Evangeline has to save Apollo from a curse. Jacks says he‘ll help if she helps him open the Valory arch. In order to do that, they have to collect 3 stones. Will she be able to save Apollo? Will their attraction for each other increases while on their journey?

Hot take: I didn‘t really enjoy this one. Evangeline & Jacks were annoying throughout the whole book that I found it boring. I don‘t feel a need to read the last one.

Liv‘s dad, who ran away to Greece, asks her to help him w/ his Atlantis documentary. When she gets there, she meets Theo, her father‘s charming “prod g”/assistant. Will she ever understand her dad? Will all the alone time w/ Theo led to something?

This one was cute. It was just a little slow & long for me. I also wanted a little more romance. It was interesting learning more about theories on Atlantis tho

Gwyn‘s successfully running her witchcraft shop, when Llywellyn “Wells” come to reclaim the town his family used to run by opening his own witchcraft shop across the street from Gwyn‘s. They can‘t seem to stay away from each other. A new coven causing trouble causes them to work together.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This one was better than the 1st one. There was more banter, romance, & spice. It was just a little slow for me.

Daphne‘s fiancé left her for his childhood best friend, Petra. Daphne‘s new roommate ends up being Petra‘s ex-boyfriend. They devise a plan to make it look like they‘re dating through social media. What happens when the feeling start to feel real?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is my favorite Emily Henry so far. I was cute, funny, & a great balance of spice & story.

#romancebooks

Nick & Charlie have said the 3 words “I love you” to each other. Charlie‘s out of rehab & wants to take their relationship to the next level. Will he have the confidence? Nick‘s scouting universities, which one will he choose?

Like all the others, I loved this one. It was cute & funny. I also liked that they didn‘t have Charlie be completely cured of his eating disorder; it was realistic.

Inspired by her favorite film “When in Rome,” Pop Princess Amelia runs away to a small town where she meets grumpy baker Noah. As much as Noah tries to stay away from her, he can‘t help but be near her. Will Amelia go back to her old life?

This one was cute. I just didn‘t like the slow-burn, even though I know in this one it was necessary. This one was actually necessary, but I wanted a little more spice. I did like the ending.

Evangeline tries to stop the person she loves‘ wedding, so she asks Fate Prince of Hearts, Jacks, for help. Her plan backfires. She travels to another city where she runs into Jacks. He tells her to marry Prince Apollo, but after they do, he‘s poisoned. Who poisoned him? What will she also discover?

I liked this one a little better than the Caraval series. The writing is a little better & there‘s more magic. I wanted a little more romance though.

A retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Cade‘s a priest who comes to Festivalé for cleansing. There he meets Amaya, whose dancer name is Esmeralda. Cade feels he has a monster within him that he feels Amaya brings out of him. When trouble finds Amaya, will Cade save her or kill her too?

I didn‘t like this one. It was too weird & awkward for me. I didn‘t like either of the characters & they didn‘t have any character arcs.

Darcy finds books as a way to escape the mess of her mom‘s hoarding habit. She kept people at bay until Asher walks into the bookstore she works at. He seems to have a mess of his own to figure out. Will they accept the mess in each other‘s life?

I DNFed this book half way through. It was too slow for me and there was little to no romance between the characters. I wanted at least more banter.

A retelling of Aladdin. Yasmine‘s forced to marry before her father dies. She already loves a servant, but her father‘s assistant wants to keep the power he has, so he‘ll have to marry the girl he detests. What happens when their hate turns into something else?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This one was a good retelling. I‘m not an Aladdin fan, but I liked the enemies to lovers aspect. I just got annoyed by the FMC & I wanted a tiny more spice.

#darkromance

Frankie‘s the head of Ren‘s hockey team‘s social media. So, asking her out is out of the question. That‘s until she considers leaving for another job. Will he be able to tell her out he feels?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This one was so cute. There were some funny parts. I also liked the disability diversity. There could‘ve been a little more spice.

#romancebooks

The Bayview crew‘s back for the summer, trying to get back to normal after everything the last 2 yrs. But is it ever normal? They get shaken up when one of them goes missing. But someone else also returns.

This was a good mystery. Kept second guessing myself throughout it. Addie & her sister kept getting on my nerves though. It was a good ending to the series.

Sawyer‘s running away from a crime she committed. She uses Enzo to get her out of dodge, but the boat gets caught in a storm. They crash at a lighthouse, & are forced to stay there w/ a creep lighthouse keeper. How will tbe proximity affect them? What is the keeper hiding? What will happen after they‘re rescued?

I was disappointed by this book. It had way too much spice (even for me) that there was no character development & barely any plot

A bar fight lands Alex on the tabloids, so Lauren‘s hired to keep him in check. What will happen when they start to spend a lot of alone time together & get to know each other?

