Review: My Kind of Trouble by L.A. Schwartz*

 *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: My Kind Of Trouble
Author: L.A. Schwartz
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  References To A Fatal Car Accident, References To Parental Loss, References To Parental Abandonment, References To Alcoholism, Bullying Of Autistic Characters (By Parents, Schoolmates and Community Members), ABA Therapy (References To MMC Having It In The Past), Assault, Parental and Societal Homophobia, Moralistic Food Talk, Fat Phobia, References To Church Abuse Of Minors

Rating: ★★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Open Door)  

 Conwoman Harmony Hale has sold lies up and down California for years, never looking back at her crafty scams or one-night stands. Now she’s come to Brookville, California, with her sights set on its wealthy mayor—the man who stole her father’s music-streaming algorithm and ruined his life. Harmony is finally ready to take him down, with her trusty con of selling a nonexistent music festival. All she needs is the cooperation of the man who owns the potential festival site.

Autistic librarian and piano teacher Preston Jones spends his days fighting book challengers trying to shut down his library programs. He’s responsible for raising his selectively nonspeaking little sister and needs to focus on keeping his job. He doesn’t have time for a romance like the ones in his books—and certainly none for the brassy festival promoter who wants to use his land for her “Coachella North.” Preston sees things in black and white, and he sees Harmony—amazing curves, flashy smile, and all—as nothing but trouble.

But when Harmony promises to help him win the public over and save his youth programs, Preston finds himself wondering if this hustler with a heart of gold might be the someone he’s been waiting for. Soon things are getting steamy in the stacks, and with her con coming to a crescendo, Harmony needs to choose: revenge and running again or the happy ending she never saw coming.

My Kind of Trouble is the debut romance novel from author L.A. Schwartz. This is a steamy bookish enemies to lovers rom com which is a gender-swapped homage to The Music Man. Add in some truly brilliant autism rep, healthy relationships and a confident plus-sized FMC and you have My Kind of Trouble, an absolute must-read addition to the romance genre.

This is a truly captivating story, with the perfect amount of humour, sweet moments and steam. The novel is perfectly paced and I was so hooked that I read the entire thing in nearly a single sitting.

Harmony and Preston had brilliant chemistry and a really healthy relationship which we love to see. I’m a sucker for the ‘he falls first and harder’ trope and this was so well written. There is a third act breakup, which is to be expected given the plot point of Harmony’s hidden identity as a conwoman but there is a quick resolution. The spice was well written, well placed within the plot and felt really realistic.

Harmony was a cracker of a FMC. She was a confident and sure of herself force of nature who experiences such character growth over the course of the story. The way she finds both a family and a home in Brookville was beautiful. I loved that she was a confident, plus-sized FMC and that she’s a bit of a brilliant Robin Hood type character in the way she cons people who deserve it but makes sure to pay back anyone who is innocently caught up in her schemes.

As an autistic person who also finds solace in books, I absolutely adored Preston as a MMC and the authentic autism rep we had through both his character and the character of his younger sister Lacey was the highlight of the book for me.

Just how authentic the autism rep would be became clear in only the second chapter. Throughout the book we see stimming, hyper-focusing, sensory needs regarding food, references to autistic burnout, references to meltdowns, noise sensitivity, recovery from overstimulation and difficulties with change. It’s honestly some of the best autistic rep I’ve ever seen in a book of any genre.

There are references to ABA therapy, with it suggested to Preston for his younger autistic sister Lacey but this is firmly rejected immediately. The topic is also featured later in the book with Preston discussing his own experiences of it, but again this is portrayed in a rightfully negative light.

I loved the way Harmony researched autism to know how to best support her prospective partner. This total acceptance was so heartwarming to see as an autistic adult.

Overall, I just absolutely adored this book. It has been one of my standout reads of 2024 and is a truly brilliant debut novel from L.A. Schwartz. I’d highly recommend it to all fans of a good rom-com novel and anyone who likes to see really authentic autism rep in their books.

