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So This is War

by Jill July 18, 2024

written by Jill

Book Review:
So This is War

Meghan Quinn

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

I dropped EVERYTHING to read this one the second it hit my kindle – it did NOT disappoint 😍😍

I loved seeing another side to Posey, and seeing him meet his perfect match in Wylie 🥰

We’ve got – age gap, coach’s daughter aka FORBIDDEN big time, boss/assistant, & they become roommates – the tension is 🔥🔥
Agitators fans – you’re gonna LOVE it!

📖 So This is War
📝 Meghan Quinn
🗓️ 06/25/2024
🏒 sports romance
📱 read on kindle (arc)
📚 book 5 • Vancouver Agitators series

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

💭 overall thoughts:
This was HILARIOUS and sweet, and just the perfect *ending* to this series – though I will miss these boys so much! 😭
Ready for OC’s spinoff series 🙃

There were so many things I loved about this book!

First off, the “erotic torture” – I was constantly laughing out loud with how they were with one another.

It reminded me a lot of that episode of Friends (MQ even mentions it) – the “they don’t know we know they know” one.

The group text chat with the ladies of the Agitators made me so happy. I love the boys shenanigans, but their women are flat out AMAZING.

The spice was spicing too – that scene in the s3x club 😮‍💨 iykyk

I hope this isn’t too much of a spoiler but… Wylie LOVES BOLOGNA!
Could anyone BE more perfect for POSEY?! 🥪

“I love bologna sandwiches,” she whispers.
“So do I,” I whisper back.
“That’s how I know we’re meant to be together.”

Aside from the romance, we also get the struggles of a complex father-daughter relationship between Wylie + her dad (Posey’s coach). That was a bit of a struggle to read, the way he thinks about her and treats her for most of the book is heartbreaking (they do work things out, but it feels sort of toxic for a lot of the story).

tropes + topics:
🧡 age gap (22/32)
📋 coach’s daughter
🏒 pro hockey player
🏠 roommates
🖇️ boss/assistant – workplace
🚫 forbidden
🫶🏼 found family
💞 dual 1st person pov

✨ books with similar vibes:
♡ Beautiful Stranger by Christina Lauren (workplace, intense physical chemistry)

Thank you to Meghan Quinn for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

Buy the Book:
AMAZON

July 18, 2024 0 comments

The Graham Effect

by Jill November 3, 2023

written by Jill

BLURB:

Gigi Graham has exactly three goals: qualify for the women’s national hockey team, win Olympic gold, and step out of her famous father’s shadow. So far, so good, except for two little things. Fine–a little thing and a big, grumpy thing. She needs to improve her game behind the net, and she needs help from Luke Ryder.

Ryder is six-foot five, built, opinionated, rude…and sexy as hell. But he’s still the enemy.

Briar’s new hockey co-captain has his reasons, though. The men’s team just merged with a rival program, leaving Ryder with an angry roster where everyone hates one another’s guts. To make matters worse, the summer coaching spot he’s angling for with the legendary Garrett Graham is out of reach after he makes the worst possible first impression on his hero. So, really, this compromise with Gigi is win-win. He helps her make the national team, she puts in a good word
with her dad.

The only potential snag? This bone-deep, body-numbing, mind-spinning chemistry they’re trying to ignore. It’s a dangerous game they’re playing, but the risks just might be worth it.

Source: Goodreads

Book Review:
The Graham Effect

Elle Kennedy

Series: Yes
Book 1 in Campus Diaries
💜 College Sports Romance

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Spice: 3/5

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

this is definitely a phenomenal start to a series we didn’t know we needed! 😍 (or did we?)

So much fun to return to Briar & the newest generation!

Gigi Graham is such a fun spitfire, with a heart of gold. Luke Ryder is the sweetest broken boy, who just needs someone in his corner to stay.

Their relationship developed so perfectly. I LOVED their communication – they were both totally no BS people and completely honest with each other along the way.

My only teeny tiny *me* issue was when I was reminded I’m far closer to Garrett & Hannah’s ages than Gigi 🤭
We don’t often see much of the parents in college romance, so I can forget that 🙃 but we NEEDED them in this one – and of course all her hot uncles (I’m looking at you, Dean Dilaurentis).

Tropes + topics:
🏒 Grumpy sunshine
🏒 Hockey players (both MCs)
🏒 Friends with benefits
🏒 Secret dating/forbidden
🏒 College/new adult
🏒 No third act breakup
🏒 Dual POV/first person

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Little Brown Book Group UK for an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own!

For more of my Elle Kennedy reviews, click HERE.

Note: Edit is mine, photos are not. Photos found on Pinterest. If there are any issues with any of the photos being posted, please email me and let me know at hello@readinginpjsblog.com

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

Buy the Book:
AMAZON

November 3, 2023 0 comments

Book Reviews Piper Rayne

Something Like Hate

by Jill September 25, 2023

written by Jill

Something Like Hate is the story of Bryce Burns & Miles Cavanaugh. Both have recently moved to Chicago, but have known each other for a while. Miles is a pro football player & Bryce is a sports journalist, who has been writing about his career – not always in the most favorable light.

While they don’t generally get along, there is an undeniable attraction & pull between them.

