Manga Review: Eclair Blanche: A Girls' Love Anthology that Resonates in Your Heart

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: February 2020

Volumes: 5 + 1.

Spoilers: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: Eclair. Eclair Bleue.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The girls' love anthology is back and bursting with stories to enchant and delight. Featuring works from favorites such as Canno (Kiss and White Lily for My Dearest Girl), Hiroichi (Highschool DxD: Asia & Koneko's Secret Contract!?), and Fly (Kemono Friends: Welcome to Japari Park), this new addition to the Éclair lineup will sweep you off your feet!

Review:

This is an anthology by lots of different mangaka starring yuri one-shots. Some are very short, some are a little longer; some more sweet, high school friends stories, and even some starring older women. There's quite a mix in this one. Apparently it's also the second volume, though I haven't read many of these yuri stories that have come out lately, though it's nice that more are being released.

Since I haven't been following much of the yuri manga, I didn't recognize any of the mangaka, but there are a couple who have series being released in English. Most of the stories, especially in the beginning, have very vague and open endings, some even a little sad. Later in the volume, though, we see some actual couples that are developing, and we get some light kissing scenes.

There were a few art styles that stood out to me, and some neat stories. One featuring a sewing machine that turns into a magical girl for a brief period was very pretty. Another that had an almost gothic kind of art style that I quite enjoyed. There was also one about an idol girl who gets a crush on her new competition, and one about a princess/servant roleplay friendship that turned out quite cute.

The later stories definitely stood out more than the earlier ones, and while some had better story and art than others, they were all quite fun to read. There are about fifteen stories, so there's quite a variety, and if you like yuri romance, I'd suggest picking it up.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, Yen Press, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Novel Review: Just Call My Name (I'll Be There, #2) by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Little, Brown

Release Date: 2014

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The happily-ever-after of Holly Goldberg Sloan's acclaimed debut, I'll Be There, is turned on its head in this riveting, emotional sequel about friends, enemies, and how those roles can shift in a matter of moments.

Emily Bell has it all. She's in love with a boy named Sam Border, and his little brother has become part of her family. This summer is destined to be the best time of their lives--until a charismatic new girl in town sets her sights on Sam. Now Emily finds herself questioning the loyalty of the person she thought she could trust most.

But the biggest threat to her happiness is someone she never saw coming. Sam's criminally insane father, whom everyone thought they'd finally left behind, is planning a jailbreak. And he knows exactly where to find Emily and his sons when he escapes...and takes his revenge.

The Cover:

Ehh, the cover is okay. It's a little plain, not too eye-catching, and it doesn't quite spark the quirkiness of the story. But it does show an important part of the story, so it's not too bad. It does have a more simple appeal, nothing too romantic or embarrassing.

Review:

This sequel takes us on a bit of a wild ride.

Things seemed to have calmed down for Sam and Emily. But unbeknownst to them, Sam's father has broken out of jail, and he knows right where he's going next.

A new girl shows up here, and she causes some drama for Emily and Sam. Some drama—and then a change for Emily. I like these kinds of friendships, so while it was a bit odd—and Destiny was a weird girl who was not very easy to like for most of this—I didn't mind it in the end. Riddle also makes some new friends and has some new experiences, which is great. He's a sweet boy, and I liked getting to see him grow here.

I really love Sloan's writing style. It feels like someone is watching from the outside, and yet you're also in their head, in a more quirky style than a normal third person. It gives weird little tidbits of peoples lives and reactions, and it jumps to different characters. I really love it, and it's one of my favorite narrative styles, honestly.

I wish I'd re-read the first book before jumping into this one, but I don't think it diminished my experience any. This was still a fun, crazy book to read, and I look forward to reading anything else she releases.

Novel Review: Words We Don't Say by K. J. Reilly

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Hyperion (Disney Book Group)

Release Date: October 2018

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Joel Higgins has 901 unsent text messages saved on his phone.

Ever since the thing that happened, there are certain people he hasn't been able to talk to in person. Sure, he shows up at school, does his mandatory volunteer hours at the soup kitchen, and spends pretty much every moment thinking about Eli, the most amazing girl in the world. But that doesn't mean he's keeping it together, or even that he has any friends.

So instead of hanging out with people in real life, he drafts text messages. But he never presses send.

As dismal as sophomore year was for Joel, he doesn't see how junior year will be any better. For starters, Eli doesn't know how he feels about her, his best friend Andy's gone, and he basically bombed the SATs. But as Joel spends more time at the soup kitchen with Eli and Benj, the new kid whose mouth seems to be unconnected to his brain, he forms bonds with the people they serve there-including a veteran they call Rooster-and begins to understand that the world is bigger than his own pain.