Review: Look What You Made Me Do by Amy Andrews*

*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 Look What You Made Me Do blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: Look What You Made Me Do
Author: Amy Andrews
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  References To Attempted Rape, References To Sex Work

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Open Door)  

A disgraced football star, a high school in need of saving and a reunion too hot to handle

Headteacher Ella Lucas and football star Jake Prince have a very complicated history! Their mind-blowing encounter two years ago is proving impossible to forget now Jake is back, in her small town after being kicked out of the NFL.

She knew he was trouble then, but Ella has enough on her plate without having to worry about Jake Prince. Her school’s on the brink of closure, and she needs help. Then it dawns on her that maybe they can benefit each other - in more ways than one! Ella will help Jake to restore his disgraced reputation, if he can coach the football team to a winning streak. With nothing to lose, Jake reluctantly agrees....

As the school season heats up so does the inevitable chemistry between them. Far from being stuck in the past, the sparks between them are still there. And although he may look like her next mistake, Ella is determined that she will keep her hands off Mr Anti-hero even though she has an itch longing to be scratched. Because Ella's has one golden rule: this is strictly business, they are never ever getting back together....

Look What You Made Me Do is the latest romance novel from author Amy Andrews. This is a quick and steamy read, perfect for fans of a good sports romance.

This is a second-chance romance of sorts as Ella and Jake knew each other from High School and had previously had a one night stand, so fans of that trope will particularly enjoy this book. The couple had electric chemistry and the spicy scenes were incredibly well written. Three words: pool table scene. I was OBSESSED.

In addition to the romance, this book has a whole lot of heart. Ella is a school headteacher trying to save her school from closure. Her school is in a small town serving disadvantaged students and to see the growth we see in the students on the football team in particular, going from students with poor attendance and grades to standout members of the school community, was really heartwarming.

Ella was a fantastic protagonist who felt very real and relatable. Her passion for improving outcomes for her school community was admirable. I also found the storyline with Ella’s late mum to be really interesting, as was the portrayal of Ella’s complicated grief journey following her passing. Also with his own baggage, Jake was a brilliant MMC. He was a gentleman, even in the bedroom, and became a brilliant role model for the young football players he was mentoring. His backstory was really interesting and had depth to it I wasn’t expecting to see within a romcom novel, which was a really nice addition.

Look What You Made Me Do also has a wonderful cast of supporting characters. Ella’s brother Cameron was one of my favourites, particularly due to his character development over the course of the book as he finds direction in life through his newfound passion for football and gradually starts to repair his relationship with his sister. Seeing him find a much-needed male role model in Jake was really nice too. There’s also a lovely found family element to the story with Ella and her best friend Rosie finding a home and a family with Rosie’s eccentric great aunts Daisy and Iris (who, side note, were brilliant characters in themselves).

Overall, Look What You Made Me Do is a fantastic steamy romance which fans of a good sports romance will devour as quickly as I did. Although this was my first time reading anything from Amy Andrews, her writing style hooked me quickly and I can’t wait to read more from her.

Review: Romancing the Drylander by Remy Sinclair*

*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: Romancing The Drylander
Author: Remy Sinclair
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Death Of A Spouse, References To Cancer

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️ (Only Kisses) 

Can Love Bloom in the Dusty Trails of Drylanders' Hope?

Isabelle "Izzy" Montgomery has achieved everything she dreamed of - a high-powered career, big-city penthouse, and financial success. But when she's sent to tiny Drylanders' Hope, Texas to restructure a failing cattle ranch, her perfectly cultivated world turns upside down.

Ethan Walker, a ruggedly handsome widowed cowboy, is convinced this corporate city-slicker has come to destroy the community's beloved ranch and their entire way of life. He's prepared to fight for the traditions and faith that sustained his family for generations.

From their very first encounter, the spark between Izzy and Ethan cannot be denied. But it will take insurmountable courage to bridge the vast divide between their clashing worlds. As Izzy adapts to life on the ranch, an unexpected romance blossoms, challenging her to rethink her priorities.

