Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is books with numbers in the title. As I was putting together this list, I decided to have a bit of fun and see if I could count to ten with book titles, which I was able to!
Title: The Spanish Love Deception
Author: Elena Armas
Rating: ★★★★½
The Spanish Love Deception had me smiling like a fool while reading. Smart, funny, incredibly well-written and full of engaging characters, this book is a rom-com lover’s dream. There are so many fantastic tropes included here–fake relationship, office romance, there’s only one bed, slow-burn feelings–that it was impossible not to find this book absolutely delightful.
First and foremost; this is not a hate-to-love story! I keep seeing this book marketed as such and expected to go into this with a romance plot similar to The Hating Game, when in fact it was pretty obvious from the beginning that there is no actual hate between Lina and Aaron. Any of Lina’s animosity towards Aaron was due to a misunderstanding. It’s completely obvious to everyone (including readers) that he was into her from the get-go and sometimes her character seemed a little too dense.
“Had I been that bind?”
Yes, Lina. Yes, you have. Her complete lack of awareness in regards to Aaron’s words/actions/behaviors was so frustrating as a reader, but it made her realization at the end even sweeter.
The romance was perfection. From the writing, to the angst, to the sexual tension that was built so perfectly I thought my pages were going to spark and catch fire. There’s nothing I love more than some well written banter and dirty talk and Elena Armas delivered.
“I’ll give you the world,” he said against my mouth. “The moon. The fucking stars. Anything you ask, it’s yours. I’m yours.”
I’m not sure why I didn’t see this book on many upcoming releases lists, or why it’s not plastered across every Barnes and Nobles rom-com/summer reading display as it rightly should be. I honestly only knew about this book because I had seen some other people reading it on Goodreads when it was released. The Spanish Love Deception is nothing short of a perfect contemporary romance and deserves all the hype and then some.
Title: Isn’t It Bromantic? (The Bromance Book Club #4)
Author: Lyssa Kay Adams
Rating: ★★★★
ARC provided by Berkley through NetGalley.
Isn’t It Bromantic is the lastest in the Bromance Book Club series but it is by no means the least. Like many other fans of the series, I was super excited to learn that we would be getting a book featuring the Russian, Vlad. I was even more excited when I found out his story would be centered around a marriage of convenience and childhood friends-to-lovers romance. Lyssa Kay Adams definitely delivered the goods with this one!
In the first book, Vlad is written as the butt of most jokes and the comedic relief. I’m so happy that his character has fleshed out as the series continued and in Isn’t It Bromantic we really get to explore him, his personality, and his character growth. There is so much more to him under the surface and I’m glad readers are able to finally see it.
I love a good romance story and this book was filled to the brim with some of the best tropes. Childhood friends-to-lovers, marriage of convenience, forced proximity; it’s all here and written splendidly! I really enjoyed watching Vlad and Elena work through their problems and finally find the love between them. Vlad is so deserving of a good love story and a happy ending and I could not be more thrilled for how it all worked out!
Isn’t It Bromantic is a wonderful addition to an already fantastic series of books. I highly recommend these to any fan of rom-coms. I haven’t heard any word yet, but I hope there are more to come in the Bromance Book Club!
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is a freebie. I’ve had the idea for this post since last year so I’m really excited to have an excuse to finally post it. I seriously love the tropical theme covers for contemporary romances that have become popular recently and I can’t wait to see more of them in the future!
Title: Crazy Stupid Bromance (Bromance Book Club #3)
Author: Lyssa Kay Adams
Rating: ★★★★½
ARC provided by Berkley through NetGalley.
Crazy Stupid Bromance is by far my favorite book in the Bromance Book Club series. Noah and Alexis are the shining stars of these books (in my opinion) and their friends-to-lovers romance was nothing short of perfection.
Everything about this book works: the characters, the plot, the chemistry, the themes. Lyssa Kay Adams has created such a well-rounded novel. It’s obviously written as a rom-com, but the book also delves into some heavier topics as well. The emotions felt by both Noah and Alexis as they dealt with their individual griefs and heartaches were palpable. It was hard not to get swept up in the emotions as well as a reader. And it was amazing to see Alexis and Noah support each other through thick and thin, and how that support was crucial to their relationship.
I’m a huge sucker for friends-to-lovers, and I had actually forgotten Crazy Stupid Bromance was centered around this trope until I got started reading. Writing this trope can be a delicate balance of showcasing the angst and chemistry, while not forcing the characters together too soon and Lyssa Kay Adams nails it in Crazy Stupid Bromance. Alexis and Noah work so well as best friends that it was even more satisfying to see them finally admit their feelings for each other.
It’s no secret that I really love these books. Crazy Stupid Bromance was the perfect addition to the Bromance Book Club series and I knew right away that it would be my favorite of the books so far. If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers, and an emotional, sweet, steamy read–look no further.
Paws & Paperbacks 