Not Guilty of Books

  Review: I wasn’t sure in the beginning.  This is a single POV from Neil, a commitment-phobic, one-night stand, all sex - not emotions kind of guy. Single POVs can feel stilted and too, well, one-sided, but this turned into a really fascinating book about the psychology of Neil, getting to experience his thought process and the rationalizations he makes in his head for his actions (or lack of them).  Over time we experience the peeling on his layers until we get to the reasons why he’s been keeping himself cut off from romance.  You feel the inner turmoil and the joy like you’re there. Sometimes you sympathize with him, sometimes you want to yell at him, but those emotions are what make it a good book. Also impressively, you get a deep sense of Scott, even though it’s filtered through Neil.  He’s deeply caring, loyal and is willing to give Neil the space he needs to work through all his thoughts and feelings. He’s something special.  There is a fair bit of...

  Review: Vawn Cassidy is an incredible writer who has the ability to transport you, to make you feel every emotion, and make you fall in love right along with both the characters. Definitely Deacon is a heartfelt look at two best friends for whom turmoil and life gets in the way of them having a chance together until tragedy forces them back together and they need to re-examine their lives and the choices they’ve made. Deacon and Jesse are both incredible and complex and have a beautiful bond. Throw in some favourite characters from the previous book and The Bay, then add some raucous friends of Deacon’s and you’ll be completely enthralled. If you’re a fan of reading a book with perpetually damp eyes, then this is a book for you.  Vawn Cassidy is definitely an auto-read for me. Stars: 5 Synopsis: An emotional and humour filled roller-coaster ride through a sleepy little Cornish Bay. Jesse Ainsley’s life running his busy veterinary practice in the sleepy Cornwall bay he grew u...

  Review: I have a weakness for best friends for life to ‘you're the one for me’ lovers, especially when it’s been a long time coming.  I will never get enough of it. These two, Leo and Dusty, do not disappoint. Best friends from college, they’ve been through it all together over the past 20 years. Calling each other at night like schoolgirls, texting each other every day. So when Leo needs a fake boyfriend to help his re-election campaign Dusty is more than happy to leave his disastrous life behind and help him out. What you really need to know is that they fit perfectly.  They have such a wonderful connection - playful and fun, but they can also call each other on their crap. They may also have a bit of a competitive streak which leads to all manner of fun. And should we talk about their chemistry? Let’s just say that their first time together is fire!! But what I loved the most was that they never doubted each other.  They always have full and complete faith in th...

  Review:  This was a great story of the Grumpy/Sunshine variety.  In this case, Tucker, the grumpy bartender, and Luca, the sunshiny dancer.  Turns out Tucker has been battling a deep loss.  Luca is battling the voices of his father in his head.  Once they start talking and realise there is more to the other person, they figure out how perfect they are for each other.. I have to say, I love Tucker.  I am a sucker for a grumpy misunderstood guy.  He’s deep and super caring.  Luca on the other hand, grated me.  Not due to anything the author did, I just really don’t like the in your face, I don’t care if I’m bothering you, I’m going to push all your buttons and laugh happy persona.  Also, and I don’t say this often, there was a lot of sex, which at times started to distract from the story.  I did love their chemistry, they fit well together and it was sweet for them to find their footing together. Stars: 4 Synopsis: Never did I ...

  Review:  This is a really neat quick read. A slow-burn romance (as slow as you can get with a short story!) with some great character development.  When Luke ends up caring for Alex the two are finally forced to address the feelings they’ve been harboring for one another.  Turns out they aren’t far apart in that department. I would love to read a full-length novel by this author to see what they do in that space. Stars: 4 Synopsis: Alex has never quite believed he's good enough. Not as a person and not as a lighting technician. He hates that however hard he tries he can’t get his boss, Luke, to like him. In the two years he’s been in the job it’s become a Thing with him and he’s got a huge crush on the man. He needs to move on for his own sanity and his career and he’s just about to accept a job at a bigger theatre when one of the volunteers he’s bedded and dumped pushes him off a ladder. Luke likes Alex a lot and has done since the day he walked through the door o...

