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Romanceopoly 2024 Mid Year Update
Episode 99 • 12th July 2024 • Reading Under the Covers: A Romance Novel Podcast • Under the Covers Book Blog
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In today's episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, Francesca is checking in for her mid-year Romanceopoly update. These are the 23 books read so far for the reading challenge. If you want to know more about the challenge go to: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/reading-challenge/

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Transcripts

Francesca:

Welcome to reading under the covers, that romance novel podcast I'm

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Francesca from under the covers book blog.

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And today I am doing my midyear

Romanceopoly update with you guys.

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I'm going to talk about the books

that I have read for the challenge.

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What are the standouts and kind

of, what are my thoughts about

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where I'm at with the challenge?

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So if you're participating in

the challenge, I hope that you.

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Join me.

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I have probably posted most of these

already in the, under the covers

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community as I was reading them.

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So you probably already, saw

that if you're a member there.

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And if you missed it, maybe some of

these will be of interest for you if

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you are participating as well, and

maybe stuck on some of these prompts.

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So I can't wait to get started.

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I have read quite a few books

that I have really enjoyed this

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year for Romanceopoly and I can't

wait to continue and read more.

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So let's just get started.

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The first prompt that I finished is for

sleuth street, which just happens to be

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the first prompt in the challenge anyway,

and I am going for the prompts as opposed

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to just the genres for the challenge.

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You can actually read the prompt or just

the genre assigned for each of the cards.

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And this one is to read a thriller or a

mystery that features, an amateur sleuth.

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For this one, I read the wife

before by Shanora Williams.

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Shanora Williams is a romance

author, but she also writes

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mystery books, which I think her

mystery books are also really good.

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Especially if you don't want

like a mystery, that's super

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heavy or even too thrillery.

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So I think it's a very entry point.

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If you are more of a romance

reader, but wanting to dip your

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toes into the mystery genre.

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I gave the wife before four stars.

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It is actually my favorite

book that I've read.

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Of her mysteries.

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I have not read actually her

romances only her mysteries.

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And in this one, we have a woman who

starts dating a renowned pro golfer.

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And everything seems like a

fairytale with their dating.

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He's like the perfect guy.

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That is until she finds out that

his first wife died under very

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mysterious circumstances and he's

always been the principal suspect,

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at least as public opinion goes.

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So she has to navigate this life

of living, almost the perfect

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relationship with him while at the

same time, having all this doubts

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about whether he was involved or what

really happened and she does discover

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the wife's diary and she tries to

uncover what happened to his wife.

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Was he involved?

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Is she in any danger as well?

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And maybe that danger is not

necessarily coming from him.

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Like I said, four stars.

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I really enjoyed it.

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It definitely has a more laid back vibe

at first and then once the mystery and

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all the sleuthing started happening, it.

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I was a little bit farther along

in this story, but at that point

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I was really hooked in this book.

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So I think it's a great option, especially

if you're looking for a summer read

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that has a little bit of mystery in it.

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Next I completed the killer Crescent

prompt, which is to read a thriller

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mystery set outside of your country.

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So for me, it had to be a

mystery of thriller that is

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not set in the United States.

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And for this one, I picked

up a recommendation from

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someone on our Facebook page.

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And I just had to read it because it

was recommended as being comparable

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to Agatha Christie's novels.

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And I happen to love agatha Christie.

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So I had to just impulse

buy it and read it.

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And the book is the antique Hunter's

guide to murder by C L Miller.

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I ended up giving this one, three stars.

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It does have kind of like

that old style sleuthing, vibe

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of an Agatha Christie novel.

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But I can't say that it lived up to the

promise of an Agatha Christie novel.

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I think that's just because, you know,

she's queen Agatha, Christie but it

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was still entertaining, a little bit

of a slower read and it does involve

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antiques as part of kind of like

the mystery and the investigation.

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Basically, what antique

would you kill for?

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So I did find that aspect of the story.

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Interesting, but maybe the characters

not as compelling as I would've liked.

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Continuing on the board.

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I did read the library spot.

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And for that, I actually

took something off of my TBR.

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That's been there since 2020.

