Mini Book Reviews – February 2023: What To Read & What To Skip

Welcome to my regular round up of mini book reviews for February 2023! I’m thrilled to recommend so many books this month, but there is one new release from a popular author I didn’t love! Keep reading to find out which one!

In my list of mini book reviews, I include everything I’ve read recently that I finished.  I like to share both my five star reads and any misses to help you get a better idea of what you should read or might want to skip. 

As always, I love to hear if you agree or disagree with my ratings! Let me know in the comments what you thought of my February 2023 mini book reviews.

 

 

Exes and O’s

by Amy Lea

Take a trip back in time through a series of ex-boyfriends as Tara searches for her second chance love! This is Amy Lea’s second novel and I have a feeling she’s going to become one of my favorite authors! Her writing is fresh and relevant and the perfect amount of spicy!

Along for this wild ride is Tara’s new roommate (and firefighter) Trevor. He’s skeptical but goes along with her schemes. It isn’t until Tara nears the end of her list with no success that she starts to realize the person right in front of her is the only one she can truly be herself with.

5 Stars | Amazon | Bookshop.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It Ends With Us

by Colleen Hoover

I realize I am the last person on Earth to read this book. So, is it too late to even recommend it to anybody?! Despite the fact that it was literally the best selling novel of 2022, I had no idea what the plot was about. 

It took me completely by surprise in the most intense, visceral way and I think everyone should read it. This isn’t your typical romance and there are traumatic situations, but the message about domestic abuse is incredibly valuable. It opened my eyes to what it’s like to experience that situation and changed my way of thinking. 

5 Stars | Amazon | Bookshop.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

As always, I recommend using Libro.fm if you’re an audiobook listener!! Libro.fm directly supports indie bookstores, but costs the same as Amazon’s Audible! You can get 2 audiobooks for only $15 with my link and code CHOOSEINDIE.

If you are interested in Audible though, now is THE BEST time to sign up. You can get 3 months free – an insane deal. If it doesn’t show up right away – talk to customer service! Sign up for 3 FREE months here!

 

 

Make A Wish

by Helena Hunting

Helena Hunting continues to do no wrong with her Spark House series! We get to know Harley this time around, when she runs into the man she used to nanny for a decade ago.  

Based on their history, Harley is wary of becoming too invested in Peyton and her dad, Gavin’s, lives again, but she just can’t deny the little girl. As they spend more and more time together, she can’t help but fall for the man Gavin’s become. Unfortunately, despite this new attraction, he’s still dealing with issues from the past.

Harley is such a spunky personality that really shone in this novel! It was a pleasure reading about how much joy she got from hanging with Peyton and planning special events for the Spark House. Plus, the forbidden love angle of her and Gavin was so enticing! 5 Stars | Amazon | Libro.fm

 

 

eBooks:

 

 

Nobody Puts Rom Coms In A Corner

by Kathryn Freeman

Rom com movie lovers rejoice!! This book is literally made for you. The main character is a die hard rom com fanatic and is waiting patiently for her own leading man to find her and sweep her off her feet. It certainly will not be her new roommate, the surly, quiet carpenter, Harry. But when a drunken night leads them to recreate a famous scene and the video goes viral, they find themselves recreating more and more lovey-dovey moments.

The grumpy/sunshine pairing is one of my favorites because I love to see the characters open themselves up to love in ways they weren’t expecting! This was definitely a little cheesy, but everything I want in a romance!

Weird side note – I have no idea where to buy this? I got an advance copy from the publisher, but I can’t find it on Amazon?! I’ll update this post when I find a link!

4 Stars

 

 

 

 

Secretly Yours

by Tessa Bailey

It pains me to give any Tessa Bailey book only 3 stars, but I want to be honest that this just wasn’t quite as engaging as her others. A scatterbrained gardener and an uptight professor are the most unlikely pair, and they both know it. But when Hallie starts landscaping the outside of Julian’s guesthouse, he can’t help but be drawn to her. Julian’s back in town at his family’s vineyard with the hopes that he can finish his novel while on break.

Hallie meanwhile is still struggling to find her place in the world after her rock, her grandmother passed away. One tipsy night, she decides to confess her crush on Julian from their school years by leaving him an anonymous letter. However, when he actually reads it and responds, she ends up dually interacting with him…as herself and as his secret admirer.

While I loved the opposite attract nature of this romance, there were some aspects that didn’t tie in well to the story. The secret admirer portion took a while to have any significance and didn’t feel like it should’ve turned into such a huge deal between them. I ended up being more interested in Hallie’s budding friendship with Julian’s sister than her and Julian!

3 Stars | Amazon