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Fantasy RomCom Review: Assistant to the Villain

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Thank you to Red Tower for the review copy! 

Assistant to the Villain
By Hannah Nicole Maehrer
🎧 Narrated by: Em Eldridge
Series: Assistant to the Villain, Book 1
Book 45 of 2024

You know how there are DNFs and NFNs? (Did Not Finish / Not For Now) I started this book back when it came out and the humor was not for me in the mindset I was in. Fast forward to March, and suddenly it was PERFECT for the mood that I was in! That’s the trickiest part about getting review copies for me – sometimes my mood just doesn’t match a book until the right time, but I feel so bad for being late when the publisher is kind enough to send me a review copy!

Assistant to the Villain started as a series of TikTok skits, but the novel is fully developed into a cohesive storyline. 

I binge listened to the audiobook in a day, and had so much fun! I’m excited that more publishers are publishing these fantasy romcoms, where the world building is pretty light but you still get the elements you love in a romcom! 

I can’t wait for book 2!

🎧 This was perfect audiobook vibes for me. Fantasy can be hard for me on audio, all the worldbuilding tends to get muddled. Since the worldbuilding was light, I thought this was a lot of fun! Since I tend to listen to audiobooks while doing things around the house or playing games, this book was PERFECT -fast paced and light – and really kept me entertained. 

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage’s employment status isn’t just important, it’s vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer—naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain—and his entire nefarious empire—out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.

.    .   .   .   .   .    .  Let’s Play a Game!   .   .   .   .    .   .   .   .  

Based on your first initial of your first name + your battery percentage, you’re reading a hybrid book – how excited are you for your hybrid? Have you read any books like that before? (If you get two of the same, just tell me the genre!)

A-E / 81-100% : Romance

F-J / 61-80%: Mystery / Thriller / Suspense

K-O / 41-60%: Fantasy

P-T / 21-40%: Historical fiction

U-Z / 1-20%: Science Fiction  

Historical Romance Review: To Catch a Raven by Beverly Jenkins

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

To Catch a Raven
By Beverly Jenkins
🎧 Narrated by: Kim Staunton 
Women Who Dare, Book 3 
Book 36 of 2024

*series info*

Women Who Dare is a standalone series. If you are like me and have the compulsive need to read books in order even if it doesn’t matter, this time it REALLY doesn’t matter. However, the Le Veq family comes into play, especially in book 1, so you could start with that series. I’m doing the opposite and reading that series next because they seem AMAZING, and are also featured a little in this book. 

*book review* 

To Catch a Raven stars Raven Moreaux, who comes from a family of grifters, and Braxton Steel, who has never broken a rule much less a law in his life. But Brax’s father has a less law abiding past – he was once heavily involved with Raven’s family’s “business.” When the past comes knocking at their families’ doors, Raven and Brax have to go undercover – as husband and wife – to steal back the Declaration of Independence from a former Confederate official.

I historically have not been a huge fan of heist novel situations, I can’t keep all the plotting straight and then when they finally actually go get the thing I often feel like I can’t keep up with all of the moving parts. But unlike a traditional heist, we spend at least 50% of the book with Raven and Brax hanging out in the house looking for the Declaration of Independence while also falling in love, so I really enjoyed it! The whole subplot surrounding the woman they worked for and her husband was wild. 

For an opposites attract, forced proximity situation, I always like that tension that builds before they finally get together…but I didn’t feel like that tension really existed before they got together. But Brax seemed to fall hard and fast, and that’s always fun too. Who needs a slow burn anyway? 

I also love the second chance romance between Raven and Brax’s parents that was in the background. So cute! 

Overall, I recommend the whole series if you like strong, independent women and men who fall head over heels for them! 

🎧 Kim Staunton’s narration really grew on me by this book, and I feel like she perfectly crafted the voices for Raven, Brax, and the rest of the cast. I would definitely listen to more audiobooks narrated by her! 

PNR Review: Deja Brew

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Deja Brew
By B. Perkins and Aimee Vance
Deadlights Cove, Book 2 
Book 26 of 2024

✨ On Kindle Unlimited ✨

Do you ever wish you could read a book with a diverse cast that feels like you’re hanging out in Stars Hollow…but with more magic? If so, you absolutely need to pick up the Deadlights Cove books!

First, I would highly recommend reading these in order. There’s a mystery plot line that has a full arc across the five books, so while you CAN read them out of order, you’ll get the full experience if you read them in order! (And I equally loved Book 1 – Smoke Show – and I think you will too!) 

