Savvy Sheldon Feels Good As Hell by Taj McCoy

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Sometimes you preorder a book, are super excited to read it then it ends up on your shelf not being read for a few years. Such was the case with Savvy Sheldon Feels As Hell. But with the excitement surrounding the upcoming movie I decided to finally open my copy.

Savvanah "Savvy" Sheldon works a high-stress job and has a high-maintenance boyfriend. She also helps contribute to her grandmother's former home that her uncle currently lives in. While Savvy is trying to balance it all her boyfriend decides she's too fat for him and doesn't represent his perfect trophy wife. Her breaks up with her and it's the push she needs to finally make a change. She wants to show him much better off she is without him starting with achieving her revenge body by making some lifestyle changes. She starts taking tennis again, a sport she loved in her younger years. She cuts her hair off despite her mother's objections, gets a new wardrobe, and vows to eat healthier. 

While she's working on a new Savvy, her home is in need of some renovations and she discovers the cute guy she's seen around the neighborhood is actually a contractor. As Savvy starts to bond with Spencer she starts to see what a relationship looks like with a man who loves her "flaws" and all. Over time as she rebuilds her confidence she becomes less concerned with revenge bodies and getting back at her ex and more excepting of herself.

Savvy has a great set of girlfriends who are supportive and ready to kick someone's ass for her when necessary. Her love of food shines on page as she shares recipes and special meals with friends and family. It's one of many hobbies she spent less time on trying to achieve her career goals and decided to reembrace. 

Some of the more repetitive scenes could've been cut down like the play by plays of the fitness classes Savvy was taking. Initial scenes provided some comic relief but some scenes could've been condensed. The foodies will love that Savvy's love language is food and there's food mentions in here to rival a food magazine. 

At it's core this is a story about a woman's self-love journey with some romance splashed in. And it's a light read that will make for a breezy adaptation. 

Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria

Welcome Back, Booklovers! The Primas of Power series has come to an end. I read You Had Me at Hola back when it first came out in 2020 which feels like forever ago but not long ago at the same time. Along Came Amor is the final book in the series and it's been a few years since the last release.

Ava Rodriguez, is a school teacher and a divorcee who comes from a big family that puts a lot of pressure on her. In her family's mind she's the responsible one and peacemaker. But this year she's decided to embrace the New Ava. New Ava is open to new experiences and a one night stand while away on a conference is a very new experience for her. When she meets Roman Vazquez, a CEO who recently acquired the hotel she's staying at, she decides to let loose for the first time since her divorce. And she does her best to keep a no strings attached situation going until she finds out Roman is friends with Ashton, her cousin's soon to be husband. With both of them in the same wedding party it's hard to keep what's between them under wraps especially since Ava isn't sure how to define it for herself.

As with the other books in this series there's plenty of interaction between the primas as they prepare for Jasmine's wedding. Ava's family is lot and she often finds herself feeling like the odd one out when it comes to her father and stepmother. Her recent divorce hit her extended family hard because her husband's family became intertwined with hers. So there's a lot of insecurity she's working through and readers see her learning to assert herself. 

Alexis Daria shines when it comes to very sensual scenes with a great blend of dirty talk and loving caresses. Roman has money and he likes to spend it on the people he cares about most so there's a few times he goes above and beyond for Ava including a fun trip to Puerto Rico. 

This time in the series there's not story within a story element like the last two books but you don't even realize it's missing because the book feels like its own story rather than a copy of the previous books. A little lengthy there were some repetitive chapters that could've been trimmed towards the end but this is a fitting conclusion to the series to wrap up the Prima's adventures.

The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery by Clarence A. Haynes

I have been patiently waiting for traditional publishing to have an urban fantasy resurgence and while we're nowhere near that every once in awhile they throw us a bone with a new release. The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery promised paranormal thrills and it's shorter length was very appealing to me.  I received a copy from Legacy Lit in exchange for review, keep reading to see my thoughts. 

The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery is a fast-paced urban fantasy told in the povs of Gwendolyn, a publicist working for New York's top Black owned firm and Fonsi, a psychic who runs a shop in the South Bronx. Gwendolyn finds herself literally being haunted by the ghosts of her past as terrible things start happening at her events in a clear message for her. Fonsi is having some bad luck of his own with a ghost he just can't shake when he realizes that the barrier between the human world and the spiritual world is weakening. While Gwendolyn would prefer to stay away from ghostly business she finds herself having to confront the past that she left behind. 

