Romance – Page 6 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Promposal

Title: Promposal
Author: R.H. Bird
Genre: Young Adult, Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Ebook
Release Date: March 4, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Luca Esposito is in detention again. “Guess who’s selling her prom tickets?” Nathan asked with a goofy grin. “It’s Piper Kraft. Your ex.” Luca’s heart stopped. They broke up ten months ago, but he can’t get Piper out of his mind. Could this be his chance to win her back? Just two she hates him, and there are only twelve hours to prom. The clock is ticking. Can he pull off the world’s most amazing Promposal and recapture the girl he loves?

Review:

1990: While sixteen-year-old Luca Esposito is in detention, he finds out that his ex-girlfriend, Piper, is selling her prom tickets because she didn’t have a date. Even though he broke up with her months ago, he can’t stop thinking about her. Then, his friend gets into a fight that is threatened to continue after prom. His friend wants Luca there to help him out. Luca tries to get Piper to accept his invitation to prom, and then figure out how to get them ready for the big night.

This was a cute YA rom com, which was told from the perspective of the male main character. It wasn’t really clear from the beginning that the story was set in 1990, but from the lack of cell phones, I suspected it wasn’t set in recent years. The characters felt like real teenagers in the way that they had no filter with what they said at times.

Promposal is a fun prom-themed rom com!

Thank you R.H. Bird, The Wild Rose Press, and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a digital copy of this book for a sponsored campaign.

Content warnings: bullying, alcohol use

Have you read Promposal? What did you think of it?

Review: Falling Hard for the Royal Guard

Title: Falling Hard for the Royal Guard
Author: Megan Clawson
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Avon
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 2, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Despite living in an actual castle, happily ever after is evading Margaret ‘Maggie’ Moore.

From her bedroom in the Tower of London, twenty-six-year-old Maggie has always dreamed of her own fairy-tale ending.

Yet this is twenty-first century London, so instead of knights on white horses, she has catfish on Tinder. And with her last relationship ending in spectacular fashion, she swears off men for good.

And then a chance encounter with Royal Guard Freddie forces Maggie to admit that she isn’t ready to give up on love just yet… But how do you catch the attention of someone who is trained to ignore all distractions?

Can she snare that true love’s first kiss… or is she royally screwed?

Review:

Twenty-six-year-old Maggie Moore lives at the Tower of London with her father. She’s always dreamed of her own fairytale romance, but all she has is a deadbeat ex-boyfriend following her around. After she literally stumbles into a Royal Guard one day, she starts to believe in love again. However, Maggie has a hard time getting his attention, since the Royal Guards are trained to ignore distractions. Maggie wants to find true love, whether she must swipe through Tinder or convince her Royal Guard that she’s the one for him.

This was such a fun romance! I loved seeing what life is like for residents of the Tower of London. It’s such a unique lifestyle, with residents not locking their doors and having trouble getting food delivered. Maggie has some horrific dates with men she met on Tinder, which anyone who has used dating apps would relate to.

Falling Hard for the Royal Guard is a fun rom com!

Content warnings: death of parent (off page)

Have you read Falling Hard for the Royal Guard? What did you think of it?

Review: Sleep Like Death

Title: Sleep Like Death
Author: Kalynn Bayron
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: June 25, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author and TikTok sensation Kalynn Bayron returns to fairytales with a lush, thrilling and original YA Snow White retelling that brings a new and exciting voice to this familiar tale. Perfect for fans of Cinderella Is Dead.

Only the truly desperate – and foolish – seek out the Knight, an ancient monster who twists wishes into curses. Eve knows this first-hand: one of her mothers was cursed by the Knight and trapped in the body of a songbird. With the unique abilities to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature, Eve has trained all her life to defeat him.

With more and more villagers harmed by the Knight’s corrupt deals, Eve believes she’s finally ready to face him. But when Queen Regina begins acting strangely – talking to seemingly no one, isolating herself, and lashing out at the slightest provocation – Eve must question if her powers are enough to save her family and her kingdom.

Review:

The people of Queen’s Bridge seek out the Knight when they want to make a wish. However, every wish comes with dire consequences. One of Princess Eve’s mothers was cursed to the body of a songbird after making a wish with the Knight. This has made Eve eager to collect stories about the Knight and learn how to defeat him. When Eve’s other mother, Queen Regina, begins acting strangely, speaking to a mirror in her room, Eve’s task of defeating the Knight becomes more urgent. Eve must figure out what is wrong with her mother and end the Knight for good.

