5 Stars
I had such a great time with The Shippers by Katherine Center. This one was exactly what I wanted from a feel good read.
Jojo is fresh off a terrible breakup but still has to attend her sister’s wedding on a cruise ship, which already feels like a lot. Then she finds out her high school crush is going to be there, and naturally, she decides to try and make him fall in love with her. What could go wrong? Pretty much everything.
You get all the classic tropes here like miscommunication and friends to lovers, plus a full cast of characters dealing with their own baggage. That’s something Katherine Center always does well. The backstories add just enough depth to keep things from feeling too light.
The story is messy in the best way, with plenty of chaos along the way, but it all builds to an ending that is completely swoon worthy.
This is the kind of book you pick up when you want something easy, fun, and still a little heartfelt.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
4 Stars
This one is a wild ride. Our FMC just wants to prove she’s more than “the assistant,” and instead walks straight into a situation she very much was not invited to.
I was locked in for the first half, fully invested and turning pages fast. The second half slowed down a bit for me, but not enough to lose me. And the ending? Worth it.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
This book has been all over my socials and I’m a little mad no one warned me I’d be crying at the end.
Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth completely got me. Mabel is such a layered character, and her backstory quietly wrecks you. I went in expecting something lighter and walked out emotionally compromised.
Found family is a big theme here, and it just works. I loved that for her.
P.S. I'm still mad at all of you... lol.
Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth completely got me. Mabel is such a layered character, and her backstory quietly wrecks you. I went in expecting something lighter and walked out emotionally compromised.
Found family is a big theme here, and it just works. I loved that for her.
P.S. I'm still mad at all of you... lol.
5 Stars
I absolutely loved this cozy small town romance. The town has charm, the characters feel easy to settle in with, and the romance hit that sweet spot of heartfelt without trying too hard.
Everything about this read felt comforting. The kind of book that makes you want to move to a tiny town where everyone knows your business and somehow that’s part of the appeal.
If you’re looking for a cozy romance with heart, this one delivers.
I loved this book. Switching to a different pair of main characters can sometimes feel like getting handed the “off brand cereal” version of a series, but not here. This absolutely worked for me.
The tension, the politics, the emotional damage? I got pulled into these characters fast, and by the end I was way too invested in all of their terrible decisions. Exactly how I like my fantasy romance.
Also, somewhere along the way my brain permanently renamed this book The Inadequate Hair and honestly? I’m not recovering from that anytime soon.