The Cover:

This cover is very fitting. It's a little simple, and not super eye-catching, but I like the usage of words and how it's blurring the background. It signifies how Joel is feeling really well, along with the hint of his unsent texts.

 

Review:

After losing someone, Joel doesn't really talk to people. He doesn't have many friends, he's mostly just going to school and volunteering at the soup kitchen. Wanting to talk to Eli, the girl from the soup kitchen, and yet never saying anything. Instead, he has drafts of texts he wanted to send, wanted to say, but hasn't.

Joel is a good guy, he just doesn't know what to do with himself. He feels alone now, and thus starts his collection of odd people. Eli, who's already there for him. The new guy at the soup kitchen, and the patrons of the kitchen. With the help of his new friend Benji, he starts to finally accept what happened, accept himself, and let himself open up.

There is a twist near the end of the book, and for a bit it felt like it was going in a tragedy direction. I'm happy to say that, while there are serious matters and a serious event, things mostly work out. Joel grows a lot, in good ways. His voice was nice to listen to, as well. He's thoughtful, alone and upset and processing everything still. His texts were fun to follow. And the romance, though not the main focus, was also really sweet.

This book feels like a bit of an underdog, and it kind of stands out for it, to me. It was a good book, and I'm glad I picked it up.

Novel Review: Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Genre: YA/NA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Simon & Shuster

Release Date: 2018

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

“Smart and funny, with characters so real and vulnerable, you want to send them care packages. I loved this book.” —Rainbow Rowell

From debut author Mary H.K. Choi comes a compulsively readable novel that shows young love in all its awkward glory—perfect for fans of Eleanor & Park and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.

For Penny Lee, high school was a total nonevent. Her friends were okay, her grades were fine, and while she’d somehow landed a boyfriend, they never managed to know much about each other. Now Penny is heading to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a writer. It’s seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything she can’t wait to leave behind.

Sam’s stuck. Literally, figuratively, emotionally, financially. He works at a café and sleeps there too, on a mattress on the floor of an empty storage room upstairs. He knows that this is the god-awful chapter of his life that will serve as inspiration for when he’s a famous movie director but right this second the seventeen bucks in his checking account and his dying laptop are really testing him.

When Sam and Penny cross paths it’s less meet-cute and more a collision of unbearable awkwardness. Still, they swap numbers and stay in touch—via text—and soon become digitally inseparable, sharing their deepest anxieties and secret dreams without the humiliating weirdness of having to, you know, see each other.

Review:

Penny is finally away from home, in college, and away from her high school life. Sam works at a coffee shop and tries to write, but is currently stuck where he is. Neither of them really know how to interact or what to do with themselves. Penny has a new roommate, and is trying to get away from her immature mother, and Sam is trying to move forward.

This was a really good, solid book. Penny stuck out more than Sam to me; she has a lot going on, what with the drama of her roommate and college, and attempting to grow away from her mother and yet also thinking her mother needs her help in order to survive. The romance was sweet, and both characters are sweet, though Penny is a bit more dramatic. I appreciate where Penny and her mother's relationship went; they have a few issues, but they ended up growing in a really healthy way, I think.

This isn't one of my favorites, but it was a really good read, and I would pick up her next one.

Manga Review: A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow, Volume 2, by Makoto Hagino

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: VIZ Media

Release Date: February 2020

Volumes: 7+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the moment they met at the Aquarium Club’s open house, Konatsu has admired Koyuki and treated her like she wasn’t a distant figure on a pedestal. In turn, Koyuki has been open and welcoming to the new girl who stirs her heart. When the time comes to pick a club, Konatsu chooses the Aquarium Club with Koyuki. And even though it’s just the two of them, they manage to host a successful open house. What’s next for Koyuki and Konatsu, now that the shared experience has deepened the bond between them?

Review:

During the open house, there's some embarrassment and conflicting feelings, but Konatsu and Koyuki put themselves out there and that helps make it a success. Konatsu also meets Koyuki's dad during this, who turns out to be quite a supportive and good father.

After that, it's break time. Despite their difficulties with settling comfortably together, having too many worries about how to act around each other, they end up making plans together. Some of them don't quite go as planned, but they still learn more about each other during it.