This was such a great fairytale story! It is a loose retelling of Snow White. It doesn’t follow the original in the usual way, but there are several references to Snow White, such as the magic mirror and poison apple. This story is set in the same world as Cinderella Is Dead, but you don’t have to read that one to understand this book. There were hints to other fairytales in the same world at the end of this story, so I hope there will be more books set in this world!

Sleep Like Death is a thrilling fairytale retelling!

Thank you Bloomsbury Books US and Bookinfluencers.com for sending me a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign.

Content warnings: death, blood, death of parent, death of child, poison

Other books in the series:

Cinderella Is Dead

Have you read Sleep Like Death? What did you think of it?

Review: Red Kingdom (Fairy Tale Retellings #2)

Title: Red Kingdom (Fairy Tale Retellings #2)
Author: Rachel L. Demeter
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Source: Author
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 10, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.

Princess Blanchette’s world shatters when the Black Wolf tears apart her castle and everything she holds dear. All she clings to is the vow she made to her grandmother on her deathbed.

Hailed as the people’s champion, Sir Rowan Dietrich liberates the capital in a quest for vengeance. He takes Winslowe Castle with an army at his back and his wolf, Smoke, at his side.

United by a shared cause and powerful attraction, Rowan and Blanchette embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption—a path filled with loss, transformation, and ultimately, the healing power of love.

Can Norland’s resplendent princess, with her captivating beauty and spirit, tame the fabled Black Wolf?

Inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Red Kingdom is a passionate, slow-burn historical romance about the enduring quest for love and the longing for a world at harmony.

Review:

When the Black Wolf of Norland invades the palace and kills most of the royal family, Princess Blanchette thinks it will be the end of her life too. Her parents, brother, and grandmother were brutally murdered by the Black Wolf’s soldiers. Rowan Dietrich, the soldier known as the Black Wolf, never intended to torture Blanchette with the deaths of her family members. He wanted revenge on the King, who he used to work for before he turned on Rowan. Rowan and Blanchette discover they share a lot of the same trauma in their pasts, with losing the people they loved most. This brings them together in a slow burn romance with unexpected twists along the way.

Red Kingdom is a dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Though it isn’t exactly like the fairytale, there were some references to the story, such as the red cape that Blanchette wore that her grandmother made for her. This story was quite dark and bloody with unexpected twists. I couldn’t help but gasp at some of the reveals in the story. It was so hard to put down this book, despite many heartbreaking scenes.

Red Kingdom is a cleverly plotted dark romance!

Thank you Rachel L. Demeter and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign.

Content warnings: death, parental death, child death, suicide, murder, blood, rape, animal death

Other books in the series:

Beauty of the Beast

Have you read Red Kingdom? What did you think of it?

Review: Bride

Title: Bride
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary
Publisher: Berkley
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again…

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she’s ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

Review:

Vampyre Misery Lark has spent most of her life living away from her powerful father, in the human world. When her best friend goes missing, she only has one clue to go on: the name L.E. Moreland written in her diary. Her father tells Misery that she must marry the Werewolf Alpha, Lowe Moreland, as part of a Were/Vampyre alliance, and Misery agrees since he must be connected to her best friend’s disappearance. However, Misery must move into the enemy’s territory, where she’s viewed as a threat. Lowe doesn’t trust her so he tracks every move she makes, until she can prove that she’s only there to find her best friend. Lowe and Misery must work together to figure out what’s happening in their territories, until their undeniable attraction gets in the way.

This is my first Ali Hazelwood book and I loved it! I really enjoyed the mystery of what happened to Misery’s best friend that went along with the romance. I was surprised at the twists that subplot took. The romance got pretty spicy towards the end. There was the possibility for a sequel at the end of the story, so I’d love to see two other characters explored in another book!

Bride is a great paranormal romance!

Content warnings: death of parent (off page), poisoning, parental abandonment

Have you read Bride? What did you think of it?

Review: Losing My Breath

Title: Losing My Breath
Author: J. Rose Black
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Self-published
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: November 8, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A Marine never says die.
Neither does his princess.

Battle lines are drawn when sheltered debutante Meridian Daly moves across the hall from grumpy former special forces Marine Callan Brand. Situated a bit closer than advertised to ‘crime alley’, Meridian’s neighbor finds himself grudgingly guarding the pampered princess out of habit. But with her sharp wit and killer curves, he can’t help but surrender to temptation…

When their relationship evolves from casual courtship to something more, Callan finds that Meridian’s already discovered his closely-guarded secret. But can he let go of his pride, and tell her the whole truth of who he is and what he’s done—in the name of honor and country?