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And I've been so excited to read this book

and I don't know why I postponed it, but

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I read American demon by Kim Harrison.

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It was probably one of my first, or if

not, my first five-star read of the year.

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I absolutely loved it.

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It is set in the same

world as the hollows.

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So it is kind of like a

continuation of that series.

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Although if I remember correctly,

when American demon came out, it

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was marketed more as a spinoff.

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But basically, it just felt like going

back into the series and just continuing.

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Which I am not mad about.

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It is a series that I absolutely love.

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So I am always for reading

more in that series.

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It is not a book that I would consider.

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You can pick up if you haven't

read the first, I think it's

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like 14 books in the series.

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But it definitely felt like a treat

for me as a fan of the series to

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go back into the world, especially

after knowing or thinking that the

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series was completely done for.

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So American demon was very intense in a

way that some of the later books and the

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hollow series also had that intensity

and this picked up on that same vibe

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as well, which I absolutely loved.

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And we have the same

amazing cast of characters.

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Obviously our heroine, Rachel Morgan.

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And because I don't want to spoil the

biggest part of the hollow series.

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I'm not going to say anything else about

the characters or who she's with or any

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of that, because those are important plot

points of the hollows series in general.

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So I'm not going to say too much

about this one, but just know

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five stars absolutely loved it.

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And it is one of my favorite

urban fantasy series.

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So if you haven't started reading

it yet, You definitely should.

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The next challenge is the bar.

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And for this one, the prompt is to

read a book where one of the main

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characters has a strong group of friends.

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And for this, I went new adult

and I did the Graham effect by

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Elle Kennedy, which is the first

book in the campus diary series.

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I was a little behind on this series, even

though I'm a massive fan of Elle Kennedy.

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And I ended up reading this one

in preparation for the Dixon

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rule that came out, , also this

year and I read both loved both.

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Both are four star reads for me.

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And both also have that strong sense

of friendships, but I really loved the

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Graham effect because it is the second

generation from the off-campus series and

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the heroine in this book is actually the

daughter of one of my favorite couples.

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in the off-campus series.

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Plus both the heroine

and the hero play hockey.

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And I would say that both of them have

their own very strong group of friends,

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but especially our female main characters

has a very strong group of friends.

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Which definitely made her very endearing.

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And the book is just as hot as everything

else that Elle Kennedy has written.

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Plus there's plenty of hockey

and it was just all around.

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Amazing.

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I can't recommend that enough.

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Not only if you're a massive fan

of the off-campus series, like I

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am, because you definitely need

to read the second generation.

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And absolutely live for all

the cameos from our favorite

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characters and the main series.

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But in general, if you're a fan

of sports romances, I think that

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Elle Kennedy writes amazing sports

romances, especially hockey romances.

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And you just can't miss those.

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Those are on your must read.

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If you haven't tried them.

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The next challenge is BFS house.

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And the prompt is to read a contemporary

romance where one of the main

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characters is a geek or a gamer.

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I went with another one that I wanted

to get off my TBR because I fell

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behind on one of my favorite authors.

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And the book is for you and

no one else by Roni Loren.

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I can't recommend this series enough.

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I think that if you haven't tried it,

it is a great entryway for reading

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Roni Loren's books, especially as these

are a little bit less steam than her

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erotic ones, which actually that is

one of my favorite series of all time.

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And definitely still my

favorite series by her.

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But this is right up

there as well with that.

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And I just really love this book.

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We have the hero who is a geek.

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, he's a hacker works in cybersecurity.

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He has his own office or

workspace at a co-working place.

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And he basically works across

the hall from the heroine who is

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building a YouTube channel for her.

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Psychology or therapy sessions.

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She has a horrible date with this

guy and he ends up posting something

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online, which makes her look really bad.

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And from the backlash, she decides to

take some time off of social media and

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the here introduces her to a bit of

digital minimalism and brings her to

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some, no phone parties where, you know,

they're just living in the moment so

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it was all a great experience and added

a lot of character development and

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growth for her, as well as the hero.

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We know there's something

going on with him.

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But they really start off

their relationship as very good

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friends, which I always love.

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And he is also younger than her.

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All around.

