en-US Wed, 14 May 2025 13:28:25 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review7569283199 Wed, 14 May 2025 13:28:25 -0700 /review/show/7569283199 Kari gave 5 stars to Dice & Dekes (Venom Next Gen Book 3) by Colleen Charles
Easily my favorite of the three books in this next gen series! It has all the snarky, straight mean, and hilarious banter, Knova will break your heart and Viktor will will steal it, and every second is fantastic. It has this totally melt you dash of it's always been you, the guys are outrageous and funny as ever, there is all this doubt and fear and defeat, and Knova and Viktor together are like a hurricane, all bluster and storm but right in the middle a calm, a quiet peace, that rocks them both and makes this a standout read. ]]> Review7567388424 Tue, 13 May 2025 19:12:50 -0700 /review/show/7567388424 Kari gave 4 stars to However You Want Me (Kindle Edition) by Willow Winters
The most heart wrenching, blow your dang mind read! It’s vicious, ruthless and cruel, it’s the literal best and most well-deserved revenge, the main characters have a duplicity and detachment to them that will forever be ingrained in your mind that is understandable and insanely fascinating, the love story is sweetly twisted, incredibly deep, and makes your heart flutter at how true and strong it is, and you will never ever get over how one school changed two lives so irrevocably. It’s one look that got you through the worst time of your life, it’s picking up broken pieces and masking how damaged you still are, it continually throws surprises at you and has you jumping straight over that morally grey line agreeing with every single stroke of revenge, and the only way you’re putting it down is if someone pries it out of your cold dead hands. ]]> Review7566110231 Tue, 13 May 2025 10:12:03 -0700 /review/show/7566110231 Kari gave 5 stars to Irresistible Temptation (Undercover Lovers, #3) by Tory Baker
A one-night stand, accidental pregnancy romance that literally sizzles! It’s hot, hot instalove, with a man who knows exactly what he wants, uses every resource he’s got to make it happen, and proceeds to completely sweep you, and the girl, right off your feet. Definitely more of a tell, not ask kind of guy, Tysen has zero hesitation moving Maci right in, making it clear she’s it for him, and going into full on over-the-top protective daddy mode, and it’s a sexy adorable de-freakin-light to read! ]]> Review7564284834 Mon, 12 May 2025 17:15:19 -0700 /review/show/7564284834 Kari gave 5 stars to Match Penalty (The Rookie Hawkeyes #1) by Kenna King
A romance that has your heart exploding with feels! We’re talking butterflies, that swooping sensation when you just know it’s right, that gut deep sinking feel when you know it’s about to fall apart, that heart racing pulse pounding crazy good chemistry thrill, and that giddy girl my god could this be any cuter or more charming surge of happiness and it all culminates in the out of your mind in love feel that you have for JP Dumont who is literal book boyfriend perfection. This is angst that will have you screaming, hearts breaking that will have you crying, loyalty that will leave you devastated, self-sacrifice that will just shatter you, effort to prove how much you love someone that will melt your heart completely, proving you’re more than a family legacy, and getting a second chance with the girl who is hands down more important than hockey, money, and every other thing on the planet, and it is outrageously fantastic.
My gosh the way this read just hits your heart. All the frustration, all the cute, and all the seriously good spice aside, this is a read about JP Dumont. A genuinely good man who is willing to give up anything and everything for the people he loves, who has his heart literally on his sleeve when it comes to the woman he wants a second chance with and who he is rapidly falling in love with, and who works on himself and his game every day to show that he’s a far better man than his father, and it just hits you deep. Cammy is equally awesome needing the one thing that JP can’t give her, his truth about one night that changed her whole perception of him, and it’s heartbreaking but she’s no wilting flower, she’s willing to push for answers, fight back and knows her own worth. The supporting characters are great and bring a ton to the overall story, adding laughs, meddling, and care for both Cammy and JP, the epilogue is sweetest best wrap up, the book flows well, and the writing is really, really well done. A read I absolutely recommend picking up. ]]> Review7561399638 Sun, 11 May 2025 16:41:01 -0700 /review/show/7561399638 Kari gave 5 stars to Beautiful Mess (Blossom Beach #2) by Ashley James
A jaw dropping, panty melting, must read right the hell now romance!! Ashley James gets a standing ovation, every damn star there is, and my sincerest thank you for this insanely incredible read and for Daddy Conway, the man who will now star in every dirty fantasy I have. This is the hottest age gap, the just right dose of forbidden, the most intense and sizzling chemistry, all the gruff sexy filthy man mouth you can handle, the brattiest of brats (it’s worth it, the punishment is just that good), fireworks, explosions, and a penchant for public scenes that will have you tempted to throw the book down and take care of a little something, and the most thoughtful and sincere gestures from a man who knows what he wants, knows how to get it and keep it, and it’ll have you ridiculously feral for all of it. It’s a swallow you whole, turn you inside out, and make you a needy mess kind of read and it’s beyond spectacular!
