Tiny Tidbits: The Romance Edition

The Girl Next Door
Emma Hart
Series: The Girl Next Door, #1
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

One accidental pregnancy. One fake husband. What can go wrong?

There’s nothing like starting your Monday morning with a positive pregnancy test. Trust me, I know. Because I’m looking at one right now. All I can think is: Oh, hell. My grandmother is going to kill me. This might just send her to an early grave, so there’s only one option—pretending the father is my new husband.

If only he’d agree to fake it.

Kai Connors was supposed to be nothing more than a one-night stand. A long, dirty, one-night stand fueled by one too many tequila shots, where the only promise was to never speak of it again. But if my unfairly sexy next-door neighbor gets his way, this fake marriage could turn out to be very, very real…

This was my first Emma Hart book, and I see many more in my future. The Girl Next Door was packed with everything I love. It was rather hilarious, but also sweet and tender. And talk about tropes. This book was packed with them, and I loved each and everyone. First, there's the accidental pregnancy, which really sets everything in motion. Then, there was the fake dating. But, the icing on top, for me, was that the hero, Kai had been pining away for Ivy, and he was determined to win her heart. He was doll, and he would do and say things that would make me all mushy, and I adored every second of it. It was very sweet seeing Ivy realize Kai was the real deal, and I had such a great time watching these two fall in love.

Wild at Heart
K.A. Tucker
Series: Wild, #2
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

From the internationally best-selling author of The Simple Wild comes the continuation of a woman’s journey to Alaska and a life she never imagined for herself.

Calla Fletcher returns to Toronto a different person, struggling to find direction and still very much in love with the rugged bush pilot she left behind. When Jonah arrives on her doorstep with a proposition she can’t dismiss, she takes the leap and rushes back to Alaska to begin their exciting future together.

But Calla soon learns that even the best intentions can lead to broken promises, and that compromise comes with a hefty price—a log cabin in interior rural Alaska that feels as isolating as the western tundra.

With Jonah gone more than he’s home, one neighbor who insists on transforming her into a true Alaskan, and another who seems more likely to shoot her than come to her aid, Calla grapples with forging her own path. In a world with roaming wildlife that has her constantly watching over her shoulder and harsh conditions that stretch far beyond the cold, dark, winter months, just stepping outside her front door can be daunting.

This is not the future Calla had in mind, leaving her to fear that perhaps she is doomed to follow in her mother’s fleeing footsteps after all.

I was overjoyed when I learned we would be getting more of Jonah and Calla, and by the end of this book, I was happy it existed. I think books that go beyond the HEA romance are tricky, and for me, the direction of this book took a while to make itself clear. However, once it did hit its stride at one point, and I began inhaling each page.

I was surprised by Calla. I thought she had outgrown certain things, but some of that selfish spoiled girl would show up from time to time. Whereas, I felt like Jonah was always trying. He had me in full swoon quite a few times. He wasn't perfect, but he also was the same Jonah he was before she went back to Canada.

There were so many wonderful moments toward the later part of the book. My heart was warmed, my face was smiling, and I think Calla and Jonah were just as happy as me. I am looking forward to the novella and hope it includes something I really want for these two.

Always a Bridesmaid
Cindi Madsen
Series: Getting Hitched in Dixie, #2
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Violet Abrams has always been in love with everything love and weddings. Good thing, too, since she’s been a bridesmaid no less than seven times. Sure her turn was next, she’d been planning her own nuptials meticulously in a treasured three-ring binder...until her longtime boyfriend left her for someone else.

Fast-forward to the day of his wedding, an ill-advised match being lit to said binder, and the fire department getting called to her sister’s bakery. Violet’s always been a little impulsive and a lot awkward, but having to explain to the super-cute firefighter, Ford Maguire, why she was setting fire to a bunch of wedding dress photos? Worst day ever.

Except now her bridesmaid expertise has her helping Ford cover his “man of honor” duties in his best friend’s upcoming wedding. Ford may be a “bridesdude,” but forever is the last thing on his mind. And if there’s one thing a perpetual bridesmaid knows, it’s the importance of a happily ever after.

I find myself searching for fun and light romances, more and more each day.  Madsen has become a reliable source of such books, and I happily grabbed this one to continue the delightful series. It was great to be back in Uncertainty. This time it was Ford and Violet's turn to try and not fall in love. Violet had already dated Mr. Someday, and she was done with that. Ford was not ready to settle down, and with his father and brothers as his relationship examples, he wasn't going to be committing any time soon.

We all know how these things go, but still, I found Ford really frustrating at times. All I'm going to say is he was lucky Violet loved him. In-between this budding relationship, we got to catch up with the couple from the previous book. Their wedding drama was pretty funny, and I am glad we got to attend their nuptials. Also on the plus side -- puppies!

This was a fun addition to the series, and that little peek we got at the end has me eager to read the next.

Favorite romance trope?
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