Despite how timid and new to this they both are, they keep putting themselves out there and facing the misunderstandings that come along. Konatsu in particular might not be realizing what her feelings mean, but she's still trying to grow closer to Koyuki and spend more time with her.

This is a really sweet, heartwarming yuri series. It feels like first shojo love, only with girls. I'm really enjoying reading it so far.

As a sidenote, why doesn't Viz have a label for their more diverse series yet? They've released quite a few yuri or boys love series, or just ones that have a more diverse cast, and they're only under VIZ. They should add a new label for these, I think. I do think they're probably still just dabbling in it, but I hope when they get enough releases they'll expand it.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Novel Review: The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins)

Release Date: June 2019

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Emma Saylor doesn’t remember a lot about her mother, who died when she was ten. But she does remember the stories her mom told her about the big lake that went on forever, with cold, clear water and mossy trees at the edges.

Now it’s just Emma and her dad, and life is good, if a little predictable…until Emma is unexpectedly sent to spend the summer with her mother’s family—her grandmother and cousins she hasn’t seen since she was a little girl.

When Emma arrives at North Lake, she realizes there are actually two very different communities there. Her mother grew up in working class North Lake, while her dad spent summers in the wealthier Lake North resort. The more time Emma spends there, the more it starts to feel like she is divided into two people as well. To her father, she is Emma. But to her new family, she is Saylor, the name her mother always called her.

Then there’s Roo, the boy who was her very best friend when she was little. Roo holds the key to her family’s history, and slowly, he helps her put the pieces together about her past. It’s hard not to get caught up in the magic of North Lake—and Saylor finds herself falling under Roo’s spell as well.

For Saylor, it’s like a whole new world is opening up to her. But when it’s time to go back home, which side of her will win out?

The Cover:

I do like this cover. It's simple and cute, looks rather light-hearted. I actually think the contents are a bit deeper than are portrayed here, and it might even be too simple? Which is a weird thing to say. I still like it, though.

Review:

I eagerly anticipate every new book by Dessen. About every other year, I get a new book to devour, which I usually do very quickly. Even though I haven't been reading very many YA novels lately, I still preordered this one immediately, and read it as soon as I could.

Emma lives a nice, rather comfortable life with her father, his wife and her grandmother. But then one summer, plans with her best friend fall through, and her father and stepmother have vacation plans, and suddenly she doesn't have anywhere to go. The crazy suggestion of staying with her mothers family for the summer is thrown out, and she gets the chance to discover a side of herself and her family that she never knew was there.

Emma was comfortable in herself and her life before this, and feels a bit out of place at first. There's this whole culture and family here that she never knew, and that have an impression of her from a time she doesn't even remember because she was so young. She gets to meet these new people, and experience new things. And, of course, there's Roo. The boy who remembers her, but she doesn't remember. Who she has more of a connection with than she realized, as she keeps getting drawn to him.

This was a really sweet story. I like how Emma grew during this, and how she pulled her family together through it; she comes from two very different sides, with different prejudices on both, and she forces them to meet in the middle at one point. Then there's Roo. I mean, come on. With a name like that? Of course he's the sweetest.

It's so easy to fall into Dessen-land, and I love getting to do it every so often. Still one of my favorite authors, and one I will always be following.

Novel Review: Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: June 2018

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Charlie Grant's older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can't wait for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster. There's the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won't stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren't speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo. Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner's nephew is unexpectedly, distractedly cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she'll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.

The Cover:

This cover is super cute. The image and even the font match with the wedding theme really well, while also showing the quirky nature of what's going to happen in the book. It's definitely eye-catching, and shows what kind of feel the book is going to give.

Review:

Charlie has lived in her own family bubble for all of her life. When her sister's wedding is coming up, and thus all of her family is again in the same house together for the summer, some of her history starts to unravel in her eyes.

There's wedding chaos happening, the brother Charlie has always idolized is home again, the boy she's always had a crush on is suddenly an option now. And then she's forced to start questioning the life she's lead, and what the “cute” family comics her mother writes has actually done to her and her siblings' lives.

I really like the idea of this story. The whole Grant Central Station comic strips is a really good plot to explore, and it's done really well here, too. Charlie has upheld her family in such a specific light all her life, and particularly one of her brothers, that it's a shock when some of those things are revealed to her differently. I really appreciated the way that she's given this information and how she takes it. The whole thing with her crush could have gone one way, and I really liked that it didn't; that's not the moment of revelation to her, at least not in a certain way, and instead a learning experience in a good way instead. That's just one thing she had to get a new perspective on. The rest of the stuff falls into place just right, with the timing it should.