Ethan is drawn to Izzy's tenacious spirit, but he refuses to risk his heart again. When corporate greed threatens to shatter their budding relationship and tear the community apart, Izzy and Ethan must confront their pasts and take a leap of faith. In a race against time, they'll need to rally the townsfolk and fight for not just their love, but the very future of Drylanders' Hope itself.

Romancing The Drylander is the latest romance novella from author Remy Sinclair. It’s a clean cowboy romance perfect for anyone wanting a short and sweet romantic read.

Remy Sinclair has a really descriptive writing style and her vivid descriptions made the Texan setting come alive on the page.  Our story is told through a third person dual POV narrative and it was nice to see both Izzy and Ethan’s stories explored. Ethan’s story was particularly interesting as we explore his grief after being widowed at a young age when his high school sweetheart lost her life following a cancer battle. I quickly warmed to Ethan’s character and it was great to see him grow over the course of the book from grumpy cowboy to someone open to love again. Izzy was another brilliant character and I enjoyed the exploration of her reconnecting with her roots and finding a true home in Drylanders' Hope. There is also a fantastic cast of supporting characters in the Drylanders' Hope community, all of whom were really interesting to read about.

As you can expect with a romance novella, this is a very fast-burn story and Izzy and Ethan’s relationship progresses very quickly over the course of a few weeks. We do still get a good amount of relationship building scenes though which was nice to see. I perhaps would have liked even more, just to get us really rooting for their relationship, and it would have been nice to also have an epilogue exploring their relationship later down the line.

There is a heavy Christian element to the story which I wasn’t expecting. Although as someone who isn’t particularly religious I clearly wasn’t the target audience, I’m sure this will appeal to anyone who likes to read clean romances with Christian messaging. This is a clean romance with nothing more than kisses.

Overall, Romancing The Drylander is a quick and easy read, perfect for anyone who wants a cowboy romance without any spice. 

Review: At First Spite by Olivia Dade*

 *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: At First Spite
Author: Olivia Dade
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Clinical Depression, Sibling Parentification, Grief, Death Of A Sibling, Death Of A Young Child (references to past event, not directly featured)

Rating: ★★

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

There's a fine line between love and hate . . .
When Athena's fiancé ends their engagement, she has no choice but to move into the Spite House she recklessly bought him as a wedding gift. Which is a real problem, for many reasons: the house is only ten feet wide. Her ex's home is literally attached to hers. And Dr. Matthew Vine the Freaking Third - the uptight, judgy jerk who convinced his younger brother to leave her - is living on her other side, only a four-foot alley away.

If she has to see Matthew every time she looks out her windows, she might as well have a little fun with the situation. By, say, playing erotic audiobooks at top volume with those windows open. Unfortunately, loathing Matthew proves more difficult than anticipated. He helps her move. He listens. And he's kind of hot . . . ?

Matthew may not regret breaking up his brother's engagement, but he does regret what it's done to Athena. And now he'll help her however he can. If that means enduring nightly steamy story hours, so be it. And if that means watching Athena through their windows a bit too often and caring about her a bit too much. . . . well, nothing can come of it. She'll never forgive him. Even if she did, how could he ever tell his younger brother that he wants the very same woman he pushed him to leave?

-

At First Spite is the latest romance novel from bestselling author Olivia Dade and the first instalment of her new Harlot’s Bay series. This was my first time reading anything from this author and I was enticed by the ex’s brother and forced proximity plotline but unfortunately the story missed the mark for me.

To start with the aspects of the story I enjoyed, I loved that Athena was a curvy FMC. It’s always refreshing to see plus size representation within romance novels, especially in cases like this where the character’s size was not central to the plot. The only real references to her size where when Matthew was talking about how sexy she was which was refreshing. There were also some interesting supporting characters which were a nice inclusion.