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Love that book and I

can't recommend it enough.

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So definitely I think it's a

great choice for this prompt.

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If you haven't read one yet.

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The next one that I completed is another

library spot and for this one, I read

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forced by magic by Jenna Wolfhart.

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It's book one in the

falling for fables series.

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It is a cozy fantasy romance,

which I haven't read a lot of, but

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this one was really, really good.

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I definitely want to go back

and read the rest of the series.

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I did pick it up on Kindle unlimited

because the cover just spoke to me.

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It is so adorable.

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It is a female ORC assassin, trying

to earn her freedom from this evil,

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overbearing, horrible king and she ends

up in a small town on her assignment.

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Cohabitating and kind of falling in love

with a fae blacksmith during the town's

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magical games while she's trying to

hunt down dragons, which is basically

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her task, so she can have her freedom.

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Can't recommended enough.

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It was super cute.

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Next challenge that I completed

is the farmer's market.

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And that is to read a

magical realism book.

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I happen to have read a couple of

magical realism books so far this year,

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which I am excited for, but the one

that I read for this challenge is old

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flames and new fortunes by Sarah Hoggle.

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This was my first time

reading this author.

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So this is a second chance romance.

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It has a wedding theme throughout.

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And it's perfect for spring in my

opinion, but I think it would also be

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a great read to pick up in the summer.

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The heroine's magical ability has to

do with flowers and basically adding a

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magical touch to her flower arrangements.

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When it comes to the wedding

theme, it's actually her kind of a

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coworker's parent that's marrying her.

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Ex-boyfriend's mom so, of course the

ex is coming back to town and he thinks

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that she's actually dating this coworker.

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So there is a little bit also a fake

dating going on, but not between the

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main couple that the romance is about.

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I think overall, it was just a really

nice soothing fast and kind of cute read.

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Which I just blew through reading

because it was very easy to get lost in.

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So I definitely recommend that

when you want something that is

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no pressure, a little bit of fun.

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And a little bit of magic.

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For the next challenge that

I completed is the gym.

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And now for this one, you can kind of

say that I went with the genre prompt

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instead of like the actual prompt.

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But in a roundabout way, it kind of works.

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Both ways.

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I don't really know.

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What's the book that I have on my TBR

and the longest which is what the prompt

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is, but the genre was contemporary

romance and what I ended up reading

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for it is body check by Elle Kennedy.

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And the reason why I feel like

this works really well because

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it combines both of them.

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His body check is a reissue in July.

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So it technically could be

considered a new release.

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However, it was Elle

Kennedy's first adult.

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Hockey romance, which was published.

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A long time ago, I think through

the regular, like Harlequin

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presents line or the harlequin

spice or something like that.

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So I've wanted to read this

book for a really long time.

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I do know that pretty much since

I discovered Elle Kennedy, when I

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started reading her romantic suspense.

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So it's safe to say that this book has

been on my TBR for quite some time,

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but it also fits the genre prompt.

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So yeah, I definitely recommend this one.

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I'm kind of kicking myself

for not reading it sooner.

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It is just a great, great hockey romance.

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And I tend to read Elle Kennedy's

hockey romances as new adults.

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So it definitely felt really

good to read something.

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That's adult the hero is obviously

a hockey player and the heroine is

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the daughter of the team's owner,

but he doesn't know that they have a

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one night stand at a bar, no names.

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She doesn't know where

her life should be going.

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She's on break with her boyfriend and

that relationship cause she's just trying

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to figure out what she should be doing

with her life and definitely having

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a hot one night stand was something

that she was game for at the moment.

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And happy that she wouldn't

have to see him again.

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Not because she didn't like him,

but because of where her head is at.

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When she goes to see her father.

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Who happens to be there on the ice is him.

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And I actually really liked the

fact that he was the one that really

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wanted to pursue a relationship.

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So you can kind of say that the hero falls

first and of course it is super steamy.

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So I think if you like hockey

romance, definitely pick this one up.

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The next one that I read is the

third and final library spot.

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And for that, I also picked something

that I was really, really anticipating.

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And that is Dane's mark by Lora Leigh.

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This is book 33 in the breed series.

