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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 5 ⭐️ Review: BB Easton’s Devil of Dublin ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Tropes: fated lovers/soulmates; coming of age; dark romance; romantic suspense; childhood sweethearts; forbidden romance; mafia romance; hitman romance; anti-hero

“You are my past, you are my present, and according to a thousand-year-old lake spirit you are my eternity.”

Entering B.B. Easton’s Devil of Dublin is like entering a fun house at a carnival: cautious. Having posted the cover reveal with the blurb and other teasers, the numerous hashtags attached to this book made me think my heart wouldn’t survive. However, with every turn of the page, those feelings abated, and they clung to the compelling, emotional story of Kellen and Darby. Let me tell you why you should read this story:

  1. There is a unique voice from Easton in Devil of Dublin. There are still all the things you love about her: her irreverent wit and need to put guns in the hands of her main characters a la her Rain Trilogy. However, there is a soulfulness to DoD that seizes you. Theoretically, it shouldn’t, given the type of tropes found in this book, but Kellen and Darby are special, and they aren’t like any of Easton’s other characters. 
  2. Kellen and Darby’s love is intoxicating. Here’s the thing about them: they are safe amid unsafe circumstances. This is the genius of Easton’s book. You can rest in Kellen and Darby’s love for each other because it is endless and constant when their life situations are traumatic and disruptive. This is the safety of this book, and it draws you deeper into their love affair. Their fated love ameliorates their trauma for the reader.
  3. And this next point is probably one of my favorite parts of Easton’s storytelling: she recognizes the gap between Kellen and Darby and carefully closes it. Unfortunately, she uses traumatic experiences to do so, but it levels their relationship, creating equality that makes it easy for Darby to fully love Kellen, who needs to be fully loved by someone. This is the true beauty of their book.
  4. The prose of DoD is gorgeous. Unlike her 44 Chapters…or even Rain Trilogy, the words paint the soul of this book. “I was no longer human or demon or even fucking breathing. I was simply hers— mind, body, and cursed black soul.”
  5. Kellen and Darby’s personal journeys will steal a bit of your heart as they overcome life’s difficulties. They will do this hand-in-hand, making sacrifices for each other. And it’s the type of love affair you fall in love with in romance. 
  6. Easton’s Author’s Note and Acknowledgements are powerful. They will add knowledge that is important in our current world. 

To be honest, I didn’t expect to love B.B. Easton’s Devil of Dublin as much as I did. It’s a beautifully wrought, emotional story about overcoming the odds through the enduring love of your mate. It will fill your soul and remind you of why you love to read romance: for the HEA that acts as a salve for your soul after it’s been pummeled by the story’s truths. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4.5 ⭐️ Review: Meghan Quinn’s Royally Not Ready ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️

Tropes: grump/sunshine, opposites attract, instant attraction, orphan, some found family, return to hometown, surprise royalty

“Life changes constantly, and if you live in the past, you’re going to miss it.”

There is decadence in the physicality of Meghan Quinn’s newest romance, Royally Not Ready. Quinn flexes her chemistry-building muscle by drawing out and adding fuel to the fire of her two main characters, Lilly and Keller. This is Quinn at her best as she takes two opposites, crafting a precarious situation and an inferno of attraction between her main characters. She moves Lilly and Keller from disdain to ardor in the space of her story, investing her readers in their journey from almost the first page. The back and forth between these two is a delight, the mechanism that breathes light into a tense situation. She mixes in some suspense and intrigue along with a sweet reconciliation of a family broken apart. Royally Not Ready is quite the romance stew. 

Keller and Lilly are two sides of the same coin. They must endeavor to undertake change. For Lilly, she must learn to become royal when she was raised as an American with no knowledge of her mother’s country. And Keller must learn to leave behind the rules of his youth to become the man that Lilly needs at her side. Their exchanges at the beginning, when they are seated in opposition to each other, provide the comedic relief of the book. As they draw closer to connecting emotionally, they reach the zenith of their individual journeys almost simultaneously, drawing them closer together. Lilly reaches her character maturation before Keller, adding some emotional tension to the story. For me, their journeys were my favorite parts of the book.

