Tag: Best of 2018

Best of 2018: The Authors

Posted January 5, 2019 by Rowena in Features | 4 Comments

Casee

I have a couple new-to-me authors on my list this year which makes me really happy. I’m so glad that I got out of my comfort zone. One author not on my list this year is Nalini Singh. That makes me really unhappy. She’s been on my list for years and years. It’s a sad state of affairs.

Ilona Andrews

2018 Releases: Magic Triumps, Diamond Fire, Iron and Magic

Ilona Andrews was my very favorite new-to-me author this year. I love this husband and wife writing duo. They pull you into the world you created and don’t spit you out until the very end. Usually I don’t like thinking about a book I’ve read for days after, but I didn’t mind with the Hidden Legacy series because I walked around with a smile on my face. I can’t wait to read more of their books.

Rebecca Zanetti

2018 Releases: Hidden, Vampire’s Faith, Winter Igniting

I’ve been reading Rebecca Zanetti for several years, but it wasn’t until I started reading the Scorpius Syndrome series that I really started to like her a lot. Then I read her Dark Protector series and I loved her. Her romantic suspense has also started getting better. I can’t wait to read what she comes out with this year. I’ve already read her first release of the year, but I can’t wait to see what else she releases.

Lexi Blake

2018 Releases: Memento Mori, Order of Protection, Close Cover, Nobody Does it Better

I’ve adored Lexi Blake since the day I read Ruthless. I’ve been hooked on her books ever since. I am in love with her sexy alpha heroes and just love the strong heroines she writes. She never shies away from a hard topic. She writes the best BDSM that I’ve ever read and I’ve read quite a bit in my day. She also co-wrote some of my favorite books of the year with Shayla Black. She is my hero.

Elle Kennedy

2018 Releases: The Chase

Elle Kennedy is on my list because I loved The Deal and I just love her books. I am bummed that she didn’t put out any new romantic suspense, but I’ll live. I also simply loved the Him series, written by Elle and Sarina Bowen. Those two are magic together. If they need to know if readers are interested in another collaboration, I say YASSS!
 

Lauren Layne

2018 Releases: Runaway Groom, Hot Asset, I Think I Love You, Hard Sell

Lauren Layne was a new-to-me author this year. Both Holly & Rowena seemed to enjoy her so I thought I would give her a try. I read her Oxford series and loved it. She writes books that can make you laugh one minute and cry the next. That is exactly the kind of author that I love. I am looking forward to going through her backlist this year.

 
Honorable Mentions: A few more authors that I really loved last year were Christine Feehan, Karen Rose, and Sarina Bowen.

Holly

I discovered some really great new-to-me authors in 2018. I binged on several and look forward to new releases from them in the coming year. I tried to keep my list to authors I discovered in 2018. Though I cheated a bit.

Lauren Blakely

2018 Releases: Unzipped, My Sexy Rival, Once Upon A Wild Fling, Once Upon A Real Good Time, Once Upon A Sure Thing, A Little Big Rock, Bigger Rock, The Real Deal, Come As You Are, Most Irresistible Guy, The Breakup Album, Most Likely To Score, Wanderlust, Part-Time Lover, Melt for Him, Unbreak My Heart, Consumed by You

I read some really great books by Lauren Blakely in 2018. Wanderlust and Part-Time Lover were two of my favorite reads for the year. She writes fun, flirty contemporary romances I couldn’t seem to get enough of. I think I spent the majority of October reading nothing but Blakely. I have zero regrets.

Anne Bishop

2018 Releases: Lake Silence

For years friends have been urging me to read Bishop, but for some reason I kept putting her off. I have the entire Black Jewels trilogy in my TBR, but I’ve never read it. I discovered The Others series while browsing for an audiobook and ended up binge-reading the entire series in about a week. It was so fabulous I couldn’t stop with just one. I plan to go through her entire backlist in 2019.

Ilona Andrews

2018 Releases: Magic Triumps, Diamond Fire, Iron and Magic

I actually started reading Ilona Andrews in 2017, but since I read and loved a number of their books in 2018, and reread so many more, they made the list. I so easily fall into Andrews’ stories, I feel like I never want to leave.

 

Suzanne Wright

2018 Releases: Shiver, Embers, Wild Hunger, Echoes of Fire

I rediscovered Suzanne Wright this year. I’d read some of her books previously, but I think it’s been 4 or 5 years. I really enjoyed falling back into the Phoenix Pack and Mercury Pack series. I look forward to seeing what she has in store for us in 2019.

 

Molly Harper

2018 Releases: How to Date Your Dragon, Love and Other Wild Things, Changeling, Peachy Flippin’ Keen, Ain’t She a Peach

I found Harper’s How to Date Your Dragon on Audible and fell in love with the story and the characters. I ended up reading and/or listening to a number of books after that. I love her humor and the way she writes her Southern Characters. I’m really looking forward to diving into her backlist in the new year.

Honorable Mentions: More 2018 authors I love include Lorraine Heath and K.F. Breene.

Rowena

I didn’t realize how many authors that I read and loved throughout the year. There are a lot so it was a lot harder for me to choose my top authors of the year. Here’s what I came up with, in no particular order. I loved all of these authors about the same.

Kennedy Ryan

2018 Releases: Long Shot, Block Shot, Hoops Holiday

I’ve only read two books by Kennedy Ryan but both books left me shook. I loved both books and though they were hard to read, I thought Kennedy Ryan did a fabulous job of pulling the reader through the emotional journey that her characters went through. I am so here for more of the goodness of her writing. I look forward to reading more from her in the coming year.

Maya Banks

2018 Releases: Linger, Wild, Songbird, Undone, Tempted, Wanted

I discovered Maya Banks for myself this year and I wanted to kick myself for waiting so long to read her. I really went through it while reading all of the books in the McCabe Trilogy and then again when I read the Montgomery-Armstrongs series. I thought the next book in the Montgomery-Armstrong series was coming out in February 2019 but it’s been pushed back to October 2019? Man, I hope that really does come out because I need to read that book. Maya Banks did me good this year and I’m looking forward to more.

Helen Hoang

2018 Releases: The Kiss Quotient

Helen Hoang’s debut The Kiss Quotient is probably my book of the year. It’s the book that I loved so much that I wanted everyone to read asap and it’s the book that I talked about the most with all of my book buddies, I even talked about it with my coworkers and my boss and my sisters. Everyone. I loved her writing style and am looking forward to The Bride Test in the new year.

Lauren Layne

2018 Releases: Runaway Groom, Hot Asset, I Think I Love You, Hard Sell

Lauren Layne has made it onto my top author’s list for the last couple of years and I’m happy to report that I still love her stuff. I still get giddily excited over new releases, new book news and just all things Lauren Layne. She writes my kind of books and in 2018, I loved the hell out of her books, her characters and just the way that she writes stories. She’s freaking great!
 

Christina Lauren

2018 Releases: Love and Other Words, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, My Favorite Half Night Stand

Christina Lauren was one of those writing duos that I’ve been meaning to read for years and years but never really got around to it. I read one book by them last year and enjoyed it then they fell off my radar but jumped right back on with the release of Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating. I have read two of the three books they released this year and enjoyed the heck out of them so they’re a memorable addition to my top authors of 2018.

Honorable Mentions: My honorable mentions for 2018 go to Sarina Bowen, Elle Kennedy, and Mariana Zapata. They’re all still killing the game for me.

Who were some of your favorite authors in 2018?

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Best of 2018: The Series

Posted January 4, 2019 by Rowena in Features | 2 Comments

Romance readers are no strangers to series. We follow along gleefully from book to book, meeting and loving each new character that we meet. Here on Book Binge, we read a lot of series and here are our favorites from 2018.

Casee

Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews: Holy shit though. This series blew all other series out of the water for me during 2018. I had no idea that I would love this series as much as I did. It was a combination of things that did it for me, but it was mostly Nevada. She was so kickass. Her love for her family was always front-and-center. She would do anything, sacrifice anything for her family. Adding Connor “Mad” Rogan into the Baylor family dynamic just makes for a good read.

Dark Protectors series by Rebecca Zanetti: This is one of those series that did it for me as a whole. There isn’t one book I can put my finger on that stood out. Well, there is one, but it was mostly all of them. The war between species also hooked me because, seriously, how can the humans be so fucking clueless? Would we be that clueless? Those are the things I ask myself as I’m reading. For real.

Us series by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy: Okay, there were only two books in this series before it continued into a different series (of which I have yet to read), but these two books? Wow. Just, wow. I’m serious. I don’t exactly read m/m romance on a regular basis, but I really like these two authors. I knew they wouldn’t let me down. I was right. This series was seriously amazing. It’s a love story between two people. You forget that you’re reading about two men. For the most part.

The Perfect Gentlemen by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake: I just had damn good luck with writing duos last year. Honestly, I am going to check out more duos this year. This series was rooted in a bond between five boys that went to the same boarding school. Their bond follows them all the way into adulthood where one of them became President of the United States and one of them was murdered. Now they’re all trying to figure out whodunit.

Scorpius Syndrome series by Rebecca Zanetti: Yes, I have two Zanetti series on this list, which I didn’t even realize. The post-apocalypse world that she has built here is fascinating to me. When will resources run out? Will people finally band fully together against the President because he’s completely psycho or will he finally get his hands on Lynn? Will someone finally be able to bring a baby to term? I love dystopian romance and this is really well written.

Holly

The Mercury Pack by Suzanne Wright: While I love the Phoenix Pack books, I prefer the Mercury Pack. I binge-read this series in December and fell all the way in love with the Mercury Pack wolves and their mates.

Mystic Bayou by Molly Harper: I just can’t say enough about this series. I listened to the audios and the town and characters really came to life. I loved the zany humor and sweet romances.

The Others by Anne Bishop: Bishop is a fabulous talent, and I feel like she really shines with this series. I was fully immersed in the Courtyard and the lives of those who inhabit it. Bishop tackles heavy issues like racism and abuse, yet does it so expertly I didn’t feel preached to – or at.

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor: This Sci-Fi series was so well drawn I felt like I was there with Binti as she struggled between what she felt she needed to be fulfilled vs the expectations of her family. The world-building was wonderful and Binti herself really pulled me in. I highly recommend the trilogy.

Sins for All Seasons by Lorraine Heath: I’m loving the humor, wit and romance in this series. Each book features an unconventional set of characters that really drew me in and made the stories come to life.

Honorable Mentions: Moonshadow by Thea Harrison, Kate Daniels and Hidden Legacy by Ilona Andrews and Southern Eclectic by Molly Haper.

Rowena

Sins for All Seasons series by Lorraine Heath: This is probably the one series from 2018 that my entire book club agreed on. We read the first two books throughout this year and everyone loved both books. I’m very much looking forward to seeing where Lorraine Heath takes this series and I can’t wait to dig into my eARC of The Scoundrel in Her Bed.

Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews: Every single book in this series is off the hook good. I adore pretty much everything from Nevada, Connor, Nevada’s family and all of the shenanigans that she gets into with Connor and then there’s all of the action she sees on her assignments? Love this series!

Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs: Thanks to Holly, I picked this series up again this year and made some steady progress on it too. I am loving all things Mercy and Adam, and just Mercy in general. I love how she tries to mind her own business but keeps getting swept up in drama that’s not hers. I loved her attitude, her fierce determination to make it on her own and I love the people she surrounds herself with. I need to finish this series out and I will, I need to know about Adam’s ex trying to mess with him and Mercy’s relationship.

The Kiss Quotient series by Helen Hoang: I completely adored this book and loved seeing Stella and Michael come together in love. I can’t wait to get to know Michael’s cousin in the next book in this series. I’m so freaking anxious.

The McCabe Trilogy by Maya Banks: I had never read anything by Maya Banks until this past year and holy cow, her books are packed with drama and emotions and just everything. This series, in particular, made me super happy but then the characters made me want to cut a bitch and then I ugly cried in the end in every single book. This series is great!

Honorable Mentions: The Girl Meets Duke series by Tessa Dare, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series by Jenny Han, and the Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs.

What were some of your favorite series that you read in 2018?

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Best of 2018: The Heroes

Posted January 3, 2019 by Rowena in Features | 2 Comments

Casee

Connor “Mad” Rogan from the Hidden Legacy Series by Ilona Andrews: Holy crap. Come to mama. Rogan was so unpredictable. Maybe one of the most unpredictable heroes that I have ever read. You never knew what he was going to do next. What you did know was that he would protect Nevada at all costs. He was literally quite mad. He would do things that had you raising your eyebrows one minute then laughing your ass off the next minute. It was hard to keep up at times. That’s why he was so lovable. You never knew what you were going to get. What you did know is that he loved Nevada.

Jamie Canning from the Him series by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy: I adored Jamie. He thought he was straight his entire life. Until he came back into contact with his best friend, Ryan Wesley. Then he realized that it wasn’t just black and white. Straight or gay. It was about who you loved. He was such a strong character. He didn’t back away from what people thought about him being gay. He didn’t like being in the closet with Wes because of his career. He wanted to show his feelings openly for the man he loved. He was just amazing.

Raphael from the Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh: It’s not a secret that I was not a fan of Archangel’s Prophecy. However, I am still a fan of Raphael. He is so devoted to Elena, even when it becomes apparent that she’s ill. He doesn’t care if she’s not immortal, he will stand by her side. Die with her if he has to. His complete and utter devotion to Elena is only one reason I love Raphael so much and why I want him for my very own.

Jude from the True North series by Sarina Bowen: I wasn’t a huge fan of Jude in Bittersweet which is the first book in the series. It wasn’t that I didn’t like him. I just didn’t have feelings one way or the other. I wasn’t super excited for his book. I should have been. I love Jude. So much so that I know he deserved a better heroine than Sophie. He deserved someone who accepted him for who he was. He was an addict that fought every day to be sober. He was so heroic in his fight. He was so honest with himself that it was heartbreaking to read. It is impossible not to fall for Jude.

Greyson Storm from the Scorpius Syndrome series by Rebecca Zanetti: In a post-apocalypse world, Greyson Storm is King of Santa Barbara and the coast of what remains of California. He’s not called a King, but that’s what he is. He’s ruthless when it comes to the safety of his people. There are no second chances. If you bring harm to anyone that Grey is responsible, even if you are one of those people, action is swift. He is a predator, but also a protector.

Honorable Mentions: I also loved Michael Phan from The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang, Lincoln Mathis from the Oxford series by Lauren Layne, Ryan Wesley from the Him series by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy, and Zane Kyllwood from Marked by Rebecca Zanetti.

Holly

Christian Ellison from Part-Time Lover (Part-Time Lover #2) by Lauren Blakely: I really loved how self-assured Christian was. He was comfortable in his own skin and unafraid to put himself out there. The way he was with his family and his heroine really melted me.

Garrett Daniels from Getting Schooled (Getting Some #1) by Emma Chase: Something about Garrett’s sense of humor and how he was with his kids (he’s a high school teacher) just really worked for me. I loved watching him reconnect with his high school sweetheart.

Ethan Ransom from Hello Stranger (The Ravenels #4) by Lisa Kleypas: Ransom was everything for me. He was so sweet and caring. The things he said and did for Garett? Swoon.

Trick Hardy from Wild Hunger (Phoenix Pack #7) by Suzanne Wright: I loved how determined Trick was to find his mate and how open to the bond he was. I also really liked how patient and understanding he was with her. He didn’t push her to give more than she could. It was sweet and pretty adorable. But he was still a badass.

Bael Boone from How to Date Your Dragon (Mystic Bayou #1) by Molly Harper: Oh man, I love this dragon so much. He was so clueless about women and so freaking adorable I just couldn’t help myself.

Honorable Mentions: I really loved Hugh d’Ambray from Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews, Reid Campbell from My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren and Michael Phan from The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang.

Rowena

Michael Phan from The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang: I really loved Michael Phan. The lengths he went to take care of his family. The amount of patience and then love that he had and felt toward Stella. The way that he loved Stella exactly as she is and not how everyone thinks she should be, accepted and loved the quirky parts of Stella’s personality was just freaking great. Oh man, I adored this man so much.

Connor “Mad” Rogan from the Hidden Legacy Series by Ilona Andrews: Meeting Connor Rogan and then finding out just how crazy he was had me laughing one minute and swooning the next. He’s arrogant and a bit of an alpha-hole but holy crap did all of that work for me. There’s one scene that had me cracking up so much when I first read Burn for Me and it’s the scene where Connor is laughing his head off at Nevada when she tells him about Augustine Montgomery and he’s like, “We used to call him Pancakes in college.” Haha, I have no idea why that scene was so freaking funny to me but it was and it cemented my love of all things Mad Rogan.

August West from Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan: I have been wanting a basketball romance for many, many months now (dare I say years?) because I wanted to marry my love of romance novels with my love of basketball and thanks to Kennedy Ryan, I now have August West. I loved getting to know him and seeing his love for Iris really shine through every missed opportunity and every road block that fell in their way. Gosh, he was seriously the best and he was even better because he played basketball and told Iris that if she were his, he’d play her at the 5 because she’d be the center of his world. Awwwwww….

Nate Kattenberger from Brooklynaire by Sarina Bowen: Nate is a huge nerd who is richer than rich and he’s got the biggest crush on his assistant. I loved the way that Sarina Bowen handled Nate’s character. I loved that he was just as awkward in his book (4 books into the series) as he was when we first met him. That he was still a huge nerd and that didn’t change when he’s front and center. I loved how he loved Becca and his story just gave me all the feels. He’s just so freaking great.

Josh Im from Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren: Oh, Josh. I freaking loved Josh’s character. I loved his book and seeing him fall in love with his best friend. From beginning to end, I loved that Josh accepted Hazel as she was and was pissed when people would try to change her. I loved how patient he was with Hazel and how different he was from her. He did all of the little things for Hazel that I just loved to death and he seriously stood out from a lot of the heroes that I read this year. I freaking love him.

Honorable Mentions: I really loved Matt Cannon from Hard Sell by Lauren Layne, Peter Kavinsky from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series by Jenny Han, and Morgan MacKinnon from Untamed by Pamela Clare. They were all great heroes too.

So there’s our list of our favorite heroes of the year. What were some of your favorite heroes that you read about in 2018?

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Best of 2018: The Heroines

Posted January 2, 2019 by Rowena in Features | 2 Comments

Casee

Nevada Baylor from the Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrew: Nevada was by far my favorite heroine of the year. She is in my top five heroines of all-time. I love her independence and her love for her family. I love that she can love Rogan and remain true to herself. She isn’t content to sit back and let Rogan protect her although he’s certainly able to do so. She is able to teach him that they can be true partners. She has a strength in her that I’ve only ever seen in Elena Deveraux.

Elena Deveraux from the Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh: Speaking of Elena Deveraux. Although Archangel’s Prophecy wasn’t my favorite book, Elena will continue to be one of my favorite heroines. She has a fierce need in her to protect her family and Raphael. Raphael is an archangel. Even with his almost limitless power, Elena will still protect him as he protects her. She’s amazing.

Daisy Sinclair from the Someone Like You by Lauren Layne: I loved Daisy from the beginning. She immediately sees through Lincoln, but she never pushes him for more. She becomes his friend before his lover. She sees that he’s damaged and just never asks for more. She’s damaged in her own right and has healing to do. I loved how she handled Lincoln. I loved how strong she was. She was the perfect heroine for him.

Lana Anderson from Seduction in Session by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake: I honestly did not expect to like Lana as much as I did. She seemed like such a dingbat at first. She fell in love with someone she met online. Or thought she did. She was a vegan loving PETA member that rescued animals. But she was smarter than she seemed. She didn’t take any of Connor’s crap. When she found out who he really was, she was devastated, but she remained strong. Even with her mushy heart, she was a strong woman. I loved her.

Stella Lane from The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang: Stella, Stella, Stella. She was the most matter-of-fact heroine that I have ever read. What you see is what you get with Stella. When she wants to be taught sex, she goes out and finds someone to teach her. When she falls in love with her teacher, she tells him. She was so refreshing. I really enjoyed her, far more than I thought ever would.

Holly

Penny Bristol (Magical Mayhem #1) from Natural Witch by K.F. Breene: Penny is such an unexpectedly, self-aware, strong heroine I couldn’t help but love her. Her strength and loyalty really shone through and made her a stand-out heroine this year.

Dr. Katherine Shaw from Lionheart (Moonshadow #3) by Thea Harrison: This is a woman who is comfortable in her skin and unafraid to fight for what she believes in. Her quiet self-assurance really pulled me in. She didn’t play games or start drama, she just did what she needed to do. She made the book for me.

Madisyn Drake from Echoes of Fire (Mercury Pack #4) by Suzanne Wright: Madisyn is a cat shifter surrounded by wolves. She didn’t back down from a challenge and fought for what she believed in. I liked that she didn’t shy away from danger, and her sneaky anger made me cheer more than once.

Gilene from Phoenix Unbound (Fallen Empire #1) by Grace Draven: Gilene’s inner strength allowed her to suffer tortures beyond belief year after year. I loved her sense of family and her determination to do what was right, no matter how difficult.

Meg Corbyn from The Others series by Anne Bishop: Meg spent her life being abuse in capitvity, but she never let that stop her from fighting for a future for herself and others. Watching her grow and strengthen over the course of the series was so wonderful and touching. I couldn’t help but admire her.

Honorable Mentions: I actually read a lot of really great heroines in 2018. Here a few I didn’t list, but still loved. Elena Deveraux from the Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh, Kate Daniels from the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, Stella Lane from The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang.

Rowena

Stella Lane from The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang: I love, love, loved Stella Lane. I thought she was smart, strong, and super funny. She was witty too and that made reading her story, getting to know her and see her interact with the hero and the people in her world so interesting. She’s a high functioning autistic heroine that just rocked my socks. I need more Stella Lane heroines, please!

Iris DuPree from Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan: I think of all the heroines that I read about this year, Iris DuPree’s story was the one that hit me the most. The crap that she went through in her relationship before she gets with the hero of her book was just heartbreaking. She’s a survivor and straight up gangster. Such a strong heroine and when she finally gets her happily ever after, I cheered so much. She was great.

Nevada Baylor from the Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews: Nevada Baylor rocked my socks off in 2018. I read Burn for Me twice, made my book club read it and loved it both times that I read it. I still go back and read some of my favorite parts of the series too. Nevada is all kinds of kickass and just all around fantabulous!

Mercy Thompson from the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs: Mercy continued to shine for me in 2018. I think I was much more invested in what she was going through this year than last year and I loved her to pieces last year. My love for all things Mercy is stronger than ever and I can’t wait to catch up on all of the books.

Rionna McDonald from Never Love a Highlander by Maya Banks: Rionna McDonald was a gee. She was engaged to all three of the McCabe brothers and ends up married to the most ornery of the lot. She was a tomboy who trained with her father’s men and ran things because her father was too busy being a bad person. Seeing how the past and the way that she grew up, shaped the woman she becomes hit me right in my feels. The way she protected Keelie and then the lengths she went through to save Caelen? Yeah, this woman was the bomb and definitely one of my top heroines of the year.

Honorable Mentions: Special shout outs to the following heroines who rocked my socks too. Lady Felicity Faircloth from Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean, Alex Mountbatten from The Governess Game by Tessa Dare, and Keelie McDonald from Seduction of a Highland Lass by Maya Banks.

Who were your favorite heroines of 2018?

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Best of 2018: The Books

Posted January 1, 2019 by Rowena in Features | 5 Comments

The end of 2018 is here and with it comes a lot of reflection. Reflecting on goals, accomplishments, failures and if you’re a reader like us? Reflecting on all of the books that we read last year. Here are our top 5 books of 2018.

Casee

The Deal (Off-Campus #1) by Elle Kennedy: This was one of Rowena’s picks for me from the Summer Reading Challenge. I loved Elle Kennedy before this book. I was a little skeptical going into this book because of the first person thing. I needn’t have worried because this book was amazing. I loved Garrett Graham. I loved Hannah. They were such an unlikely couple, which is what made them so perfect for each other. It sounds really cliché, but the whole book was just fantastic.

White Hot (Hidden Legacy #2) by Ilona Andrews: White Hot is book two in Andrews Hidden Legacy series. Burn for Me is book one and was another of Rowena’s picks for me in the Summer Reading Challenge (she really did amazing, huh?). This book showed the growth between Nevada and Rogan, but also showed that Nevada was going to continue to be an independent woman. It also moved the storyline along about who was trying to take over Houston. I loved it.

Us (Him #2) by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy: I love this writing team. I loved this series. This is book two in the Him series. Jamie and Wes are amazing. I loved the two of them. Although it is a m/m romance, it was a love story, just like a m/f romance. They had the same problems that any other couple had. I just adored these two.