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And when I tell you that I've been

waiting for this book for years I

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probably have been waiting for

this book since I think at least

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book seven or eight in the series.

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Maybe, maybe even before, maybe

it was book four in the series.

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It's been a really long time.

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And I was a little bit scared

because of the anticipation.

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But I have to say that it

was just really well done.

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And even with all that pressure

that I'm sure the author had to feel

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for doing justice to this story.

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I think that she did a really great job.

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We have kind of like a billionaire hero.

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It is more of a paranormal romantic

suspense fated mates story has a

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bit of a touch of scifi as well.

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Within the series or how the world,

the paranormal world is structured.

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I just absolutely love this series.

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I know that it can be a

little bit wild at times.

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Especially at the very beginning because

the first few books are just really

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out there and really crazy, especially

they're what I would consider more

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erotica at the very beginning of the

series, but they do change in tone.

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I want to say maybe after

books three or four.

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Definitely.

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I think book three was a bit of a

change in tone, but maybe just take a

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couple of books more to really get in

the groove of how the series really is.

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So if you're going to pick up the

series, it's one that you want to stick

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with for some time just going prepared

for that and you really can't skip

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them because the first few books give

you the main information of what the

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world is and you know, what things are

structured like and who are these breeds

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and how they came to be in all of that.

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So you do need to have that background

knowledge, which is just so much easier

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if you pick it up from reading those

first few books, but I absolutely love it.

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You know, there are some dots

here and there, but this one.

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Happy to report that I did enjoy it.

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I rated it four stars.

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And where I was a little bit worried

that Dane would be almost too alpha,

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especially when it comes to his mate.

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I think that he was just the right

amount of alpha, just slightly

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overbearing, but also I think respectful

and knowing when to give his heroine

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space and when he needed to let her

be successful in her field and take

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the risks that she needed to take.

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For her job and for her interests,

basically letting her develop into a

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full person and pursue her passions.

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So I really enjoyed it.

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Super glad that it was really good.

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The next one that I

completed is the coffee shop.

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And the prompt for that is to read

a book where the main characters

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have a working relationship.

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So either a boss, employee, client,

student, teacher, anything like that.

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And for that, I ended up reading a

student teacher romance, and that was, I

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wish I would have chosen you by Whitney

G I ended up giving this 3.5 stars.

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It definitely has a heavy touch of

forbidden romance and taboo so it

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might be a book that will make some

people a little bit uncomfortable.

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But I gobble this up in one sitting.

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I started probably at nine o'clock

at night thinking I'm going to read

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a little bit before I go to bed.

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And I just read the whole

thing before going to sleep,

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because it was so addictive.

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Not without problems, but so addictive.

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I definitely recommend

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The next challenge.

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I finished a spring.

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And that is to read a book where either

it has green, pink, or an animal on

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the cover, or if it's set during a

road trip or a vacation and for this

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one was definitely a vacation with

a little bit of road trip as well.

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It is a historical romance,

which is a little bit different

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when it comes to thinking of a

vacation theme, romance book.

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But it was so fun to see.

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And the book is Earls

Trip by Jenny holiday.

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It definitely hit all the

spring vibes when I read it.

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And it's a group of friends, basically

three Earl's or one is a future Earl.

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But they've been very good friends for

many years and they have a standing

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yearly trip, which is gentleman's only.

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Every year they alternate.

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And one of them is in charge

of setting everything up.

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And this year was set up by

kind of like the one that is

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not usually very organized.

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So the plan is that they are

going to go to this castle and

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everything is supposed to be amazing.

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Fun fact, it was a little bit dilapidated

and the staff was certainly lacking.

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So they definitely have an interesting

vacation, but it starts with even more

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interesting when on their way out of town,

they are basically asked to go rescue.

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One of the heroes.

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Childhood friends and neighbors.

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And it sounds like she's run off to get

married, but most likely been kidnapped

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by this dubious character and they decide

to go on the trip to go rescue her.

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It, what they don't know is that her

sister who was actually this Earl's

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very good friend, childhood friend.

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She's also hot on the trails and

wanting to rescue her sister.