My other favorite part is Lilly’s connection with her grandparents and, by extension, her mother’s country. The compassion and connection between them add another layer of emotion to Royally Not Ready. That isn’t promised early in the story, so Quinn’s ability to create trepidation in their meeting draws you into the moment’s emotion. In fact, each carefully curated moment of this book is magnetic, causing the book to be a fast read.

For me, Meghan Quinn’s Royally Not Ready is the read of the week. It has everything: humor, spice, and everything in between. It simply makes you want to read more Megan Quinn stories.

In love and romance

Professor A

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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 3.5 ⭐️ Review: Sara Ney’s The Make Out Artist ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: 3.5 ⭐️

Tropes: Friends to Lovers, Afraid to commit, Fake relationship/wing-woman, Never marry 

Sara Ney’s The Make Out Artist continues her Accidentally in Love series, focusing on main characters who tend to fall into love while trying to stay away from it. This is definitely the case for Elias and Molly in this Ney’s newest offering. Eli and Molly meet at a small get-together at Molly’s house. Not keen on a weekday party, Molly hides away to complete some work. She is interrupted by Elias/Eli who was brought to the party by his sister. When a woman at the party tries to hit on him, he decides to hide upstairs when he encounters Molly. He likes that she is forthright and doesn’t suffer fools. When she tries to get him to leave her alone, he decides he wants her to act as his wing woman, a protection against women who are trying to get him to ask them on dates. At first, Molly has no interest, but when her old friend, Tripp Wallace, invites them both to a function as each other’s dates, she relents. As Molly and Eli spend more time together, they realize they are more alike than different, and their situationship moves into a relationship. When Eli’s ex threatens their newfound happiness, you wonder if a happy ending is in the “cards” for this couple.

I appreciate a series that focuses on accidental love pairings, and they’ve been fairly interesting reads, but Ney’s stories, quite frankly, feel just a bit messy. Did I like Elias and Molly? Yes, for the most part. Quite honestly, I didn’t believe their chemistry until it became physical. Even then, I don’t entirely believe that they fell hard for each other in love. And I want to believe them, but for much of the story, Eli seems more attracted to Molly than Molly is attracted to Eli. Then, all of a sudden, she likes and then suddenly loves him. For me, there is a consistency issue in her character development. 

Secondly, the eventual issue with Elias’s ex- feels like an add-on, a way to add drama to the story. It doesn’t seem organically integrated or developed. It creates a “hiccup” for Elias and Molly’s future, which seems unnecessary to the story. There would have been other ways to create the tension such as the demands of Eli’s job within the context of a relationship. I would have loved to see more of this built into the story. 

Lastly, I love Molly. She saved Tripp in his romance, and I’m not sure that Ney did her justice here. Some moments are cute between these two, but Molly, with the fire of her former book, was missing that fire in her own story. 

I have to be real here. I struggled with The Make Out Artist. I’m a fast reader, and this was a bit of a slug in reading because I didn’t feel Elias and Molly’s spark until the end. It may be me and my reading interests, so if you love yourself some Sara Ney, then you may want to grab this one.

In love and romance,

Professor A

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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4 ⭐️ Review: J. Kenner’s Charmed By You, a Stark Security novella ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, romantic suspense, alpha hero, bodyguard, instalove

J. Kenner’s Charmed By You returns us easily to Damien Stark’s Security series world. With cameos from Damien and Ryan, Charmed By Love marries the world of Hollywood with the world of the Stark Security series. As it follows Simon Barré protecting the starlet, Francesca Muratti, from a stalker, the sparks fly from their initial meeting. This chemistry makes the story intriguing: “will they/won’t they consummate their attraction.”  Once the suspense portion of the story hits, it’s a quick downhill from there, devolving into a happy ending for Frannie and Simon.

Charmed By You has all the components of the other Stark Security series novellas: intrigue, insta-attraction, and the chemistry of opposites. I will say that I was hoping for a bit more story development, but alas, this is a novella. If you’re looking for a quick read in the world of Damien Stark, then you won’t want to miss Charmed By You.

