Review: The Prince and the Player by Nora Phoenix*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the The Prince and the Player blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Prince and the Player
Author: Nora Phoenix
Genre: LGBTQIA+ Romance

Trigger warnings:  References to death of a parent, References to a car accident, References to drink driving, Brief references to a guy trying to take advantage of an intoxicated girl

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door) 

I’m determined to win over the one guy who hates me…but I never expected to fall for him

Being a prince may seem like a fairytale, but to me, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. That’s why I’m excited when I get permission from my uncle—the king of Norway—to go undercover as a student at an American college for a year. And I’m even more ecstatic to be selected for their football team. Soccer, I mean. The only problem? Farron, the team captain, dislikes me on sight. Determined to win him over, I start a charm offensive, but nothing works. He only hates me more.

Until the animosity comes to an explosive release…and we end up kissing each other. How did that happen when neither of us has ever been attracted to a guy before? Farron wants to let it run its course and get it out of our system, but I doubt that’ll work. I’m falling for him hard, but he has no idea who I really am. I fear that if he finds out, he’ll never speak to me again…

The Prince and the Player is the first book in the Prince Pact series and features an undercover, sunshiney prince and a grumpy, handsome soccer captain, two guys who mistake hate for attraction, a double bi-awakening, and two opposites who attract each other like magnets.

The royally romantic, enemies-to-lovers college romance for fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall and Jax Calder.

The Prince and the Player is the latest steamy M/M romance from author Nora Phoenix. This is an enemies to lovers, opposites attract, double bi-awakening royal romance set against the backdrop of college football/soccer.

This was my first time reading anything from Nora Phoenix but I was quickly hooked by her engaging storytelling and fast-paced narrative.

Farron and Tore had a fantastic grumpy x sunshine dynamic. Their enemies to lovers romance was brilliantly crafted, best summed up with the line “I don’t like you. But for some reason, I do like kissing you.” I couldn’t get enough of the story and was glued to my kindle throughout the book as the initial tension between the two of them quickly progressed into sexual tension. The way their relationship evolved was beautifully written and felt really real, which was great to see.

This bi-awakening romance is packed full of spice, which again was really well written. The way they gradually worked their way up through the different intimate acts felt authentic to people exploring their sexuality for the first time, which I really liked. The coming out scenes were heartwarming and beautifully crafted, particularly (*mild spoiler alert*) when they come out to the rest of their football team and receive a response quite different from the toxic masculinity fuelled response you might stereotypically expect to see from a sports team, particularly in a sport where there’s still so few openly queer professional players.

The college setting worked really well for the story, as did the chapters we had in Farron and Tore’s respective hometowns which allowed us (and them) to really get to know the both of them on a deeper level. Both of our protagonists were well crafted complex characters, particularly Farron who had a really interesting backstory with him becoming a father figure and having to provide for his siblings from a young age.

Overall, this is a brilliant royal M/M romance, which is full of heart. It’s one of my favourite bi-awakening stories I’ve ever read, particularly with it being a double awakening which was really well developed.

Review: Best Mistake Ever by Christy McKellen*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the Best Mistake Ever blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: Best Mistake Ever
Author: Christy McKellen
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Alcohol Abuse, Brief References To Past Drug Abuse

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Open Door)   

Some mistakes are worth making

Beatrice Donovan would do anything for her identical twin sister. Including stepping into her hotel management job temporarily and pretending to be her - she’s desperate. What could go wrong? A lot apparently! Because her sister Delilah has hugely understated her role – the hotel is at risk of closure and she’s promised she can turn it around. Now Bea has to find a way to fly under the radar, get the job done before anyone notices their switch up.

Sounds easy, all Bea has to do is avoid her temporary new boss Jonah. However, that’s a lot harder than she thought. Not only does he have impossibly high standards, he’s also out of this world gorgeous, an ex-rockstar with a chip on his shoulder and he's watching her like a hawk! So Bea uses her charm to keep him focussed on the job and not her. But by trying to put up boundaries and keep things professional, Bea finds herself seeing the real man beneath the grumpy façade. Yet with so much at stake, she knows she shouldn’t fall for her sister’s boss…but then again, it may just be the best unintentional mistake she’s ever made!

Best Mistake Ever is the latest sweet and sexy romance from author Christy McKellen. This is a quick and easy read which fans of the mistaken identity trope and a good workplace romance will absolutely love. Add in a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, lovely spring vibes and a sprinkle of spice and you have Best Mistake Ever.

This was my first time reading anything from Christy McKellen but I quickly sank into her easy-to-read writing style and read the book in a single sitting. Our story is told through a dual POV narrative and I loved the way this allowed us to get to know both Bea and Jonah on a deeper level.

The setting of the country hotel was really cute and worked well in the story. I particularly loved the quirky festival and the way it started to really bring Bea and Jonah together.

Bea is our FMC and I warmed to her immediately, she was the type of protagonist I just want to be friends with. Bea really comes into her own over the course of the story, really finding her purpose whilst working at the hotel, which was brilliant to see.

Our MMC is Jonah, a grumpy retired rockstar turned hotelier. I loved the character growth that Jonah had over the course of the story, even if it did require a kick in the right direction from both Bea and Delilah. The way he talked about Bea in his POV chapters made me beam from ear to ear, he was such a sweetheart.

The little hints towards Delilah’s story definitely intrigued me and made me wonder if we can expect to see another book following her in an overlapping timeline to this one. I know I’d definitely like to see it!

This is a very fast burn story, with their relationship blossoming over the course of a matter of weeks, but there was still a good amount of relationship building scenes. Bea and Jonah had great chemistry and brilliant banter. We did have a sprinkling of spice here and there and one full open-door scene which was well written and fitted well within the story.

Overall, this is a really cute feel-good romance which is packed full of charisma and a blend of some much-loved tropes. It’s perfect if you’re looking for an easy read you can devour over a spring weekend.

Review: Kindling by Bonnie Woods*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity.

Title: Kindling
Author: Bonnie Woods
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  References To Parental Abandonment, References To Domestic Abuse, Absent Parent

Rating: ★★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door)  

Sparks will fly, even without firewood… 🍂🍁🍂

A cosy autumnal retreat in the Scottish Highlands is the perfect escape for city girl, Harper… Until she is stranded in the forest with nowhere to stay.

Fraser, a gruff local woodcutter, reluctantly offers her his lumberjack’s cabin on one condition – she mustn’t distract him from his duties.

But Fraser is finding his beautiful guest annoyingly hard to ignore. And the way he chops firewood – dogged, powerful and precise – is distracting Harper too. Soon, as the flame-red leaves fall overhead, Harper and Fraser are both forced to wonder: Am I falling faster?

Kindling is a new autumnal romance from author Bonnie Woods. This is a cosy yet spicy grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity romance set against the backdrop of the beautiful rural Scottish highlands in all of their autumnal beauty. It’s the only book you need to read over the autumn months and will most definitely leave you feeling all fuzzy inside and desperate to book an autumnal getaway to Scotland.

I utterly adored this book and it’s one of my standout reads of all time, let alone just this year. The Scottish Highlands was the most perfect setting for this autumnal romance. The narrative was perfectly paced and I flew through the book as I simply couldn’t put it down.

Harper was a brilliant FMC who felt relatable. I absolutely loved the portrayal of Harper as a curvy FMC, particularly with the way that Fraser adored her curves. The way she is described in his POV was EVERYTHING. And the moment where he kisses her stretch marks? PERFECT.

Fraser is our ruggedly handsome MMC who is a definite contender for 2024’s book boyfriend of the year. Seriously, if you looked up the phrase swoon-worthy in a dictionary, you’d find a giant picture of Fraser. It’s almost like Bonnie Woods has seen how many lumberjack videos I’ve liked on TikTok!

Harper and Fraser had electric chemistry and really brought out the best in each other. Their flirting had me practically kicking my feet and giggling away and the way they pined for each other was EVERYTHING. This was also one of my favourite portrayals of the grumpy x sunshine trope I’ve ever read. Harper and Fraser were the definition of opposites attract: Harper is bubbly and truly sunshine personified whilst Fraser is brooding and mysterious, it worked beautifully. There was lots of spice and it was both fantastically written and fantastically placed throughout the narrative.

One of my favourite things about this book is how inclusive it is; there is just so much fabulous queer representation. There’s particularly amazing bisexual rep as our female protagonist Harper is bi. I loved the exploration of societal attitudes towards bisexuality, it’s such an important topic which was really well written. We also have brilliant lesbian and non-binary rep through some of the supporting characters and autism rep through Fraser’s nephew Sky.