I do want to also praise the powerful portrayal of depression we have within At First Spite, which was the highlight of the book for me. I really enjoyed how Matthew looked after Athena through her depression (particularly the bath scene – until it was ruined when he started to take advantage but more on that later) and it was interesting to see both POVs through this period.

I also generally liked the choice to make Matthew, our MMC, a virgin. I have a real love/hate relationship with the use of any kind of virgin trope within romance novels but this was one of the first times I’ve come across it used with the MMC instead of the FMC so this was nice to see. Generally, it was well portrayed although this was all lost when Athena talked about being excited to “plant her flag”. We wouldn’t accept this if it was a MMC talking about a FMC so it shouldn’t be acceptable here.

The primary aspect of the story I struggled with was that our protagonist Athena felt very immature and read more like a teenager than a woman in their late thirties. This could also be said for her ex-fiancé Johnny. The whole premise of Athena getting engaged to a man after just two months and then her fiancé breaking up with her just because his brother told him to felt very immature and not something you’d expect to see from two characters with more life experience. But it was particularly Athena’s revenge schemes against Matthew that felt very juvenile and made it hard to warm to her character. She also makes a lot of pop culture references which got very tedious very quickly.

As mentioned previously, I also had concerns about the ending to the bath scene. (Spoiler alert – in order to discuss my concerns with this scene fully spoilers will be necessary.) The scene starts with Matthew looking after Athena during a depressive episode. Athena is very vulnerable in this moment as not only is she in emotional distress, she’s also naked and being washed as she’s unable to manage this independently. But although her POV discusses her feeling safe with Matthew and emphasises that he’s not taking advantage of her, he kisses her. This really feels like he is fact taking advantage of her and her vulnerability in that moment yet it’s romanticised by the author and this really did not sit right with me.

On the topic of consent issues, I also want to flag the issues with the choice to play very spicy monster audiobooks out loud for the whole town to hear. Forcing people to hear content of a very explicit nature without consenting to it is not acceptable and not the grand gesture Olivia Dade clearly thought it was.

I also didn’t get on with how privileged Athena was. The premise of having our protagonist down on her luck and struggling to make ends meet could have been really interesting but instead we had a protagonist who could fall back on her rich parents who could wave away any financial problems at the drop of a hat.

Overall, At First Spite was really disappointing despite featuring some promising tropes.

Review: The Upper Crush by Evie Alexander*

*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 The Upper Crush blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Upper Crush
Author: Evie Alexander
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Parent Arrested, Children Taken Into Care

Rating: ★★★★★   

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

He wasn’t banking on someone else taking the reins…

Lady Estelle Foxbrooke is done cleaning up the mess left by her wild parents. She’s got a plan: take the reins and save the family estate her way. But then she’s saddled with a business partner she’s hated all her life. He’s her twin brother’s worst enemy and looms in her path like a six-foot-four hurdle.

After a catastrophic business failure, rich and successful James Hunter-Savage has watched his dream life in London crash and burn. Forced to ditch the city for the Somerset countryside, he’s now living with his parents and expected to work with the infuriatingly attractive Estelle. She’s sharper than a whip, pushes all his buttons, and seems determined to break him.

As Estelle and James jockey for position, their explosive personalities combust into passion, sending Estelle’s plans to the edge of ruin. With James’s flimsy reputation in tatters, and the biggest event on the Foxbrooke calendar on the brink of collapse, will they realise their love is worth fighting for? Or are their hearts and hard work heading for the ultimate fall?

The Upper Crush is the latest instalment in Evie Alexander’s Foxbrooke series. Fans of enemies to lovers, workplace romances, forced proximity and small country town settings, with tons of spice, laugh out loud humour and ‘Britishness’ thrown in for good measure, you will adore The Upper Crush just as much as I did.

I’m a sucker for a good enemies to lovers romance and Evie Alexander writes this trope impeccably well. It was combined beautifully with the forced proximity and workplace romance tropes through Estelle and James being forced to work together organising a new music festival. They start to try and get under each other’s skin by pulling pranks and jokes on each other and this really made me laugh out loud, as did their witty (and very British – which I loved!) banter. The increasingly sexual tension between them was also SUPERB.