In love and romance,

Professor A

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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4.5 ⭐️ Review: Devney Perry’s Garnet Flats, the next The Edens story ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️

It is simple for me to say that Devney Perry’s Garnet Flats is a heart-wrenching, gorgeous read. This is a standard, a staple of her storytelling. Each romance compels you to read more books on her booklist because the characters steal your heart and the stories engage you. 

Garnet Flats encompasses all of these qualities. I finished it a couple of days ago, well before the release day. I ate it up like the most decadent creme brulee, and it’s left me reflecting on the reason I couldn’t put it down or why I can’t seem to stay away from Perry’s stories. These are my reflections:

  1. There is regionalism in Perry’s romance. She crafts her stories in areas in Big Sky country, and the setting becomes as much a character as, say, Talia and Foster in Garnet Flats. In fact, the setting feels necessary in her stories as they tend to represent the different characters. Foster is Vegas until he meets Quincy, Montana. And Garnet Flats, this rugged, yet majestic piece of land on her family’s property represents Talia. Perry is the Queen of Setting the Scene in her stories, and it has become her unique signature.
  2. There is nothing necessarily inventive with Talia and Foster’s second chance at romance. Perry isn’t necessarily inventing the romance wheel with Garnet Flats, but the nuance of Foster’s undying love for Talia is the hook for her story. Oftentimes, in second-chance romances, past loves ride into town and act ashamed or guilt-ridden about leaving behind a love. Much of the story is about the character realizing his/her need for their abandoned love. With Garnet Flats, Foster comes ready to win Talia’s heart, and he never gives up. He attacks winning her over as he does preparing for a bout. It’s what we love about romances: a person unflinchingly tenacious in their pursuit of the person they love. And ultimately this is what made me enraptured with Talia and Foster’s journey.
  3. Talia allows herself the opportunity for a second chance, and Perry times this well. I’ve read too many romances of late when the author prolongs this portion of the story, and it slows it down. In Garnet Flats, Perry finds the right combination of Talia’s forgiveness and readiness to accept Foster and her final acceptance of him. It isn’t protracted, but it’s developed within a timeframe that invests her reader deeply into her book. 
  4. The Edens are a delight. As the ancillary characters of this story, they bring humor to ameliorate the tension of Talia and Foster’s reconciliation. They also provide the emotional support necessary for Talia’s emotional journey. Their inclusion in each story also allows us a bit of insight into past and future books, crafting a deeper devotion to Devney Perry’s series. 

This is what I came up with as I pondered the impact of Perry’s storytelling. Garnet Flats creates more longing for future stories. Perry’s sense of storytelling captivates you and creates a fervor for more. If the epilogue for Garnet Flats is any indication, there are a few more delicious books to read in this fabulous series. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4.5 ⭐️ Review: Staci Hart’s Run for Your Honey ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️

In a perfect world, Staci Hart’s Bennet Family would have a massive soiree with her Blum Family, and the literary world would be “right as rain” (a saying I’d imagine one of the Blum sisters saying). In her newest offering and the last of her Blum’s Bees series, Run for Your Honey, Staci Hart brings an emotionally wrought, replete conclusion to a series that has stolen my heart.  Rounding out this series is Jo’s story, a second chance, enemies-to-lovers romance. Duke, her former paramour, returns home to run against Jo for the town’s mayor position. Their chemistry is evident from the moment of their meeting, and their feelings from the past are undeniable. From its very first chapter, I fell in love with Duke and Jo’s journey, and Staci Hart made my heart hurt, butterflies swirl in my stomach at their trouble, and satiated my hunger for the conclusion of this beautiful series of strong women who stand against the injustices of their town. 