Charlie needed a wake up call, and she gets it. Of course, there's also another boy, a better one.

I really appreciated how this story played out. It could have been done in one way, which I worried about at one point, and I'm glad it went in a different one. It went in a better direction, without using the romance/crush as a crutch and a be-all-end-all kind of thing. The family drama is given its own time, and it's done really well.

Matson has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and another author that I will very quickly pre-order, now.

Novel Review: Find Me (Shatter Me, #4.5, #5.5) by Tahereh Mafi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Supernatural Romance

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: October 2019

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Calling all fans of Tahereh Mafi’s New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series! This gorgeous paperback bind-up includes Shadow Me and the fourth novella in the series, both in print for the first time ever.

In Shadow Me, Juliette is still reeling from Warner's betrayal, and Kenji is trying to balance his friendship with her with his responsibilities as a leader of the resistance against the Reestablishment. Things get even more interesting when an unexpected person from Omega Point’s past surfaces.

The fourth novella brings readers back to the Shatter Me world one last time before the final novel installment in the series hits shelves in 2020.

The Shatter Me series is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Divergent and The Hunger Games. This captivating story was praised as "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love" by Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

And don’t miss Defy Me, the gripping fifth book in the Shatter Me series!

The Cover:

Ugh, why are these covers so gorgeous? All of them in this series, I love them so much. And in the paperback, there's one cover on the front and the other on the back.

Review:

This features both of the novellas between the books in the second trilogy. Both in Kenji's point of view.

I read Shadow Me when it was first released. It's the time right before Juliette is kidnapped, and largely stars how Kenji is growing closer to Nazeera and how he feels about her. It also shows his immediate reaction and devastation at Juliette's disappearance.

In Reveal Me, we get to see what's happening to Kenji as the fifth book is ending. He's trying to push through and be himself, but also he's seeing things that everyone else isn't, and it's making him think he's crazy for it.

In the second one, we really get to see the bond between Kenji and Juliette. While Kenji is falling for Nazeera, he doesn't trust her and he's having some issues regarding that. But him and Juliette have an incredibly tight bond, they understand each other and they're there for each other on a different level. That's really showcased in this novella, and it's one of my favorite aspects of this series. I love their relationship, so it was sweet to see.

We also get to see a new side of Nazeera here, as she opens herself up to him a little bit more, which he needs from her if they're going to have a relationship.

This was a really nice little tidbit of info and insight, and I truly love Kenji. I can't wait to see how this wraps up next.

Blog Tour: Excerpt & Review: Sugarcoated (Hot Cakes, #1) by Erin Nicholas

"You can always count on Erin Nicholas for fun, sexy contemporary romance."―Melissa Foster, New York Times bestselling author

Sugarcoated, an all-new sexy and laugh-out-loud standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Erin Nicholas, is out now!

She's his best friend's little sister. He's known her all his life. He's practically part of the family. There is nothing either of them could do to surprise the other at this point.

Then she showed up in his bedroom in lingerie and asked him to take her V-card.

Now, that was a surprise.

Aiden is pretty sure Zoe was equally surprised when he told her no.

To say that he didn't handle it well would be a massive understatement. Almost as massive as the amount of work he's going to have to do now to convince her that he wants her. Forever.

Right after he tells her that he's bought the company that's her bakery’s biggest competitor.

Maybe if he tells her he’s in love with her first, that will help sugarcoat the whole we're-rivals-in-business-now thing.

So, first "I'm in love with you", then "take off your clothes", then "I'm now your business adversary".

Piece of cake.

Download your copy today! 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bjel3L 

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/sugarcoated 

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Excerpt:

“What?” she asked, her eyes wide and blinking. “You thought I’d just be waiting around for you to come back?”

“Yes!” It was the wrong answer, he knew, even as he said it. But it was true.

“You are so full of yourself!” She frowned. “You actually thought I’d be waiting around, pining for you, didn’t you?”

Maybe not crying herself to sleep every night, but thinking about him? Yeah. Fuck. He hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind for more than a few hours at a time. “It’s only been five months,” he said. “Is it really crazy for me to think that you didn’t get your virginity ‘taken care of’ yet?”

“Exactly! It’s been five months!” she said.

“You went twenty-five years without sex, and you couldn’t go five more months?”

“Well, it’s not like you gave me an IOU!” she shot back. “I had no idea when you were coming back, and I assumed your answer would have still been no. So yeah, I moved on, Aiden.”