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They all end up running into each

other and the rescue happens and then

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they all have to spend this vacation

together, which definitely goes

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against all the rules of the gentlemen

only vacation of the Earls trip.

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So it was so much fun.

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Seeing them together is definitely

more of a sweet romance.

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I am not used to reading Johnny

holiday in historical romance.

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I think she has written

other historical romances.

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But I did find that it felt a little

bit more like a contemporary that was

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just set in historical times as opposed

to really getting into the vibe of a

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historical romance, if that makes sense

but all of that aside, I still really

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enjoyed the fact that it's a sweet

childhood friends to lovers romance.

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With plenty of humor as well.

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If you're looking for

something lighthearted, this

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is a great one for that.

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I also completed the summer challenge.

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And that is to read a book where either

yellow, white water or the beach is on

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the cover, or if it's a celebrity romance.

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So the one I read is a celebrity romance

and is the backup bride proposal by Jaci

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Burton it is set at a vineyard, which

I also think it's great for the season.

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So at this vineyard, they're

going to be filming a movie.

366

:

So the whole crew was

there and the movie stars.

367

:

Except the leading lady who is actually

going to be delayed' cause she's still

368

:

wrapping up her previous project.

369

:

And so they've requested that the

wedding coordinator at the vineyard step

370

:

in and sort of fill her role because

they look a little bit similar so

371

:

they can continue doing this schedule

and filming some of the scenes.

372

:

They'll just do the ones where she can

just stand in, and kind of like be filmed

373

:

from behind as a place holder, basically

for where the main actress will be later

374

:

on that way there will be no delays.

375

:

Of course, she has to agree to do that

with the hot actor that is playing the

376

:

leading role in the movie while both

of them are staying at the vineyard

377

:

so there's a bit of force proximity.

378

:

A wedding theme, the vineyard

setting, the celebrity romance.

379

:

Small town as well it was definitely

a cute read a little bit on the

380

:

sweeter side than what I'm used to.

381

:

But I feel like this whole series

has a bit more of a sweet side

382

:

than the steamier side that I'm

used to reading from Jaci Burton.

383

:

And I ended up giving this one, 3.5 stars.

384

:

The next one that I

completed is Flirts Corner.

385

:

And the prompt for that is to

read a contemporary romance.

386

:

That's either set in a small town or with

the siblings, best friend trope bonus.

387

:

If it's both and I did not get the bonus.

388

:

But I didn't read a small town romance and

that is off the beaten path by Madison.

389

:

Wright this one has all the tropey.

390

:

Goodness.

391

:

And I pick this up also in a whim

it is not only small town, but it

392

:

has a single dad it's neighbors

to lovers and enemies to lovers.

393

:

The hero is not only a single dad.

394

:

He's also a blue collar hero.

395

:

And they start off getting to know

each other online through a dating app.

396

:

So it is a bit over online romance as well

397

:

so all the good stuff,

it was really adorable.

398

:

I really enjoyed it.

399

:

I ended up giving it four stars.

400

:

It is a closed door romance, or kind of

like, I guess it's called a sweet romance.

401

:

So there is no sex in it.

402

:

I don't think it was

anything that I missed.

403

:

Although I certainly

didn't know going into it.

404

:

That that's what it was going

to be but I can definitely

405

:

recommend that it was super sweet.

406

:

So when you're looking for something,

just lighthearted fun and something

407

:

that you can read really fast.

408

:

It is available on Kindle unlimited and

the audio book is available on Scribd.

409

:

So definitely pick this one up.

410

:

Next one is Amour Ave.

411

:

The prompt for this is to

read a contemporary romance

412

:

with a bad boy or ex-con hero.

413

:

And I was.

414

:

Really wanting to go for the ex-con hero.

415

:

It is a prompt that I have completed for

Romanceopoly when we've had it before.

416

:

And I was really hoping to go for that,

but I ended up going for the bad boy hero.

417

:

And I read when we lied

by Claire Contreras.

418

:

It's the second book in

the Fairview hockey series.

419

:

Both of the main characters are athletes.

420

:

The hero is a hockey player.

421

:

The heroine is a basketball player.

422

:

I really loved the fact that

both of them had that in common.

