Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Publication Date: 2 December 2025

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

2/5 stars

Right off the bat, I'll say that this book wasn't for me.

The idea is an intriguing one, but there were too many similarities to, and caricatures of, the real life Royal Family for me to be able to immerse myself fully in the story - I kept feeling jarred out of what I was reading by thinking of where the author drew her inspiration (Richard and his two daughters are very similar to Andrew, Beatrice and Eugenie, Lexi and Louis' mum died young in a tragic accident just like Diana, and their dad had a second wife that struggled for public approval just like Camilla).

I also struggled with the likability (or lack thereof) of all of the characters. I understand that intention may well have been to make the characters feel very human and realistic, but I made it through the entire book not really rooting for any single character, which makes connecting to the story challenging.

The timehops were written in such a way that, while they were correctly labelled and (in theory) easy to follow, that I found it difficult to keep up with what time period I was in. The flow of the book didn't feel natural to me at all.

I did enjoy the views we got of Louis' life and how he chose to live it, and it's a shame that there wasn't more of that throughout the book, as he was the only character that I felt somewhat intrigued by.

Like I say, not for me.

📖 Synopsis...

Lexi has been estranged from her family for years, but when her twin brother dies in a tragic accident, she is faced with a choice - take up her role as heir to the throne, or continue to live her new life in Australia while handing the line of succession over to her power-hungry devious uncle.

Format: Audiobook

Publication Date: 26 September 2023

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

3/5 stars

This was a lovely festive romance with good back-and-forth banter between the two main characters. I particularly enjoyed Declan as a character - he was a perfect blend of grumpy, protective and tender and his backstory was very engaging.

I was also a fan of the family dynamics presented throughout the book. Conflicts were handled with care and respect, everyone had genuine affection for each other, and while there was nothing too drastic happening in the background to detract from the mainplot, the secondary characters felt fully realised in their own right.  

I didn't realise that it was the third in a series when I downloaded it from Audible, but it didn't overly matter (the other two books are about Holly's two siblings, and you do get snippets of their relationships in this book, but there is nothing reliant on reading their stories first).

I did struggle with the length of the book, feeling that it could have been about 2 hours shorter (I listened to the audiobook) and still achieved the same things. There was a lot of focus on the pranks they pulled on each other, with several being detailed, but it would have been enough to illustrate a couple and then bring the story to its conclusion more succinctly.

Sweet, easy enough to read, but I feel no draw to read the rest of the series.

📖 Synopsis...

Holly owns the local holiday decor shop, but is unfortunately situated next door to very grumpy hardware store owner Declan. When Christmas rolls around, an unfortunate misunderstanding leads to a series of pranks which lead them to the realisation that they might have more in common than they realised.  

Format: Hardback

Publication Date: 28 August 2025

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

3/5 stars

Fresh off the back of re-reading The Illustrated Mum, I was excited to get stuck into Picture Imperfect and see where Dolphin, Star and Marigold ended up. What I got was a realistic look at how a traumatic childhood can impact an adult life. None of them had really escaped their background in the way I'd hoped they would - they were all still trapped by their circumstances by some degree. While this is probably truer to life, it meant that I didn't quite get the uplifting story that I'd hoped for.

As usual, the author captured the totality of the human experience in a very balanced way. Every single character had something likeable and something unlikeable about them. The only character that I liked the whole way through the book was Dr Gibbons - the world needs more doctor's like him!

I appreciated the story-telling in this one, but it didn't quite give me the sense of satisfaction I had anticipated.

📖 Synopsis...

Dolphin has spent most of her life looking after her mentally ill mother, and she's tired of putting everyone else above herself. Her lovely neighbour Lee offers her a glimpse of a different life, but she also feels the pull of her sister's request to nanny for her nephew, and the draw of irresistibly charming Joel. She has to decide if she is going to repeat old patterns, or create a new path for herself.

Format: Paperback

Publication Date: 1 March 2007

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

4/5 stars

With the publication of Picture Imperfect, I was determined to re-read The Illustrated Mum first. I remember being particularly attached to that book as a younger person, so I was excited for the adult follow-up.

The nostalgia was strong with this read, immediately bringing back to my childhood bedroom, reading on my bed full of cuddly toys and fairy lights. What I don't remember with that nostalgia is the depth of the subject matter in this book. I remember that Marigold was a very scatterbrained, irresponsible parent, but I was caught off guard by the level of neglect and mental health crisis that was addressed. I would imagine that it's because I'm now reading the same material through adult eyes. What I will say is that the subject matter felt well-handled in an age-appropriate way that didn't feel depressing.

Also reading things through adult eyes, I found it really interesting to see how my sympathies moved from Dolphin to Star with this re-read. I remember thinking that Star was really selfish as a child, because she left Dolphin behind and focused solely on what she wanted, but as an adult I can see that she was at a limit that no child should ever have to reach and felt really bad for her. On the flip side, I read Dolphin as very naive and overly stubborn this time around. I also saw Oliver as more important than I gave him credit for as a child.