If I have any criticism of Run for Your Honey, it would be its end. Staci Hart deftly writes the torture of Duke and Jo’s enemies-to-lovers journey. The push and pull of their attraction to each other requires time, and Hart ensures her readers’ emotional interest in their coupling by carefully taking us through their past and present complications. However, at the resolution of the falling action of their journey, the ending feels rushed, excised together like Frankenstein’s monster to present their happy ending. While Run for Your Honey satiates your hunger for the series, its ending was remiss in developing the fullness of Duke and Jo’s HEA. Does it hit wrong? No, it simply needed a bit more development. Even more, I’d love to see a bonus epilogue for the sisters because a curse has threatened their love lives, and we leave this book without knowing if it was finally set right. Even more, a novella for their mama would be a lovely little nibble. Asking these of any writer is obviously ridiculous, but these are the tethers of questions still left behind at the end of this heartfelt story. 

Now is the time if you haven’t launched yourself into a Staci Hart romance, into the Blum’s Bees stories. Hart is a talented writer who continues to write deeper into the world of romance. Her ability to write intriguing characters who showcase the troubles of their worlds firmly makes her books feel like necessary reads in the world of romance.

In love and romance,

Professor A

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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 3.5 ⭐️ Review: Allie Everhart’s If I Could ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: 3.5 ⭐️

Each month, I’ve decided to read a new author to me. Based on her cover’s subtle, beautiful design and her blurb that teases but gives nothing away, I chose Allie Everhart for her book, If I Could. With the promise of angst, I dived into this new book. Everhart’s story is good, utilizing a treasure trove of tropes” small-town romance, a bit of suspense, opposites attract, and a little hate-to-love with attraction at first. Was I hoping for a bit more from it? Yes. Was it as angsty as I believed? No. 

Her main characters, Kyle and Sage, are likable. Even in the beginning when Kyle attempts to put Sage off with his grumpy demeanor, you want to know his story. Everhart crafts Sage in a way that we can know her; we easily earn her backstory. However, Everhart utilizes Kyle to create the suspense of her story. We don’t learn much of his background until almost 80 percent. This has two repercussions: 1) there is an inconsistency in Kyle’s characterization. For me, this created problems partly because Kyle’s changes in mood were immediate.  It causes a whiplash effect throughout much of the book. Secondly, it slows the pacing of the book down. The actual action of the story comes much later. This means Kyle and Sage’s story spins in a circle for much of the book. This was frustrating as a reader, and I found myself easily pulled from Kyle and Sage’s romance.

The ancillary characters of the story, Hank, Nina, and Josh, bring levity to Sage and Kyle’s journey. I’d love to see a book for Nina and Josh. In fact, I think they’d have more chemistry than Sage and Kyle. Because, ultimately, that is what was missing for me. The investment in feeling didn’t occur until almost the end of the book. Even then, Kyle and Sage are sweet, but they didn’t impress themselves upon me.

Will I read more from Allie Everhart based on If I Could? If it’s the right book. Maybe another cover and blurb will capture my attention, but I was expecting a bit more from this book than I received. Did I like Kyle and Sage? Yes. Did their story steal my breath and tap into my emotions? Not really. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 5 ⭐️ Review: Max Monroe’s The Redo ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Have you ever read an entire series, finished the last book, and felt let down because the final book didn’t leave the series on a high note? Fear not, friends. That is NOT the case with Max Monroe’s The Redo, the final book of their Winslow Brothers’ series. In fact, I will state it plainly here: it’s my favorite of the four. If I had to put the Winslow Brothers in order (they would both love and hate this. Jude would brag, believing he had the best story, while Ty jibes him that his is the best. Flynn would stay silent and judge Jude and Ty, caring little for my thoughts on his story, and Remy would tell them all to shut up and let me speak.). For me, my favorite stories in order belong to Remy, Flynn, Jude, and finally, Ty (oh how he’d hate that).

Remy and Maria’s story embodies the best of the Winslow family. Remy is a natural protector, borne in his father’s absence. The way that he looks over Maria absolutely melts your heart. Fate brings them together so that Maria has the support missing in her life. As Remy steps in and cares for her, you would think that their relationship would be uneven, However, Max Monroe have carefully constructed Remy and Maria’s relationship with Maria caring for Remy protectively as well. Remy and Maria are suited: they laugh, cry, and find joy in each other. Maria is a veritable heroic beast in her own right. I won’t share her story, but she’s the type of heroine who makes you proud to be a woman. And Remy is her perfect partner.

