Recently in Romance #8 | New Adult Romance Picks for Everyone!

October 25, 2017 / 1 Comment / Mini-Reviews, Recently in Romance

recently-in-romance-mostly-ya-lit-oct-2017 Hi guys! It’s been awhile, huh? I’m so sorry I’ve been out of touch with the book world lately – pregnancy has been taking over my life! But here are some recent romance reads that kept me going – let me know if you’ve read any of them or if you have other recs for me that are quick and enjoyable!

Recently in Romance is my mini-review feature for all of you who like the X-rated books! 

RECENT LOVES:

Recently in Romance #8 | New Adult Romance Picks for Everyone!Bountiful

Goodreads
Author: Sarina Bowen
Find the author: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, Pinterest
Also by this author: , The Fifteenth Minute, The Year We Fell Down, The Year We Hid Away, Blonde Date, The Understatement of the Year, The Shameless Hour, The Fifteenth Minute, Rookie Move, Hard Hitter, Bittersweet, Steadfast, Keepsake (True North, #3), Him, Us, Untitled, Hard Hitter, Good Boy, Keepsake (True North, #3), Goodbye Paradise, Pipe Dreams, Stay (WAGs, #2), Pipe Dreams, Temporary, Man Hands (Man Hands, #1), Man Card, Brooklynaire (Brooklyn Bruisers #4), Speakeasy, The Accidentals, Overnight Sensation, Top Secret, Superfan (Brooklyn, #3)
Series: True North #4
Also in this series: Bittersweet, Steadfast, Keepsake (True North, #3)
Publisher: Rennie Road Books
Publication date: October 20th 2017
Source: Author's publicist (thank you!)
Format: eARC
My rating:
Buy It: Amazon.com | The Book Depository | Audible

No last names. No life stories. Those were the rules

Once upon a time a cocky, copper-haired tourist sauntered into Zara’s bar. And even though she knew better, Zara indulged in a cure for the small-town blues. It was supposed to be an uncomplicated fling—a few sizzling weeks before he went back to his life, and she moved on. 

Until an accidental pregnancy changed everything. 

Two years later, she’s made peace with the notion that Dave No-Last-Name will never be found. Until one summer day when he walks into her coffee shop, leveling her with the same hot smile that always renders her defenseless.

Hockey star Dave Beringer has never forgotten the intense month he spent with prickly Zara. Their nights together were the first true intimacy he’d ever experienced. But the discovery of his child is the shock of a lifetime, and his ugly past puts relationships and family out of reach.

Or does it? Vermont’s countryside has a way of nurturing even tortured souls. The fields and the orchards—and hard won love—are Bountiful.

Keywords: Accidental pregnancy, secret baby, contemporary romance, Vermont, hockey romance, Brooklyn Bruisers.

If you’re into family stories and stories of unexpected/surprise pregnancy, this is totally your book.

Bountiful is the fourth book in Sarina Bowen’s fantastic True North series, about a group of people living in rural (or near rural) Vermont. Zara Rossi is a side character in all three of the first novels, tending bar at The Mountain Goat at first, and then becoming the business partner of the heroine of book 1 when they open a cafe together. Throughout those books, you find out that Zara is pregnant, but not much about how and when and where. Bountiful answers all of those questions in one of the most heartwarming romances I’ve read this year.

It starts in 2015 with a special summer that Zara spends with Brooklyn Bruisers hockey player Dave Beringer (yes, this is a crossover!), and then fast-forwards to July 2017, when they meet again. And that’s all I’ll tell you about the premise, because the details and the theming are where this book comes alive. You get a true sense of the family and community that binds both these characters, which is what Sarina Bowen does best. Zara and Dave are both incredibly rounded, with a lot of past baggage, but also an undeniable attraction and tenderness towards each other. It’s really, really hard not to love Zara’s prickly, take-no-prisoners attitude and how she’s softened by her daughter Nicole. And if you’re not in love with Dave’s easygoing but slightly bossy nature by the end of the book, you might not have heartstrings.

Even though Bowen includes a lot of steamy love scenes (more than in her other books!), for some reason, this one didn’t get me as much in terms of the swooniness. I think because I was so invested in the characters finding a way to be together that the love scenes almost became a distraction. This is NOT my usual approach to romance (usually the sexier, the better), so it was a fascinating change for me.

Overall, Bountiful is probably the sweetest, most comforting romances I’ve read. It’s a book that epitomizes fall coziness to me. Even though it takes place during summers, I craved apple cider, orchards, fall leaves, and cozy blankets the whole time reading. I raced through this one in one (very late) night, and you will, too. Worth it!