I liked this one a little more than the 1st one. It had a bit more funny scenes & good banter. I liked the mfc, just not the mmc so much. I liked the diversity in plus size character & they didn‘t focus on her weight. I wanted just a little more spice.

Brenna‘s the coach‘s daughter, which means she definitely shouldn‘t be attracted to, let alone date, the rival‘s captain, Jake. They fake date for an internship Brenna wants at a sports news station. How will her dad react when he finds out? Will she get the internship?

5⭐️ I really enjoyed this one. It‘s my fav of the series. It was funny & cute, but still had a good amount of spice. I liked both the MCs. Definitely recommend!

#romancebooks

The Celestials Heirs tried to break Tori & Darcy, but they only made them determined. The girls decide to fight back in their own sly ways. Will the Nymphs finally make their attack? Do they get any closer to discovering what they are?

I liked this one a tiny bit better than the 1st one. The girls are a little smarter, learn to ask for help more. A little actual spice. I just mainly liked that they fought back even if it was the slightest.

A reimagining of Wizard Of Oz. Evelina‘s trying to find her sister‘s killer as she works as her father‘s secret weapon. She has a 1-night stand w/ Nicholas, who‘s an undercover trying to take down her family‘s drug trade. How will they hide their attraction to each other & Nick‘s secret?

I really enjoyed this. It had a good amount of spice & story. I liked the characters. The only thing was I wasn‘t too familiar w/ the WoO universe so I got lost.

Indy & Ryan never imagined living together or even fake dating, but that‘s what it‘s come to. What happens when it doesn‘t feel fake anymore? Will they tell each other how they feel? How will they tell Stevie?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a great read. Top 10 this year. It was hilarious. There was a good amount of spice & story. There were character arcs. Better than the 1st book. Definitely recommend.

#romancebooks

Johnny‘s recovering from an injury that keeps him from rugby, but could bring him closer to Shannon. Shannon has to deal w/ CPS in keeping her family together. How will they juggle spending time w/ each other & deal w/ family stuff?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I liked this one a little better than the first one. There‘s a little more romance & Shannon had a bit of a character arc. There was also less DV & bullying. The ending was cute.

The Naturals are faced with another case. 3 bodies in 3 casinos in 3 days; all in public, but no footage. The bodies come w/ a code. Who‘s the killer? How does this relate to Cassie‘s mother‘s case? Will they able to figure it all out in time?

This one was ok. It didn‘t tie really well w/ the second one. There was no relevance to her mother‘s case until the end. The puzzles were still great; kept me guessing. The romance was there; a must.

Summer moves in w/ her brother‘s hockey mates. Her eyes are immediately set on Fitz, but he‘s in denial of their connection b/c she‘s from a different world than him. But what happens when his best friend & roommate, Hunter, takes an interest in her? What would her brother think of them together?

I liked this one. There was spice, could‘ve been a little more. There were a lot of funny parts. The little misogynistic scenes just triggered me a bit.

Shannon changed schools b/c she was bullied at her old school. She collides w/ rising star rugby player, Johnny. He‘s supposed to be focused on rugby, but he feels drawn to her, especially when she‘s being bullied again & faces DV at home. Will they be able to be together?

This 1 was ok. I don‘t like reading DV & bullying; it should be a TW. The writing wasn‘t that great. It was kinda funny. The main characters got on my nerves, mainly Shannon.

A crash during a race destroys Santiago‘s career, so he mostly stays in hiding. That‘s until Chloe breaks into his house when looking for her father. They fake-date to keep his family off his back, but after a while it doesn‘t feel fake. Will they give into their emotions? Will Santi get back into racing?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This one was my favorite out of the series. I enjoyed the banter, the spice, & the characters.

Darcy & Tori were raised in the mortal world. They‘re told they‘re changelings & have to return to the fae world to attend an academy & claim the throne. They can control all four elements, which puts them at the top of the celestial heirs‘ kill list. How will they survive?

I was disappointed by this one. There was no romance or spice like I was told. I didn‘t like most of the characters. The ending was what kept me hooked to read the next one.

After Mallory has a traumatic family event, she stops playing chess. That‘s until she beats world chess champion, Nolan. He convinces her to enter competitions, & as she moves up the ranks, she realizes her passion again. Will she win World Champion?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This is one of my favorites of hers so far. I loved the character chemistry. It was funny, cute, & deep. I also liked that the MC was lgbtq.

#yabooks lgbtqiabooks

Jessica was banned from the World Council of Witches for dangerous magic. So, when Derrick tells her she‘s the Chosen One to save the town from evil, she‘s skeptical. Can she learn to trust herself & others, especially Derrick, in time?