I really enjoyed re-reading this and seeing it from a fresh perspective. It got me very in the mood for the sequel, as hoped.

📖 Synopsis...

Dolphin is her mum's biggest fan - Marigold is covered in amazing tattoos and she's super cool, but she's also a bit unreliable and needs more help than most mums. When Dolphin's older sister Star decides that she's done looking after Marigold and goes to live with her dad, Dolphin has to decide if she is capable of stepping up for her mum, or if it's time to ask someone for help.

Format: Audiobook / eBook

Publication Date: 23 September 2025

📖 Hot For Slayer by Ali Hazelwood

4/5 stars

Ethel has been in a cat-and-mouse game with vampire-hunter Lazlo for centuries, so when Lazlo loses all his memories in an attack, Ethel doesn't know what to do. She takes him in and they end up getting closer than expected, leading Ethel to have to choose what Lazlo really means to her.

This was a fun story, with a premise that I hadn't come across before. It was a good mix of sweet and spicy when it came to the romance. The world-building and characterisation was brilliant considering the length of the story, which feels obvious given the previous successes of the author. I didn't give this a higher rating is that I didn't feel a strong enough connection to either of the characters, therefore my investment in the story was lower.

📖 Falling by Christina Lauren

4/5 stars

Brigan has spent centuries using his charm and seductive powers to bring women to their knees in front of him, so when he stumbles across Cat at a party and she is able to resist his powers, he wonders if he's found the answer he's been looking for to break his curse.

The writing for this short story was incredibly engrossing, as expected from such world famous authors. They wrote an incredible charming and brooding MMC - perfect for this type of book. I also really enjoyed the curse element of the story for adding something different to an otherwise fairly standard vampire romance. My only hesitation for the story was that the romance was very immediate and fast-paced - I get that there was little choice for a book this length, but I still struggled with it a little.

📖 Space Vampire by Ruby Dixon

2/5 stars

Dana, a human slave, finds herself abandoned on an alien spaceship. Vlad is the genetically engineered vampire that everyone else on the ship was running away from when they left her behind. When they meet, they find themselves drawn together in unexpected ways.

Sadly for me, this book felt completely lacking in plot. The focus felt solely focused on the sexual relationship between the two characters and I found myself struggling to pay attention as it just felt like one sex scene after another. I'm no prude when it comes to my reading, but this felt a bit much even for me. The characters had some interesting elements to them, hence the 2 stars, but ultimately I didn't feel invested in their relationship or their conclusion.

📖 My Boyfriends Are All Monsters by Kimberley Lemming

3/5 stars

Lucy is looking for true love so hard that she decides to take a chance on wishing on a coin in a well. Little does she know that the well is connected to a town full of monsters, who all suddenly find themselves interested in Lucy. She has to decide how far she is willing to go for that true love she has been searching for so long.

The plot idea for this story was really fun, and I found myself enjoying the writing style as well. After reading three stories in this collection that were so firmly focused on the two main characters and no-one else, it was refreshing to see Lucy have interactions outside of the MMC. The monster sex scenes didn't really do it for me, but the characterisation did compensate for that somewhat.

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Publication Date: 6 November 2025

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

4/5 stars

This was a very cute and cozy romance with a beautiful setting and engaging lead characters.

It felt a little slow to start, but it picked up quick enough that I soon forgot my reservations. Sara's journey from stressed, overworked London lawyer to the relaxed, off-grid resort in Norway was a fun, heartwarming, reflective one, and something that inspired me to look for ways to relieve some of my own stress as I was reading.

The romance was sweet, and Henrik was a charming male lead, but I would have loved a bit more sizzle and spark in their chemistry.

I enjoyed this one - it gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling and encouraged me to look for quiet in my own life.

📖 Synopsis...

Sara is a stressed, overworked London lawyer on the verge of a breakdown, who uses her company-enforced holiday to visit a recommended Norwegian resort. Only it's a little more off-grid than she was expecting, and she's forced to confront nature and herself head-on, under the watchful eye of handsome resort manager, Henrik.

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Publication Date: 2 November 2025

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

2/5 stars

It was great to pick back up with familiar characters again at Highland Hall, especially when the first book in the series ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.

There was a time-jump in this book, with the year's passing finding us in a very different situation to the one we left. I found the relationship drama injected in this book to be unnecessary and somewhat disappointing. The indecision and back-and-forth on both characters' feelings was alright to begin with, but towards the end of the book, it felt repetitive and dragged out.

The lack of active romance, along with the lack of Fergus as a balancing voice hurt the narrative in my opinion, but what stung the most was how abruptly the story ended. I'm all for a bit of mystery to keep me coming back for the next in the series, but this gave me absolutely no sense of closure on a story I'd spent a few hours investing in and didn't work for me at all. I'll come back for book number three, but only because I need the conclusion.

