Sophie Reads YA

ARC Review: Match Me If You Can (Ever After Agency #1) by Sandy Barker

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Match Me If You Can
Series: Ever After Agency #1
Author: Sandy Barker
Published September 28th 2023 by Boldwood Books

Goodreads Synopsis
Poppy Dean lives and breathes romance - in her job at least. As a matchmaker at an elite London agency, she spends her days finding the perfect Mr Right for pretty much everybody but herself.

When Tristan Fellows walks into the agency, Poppy knows she’s in for a challenge. A typical bachelor, Tristan has no intention of falling in love, but in order to receive his 30-million-pound inheritance, he must find himself a wife before his 35th birthday.

This may be Poppy’s hardest case yet, but even the most arrogant of men can sometimes warm a woman’s heart. And who knows, maybe it’s finally time for Poppy to find her happy ever after too?

From the sunny skies of Greece, to the trendy streets of London, to the romantic hills of Scotland, Match Me If You Can is a laugh out loud enemies-to-lovers romance, guaranteed to make you believe in love again!
Goodreads

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

In Match Me If You Can, matchmaker Poppy Dean has just taken on her hardest case ever, a Mr Impossible. Her new client is Tristan Fellows, who has no interest in finding love, but following his grandfather's death, he needs to marry by his 35th birthday, or lose out on a £30 million inheritance. Relying on his best friend's advice, he goes to Poppy, but none of the potential brides catch his eye. No, instead Tristan is drawn to Poppy, but that could never work, right?

I loved this book so much! I started it expecting to have some fun and a bit of a switch off, but instead I found such a fun story, full of romance and humour, and also a little bit of drama and sadness. Tristan was the dictionary definition of a grump, and Poppy is perfect as she doesn't let him get away with any of his shit. I loved the banter and snarkiness between Poppy and Tristan, and though they had some difficult moments, every second they were together was exquisite. The scenes in Greece and Scotland were so funny and though both characters suffered at times, it was adorable to see the growth in their characters, especially at the end. Tristan really developed over the course of the book, and with Poppy by his side, I know that he will grow even more in the future. I hope that both main characters are part of book 2, as I really need to see their romance again.

Dates Read:
February 14, 2024

Rating
4 Stars

Aimee Carter

Waiting On Wednesday: Royal Scandal (Royal Blood #2) by Aimee Carter

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2023 New Release challenge

ARC Review: Not the Duke You Marry (The Kent's Row Duchesses #3) by Jess Michaels

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Not the Duke You Marry
Series: The Kent's Row Duchesses #3
Author: Jess Michaels
Published November 14th 2023 by The Passionate Pen, LLC

Goodreads Synopsis
The final highly anticipated book in the The Kent’s Row Duchesses series by Jess Michaels!

Theo, Duke of Lightmorrow and Bernadette, Dowager Duchess of Tunbridge, grew up together and both experienced the pain of families who didn’t appreciate them. Now that their mutual friends are married, they’ve rekindled a friendship that is also highly flirtatious. When one tipsy night Bernadette admits she wishes she could take a lover, Theo is shocked. At first he tries to put Etta off the idea, but he soon realizes she’s too tenacious and decides there’s only one way to keep her volunteer as the man in her bed.

Bernadette’s feelings for Theo are complicated, but so are the ways she views herself. Man after man in her life made her feel unworthy, so it’s hard to believe that someone so popular and certain and talented as Theo could actually want her. And if he does, that he could desire more than just a few powerfully passionate nights together. But she’s having trouble separating her body from her heart, even if she knows it can only lead to sorrow.

Can a near tragedy and pleasure like no other lead to happiness for these two? Or will one careless night years ago end their future before it can begin.

This is the third in The Kent’s Row Duchesses Series and can be read as a standalone book.
Goodreads

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

Bernadette, now Dowager Duchess of Tunbridge, and Theo, Duke of Lightmorrow, were friends as children. But since that time, their relationship has become nonexistent, and if it wasn't for their new friends, they wouldn't be in each other's lives any more. Always thrown together, they've managed to reconnect like it was yesterday, but the flirtatious aspect of the friendship is new. As is Bernadette's revelation that she wants to take a lover. Theo has always cared for her, and when he realises she is not joking, he offers to spend a few nights with her, to keep her safe and protected. The only problem is that their hearts and feelings aren't ready to give up after knowing how good they are together.