When Bryce is assigned to cover Miles’ team for the season, they’re forced to spend more and more time together.

Book Review:
Something Like Hate

Piper Rayne

Series: Yes (Book 1 in the Chicago Grizzlies series)

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 4.5/5

Spice: 2/5

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

The chemistry between Bryce & Miles was 🔥🔥🔥

While these 2 claim to “hate” each other, it’s pretty obvious they are just fighting their intense attraction.

Bryce is such a spitfire, both in her job (as a sports journalist) and life (especially her dating life).

Miles is incredible and sweet – not into the player lifestyle often associated with pro athletes, and that was so refreshing to read! ALSO he READS and wears GLASSES to do so 🙃 (yes I’m a sucker for this).

This is the first book in the Chicago Grizzlies series (though there is also a short prequel – On the Defense – that is currently available for free!). It’s totally making me want to go back and read the previous Kingsmen series, to see more of them! You don’t need to have read it to understand their story, but there are definite crossovers between the series.

Tropes & topics:
🏈 Sports romance (football)
🏈 Player + journalist
🏈 Enemies to lovers
🏈 He falls first
🏈 Forced proximity
🏈 Forbidden
🏈 Secret dating
🏈 Only one bed
🏈 First in Chicago Grizzlies series
🏈 Dual POV/first person

Thank you to Valentine PR & author Piper Rayne for an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

Buy the Book:
AMAZON

September 25, 2023 0 comments

Book Reviews Livy Hart

Some Kind of Blunderful

by Jill September 23, 2023

written by Jill

After a disastrous first date, Mia has 0 expectations of seeing Alex ever again. Little does she know, their respective best friends are in love, AND he’s her dad’s new boss (who her dad has been hating on)!

They keep getting thrown into each others’ paths, and realize that neither is as the other first thought. Mia and Alex can’t help the pull they have to one another, but they’re both unsure the impact that will have on those around them.

Pub Date: September 25, 2023

Book Review:
Some Kind of Blunderful

Livy Hart

Series: No

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Spice: 2/5

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

I seriously ADORED this book so much! I was smiling through almost the entire thing.

I really fell for both Mia & Alex, especially as we got to know their characters a little better. Alex was such a total cinnamon roll, even though he claimed to have no clue what to do in relationships. They were both just so sweet, not wanting to hurt anyone but also not being able to deny the pull between them.

So I know it’s been mentioned this is great for fans of The Office, but I’ve never watched it and still really loved the book!

What you’ll find in Some Kind of Blunderful:
⭐️ Enemies(ish) to lovers
⭐️ Forbidden
⭐️ Secret dating
⭐️ Opposites attract
⭐️ “I don’t WANT to like you” vibes
⭐️ Teacher fmc
⭐️ Banter
⭐️ Small town
⭐️ Slow burn
⭐️ Dual POV/first person

This was my first, and definitely won’t be my last, Livy Hart book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

Buy the Book:
AMAZON

September 23, 2023 0 comments

Book Reviews Meghan Quinn

The Way I Hate Him

by Jill July 30, 2023

written by Jill

Returning to her hometown after failing her semester for her masters degree, Hattie Rowley is dumped by her boyfriend Matt. Matt was working as an assistant for rockstar Hayes Farrow, and stealing from him.

Hattie returns the stolen items to Hayes, a man she hasn’t seen in years and has been taught growing up to hate, due to a rival with her older brother. The second Hayes sees Hattie, he needs to get to know her, so he hires her to sort through fan-mail for him.

As they spend more and more time together, neither is as the other suspected. They are both there for each other as they deal with various things – Hayes with past trauma and trying to write new songs, and Hattie with the death of her sister to cancer.

Book Review:
The Way I Hate Him

Meghan Quinn

Series: No

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Spice: 3/5

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

The Way I Hate Him is a book filled with laughs, spice, and heart. Maggie, Hattie’s best friend, is absolutely hilarious and I hope she gets her own book! The spice is a bit slow to show up, but then when it hits, it hits SPICY 🤭

As for the heart – there are some heavy topics in this book, so make sure to check trigger warnings if they apply to you.

While this book is a standalone, I really hope we see more of these characters! I would love books for Maggie, Ryland & Aubree 🥰

What you’ll find in The Way I Hate Him:
⭐️ Enemies to lovers
⭐️ Age gap
⭐️ Rockstar
⭐️ Forced proximity
⭐️ Boss/employee
⭐️ Forbidden
⭐️ Brother’s rival
⭐️ Only one bed
⭐️ Small town
⭐️ Grief and loss
⭐️ Dual POV/first person

*tws: death of a sibling, cancer, parental abandonment, childhood trauma

Thank you to author Meghan Quinn for an advanced copy! All opinions are my own.

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

Buy the Book:
AMAZON | FREE on KU

July 30, 2023 0 comments

forbidden

Book Review: So This is War

Meghan Quinn

Book Review: The Graham Effect

Book Review: Something Like Hate

Piper Rayne

Book Review: Some Kind of Blunderful

Livy Hart

Book Review: The Way I Hate Him

Meghan Quinn

Book Review:
So This is War

Book Review:
The Graham Effect

Book Review:
Something Like Hate

Book Review:
Some Kind of Blunderful

Book Review:
The Way I Hate Him