Sophie Reads YA: March 2025

March Summary

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ARC Review: Not in My Book by Katie Holt

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Not in My Book
Series: None
Author: Katie Holt
Published December 10th 2024 by Alcove Press

Goodreads Synopsis
Rosie writes romance novels and listens to Taylor Swift on loop. Aiden is a literary fiction writer who doesn't believe in happy endings. They're about to write a book together—what could go wrong?

Rosie, an idealistic and passionate Peruvian American, leaves her Tennessee hometown to pursue her dream of making it in New York as a writer. But her plan is derailed when she ends up in class with her archnemesis and ex-crush, Aiden Huntington—an obnoxious, surly, and gorgeous literary fiction writer who doesn’t have much patience for the romance genre or for Rosie.

Rosie and Aiden regularly go to verbal battle in workshop until their professor reaches her breaking point. She allows them to stay in her class on one condition: they must cowrite a novel that blends their genres.

The reluctant writing duo can’t help but put pieces of themselves into their accidentally steamy novel, and their manuscript-in-progress provides an outlet for them to confess their feelings—and explore their attraction toward each other.

When Rosie and Aiden find themselves competing against each other for a potentially career-changing opportunity, the flames of old rivalry reignite, and their once-in-a-lifetime love story is once again at risk of being shelved—unless they can find a way to end the book on their own terms.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

As soon as Rosie and Aiden meet on the same writing course, they realise they are total opposites and can't stop bickering over everything. The problem is, everyone else in the class is sick of it, including their professor, who gives them an ultimatum: Rosie and Aiden need to co-write a book for the end of the semester, or they will be kicked off the course. Reluctantly working together, their bickering becomes banter, and while their protagonists start to fall in love on the page, similar feelings are brewing in the real world.

This was everything I wanted it to be when I saw the synopsis. Enemies-to-lovers who are academic rivals and fall in love while co-writing a book - sign me up right away! Rosie and Aiden's writing styles and preferred genres were complete opposites, and during critiques in class they were particularly scathing. However, reading their different points of view, we see that while they were finding faults, they were using it as a shield for their growing feelings. Honestly, my favourite parts of the book were the scenes that they wrote together, especially when they were romantic in nature. Having them play out what they wanted to say to each other through their characters was sublime. There's a bit of drama I could've done without, but the resolution and ending was worth it all the way!

Dates Read:
January 18-19, 2025

Rating
4 Stars

March

Stacking the Shelves: March 29th 2025

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3 Stars

ARC Review: Doctor Off Limits by Alison Roberts

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Doctor Off Limits
Series: None
Author: Alison Roberts
Published October 19th 2024 by Boldwood Books

Goodreads Synopsis
What Happens on the Night Shift…

Helicopter paramedic Tama James isn’t afraid of hard work, danger or putting his patients first. And he expects nothing less from his team. But when his newest recruit arrives, the bubbly and beautiful Mikayla Elliot, he’s unimpressed to discover she didn’t earn her place. She’s the superior’s daughter. So, he’ll make it is mission to show her just how tough the job really is!

However, Qualified doctor Mikayla is determined to prove everyone wrong. Starting with Tama whose smile is irresistible and infuriatingly arrogant! But neither expected the added distraction of the chemistry catching fire between them. Can they ignore it long enough to keep things professional?
Goodreads

Review

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

When new recruit Mikayla Elliot turns up to the team, lead helicopter paramedic Tama is not impressed. She's the daughter of his superior, so all Tama can see is her being a nepo-baby, who can't take the challenge of the gruelling, and serious work. However, she's always wanted a career as a helicopter paramedic, and is a fully qualified doctor, with experience working for Médecins Sans Frontières. Even so Tama is going to put her through her paces, while ignoring the chemistry brewing between them.

This was a bit of an impulse request on NetGalley, but an enjoyable one nonetheless. I liked the setting of the story, something brand new to me, and Tama and Mikayla's chemistry was well worth all of the angst we also felt. I became so invested in both Mikayla's growth and development in the field, and her and Tama's relationship. By the final chapters, especially as the plot was stepping up, I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to discover what happened. A new author to me, but this won't be my last book by Alison.

Dates Read:
November 25-26, 2024

Rating
3 Stars

March

Stacking the Shelves: March 22nd 2025

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3 Stars

ARC Review: London's Leading Lady (The Castleburys #4) by Jennifer Seasons

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London's Leading Lady
Series: The Castleburys #4
Author: Jennifer Seasons
Published July 9th 2024 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
A passionate playwright, a headstrong lady . . . a love story for the ages.

Pragmatic Lady Carlotta Castlebury secretly adores the theatre. Enamored with the written and performed word, she writes play scripts in her journal, her most precious possession. One fateful afternoon in Hyde Park she loses it, only to discover soon after that the latest theatrical performance on Drury Lane sounds remarkably like her play. Yet the audacious liar taking credit for it is decidedly not her. Rather, the insufferable man is London’s most popular playwright, Thatcher Goodrich. Lottie is going to march down to Rhodes Theatre and give the infuriatingly sexy writer a piece of her mind . . . and most assuredly none of her heart.

The third son of an impoverished baron, Thatcher has made his way in the world with his wit and a deft pen. When his muse abandons him and leaves him wordless exactly when King William personally requests a new play, Thatcher does what any desperate playwright would he finds one and claims it as his own! He doesn’t expect the true author to barge into the theatre like a beautiful warrior queen and demand her work back.

Yet when His Majesty wishes another play, Thatcher must pen another with her, and the more time he spends with the insightful, clever lady, the harder in love he falls. Until something in Lottie’s original play rankles a dangerous foe, endangering them.

Now they must outwit a madman . . . or risk the final curtain falling on their lives and newfound love forever.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Lady Carlotta Castlebury, or Lottie to her family, is an avid lover of theatre. However, she doesn't understand the hype surrounding playwright Thatcher Goodrich, and is constantly rewriting his plays to improve them. So when she loses her beloved journal, and sees that Thatcher's latest play is her own work, stolen, she is enraged. Storming into the backstage of the theatre, her ire is enough to draw a crowd, landing her stuck with creating a new play for the king, cowritten with her nemesis. There's nothing either she or Thatcher can do but work together, because disappointing the king is not an option.

I quite enjoyed this book. Lottie and Thatcher had a great chemistry, and although they may have butted heads a fair few times, they really did start to care for each other, and their feelings were true. I love how there's a mystery element in this whole series, which helps tie the books together with more than just the family connection of the Castleburys. The Revivalist group have been tormenting London for years, and now they're back, angry at the feminist storyline in Lottie's stolen play. Even when Thatcher thought he still hated her, he did everything he could to protect her from harm, and help her believe in herself.

Dates Read:
September 8-10, 2025

Rating
3 Stars