Love is in the Air
Recent romances for that Valentine’s mood
Since we are less than a week away from Valentine’s Day, it seemed like the perfect time to do a rundown of some recent romances I read recently (that’s a lot of alliteration).
DO I KNOW YOU BY EMILY WIBBERLEY AND AUSTIN SIEGMUND-BROKA
The Roughest Draft was one of my top books last year so I was eager to dive into the next adult romance from these authors, who are married in real life! In the book Eliza and Graham are a married couple who have drifted apart recently, yet are being “forced” to go on a romantic vacation to a resort during their 5 year anniversary due to an anniversary gift from Graham’s parents. At check-in there’s a mix up and two separate rooms were actually booked, the exact opposite of the typical romance trope of “one bed.” Eliza and Graham decide to use the separate rooms and take some space from each other, yet that night they are introduced by another guest who thinks they would make a great couple. Eliza and Graham decide to pretend they don’t know each other, even making up fake backstories, and date during their time at the resort. In the process they dig into who they are as individuals and what they want out of a relationship. As the reader you are rooting for them the whole time. This book switched POVs between Eliza and Graham which I loved because you really got into their minds. While I wasn’t as obsessed with it as I was The Roughest Draft, I still loved it.
THE EX HEX BY ERIN STERLING
Contrary to the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover,” that is exactly what led me too pick this book up. The Barnes and Noble by me was moving and the whole store was on sale. I just started grabbing books that looked slightly interesting to me, including this one. Fun fact, Erin Sterling is a pseudonym for Rachel Hawkins, who typically writes mysteries like The Wife Upstairs. I’ll be honest with this, I didn’t fully realized there were going to be actual witches in the book, so I was a little thrown off at the start. Years ago Vivi had a whirlwind romance that left her broken hearted, and fueled by too much vodka and too many tears she mistakenly cursed her ex. Flash forward to now and her ex, Rhys, is coming back to town for some witchy business. Once he arrives the hex sets in and things start to go bad quickly for Rhys and the town. Vivi and Rhys are forced to pair up to see if they can’t reverse the hex, and in the processes old feelings keep coming up. This was a fun forced proximity romance but I didn’t love all the magical elements, but maybe that’s just not for me. Could be a fun cozy halloween read this year!
DATING YOU HATING YOU BY CHRISTINA LAUREN
Christina Lauren, two authors Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, always turn it out with their romance books. This was another Barnes & Noble pick up that I enjoyed a little bit more than The Ex Hex. Taking place in LA, Evie and Carter meet and immediately hit it off at a mutual friend’s Halloween Party, even realizing they both work as agents. However shortly after they meet, their two agencies merge leaving them to essentially compete for the same role. While they can’t deny their attraction to one another, the demands of their jobs set them against each other, leading to pranks and worse as each tries to trip up the other. This book makes you desperately want the main characters to get together, their chemistry is that good. You almost want to scream at them to drop the war and work together! While this isn’t my favorite Chrstina Lauren book, that is reserved for Love and Other Words, I would still recommend it as a fun and sexy romance. As I said, they don’t miss.
