Love to Hate You by Jessica Prince

 

Okay first and foremost, this is my favorite trope. The one where the wife finds herself alone because some doucheknuckle of a man (who is supposed to love her unconditionally) finds his way into the bed of another. This one has an added layer of YUCK but makes the glow up she feels even stronger. After 26 years of my alpha ahole I always think if he is to lose his mind and stray, I might have it in me to find me a little Micah loving LOLOL but seriously, gives me hope.

When the woman (Hayden in this instance) finds her voice, confidence and complete worthiness in her self and lives a better life for it...in walks Micah and all is ahole muscled glory and swwwooooooonnnnnn!!! I love everything Jessica Prince writes, I can't put into words how much her books mean to me. I devour them, every single time. I get kind of melancholy when I start one of her stories because I know I will finish it before I can blink, and then I smile because I remind myself I can re-read it when my purchased copy hits my kindle. I seriously have this discussion with myself EVERY BOOK! Jessica Prince continually and effortlessly delivers a perfect story of love, friendships, redemption and how much strength we can find within ourselves. Strong heroines, alpha males, adorable kids and a gang of women that support and fix each others crowns, holding them up and building a community instead of being petty haters. I love Hope Valley. I want to live in Hope Valley. If you haven't read Jessica Prince yet, I totally recommend you do. Her books are reading gold. You're welcome xo 

Reclaim by Aly Martinez

 

Nora and Camden not only shine in this story they radiate from the pages. Aly Martinez took such tragedy and built such love and light within their little world by the creek. I could not put this one down and fell in love with both of them along the journey. The brutality of what life can throw at you brought to life so poignantly it startled me. The feelings, voices, thoughts and fears were drawn in a way they could be felt instead of just read. Passion that surpassed years of neglect and fear had me swooning. And the ever steady beat of two hearts that always belonged together finding their way back time and time again. A lifeline that was passed from one another through trials and tribulations always finding its way to where it was needed the most. And a hero that put all other heroes to rest, alining himself in the book boyfriend hall of damn fame people!! 

Aly Martinez wrote a powerful, heart wrenching, yet beautiful story of love, friendship and withstanding the test of time and doubt. I felt this story in my heart, body and soul, and I could not have loved it more. Incredible. xo

Clarity by Nicole Dykes

 

Here is a little something you should know about me as a reader...I FUCKING LOVE A BROKEN BAD BOY!! But Rhys, oh my lanta he is so much more than broken, he is trying to survive, existing in a shell of rubble that was brought upon him. Bent but so not broken. Growing up in the system was not just hard it was excruciating and when he is faced with his demons through the eyes of another, he has to act on it. Nicole Dykes slayed this story and carefully executed such a harrowing experience with grace and fortitude. Giving it a voice within fictional characters that far exceeded my expectations. The sheer force of Rhys and Blair's connection was felt beyond the pages and kept me completely engrossed with everything they felt for each other. The tension was THICK, the connection was real, the heart of the story was palpable and the FEELS were imminent. I can't stop thinking about this story. How a family was made within the broken pieces of two souls that had so much more to give than they even knew. How Ms Dykes was able to draw that out in full detail, having it land straight within my soul, is beyond me. She wrote a beautiful story of survival, love, friendship and loyalty that has also landed on my favorites of 2020 list. Harrowing, hard to read at times, redemption story of soulmates that didn't realize they were destined to be a family and the journey it led them on...LOVED IT xo 

Date Me Like You Mean It by R.S. Grey

 

Sexual tension anyone? Friends to lovers, with a splash of angsty heart wrenching WHYYYYYYY thrown in...yep, classic R.S. Grey and I loved it. Friends, roommates, in-laws of sorts, but soulmates? It wouldn't seem so, just unrequited love until one fake answer leads to another situation, that leads to...you get the picture. Timing, it isn't always on this couples side, but one thing that is banter, friendship and hijinx, if only straight up communication was on the docket, but then we wouldn't get all the TENSION. And I for one, live for that shit. Cute, easy to read, heart in your throat, want for them all to see the fine print, story of love born out of friendship and how fragile it can be. Another hit for Ms. Grey. Totally enjoyed it. xo