There is not one thing about this book that doesn’t scream must read. The flow, the plot, and the characters are freaking flawless, the spice deserves its own rating scale, and every interaction between Conway and Grace is the hottest foreplay, the deepest connection, and the sweetest uncontrollable freefall into love. The drama is low enough, both are rock solid parents and have great support and good exes, that the focus is one hundred percent, well except for that exes dad thing, on the heat, the undeniable pull, and the fear of falling that Conway and Grace have and let me tell you this read hits pay dirt with that and gives you a read about falling in love with the right one that’ll make you sweat and steal your heart and your breath. DO NOT MISS THIS READ, just saying. ]]> Review7560014809 Sun, 11 May 2025 05:51:14 -0700 /review/show/7560014809 Kari gave 4 stars to Sticks & Serpents (Crestwood Elite Hockey Academy #11) by Heather C. Myers
Damien Sinclaire...my new obsession because he is all the right kinds of wrong!! He's obsessive, possessive, stalking is his favorite past time, and his truth will break you, oh yeah and he's got a serious case of look at her and I'll unalive you by morning. Probably the darkest in this series so far, this one is literally just thrilling to read, Damien is a character you will either hate with a passion or adore and love completely, the hockey is great, the fights are kinda sexy, and the spice is hot and it's got this passion and desperation that just make it feel deep, and I'll just say when Holly starts fighting back for Damien...oh yeah. Possibly my favorite to date in this series and so, so good! ]]> Review7557721204 Sat, 10 May 2025 07:19:29 -0700 /review/show/7557721204 Kari gave 5 stars to Stolen Dreams (Dream #4) by Natasha Madison
A pull every one of your heart strings, gut clenching, tear-jerking, absolutely beautiful romance! It’s got every one of the feels, all the mutual pining, the swoon is top notch, Emmett’s stupid, stupid man who means well factor is as high as his charm, his protectiveness, and his great big heart, Lilah’s fire, Emmett’s reactions, and their chemistry is like a comedy show of sniping wrapped up in a powder keg just begging for that spark to set it off, and the adorable little girl whose whole world has been shattered, who connects deeply with Lilah and makes Emmett open his heart for the first time ever, hits you squarely in the chest and burrows right into your heart. There’s hope, there’s humor, there’s growth and healing, there’s a dash of danger that hits so right, and there is nothing better than the moment Emmett realizes every one of his dreams resides in the two girls he never thought he’d deserve.
I loved this one so, so much! The chemistry is so good, that connection that Lilah develops with Lucy is immediate, special, and touching, and there is something really hot about Emmett’s stupid man syndrome and how hard he fights to stay away from Lilah and how much effort he puts into making sure Lucy is okay even when his heart just breaking for her. This is just a romance that has it all, has it all really, really well, hits so perfectly emotionally, and gives you characters you wholeheartedly want the best for and it’s simply gorgeous. ]]> Review7556164294 Fri, 09 May 2025 13:55:50 -0700 /review/show/7556164294 Kari gave 4 stars to Unhinged (Bratva Kings) by Jane Henry
An all-consuming Bratva romance with some seriously elite stalking, mind games that keep you on edge, an ultra-possessive MMC who makes the word mine sound like a threat that sends shivers down your spine and a promise that makes your heart race and your blood heat, and an FMC who is brilliant, broken, and so tired of running. Their game of cat and mouse is ridiculously hot, Matvei’s obsession runs deep and it is crystal clear no is not an option for Anissa, her defiance and self-preservation keep tensions high and take their chemistry that much closer to exploding at all times, and the all the secrets, betrayals, and truths that come out have astronomically high costs for both them and the whole Kopolov family and take an alliance with the Irish straight to definite war, and it is unreal good.