  Review: This is a really sweet and tender book with some pretty wonderful characters. Ty and Jonathan are both so kind and heartfelt and are wonderfully layered. A slow-burning romance that paves the way to a beautiful HEA. Ty has lived an unstable life thanks to parents who were frequently MIA, all the while trying to provide as much stability as possible to his younger sisters. In turn, he’s never really had a chance to live his own life or have his own passions. Jonathan appears closed off, preferring contracts to people, until you get to know him, then you discover he’s really just lost and he’s actually super gentle and compassionate and an all-around sweetheart. Watching the two come out of their shells and discover themselves in the safety of the other was the sweetness I needed today. If you’re looking for a book that feels like you’ve been wrapped up in a cozy blanket and handed a mug of tea and your favourite cookies, this book is for you. 🕮 book title by  @rachel...

Review:  “He was comfort and memories and happiness all rolled into one hell of a sexy man” The whole Shore Things gang is amazing but Ford and Abe were especially fun. The chemistry was off the charts and I laughed the whole way through. So much snark with these two! Abe, recently out of a terrible relationship and just going through the motions finally sees what living and happiness should look like. Ford seems to have it all, living on the beach, working with the most awesome group of friends, but there was always the nagging question of why he hadn’t been enough for that one guy. When he gets his second chance…pure joy. Of course, the awesome case of supporting characters helps make this book so great. The ride-or-die best friends, the hilarious sister Gabby and of course wonderful Miss Margie. Though this book can be read on its own, you’ll want to get to know these awesome characters too. I loved every minute of this book. If you are looking for an upbeat book, this is the on...

  Review: This was a beautiful love story that spanned a lifetime. At times heartbreaking and sad, but still beautiful and loving. A true best friend to lovers, decades-long slow burn that will satisfy your soul. Wyatt and Easton have always loved each other in all ways, except physically. It’s not until after, what feels like a lifetime has passed, that what should have been obvious becomes possible. If you are looking for an epic romance that will give you all the feels and will make you complete when it ends, this is the one for you. It comes complete with some tears, and a lot of ‘awww’ feelings. As debut novels go, this was top shelf. Stars: 5 🕮 Fool Hearths by  E mmy Sanders 📚 Add to your TBR ➟ https://bit.ly/3KX286z Synopsis: Best friends. Unrequited love. A story that spans decades. Wyatt At twelve, he was my best friend. At sixteen, he became my crush. And now, at thirty-four, he’s the man I’m still pining after. Falling in love with Easton was never part of the pla...

Review:  This is achingly beautiful and intoxicating. You can feel the push and pull of these two in every word. Best friends, who love each other to their core. But they’re famous musicians and their lives play out in tabloids. They have teams of people trying to control and direct their every move. How do you navigate intense emotions, wants, and fears when the world is also watching and your life doesn’t always feel like your own. The dark side of fame threatens to tear them apart if they aren’t willing to see what’s worth fighting for. This is one of those books that makes you feel like you are actually there, the emotions are so gripping and consuming. This really is a must-read, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. Stars: 5 🕮 Pretty Toxic by  J .R. Gray 📚 Add to your TBR ➟ bit.ly/3CYzsqX Synopsis: Saint Vincent I might be the best-selling solo artist in the world, but my personal life is a disaster. For every number one album, there's a sea of my worsts, al...

Review: If you don’t need a box of tissues to get through this book then you’re heartless! (jk). You can feel the pain and sadness of both Max and Jack. For the death of their wife/best friend. But more so for Jack, the closeted baseball star who has developed feelings for his straight best friend/neighbour, Max. All he wants is love and a family, but when his truth comes out Max is a jerk, a sympathetic jerk, but still. It’s a slow burn romance with enough angst to empty the tissue box but with enough laughs and spicy love scenes to soothe the tears. It’s lovely and tender and fulfilling. And that ending….! It is on the long side but it never felt like it dragged, and the side characters were great, especially the daughter. All in all, I really enjoyed it. Stars: 5 Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3qrc5kW Synopsis: Sometimes love is where you least expect it, and sometimes it's right where you left it in this slow burn to steamy friends to lovers tale. Widower, Max Hartwell, is barely ke...