📖 Synopsis...

Bex and Duncan decided that the distance between them just wasn't going to work, so when Bex is invited back up to Highland Hall to deal with Fergus's estate after his death, she's torn between wanting to respect his wishes and wanting to avoid bumping into Duncan again. Once there, not only does she have to face her ex, but she also has to face the fact that Fergus might have more secrets than any of them anticipated.

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Publication Date: 9 October 2025

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

3/5 stars

This was a sweet, slow-burn romance with decent chemistry. There was a lot of humour to be had, but also a lot of emotional drama to unpack. Both main characters were likeable, and the ending was suitably predictable for a story of this nature, without making the journey there boring.

I was a particular fan of Joel as a character. He has way too little time on page given the amount of comedic relief he bought when he was there. He may well be my favourite character of the whole story. On the flip side, I struggled somewhat with Elsie as a character - she felt like a cartoon villain at times and it really knocked me out of what I was reading.

I was also oddly struck by how open-ended the conclusion of the story was, given how much trauma had been addressed in the second half of the story - family dynamics, relationship struggles, trust issues and deceit - all of it was left fairly open to interpretation for the reader. This isn't something I'm used to seeing in something that has been (I think) designed as a comfort read.

Additionally, I was surprised by the lack of focus on the festive element of the story given that the book literally has Christmas in the name. Yes, the story was set at Christmas-time, but it didn't feel particularly celebratory in that sense.

Easy enough read, but didn't leave a long-lasting impression on me on this occasion.

📖 Synopsis...

Laura just wanted to rent Callum's apartment, but when his parents mistake her for his elusive girlfriend, she finds herself spending Christmas in the Scottish Highlands. While there, she takes on interesting family dynamics and finds out there may be more to Callum than meets the eye.

Format: Paperback

Publication Date: 5 June 2025

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

4/5 stars

This was a very fun, easy and light-hearted read, with great lead characters and an engaging plot. I enjoyed the banter and chemistry between Sophie and Dominic immensely - it had almost rom-com movie-type vibes. Sophie as an individual character was a very principled and self-assured lead, which gave her somewhat of an edge on other FMCs that I'm used to reading in Regency romances.

I resisted giving the book 5 stars because I found the miscommunication trope employed for the story to be a little too farfetched and jarring for me, and I also felt the ending was somewhat rushed given how much of a build there had been throughout the rest of the book.

Enjoyable experience and I am keen to read the other books in the series.

📖 Synopsis...

Sophie Fairfax is determined to marry for love, and recklessly makes a bet with well-known rake Lord Rotherby to that effect. Little does she know, that their paths are going to cross in more ways than one, and threaten their bet, her ideas on love, and their lives.

Format: Paperback

Publication Date: 27 May 2025

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

5/5 stars

Ali Hazelwood does it again... I love her writing!

I saw a lot of discussion online about the age gap in this book, so much so that I was a bit apprehensive about getting into it - I can confirm that the age gap was absolutely not an issue that hindered my reading experience. The back and forth banter between the two lead characters was so engaging, that the only reason I was aware of the age gap is because they kept talking about it. The development of their relationship was sweet and sexy and funny in equal measure and I loved it!

The story had a fantastically atmospheric setting for a destination wedding, and it was so lovely to see Eli and Rue again, having enjoyed their story in Not In Love a couple of years ago. As a random aside, I also really enjoyed the dog side of the story - something fun and different, but with a heartfelt tug.

I really struggled to put this one down if I'm being honest, I even avoided work to get it finished! A brilliant, engrossing romance.

📖 Synopsis...

Maya's brother, Eli, is getting married, meaning she can no longer avoid his very hot, considerably older, best friend Conor. The last time they spoke, it ended badly, and now they are forced together trying to find a new dynamic as they struggle through their obvious attraction to one another.

Format: Audiobook

Publication Date: 25 July 2024

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

2/5 stars

Having read The Geographer's Map To Romance not long before, I was curious to read the other book in this series. Sadly, it didn't meet the same highs as the previous one had for me, and I find myself glad I read the second book first, as I'm not sure I would have tried it if I'd read this first.

There was good banter between the FMC and MMC in this one, as in Geographer's; despite this, I didn't feel any investment in whether or not the characters actually got together. Both Beth and Devon as individuals didn't really resonate with me, which made for challenging reading.

The world building was decent and detailed, but didn't land with me personally. The magic was well-written in the sense that it didn't feel silly or unrealistic; however, I did find that the idea of magical birds just wasn't my cup of tea.

I was disappointed, as I had high hopes so fresh off the other book in this series, but this one just didn't grab my attention and I wasn't in any particular rush to finish it. I will give the new book in the series a try when it comes out next year, as in theory there is an upward trajectory in my engagement in the series, I just read them in the wrong order. This one just wasn't for me.