A little campy with a very real feeling cast of characters this book balances supernatural thrills with the every day woes of being a millennial in New York City. While Fonsi is good at spiritual guidance his own life is a hot mess as he attempts to shake off an open relationship with an ex boyfriend. Gwendolyn's life is together, she's got a new man, and she's been able to bury her childhood trauma. She keeps things so under wraps she doesn't even like people in her personal life to get too close to her. The magic system is steeped in Afro Latinx spirituality with both characters tapping into their ancestral powers to fight the dark forces after them.

Clarence's writing is vivid and flows in a way that feels like you've just tuned into your favorite tv show. Readers are immersed in the cast of characters that flit around La Playa, Fonsi's shop. The book ends with an epilogue leaves some room for the story to continue in another book. The audiobook narrators do a great job bringing the characters to life, especially the narrative for Fonsi's chapters.

Hooked on You Ada Barume

Do you ever feel like reading a romance that let's you escape to a new place during a time when you can't travel? Hooked on You  by Ada Barume is her second romance book and like the first one, Love Overboard it's out just in time to be your next beach read. I received an arc from Avon UK in exchange for an honest review so keep reading to hear my thoughts.

Ore, is a journalist who is trying to secure a job as an investigative journalist at the New Yorker. But before she can get the job she must spend two weeks on a yacht off the coast of Australia with an eccentric billionaire. Usually people go on these types of holidays to be discreet so it's odd that Ore is there to do a profile. The crew is mostly tight lipped and focused on their work but Ore quickly realizes things aren't what they seem. The previous captain Annie was abruptly replaced and ndas make it so the crew is unable to explain what happened to her. Daniel, the replacement captain is a small town Southern man with big dreams for his career as soon as this gig is over.

This is a slow burn romance but it keeps readers engaged throughout. Ore and Daniel have an easy chemistry together, there's some push and pull because they are in the workplace and a lot is on the line for both of them. Ore also is used to flings more than relationships and feels out of place in a world of wealthy white elites. The mystery aspect was intriguing and it gives readers something to hold their attention while Ore and Daniel hesitate to make a move. There's just enough suspense that will have you wondering what the billionaire is really hiding. As the book's villain he's just the right amount of creepy with his inappropriate fixation on Ore and Daniel. While the book lightly touches on some serious topics it remains lighthearted. Though the publisher advertises this as grumpy x sunshine it doesn't really fit into those archetypes which is fine.

If you're looking for a light summer read with a little bit of intrigue then check out Hooked on You.

Ms. V's Hot Girl Summer

Welcome, Back Booklovers! It's almost summer and it's still carnival season so I couldn't resist a carnival set romance. Ms. V's Hot Girl Summer was calling my name. And of course Netgalley came through with the audiobook.

Trinidad Velasquez is mother to teenage twin boys and balancing the stable parent they need, picking up the slack where their father falls short. That means her love life has been on the backburner the past couple of years while she tries to be super mom. She's been trying to have a safe relationship with a man named Milton who looks good on paper but doesn't ignite passion within her. On the other hand her son's mentor Orlando who is quite a bit younger than her sparks something. But she'd dare not cross that line. However when her sons trick her into a Carnival getaway in a small Floridian town and there's no room at the hotel she winds up at Orlando's doorstep.

Orlando is in town for Carnival but he's also on the hunt for his ex girlfriend who he recently found out has been keeping a child secret from him. Having been tipped off by her family but unsure of her exact address he's on a mission to find his little girl.

It's rare to see Carnival portrayed in a romance novel even though though Carnival has been the backdrop for many a real life romance. Cunningham manages to capture the energy of the fetes from the music to the good vibes and rum flowing.

The twins are mostly around to meddle in mom's love life and they already have an established relationship with Orlando which makes it easier for him to fit into Trinidad's life. His daughter however we only meet towards the end and she and her mother are instantly accepting of Trinidad. A part of me wished that dynamic and how Orlando handled being a new dad would've been more of a part of the plot. It just felt like a bit of an afterthought to add some additional drama. Throughout the book we get glimpses of his relationship with his mother and brothers and how he's always had to be the responsible one shouldering the burden after losing his father. 

Ms. V is fun for a quick beach read or a lazy holiday afternoon.