As Callan’s scars start to reveal themselves, his life spirals beyond the careful control that’s helped him survive—and kept those he cares about safe.

From him.

But this tough-in-a-tiara princess won’t back down, even in Callan’s darkest hours. And Meridian just might prove to be more tenacious than a never-say-die Marine!

Review:

Callan Brand is a former special forces Marine who works in cyber security now. Meridian Daly moves in across the hall from him, and he instantly feels the need to protect her. Callan saves Meridian, but he’s scared to open up to her about his deepest secrets. He must learn to open himself up to love to find his happily ever after.

This was such a great romance. It is told from Callan’s point of view, which was unique for a romance. I’ve never read a romance that was only from the male POV in a heterosexual romance. Callan had PTSD so he had an unreliable perspective because he was in denial about his condition. Callan and Meridian were a great grumpy/sunshine pair in this spicy romance!

Losing My Breath is a great spicy romance!

Thank you J. Rose Black and Bookinfluencers for providing a copy of this book for a sponsored campaign.

Content warnings: PTSD, sexual assault, parental death (off page), parental abandonment, pregnancy, pregnancy complications

This is a sponsored post.

Have you read Losing My Breath? What did you think of it?

Review: The Emperor and the Endless Palace

Title: The Emperor and the Endless Palace
Author: Justinian Huang
Genre: Romance, LGBTQ, Historical Fiction
Publisher: MIRA
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: March 26, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

“What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?”

In the year 4 BCE, an ambitious courtier is called upon to seduce the young emperor—but quickly discovers they are both ruled by blood, sex and intrigue.

In 1740, a lonely innkeeper agrees to help a mysterious visitor procure a rare medicine, only to unleash an otherworldly terror instead.

And in present-day Los Angeles, a college student meets a beautiful stranger and cannot shake the feeling they’ve met before.

Across these seemingly unrelated timelines woven together only by the twists and turns of fate, two men are reborn, lifetime after lifetime. Within the treacherous walls of an ancient palace and the boundless forests of the Asian wilderness to the heart-pounding cement floors of underground rave scenes, our lovers are inexplicably drawn to each other, constantly tested by the worlds around them.

As their many lives intertwine, they begin to realize the power of their undying love—a power that transcends time itself…but one that might consume them both.

An unpredictable roller coaster of a debut novel, The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a genre-bending romantasy that challenges everything we think we know about true love.

Review:

In 4 BCE, a commoner moves to the Endless Palace to seduce the Emperor, which begins a love affair that lasts centuries. In 1740, an innkeeper agrees to help a visitor and his ill grandmother but unleashes a powerful trickster. In the present day a college student meets a beautiful stranger who takes him on a journey across the world to find his true self. Each of these POVs is a reincarnation of the one before as these lovers keep finding each other.

This was a thrilling queer romance that spanned millennia. Each POV had the same set of characters but they weren’t always arranged in the same way. I really enjoyed each of the storylines. Many of the chapters ended on a thrilling cliffhanger, so I had to keep reading to get to the next POV. There were some surprising twists at the end that I didn’t see coming. This story also shows how queer romance is universal throughout time, not a modern idea like some people think.

The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a beautiful romance!

Thank you Frenzy Books for providing a physical copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, blood

Have you read The Emperor and the Endless Palace? What did you think of it?

Review: Wildfire (Maple Hills #2)

Title: Wildfire (Maple Hills #2)
Author: Hannah Grace
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Atria Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: October 3, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The latest in the Maple Hills series follows two summer camp counselors who reconnect after a sizzling one-night stand.

Maple Hills students Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts cross paths at a party celebrating the end of the academic year, where a drinking game results in them having a passionate one-night stand. Never one to overstay her welcome (or expect much from a man), Aurora slips away before Russ even has the chance to ask for her full name.

Imagine their surprise when they bump into each other on the first day of the summer camp where they are both counselors, hoping to escape their complicated home lives by spending the summer working. Russ hopes if he gets far enough away from Maple Hills, he can avoid dealing with the repercussions of his father’s gambling addiction, while Aurora is tired of craving attention from everyone around her, and wants to go back to the last place she truly felt at home.

Russ knows breaking the camp’s strict “no staff fraternizing” rule will have him heading back to Maple Hills before the summer is over, but unfortunately for him, Aurora has never been very good at caring about the rules. Will the two learn to peacefully coexist? Or did their one night together start a fire they can’t put out?