I have needed these two to get together since their first scenes in book 1. It was clear to everyone but themselves that they were in love with each other, but they just needed a push. Theo definitely fell harder for Etta, but she needed to work through her past insecurities, stemming from her childhood and her marriage, before she felt lovable. Theo was always at her side though, championing her, as were the other Duchesses and their partners. This book definitely tied the series up nicely, and was a great conclusion.

Dates Read:
October 22, 2023

Rating
3 Stars

2023 New Release challenge

ARC Review: Not Another Duke (The Kent's Row Duchesses #2) by Jess Michaels

11:00

Not Another Duke
Series: The Kent's Row Duchesses #2
Author: Jess Michaels
Published September 5th 2023 by The Passionate Pen, LLC

Goodreads Synopsis
After losing everything in a series of bad decisions, Roarke Desmond is dependent on his horrible cousins for an allowance. When they ask him to do something horrible: spy on their stepmother, the Duchess of Sidmouth, he doesn’t want to. But what he could provide to his terribly ill mother with what they’ll pay him is hard to avoid. So he agrees, hating himself all the way. But when he sees the duchess, the beautiful Flora, everything is turned upside down.

Flora loved her late husband, despite the difference in their ages and the contempt of his adult children. When he died, she resigned herself to the life of a young widow, never looking for love again. When Roarke Desmond steps into her life, her thoughts on the subject begin to shift.

The two keep coming into contact, with Roarke more and more captivated by her and feeling worse and worse about the lies he’s telling even as Flora’s feelings and desire toward him grows deeper. But when the truth comes out and the lies become danger, they’ll have to overcome the walls between them to save each other and maybe form a life together.
Goodreads

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

Roarke Desmond may be related to aristocracy, but he has to beg for an allowance from his cousin's in order to support his ill mother. But when he's asked to spy on his late uncle's widow, Flora, Dowager Duchess of Sidmouth, it's harder than he thought. Flora is now living on Kent's Row, with the other dowagers, and is in mourning. Though her husband was quite a bit older than her, they had a loving relationship. Her step children, however, were the only sore point, and she's more than happy to remain a grieving widow. However, after seeing her friend Valaria find love, and meeting Roarke, she starts to consider a different future.

This book was great. Roarke was such a caring man, for both Flora and his mother, and though he was forced into deception, he hated every moment. Being asked to spy on the woman he was falling in love with, so that his wicked cousins could contest her inheritance. Flora was so sweet. She loved her late husband, and knew that her friends had had different experiences in marriage, but she never gloated about her love. Her and Roarke did have a hard time fully trusting each other, and opening themselves up to love completely, but it was all worth it in the end!

Dates Read:
October 21, 2023

Rating
3 Stars

2023 New Release challenge

ARC Review: No Dukes Allowed (The Kent's Row Duchesses #1) by Jess Michaels

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No Dukes Allowed
Series: The Kent's Row Duchesses #1
Author: Jess Michaels
Published July 11th 2023 by The Passionate Pen, LLC

Goodreads Synopsis
A Brand New Series from Bestseller Jess Michaels!

After her abusive husband’s death, the Duchess of Gooding has been relegated to Kent’s Row, a place where widows are put out to pasture. Valaria isn’t upset by this. She’s running from her past and happy to be independent and away from prying eyes. And she knows she won’t be lonely after she meets and befriends two other young dowager duchesses who are also residing in the Row. Oh yes, life could be perfect…as long as no one ever finds out her secret.

Callum Osgood, Duke of Blackvale, was best mates with Valaria’s late husband and he mourns his friend’s untimely death. He also finds himself concerned about Valaria, especially when he hears she has been all but kicked out of her home and onto Kent’s Row. Convincing himself it isn’t about the attraction he’s always felt for the prickly duchess, he vows to do what he can to help her.