Max Monroe take their time in developing the relationship, however. Putting a name on their relationship creates a relationship slowburn. Physically, though, their chemistry is too combustible to make them wait too long. Using the past and present to tell Remy and Maria’s second chance at love story, Max Monroe have deftly plotted out Maria and Remy’s romance. Max Monroe warned of the girth of this story; however, nothing is extraneous with this book. It is precisely as it should be.

This story, along with the other books in the series, has quickly become one of my favorite series. It has some of the seriousness of The Girl in the Painting (my fav Max Monroe), and it has Max Monroe’s trademark humor. However, where the humor of their other stories sometimes feels canned and a bit obvious, The Redo’s humor isn’t as obvious. There is a sweetness to Remy and Maria’s journey that feels perfect for them. Instead, Max Monroe have carefully crafted humorous moments that match Remy and Maria’s journey. There is a specific carnival experience that made me laugh out loud. And the bonus epilogue is a wonderful mix of sentimentality and comicality. In fact, this is one of my favorite bonus epilogues, wrapping up this series beautifully.

Max Monroe’s The Redo is an apt reminder that a well-told second chance romance is heaven. Remy and Maria’s story will leave you with a huge book hangover. While I’m sad to say goodbye to the Winslow clan, I believe Max Monroe left us with one heck of a series from start to finish.

In love and romance,

Professor A

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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4 ⭐️ Review: Skye Warren and Amelia Wilde’s The Crash ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Skye Warren and Amelia Wilde’s The Crash is foreboding, a warning of what’s to come. This story follows Carter Morelli, the absentee brother of the Morelli family from the Midnight Dynasty world. In this prelude to Force of Nature, we gain access to a bit of Carter’s background, and we are introduced to June Porter, the photographer he’s been tasked to fly to a photo shoot. There are fireworks between them from the beginning, but Carter believes he is too good and innocent for him. Over the course of this novella, their plane crashes, and we are left to wonder the “why.” Carter is broody and alpha, while June is determined and insightful. We can already see that June sees more in Carter than most people which acts as the perfect set-up for the next book. The Crash is a quick nibble that you won’t want to miss.

In love and romance,

Professor A

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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4 ⭐️ Review: Lex Martin’s Tight Ends & Tiaras ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

A blurb will get you every. single. time. In the case of Lex Martin’s Tight Ends & Tiaras, I was intrigued immediately. I’m a sucker for a surprise kid/single parent romance. For that matter, I’m a sucker for a sports romance and a fake relationship between friends. Martin’s story has so much to love about it just from its trope selection that you can’t help but fall in love with her characters, Ben and Sienna. In fact, there is more to this story beyond those basic tropes, and you find yourself captivated by their journey. There is a bit of a grump/sunshine trope. Ben’s life has been filled with trauma, and he’s taken most of his first twenty-something years to process it. Through his story and Sienna’s, Martin interrogates and highlights the impact of early familial trauma on people. There is a lot of discussion about mental health and the positive impact of therapy and meditation. Quite honestly, this is a central theme throughout Martin’s Tight Ends & Tiaras. 

Additionally, there is quite a bit of delicious story in Martin’s newest book. There is the ongoing attraction between Ben and Sienna, and the “will they/won’t they” saga. Martin writes a steamy, spicy story that ratchets up the heat of this book, but there is no real promise of forever until almost the end. Even more, Sienna’s story features the impact of familial expectations on one’s sense of self. Through these heavy messages, Martin deftly infuses humor, sweetness, and enough spice to keep her readers invested in the story. 

I enjoyed my reading experience with Lex Martin’s Tight Ends & Tiaras. If out-of-control baby mamas, cheating boyfriends, and an unexpected couple born out of a fake relationship and friendship is your jam, then don’t miss out on this book. 

In love and romance,

Professor A