This was kinda boring. It was slow for most of it. I liked that the MC was plus size, but she kinda got annoying. I wanted more romance, spice, & comedy. The magic was ok.

Celine & Brad sign up for the same challenge for a prize. They‘re ex-best friends b/c Brad made a mistake when they started high school. They‘re forced to work together on the challenge. Will it force them to be something more than just friends?

I really enjoyed this one. It was funny & cute. I liked the diversity in characters & inclusion of neurodiversity. I liked the characters, their chemistry, & their arcs. A bit slow in the beginning.

Cassie & the other Naturals are brought back on another serial killer case. This time it hits close to home when they copycat Dean‘s incarcerated father‘s style. Who will Cassie finally fall for, Michael or Dean? Will she find her mother?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This one‘s my favorite of the series so far. The mystery & action kept me on the edge of my seat. There was a good balance between romance & mystery. The plot & writing were great. Definitely recommend!

Stella‘s farm‘s struggling, so she enters an insta-influencer‘s contest to save it. She says she runs the farm w/ her boyfriend, which she doesn‘t, so when she‘s selected as a finalist, her best friend, Luca, steps in to pretend. Then it doesn‘t feel like pretend anymore.

I like fake-dating, so I really enjoyed this one. It was written beautifully, but Stella‘s character got annoying. The plot was great. Definitely recommend as a Christmas read.

Marcus‘s famous, but also secretly a fanfic writer. April‘s post causes a plus-size controversy. M publicly asks her out not knowing she‘s also his beta reader. After their date, he wants more of A, but will the hypercritical public get in the way?

This one had its cute & funny moments. I just didn‘t enjoy April kept negatively looking at herself; I know it‘s supposed to be an arc, but I don‘t enjoy those. I also wanted a little more spice.

Bree moves to a small town to find peace. She‘s transfixed by the quiet outsider, Archer, who hasn‘t spoken since a traumatic childhood incident. He‘s interested in her also well. Will Bree be able to help him find his voice again?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I really enjoyed this book. It had a good balance between story & spice. The characters‘ chemistry & their arcs were great. The plot & writing were also good.

Elsie‘s an adjunct professor by day & a paid fake-girlfriend by night. Sweet deal, until one of her clients‘ brother, Jack, catches her in the act. He & her mentor have beef. She‘s trying to get a job at MIT, but he‘s on the hiring committee. How‘s she still drawn to him?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is my favorite of hers so far. It was cute, hilarious, & kinda spicy; everything. I loved the chemistry between all the characters. The plot & writing were great.

Cassie‘s a natural at reading people. When a serial killer appears on the FBI‘s radar, they ask her to join the other Naturals. Her past catches up w/ her pertaining to her mother‘s murder. Could it be related to the case?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The clues kept me guessing throughout the book. I didn‘t like the MC very much, she was kind of annoying. I did like her chemistry w/ Michael & Dean. It had the right amount of romance w/o overpowering the mystery.

YA rom following the Davenport girls, 1 of the few wealthy black families, & their friends‘ love stories in 1910 USA. They will fall in love w/ the men they aren‘t supposed to. How will they tell their parents?

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I had high hopes 4 this book. It ended up being mostly boring. I didn‘t like most of the characters for most of the book. The girls‘ character arcs tho are great examples for how arcs should be in books. I also liked the diversity.

This is a retelling of The Lion King. Tristin‘s father dies. His brother, Michael, wants to take the throne, so Tristin starts a rebellion. Sara B‘s betrothed to Michael, but plans to take down the kingdom. Her & Tristin‘s plans aren‘t the only things they have in common. Will they be able to resist each other?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is my favorite of the series so far. I liked the characters, the plot, and the spice & story balance.

Sabrina has her whole life planned out, but 1 night w/ hockey player, Tucker changes everything for her. Tucker‘s trying to find a business to finance. He finds out he‘s going to be a dad, so he has to step up more. Will Tucker undo the chains Sabrina locked around herself?

I liked Tucker because of his arc. I didn‘t like Sabrina. There was some spice; I just wanted a little more. There was also a little unnecessary boring parts here & there.

Willa plays soccer, so usually professors would work with her schedule, but not her math professor. He suggests that she get tutored by his grumpy lumberjack-looking TA, Ryder, who also has a hearing deficiency. How will they overcome their negative perceptions of each other?

This one had its cute moments. I felt like the characters didn‘t have enough romantic chemistry. I did like the inclusivity of a character w/ a hearing deficiency.

The Fates have been released & Legend has taken the throne. Caraval is over, but a new challenge has begun for Tella. Will she find a way to take down the Fates? Does Legend really love her or was it all pretend?

