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Dec 01 2020
Recommendations and Reviews

Review: Ten Things I Hate About the Duke by Loretta Chase

by Caiti
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Ten Things I Hate About the Duke by Loretta Chase Avon, 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐(.5) Ten Things I Hate About the Duke is Loretta Chase’s take on The Taming of the Shrew...
Nov 19 2020
Recommendations and Reviews

Review: How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams

by Caiti
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How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams Berkley, 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Naya is a smart college professor who needs to get a life…according to her dearest friends. And the thing...
Nov 19 2020
Recommendations and Reviews

Review: How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole

by Caiti
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How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole Avon, 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐(.5) How to Catch a Queen is an arranged marriage romance which is one of THE BEST TROPES EVER if...
Nov 19 2020
Recommendations and Reviews

Review: In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

by Caiti
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In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren Galley Books, 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I started this book last night when I went to bed and I stayed up until 3am to read it...
Oct 28 2020
Recommendations and Reviews

Review: A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins

by Caiti
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A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins Forever, 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I am not always one for murder mysteries and crime solving in my romance reading but this...
Oct 27 2020
Recommendations and Reviews

Review: A Duchess a Day by Charis Michaels

by Caiti
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A Duchess a Day by Charis Michaels Avon, 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In coming gushing in…3…2…1… My fairytale adoring heart WEPT WITH JOY. A Duchess a Day by Charis Michaels is a...
Oct 20 2020
Recommendations and Reviews

Review: Love is a Rogue by Lenora Bell

by Caiti
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Love is a Rogue by Lenora Bell Avon, 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beatrice: Brilliant logophile bluestocking. Ford: Historical hot handyman. Yes, please and thank you. I found Love is a Rogue to...
Oct 18 2020
Recommendations and Reviews

Review: After Hours Redemption by Kianna Alexander

by Caiti
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After Hours Redemption by Kianna Alexander Harlequin Desire, 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’ve said this many times, but second-chance romance is not my favorite trope. But it worked for me here. Eden...
Oct 09 2020
Recommendations and Reviews

Review: The Duke Effect by Sophie Jordan

by Caiti
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The Duke Effect by Sophie Jordan Avon, 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sophie Jordan has never let me down before and that held true for her latest. A bluestocking heroine and a stuffy,...
Oct 09 2020
Recommendations and Reviews

Review: My Kind of Earl by Vivienne Lorret

by Caiti
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My Kind of Earl by Vivienne Lorret Avon, 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Vivienne Lorret writes right in my sweet spot. Every single time. She reminds me of Tessa Dare in that the...

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Hello. I’m Caiti.

Disheveled mom of two. Bibliophile. Inhaler of romance novels.

