REVIEW Drop, Cover, and Hold On (The Improbable Meet Cute #4) by Jasmine Guillory

Drop, Cover and Hold On (The Improbable Meet Cute #4) by Jasmine Guillory
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: January 23, 2024
Format: Audiobook (Kindle Unlimited)
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories

Jasmine Guillory’s addition to The Improbable Meet Cute series, Drop, Cover and Hold On, was a nice read (but didn’t have the same wow factor as some of the other books). I really did like the premise and the storyline (two complete opposites get stuck together in a bakery, courtesy of an earthquake). It’s a cute and flirty interaction that was very relatable, and they have some fun banter as Harris has to make his advances and feelings toward Daisy blatantly obvious as previous gestures went completely over her head (I too, would have probably tried to return and pay for extra pastries that I didn’t buy that mysteriously made their way into my bag). I think my issue with the story was the length. I wanted more of Daisy and Harris - especially getting to see the actual ‘meet cute’ moment (instead of just hearing about it hindsight). Without more meat to the story, the whole miscommunication aspect of their relationship got painfully awkward at times and resolved a bit too quickly for my tastes. 

Overall, Drop, Cover and Hold On was an entertaining book for the length. Audiobook narrator Aure Nash did a great job bringing Daisy and Harris’ story to life with their performance. While this book wasn’t my favorite, I’ve been convinced in Ms. Guillory’s writing abilities such that I’ll be checking out her full length novels (she produced a very fun, fast paced story with compelling characters and lots of tropes). If you want a quick read that has things like forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine, and ‘he falls first’ insta love, you should definitely check out this book. 

REVIEW Worst Wingman Ever (The Improbable Meet-Cute #2) by Abby Jimenez

Worst Wingman Ever (The Improbable Meet-Cute #2) by Abby Jimenez
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Release Date: January 23, 2024
Format: eBook + Audiobook (Kindle Unlimited)
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories 

Abby Jimenez’ contribution to the Amazon Original Stories The Improbable Meet-Cute series, Worst Wingman Ever, was an emotional novella. With both a heartwarming romance and heartbreaking loss, the author makes readers feel the emotions in the very short read (only about 60 ebook pages). 

For such a short story, I was amazed to see how well the storyline was developed and how well the characters are developed. Holly and John are both going through a lot in their life - Holly is a hospice nurse who has to watch her grandmother die and John is recovering from a recent break up. They interact with each other through a series of notes left on Holly’s car; it was cute to see how the notes ranged from thoughtful wisdom (courtesy of Holly’s grandmother) to banter and laugh out loud humor. It was also amazing to see how the author dealt with some heavy topics while retaining the lightness one would expect from a romantic comedy read. 

Overall, Worst Wingman Ever was a great short story. Perfect for those who want a romance they can finish in an afternoon. Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber did an excellent job bringing the characters’ perspectives to life with their performance in the audiobook. As with Christina Lauren’s novella in this series, I really appreciate that the story was wrapped up well and I wasn’t left feeling like it needed more. While this is the first book I’ve read by Abby Jimenez, I look forward to checking out more of her books in the future. 

REVIEW The Exception to the Rule (The Improbable Meet Cute #1) by Christina Lauren

The Exception to the Rule (The Improbable Meet Cute #1) by Christina Lauren

Rating: 5 Stars

Release Date: January 23, 2024

Format: eBook + Audiobook (Kindle Unlimited)

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories

Christina Lauren’s newest novella length read, The Exception to the Rule, is a super cute and adorable story. Perfect for completing in an afternoon (with the length being at about 2 hours for listening or 100 e-reader pages), I found myself invested in the story very quickly. While the first half of the story is told in emails with short interactions over the course of years before the main characters even know each other’s names (let alone meet in person), I never found it jarring or off putting. In fact, I think the audiobook narrators Marli Watson and Andrew Gibson did a great job bringing Terra and Callum’s messages to life in a very authentic way. With the inevitable meeting taking years to come to fruition, there was a lot of delayed gratification (for both myself and T/C) but it was well worth the wait. I also want to note how much I appreciate the way the authors wrapped up the story (which doesn’t always happen with novellas); it felt complete and they even threw in an epilogue with a glimpse of life in the future for the two love birds which was a nice touch.  

