the time it was a mutiny {36}

Posted March 5, 2025 by Stacee in Reviews | 0 Comments

Hello, my pretties! Welcome to another edition of the mutiny.

What’s the mutiny you ask? Well, I have always said that I wasn’t going to become a review blog and yet, I’ve had this itch in the back of my head… so here we are. I’m waging a mutiny against myself and I’m going to do some mini reviews + feature upcoming reads I’m excited about.

For this specific edition, I’m going to share some of my favorite reads of January and February, so settle in!

Fan Service by Rosie Danan — 5★ — I loved Alex. She’s all crunchy exterior and secretly a gooey marshmallow. She’s insanely loyal and it was so enjoyable reading her as a MC. Devin is a bit down on himself, but really wants love and acceptance more than anything else. He means well (even if he’s being a jerk) and quickly learns that money isn’t everything. Part real life, part fantasy, part fandom, the story shifts between the lore of the show, the “is he/isn’t he” part of Devin being a werewolf, and the outcome of what happens next. The last few chapters were some of the best, but I especially loved the epilogue.

First Time Caller by BK Borison — 5★ — My review says: “Absolute perfection. No notes. (This is the best I can do at this time.)” I still stand by this…only to add that it’s one of my top ten of the year.

A Thousand Miles by Bridget Morrissey — 5★ — I love love loved Dee and Ben. They’re both so good and I loved reading them figure out how to navigate past hurts and future love. There are a few other characters, but this is definitely the Dee and Ben story. This is sort of a slow meandering filled with open conversations, fun roadside attractions, and sweetness. Athough I could have done with more pages of these two with their HEA.

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera — 5★ — I love love loved Aurora and Apollo. They’re both fiery, combative, and a bit arrogant (in the best ways). I loved reading their vague annoyance turn to chemistry to more. I especially loved how neither of them backed down from the hard stuff. And of course, it was lovely to see the Leonas all together. There are a couple of plot threads that wind together so deliciously and the last few chapters are absolutely wonderful. My main complaint is that I just wanted more, but that’s just me being greedy.

The Duke and Lady Scandal by Christy Carlyle — 5★ — I loved Alexandra and Ben. They’re both hardworking and good, but also lonely. They have an instant interest that organically morphs into more and I loved reading them work together to solve the case. Of course, I could have done with a bit more conversation between them as it didn’t quite feel like they actually knew that much about each other, but it was also easy to overlook. I enjoyed the different layers of the case and how each piece of it played the part. I can’t wait to see how the rest of the series plays out.

The Usual Family Mayhem by HelenKay Dimon — 5★ — I’ve been a fan of HelenKay’s rom/sus books, so there was no way I was going to miss this one. I love love loved this cast of characters. Kasey is chaotic and loving and it was a damn delight to be in her head. Jackson is steadfast and loyal. The ladies are exactly what you would expect from southern grandmothers: feisty, proper, and a lot of fun. Throw them all together and you have a wonderful and supportive family. This was exactly what I wanted at the time: low stakes, no angst, and enough chemistry to kill someone. I was constantly grinning while reading this story and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

Charmer by Brighton Walsh –5★ — This series has been extensively reworked and is being rereleased. I loved all four of the books when they came out and I’ve been devouring these new editions. For this, I’m combining my love for all of the books to say if you like small town romance with feisty ladies, steadfast guys, and a guaranteed HEA, look no further.

Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis — 5★ — This series was so much fun and this is my favorite of the three. I’m not going to give anything away because this story is deliciously layered and I want anyone who reads it to sit back and enjoy the twists and turns. Ada and Rian are so smart and have such great chemistry and I love reading them interact. More so her knowing exactly what he’s up to and him always being a step behind. I could easily read another million pages of these two.

Well, it’s been almost a year since I posted one of these… For once, I’m actually a bit ahead in review books and I don’t want to jinx it, so I’ll just say that I’m excited about a lot of upcoming releases and hopefully they’ll all be new favorites to be featured here. (And let’s hope it doesn’t take me another year to share them.)