Book Review: Dating Makes Perfect by Pintip Dunn

Dating Makes Perfect
By: Pintip Dunn
Published: August 18, 2020
Publisher: Entangled Teen
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Source: eARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest review

Book Summary:

The Tech sisters don’t date in high school. Not because they’re not asked. Not because they’re not interested. Not even because no one can pronounce their long, Thai last name—hence the shortened, awkward moniker. But simply because they’re not allowed. 

Until now. 

In a move that other Asian American girls know all too well, six months after the older Tech twins got to college, their parents asked, “Why aren’t you engaged yet?” The sisters retaliated by vowing that they won’t marry for ten (maybe even twenty!) years, not until they’ve had lots of the dating practice that they didn’t get in high school. 

In a shocking war on the status quo, her parents now insist that their youngest daughter, Orrawin (aka “Winnie”), must practice fake dating in high school. Under their watchful eyes, of course—and organized based on their favorite rom-coms. ’Cause that won’t end in disaster. 

The first candidate? The son of their longtime friends, Mat Songsomboon—arrogant, infuriating, and way too good-looking. Winnie’s known him since they were toddlers throwing sticky rice balls at each other. And her parents love him. 

If only he weren’t her sworn enemy.

My Thoughts:

Dating Makes Perfect was the first book I've read by Pintip Dunn, but it won't be my last!  This story was a colorful, fun, feel-good #OwnVoices romance, that delighted me from beginning to end.  

There were so many things I loved about this story!  The descriptions of Taiwanese culture, as well as the customs, traditions, and cuisine were exquisite!  I loved reading about the various Thai dishes, and could see how food was such an integral aspect of the culture.  The cuisine sounded so delicious that I could picture everything, and wished I could hop through the pages and try the various foods. 

The Tech sisters had an unnbreakable bond.  I loved the twins Ari and Bunny, and of course Winnie was absolutely wonderful.  These girls shared everything with each other, and always supported one another.  They were more than sisters; they were best friends. Anyone who reads this story will love this trio.  I enjoyed time spent with Winnie's parents as well.  They brought a lot of levity and humor to the story.

The romance between Matt and Winnie was a blast!  These two had so much fiery chemistry!  I loved their interactions and fake dates.  I was rooting for them from the start, and wanted to know what could have broken up such a strong friendship. Their journey from enemies to friends/crushes was a fun one filled with the passion and excitement of first love, humor, heartbreak, life lessons, and an abundance of feels!

In case you can't tell, I loved Dating Makes Perfect, and highly recommend it!

Purchase At:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Google

About the Author:

Pintip Dunn is a New York Times bestselling author of young adult fiction. She graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B., and received her J.D. at Yale Law School. 

Her novel FORGET TOMORROW won the 2016 RWA RITA® for Best First Book, and SEIZE TODAY won the 2018 RITA for Best Young Adult Romance. Her books have been translated into four languages, and they have been nominated for the following awards: the Grand Prix del'Imaginaire; the Japanese Sakura Medal; the MASL Truman Award; the TomeSociety It list; and the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award. 

Her other titles include REMEMBER YESTERDAY, THE DARKEST LIE, GIRL ON THE VERGE, STAR-CROSSED, and MALICE. 

She lives with her husband and children in Maryland.

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Blog Tour: Wicked Princess (Royal Hearts Academy #3) by A. Jade

Wicked Princess
Royal Hearts Academy #3

By:
Ashley Jade

Release Date:
August 18, 2020

Add to:
Goodreads
Source:
eARC from Candi Kane PR in exchange for a honest review

Book Summary:

Welcome to their kingdom.

They call me a heartless b*tch.
An evil manipulator.
A wicked princess who enjoys hurting people.

They tell me terrible things happened.
Things that changed my life forever.

Only problem is...

I can't remember any of it.


This is book 3 in the Royal Hearts Academy series. Please note: Although this is Bianca's book, Cruel Prince (Jace and Dylan’s book) and Ruthless Knight (Cole and Sawyer's book) should be read first for a better understanding of the family dynamic.

