A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings [Book Review]

 Harper is anxiously awaiting placement into a top oral surgery residency program when she crashes (literally) into Dan. Harper would rather endure a Novocaine-free root canal than face any distractions, even one this adorable. 

A first-year dental student with a family legacy to contend with, Dan doesn’t have the same passion for pulling teeth that Harper does. Though he finds himself falling for her, he is willing to play by Harper’s rules.

So with the greatest of intentions and the poorest of follow-throughs, the two set out to be “just friends.” But as they get to know each other better, Harper fears that trading fillings for feelings may make her lose control and can't risk her carefully ordered life coming undone, no matter how drool-worthy Dan is.

Blood, gore, and extra-long roots? No problem. The idea of falling in love? Torture. 

REVIEW

I LOVE this book! 

I was not expecting the emotional journey that I went on with Harper and Dan, but now being on the other side I can tell you I feel euphoric that we made it through. 

This one starts out with a meet cute (they literally run into each other) and initially I wasn’t expecting the depth of character and deep emotional pull I felt reading. 

Harper is dedicated to her studies and determined to get into a great Residency. Dan is doing Dentistry because he feels he has to. On paper, these two are polar opposites… but they’re not. 

As a person who has dealt with anxiety disorder for my whole life I loved the attention placed here on Harper and her dealings with her own anxiety. I am very familiar with the battle between wanting to be “me” even if that means being anxious rather than changing myself with medication. I have also dealt with the thoughts of separating myself from my anxiety and I loved the thoughtful focus placed in this book on Harper’s struggle with it. 

There is a stigma to mental illness of any kind and this book truly touches on so many aspects of it that it felt real, and my stomach was in knots as I read. 

Dan was a sweet guy, and he would do anything for Harper. I loved the attention he put towards constantly confirming everything was what Harper wanted and he never forced anything on her which I loved. 

Also, who knew Dentistry could be so hot? 

I recommend this one to anyone who loves some depth to their romance/rom-coms. There are some important things touched on here and the story itself felt real and powerful and I loved it. 

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Rake Gets Ravished by Sophie Jordan [Book Review]

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan returns with an all new sizzling historical romance in her Duke Hunt series about a woman determined to reclaim her family home from the dangerously handsome owner of London’s most popular gaming hell.

The owner of London’s most popular gaming hell, wealthy and powerful Silas Masters is feared by men and desired by women—except Mercy Kittinger. When the blackguard wins her family home in a game of cards, Mercy steals into Silas’s rooms, intent on destroying the proof. But things don’t go to plan... 

She would have her way with him...

Caught in the act, Mercy must be bold to save herself... even if it means seducing the dangerous rogue and then disappearing with the dawn, debt voucher in hand. Safe at home and determined to settle back into her quiet, uneventful life, Mercy burns at the memory of her night spent ravishing the most compelling man she’d ever met. Thank goodness she’ll never see him again! 

He didn't see her coming...

No one trifles with Silas Masters. Even if he could forget the dark-haired seductress who undid him, he can’t allow anyone to steal from him. He will hunt down the sultry woman who haunts his dreams and show her just how sweet payback can be.

REVIEW

 I haven’t read a Sophie Jordan book since she was writing YA… and now I’m thinking that was a definite mistake! 

There is a soft spot in my heart for Regency Romance, it’s the subset of the genre that I first read and as such, reading Regency is almost like coming home. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but everything I want in a Regency was here. 

Our heroine Mercy (whose name I love) begins her journey with so much agency I was cheering. It is up to Mercy to rectify the mistakes of her idiot brother and save her family… and she does it by stealing and ruining herself. 

Like… what?! 

Mercy’s character agency was truly the highlight for me in this book. She knew what she wanted, and she took charge of it. She was tired of being a spinster, so she took charge of what she wanted. She wanted to protect her family, so she took risks. She was the one doing all the work while her brother put them in ruin and I loved it. 

Silas (whose name I also love) was the typical gaming hell owner who has sworn off marriage… until he runs into Mercy. He was kind, protective, and essentially everything we want in a Regency man. 

The side characters were also fantastic and I’m crossing my fingers for a Grace book!

I’m rating it 5 stars because I literally felt my stomach dropping when the tension got high, and any book that makes me physically react is worth a read! 

Don’t miss this one out on February 22, 2022! 

Huge thanks to Harper Collins/Avon and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian [Book Review]

 A spellbinding story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown. Immerse yourself in the first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series.

Empress Margaraux has had plans for her daughters since the day they were born. Princesses Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz will be queens. And now, age sixteen, they each must leave their homeland and marry their princes.

Beautiful, smart, and demure, the triplets appear to be the perfect brides—because Margaraux knows there is one common truth: everyone underestimates a girl. Which is a grave mistake. Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz are no innocents. They have been trained since birth in the arts of deception, seduction, and violence with a singular goal—to bring down monarchies— and their marriages are merely the first stage of their mother’s grand vision: to one day reign over the entire continent of Vesteria.

The princesses have spent their lives preparing, and now they are ready, each with her own secret skill, and each with a single wish, pulled from the stars. Only, the stars have their own plans—and their mother hasn’t told them all of hers.

Life abroad is a test. Will their loyalties stay true? Or will they learn that they can’t trust anyone—not even each other? 

REVIEW

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Castles in Their Bones going into it… and ya’ll I have to tell you, I wasn’t ready for it. 

My mind is filled with spinning thoughts, emotions, and an overpowering mix of glee and frustration. This book took me on an incredible journey… and now I have to wait literal years for the next one?!

The premise of this book sounded interesting to say the least, but I wasn’t expecting to be completely OBSESSED at the end of it.

We follow three triplet sisters Daphne, Sophronia and Beatriz as they turn sixteen and are thrust into the life that they have quite literally been trained for since birth. They are sent to marry princes and be kingdom ruiners so their mother can gain more power. It sounds like a set up for some real therapy needs in the future, am I right? WELL JUST YOU WAIT. 

The political intrigue in this one feels like Game of Thrones level and at times it was hard to keep track of. There are three points of view in this one with three stories happening at the same time. It’s a ton of characters, in three different fantasy courts…. but it’s worth it. It’s Tudor England if magic was involved. Everyone has ulterior motives, and no one can be trusted and I was HERE FOR IT. 

The world building was phenomenal. Each kingdom was so entirely different and I loved the attention to detail when describing each one. The magic system was very beautifully built. The concept of star dust was such a nice take that I could picture the use of it and I didn’t have the doubt that some magic systems leave me with. I especially loved that we were able to see the juxtaposition of a court seeing stardust as evil/wicked and that added great tension and and grounded the magic system and made it feel more real to me. 

There is some good LGBTQ rep that I wasn’t anticipating and I am very excited to see how that develops in the coming books. 

The romance plot is a definite side plot in this book, but the relationships that do develop are sweet and I loved watching the real development throughout as it felt genuine. None of the relationships felt rushed or forced, and in a book with three arranged marriages I very much appreciated that. 

The ending left me shocked, in pain, crying, but still so ready for more. 

If you’re a fan of YA fantasy with thoughtful world building, an exciting plot, and a sweet side romance just add this one to your shelf as soon as you possibly can. 

I give it 5/5 stars and I truly cannot wait for more. 

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Random House Childrens for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.