Recently in Romance #8 | New Adult Romance Picks for Everyone!Hello Forever

Goodreads
Author: Sarina Bowen
Find the author: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, Pinterest
Also by this author: , The Fifteenth Minute, The Year We Fell Down, The Year We Hid Away, Blonde Date, The Understatement of the Year, The Shameless Hour, The Fifteenth Minute, Rookie Move, Hard Hitter, Bittersweet, Steadfast, Keepsake (True North, #3), Him, Us, Untitled, Hard Hitter, Good Boy, Keepsake (True North, #3), Goodbye Paradise, Pipe Dreams, Stay (WAGs, #2), Pipe Dreams, Temporary, Man Hands (Man Hands, #1), Man Card, Brooklynaire (Brooklyn Bruisers #4), Speakeasy, The Accidentals, Overnight Sensation, Top Secret, Superfan (Brooklyn, #3)
Publisher: Rennie Road Books
Publication date: July 14th 2017
Source: Author's publicist (thank you!)
Format: eARC
My rating:
Buy It: Amazon.com | Audible

 A BASKETBALL GAME CHANGED BOTH THEIR LIVES…

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 2.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #454545} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #454545}

When they were only teenagers, Axel and Caxton were caught making out in the woods at church camp. And afterward, Cax had disappeared from all the youth group activities.

Six years later, Axel is astonished to spot his first love’s face in the crowd of a college basketball game he’s watching on TV—at a school which has just offered him a job. It’s a thousand miles away, in a tiny rural town. But suddenly, he can’t wait to get there.

Cax can’t believe his eyes when Axel appears in the same Massachusetts town where he now lives. And he’s still just as drawn to Axel as ever. But he can’t let himself go there again, because loving Axel will mean giving up everything else he holds dear.

Both men have so much to lose. But as far as their love is concerned, it's Hello Forever.

Hello Forever is a stand-alone novel with no cliffhangers. Readers of Goodbye Paradise will get to check in on Caleb and Josh and their clan.

Confession: I read Hello, Forever as an ARC WAY too long ago and never bothered to write a real review. Why? I’m not sure other than it was just good for me. It’s the second in Sarina Bowen’s Hello, Goodbye series, and the first one really got me. I love Sarina’s ability to write male/male romances that are sexy and poignant. This one, however, didn’t hit me as much.

Hello, Forever features Axel Armstrong and Henry “Cax” Caxton, two childhood friends who met at a religious camp when they were teens and got caught being intimate with each other. While Axel’s mother basically tells off the camp and defends her son, Cax’s road is harder. He has several siblings, an abusive father and a submissive mother. He needs to bury his interest in guys so that his macho football coach father won’t hurt him – and by extension, his younger siblings who he needs to protect.

Fast forward a few years and Axel is graduating with a marketing degree. He gets a job in Cax’s town – and quickly finds out that Cax is there. Despite their attempts to stay away from each other (so that Cax’s dad doesn’t find out), they’re drawn to each other.

To be honest, I found that the rest of the storyline unfolded in a pretty predictable way. There are a few heart-wrenching moments, and I certainly don’t expect to be incredibly surprised by romance, but this one felt like it was just hitting every beat with too much familiarity. I enjoyed but didn’t love the love scenes, I liked the family scenes and cameos from Hello, Paradise. But overall, this one felt a little connect-the-dots to me.

If you’re a fan of Sarina (and you know I am), you’ll want to read this no matter what. But if you’re new to her work, and new to M/M, I would suggest trying another book first. Hello, Forever works, but wasn’t super memorable for me. A good, if forgettable romance.

RECENT QUICK READS:

Recently in Romance #8 | New Adult Romance Picks for Everyone!Naughty Boss

Goodreads
Author: Whitney G.
Series: Steamy Coffee Collection #1
Publication date: December 15th 2016
Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
Format: eBook
My rating:
Buy It: Amazon.com | Audible

 He definitely wasn't supposed to get that email...

Subject: My Boss.

Have I already told you that I hate my boss today?

Sexy as hell or not, this pompous, arrogant, ASSHOLE asked me to pick up his dry cleaning the second I walked through the door. Then he told me that I needed to take his Jaguar to a car wash that was ten miles outside of the city, but only after I needed to stand in a never-ending line to buy some type of limited, hundred-dollar watch.

I honestly can't wait to see the look on his face two months from now when I tell him that I'm quitting his company and that he can kiss my ass. KISS. MY. ASS.

All those former fantasies about him kissing me with his "mouth of perfection" or bending me over my desk and filling me with his cock are long over. OVER.

Your bestie,Mya

PS--Please tell me your day is going better than mine...

Subject: Re: My Boss.

No, you haven't already told me that you hate your boss today, but seeing as though you've sent me this email directly, I know now...

Yes, I did ask you to pick up my dry cleaning the second you arrived to work to day. (Where is it?) And I did tell you to take my Jaguar to the car wash and pick up my thousand-dollar watch. (Thank you for taking five hours to do something that could be accomplished in two.)

You don't have to wait two months from now to see the look on my face when you tell me you're quitting. I'm standing outside your office at this very moment. ( Open the door. )

No comment on your "fantasies," although I highly doubt they're "long over."

Your boss,Michael

PS--Yes. My day is definitely going far better than yours...

Quick and steamy with a little build-up. I needed a romance palate cleanser and asked my Racy Readers book pals for a recommendation. This was Ambur from Burning Impossibly Bright’s choice, and I’m so glad I took it!