⭐️⭐️⭐️ This one was ok. I didn‘t really expect some of the events leading up to the ending. I‘m glad there was a happy ending tho. It was a bit boring here & there. Overall, this series is overhyped. I was kinda disappointed.

Allie‘s longtime boyfriend breaks up w/ her. She doesn‘t plan for a rebound 1night stand, but that‘s what she gets w/ player, on & off the ice, Dean. After, she strictly states them to be just friends, nothing more, Dean won‘t have it. Does he want something more w/ her?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this book! It‘s my favorite of the series. The couple chemistry was perfect w/ spice & comedy. Great character arcs, writing, & plot.

Hook, aka James, is trying to take down Peter‘s empire. Peter‘s daughter, Wendy, enters Hook‘s bar. That‘s when he plans to seduce her & get to Peter. The more time they spend together, his feelings start to affect his plans. Will Wendy find out about his scheme?

This one was ok. It was a bit overhyped. I liked the plot, but the writing could‘ve been a bit better. I wanted a little more romance & spice.

Lily starts writing lyrics on her desk and someone finishes them. They start to exchange letters where they open up to each other. Could her secret pen pal be her crush, Lucas, or her enemy, Cade?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This one was a cute ya romance. The mystery wasn‘t really a mystery; it was obvious who it was from the beginning. The banter was cute, but I wanted more of it, and a little more romance.

#yabooks #romancebooks

Prince Harry‘s memoir goes from his earliest memories to his grandfather‘s funeral in 2021. He discusses his love and grief of his mother. Meeting, falling in love, and having a family w/ Megan. He also includes leaving the crown.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ This one had its boring moments & crazy mind-blowing moments. It was interesting some of the interactions he included. He definitely had a character arc. It was also a bit repetitive.

Sophie works for a local florist shop & is applying for fashion design after high school. She has to attend all the events in town, but so does Andrew, the new chef‘s son. He tends to get on her nerves in the beginning, but throughout the year, she starts to not mind it.

3.5⭐️ This 1 was a little boring and I didn‘t like the characters very much. It was cute & funny here & there, & I liked the ending. I wanted a little more romance.

Stevie‘s a flight attendant for Zander‘s NHL plane. Zander‘s a player, so he‘s used to girls striving for his attention, but Stevie‘s not giving it to him, b/c she doesn‘t want to date another athlete. The longer they‘re on tour together, the more their feelings get blurred.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was probably my 2nd favorite book of 2023. It had a great balance of story & spice. I loved the character, the plot, & the writing. Definitely recommend.

Tori Spring‘s just trying to get through high school when she comes across the mysterious Solitaire. Michael Holden joins in on her search to unmask Solitaire.

I really liked the voice for the audiobook b/c it‘s the girl that‘s casted as Tori in the show Heartstopper. This one did have a darker tone compared to Heartstopper; maybe that‘s why it‘s not my reading vibe. Also, the mystery was kind of obvious.

Beatrice‘s obsessed w/ crime solving, but she has to keep it a secret b/c it‘s deemed inappropriate for a lady. When wealthy bachelor, Edmund, is murdered at a ball, she takes it upon herself to solve the mystery.

This 1 was really extremely for me up until the last 50 pgs. The comedy was a little cringy. I only liked one character & they weren‘t an MC. The murderer was obvious. The ending was ok, there was kind of a happy ending for everyone.

Declan has to get married in order to take over his grandfather company. His assistant, Iris, volunteers. They thought it would be simple to pretend to be in love while married. They didn‘t expect to actually grow feelings for each other.

This 1 had some funny parts and some cute parts. I wanted a little more spice. The writing could‘ve been better. I liked the first one better; I liked the characters just a little more.

Hannah doesn‘t like Logan, and he also has a dismal future after he graduates, so Grace‘s a good distraction. When it becomes more between them, he makes a mistake that drives them apart. Grace makes him work her forgiveness.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This one was ok. There was this really boring part in the middle. I wanted a little more spice & romance. There were a couple hilarious scenes tho. Their character arcs were also really good.

Wren‘s the good girl w/ good grades and Crew‘s the rich bad boy. They get paired on an assignment that brings them closer than they imagined. Will Wren be able to look past his bad rep and let herself go? Will Crew be able to settle down?

I really surprisingly liked this one. There was a good balance between spice, romance, and story. I also enjoyed Crews character growth. Definitely recommend.

It‘s the summer before college, Hannah & Sam meet, hit it off, but they don‘t exchange names/contacts. They don‘t think they‘ll see the other again, but they keep running into each other. Each time, it‘s filled w/ mishap & miscommunication.

⭐️⭐️💫 I didn‘t really enjoy this book. It was kind of boring & cringy. I didn‘t really like the characters & the writing could‘ve been better. There were a couple funny lines tho.