Of all the people in the world, Valaria cannot let Callum near her. But his honor and decency keep edging around her walls. As does the unexpected desire he makes her feel. Resistance turns to surrender, an affair to something deeper and soon all that she is trying to keep secret will spill out. Will what she’s done come between them and tear apart all they are starting to build? Or could he love her enough to fight for their future and protect her from her past?

This is the first in The Kent’s Row Duchesses Series and can be read as a standalone book.
Goodreads

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

After being widowed at a young age, Valaria, now Dowager Duchess of Gooding has been relegated to the notorious Kent's Row, where dowagers are put out to pasture. But unlike her neighbours, she still has plans for the future, and the new found independence, which she's always longed for, is a dream. Her late husband was abusive, and she needs to keep her past a secret, particularly from her new friends. But Callum, Duke of Blackvale, can't believe that the vivacious Valaria has been kicked out of her home. Her late husband was one of his closest friends, so Callum feels as if he has a duty to care for her in his absence. But Valaria can't risk him discovering the truth, and as her feelings grow, it's harder to push him away.

I love Jess' books, and was so happy she had a new series coming out. I binged this whole series in the space of a weekend, and couldn't believe how much I fell in love with the characters. Valaria was like most women of this time period - forced to marry a much older man for the sake of a title, and doomed to accept her conditions, no matter what. Finally free from the abuse, she is happy in her own home, and with her friends, Flora and Bernadette, fellow dowagers on the Row. But Callum complicates things. He has rose tinted glasses on when it comes to the late Duke of Gooding, and Valaria can't let her walls break down enough to put her or her heart at risk. I really felt for her here, as she had the chance for happiness, but her past abuse was continuing to hold her back. I loved them as a couple, and was so happy they managed to overcome the problems separating them. Their friends also played such a big role in the plot, and I love how the three couples and romances intertwine.

Dates Read:
October 20, 2023

Rating
3 Stars

March

Stacking the Shelves: March 16th 2024

10:00

4 Stars

ARC Review: Falling Hard for the Royal Guard by Megan Clawson

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Falling Hard for the Royal Guard
Series: None
Author: Megan Clawson
Published May 2nd 2023 by Avon

Goodreads Synopsis
Love is in the heir in this royally good rom com debut releasing in Spring 2023 – perfect for anyone who likes relatable heroines (with great hair), hot and aloof book boyfriends (with great hats), near misses, almost kisses and a corgi or two.

Despite living in an actual castle, happily ever after is evading Margaret ‘Maggie’ Moore.

From her bedroom in the Tower of London, twenty-six-year-old Maggie has always dreamed of her own fairy-tale ending.

Yet this is twenty-first century London, so instead of knights on white horses, she has catfish on Tinder. And with her last relationship ending in spectacular fashion, she swears off men for good.

And then a chance encounter with Royal Guard Freddie forces Maggie to admit that she isn’t ready to give up on love just yet… But how do you catch the attention of someone who is trained to ignore all distractions?

Can she snare that true love’s first kiss… or is she royally screwed?

A right royal rom com, perfect for fans of Red, White and Royal Blue and The Royal We.
Goodreads

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

After breaking up with her boyfriend, Maggie Moore has returned home, but her dad doesn't live in a normal estate. No, he happens to be a warden at the Tower of London, and lives inside the castle walls. For history lover Maggie, that would be a dream, but her job at the ticket office is mind numbing, her coworkers actively hate her, and she's embarrassed herself in front of the handsome royal guard, Freddie.

I liked this book. There were fantastic moments, and then one in particular which I hated. Maggie was such a likeable character, and her camaraderie with the guards and warden's was great. I liked the chemistry between her and Freddie, though they were very different people. The plot line surrounding Maggie going on 5 dates before she packs it all in was a great way to get Freddie to come to terms with his feelings and finally prove to Maggie he was all in. Such a fun read, and especially one that both history and romance lovers will enjoy.

Dates Read:
February 8, 2024

Rating
4 Stars