Scary Mommy
25 Book Reviews 80% Professional Reader

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💘 Romance novel aficionado
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🇺🇸 Ohio, USA
Reviews and Recs. Nerdy camaraderie.
You may (or not) have noticed I've been a bit MIA You may (or not) have noticed I've been a bit MIA on this account. And it's true. So I just wanted to pop in here and say that I probably will be spending less time here. For a few reasons... First of all...I have enrolled in a program to become a certified Enneagram coach. Which is YAAAAAAYYYY!!!! But, like any course of studies requires, it's taking a lot of energy and time. In the best way. Secondly...my engagement is way down. The half-hearted research I've done into this indicates that Insta is prioritizing reels. And like...friends...I just don't have the time or the desire to learn how/produce reels in order to stay visible. I just don't. I love book pics. That's what I came here for. I like YOUR reels. But, overall, they're just too much of pita for me. Lastly, I'm in a pesudo reading funk wherein I'm having trouble picking up a romance and falling into the story. *with a few exceptions from perfectly matched authors who write in the sweet spot that activates my deepest essence and/or id. 🤨🔥 I know it will pass. But for now it is what it is. I'm definitely not retiring this account. I suspect I'll be back eventually. But in the meeeeeantime I am very active on my personal account and I'm comfortable with you guys following me there, some of you already do, if you want to to stay in contact. @caitiradjewski (If you're a creep lurking here, I'll just block you! 😉) So yeah. I love this community. I'm just in a unique and peculiar place right now. So not goodbye, but see you soon. ♥️
:::The Year Of Eloisa James::: ::Duchess in Love :::The Year Of Eloisa James::: ::Duchess in Love, 2002:: Gina has been Camden's wife since she was eleven years old...technically. A scant few hours after after becoming the Duchess of Girton, Gina's husband ran off and left the country. And he's been off carving sculptures of naked women ever since. As one does. Twelve years later Gina is ready to get married for real this time. To someone else. But she can't do that without, you know, annulling her marriage to Camden. Enter Camden. Back in England for the first time in over a decade, Camden is more than willing to set his childhood friend free...until he's not. 🔥 This, the first book in the Duchess Quartet, immediately starts wailing on HR norms. First of all, the main female protagonists are all scandalous without apologies. They're married but not living with their husbands. Some of them sleeping with other men. And you've got to think...this was 2002. These unpulled punches at Purity Culture were NOT the norm. They barely are today in 2021. And The Duchess Quartet pummels away at it. So I love this series for that. Get yours, ladies. Next up, Fool for Love! #duchessinlove #eloisajames #theyearofeloisajames
Lorraine Heath is a feelings magician. That's the Lorraine Heath is a feelings magician. That's the review. I'm done. Thank you. Truly though, an LH love story is always perfectly layered and full of all the things that I love about historical romance. This book is no exception. I WILL say, however, that as much as I enjoyed this book, the WHOLE time I couldn't stop salivating for the Duke of Kingsland's book which just so happens to be next up. There's even line he speaks, and you'll know it when you see it, that you know is going to bite him in his precious ducal butt. This guy is going fall haaaaard it and it's going to be so very delicious to watch. Thank you Avon and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
:::The Year Of Eloisa James::: ::Enchanting Plea :::The Year Of Eloisa James::: ::Enchanting Pleasures, 2001:: Gabrielle has traveled to England all the way from India to marry Peter Dewland. Half in love with the man's portrait, her engagement represents freedom from her absolutely monstrous and emotionally abusive father. But it's not Peter who meets her on the dock but rather his brother Quill. Quill, his father's heir, is assumed to be unable to produce a son due to past head injury that causes him debilitating migraines after engaging in any repetitive motion. And I do mean ANY repetitive motion. 😳 But Peter doesn't want to marry the chatty and unsophisticated Gabby. So Quill convinces her to marry him instead by telling her he's in love with her. Though he isn't. (He so is) I'm sorry to be spotty here lately. I've needed a little break from social media. But Enchanting Pleasures is my FAVORITE book in the Pleasures series. By far. Keep in mind that this book is twenty years old and some of the plot elements wouldn't hold up in a romance published today BUT what I've always loved about this book is the way it shows us how little moments of emotional immaturity can have such big consequences for our lives. There is a sick bed scene that set a sick bed scene standard for me towards the ending of this story. EJ writes legitimately flawed characters. Things than can't be easily swept away or resolved. And I adore this. Because her characters are so human. In her books the romantic relationships are as flawed as the people in them but that doesn't mean they aren't worth everything. *dreamy sigh* That concludes EJ's first series! Next up is The Duchess Quartet with Duchess in Love. ♥️