423

:

And I would say this is

more of a romantic suspense.

424

:

There is.

425

:

Quite a bit of trigger

warnings for this one.

426

:

So definitely go check those out.

427

:

I would recommend, and I also was

not expecting it to be so steamy.

428

:

It is super steamy.

429

:

Which threw me a bid for a loop

at some times, but at others

430

:

I was all on board for it.

431

:

Totally made sense.

432

:

I have read this author in the past

and I have really enjoyed her books.

433

:

And I think that she just did a

really great job with this one.

434

:

Both making you full for the characters

and making you really care for what

435

:

they were investigating, which was

basically the heroes sister's death who

436

:

also was the best friend of the heroine.

437

:

Little bit of mystery, a little

bit of danger definitely some

438

:

trauma and trigger warnings.

439

:

But ultimately a hero that.

440

:

Once he falls in love.

441

:

That is the girl.

442

:

And he's been obsessed

with her a little bit.

443

:

Stalker-ish.

444

:

But basically from the moment he

saw her, she was the one, even

445

:

though he didn't want to admit that.

446

:

So I really love that aspect of the story.

447

:

I think that it was just textbook.

448

:

Great.

449

:

Angsty romance.

450

:

And I will definitely have to go back

and read book one in this series.

451

:

Next one that I completed

was courtship row.

452

:

That is to read a historical romance,

featuring a heroine with an unconventional

453

:

profession for the time and for that,

I read, wake me most wickedly by

454

:

Felicia Grossmann, which is book two

and the ones upon the east end series.

455

:

And basically her job was working

for the organized crime or for

456

:

the highest bidder in search for

whatever they needed, whether it

457

:

was information, people, whatever.

458

:

This is a class differences

romance as well.

459

:

And as much as her profession should

lead you to believe it's going to

460

:

be a little bit of a darker theme.

461

:

I actually found this book to be

very lighthearted and sweet in a way.

462

:

Even though it does have some danger

and some mystery element to the story.

463

:

But yeah, ultimately this

was a really sweet read.

464

:

I didn't feel that I was missing

anything from the story or from

465

:

enjoying the plot because of the

fact that I hadn't read book one.

466

:

I did give this 3.5 stars.

467

:

I don't know if it's necessarily left me.

468

:

itching to either read the first

one or continue reading the series,

469

:

but it was still an enjoyable read.

470

:

Up next.

471

:

I read for Past Eaves, which the prompt

says to read a historical romance

472

:

that isn't set outside of the UK.

473

:

So basically it's England Scotland,

Wales, or Northern Ireland as the setting.

474

:

That leaves it pretty open to most

of the historical romance genre, but

475

:

I did want to read something with a

bit of diversity because my original

476

:

intention for this prompt was that it

should say it wasn't set in the UK.

477

:

So yeah, little bit of a typo by the

time I realized we had already released

478

:

all the information for the challenge.

479

:

So it just stayed the way it is.

480

:

But I ended up reading Ana Maria and

the Fox by Liana De La Rosa, which is

481

:

book number one in the Luna sisters.

482

:

And I absolutely loved it.

483

:

This is another one that I've had on my

TBR since it released, I think it was

484

:

last year and book two was coming out.

485

:

I also read book two, so I'm happy

that I've caught up with the series

486

:

it is a great series, especially

if you want something a little bit

487

:

different in your historical romance,

even though it's set in England.

488

:

The heroine for this one

is a Mexican heiress.

489

:

And she's basically hiding

in England with her sister.

490

:

The hero is in politics and

he is the grandson of a black

491

:

slave woman and he's fighting to

abolish the Atlantic slave trade.

492

:

So I think that they make a great couple,

their romance was really seductive,

493

:

but a little bit understated, which

I really liked because he's more of a

494

:

beta hero, especially when it comes to

courting her and I would say she's more

495

:

of the one with the bright personality.

496

:

Kind of a opposites attract,

but I really love them together.

497

:

The next one I read is for the vault.

498

:

And that is to read a paranormal where

the main characters are not witches

499

:

or warlocks or vampires or shifters.

500

:

And for that, I went with demons and I

read the legacy of temptation by Larissa

501

:

Ione, which is the first book in the

next generation of the demonica world.