The Upper Crush is a couple hundred pages longer than the romance books I am typically drawn to but I just could not put it down so completely flew through the story. Evie Alexander has such an engaging writing style that puts you right into the Somerset countryside setting and the story was brilliantly paced.

Although this is the third instalment of the Foxbrooke series, with all the books set in the fictional Somerset village of Foxbrooke and the characters from the previous books featuring in minor supporting roles, the story also works well as a standalone story. The Upper Crush was my introduction to the series but it has made me desperate to sink my teeth into the earlier books, particularly An Unholy Affair to find out more about Eveline and Jack’s love story.

Estelle and James have sizzling chemistry from the very start of the story so it came as no shock when the spicy scenes practically set the page on fire they were so hot. Something I really like in a romance story is when we get to explore spicy scenes from the perspectives of both partners and this was done really well within The Upper Crush. James’ perspective - and in particular the way he described Estelle in those moments – was incredible. I also loved the amount of variety we had within the spicy scenes, including some solo scenes from both James and Estelle.

Alongside all of this incredible steam, there are some really romantic heartwarming moments which just made me melt. If your love language is gift giving you’ll particularly love this story.

Estelle was a strong, badass FMC. I loved the little insights we got into the internal conversations she was having with herself when she was trying to be stubborn and not fall for James. James was your typical charming alpha MMC who had a softer side that you gradually got to see as the novel progressed. As I hadn’t met him before, unlike other readers who had read the earlier books in the series, I didn’t have that pre-judgment of him going into the story and that did mean that I did fall in love with him quite early on, without him having to redeem himself too much.

The Upper Crush also has a fantastic cast of supporting characters who brought so much to the story, particularly both James and Estelle’s families. We have diverse family types represented in the story, particularly through Estelle’s three parents who are in a polyamorous relationship. There’s also lots of scenes with dogs; enough said.

Overall, The Upper Crush is a gorgeous spicy romance read. I’ve been absolutely hooked on Evie Alexander’s writing and the inhabitants of Foxbrooke and can’t wait to read more of the series.

Review: One Sweet Holiday by Lucy Day*

 *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: One Sweet Holiday
Author: Lucy Day
Genre: Holiday Romance

Trigger warnings:  Death of a Family Member, Emotional Abuse

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ (Closed Door) 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…unless you’re me.

Hold the hayrides, keep your cocoa, and don’t put me within a country mile of mistletoe. This year, Christmas means chaos. My sister’s getting married and I—Gwen Griffin, perfectionist extraordinaire—will make sure her wedding is flawless. That includes doing the impossible: finding myself a wedding date. But in my tiny hometown of Jasmine Falls, South Carolina, I’ll have better luck winning the lottery.

I may be awesome at running my cafe, but I’m terrible at men. And after my last epic breakup, everyone in town knows it. That’s why I need a plus-one—even a fake one—so that when my sister gets married, everyone’s attention is on her, where it belongs.

The guy next door is perfect for the job. Gorgeous and charming, Logan Fyfe is only here for a few weeks. He’s also a hot Scottish bazillionaire who’s totally out of my league—so my risk of falling into a relationship with him? Less than zero.

Pretending to date Logan is the perfect plan—until it isn’t. Beneath his devilish smirk and delicious brogue is a big-hearted man who makes me feel the one thing I never believed to be true—that I’m enough, just the way I am.

With the wedding approaching, there’s nothing fake about my feelings anymore. When he slips his arm around my waist and whispers into my ear? Yeah, I’m a goner.

We may be worlds apart, but I’m done pretending. It’s time to get real…even if it means risking my heart. 

One Sweet Holiday is a new cute small-town festive romance novel from author Lucy Day. It’s the latest instalment in her Jasmine Falls Love Stories series but each book can be read as a standalone and has a guaranteed happily ever after. This was my first festive read of 2023 and boy has it got me in the Christmas spirit!