Naughty Boss is pretty much what you expect: a douchebag boss and his amazing, disgruntled assistant. It’s set at a publishing company (totally my kryptonite), and there’s definitely some sorta hate-to-love going on. Yes, it’s trope-y, but you’re not reading a novella like this for anything groundbreaking. It’s well worth the few hours I spent on it, especially since it was free! I liked that there was good character development in a short time, and that there were little details you learned about the hero, heroine, and her best friend that keep you interested. But it doesn’t keep you hanging and I enjoyed that, too. Definitely picking up the next few in this novella series!

Recently in Romance #8 | New Adult Romance Picks for Everyone!Dirty Doctor

Goodreads
Author: Whitney G.
Series: Steamy Coffee Collection #2
Publication date: March 7th 2017
Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
Format: eBook
My rating:
Buy It: Amazon.com | Audible

"Lean back on the table and spread your legs for me ..."

Being a doctor in New York City has never been easy. Especially for someone like me, who has a private practice and an incompetent staff who insists on leaving me to fill in for them. 

Over the past six months, I've performed one too many pap smears, three too many "breast exams," and scrubbed in on several reconstructive surgeries. (This would be acceptable, if I was still interested in general medicine, but I'm not. I'm supposed to be a goddamn therapist ...)

When my team finally came to their senses and decided to bring someone more competent into the practice last month, I was actually elated. 

Until I realized that our new "doctor" was none other than the woman I was supposed to meet for dinner two weeks ago. The same woman who stood me up with nothing more than an "I can't meet you anymore, sorry," after we agreed to move our online talks into reality. 

I haven't forgotten any of the filthy fantasies she told me about, and I never deleted our dirty messages. And if she thinks that I'm going to act like a "professional" and pretend like that shit never happened, she has another thing coming ...

Another enjoyable installment of the Steamy Coffee Collection, which features quick, dirty office romances with a touch of build-up and fun sexy scenes. Dirty Doctor features Dr Garrett Ashton, who runs a private practice. He’s been corresponding online with a girl for awhile, but they’ve never met -and meanwhile, they’re both going on terrible dates and having really bad sex. Little do they know that Garrett’s new intern is his favorite online banter buddy.

This one was cute, funny, and pretty sexy, but definitely my least favorite of the three Steamy Coffee novellas because honestly? There’s a lot of taboo stuff going on in this collection, but I cringed a little at their use of office resources and time. I know, I know, when you have a title like Dirty Doctor, what do you expect. But seriously, there were moments where the characters were so unprofessional to the point where I felt uncomfortable.

That said, though, this is, like the others, a fast, steamy read with just enough build-up and a nice HEA. Good palate cleanser.

Recently in Romance #8 | New Adult Romance Picks for Everyone!Cocky Client (Steamy Coffee Collection, #3)

Goodreads
Author: Whitney G.
Series: Steamy Coffee Collection #3
Publication date: July 13, 2017
Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
Format: eBook
My rating:
Buy It: Amazon.com | Audible


Today is officially the worst day of my life...

I woke up five hours late after a reckless one-night stand with the sexiest, cockiest, and most arrogant man I've ever met. (And this asshole actually left a note: I think you were lying to me about being "experienced" last night. You orgasmed three times, and that was before we made it to your bedroom. I also find it hard to believe you "usually wear silk or lingerie." Your drawers are all full of cotton granny panties--The best man you've ever fucked...)

My top two clients for my PR company left to my number one competitor, my roommate 'accidentally' bleached my favorite suit, and my favorite coffee shop was shut down for "health concerns."

Still, none of those things dimmed my excitement for what was supposed to be the best four o'clock signing session of my career. I was on the verge of signing the highest paying client in my company's history, taking on a so-called "impossible" job that no publicist had been able to handle.

But at four o'clock, there was no athlete, television personality, or celebrity. Instead, that sexy, arrogant one-night stand stepped into my office with a familiar smirk and introduced himself as my new,
cocky client
...

Finally finished this series of billionaire novellas, which perfectly fulfilled my need for quick, dirty romance with a touch of build-up. Cocky Client might be my favorite of the three because it features PR director/consultant Penelope going up against cocky CEO Ryan. They’re both so sassy and banter-y and there’s not a moment when you don’t see how much power Penelope exudes over Ryan. Unlike the other two novellas, there’s a lot more equality between Penelope and Ryan, and I think that made me more comfortable with his alpha-male attitude. Either way, this was a fun fast office romance and just what I needed for palate cleanser.

—–

Are you into the romance genre? What have you read recently that is fast and super compelling? Give me recs! 


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Want more YA reviews and bookish fun? Get Mostly YA Lit in your inbox and be the first to get notified on new updates.

One response to “Recently in Romance #8 | New Adult Romance Picks for Everyone!

  1. I am such a fan of the True North series, and am elated that Bowen is adding more stories. I was so worried that Zack’s would be the last book. I am excited to hear it is a sweet romance (my fave kind), because I want Zara to have that so much.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.