502

:

I think the series is

called Demonica birthright.

503

:

And the hero of this

book is the son of death.

504

:

Who's one of the four horsemen of the

apocalypse and is one of the books in the

505

:

demonica series, which I absolutely love.

506

:

It's one of my favorite

books in that series.

507

:

And we saw him throughout that series also

go through some persecution as a baby.

508

:

They wanted to kill him, basically.

509

:

And the organization that was trying

to kill him all those years back is

510

:

one that he has to work with now.

511

:

Basically the heroine works

for that organization.

512

:

They want to get rid of demons

although they don't really know

513

:

that they're working with demons.

514

:

And of course when they find

out all hell breaks loose.

515

:

So it's really old school.

516

:

Amazing paranormal romance.

517

:

You could technically

start with this book.

518

:

I think you would not be too lost, but

I definitely recommend that you read

519

:

the whole series because you would

be missing out on some amazing books.

520

:

And this was another one of my very

few, five star reads of the year.

521

:

Next for ever after street which

is to read a Sapphic romance I read

522

:

remedial magic by Melissa Marr I

ended up giving this three stars.

523

:

I really wanted to love this book and

it just did not deliver as much as I

524

:

wanted although I have felt like that

with Melissa Marr books in the past.

525

:

So maybe that's more of a me and

her writing style, not mashing.

526

:

But this is a Sapphic romance is one

of the plots that are found throughout

527

:

the book, because it does have.

528

:

Different subplots and

different characters.

529

:

I think my main trouble with it was that

it felt like it gave me some mixed vibes.

530

:

It had a bit of a cozy vibe.

531

:

So I kind of could have been at cozy

urban fantasy, but the stakes were

532

:

too high for that at the same time, it

didn't quite deliver an exciting urban

533

:

fantasy if the stakes were that high.

534

:

So I feel like it had a bit of

an existential crisis, whether it

535

:

wanted to be cozy or high stakes

and high action and all this drama.

536

:

It felt sort of flat For both options.

537

:

I guess I personally don't like

those books that are in the middle.

538

:

The romance also, I felt

was not too exciting.

539

:

The plot also wasn't too exciting.

540

:

And the characters were also, they bland.

541

:

But I kept reading it because the

story did have a lot of potential.

542

:

I was just left, waiting

for that to develop.

543

:

Next for rainbow row, which is to read

any book featuring an LGBTQIa romance.

544

:

read the honey witch by Sydney J shields.

545

:

And I picked this up because obviously

the cover is so cute and it just

546

:

gave me all the spring vibes as well.

547

:

And I also saw that it's kind of like

a Swifty easter egg kind of book.

548

:

So I wanted to check it out,

even though I'm not a diehard,

549

:

massive Taylor swift fan.

550

:

I just wanted to see what was in there.

551

:

And definitely I was there

for the magical realism.

552

:

Spring vibes.

553

:

I ended up giving this three stars.

554

:

It does have a Sapphic main

romance, any gay side romance.

555

:

We don't really get to see

a lot of that developed.

556

:

But it has magic and witches and bees

and honey, and a forbidden romance

557

:

and a historical paranormal world.

558

:

Which was a perfect quick laid back

read for a cozy Sunday morning.

559

:

And then I also read for lover's lane,

which is to read a male, male romance.

560

:

XOXO, by Christina Lee.

561

:

This is book one in the

Roosevelt college series.

562

:

It is a new adult romance set

in college and it's between a

563

:

football player and a dancer.

564

:

It is a very sweet romance.

565

:

The main characters reconnect in college,

but their connection was from when they

566

:

were children and they were undergoing

childhood cancer treatment together.

567

:

At the same time, both beat it.

568

:

And now they're both

in college it was cute.

569

:

I ended up writing this one, 3.75.

570

:

Next we have for action avenue, which

is to read an urban fantasy with a

571

:

magic user as the main character.

572

:

And for that, I read three kinds

of lucky by Kim Harrison, which

573

:

is the first in her new series.

574

:

And we already talked about Rachel

Morgan in this list here and I

575

:

think that this book, particularly

the heroin has a lot of vibes of

576

:

racial Morgan in the hollow series.

