Romance Books to make you Smile Effortlessly Now - July 2023
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- Shalini
- in Book Posts, Book Reviews, Digital Reads Media, Digital Reads Reviews, Fiction
Table of Contents
Romance books to make you smile effortlessly now in the first half of July 2023. Read my reviews and add them to your TBR. They are hot and sizzling with some flirty banter.
Mine To Take by Natasha Madison
Publication Date: July 24, 2023
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Blurb
Things are supposed to go smoothly on your wedding day.
Aren’t they?
Sofia Barnes
I’ve always loved to play dress-up. Creating fake weddings was my childhood pastime. Now it is my dream come true. I’ve finally been handed my first client.
But nothing could prepare me for who greeted me when I walked in.
He was my first kiss, my first everything, including my first and only heartbreak.
Now I have to plan his wedding.
Matthew Petrov
My family is filled with hockey royalty. From my grandfather to my uncle to my father. Now it is my turn to work my way up the leaderboard. I had everything that I’ve ever wanted in my life. Or so I thought.
Nothing could prepare me for coming face-to-face with Sofia. I knew her inside and out. She knew my inner secrets.
Two years ago, I let her go, and now she’s planning my wedding to someone else.
They say time heals old wounds. They lied.
Maybe she was just mine to take.
My Review
This was book 5 of the book. I didn’t manage to get my hands on the earlier 4. Despite that, the book made feel all its emotions, thanks to the brilliant writing by author. I loved Sofia’s determination even when she was devastated. Sometimes, I did want to knock Matthew’s head for not seeing the obvious. Dude, Helena is so wrong for you. But alas, he heard me right at the end. Men and stubbornness went hand in hand, I guessed.
I loved the sexy banter between the main characters. Once they got over the initial stumbles, it was obvious that both belonged to each other. The attraction between them made me want to gasp. in a good way.
I thought the writing joined all the pieces together and made me believe in love. Now, I just had to get all of Natasha’s older works. Get the book in the series if you can. It might help you fall in love a bit more with the characters.
The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy
Publication Date: July 18, 2023
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Blurb
College student Cassie Soul hasn’t spent an entire summer in Avalon Bay in years, not since her parents divorced and her mother spitefully whisked her away to Boston. Now that her grandmother is selling the boardwalk hotel that’s been in their family for five decades, Cassie returns to the quaint beach town to spend time with family, ring in her twenty-first birthday… and maybe find herself a summer fling.
My Review
This was a good beach about a summer fling becoming something more. Fun times with a good dose of relationship with the grandmother added a layer to the story. Tate was the fling of her need for this summer. Just a play on words. Not a very apt one, I’m afraid.
Both Cassie and Tate had good chemistry going on. Though I had many of this author’s books on my bookshelf, this was the first I was reading. Others are saved for a rainy day.
The book followed the same romance formula. Meet and hookup, love and breakup, then get back together to live happily ever after. Overall, it gave me a good break from reality so I enjoyed it.
Of course, get it if you can and if you love romance.
Thorns of Death by Eva Winners
Publication Date: July 20, 2023
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Blurb
Enrico Marchetti.
One of the five Italian mafia kings.
Powerful. Untouchable. Corrupt.
It started with one innocent look across a room in Paris. He was a lot older than me. A Roman god dressed in an Italian suit, surrounded by an aura I couldn’t resist.
When I ran into him again, he effortlessly pulled me under his spell. But little did I know, a night full of carnal pleasure would cost me everything.
When Enrico Marchetti wanted something, he didn’t just take it. He possessed it. Now, his sights were set on me.
There were secrets this man was keeping. They surrounded him, his dead wife, his children. I wanted no part of it, but there was no escaping him.
He had taken me to his kingdom, locked the doors, and thrown away the key.
Now the only thing left to do was fight. Even if it killed me.
My Review
Mafia, suspense, secrets, single dad, absent wife, age-gap, sexy moments. This book had it all. It was spicy and raunchy that rocked my core…pun intended.
Both the characters were strong and stubborn, and they matched well in their dialogs. The backstory too held a lot suspense which was intriguing.
But the pulsating energy and steam between the main characters made me a goner from the time the two met. Again, I need to get the first two books because this one had me breathless, and believe me when I say this. What a way to go!!
The Setup by Kristen Proby
Publication Date: July 18, 2023
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Blurb
I’m a sucker for pretty things. Give me a roaring engine in a souped-up vintage muscle car with cherry red paint and brand-new leather interior, and that’s about as pretty as anything I could ask for. I’m a simple man, who doesn’t need or want the kind of wild celebrity that my father has. And I restore one-of-a-kind vehicles and sell them to the highest bidder. Usually, that bidder just also happens to be a celebrity.