WARNING: 

Royal Hearts Academy is a New Adult/High School series of standalones filled with drama, a touch of angst, and boys who are bad to the bone. The characters are flawed. If you're looking for a safe, sweet romance with nice heroes and heroines who are perfect all the time, this series is NOT for you.

Royal Hearts Academy Series:

My Review

My Review

My Thoughts:

I've been struggling with reading lately.  With health issues, a jam packed schedule from my daughter's virtual schooling, I haven't been able to read as much as I usually do.  I've attempted a few books, and haven't been able to stick with any of them.

Imagine my excitement when Wicked Princess landed on my kindle.  I love this series, and hoped that this would be the book to pull me out of my reading slump.  The moment I began reading, I was completely engrossed, and could not stop reading.  I finished Wicked Princess in one sitting, and it blew me away.  There were lots of tears, surprises, excitement, and a rollercoaster of emotions as I consumed Bianca's story.  

I loved getting reunited with Jace, Dylan, Cole and Sawyer, as well as getting to know Bianca on a deeper level.  The ending made my heart leap right out of my chest!  I hope Ms. Jade writes book four at lightening speed, as Bianca's story is a to be continued, and I need all of the answers now!!!  

I went from a book slump to a book hangover, and boy did I miss the feeling of being completely immersed in a story, and rapidly turning pages, because I wanted to both finish and never finish the story.

The Royal Hearts Academy is one of my favorite New Adult Series, and I highly recommend it!  It is addictive, passionate, exciting, and packed full of feels!  I love the deep connection that the siblings share, as well as the alluring romances in each segment. If you've enjoyed the Fall Away Series by Penelope Douglas, you should check out this series!

Book Teaser:

Purchase At:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

About the Author:

Ashley Jade loves to tackle different genres and tropes within romance. Her first loves are New Adult Romance and Romantic Suspense, but she also writes everything in between including: contemporary romance, erotica, and dark romance.

Her characters are flawed and complex, and chances are you will hate them before you fall head over heels in love with them.

She’s a die-hard lover of oxford commas, em dashes, music, coffee, and anything thought provoking…except for math.

Books make her heart beat faster and writing makes her soul come alive. She’s always read books growing up and scribbled stories in her journal, and after having a strange dream one night; she decided to just go for it and publish her first series.

It was the best decision she ever made.

If she’s not paying off student loan debt, working, or writing a novel—you can usually find her listening to music, hanging out with her readers online, and pondering the meaning of life.
Check out her amazon page and Facebook page for future novels. She recently became hip and joined Twitter, so you can find her there, too. She loves connecting with her readers—they make her world go round’.

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Blog Tour Hosted By:

https://candikanepr.net/

Book Review: You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley

You Were There Too
By: Colleen Oakley 
Published: January 7, 2020
Publisher: Berkley
Source: Audible Purchase

Mia Graydon's life looks picket-fence perfect; she has the house, her loving husband, and dreams of starting a family. But she has other dreams too — unexplained, recurring ones starring the same man. Still, she doesn’t think much of them, until a relocation to small-town Pennsylvania brings her face to face with the stranger she has been dreaming about for years. And this man harbors a jaw-dropping secret of his own—he's been dreaming of her too. 

Determined to understand, Mia and this not-so-stranger search for answers. But when diving into their pasts begins to unravel her life in the present, Mia emerges with a single question—what if? 

Acclaimed author Colleen Oakley delivers a heart-wrenching and unforgettable love story about a woman who must choose between the man she loves and the man fate has chosen for her in a novel that reminds us that the best life is one led by the heart.

 

My Thoughts:

Mia and Harrison have a good marriage. They love each other, but like any couple they have their ups and downs. Mia wants a baby more than anything, but has known great pain after suffering two miscarriages. These two move from the big city to a small town where Harrison is a doctor, and Mia is trying be successful with her paintings.  Mia has had vivid and reoccurring dreams of a man she doesn't know. Imagine her shock, when she sees this man in real life.  His name is Oliver, and fate keeps bringing him into her life.  Mia can't believe it when Oliver confesses that he's been dreaming of her too.  What could be the reason for their mutual dreaming of one another?

