Tag: romance

Mistletoe & Mr. Right

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Lana Montgomery works for her family business, a real-estate conglomerate. She recently bought most of the properties in the small town of Moose Springs, Alaska, with the purest heart and intentions of helping the residents maintain the small-town feel while also bringing in new tourist revenues. Let’s just say, the town doesn’t take nicely to their new collective landlord, or her plan to build a fancy new condo complex.

Rick Harding, on the other hand, has had his eye on Lana for a long time. And when Lana accidentally shoots him with a tranquilizer gun while trying to hunt down a rogue moose that’s been destroying Christmas decorations all over town… he might just get the chance to prove to her that this small town can love her for who she is.

This is the second book in the Moose Springs, Alaska series. You don’t have to have read the first book for this one to make sense, so feel free to pick it up if you’re looking for a cute Christmas read! However, the main characters from the first book are also in this one… so you might get a couple spoilers on their romance if you read Mistletoe & Mr. Right first.

What I loved most:

I am HERE for cozy, Christmas romances where things are generally pleasant and light and just all around fun. The characters in this series are people that I can see myself being friends with. Morgenthaler has a beautiful style of writing that pulls you in from the very first sentence, and it’s a funny book to boot. Light a fire in the fireplace, brew a cup of tea, grab a cozy blanket, and get reading.

Read this book if you like:

Christmas, snow escapades, genuine friendships, hedgehogs in Christmas sweaters

Book details:

  • Author: Sarah Morgenthaler
  • Series: Moose Springs, Alaska #2
  • Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
  • Date of Publication: October 6, 2020
  • Interest Level: Adult
  • Look up Mistletoe & Mr. Right on WorldCat to find it at a library near you!

The Hashtag Hunt

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Lauren is on a mission. She’s a contestant in the Hashtag Hunt, a photo scavenger hunt with a $10,000 grand prize. The fifth hashtag challenges her to find a #HottieinTheWild… and then she gets caught taking Brenner’s picture.

Brenner is waiting on a friend to arrive, minding his own business, when someone points out the lady across the bar taking his picture. He rolls with it… and before he knows it, he is offering to help Lauren find the perfect picture for hashtag number six.

The Hashtag Hunt takes place over a ten-hour time span, following Lauren, Brenner, and their friends as they race the clock to find the perfect items for the competition. This is a fun, light read that will suck you in from the very first chapter.

What I loved most:

Y’ALL. I CAN’T EVEN with how much I loved this book. It was an absolute breath of fresh air in this hot mess of a year. The characters were so fun, and the plot was so easy to sink into. Plus, it’s a clean adult romance. I love romance books, and it’s so darn rare to find one that’s clean!

I read this for my first ever book club, which I am doing with my Phi Mu alumnae sisters. Kristina Seek was kind enough to join our zoom book discussion meetings, and I legit fangirled all over her because the book was just that good. I promise you, this will be one of the best books you read this year.

Read this book if you like:

Sweet romances, relatable characters, Hallmark movies, strong friendship bonds

Book details:

  • Author: Kristina Seek
  • Publisher: Independently published
  • Date of Publication: December 9, 2018
  • Interest Level: Late high school to Adult

The Way You Make Me Feel

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Review:

Clara Shin’s prank at junior prom goes horribly wrong, culminating in a fight with her mortal enemy (Rose) while covered in fake blood and a small fire in the auditorium. As punishment, Clara and Rose are sentenced to pay off the cost of repairing the school by working together in Clara’s dad’s food truck. Two people who hate each other working in a tiny environment in LA heat all summer? Definitely no flaw in that plan.

But as Clara and Rose get to know each other, Clara realizes that Rose might not be so bad. And the hot guy working at the coffee cart nearby isn’t terrible either. But if Clara really starts caring about things, she’s opening herself up to vulnerabilities that she’d rather avoid.

I discovered Maurene Goo by reading her newest book, Somewhere Only We Know, which came out in May. I loved that book, and I love this one. The Way You Make Me Feel is a sweet summer romance, and a great quick read. A solid 5 stars!

Favorite Passage:

“Although we were sitting there eating a Transformers cake off of paper plates with colorful ponies on them, there was a conspicuous lack of irony in this moment. It was something I had noticed ever time I hung out with these guys because I had become so used to a certain behavior with Patrick and Felix. Where everything was a joke, a mockery, a way to separate ourselves from feeling stuff for real. It was easier to not feel the real stuff — and Patrick the slacker was all about easy. Felix, he was so preoccupied with being cool all the time. And rRose and Hamlet? I watched them set up the Connect 4 we had purchased at the dollar store and immediately throw themselves into it, competitive and serious within seconds.
They were the opposite of that. They were all in.”
– Chapter 21

What I Loved Most:

At the beginning of the book, Clara is too cool for school. She and her friend group are the ones who make fun of everything and everyone. But after she meets people who are just genuine and enthusiastic and honestly in love with life, she realizes that it’s not cool to elevate yourself above everyone by mocking people and things. I love when people are just okay being who they are and appreciating the little things.

Read this book if you like:

Food trucks, Los Angeles, diverse books, cute romance, summer stories, the movie Stick It (no gymnastics in this one, but Clara reminds me so much of the protagonist in that movie)

Book Details: