This might come as a surprise or not, but if I was to ever write a romance novel, it won’t be like the ones I read. Famous writers have said that you write what you read and while I agree with that, I don’t think it completely applies to me.
I like reading dark romance novels, will I ever write one? Not if you pay me. I like reading taboo novels(don’t judge me for my guilty pleasures), but will I be caught writing one? When I get married to my celebrity crush— sadly, I don’t see Lee Dong Wook looking for a Nigerian sweetheart, but a girl can dream. Now, I love reading queer novels, will I ever write a queer novel? Definitely yes!
Is this something that resonates with you too? If you were to ever write a book, would you write the ones you read or not? Leave a comment.
Now, to the business of this blog post. In my last blog post, there were only 5 books. In this one, I leave the last five. I didn’t want to add a queer novel to the mix at first, but since romance knows no boundaries, I left the best for last.
1. Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey
Synopsis
A down-on-her-luck Napa heiress suggests a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience to a man she can’t stand… only to discover there’s a fine line between love and hate.
After losing her job and her fiancé in one fell swoop, Natalie Vos returned home to lick her wounds. A few months later, she’s sufficiently drowned her sorrows in cabernet and she’s ready to get back on her feet. She just needs her trust fund to finance her new business venture.
Unfortunately, the terms require she marry before she can have the money. And well, dumped, remember? But Natalie is desperate enough to propose to a man who makes her want to kill him–and kiss him, in equal measure.
August Cates may own a vineyard, but he doesn’t know jack about making wine. He’s determined to do his late best friend proud, no matter what it takes. Except his tasting room is empty, his wine is disgusting (seriously, he once saw someone gag), and his buddy’s legacy is circling the drain. No bank will give him the loan he needs to turn the business around… and then the gorgeous, feisty heiress knocks on his door. Natalie has haunted his dreams since the moment they met, but their sizzling chemistry immediately morphed into simmering insults.
Now, a quickie marriage could help them both. A sham wedding, a few weeks living under the same roof, and then they can go their separate ways–assuming they make it out alive. How hard could it be? There’s just one thing they didn’t account for: their unfortunate, unbearable, undeniable attraction.
It just hit me that I’ve never talked about the romantic goodness that is Tessa Bailey. In a future blog post for sure because I need to do justice to her writing. Tessa did something with Unfortunately Yours for sure. I don’t know if it’s the steam level or the hot, hot August Cates that’s the ultimate dream boyfriend, but this book was profoundly beautiful.
The writing style was glorious for one. It complimented the plot so well introducing our beautiful, but sassy Natalie Vos and a masculine dream boat, August Cates. This book contains the Enemies to Lovers and Fake marriage trope.
Natalie and August have a sort of push and pull relationship. Natalie thinks August is hot and might be awesome in bed, but he’s uncouth and has the talent of assuming the worst about her just because she comes from a rich family. August definitely wants to bed Natalie, but he thinks she should get over herself.
Natalie is going broke fast and the only way her father will release her inheritance is if she gets married, something she doesn’t quite see in her future just yet. August’s dream is to make the perfect wine, a dream that was passed on from his dead friend.
The problem is his wine isn’t even close to edible and he doesn’t have the funds to continue. He wants a loan from the bank, but they aren’t convinced well enough to actually loan him.
The both of them need each other and that’s when the contract happens: a fake marriage. The only thing is that with the orgasms, the stolen looks and closeness, it’s not much of a fake anymore.
This book made my top ten for a reason. I highly recommended.
2. The Nanny by Lana Ferguson
Synopsis
After losing her job and being on the brink of eviction, Cassie Evans finds herself with two choices: get a new job (and fast) or fire up her long-untouched OnlyFans account. But there are no jobs to be found, and as for OnlyFans. . . . Well, there are reasons she can’t go back. Just when all hope seems lost, an ad for a live-in nanny position seems the solution to all her problems. It’s almost too perfect—until she meets her would-be employer.
Aiden Reid, executive chef and DILF extraordinaire is far from the stuffy single dad Cassie was imagining. She is shocked when he tells her she’s the most qualified applicant he’s met in weeks, practically begging her to take the job. With hands that make her hindbrain howl and eyes that scream sex, the idea of living under the same roof as Aiden feels dangerous, but with no other option, she decides to stay with him and his adorably tenacious daughter, Sophie.
Cassie soon discovers that Aiden is not a stranger at all, but instead someone who is very familiar with her—or at least, her body. She finds herself at a loss for what to do, given that he doesn’t remember her. As their relationship heats to temperatures hotter than any kitchen Aiden has ever worked in, Cassie struggles with telling Aiden the truth, and the more terrifying possibility—losing the best chance at happiness she’s ever had.
First of all, I think I should read this book again.
I don’t remember much about the plot, but I posted it on my Instagram once so it means it was fire. The erotica, I remember very well. It made my legs shake is the review.