So this book is great because I don't think Joanna So this book is great because I don't think Joanna Shupe could write anything but great. It made me envy rich people everywhere who get to frolic on the coast in the salty sea leaden breezes in luxury. And I love a hero who has been in love with the heroine for their entire lives. *not really a Spoiler but kinda so stop here if you don't want any specific plot details whatsoever* But...this heroine, Maddie, was very difficult for me to like. Which I hate because she's also awesome. A champion tennis player. But the way she fails to see the treasure that Harrison is and her expectations of perfection...ugh. I was really irritated. Of course it makes for good plot. And there's a great scene when her friend calls her out on it. And, YES, Harrison is all the things she's frustrated by and her feelings are valid. But still. She CRUSHES this man with one snap decision and it felt extremely immature to me. While this is a romance and Harrison does get his apology I wanted a bigger grovel for him. Maybe some display of emotion over what she almost did to them. He deserved it. Whatever though. They're happy now and it's all fine. Sometimes you just don't like a character and that's okay. The series set up here is GLORIOUS and I cannot wait for all the characters introduced her to get their HEAs. Like I said, this book is great because JS wrote it. So it still gets 4 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you @netgalley and @avonbooks for the opportunity tonread an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own. #romancestagram
What else can I say except this is another fantast What else can I say except this is another fantastic romance by Talia Hibbert. The whole Brown Sisters series is flawless but this one is my favorite because...GRUMPY SUNSHINE! Which should surprise no one. I loved this book and I especially loved all the insults that really meant "I love you" and the scarcely suppressed smiles. It's my very favorite thing. Act Your Age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooks on for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I had a hard time getting going with this book as I had a hard time getting going with this book as it felt a bit slow to take off initially but I am glad I held on because it picked up. I liked this one. Overall this series isn't my favorite SE series but I've enjoyed all three books so far. Honestly though it may have been that I just wasn't in the mood for this book. Which seems to be happening more and more to me lately and it is no fault of any particular book. A gruff and mannerless Scot in London forced to marry (or else) falling in love with a not-innocent actress whose life is threatened...I mean, ordinarily, that would scream my name. So don't let this blah review make you think it's not a worthwhile read! Most people following me here will likely enjoy this one a lot! ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I want something and I don't know what it is right now. Dont mind me... Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was my first ER read and now I am delightedly This was my first ER read and now I am delightedly planning to dive into her blacklist. This was a fantastic read. It gave me Ocean's movie meets Umbrella Academy feelings, minus the terrible father and the super powers. An eccentric group of adopted siblings ruffling feathers throughout the ton with inappropriateness and disreputable hijinks. Goooood times. Chloe was a girl after my own heart in her longing to be seen but forcing people to come to her (she's almost certainly an Enneagram 4, by the way) and then I am a puddle for any uptight hero trying to be proper and failing because LOVE. Highly recommend!⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #romancestagram
I am a mere puddle of a woman right now. I know th I am a mere puddle of a woman right now. I know this will seem a bit hyperbolic, but I really mean it...this is a perfect romance novel. At this point in my life, THIS is the romance I want to be reading. Stories that unite us with the beautiful, excruciating, imperfectly perfect Human Experience. There are so many lines from the book that I have saved and I will absolutely share them when the book releases but just know that the love in this book...romantic, familial, erotic, platonic...it's all so beautiful. Kate Clayborn writes such exquisite love stories (all the Loves) and it's just a pure gift to the world. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to the publisher and @Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #loveatfirst #kateclayborn
Well, that was fun. And hot. First of all, this is Well, that was fun. And hot. First of all, this is a road trip romance which I loooooove. And this one is filled with calamity after calamity and it's just glorious. Secondly, the heroine is a 46-year-old widow with adult children on her way to a literal sex party and the hero is her straight-laced military Scotsman escort who is twelve years her junior. I mean...take all my money. Eva Leigh gives no effs and and so beautifully bucks historical romance norms while at the same time still infuses her stories with everything that makes romance so wonderful. Can we have historical HEAs that don't involve marriage and children? Yes. We. Can. Which isn't to say marriage and kids stories don't also make me happy. Take a look at my life and you'll see that, clearly, I'm into that. 😉 But damn if it's not nice to also read women with gray-streaks in their hair who are done with that part of life getting HEAs too. Thank you @avonbooks and @netgalley tgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bare minimum spousal requirements. #theyearofelo Bare minimum spousal requirements. #theyearofeloisajames #midnightpleasures #eloisajames