Our story is told through a dual POV and this worked so well in the story. I loved seeing instant attraction experienced by both Gwen and Logan and explored in their respective chapters. I also loved the banter between the two of them. The forced proximity was explored in a different way to the typical bed/room/house sharing that you might typically see through Logan moving next door to Gwen and this really made the story feel more realistic.

One of the things that I think sets One Sweet Holiday apart from other romance novels is the fact that the characters aren’t who you might typically see in this genre. Both protagonists are in their 30s and this makes their relationship feel so much more mature. On top of this, Gwen was the curvy queen that I’ve always wanted in a festive romance protagonist. I loved that the book celebrated body positivity by acknowledging her size and it being one of the things that attracted Logan to her. The way Logan talked about her curves and meeting her for the first time just made me melt.

If you are after male romantic interest who is the definition of swoon-worthy and will make you fall in love with him instantly, look no further than Logan Fyfe. He is a complete gentleman who is so respectful of Gwen and it was amazing to read. At one point in the story I worried that the miscommunication trope I have a vengeance against would rear it’s ugly head but Logan being the mature man he was any chance of this was eliminated immediately. I loved how supportive Logan was of Gwen, he had an absolute heart of gold.

The book also provided an unexpected but really interesting commentary on mental wellbeing and avoiding burnout which is so relevant to so many adult readers. The bakery setting added a really different angle to the story and we love a female entrepreneur who gives off total girl boss vibes! The family drama for both characters was also really interesting and it was great to be able to see how they tackle it as couple who are still in the early stages of a relationship.

One of the things that did take away from this being a 5* read for me was that the ending felt rushed. I felt that Gwen and Logan were owed a little more depth to their happy ending so this was a shame. I would like to be able to return to their story, ideally in a sequel but even just briefly as passing minor characters in a later book set in Jasmine Falls just to check in with them and see where they’ve ended up.

I will also say that the fake dating trope felt misplaced within this story. There was instant attraction and a blossoming relationship so having them fake dating for the sake of appeasing Gwen’s mother, who (potential spoiler alert) wasn’t appeased by it anyway, felt like an unnecessary way to add in an additional trope. I think the story was enough on it’s own as a small-town forced-proximity instant-attraction story. It’s also interesting that the book is marketed as an opposites-attract story when I found that Gwen and Logan were actually pretty similar apart from being from different countries. But this is more of an issue with the marketing rather than the story itself so it hasn’t impacted on the star rating for me.

This is a closed-door romance and whilst I fully respect that and recognise that not everyone wants spice in their romance novels, I do wish we’d been given a little bit more and had even just the indication that sex had taken place. Instead, it was very much completely glossed over aside from some passionate kissing and this felt unrealistic.

These things aside, I still absolutely loved the story and it was the perfect Hallmark-movie style romance to get me in the festive spirit. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants an easy christmassy read, packed full of sweet moments, witty banter and relatable characters.

One Sweet Holiday will be published on 6th November 2023.

Review: Lovelight Farms by B.K Borison*

 *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: Lovelight Farms
Author: B.K Borison
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Death of a Parent, Alcoholism

Rating: ★★★★★ 

In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a child, Stella enters a contest with insta-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the huge cash prize, she might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on the application and said that she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only . . . there is no boyfriend.

Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just came home for some hot chocolate, and somehow got a farm and a serious relationship in the process. Will their fake love affair save Lovelight Farms in time for Christmas?

Lovelight Farms is the first instalment of B.K Borison’s Lovelight series. I’m incredibly late to the party with this series but I’m so glad I’m finally here because I’m now hooked. A friends to lovers fake dating story set at Christmas is my absolute idea of heaven so it was no surprise when I absolutely devoured this book and fell totally in love with the characters and setting.

B.K Borison has an engaging writing style which makes you feel like you’ve dropped right into the small-town setting. The plot was well paced and humour was well placed throughout.

