2-in-1 DNF: Icebreaker by Hannah Grace & The Dragon Prince of Alaska by Elva Birch

Author: Hannah Grace

Title: Icebreaker

Series: Maple Hills #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance, NA, Sports romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 464

Published: August 23, 2022

Where I got It: My shelf (Target)

Summary: 

Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA. It looks like everything is going according to plan when she gets a full scholarship to the University of California, Maple Hills, and lands a place on their competitive figure skating team.

Nothing will stand in her way, not even the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins.

Nate’s focus as team captain is on keeping his team on the ice. Which is tricky when a facilities mishap means they are forced to share a rink with the figure skating team—including Anastasia, who clearly can’t stand him.

But when Anastasia’s skating partner faces an uncertain future, she may have to look to Nate to take her shot.

Sparks fly, but Anastasia isn’t worried . . . because she could never like a hockey player, right?

Review:

This was on sale at Target and I had to have it. One, I've been meaning to read this and two, that cover? Ugh. Beautiful. 

Sadly, I just could not get through this. I wish I could since I spent money on it. The characters are meh. The story just didn't grab me. The dialogue? Well....it was.....interesting. 

All the parties!? I get it you're in college and you are young and hot and play sports. OKAY. 

I want to try this again someday because I loooooooooooooooooove the cover so much. Sadly....at this point.....DNF. 

Author: Elva Birch

Title: The Dragon Prince of Alaska

Series: Royal Dragons of Alaska #1

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy

Format: ebook

Pages: 262

Published: February 13, 2020

Where I got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

An unplanned promotion to princess!

Carina was just trying to advance to manager at her accounting firm. Instead, she uncovered the dirty secrets of a giant bank, got framed for murder, and fled the country. Now she’s hiding out in a van with a stray dog in the kingdom of Alaska…

...And a gorgeous park ranger is telling her that she’s his destiny (and also, camping illegally on royal land).

Before she knows it, she’s whisked off to a palace on the arm of a dragon shifter (!) prince and fitted for a crown...because she’s been chosen by an ancient magic spell to be the mate of the next king of Alaska.

As the youngest (and arguably most unsuitable) prince, Toren never thought that he would be tapped to rule, but he knows that Carina is worth the weight of his new duties. Now he’s just got to figure out how to be a king, and even more importantly, how to protect his queen-to-be from old enemies...and new foes who will stop at nothing to see Alaska fall.

Review:

A nice freebie on Amazon that sounded good. Plus...another pretty cover! Cute guy and I love what they did with the aurora borealis! Soooo coooooool!

Another one bites the dust. The story seemed fun enough, but I couldn't get past the writing style. It was so quick. So choppy. So......forced. Maybe if it was a short story I could be more forgiving. 

Maybe I'll put this up for the DNF 2nd chance one day. I do have book 2!

Sadly....I am shutting this one down for now. 

Blodeuedd's Monday: Laird of Misrule by Mary Wine

By: Mary Wine

Narrated by: Antony Ferguson

Series: The Enchanted Well, Book 1

Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins

Release date: 03-25-25

Publisher: Tantor Media

Categories: Historical romance

Recieved from tantor for a review

Wine sure does writing about bitchy women who tries to bully our heroine. It is not the first time.

I so disliked the lady of the manor. I wanted to slap her, sooo much. Ok backtrack.

Prudence is a puritan who ventures out to a Samhain fire. Her puritan dad would not like that. She meets a hot Scot and he helps her home. Because the party is getting wild and he is a gentleman.

In comes bitchy Lady of the Hay. Dugan is a bastard, and his father´s wife does not like that he is so respected. She fears for her own son. While Dugan does not really give an F about lairdship. So this horrid woman kidnaps Prudence and says it is for her own good because evil Dugan spoiled her and her family would have cast her out. Why you wonder, well the Scots hates the English and Prue is English so they will loose respect for Dugan when he has to marry her. Arghhh, it made me so mad! Prudence was so nice, Dugan was so nice. And many others were not.

But these two trust together will fall in love, and Prudence will show she is more than just a sweet girl.

I enjoyed it, and Anthony Ferguson is always a brilliant narrator. I like his Scottish accent and this is not my first Wine book by him. They are always fun to listen too.

Tonight, Dugan planned to make sure the little lass venturing out to peek at her future got what she was looking for.

One moonlit encounter. That was all it might ever be, and yet, Dugan discovered he craved more. Much more. At the end of the harvest, Samhain bonfires had been held under the moon for as long as anyone remembered. Were they sinful? Perhaps. But they were fun, and Dugan intended to give himself another chance to see the lass he’d encountered at the well.

Tonight though, he’d go so far as becoming the Laird of Misrule. The position came with a very pretty queen consort while the bonfire blazed.