“Who was it?” he asked, noting his tone was suddenly a little ominous.

“I’m not telling you that.” She looked at him like he was insane.

“Tell me, Zoe.”

“No.”

“I’ll find out. This is Appleby. I’ll probably know by the end of tonight.”

“You won’t.” She lifted her chin. “I can promise you that.”

“Bet I do.”

“Why do you really even care? Now you don’t have to do it.”

“Because you’re mine.”

Yeah, shit. See, he’d known that was the wrong answer to give. Guys didn’t go around claiming women like they were property or possessions. He knew that. He’d never had that urge before. This woman was strong and independent and confident and certainly didn’t need him for anything.

But the idea of another man touching her, seeing her naked, making her feel the ultimate pleasure, made his blood boil.

She stood, just staring at him. Then she picked up a cake ball. And threw it at him. It hit him square in the red tie and bounced back onto the table.

“You’re a jerk.”

Yeah, maybe he was. A nice guy would probably just take all her explanations and excuses about why they shouldn’t be together and admit his idea was crazy.

He didn’t say anything. He didn’t wipe away the sticky crumbs the cake ball left on his tie. He picked up the ball and rounded the worktable.

Her eyes widened, and she backed up as he came closer. He kept going. Until her back was against the front of the fridge.

He didn’t say a word as he stopped right in front of her, lifted his hand to cup her face, and leaned in.

Aiden ignored her hands on his chest. She wasn’t pushing. She wasn’t pulling him closer either, but she wasn’t trying to get away. She wasn’t lifting her knee to his balls. She wasn’t saying no.

He stared into her eyes for a long moment. She could stop this. He knew she knew that.

She didn’t.

So he kissed her. 

Review: 

 

Zoe runs her family bakery, in a small town where she grew up, with her best friend, and with no surprises. Aiden is her brother's best friend, has been around her entire life, and is suddenly back in town with a new business and with intentions of starting a serious relationship with Zoe.

Zoe likes how predictable her life is; she's comfortable, a bit afraid of stepping outside of it. While the two of them grew up together, and they both know a lot more about the other than they realize, there are still surprises to discover.

Despite how Zoe initially tried to seduce Aiden, their relationship starts a little rocky. It was fun to see Zoe throw Aiden for a loop at first. But once things got going, they were hot. And even the conflict at the end had a very sweet conclusion.

I'm a fan of brother's best friend romances, and these two were fun to follow. We saw more of Aiden's voice, I think, largely because he's starting up the new business venture that's going to be a main point in the series, so there was some attention on that. Hot Cakes has been the “competition” to, or the betrayal of, Zoe's family bakery from years ago. There's some conflict there, but there's also a lot of details to work through.

This definitely felt like the start of the series, as it took some time to get to know the cast of characters, plus the group has to settle in to buying a new business and fixing it. It's always nice to meet Nicholas' crazy cast of characters, especially in quirky small towns, and I'm looking forward to getting to see more of that. I really liked Aiden's friends/business partners. I'm looking forward to Jane and Dax's story next; I'm also really excited to get to see Piper's (and hopefully Ollie's?) story, as I definitely think she's going to be one of my favorite characters.

While this definitely felt like the start of a series, that didn't deter anything from the main romance. It's still very fun and steamy.

Nicholas' books are always a very easy read to get into; especially at a time like now when a distraction is much appreciated; it's easy to fall into her stories and go through them so quickly, a comfort and a treat.

An ARC was provided by the author and Social Butterfly for an honest review. Thank you so much!

About Erin Nicholas

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

Connect with Erin

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Comic Review: Little Moments of Love by Catana Chetwynd

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5-5

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Release Date: June 2018

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Soppy meets Sarah’s Scribbles in this sweet collection of comics about the simple, precious, silly, everyday moments that make up a relationship.

What began as stray doodles on scraps of paper became an internet sensation when Catana Chetwynd’s boyfriend shared her drawings online. Now, Catana Comics touches millions of readers with its sweet, relatable humor. Little Moments of Love collects just that – the little moments that are the best parts of being with the person you love.

Review:

I love this little collection of comics. It's starring this cute couple, and we get to see moments from when they first started dating, expectations versus reality, and moments as they live together and stay adorable and odd and cuddly at all times. They have a cat, and they're both introverted and sometimes work at home. It's definitely from a cute perspective, but it's also honest.

It's so very simple, and yet I love it. It was a lot of fun to read, and I will definitely pick up the next one.