Childhood best friends to strangers to lovers is one of my all time favorite tropes. The tension between Nimue and Kit was 🔥🔥🔥.

I wish I could go hangout in Deadlights Cove with all of these characters, but since they are fictional I will have to do the next best thing and continue to read the series! 

[ book synopsis ]

Nimue Fitzpatrick never really meant to leave Deadlights Cove, but after she’d impulsively kissed her best friend, Kit Sayana, it suddenly became easier to take freelance photography jobs out of town. Just what she needed to forget the mess and the amber eyes she couldn’t bear to face anymore in the Cove. Now, after four years away, it might be time to admit that she’s been avoiding him.

The last four years haven’t been the easiest for Kit as the pressure to assume his responsibilities as future Alpha for the Arrowwood skulk takes over his life. Needing space, he moved out of his family home and into the apartment above his tea shop, Immortali-Tea. Despite the closeness among the members of his skulk, there is one thing he hasn’t shared with anyone, even his closest friends: ever since he kissed Nimue all those years ago, he’s known she’s his mate. The problem is that an interspecies mate bond is impossible, so it can never be.

When Nimue returns home for her cousin Blaze’s Halloween party, everything changes. No matter how the two childhood friends try to avoid their feelings for each other, fate has other plans. With magic turning on the shifters, the town is set into a panic that requires everyone to work together — especially Kit and Nimue.

Can they recover their prior friendship enough to come together and solve the next mystery, before it has lasting effects on the shifters in town?

Follow Kit and Nimue’s story, along with the quirky band of local misfits, through the Deadlights Cove series, in book two, Deja Brew.

While each book follows a different couple, the Deadlights Cove series is best read in order. Catch up and find out what Petra and Blaze discover in book one, Smoke Show, first.

Romance Review: Kiss the Girl

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy! 

Kiss the Girl
By Zoraida Cordova 
Meant to Be, Book 3 
Book 23 of 2024

✨ Series Info ✨

The Meant to Be series are all standalones and can be read in any order. They are closed door retellings of beloved Disney movies – this one is The Little Mermaid, and was my favorite so far!

✨ Review ✨

I was so excited for this book, but last year if it wasn’t on audio, I didn’t read it, and this book doesn’t seem to have an audiobook made, which is so heartbreaking!

However, I’ve been working on getting back into reading with my eyes, and I really loved this one, and thought it was such a clever interpretation of the story!

Ariel del Mar has been a pop culture icon since she was a child – her family business has been making her and her sisters pop icons. She meets Eric after sneaking out to a rock concert in Brooklyn. Then, after getting into a fight with her father, she joins his band’s tour to sell their merch at shows. It was fun to watch her join the “real world” after living a life of luxury. 

I absolutely adored all of the characters. The band gave major found family vibes, and everyone was so quirky in their own way. But of course the real magic was in the building romance between Ariel and Eric! The tension was exquisite. 

✨ Ramblings Semi-Related to the Book ✨

I’ve been on a musician romance kick lately. I think after being so disappointed by The Breakup Tour, this is exactly what I needed and the vibe I wished The Breakup Tour had been!

The connections made with the Disney version of The Little Mermaid were all so cute. I’ve read a few books lately that envision people who work in more pop culture settings – whether it’s musicians, fashion designers, or influencers – as kind of vapid hot messes. And while anyone can be a vapid hot mess, I just find it to be a very boring stereotype. So I really appreciated that Cordova leaned into how hard Ariel had worked and how knowledgeable she was about the music industry, even if she was lost when it came to doing things like laundry. It made her lovable and relatable. 

Historical Romance Review: One Night in Hartswood

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Thanks again to TLC Book Tours, Harper 360, & Emma Denny for my review / book tour copy – I finally read it!

One Night in Hartswood
By Emma Denny
🎧 Narrated by: Tom Alexander, Sebastian Humphreys
Book 21 of 2024

*chit chat semi related to the book*

We all know I read more with my ears than my eyes, so I’ve been waiting for my library to get the audiobook of this one…but they took too long so I finally got it from Libro! Some of my amazing booksta friends pooled money for my birthday and got me a year’s worth of credits! (For a normal person. A month’s worth for me, probably. Either way, an incredibly thoughtful gift!) I am really bad about hoarding audiobook credits because I have definitely gone through 4 in a week before. But now I have 15 so I probably should use them. 

*review*

I don’t know if it’s because of the 500 times I watched The Princess Bride or the popularity of the vibes in fantasy books, but I find the medieval period to be SO romantic. It is an under utilized time period in romance books, so I was so excited when I was offered a copy of One Night in Hartswood! 