I mean, just look at the wonderful put together storyline. Woman is looking for job, man is looking for a live-in nanny for his daughter. Woman gets job, she bonds with the daughter. Woman was once an only fans performer and apparently, man was her biggest fan, but the both of them don’t know. The steam is downright amazing with the close proximity trope.
A 4/ 5. I recommend.
3. Death Is My BFF by Katarina Tonks
Synopsis
When Faith Williams almost loses her life during a robbery, Death is there. While he spares her soul, he makes a promise to return when she’s eighteen and collect it.
Now it’s the eve of that special birthday, and Faith has no recollection of that fateful day. But echoes of Death appear in her art―his intense eyes, his intriguing demeanor―and she can’t get him out of her head. When he arrives in person, Faith is drawn into an epic supernatural battle where her very existence is questioned at every turn.
To add angst to agony, she meets the infamous David Star at a Halloween party, and he begins to show an interest in her. He’s handsome, rich, ambitious, and every girl’s dream, but Faith doesn’t know if she can trust him.
As Faith learns more about who David really is, and as Death pushes harder for her soul, an ancient prophecy emerges. When she discovers the secrets that bind all three together… all hell breaks loose.
I have a review here of Death Is My BFF already, so if you want an in depth review or you haven’t read it, do well to check it out.
I’m no stranger to the Death Chronicles series and I’m aware that, largely, romance is a bit far from the plot of book 1, but I can’t help but say I’m such a fangirl for Death and Faith’s love story.
It’s how Death claimed he hated humans, but was always there when Faith was in danger(even if he was the danger sometimes) for me. It’s the first kiss they had. It’s how Faith had never stopped painting his green mismatched eyes that she never knew who it belonged to. This series right here has the potential I’m so badly waiting for. Death Is My Ride Or Die, please come soon.
4. It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Synopsis
Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar… in Washington.
Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face.
Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time. Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart.
Another Tessa Bailey’s book? You’ll find me there. This book was absolutely lovely even though it gave the Uptown girl meets Country man cliche. I like how Brendan didn’t like her at first, but couldn’t deny that he was attracted to the very woman he was repulsed by. I can’t deny the fact that he’s the epitome of fictional men written by women are better. Imagine what he said in this excerpt:
He found himself wanting to treat her to a day of her favorite things even more. “I’m taking you shopping, honey.”
“No.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No, Brendan. This isn’t necessary. I’d be just as happy watching them throw fish at Pike Place Market with you, and oh my God, I really mean that.” She snuggled in closer, her hand fisting in his flannel. “I really, actually do.”
“Piper.” He dropped his mouth to her ear. “Spoiling you makes my dick hard.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the exit. “Let’s go shopping!”
I mean… Isn’t it giving? Goals fr.
I wouldn’t say this is one of my favorites, but you can say it’s pretty good for a top ten. Personally, I loved Piper. I loved how she went from obsessing over her reputation and what the tabloids said to knowing where she belonged and not giving a hoot. That’s the main character growth I like to see. Piper needed to feel wanted, she needed a place she belonged to and Brendan didn’t disappoint one bit. It’s almost astonishing the acts of service he did for her. I recommend.
5. The Charm Offensive by Allison Cochrun
Synopsis
Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. But then the show casts disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw as its star.
Charlie is far from the romantic Prince Charming Ever After expects. He doesn’t believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, he’s a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, he’s cold, awkward, and emotionally closed-off.
As Dev fights to get Charlie to connect with the contestants on a whirlwind, worldwide tour, they begin to open up to each other, and Charlie realizes he has better chemistry with Dev than with any of his female co-stars. But even reality TV has a script, and in order to find to happily ever after, they’ll have to reconsider whose love story gets told.
Checking out the synopsis on Goodreads, I just realized that there’s a little sequel of Dev and Charlie on Christmas and that just happens to be the highlight of the season y’all!
If I should write a standard review of this book, y’all will understand why I say I don’t know how to write anything short. This is one of my best books of 2023 and it’s not exactly rocket science to guess why it is.
Dev and Charlie are two characters I hold closely to my heart, because there’s something to be said about the way people love, the way queer people love. In secret, hushed tones, tender touches and with a conscience. This book will warm your heart in every chapter.
And how mental health is widely featured? Amazing if you ask me. I related with Dev so well because I get how depression can be. How the will in your bones suddenly leaves and you’re left feeling like a complete mush.
There were so many events to keep the plot moving, but I think Allison Cochrun should realize that the main plot was the love between the two characters. It’s something I cannot completely get over. I will write an extensive review of this book one day so everyone will witness my enthusiasm.
Her writing was so fucking amazing and it’s what made the book so good. A 5/5 for me. Nothing’s coming close.
We’re finally done with the romance genre and frankly, I’m happy it’s done so we can move on to bigger things. The year is fast coming to an end and because of certain circumstances, I’ve been unable to meet deadlines. If you ever check out any of the books here, please let me know what you think.
I hope you enjoyed reading. If you did, tell your friends about The Girl Who Cried Poetry Blog. Remember, it’s only fun to gatekeep when I’m a mysterious, wealthy ass bitch.
See you soon!
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