You Were There Too was a novel with a unique and intriguing premise.  It started out a little slow, but took off once Oliver entered the picture.  I enjoyed the mystery behind the dreams, and trying to guess their purpose.  I loved the way the author kept me on my toes, and gave me a thoroughly unpredictable ending.  Things did not turn out the way I thought they would.  The ending broke my heart and had me in tears, but also offered an open-ended ray of hope.  I have never read a story like this, and really enjoy when an author can deliver something that I've never seen done before. I found it refreshing, creative, and original.

This story tugged on my emotions, and was done in an authentic, and very realistic manner.  This was my book club's pick for June, and I am so glad that I discovered and read this book through them.  If you are fascinated by dreams, and are looking for an original and unique storyline, that is unpredictable, I recommend you check out, You Were There Too; but fair warning, have tissues nearby!

Purchase At:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Google Play | IndieBound

About the Author:

Colleen Oakley’s novels have been named best books by People Magazine, Us Weekly, Library Journal, and Real Simple, and both were long-listed for the Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize. Formerly the editor-in-chief of Women’s Health & Fitness and senior editor of Marie Claire, her articles and essays have been featured in The New York Times, Ladies’ Home Journal, Women’s Health, Redbook, Parade, Marie Claire and Martha Stewart Weddings. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, four kids and the world's biggest lapdog, Bailey. Her fourth novel THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND will be published by Berkley/Penguin in summer 2021.

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Book Review: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Take a Hint, Dani Brown
By: Talia Hibbert
Release Date: June 23, 2020
Publisher: Avon Books
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Source: eARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest review

Book Summary:

Talia Hibbert returns with another charming romantic comedy about a young woman who agrees to fake date her friend after a video of him “rescuing” her from their office building goes viral... 

Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom. 

When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out, his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse? 

Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf’s secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his... um, thighs. 

Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?

 

My Thoughts:

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert brought old fashioned romance and swooning to a modern day love story.  Danika Brown is an independent, intelligent, strong, fierce, scholar and professor.  She is an intellectual who thrives on her career, and this is her top priority.  Dani doesn't think she is cut out for romance, as it doesn't come natural to her, and her past relationships have ended in disaster.  She wishes for a partner where she can have a purely physical relationship without any romantic or emotional entanglements.

Zafir works as a security guard at the same university where Dani teaches.  They are friends that bring each other breakfast, have fun exchanging pleasantries, and think highly of one another.  Underneath their friendship is a sizzling chemistry that they both have never addressed.  When Zafir rescues Dani during a practice fire drill, and carries her out of the building, their image with the romantic and adoring way they are looking at each other, goes viral with the #DrRugbae.

This is when Dani learns that Zafir use to be a professional rugby player, and has started his own sports charity where he teaches rugby as well as positive mental health strategies to adolescents.  He asks Dani if she will participate in a fake relationship with him, as the publicity of them going viral has already started helping his charity exponentially.  She agrees, because what would be the harm in helping her good friend with a great cause; and she can might be able to convince Zaf to indulge in a fun friends with benefits arrangement while they're at it...

I loved the characters in this story!  Dani was unconventional, brilliant, fun, quirky, and endearing.  She had challenges with tapping into her emotions, but in no way did this take away from my love of her character.  She was kind hearted, and thoughtful.  I enjoyed her interactions with her sisters Chloe and Eve, as well as her best friend Sorcha.  They were such a tight-knit group, and I felt like they were my friends too.  The characters felt real, because they were so wonderfully flawed and human.

Zaf stole my heart!  I adored him.  He was so sweet, kind, and romantic.  The way he treated Dani took my breath away.  He was a modern day "prince charming."  I was shipping #DrRugbae from the very beginning of this story.  It was clear that Dani and Zaf were meant to be, and I enjoyed every moment of their love story!