This whole series just keeps getting better and has you so invested in what happens to the Kopolov family, I love it! Matvei and Anissa are both really great characters who have paid some high prices to survive, one to prove loyalty and the other to escape, and it really enhances their whole relationship. It gives them an understanding of each other that just takes the chemistry, the feelings to a whole other level, and makes choosing to stay, to be together, that much sweeter. The spice in this one is spicing and I swear when Matvei says the word run…the thigh clenching is real, so very real. This one ends on a more somber note, with the price paid to rescue one person costing another, and the war looming over everyone’s heads but it is a really good way to wrap this read up and lead into the next one and it’s written so well, it gives that little bit of hope as something new begins and that ominous feel of something bigger and darker coming and it’s so good. ]]> Review7553703733 Thu, 08 May 2025 13:36:51 -0700 /review/show/7553703733 Kari gave 5 stars to When We Break (The Blackwells of Montana #2) by Kristen Proby
A hell yesss smalltown romance that burns white hot, has you a weak kneed mess within the first four chapters, and doesn't let up for even a second! It’s fast paced, with an insanely seductive and sexy vibe, a healthy dose of stalkery danger, and a cowboy who nails possessive and protective,  exceeds expectations in the dominant and dirty mouth department, and should teach a master class in supporting your girl, because Beckett Blackwell does it so damn right! 

There is an inate sultry feel to this read from the second Beckett asks for Skyla's number and it carries through the whole book and makes even the simplest and most innocent of touches feel electric and it is so freaking good and sucks you in so deep.  And on top of that  it's one of the most ideal mixes of cowboy rough and tumble charm, the perks and responsibility of being a billionaire, and has just enough of a morally grey feel that you know protective equals unaliving if necessary and it all adds up to a read that is totally addictive. Both Beckett and Skyla are fantastic characters, love the family and close friends feel and they all really add to the overall story, this is just a squeal at how cute, fan yourself to cool down, aww that’s so touching, can't put down stellar romance. ]]> Review7552101086 Wed, 07 May 2025 21:03:02 -0700 /review/show/7552101086 Kari gave 5 stars to Worth the Fight (The Malone Brothers) by K. Bromberg
A five star master-freakin-piece with the kind of emotion that claws at your heart, the kind of loss that shatters you like glass, and the kind of love that gives you the ability to finally breathe again! There is no way to describe how healing, impactful, and searingly hot and deep this read is, it’s two broken people, one destroyed by loss, drowning in guilt, and a shadow of who they used to be, the other ripped apart by betrayal, cornered by circumstance, and needing an escape, colliding in the best way possible, denying it could be anything more than a few moments in time, changing, reshaping, and healing each other, and falling irrevocably in love and every single moment is phenomenal.
This book…it’s one of those reduce you to tears, send your heart flying, fill you with dread, and every little thing in between kind of books. Grady just destroys you with his I’m fine, I’m still the same façade that sort of hides the fact he’s hanging by a thread and barely going through the motions, while Dylan makes your heart hurt for her as the once confident and sure woman who’s let a rock prima donna and the unreal music industry expectations chip away at her soul and lose herself, but when these two become roommates, life altering, all the feels magic. Grady gives her confidence, Dylan gives him the courage and the desire to start living again, and with terrible pick up lines, an impromptu fake dating scheme, gallons and gallons of chemistry, and more than a few reality checks and heart to hearts, pieces slot back into place, wounds heal, and hearts open again. It’s gorgeous, it’s touching, it gives you everything, and it’s the kind of read that will still be filling you with emotion when you think about it years down the road. ]]>