Katrina JacksonCríticas

4.25

3.75

Miscommunication is difficult to execute well. I know miscommunication is an aspect of romance in general but that doesn't mean it has always succeeded in delivering well-crafted miscommunication stories. HOWEVER, it really worked for me in this book. Katrina Jackson’s use of flashbacks were just masterful. I cried a few times throughout because these two cuties just did not have the words or the bravery to speak up! And it pained my heart that they couldn’t find a way to say to one another the things that needed to be said! Earlier this year I read Back in the Day - also by Katrina Jackson - and it the flashbacks also worked effortlessly there.

CWs: parent with cancer - parent is in remission although there are flashbacks to care taking and hospital stays during treatment, divorce - supporting characters, miscommunication galore, on page sex, drinking and underage drinking

Katrina Jackson is my favorite author and this story is a romance. Probably the best romance I, personally, have read. A beautiful, multi-generational story about a widower and the music and memories he shared with his wife. I was often moved to tears but I never once questioned if this book is a romance. I do not think a book has ever pushed me so hard to consider what an HEA can look like. I am so thankful.

After some ridiculous shit on twitter dot com, the author wrote a moving post that I think should be read along with this book.

CWs: Parental death, Grief, Recreational drug use

Shae & Salvatore have been my favorite couple since Beautiful & Dirty and I've been anticipating their full-length book! The way this age-gap couple has me by the goddamned heartstrings!!! The Family is the best mafia romance series I've read.

This series just keeps getting better and better. Zoe may be my favorite she is so damn funny - I lol'd several times reading this book. Now when is book 3 coming out????

This. Had. Everything. lol
Ok, it had everything I personally enjoy in a mafia romance - scorned lover heads to Italy to forget the cheating ex-fience while drinking her problems away CHECK, hot bad boy in tiny swin trunks CHECK, steamy love scenes OMG CHECK. Shae and Sal make appearances, too!

Ooooh this was steamy!

It was ALSO very realistic in the portrayal of life in academia and how the tenure track sucks the life right out of your soul.

heads up: I love Katrina Jackson so everything I read by her is my favorite and I may not be able to be objective about her books . . . but this novella is perfect for scary season and Jackson should write more PNR!

february 2023 reread:
I fucking love this novella.

first 5-star review of 2022!!!
I loved this novella. I am 100% back on my mafia bullshit and I ain’t ever looking back lol I plan to devour this series.



IMPORTANT CONTENT WARNINGS:
cheating. this entire novella is about two characters who have significant others. our MCs meet, fall in deep lust and follow thru with their physical wants. I don't mind cheating MCs but it is not for everyone so that is your warning!

Back in the Day
Bay Area Blues, Book 2

I Picked Up This Book Because: Exploring the author’s work/Needed something short to tie me over until the beginning of the month.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Scribd
Dates Read: 9/29/23 - 9/30/23
Stars: 2 Stars
Narrator(s): Jakobi Diem

The Story:

While this story was well written it just did not capture me. A father visiting the past and telling his son about how he met his mother. Like I said it was well written and I loved the narrator's voice but I just didn’t care. I finished just to finish.

The Random Thoughts:

From Scratch
Welcome to Seaport, Book 1

I Picked Up This Book Because: I cannot remember. It’s been on my TBR for a while and I decided to finally pick it up.

Media Type: eBook
Source: KindleUnlimited
Dates Read: 5/8/23 - 5/21/23
Stars: 4
Narrator(s):

The Characters:

Mary Woods:
Miguel Santos:
Billy Knox:
Various residents of seaport

The Story:

Mary has upended her stable life in the academic world to move to a new town and start a bakery of her own. little did she know this move would change not only her profession but her love life in ways she never imagined. There was a lot to unpack in these few pages, but the author did it well and I love Mary's story.

The Random Thoughts:

DNF

I stopped at the end of chapter ten primarily because neither man had any charm. I don't know what Mary saw in either one, let alone both of them. And then, there was repetition of past events, and current reasoning, easy to do while writing - but an editor should point it out.

But mostly, I disliked two of the three main characters.

What a trip. This is a fun book!

For me the author's style invoked a snappy-sexy artsy-animated version of this story rather than anything live-action. The only visceral elements (for me) were the emotional and sexual ones, despite all the violence. It's poppy, sweet, funny, sultry, sassy and yep, loving.

The only downside is that the book needs a copy-edit. It has typos like missing or duplicated words, the wrong word in one case, and most telling, a common saying with a spoonerism that can't have been intentional. Other than that, I loved this. The points of view are lovely.

I did see one reviewer mistake the epilogue (a hook scene for the next book) as a 'cliffhanger.' Those are not the same things. The primary trio had their HEA. No cliffhanger.

I wasn't sure the second book in this series could possibly match the first, but IT DID. Plus, it managed to amp everything to 11. I pre-ordered book 3, it comes out in a few days, because I am invested in these characters. :) Great sexy scenes, great action and tension versus great humor for a brilliant prose balance. Diverse cast (race, temperaments, sexualities, body types, etc) and just enough reality to sharpen the tension.

The trouble with starting reading a series only a few books in IS I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE! But that's okay. I think. I can do it! Probably!

Loved this, in case you couldn't tell. Eagerly awaiting more!

If you're looking for low (0) angst, this is your story. There's some tension, but between Maya and Kenny it's only the good kind. Maya is the most lovingly described fat character I've ever had the pleasure of reading. She is self assured, and Kenny is utterly besotted, and we get a fine example of how to write a romance without undue drama. As for the plot, I enjoyed it. Being a seasoned reader, I knew what would happen but still enjoyed learning what the characters learned.

At the end, in the 'Waves Awkwardly', our intrepid author links to an introduction to Caleb, who'll be in the next book. It's just long enough to leave you wanting more. Kat is sneaky like that.

Excellent. This series is great!

This overall was sadly average.

I mean, it's fun enough, and the epilogue's worth it. But this was a shadow of the spies series. It could have used another edit. It's missing a few words, and there's a technical mistake with the Jag. And I skimmed most of the sex scenes because they read the same to me, which is as boring as repeated dialogue. It's a shame, because I liked the two characters. But I loved Kierra's view of them (in the epilogue) more.

If you have read any of the The Spies Who Loved Her series, you've met Chanté and you know she loathes/loves Asif.

This is why.

I only give it four stars because it makes me unhappy. I'll make up for it when she gets her happy ending. ;)

This was well written, and someone more enthusiastic about contemp romance would probably enjoy it a lot more than I did. While the leads seemed like nice people, the complete inability to talk to each other gets on my nerves - a lot. And I just really couldn't see everyone else caring so much about whether these 2 finally got down to it or not. Do or don't, but stop dragging around moping over it.

This whole series is super light fluffy escapism where you just have to let expectations go and assume that of course everything will work out precisely perfect for everyone, with great ease and very little stress along the way. And don't we all need just a touch of that once in awhile?

Read somewhere in 2019, didn't realize i forgot to add it until i went to add the sequels.

DNF - I thought this sounded interesting, and like it would be a fun romance between two teachers/professors. No relationship building. They just hopped into it after yearning for each other from afar for over a year. I tried, but it was just not for me.

This was a fun little read where three people taking on a new chance at life all moved to a town needing the same.