Stella was a fantastically written female protagonist and Luka was a totally swoon-worthy male romantic interest although I am furious at Stella for not realising it sooner. Theirs is totally an ‘everyone can see it apart from them’ love story which I will admit I am a sucker for. Their chemistry was just off the charts and the spicy scenes were some of my favourite that I’ve read in romance books.

The small-town setting felt really cosy and this makes it perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls. In the other town residents we have some fantastic supporting characters who were all fantastically written and I nearly fell in love with Beckett as much as I did Luka so I’m excited to read the next book which focuses more on him.

Lovelight Farm is a gorgeous wholesome romance read which is perfect for getting you in the festive spirit. It is definitely one I’m going to return to every winter and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the rest of the series.

Review: Stolen Kiss by Spencer Greene*

 *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: Stolen Kiss
Author: Spencer Greene
Genre: Romance /  LGBTQ+ Fiction

Trigger warnings:  Sexual Harassment, Transphobia, Misgendering, Death Of A Partner

Rating: ★★★★

When Anna Nelson finds herself newly single, unemployed and apartment-less, she reluctantly returns to her hometown of Trenton, Virginia. Whilst in a local dive bar run by an old friend, Anna meets a beautiful stranger named Louise and their instant chemistry leads to them sharing a passionate stolen kiss before parting ways. But when Anna reluctantly returns to her family home, she comes face to face with Louise again and is shocked to learn that Louise is her brother Clay’s new girlfriend. Anna and Louise are then forced to ignore their attraction to each other and supress their growing feelings.

I tend to typically avoid books which are centered around the cheating/unfaithfulness trope but the combination of instant attraction and forbidden love really drew me into the plot so I decided to put my reservations to one side and I’m so glad I did.

Stolen Kiss is told through a dual POV narrative, with chapters alternating between the different perspectives of Anna and Louise. This was really well executed and the insight into the thoughts, feelings and background of both women it gave us really added depth to their characters and made us really want to root for their relationship.

Anna and Louise were incredible instantly-likeable protagonists with off the charts chemistry who both have real depth to them. I loved how unapologetically herself Anna was and through the character of Louise we were given a beautiful exploration of grief and the difficulty of allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough to open your heart to a new relationship following the death of a partner.

We also had some really strong supporting characters through Rachel, George and Louise’s Mum (who is an absolute gem). I’d really love further books on this gang as I feel they have so much more to give and it would be lovely to see some of the potential relationships hinted at towards the end of the story play out.

As you would expect from an LGBTQIA+ romance, Stolen Kiss has a really diverse set of characters and we have lesbian, bisexual, gay and non-binary representation. There’s a great coming out scene and we get some wonderful spicy scenes which were some of my favourite I’ve read in queer romances.

I liked the simple choice to set the story around the holidays. The description of the Christmas market made me fall in love with the fictional town of Trenton and it added a real cosy element to the story.

In Anna and Clay’s parents, Spencer Greene has successfully written two of the most intentionally unlikeable characters I’ve ever come across, which is no mean feat. They honestly have no redeeming qualities whatsoever and I felt myself tense up whenever they entered a scene, in the knowledge that it wouldn’t be too long before something vile and homophobic came out of their mouths. I did like the choice to give the parents no reprieve and focus more on the characters cutting ties and focusing on their found family instead as this isn’t something I’ve seen a lot of in other stories despite it ultimately often being the reality for LGBTQIA+ people with unaccepting families.

Towards the end of the book there is a twist involving the character of Clay and I will say that this was something I predicted very early on and I’m in two minds of whether or not I think it was a necessary twist.

I would also have liked an epilogue to give some closure on how their relationship played out. They do have a real whirlwind romance so it would be really interesting to get some insight on how their relationship is months or even years down the line.

Overall, Stolen Kiss is a strong, heart-warming queer romance which is hot and flirtatious from the first chapter and very difficult to put down. It would be the perfect holiday read.