Blog Tour (Excerpt & Review): Getting Off Easy (Boys of the Big Easy, #4) by Erin Nicholas

Getting Off Easy, an all-new sexy, single parent romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Erin Nicholas is available now!

New Orleans firefighter, James Reynaud’s true love is hanging out in the jazz clubs on Frenchmen Street and playing piano with some of the best musicians in the city. But driving his cute, bookworm neighbor Harper Broussard crazy is right up there on his list of favorite things.

The buttoned-up linguistics professor across the hall is a little older, a lot smarter, and way too good for him. And she knows it. But wow is she beautiful when she blushes.

She’s equally gorgeous when she’s saving his butt. Because now things just got serious. A baby has been, literally, dropped off on his doorstep and to say he’s in over his head is an understatement. Not that Harper knows anything about babies either. But at least they now have something in common.

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Excerpt:

Harper reached out to lift the baby off of James, but just as her hand touched his back, James stirred.
She froze.
“Professor?”
His voice was husky from sleep, low and gravelly, and Harper’s belly flipped, heat sliding from her stomach lower, between her legs. They were in his bedroom. One of them was in bed. And that voice. And the nickname. She could hardly be blamed for her reaction.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“You okay?”
It was the middle of the night, and he was the one asleep with the thing that had just turned his life upside down, but he was asking about her? She never came to him with needs. He came to her. She nodded. “I thought I’d take him so you could get more comfortable.”
He looked down at the baby, and seemingly instinctively, his hand slid from the baby’s butt to his back. James’s hand was huge on the tiny baby, and Harper swallowed hard at the sweet picture. “He’s okay.”
“You sure? I don’t mind.”
He looked up at her. He was clearly still sleepy, maybe not fully awake. “You wanna help?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yeah.” She felt terrible for leaving earlier. It had gone against every instinct except the one that screamed at her to protect her heart no matter the cost. But she was afraid she was far past the point of that being possible.
“Then come here.”
Harper wet her lips. “Come… there?”
“Yeah.” He reached for her with his free hand and caught her around the wrist, tugging her forward.
She could have easily pulled back, broken free, resisted. But she let him urge her onto the mattress.
Harper knelt with a knee next to his hip. “How does this help?”
“Gets you up against me,” he said, his voice still sleep roughened.
Her heart skittered. “That’s helpful?”
“Can’t imagine how it will hurt.” He gave her a sleepy, but still devastatingly sexy smile. “This way you’re here if he does need something.”
Well, he had a point.
Harper stretched out on the mattress beside James. He put his arm up above his head again, not holding her, but definitely exposing plenty of surface area for her to be up against.
Oh, what the hell. She wouldn’t sleep well at her place now, wondering what was going on over here. This way she was very much here for whatever went on. And she’d wanted to be up against him for a few months now. Lord only knew what the next few days were going to bring with the baby and everything. She might as well enjoy this moment while she had it.
She scooted closer. His body was hot and hard. She swallowed with some difficulty.
Then the baby made a little grunting sound and curled and stretched against James.
This was so not how she’d ever pictured being in bed with James Reynaud. That was for sure.

 *****

Review:

 

~4 Stars

The final book in the New Orleans-based series by Erin Nicholas. Took a little longer for this one to come out, but it was definitely worth it, and was a nice ending to the series.

James is a firefighter and in a jazz band, and people know he's always there to help them. His university professor neighbor, Harper, was quiet and reserved next door, up until he started bringing his surprise problems to her for help, and thus started their courtship. When James discovers a baby at his door, it causes a whole new adventure for them to discover together.

James is a really great guy. He's always willing to help people, and they know it, and he knows it. Harper is similar, but in a different way. She's a teacher, she's smart and quiet, more reserved than he is. It takes a while for her to accept the ways that James is pulling her in. I definitely related to Harper a few times in this. She's a quiet reader, and yet she worked really well with James, because they were also a lot alike.

The ending was actually a big surprise to me. I hadn't quite clued in to where the baby came from, and I definitely didn't expect it to go in the direction that it went, to that extent. And I'm actually really happy with where it ended up. There's zero disappointment in me for this; it makes perfect sense for the characters, and I think is a really sweet way for their relationship and their dynamic to go. I was genuinely surprised and delighted by how their story concluded.

This was a really fun book in the series. I'm sad to see this arc of stories ending, as I've loved all of them. I'm curious for what's next, though.

An ARC was provided by the author and Social Butterfly for an honest review. Thank you so much!

****

 About Erin Nicholas 
 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

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