If you’re already a fan of Christina Lauren’s work or just a fan of swoon-worthy, meet-cute stories filled with tropes in general, I highly recommend this book. I’m looking forward to checking out the other stories in The Improbable Meet Cute series as soon as possible. 

About the Authors

Yes, there are two of us! Christina (on the left) and Lauren (on the right).

Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners and best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The #1 international bestselling coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced eighteen New York Times bestselling novels. They are published in over 30 languages, have received multiple starred reviews, won both the Seal of Excellence and Book of the Year from RT Magazine, been inducted into the Library Reads Hall of Fame, named Amazon and Audible Romance of the Year, a Lambda Literary Award finalist and been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. They have been featured in publications such as Forbes, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Time, Entertainment Weekly, People, O Magazine and more. Their third YA novel, Autoboyography was released in 2017 to critical acclaim, followed by Roomies, Love and Other Words, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, The Unhoneymooners, In a Holidaze, and The Soulmate Equation and Something Wilder.

Lauren Billings (but everyone calls her Lo) has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and before she made writing her full-time job, would spend her days doing nerdy research-type things wearing a lab coat and goggles. She is silly Mommy to two littles, wife to one mountain biking homebrewing scientist, and an unabashed lover of YA and romance.

Christina Hobbs (but you’ll always hear Lo call her PQ) used to spend her days in a junior high counseling office surrounded by teenagers. These days you can find her at her desk, writing, or watching BTS videos. She lives in Utah with her husband and daughter, thinks she’s the luckiest person in the world to write books with her best friend, and is an unapologetic lover of boy bands and glitter.

Credit Brystan Studios/Lori Brystan.

REVIEW Dangerous Desires: Demon Queen Trials (Supernaturals of Mystic Oaks #1) by Shana Vernon

Dangerous Desires: Demon Queen Trials (Supernaturals of Mystic Oaks #1) by Shana Vernon
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: August 23, 2022
Format: eARC (Courtesy of the Author)

Dangerous Desires is the second novella set in the world of Mystic Oaks (the first in the series before Shana Vernon’s Twisted Fate) and builds a foundation for a different aspect of the series worldbuilding. Anaella is an anomaly, as the daughter of two Archangels, and frequently rebels against the rules. When the leaders of the Silver City decide they’ve had enough, they assign her a mission; go to Hell and enter the Demon Queen Trials to become Lucifer’s queen. Once there, she must find the one weapon able to kill him or she will never be allowed home again. 

Overall, this was a short entertaining tale (clocking in at about 100 pages in ebook form). I’m excited to read more stories set in the Mystic Oaks universe. It’s hard to comment on the plot without giving things away (especially with the length), but this definitely ranks high on my list of short stories for the year. I would recommend this story to urban fantasy and paranormal romance readers who enjoy action-packed, fast-paced page-turners. 

Thank you to the author for providing me with a complimentary review copy of Dangerous Desires. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the novella immensely! Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed Dangerous Desires. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

About the Book

I'm the daughter of two powerful Archangels - yay me. So, let's just say the expectations are high, and when I'm caught partaking in one of the worst sins - lust - I'm sent on an impossible mission. 

They want me to join the Bride Trials in Hell to become the Queen of the most ruthless Demon King out there - Lucifer. 

They say there's only one weapon that can vanquish him. A weapon the angels except me to find and use against him. 

Cross your fingers and pray I can get in and out without Lucifer figuring out what I'm up to, because the minute I see him I know more than my life is at stake, my heart is too.

Hell hath no fury like Lucifer scorned.

About the Author

Shana Vernon is a full-time writer and mother of triplet boys. She grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and moved to Israel in 2012. She completed an undergraduate degree in Social Sciences from Bar Ilan University. 

Shana fell in love with reading as a child by escaping into the fantasy lands of Hogwarts and Narnia.​

When she isn’t writing or taking care of her kiddos, Shana spends her time reading, exercising, experimenting with cooking, or traveling around the world.

