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Book 931: Book Boyfriend – Kris Ripper

After this landed in my inbox as part of a larger round-up of upcoming releases by Carina/Harlequin releases I jumped to request it.* Who doesn’t want to read a book about books and falling in love around the publication of a book?! It’s basically catnip for book bloggers 😀

Unfortunately, the premise was better in my head than the execution in reality. That’s not saying Ripper didn’t have two wonderful characters and a decent story, it just was a struggle to get into and stay engaged with until the very end.

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Book 928: Going Public (Jade Capital #2) – Hudson Lin

I requested an ARC of this one from the publisher after I saw it in their upcoming titles email that I get monthly.* The fact that there was not just one non-white man on the cover of this MM Romance novel, but TWO of them was a definite ‘okay let’s give this Hudson Lin person a try.’

Totally on me, but I also thought it was written by a man (damn you pseudonyms!), but that didn’t change my opinion or reading of the novel, I was just excited that there were BIPOC protagonists AND they were on the cover. Add in that I don’t think I’ve read many with Asian protagonists and it caught my attention.

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Book 908: Sink or Swim (Shore Leave #2) – Annabeth Albert

Yessssssss . . . I’m so glad Calder got his book and that I was able to snag a review copy from NetGalley as soon as it was listed. I’ve been sitting on it FOR MONTHS—do you know how hard that is when it comes to an Annabeth Albert book!? I had to force myself to read soooooo many other books so I wouldn’t push my response out too soon!!!!

Sink or Swim is a low-conflict simmering romance and Albert brings her character-driven humor to the story just like she does to all of her other works. Calder is Arthur’s (from Sailor Proof) older brother who happens to be bisexual and thrives on competition and gambling. And after winning a house from a fellow SEAL, he has the best meet-cute ever with Felix, flustered and guarded single-parent taking care of his two nieces, at the house he thinks he owns.

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Book 897: If You Love Something – Jayce Ellis

I came across this while perusing NetGalley looking for new MM Romance authors to expand my repertoire and diversity reading.*

Not going to lie though, I mostly chose this one because of the illustrated cover’s whimsical balloon and because I thought the author was a man! I’ve only read a few MM Romances by men, but when I finished the novel I found out Jayce was a woman, which didn’t affect my opinions but was like DAMN.

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Book 868: Sailor Proof (Shore Leave #1) – Annabeth Albert

This is the very first Annabeth Albert ARC that I’ve read!* (I think, there may have been one more in her True Colors series, but who cares I got one!) Generally I’m bogged down in other stuff and I don’t realize when Albert’s releasing new works, but after joining her Facebook group and signing up for her newsletter I’m much more on the ball than I have been in the past!

The only downside of reading this as an ARC is that I have to wait for the next book FOREVER!!!! I’m so used to blazing through her series, that I actually forewent reading the teaser for book two, Sink or Swim, because the publication date is SO FAR AWAY!!!!!!!

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