Overall, Kindling is the only book you need to read over the autumn months. It’s one of my standout reads of 2024 and I can’t wait to see what comes next from Bonnie Woods.

Review: Don't You Want Me Baby? by Rachel Dove*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the Don't You Want Me Baby? blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: Don't You Want Me Baby?
Author: Rachel Dove
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Cheating/Affair

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Open Door) 

Amber Fitzpatrick is about to hit thirty and has achieved none of the things she hoped to have done by now. Her dreams of owning her own business seem out of reach. Her boyfriend has just dumped her and now her biological clock is clanging in her head.

But maybe Amber doesn’t need a man for the next stage of her life? Maybe as an independent woman she can have a baby all by herself?

There’s only one problem. Handsome but excruciatingly annoying best friend Tyler Williams. Tyler thinks Amber’s motherhood plans are plain crazy! She just needs to wait for Mr. Right to come along…and maybe he’s closer than she thinks?

But with Amber hellbent on doing it alone, Tyler sets out to prove to her that being her best friend could also come with excellent benefits…if only she's brave enough to take the chance.

A grumpy sunshine, best friends to lovers romance, perfect for fans of Portia MacIntosh, Laura Carter and Phoebe MacLeod.

Don't You Want Me Baby is the latest fun romance from author Rachel Dove. Fans of a good friends to lovers romance, this one is for you! Add in a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, a slow burn romance and a hell of a lot of push and pull and you have this perfect easy read.

This was my first time reading anything from Rachel Dove but I instantly connected with her engaging writing style and well-paced narrative. Don't You Want Me Baby was a really easy read which I more or less read in a single sitting. I particularly loved the setting of the pub, which felt perfectly British and exactly what you’d want from your local.

Amber was a great protagonist who I warmed to very quickly. Some of her decision making and reluctance to open her heart to Tyler was frustrating but felt fitting given her backstory and the way she was treated by her ex-boyfriend. Her choice and confidence to have a baby as a single woman felt really empowering too, as did her status as a real boss babe with dreams of running her own pub. Tyler was a brilliant MMC who I had a real soft spot for instantly. If you’re a fan of the MMC giving a big impassioned speech where he confesses his love then you will LOVE Tyler.

Amber and Tyler had great chemistry and I was practically screaming at them to sort themselves out and get together. They both felt real and mature as characters in their 30s which felt important given the focus the plot had on choosing to start a family. This book is perfect if you’re after something with a dash of open-door spice and these scenes were both well written and well placed within the narrative.

Overall, Don't You Want Me Baby is perfect if you want a quick and easy read which is still packed full of your favourite romance tropes.

Review: The Dance of Desire by Delphine Ross*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity.

Title: The Dance of Desire
Author: Delphine Ross
Genre: Historical Romance

Trigger warnings:  Bigamy, Suicidal Thoughts, Sibling Death, Amputation

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Open Door)

Best friends make bad spouses . . . and worse scandals.

When Angela Bartham of the notorious Bartham family is stranded at the altar on her wedding day, she's saved from ruin by her old friend Sunny, the Earl of Sunderland. He offers a startlingly generous proposition: a marriage of convenience that will last exactly one year. Long enough for society to stop gossiping. Long enough for the press to lose interest. Then they’ll quietly annul their unconsummated union.

Left without choices, Angela agrees. But Sunny is no longer the sweet but awkward boy she grew up with—and who once loved her. A mysterious trip abroad has transformed him into a surly, secretive beast of a man who can’t seem to stand the sight of her. Nor is Angela the romantic girl who once danced all night under the moon. She’s a heartbroken beauty trapped in a fake marriage that can’t end soon enough.

To avoid the chattering crowds, Angela and Sunny flee London to spend their year of marriage in Paris. But what they don’t take into consideration is that emotions aren’t particularly rational . . . especially when there’s only one bed in the gothic feline-laden chateau they’re stuck inside near the Bois de Boulogne. Forced proximity reveals hidden depths, turning their marriage of convenience into a messy affair of the heart. Will Angela and Sunny's dance of desire come to an end, destroying everything they hold dear—including their friendship?