If you are looking for a story that will entertain, delight, and make you feel like you are falling in love right beside the characters, check out, Take a Hint, Dani  Brown!

Purchase At:

Amazon | Audible | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Google

About the Author:

Talia Hibbert is a USA Today bestselliing author who lives in a bedroom full of books. Supposedly, there is a world beyond that room, but she has yet to drum up enough interest to investigate. She writes sexy, diverse romance because she believes that people of marginalised identities need honest and positive representation. Her interests include beauty, junk food, and unnecessary sarcasm. She also rambles intermittently about the romance genre online. Talia self-publishes via Nixon House and is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan at Handspun Literary.

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Book Review: The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

The Marriage Game
By: Sara Desai
Release Date: June 9, 2020
Publisher: Berkley
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Source: eARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest review

Book Summary:

A high stakes wager pits an aspiring entrepreneur against a ruthless CEO in this sexy romantic comedy. 

After her life falls apart, recruitment consultant Layla Patel returns home to her family in San Francisco. But in the eyes of her father, who runs a Michelin starred restaurant, she can do no wrong. He would do anything to see her smile again. With the best intentions in mind, he offers her the office upstairs to start her new business and creates a profile on an online dating site to find her a man. She doesn’t know he’s arranged a series of blind dates until the first one comes knocking on her door… 

As CEO of a corporate downsizing company Sam Mehta is more used to conflict than calm. In search of a quiet new office, he finds the perfect space above a cozy Indian restaurant that smells like home. But when communication goes awry, he's forced to share his space with the owner's beautiful yet infuriating daughter Layla, her crazy family, and a parade of hopeful suitors, all of whom threaten to disrupt his carefully ordered life.  
As they face off in close quarters, the sarcasm and sparks fly. But when the battle for the office becomes a battle of the heart, Sam and Layla have to decide if this is love or just a game.

My Thoughts:

The Marriage Game was a fun, sexy, and sizzling rom-com! I love venturing in to stories that immerse me in another culture, delectable cuisine, a large close, boisterous, and entertaining family, and of course a romance where the individuals know how to exchange witty, sarcastic, lively, and snarky banter as a form of verbal foreplay! 

Layla Patel leaves the big apple, and returns to San Francisco, when things don't work out with her boyfriend and her job. Her father promises her the upstairs office, as she aspires to get her new business up and running. However, before he knew that she was coming home, he had already promised the office to Sam Mehta. Unbeknownst to Layla, her father had set up ten blind dates for his daughter, because he wanted her to be happy. Love hasn't worked out for her thus far, so she doesn't see the harm in arranged meetings. 

Now Layla and Sam have struck a deal. Sam will help her vet her dates, and if he can assist her in making a promising match, he can have the office to himself. If he isn't successful in this endeavor, then Layla will get to have the office to herself; and so the Marriage Game begins... 

I loved the whole "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," feel when it came to all of Layla's interfering, but well-intentioned "aunties." Layla and Sam were opposites in many ways. Layla was fun, warm, loyal, impulsive, passionate, and liked to fly by the seat of her pants. She had curves, which gave her a more realistic and relatable feel. Sam was quiet, conservative, and a lot more rigid in his behavior and thinking. He was very loyal to his family, especially younger sister, Nisha. He had a lot of guilt for feeling like he had not protected her, and therefore, he kept everyone at arms length, and didn't think he deserved happiness. As much as Layla drove him crazy, as he did her, the attraction these two had for one another, began to grow in to something more! 

In The Marriage Game, we got sparks, heat, laughs, and a whole lot of fun, in a story that is sure to entertain! 

Purchase At:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Indiebound | Google

About the Author:

Sara Desai has been a lawyer, radio DJ, marathon runner, historian, bouncer and librarian. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband, kids and an assortment of forest creatures who think they are pets. Sara writes sexy romantic comedy and contemporary romance with a multicultural twist. When not laughing at her own jokes, Sara can be found eating nachos. Visit Sara at www.saradesai.com

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