Twisted Fate: Season of the Witch (Supernaturals of Mystic Oaks #2) by Shana Vernon

Twisted Fate: Season of the Witch (Supernaturals of Mystic Oaks #2) by Shana Vernon

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: October 31, 2021 (Anthology Release Date)

Format: eARC (Author's Newsletter)

Publisher: Panthera Publications

I received a copy of this short story through the author Shana Vernon’s newsletter, and I’m so so happy that I took the time to download it. For the record (and for those who may not want to subscribe to a newsletter), this story is also available through the Season of the Witch anthology by Panthera Publications that was released at the end of October 2021. 

Despite the short length of the story, the author did a lot to set up the worldbuilding for Mystic Oaks. The magic system is really cool - I want a magical tattoo! I’m desperate to read more about Kieran and Lani after seeing how much chemistry they have. Overall, after finishing Twisted Fate, I’m excited to read more stories that are set in the same universe. I can’t really comment on the plot too much without risking spoilers or parroting information from the blurb, but definitely one of my favorite short stories of 2021. I would recommend this story to urban fantasy and paranormal romance fans who love action-packed, fast-paced page-turners.

About the Book

She’s a witch with a target on her back…
… He’s a prince from a powerful dark coven.
Can she accept his help while denying the sizzling chemistry between them?

I should have known my life would come crashing down when I met a mysterious masked man in the gardens of the ball, and kissed him. Or rather… he kissed me. Passionately. Before I had a second to catch my breath, we were attacked by rogue witches.

And his mask slipped.

Only my luck would reveal the prince of the Hawthorn coven, notorious for dark magic. He offers his protection from the assailants, and with danger around every corner, I accept. Albeit, a bit ungraciously.

The heat between us is nearly irresistible, but can I truly trust the prince of a dark coven?

If I don’t, I might find myself dead before the week is over.

About the Author

Shana Vernon is a full-time writer and mother of triplet boys. She grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and moved to Israel in 2012. She completed an undergraduate degree in Social Sciences from Bar Ilan University. 

Shana fell in love with reading as a child by escaping into the fantasy lands of Hogwarts and Narnia.​

When she isn’t writing or taking care of her kiddos, Shana spends her time reading, exercising, experimenting with cooking, or traveling around the world.

Will of the Mischief Maker by Antoine Bandele

Will of the Mischief Maker by Antoine Bandele
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: May 22, 2021
Format: eBook
Publisher: Bandele Books (short story)

Check out the book on Libro.fm

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If you're a fan of Loki, you will LOVE the Orisha Eshu. This story and Eshu's personality remind me why Tricksters always have the most fun. I can't really comment on the plot without giving stuff away (its only 27 pages so super short) but I definitely recommend picking this up. 

Despite Will of the Mischief Maker being a prequel, I would recommend reading it after The Gatekeeper's Staff because there are some tiny hints and clues about things that happen in the full book (though that may just be the benefit of hindsight). Make sure you check out When the Wind Speaks too! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Antoine Bandele is an Amazon bestselling author in action-adventure fantasy, dark fantasy, sword and sorcery, African American fantasy, and African literature.

He lives in Los Angeles with his girlfriend and cat. You can find him producing videos all over YouTube, including his own channel (which you should totally check out). He is also an audiobook engineer.

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When the Wind Speaks by Antoine Bandele

When the Wind Speaks by Antoine Bandele

Rating: 5 Stars

Release Date: June 26, 2021

Format: eBook

Publisher: Bandele Books (Short Story)

Get your copy of the audiobook on Libro.fm

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When the Wind Speaks by Antoine Bandele is just as fun as his other short story in the TJ Young universe, Will of the Mischief Maker. I can’t comment on the plot still due to length (only 36 pages) but I love how it adds to the world-building and background of the TJ Young series. It’s set as an epilogue to the first book and a prologue to the second, so make sure you read it AFTER The Gatekeeper’s Staff and BEFORE The Windweaver’s Storm. This story has me even more excited for June 2022 to see what happens next for TJ and the others.  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Antoine Bandele is an Amazon bestselling author in action-adventure fantasy, dark fantasy, sword and sorcery, African American fantasy, and African literature.

He lives in Los Angeles with his girlfriend and cat. You can find him producing videos all over YouTube, including his own channel (which you should totally check out). He is also an audiobook engineer.

Connect with the author via their website
Connect with the author on Goodreads
Connect with the author on Twitter
Connect with the author on Instagram