📖 Synopsis...

Professor Beth Pickering was on the verge of capturing a rare magical bird when she encounted Professor Devon Lockley - who stole her bird right in front of her. When they find themselves competing again, this time for Birder of the Year, they find out their only chance of success is to work together. Feathers and sparks fly as they race against time, danger and each other to find the bird, and potentially true love.

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Publication Date: 9 October 2025

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

3/5 stars

This was a fun, whistlestop tour through the history of Britain's monarchy; I'd never heard the rhyme the format was based on it, but it was nice to become familiar with it.

I particularly enjoyed the summary of what each monarch is remembered for at the start of each of their chapters, as well as the (at times comical) interpretation of how they died. It added levity right off the bat and made each chapter memorable. Despite having read several books of a similar nature in the past, I managed to learn a few new things from this one, which I really appreciated.

The writing felt a little clunky at times and I believe that, even though this was a whistlestop tour, some of the chapters could have been shorter and still shared the same information. To counterbalance some of this feeling, the illustrations felt well-timed throughout the book and enhanced the sense of fun.

📖 Synopsis...

Charlie Higson uses a rhyme that he was taught in school to give a whistlestop tour of England's monarchy, using illustrations and humour to help make things memorable.

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Publication Date: 9 October 2025

Author info: Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

3/5 stars

The premise of this book is endlessly fascinating. The idea that people can travel through time at will as long as they have the right clothes is so creative. I especially enjoyed the idea of time tailors and time cobblers living in a literal Pocket of time that acts as a hub for time travellers.

While I found it easy to get immersed in the world the author created, I didn't feel the same level of connection to the characters. They didn't grab my attention in the way I'd hoped they would, and I didn't feel particularly invested in their ending. They weren't poorly written characters, they just didn't reach me personally.

Enjoyable enough, nice quick read; a world I'd like to revisit, but maybe with different characters or in a way that filled some of the holes that were still left in the plot at the end of the story.

📖 Synopsis...

Calisto works in their grandmother's shop, providing costumes for the time travellers that pass through their hometown of Pocket. One day, they find Fawkes in their shop, and discover a world of peril and adventure. Calisto and Fawkes must work together, travelling through time, to save Pocket and its time travelling inhabitants.

Format: Audiobook

Publication Date: 10 April 2025

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

4/5 stars

Elodie and Gabriel were very endearing characters, both individually and together. Their chemistry was simultaneously electric and funny, with the fantastic sense of humour employed throughout the story serving to make the fantasy elements more digestible.

The author wrote in a very engaging way that made me want to keep reading as much as possible in one sitting, supported heavily by the very strong audiobook narration. This is further evidenced in the fact that I found myself bought into miscommunication trope; this is a trope I normally don't enjoy, but this one felt very well done and I ended up really liking it.

I didn't realise at the time that this was part of a series, so I will definitely be reading the other book.

📖 Synopsis...

Professor Elodie Tarrant is sent to investigate a magical eruption in a Welsh village. Unfortunately for her, so is her estranged husband, Professor Gabriel Tarrant. They have barely spoken since their wedding day and now they are being forced to resolve the magical issue before it spreads to London and brings the entire country into a state of ruin.

Format: Hardback (AfterLight Exclusive)

Publication Date: 13 February 2025

Author info: Instagram | Goodreads

💭 My thoughts...

5/5 stars

Turns out this book is worth all the hype it gets. It was a lovely tribute to Sleepless In Seattle, with enough of a nod to several aspects of the film that it felt familiar, while also providing it's own fresh take.

Aiden was a wonderfully relatable broken character with a strong desire to protect Lucie that made him very endearing. Lucie had a very stubborn strength about her that made perfect sense for her character, and was a lovely balance for Aiden's protectiveness. They were both very determined in their own way, which made for great chemistry. Their romance was the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.

In addition to loving both main characters, I absolutely adored Maya as a character. She was obviously the lynchpin of the whole story, but she was also a source of some brilliant comedic moments and provided some softness to the romance aspect. The other secondary characters in the story were also excellently written and gave no short amount of depth to the Heartstrings world.

The only gripe that I had with the book was that it felt slightly slower in the middle than I would have liked, but I still gave the book 5 stars, because the ending of the story more than made up for the brief blip of slower pacing.

Loved it, can't wait for the second in the series to come out next year.

📖 Synopsis...

Maya is a teenager with a single mum who decides to call into a local radio show that specialises in romance to discuss how lonely her mum is. The situation snowballs quickly, and her mum (Lucie) ends up on the hunt for a new boyfriend on said radio show with the help of host, Aiden. The course of true love never did run smooth though, and when Aiden gets more invested than he expected to, the hunt starts to go awry.