The Dance Of Desire is the latest historical romance by author Delphine Ross. Set during the nineteenth century, this Beauty and the Beast inspired story is a fantastic marriage of convenience romance between a ballet-dancing beauty and a beastly brooding earl.

This is a charming and generally light-hearted slow-burn romance told through a split POV third person narrative. The story was well paced, although I would have liked a little bit more relationship building as most of this were lost to the side-plots. I loved the gothic French chateau setting with it’s secret passageways.

The Dance Of Desire which is full of all of your favourite romance tropes and they are all wonderfully written. On top of the marriage of convenience trope and the grumpy/sunshine dynamic you can expect from a Beauty and the Beast inspired story, the chateau has only one bed (although they have a ‘we’ll only sleep in it at different times’ arrangement), there are 'Touch Her And You Die' moments and Angela and Sunny are also (estranged) childhood best friends to enemies to lovers.

This is the second book in the Muses of Scandal series but the books work as standalone stories and can be read out of series order. This was my first time reading anything from Delphine Ross but I was hooked on her engaging writing style so now plan to catch up on the first book in the story.

Angela was a sweet FMC whose love for ballet added a really nice touch to the story, although I was expecting there to be more ballet content than there actually was. She was young and quite naïve but matured over the course of the story. It did take me a little while to warm to Sunny as the MMC due to his grumpy nature and childish urge for revenge, simply because the woman he loved had rejected him, but by the end of the story I really liked him. His backstory, that being the reason he’s become this brooding beastly earl, was really interesting. There was also some good lesbian representation within the story and Helene was one of my favourite characters.

Overall, The Dance Of Desire is a charming, light-hearted historical romance, perfect for fans of Beauty and the Beast and fairytale retellings.

Review: Ms Perfectly Fine by Kate Callaghan*

  *I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity.

Title: Ms Perfectly Fine
Author: Kate Callaghan
Genre: Romance Suspense

Trigger warnings:  Stalking, Survivor's Guilt, Trauma, Chronic Pain, Anxiety, Self-Isolation

Rating: ★★★ 

Autumn wants the house, but Elijah wants her.

Autumn Adler, a famous concert pianist, is making her solo comeback to the stage after a tragic accident, and she can’t afford any distractions. Of all the things that could go wrong, she never expected her landlord to rent out the ground floor of her home to Elijah Wells – a game designer in the midst of building his own company. Autumn loves her townhouse, and she refuses to give it up. However, Elijah is equally stubborn. As the days pass, Autumn’s efforts to make him leave only further his desire to win her over. It seems as though neither can win this battle of wills.

Yet as Autumn’s showcase approaches, a seemingly innocent gift turns into something far more alarming. Can the two call a truce and figure out what’s going on?

One house, two strangers, and a dark secret. What could go wrong?

Ms Perfectly Fine is a new contemporary romance story from Kate Callaghan. It is the forced proximity enemies to lovers romance story of Autumn and Elijah, with an added element of suspense/thriller as Autumn has a stalker whose identity is unknown. The narrative is well-paced and an easy read, perfect to curl up with and read in a single sitting.

Autumn was a fantastic female main character and I loved the contrast between her grumpy side and Elijah’s sunshine personality. We have incredible chronic pain and mental health representation through Autumn’s character and it was wonderful to have this representation without it defining the character. Her monologue towards the end of the book about chronic pain was really powerful and a standout aspect of the story.

I’m a sucker for any story where he falls first and harder and this was no exception. Elijah was a fantastic, charming love interest and I loved the banter between the two of them. He really looked after Autumn whilst still supporting her to get out of her comfort zone and more towards a place of healing which was wonderful to read. Elijah and Autumn had incredible chemistry and I loved the spicy scenes which were very well written.

The suspense thriller element added another dimension to your typical romance novel and I thought this was really interesting. The stalker’s identity was predictable for me but based on other reviews I’ve read I seem to be in the minority with this one. I would have liked this aspect of the story to have been more drawn out however as it felt rushed and more of an afterthought than the well-crafted plot point it could have been. My gut says that this was because the book was almost trying to be two things in one: a romance story and a thriller. This could have worked but in order to effectively tell both aspects of the story the book needed to be longer.

Overall, Ms Perfectly Fine is a great cosy read for fans of the forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine and he falls first and harder tropes. It is also good for readers who like both the romance and thriller genres as the book combines the two into one story.