Seduction in Session (The Perfect Gentlemen #2) by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake: I love these two authors individually, but together? They are dynamite. I had been wanting to read this series for some time, but for some reason I didn’t pick it up. I have no idea why. This book is book two in their Perfect Gentlemen series. I loved it. I loved everything about Connor and Lara. They were so opposite that they were perfect for each other (another cliché, but it worked).

Wildfire (Hidden Legacy #3) by Ilona Andrews: Yes, I have two Ilona Andrews books on this list. How can they not be? Each book in this series got successively better with the (mostly) conclusion of Nevada and Rogan’s story in Wildfire. I loved everything about this book. I had not one complaint. From the beginning to the end, I loved it. You cannot not love this book and these two characters. It’s impossible.

Holly

Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely: Part of the reason I loved this may have been because Richard Armitage narrated the audiobook and he was amazing to listen to. Though, apart from his voice, I did love the overall story. Joy and Griffin coming together in Paris was both romantic and sexy. This was a really cute story. I loved the premise and the way their friendship developed over time.

Getting Schooled by Emma Chase: I absolutely loved this reunited lovers story. I really liked the maturity of both main characters, and how quickly they settled back into each other once they were reunited. There was some bathroom humor, and the overall tone of the story was light, but I really enjoyed the romance, and the small New Jersey town. All the characters really came to life.

Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews: Hugh was a character I loved to hate throughout the Kate Daniels series. I wasn’t sure if I’d end up falling all the way in love with him. As they come to know each other and learn to rely on one another, I found myself swept up in their story and the fight they find themselves in to protect their territory. I really hope the series continues. I’d love to see more from them.

How to Date Your Dragon by Molly Harper: I enjoyed Bael and Jillian’s romance, as well as the town of Mystic Bayou. The inhabitants of the town were so fun and quirky I couldn’t help but love them. Bael’s surprise and ignorance over how to court Jillian was hilarious, and I like that she was the one who wanted to keep things casual. There were several times I laughed out loud, and a couple times my heart just melted.

Wild Hunger by Suzanne Wright: This may be my favorite of the Phoenix Pack books. I loved how determined Trick was to find his mate and how open to the bond he was. I also really liked how patient and understanding he was with Frankie. He didn’t push her to give more than she could. It was sweet. I also liked how little drama there was in their coming together. They took their time getting to know each other, but they both accepted that they were mates right away.

Honarable Mentions: Beyond Scandal and Desire by Lorraine Heath and Lionheart by Thea Harrison.

Rowena

The Kiss Quotient (The Kiss Quotient #1) by Helen Hoang: This book is probably the book that I pimped out the most. I made all of my friends read it, or at least I really nagged them to. I got Casee and Holly to read it and they both enjoyed it so that made me happy. For me, this book was perfection. The hero, the heroine, their romance, all of it. There wasn’t anything that didn’t work for me and I am on pins and needles waiting for the next book in this series to come out.

Josh & Hazel Guide’s to Not Dating by Christina Lauren: I hesitated for a bit going into the reading of this book because there were mixed reviews all over blogland. The majority of the reviews that I was reading were not favorable. A lot of people were not on board with the heroine. She was too much, they said. When I finally forced myself to get this book read, I was surprised at how much I loved everything about this book. I didn’t hate the heroine the way that everyone else did but boy did I hella love the hero. Josh Im is where it’s at.

Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy #1) by Ilona Andrews: I read this for a buddy review with Ames and I was not expecting how much joy this book would bring to me. I read this book so fast, stayed up so late and just laughed the night away because Nevada Baylor is everything! You put her and Mad Rogan together and they made the perfect pair to me. Just fabulous read all over.

Hard Sell (21 Wall Street #2) by Lauren Layne: Lauren Layne continues to shine with her big city contemporary romances. I enjoyed the first book in this series, Hard Asset, but not nearly as much as I loved this one. Matt Cannon and Sabrina Carpenter are couples goals and their story was steamy, funny, and just freaking good.

Long Shot (Hoops #1) by Kennedy Ryan: This book made me cry buckets. It’s not an easy read by any means but holy cow was I wrapped up in August and Iris’ world and their stories. The missed opportunities, everything that Iris lives through and the emotional journey they both take to get to each other was just…everything. This book gets so much love from me because the emotional journey pays off so much in the end. Love!

Now it’s your turn. What were your favorite reads of 2018?

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