This was a little bit of a slow burn with SO MUCH pining. And accidentally cuddling for body heat while traveling through the woods.  I absolutely loved it.

Check out the pinned comment for the plot synopsis. 

🎧 Raff’s voice is so swoony. Highly recommend.

[book synopsis]

Oxford 1360

When his sister’s betrothed vanishes the night before her politically arranged marriage, Raff Barden must track and return the elusive groom to restore his family’s honour. William de Foucart ― known to his friends as Penn ― had no choice but to abandon his fiancé, and with it his own earldom, when he fled the night before his enforced marriage. But ill-equipped to survive on the run he must trust the kindness of a stranger, Raff, to help him escape. Unaware their fates are already entwined, their unexpected bond deepens into a far more precious relationship, one that will test all that they hold dear. And when secrets are finally revealed, both men must decide what they will risk for the one they love…

New Books February 20th

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Thank you to the listed publishers for the gifted books!

Happy belated pub day! I came back from our weekend getaway to the mountains with absolutely nothing prepped. I feel like pub day always sneaks up on me!! What are you looking forward to that comes out today or this week?

February is honestly so stacked with amazing new releases, there’s no way I will ever be able to read all of them – the worst of bookworm problems. 

🎁 ARC/ ALC / free publisher mail – noted even if I was sent a widget and didn’t accept it. Everything on this list is something I would like to one day read!

🎁 How (Not) to Hate a Duke, by Jennifer Haymore, Entangled Publishing
Historical Romance | Neighbors

🎁 Island Witch, by Amanda Jayatissa, Berkley Publishing
Historical fiction | Fantasy | Horror | Sri Lankan folklore 

🎁 Remedial Magic, by Melissa Marr, Bramble Romance
Romantasy | Witches | LGBTQ | Magical Community College 

🎁 Sun of Blood and Ruin, by Mariely Lares, Harper Voyager
Fantasy | Zorro Retelling | Mesoamerican mythology & Mexican History 

🎁 A Tempest of Tea, by Hafsah Faizal, Fierce Reads
YA fantasy | Historical fiction | Heist | Vampires 

🎁 Till There Was You, by Lindsay Hameroff, SMP Romance
Contemporary Romance | Jewish | New York Restaurants | Celebrity Romance

🎁 Heartless Hunter, by Kristen Ciccarelli, Wednesday Books
YA Fantasy Romance | Witch vs witch hunter 

🎁 The Diamond and the Duke, by Christi Caldwell, Berkley Romance
Historical romance | Beauty & the Beast vibes 

🎁 Night for Day, by Roselle Lim, Berkley Romance #berkleypartner #berkley
Fantasy Romance | Second chance romance 

📚 The Bad Ones, by Melissa Albert, Flatiron books
YA fantasy | Gothic horror 

QotD: Are any of these on your radar? What are you currently reading? 

Fantasy Review: Ruthless Vows

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for my finished copy!

Ruthless Vows
By Rebecca Ross
🎧 Narrated by: Alex Wingfield, Rebecca Norfolk
Letters of Enchantment, Book 2
Book 15 of 2024

*Spoiler free review* 

When everyone started talking about Divine Rivals last year, I really wasn’t sure if it was the book for me. I don’t always love big wartorn fantasy worlds, even though those are so popular in fantasy. 

But Divine Rivals was so focused on the love story that I absolutely devoured it in 24 hours. I was so excited for Ruthless Vows and to see how their story ended!

Ruthless Vows focuses a lot more on the gods and the war, and with me also rereading Crescent City, it was just a lot of fantasy wars for me to wrap my head around. I think I would have liked it more if I’d saved it for after House of Flame and Shadow. 

I did really like it, and it felt like a satisfying conclusion to the duology. I do love that Rebecca Ross writes a lot of duologies and standalones – it’s so much less daunting than a giant series! 

QotD: Do you ever feel like your book ratings are affected by your mood?

 [ book synopsis ]

The epic conclusion to the intensely romantic and beautifully written story that started in Divine Rivals.

Two weeks have passed since Iris Winnow returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front, but the war is far from over. Roman is missing, and the city of Oath continues to dwell in a state of disbelief and ignorance. When Iris and Attie are given another chance to report on Dacre’s movements, they both take the opportunity and head westward once more despite the danger, knowing it’s only a matter of time before the conflict reaches a city that’s unprepared and fracturing beneath the chancellor’s reign.