577

:

So I'm going to consider

it as the hollows 2.0.

578

:

And this being book one, I think that

all of the things that I felt book one

579

:

in the hollows was really dragging and

suffering from first book syndrome.

580

:

This one didn't have that.

581

:

It just jumped right into things,

introducing us to the characters and

582

:

making us really fall in love with

the storyline and the characters and

583

:

the little bit of romance as well.

584

:

So I really enjoyed it and

can't wait to read the next one

585

:

then for city lane, which is

to redefining urban fantasy.

586

:

I'm so excited for this one.

587

:

Cause I read the dead guy next door by.

588

:

Lucy score.

589

:

And if you enjoy darynda Jones

is Charley Davidson series.

590

:

I think this is going to be a must read.

591

:

The heroine has this.

592

:

Psychic ability.

593

:

And it's not something that she's worked

with or developed because she always felt

594

:

that it was all fake and mumbo-jumbo,

but she has a vision of her next

595

:

door neighbor being killed basically,

almost disregards it, thinking that

596

:

all these things she sees in her head

are not true until it actually happens.

597

:

And she finds herself in the middle

of an investigation about what

598

:

happened to him who had him killed?

599

:

All while developing her psychic abilities

and working with the sexy PI that is in

600

:

charge of investigating that as well.

601

:

So a little bit of ghosts, a

little bit of supernatural power.

602

:

And a lot of crazy shenanigans and

lots of fun and laughs so definitely

603

:

for fans of, darynda Jones.

604

:

Must read.

605

:

The next one that I completed is for

campus corner, which is to read a

606

:

book featuring any college sports.

607

:

And for that, I read stealing home

by Grace Riley, which is book three

608

:

in the, beyond the place series.

609

:

This is set in college.

610

:

The hero plays baseball.

611

:

But it is just the cutest

romance hero falls first.

612

:

He's the sunshine.

613

:

She's the grumpy.

614

:

It was just really sweet,

but also really steamy.

615

:

And I can't wait to dive

into the series more.

616

:

I've read two books.

617

:

Now I got to catch up on an old

one and read the upcoming one.

618

:

And that is basically all of the books

that I have read so far for romanceopoly.

619

:

I am 59% complete.

620

:

I have read 23 of the prompts out of 39.

621

:

I am trying to do the complete board.

622

:

And I definitely think that I can do this

and finish before the end of the year.

623

:

Like I said, I have one queued up that

I'm going to be starting next, which

624

:

is going to be for the post office,

which is to read an epistolary romance.

625

:

So I'm going to be

starting that later today.

626

:

And I did talk about that in our episode

of epistolary romance recommendations.

627

:

I decided to go for a cosmic

kind of love by Samantha Young.

628

:

I'm super excited about it.

629

:

It sounds like so much fun.

630

:

I'll definitely report back and

tell you guys what I thought.

631

:

I would love to know what you guys

have read so far for the challenge.

632

:

If you've enjoyed it, where

you're at, how you're doing.

633

:

And which prompts you're struggling with.

634

:

We definitely want to work more

on some recommendation episodes

635

:

and lists for you guys to have.

636

:

And if you're in our community, we

will also be making available our

637

:

old recommendation lists for the

previous year's prompts as well.

638

:

Hopefully within the

next couple of months.

639

:

So if you complete the board for

this year and you want to dive into

640

:

even more prompts and challenges,

you can always complete one of

641

:

the previous year's prompts.

642

:

We have one year that had two

different prompts sets and our

643

:

original year, which was one set.

644

:

So there's definitely a lot of

prompts and reading challenges

645

:

for you to continue reading.

646

:

As always, don't forget to follow the

blog at under the covers book, blog.com.

647

:

We always have a tons of new book

recommendations for you there.

648

:

Subscribe to our newsletter.

649

:

We'll be in your inbox

every single Sunday.

650

:

You can follow us on social.

651

:

At UTC book blog on Instagram tiktok

and Pinterest and under the covers

652

:

book blog on Facebook and YouTube.

653

:

Happy reading, and we will

catch you in the next one.

654

:

Bye.

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