But no matter how often my cars steal the spotlight, staying out of it is my number one priority.
Which is why Sydney Sterling is absolutely out of the question.
She’s a country music superstar. And she’s in the spotlight. People can’t get enough of her.
It doesn’t matter that our one night together was hotter than a full throttle muscle car, or that she’s the most incredible woman I’ve ever met.
I. Need. To. Stay. Away.
And I was doing a great job of just that until our friends set us up on a blind date, and now here I am, sitting across from the only woman who made me want more. How am I going to handle the fact that the rest of the world wants her almost as much as I do?
And do I even have a choice in the matter?
My Review
This was apparently book 4, but I never had a problem in following up the characters of this story. Family bonds were powerful in this book along with their attraction. Keaton and Sidney had one explosive night and then went their own way. They met again after a year and started a rocking friends-with-benefits kinda relationship. But love had a bad habit of coming in the way.
This was fast-paced love story where there were layers added to the prose. Quite enjoyable, I had to admit.
Something Unexpected by Vi Keeland
Publication Date: July 1, 2023
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Blurb
When my grandmother found out she didn’t have long to live, she embarked on a crazy trip—jumping out of airplanes and scuba diving with sharks.
After I repeatedly voiced my concern, Gram blocked me—her own grandson—on text and social media, leaving me only her travel companion Eleanor’s number.
Eleanor started sending me pictures of Gram’s adventures. At first she seemed nice, but when I attempted to persuade her to talk some sense into her friend, she told me where I could stick my advice.
After that, photos arrived with snarky comments, and Eleanor and I got into it on more than one occasion.
When I heard Gram’s upcoming plans were more dangerous than ever, I hopped on a plane.
Since I arrived late, I headed to the bar for a drink, figuring I’d surprise her in the morning.
To my delight, I met a gorgeous woman looking for a no-strings-attached night. Nora was just what I needed. She invited me back to her room, telling me to give her a ten-minute head start.
But when I went to pay her bar tab, I realized how much she’d had to drink. As much as I wanted to ignore it, I couldn’t. So I stood Nora up.
I knew she’d be pissed, but I also knew I’d never see her again.
Except never came a little early. Namely, the next morning when I went to meet my grandmother and her evil-spinster friend.
Because old Eleanor turned out to be young Nora from last night. And if I thought the woman disliked me before, that was nothing compared to how ticked-off she was now.
Or how unhappy she was going to be that their party of two was about to become a party of three.
My Review
A new standalone by Vi Keeland, Something Unexpected had the opposites attract and enemies-to-lovers trope, full of fun banter and fun dialogues in the first half of the book. I loved the relationship Beck had with his gram, along with sexy attraction with Nora. Lots of emotional moments interspersed with humor.
Nora was sassy, Beck slightly controlling until the two met and complemented each other. I loved that he fell in love with her first, but there was the nasty third act breakup with lots of tears. Beck who was so strong in the first two-thirds suddenly found himself wanting to bang a hottie just because Nora asked him to move on. Man, she was dying and you wanted to bang another woman, instead of being with her. Sheesh. Men and their d1cks
Barring that, it was overall a sweet, angsty emotional story.
The Agent by Kimberly Kincaid
Publication Date: July 11, 2023
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Blurb
Nothing rattles stone-cold FBI Agent Kai Roman. Not chasing down ruthless criminals. Or the grief of losing his wife years ago. Not even inadvertently being caught in the middle of a bank robbery.
Except Camila Garza is right beside him when danger strikes, and suddenly he’s the only person who can protect the off-limits beauty. No matter how much her older brother hates him.
And no matter how much he secretly wants her.
Camila knows she should hate Roman. He’s made it clear he doesn’t like her—or possibly anyone— one bit.
But when they have to go on the run to save their lives, she begins to see past his icy exterior to the man who would do anything to keep her safe.
Including risk it all…
My Review
This was a cute, little number, though again not the first in the series. I never quite manage to get the first book. Both the main characters Roman and Camilla seemed strong and perfectly complementary to each other. He was the thoughtful types, and she quite brash. But both were pieces of the same puzzle.
Caught in the midst of a bank robbery, things changed between them. Spit and fire was she when he was just being over-protective of her. That made for some fun banter. This wouldn’t be romance if there was no body-singeing attraction. I liked how both burned together. Though I was not well versed with the other characters, they didn’t hamper my enjoyment.
Overall, this author was one to watch for in future.
Check out the other books available on Amazon.
I downloaded the digital version of the book from an online retail, and this is my journey down its pages, straight from the heart. STRICTLY HONEST and UNBIASED.
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