGHER. I knew where we were headed from the second chapter of this book, but I had zero clue how we would get there without massive pain. Welp…we didn’t. Prepare for massive pain lol. But also remember that this is a romance. Our couple does get their HEA at the end and it’s brilliant. 

I honestly loved every second of this book. When we first meet Brant, and he experiences significant trauma, I knew my heart would be on his side for the entire book. Our author does a fantastic job of drawing the line with Brant. He struggles but he’s never the bad guy. His intentions are never foul and he always wants what’s best for everyone around him. He’s such a GOOD guy. He’s six when he is orphaned and is adopted by his next door neighbors. Their son is his best friend, Theo. Theo and Brant are brothers in spirit throughout their entire lives. But Theo has a little sister named June. June was born the night that Brant’s parents died. Brant and June have a connection unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Their love grows as they age. Although it could be easy to fall into gross territory with Brant being six years older than June and obviously hitting puberty much earlier than she does, that does NOT happen. I loved the slow burn relationship between the two. I loved that Brant fell in love with her but never showed his true intentions. He never forced anything on her. He treated her with the love and respect he always had, and let June decide for herself that she was falling for him. It was the most genuine taboo relationship I’ve ever seen written and I was living for every second of it.

Of course there are the normal things you see as a reader when you are into taboo romances. The sex is scorching (yaaas) and there are issues with people not supporting the couple. But what I appreciated most of all was that the third act conflict didn’t feel like a copy and paste. It was 100% predictable but I wasn’t distracted by that predictability. It was written in a way that almost shined a different light on the situation. I loved it! This book was a breath of fresh air. I’ve been in a massive book slump for weeks and haven’t been able to sit down and feel fully captivated by a book until now. So thankful for this tale and for Jennifer Hartmann who always pulls through for me! Bravo!! 5 stars!

“There is no sense in love,” I counter, swiping away more tears. “It’s a senseless thing.”