Review: A slow burn, best friends to lover romance…   This truly lives up to its description.  It takes a long time to sort out their history, to understand their stories.  It’s a long reveal mixed in with greek mythology and ballroom dancing  (oddly not as weird as it sounds!).  Jonathan and David didn’t get their chance the first time.  Can they get it right the second? Anyta’s writing is a style all its own, very languid and poetic, which I can imagine wouldn’t be everyone’s taste.  This was my first book by her, but I was prepared by having read other reviews so I knew to hang on and follow it through.  In the end it was worth it, but you do have to work for it.  Stars: 4 Synopsis:  Icy, standoffish Jonathan Hart always turned towards  that  laugh. Full-throated, uninhibited, addictive. Soft smiles encouraging him over swing bridges. Hearty chuckles dancing around a ballroom. Wobbly grins. Double-glances. Eyes that bri...

  Review: This was such an enjoyable short story of two high school friends reunited years later. The attraction is still fresh and real. The story is sweet and fun. This was an especially great way to break up some sad and darker stories that I’ve been reading. Stars: 4.5 🕮 The Fry Guy from Beachside by  P iper Malone 📚 Add to your TBR ➟ bit.ly/367qL1u Synopsis: Milo Cusano is in perpetual motion. While coaching the youth soccer league and spearheading the latest Beachside community event, Milo is set to open Fry Guy–a shop featuring his signature savory fried potatoes and crispy onion rings–during the busy summer season. Determined to stake his claim on the boardwalk, Milo enlists the help of his family to launch the newest Beachside Boys sensation. But when Milo learns his high school crush has returned to Beachside, his focus falters. Jackson Rutledge was loving life as a pro surfer on a worldwide tour until a freak shark attack forced his dream life aground. Desperate t...

  Review: Wow, that stole my breath away! Short stories can be so tough to pull off, it’s not a lot of time to explain their characters, create a story that doesn’t feel forced, and an ending that leaves you satisfied.  This book was a masterpiece.  It sucked you in from the first page and tugged at your heart every page after. It held such love, patience, and vulnerability. Both characters were fantastic, but Syrus, oh Syrus, he needs to be wrapped up and kept safe.   No joke, that was a perfect story, one I could read over and over (and probably will). Stars: 5 Synopsis: To whom it may concern, I can't be sure what you're into, that being said, if you like sexy and sweet romance with a whole lot of quirk, keep reading... Ever since Clay Saxon's parents passed away a year ago, he's been stuck in a rut, running their business, and suffering from the worst writer's block ever. But when Syrus Albie, aka yellow sweater guy, (you'll see) walks into The End Book Stor...

  Review: This was my first book by this author, and I'm sorry I've been missing out for this long.  This second chance at love - story was real and beautiful and perfect. A slow burn that made me cry, a number of times, which tells you how well-written the characters were.   Young love that ended abruptly, gets an unexpected second chance when the two find themselves working together.  A lot has changed since they’ve last seen each other, busy lives, business, a child… And there is the past to contend with, the pain that it carries. The way they lean into each other even when they try not to, feels perfect.  There is no denying how well they fit together. This book flows so well that you could read the whole thing in one go and not realize you haven’t moved in hours. I definitely recommend this one, it has all the feels. Stars: 5 Synopsis: Their lives didn't turn out as they'd imagined as boys, but they never forgot each other. Personal trainer Oliver Knox...

Review: This is such an adorable and cute college romance. A classic geeky jock and a nerd become roommates. And from that moment on, there is no doubt (to the reader) that they are perfect together. Too bad Isaac has betrothed himself to his awful childhood dream crush when he returns home after college. So Hunter and Isaac agree to a college fling for the remainder of the year. Well, if Isaac doesn't see his way to a happy ending, I would totally date Hunter in his place! If you're looking for low angst, fun, and a bit of steam, this is a book for you. 📚The Geeky Jock Paradox by  @authorhaydenhall Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3vITHrf Synopsis: History will repeat itself if I fall for another straight(ish) guy. Isaac When my roommate-to-be opens the door wearing nothing but a wet towel and a smile on his face, I only know one thing for sure: my world is about to be turned upside down. A wrestling jock, a hottie, and as straight as a plank, Hunter is not the guy I should want. Bu...