Review:

Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts meet at a party at the Maple Hills hockey house. They have one passionate night together, but due to some miscommunication, Aurora leaves before saying goodbye. They’re both shocked when they turn up at the same summer camp where they’re working as counselors for the summer. There’s a rule that staff at the camp aren’t allowed to fraternize, but Aurora has never liked to follow rules. They have to decide if they will stay apart or if they will continue what they started that night at Maple Hills.

This was such a cute romance! I loved Aurora and Russ. Russ was like a sweet cinnamon roll. Both of them had to deal with serious issues with their fathers, but they were able to put some distance between those and their daily lives. I liked how this story was light and funny. The “third act break up” wasn’t long and heartbreaking. Russ and Aurora also noticed when they had a miscommunication problem, so they were able to resolve that quickly.

Wildfire is a fun romance!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: parental abandonment, gambling addiction, vomiting

Other books in the series:

Icebreaker (Maple Hills #1)

Have you read Wildfire? What did you think of it?

Review: Fangirl Down (Big Shots #1)

Title: Fangirl Down (Big Shots #1)
Author: Tessa Bailey
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Avon
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 13, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey launches a super sexy sports romance series with a rom-com about a bad boy professional athlete who falls for his biggest fan…

Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs, and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. He curses, she cheers. He scowls, she smiles. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life.

Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. Yet after he throws in the towel, she begins to wonder if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine’s professional and personal life is in shambles, she could really use the cash…

As they travel together, spending days on the green and nights in neighboring hotel rooms, sparks fly. Before long, they’re inseparable, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. This hot man wants to brush her hair, feed her snacks, and take bubble baths together? Is this real life? But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?

Review:

Josephine Doyle is Wells Whitaker’s number one fan. She’s nicknamed herself “Wells’s Belle” and cheers him on at the PGA Tour, despite his promising career taking a nosedive. Wells is ready to give up on his golfing dreams, but then he realizes he’s made a mistake. He shows up on Josephine’s doorstep with a proposal for her to be his caddy for a share of his tour winnings. Josephine needs the money to pay for her health insurance for her diabetes and to fix up her family’s golf shop, so she agrees. They get closer as Wells starts winning again with his new good luck charm, but they also have to deal with the way their exciting new partnership draws media attention that isn’t always positive.

This is my first Tessa Bailey novel and I loved it! Wells and Josephine were the perfect “grumpy/sunshine” pairing. Even though Wells was grumpy, he still had a likeable quality to him. I liked the inclusion of Josephine’s diabetes. I’ve learned a lot about diabetes over the last year since my dog was diagnosed with it, so it was interesting to see the way Josephine had to manage it in her own life. There were some quite spicy scenes in this romance too!

Fangirl Down is a great golf romance!

Content warnings: diabetes, hurricane

Have you read Fangirl Down? What did you think of it?

Review: With Any Luck (The Improbable Meet-Cute #5)

Title: With Any Luck (The Improbable Meet-Cute #5)
Author: Ashley Poston
Genre: Novella, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Source: Purchased
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 23, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Every person she kisses finds their true love, and it’s never her—until now, in this funny and magically romantic short story by the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.

Audrey Love is cursed to be the person before you find your soulmate, the girl you dump for your true love. So when her best friend disappears hours before his Valentine’s Day wedding, Audrey fears that she did the unthinkable and kissed him at last night’s bachelor party. With help from the best man, she retraces her steps to find the missing groom and, with any luck, a true love of her own.

Ashley Poston’s With Any Luck is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute, irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Let’s make a date of it.

Review:

Audrey Luck is unlucky in love. She’s the last person someone kisses before they find their true love. After her best friend disappears on the night before his wedding day, Audrey worries that she kissed him and led him to his true love, who is not his fiancé. Audrey must retrace her steps from the night before with the help of the best man to find her best friend before his wedding.

This was such a fun novella! It was an entertaining and slightly suspenseful story. It really felt longer than a novella because the characters were well developed and the story was cleverly plotted. This is my favourite novella the whole The Improbable Meet-Cute series.

With Any Luck is a fun romance novella!

Other books in the series:

The Exception to the Rule (The Improbable Meet-Cute #1)
Worst Wingman Ever (The Improbable Meet-Cute #2)
Rosie and the Dreamboat (The Improbable Meet-Cute #3)
Drop, Cover, and Hold On (The Improbable Meet-Cute #4)
Royal Valentine (The Improbable Meet-Cute #6)

Have you read With Any Luck? What did you think of it?