:::The Year Of Eloisa James::: ::Midnight Pleasu :::The Year Of Eloisa James::: ::Midnight Pleasures, 2000:: Sophie York has turned down more marriage proposals than most genteel young ladies could ever hope to receive. But when the flirtatious and vivacious socialite turns down the handsome and dashing Patrick Foakes, and accepts his far less impressive friend instead, the ton is bewildered to say the least. Obviously, Sophie doesn't marry the likeable dud. What kind book would that be? Sophie wants Patrick. But she does NOT want to marry Patrick (yes, she does) because she spent her life watching her rake of a father break her mother's heart. Spoiler alert: Sophie marries Patrick. So I know some romance readers get big annoyed when the main source of relationship conflict involves miscommunication. And I do get it. But SOMETIMES an author can do miscommunication in a way that is believable and heart wrenching. Yes, Sophie and Patrick stuggle because they avoid hard conversations. But in EJ's capable hands this works. Sophie is emotionally traumatized by the dysfunctional marriage of her parents and she believes the only way to survive the "inevitably " of her husband's infedelities is to repress her own feelings. The emotional work EJ puts into this dynamic gives it a richness far beyond a simple "misunderstanding" conflict. I have long loved this story. Content warning, this book features a late-term pregnancy loss. Annnd on to the final book of the Pleasures Trilogy, and my favorite one, Enchanting Pleasures. #midnightpleasures #eloisajames #theyearofeloisajames
A sneak peak into my new space that's alllllllmost A sneak peak into my new space that's alllllllmost finished on this #stepbacksaturday Do you know this book? ❤
I liked this book. It has a clever premise and I w I liked this book. It has a clever premise and I will always be drawn to a enemies/rivals to lovers story. I also always appreciate positive women in stem representation. I just felt like the plot rode on the back of the rival apps/businesses thing a little more than it did the relationship between Annika and Hudson. Which is not at all to say that it wasn't entertaining to read, it was. It's just that it wasn't what I was wanting from the story. This is almost certainly a me thing and no fault of the book as I am in a big 'GIVE ME DEEP, DARK COMPLEX EMOTIONS' mood. Again, I did like this book and I think lots of people following here would like it too. ⭐⭐⭐ Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #romancestagram
I don't mind telling you this book made me cry. Mu I don't mind telling you this book made me cry. Multiple times. Over and over again. It is soft, precious longing simmering all day in a slow-cooker. And now my heart smells delicious. Legitimately, this book will make your mouth water for both Jeremy's teasing smiles and the Fong's Wedgeford Brown sauce. (Seriously. I'm so hungry.) The way Jeremy loves Chloe not just despite her flaws but because of them, how he patiently accepts her when she's short-tempered and struggling and just waits for her...how he wants nothing more than to be WHATEVER she needs...how her imperfection is so unconditionally loved...THAT is what every human being in this world needs. Particularly right now. But also always. And the way CM is experimenting with story structure just made it all the more poignant. Because life is a series of "Dark Moments" in which we doubt ourselves and our worth and whether or not we'll be okay. The process, the cycle, the perpetual act of communion regardless of the risk...that's all there really is. To me, this book is (im)perfect. Okay. Enough from me. Read this book now, please. #romancestagram
Sonali Dev with the romance reader's guiding princ Sonali Dev with the romance reader's guiding principle. #romancetagram #sonalidev #abollywoodaffair
Total winner. Brilliant and brave widow running a Total winner. Brilliant and brave widow running a secret club for a gaggle of eccentric fellow female scientists falls for the gruff and guarded man hired to protect her. Take my money. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ There's a lot to love in this book. First of all the women and STEM plots are among my absolute favorites. I love that these women are literally blowing sh*t up. Secondly, the chemistry between Violet and Arthur is most excellent. There are a lot of characters to keep of track of and in the beginning I worried that the pacing wasn't going to work for me but in the end it wasn't a problem. Enjoyed this one a lot. Thank you @berkleyromance and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own. #romancestagram #netgalley
Happy Saturday! Do you know this one? 💙 #roma Happy Saturday! Do you know this one? 💙 #romancestagram #stepbacksaturday
This is my kind of apology. #theyearofeloisajames This is my kind of apology. #theyearofeloisajames #eloisajames #potentpleasures
Beverly Jenkins' Wild Rain is soft, steady, and se Beverly Jenkins' Wild Rain is soft, steady, and sexy. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spring is an ENTIRELY independent, baddass, rancher heroine who knows exactly what she wants and will not compromise. (NO marriage, NO children) Garrett is the city journalist who sees through her prickly exterior to the tender heart inside. I am an angst fiend and I do love it when my romance characters don't yet know how to name and feel their emotions. But sometimes it's also nice to read characters who know what they want and how they feel and just say so. That's the spirit of this book. CW: Previous, off-the-page abuse and sexual trauma. Thank you at @avonbooks and @Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #romancestagram
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The Romance Mom

Make Way for the HEAs