Her mother warned her against indulging in impulses. But that didn’t stop Braylin from sneaking out to dance around the bonfire on the first night of Samhain. It was a chance to be free, if only for one stolen moment.

But fate has other ideas. Dugan is illegitimate, and his stepmother is determined to make sure he will never inherit the Hay lairdship. When the lady hears that Dugan has danced the night away with an English, a Puritan girl, it’s the perfect chance to ensure her own son inherits instead of Dugan. For if Lady Hay brings the English girl to Hay land, Dugan will have to wed her or see his honor tarnished.

Book Review: Twin Passions by Miriam Minger

Author: Miriam Minger

Title: Twin Passions

Series: Captive Brides Book #1

Genre: Historical Romance

Format: ebook

Pages: 406

Published: November 1, 1988

Where I got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

Anora finds her wedding plans suddenly shattered when she and her identical twin, tomboyish Gwendolyn, are kidnapped and taken aboard a Viking ship. While the handsome captain mistakes Gwendolyn for a boy and appoints her his servant, Anora captures his heart and he vows to have her. To preserve her sister's virtue, Gwendolyn initiates a dangerous game. Will the twins be rescued before Gwendolyn surrenders to her own passion?

Review:

This was a freebie on Amazon so why not?

Anora and Gwendolyn are kidnapped and taken aboard a Viking ship. While there the captain mistakes Gwendolyn for a boy and appoints her as his servant while he tries to capture the heart of Anora. Anora's heart belongs to another, so Gwendolyn will initiate a dangerous game. However, she can't help but be attracted to the dangerous Viking. Will rescue come before Gwendolyn loses her heart and surrenders to her own passion?

Bleh. Gah. I just could not get into this one. I doubt that Gwendolyn could keep the secret of her womanhood as long as she did. It's a small ship and the servants and soldiers would have noticed her. It's not a camp where she can skaddle off. Tight quarters and all. 

Also, our captain was a bit too blood thirsty and too alpha-y for my liking. Don't get me twisted. I love a good man's man, blood-thirsty male (*fans self*) but it rubbed me the wrong way. This is an 80s HR so the vibe is different I think. 

But yeah. Not for me, but I finished this because I wanted to see how it ended. Morbid curiosity? I'll admit I skimmed QUITE a bit during the middle bits to just get to the ending. 

2 stars from me. 

Audiobook Review: Playing for Keeps by Kendall Ryan

Author: Kendall Ryan

Narrator: Jason Clarke & Virginia Rose

Title: Playing for Keeps

Series: Hot Jocks #1

Genre: Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, New Adult

Format: Audiobook

Published:  August 13, 2019

Where I got It: My shelf (Audible) 

Summary: 

I've never been so stupid in my entire life.

Elise Parrish, my teammate's incredibly sweet and gorgeous younger sister, should have been off-limits, but my hockey stick didn't get the memo.

After our team won the championship, our flirting turned physical, and I took her to bed. Then shame sent her running the next morning from our catastrophic mistake.

She thinks I don't remember that night - but every detail is burned into my brain so deeply, I'll never forget. The feel of her in my arms, the soft whimpers of pleasure I coaxed from her perfect lips....

And now I've spent three months trying to get her out of my head, but I'm starting to understand she's the only girl I'll ever want.

I have one shot to show her I can be exactly what she needs, but Elise won't be easily convinced.

That's okay, because I'm good under pressure, and this time, I'm playing for keeps

Review:

Been needing some sport romance in my life. I still need to read more Football ones, but I'm a sucker for hockey lads. 

Okay so we have Elise and Justin. They have known each other since they were young. Justin is best friends with Elise's brother. Pretty much an adopted brother since his parent's had been divorced and had issues. Years later Justin is a player in more than one way. He plays for a beloved hockey team and he has no interest in love. He seen what happens when love sours. However, after a drunk night between Elise and Justin....things have changed forever. 

This was a nice read. The drama wasn't too high. Sure there was a bunch at first, but once they actually TALKED things got less muddy. Sure, complex because they are both scared of their feelings and they don't want to hurt Owen (Elise's bro). 

Lots of lust. Lots of love that is so obvious to us but it does take them a LONG while to accept that.

Dang man! Those hockey boys are def womanizers. At least they are honest with the puke bunnies that it is just a one night stand. I did get annoyed with how often this was brought up and discussed. Yes, I get it. Man-whores the lot of them. It got exhausting a teeny bit. 

The narrators did a wonderful job. Loved their voices. They were great. New to me, but I hope they do the rest of the series. Weeeee.

But yes, I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this. We actually had some character development and good communication. Loved it. Some repeatrtiveness, but still extremely enjoyable. 4 stars from me. 

 

- Favorite Character(s): Elise and Justin. Loved Becca too

- Least Favorite Character(s): The puke bunnies. 

 Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #13

- TBR #3 (Rizz prompt)

- Romance Reading #11 (Sports romance)