Since waking below in Dacre’s realm, Roman cannot remember his past. But given the reassurance that his memories will return in time, Roman begins to write articles for Dacre, uncertain of his place in the greater scheme of the war. When a strange letter arrives by wardrobe door, Roman is first suspicious, then intrigued. As he strikes up a correspondence with his mysterious pen pal, Roman will soon have to make a decision: to stand with Dacre or betray the god who healed him. And as the days grow darker, inevitably drawing Roman and Iris closer together…the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.

Black Romance Author Feature

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

The post is a friendly reminder for me and anyone else who needs it that Black History Month does not have be focused on Black pain, but can (and should) celebrate Black joy and Black accomplishments!

Last year when the #23for23 challenge began, I learned that while BIPOC authors are underrepresented in publishing generally, the romance genre is especially underrepresented. Across all genres, just 11% of traditionally published books in 2018 were written by BIPOC authors. However, romance novels only had 7.8% written by BIPOC authors (2021). Since 2021, there have been 0 Black romance authors on the NYT print and e-book bestseller lists. 

My goal this year is to read at least 4 romances by BIPOC authors each month, with at least one being a book published this year! I would love to get more recommendations so I can continue to build my tbr!!

Talia Hibbert’s The Brown Sisters are some of my all time favorite romcoms. I would start at the beginning, because I feel like you get to know the whole family unit and that just builds your enjoyment of each book. So, start with Get a Life, Chloe Brown!

Rebel was my first book that I read by Beverly Jenkins, and I can’t wait to read more of her backlist! If you like historical romance, she is an absolute must read.

I usually stick to less emotional romances, but when you want to have your heart cracked wide open in the best of ways, Kennedy Ryan is the writer for you. Before I Let Go might be the most optimistically heartbreaking book I have read. Her backlist is also on my TBR!

I am enough of a sap that The Wedding Date made me cry with joy. Twice. I’ve only read two of the books in this series so far, but I look forward to reading more!

This is my current backlist TBR – I think Pride and Protest will be up first because I just got the sequel sent to me from Berkley Romance.

These are my top 2024 releases. Do you have any recommendations for me to add to my backlist or 2024 release TBRs? I’d love to hear about them!

Romance Review: Bride by Ali Hazelwood

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Thank you to Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for my review copies! 

Bride
By Ali Hazelwood
🎧 Narrated by: Therese Plummer
Book 9 of 2024

I love Ali Hazelwood, and was super curious about what I was getting myself into with this vampyre & werewolf arranged marriage romance. It is somehow so quintessentially Ali Hazelwood though.

If you haven’t dipped your toe far into the paranormal romance scene, this is a great place to start. The worldbuilding is basically just our world but vampyres and werewolves. Our female MC, Misery, introduces you quickly to what you need to know about vampyres, but she has spent most of her time with humans and doesn’t know a ton about them herself. 

I always fall in love with Hazelwood’s whole cast of characters – and they were extra fun as paranormal creatures. 

The book does start with us finding out that Misery’s best friend and roommate has gone missing. I feel like this mystery element was balanced pretty well, while also giving us the paranormal worldbuilding and the romance! 

The 3rd Act conflict was stupid but needed to exist, and the end was very satisfying. 

🎧 Therese Plummer also narrated Love on the Brain, and her voice fits so well with Ali Hazelwood’s writing. 

PS – Don’t worry, Misery is very knowledgable in computer science (and hacking), so we still have a STEM FMC. 

PPS – I know I had a complete meltdown in my stories about a joke centered around a child doing things that developmentally were weird for her age. And I stand by that being a stupid joke, but overall I enjoyed the book. 

[ book synopsis ]

A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again…

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she’s ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

Manacled Book News

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One of my favorite reads of 2023 was the fanfiction Manacled by SenLinYu. It is a dark fantasy that reimagines the world of Harry Potter mixed with The Handmaid’s Tale. I haven’t read a lot of fanfiction, but one of my instagram friends said it was her favorite book EVER (not favorite fic – book!), so I had to give it a try. I ended up reading it in just 3 or 4 days – no easy feat since it is around 1,200 pages. My eyes hurt, I’m not going to lie, so don’t tell my optomotrist. It is also extremely dark – please check trigger warnings and take care of yourself while reading!

I am so excited that Manacled is going to be traditionally published, according to the Bookseller website. It will be coming in two parts, the first part will be published in 2025 by Del Ray.

SenLinYu posted to Tumblr today with some information about changes to Manacled and how she is attempting to keep its essance. Manacled will remain available on AO3 for the rest of 2024.

If you haven’t yet read Manacled, and want to learn how to send AO3 fanfiction to your kindle, tablet, or smart phone, I posted a how to on Instagram and TikTok today!