Shanaé's Reviews
All the reviews Shanaé has submitted for authors' ARC books.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lacey, a pediatric cardiologist, finds herself navigating new experiences and feelings after a marital betrayal. Lacey is quiet and has a habit of making herself smaller for others. I loved watching her begin to speak up for herself, learn new things about herself, and grow from them instead of withdrawing. Seeing her find her voice throughout the book was one of my favorite parts. Janice is loud, free, and completely in love with her best friend. She had me rooting for her one minute and shaking my head the next. Derek, an ex-special forces philanthropist, is used to seeing Lacey as his daughter’s doctor, but their relationship begins to shift. He is strict, dominant, and absolutely yum. The story is medium-paced and full of laughs, betrayal, self-discovery, and plenty of high spice. This book ends on a cliffhanger, and I need book two like now. Read If You Enjoy |
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⭐⭐⭐.✨ Frankie’s post college life is not going as expected. She finds herself back on her family’s land while trying to save enough money to get back on her own feet. Enter Cole, a rugged cowboy who moves next door and throws a wrench into her nonexistent plans. Frankie is a spunky FMC who provides plenty of hilarious moments throughout the story, especially through her banter with Cole. Cole is a rugged man with a past he is trying to deal with each day, and he is more than capable of handling Frankie and then some. Their banter is one of the best parts of the story. The story is medium-paced with a slow-burn romance, and the spice is minimal and not very descriptive. The overall story and side characters didn’t leave as much of an impression on me, but the chemistry and banter between Frankie and Cole are what kept me reading. Read If You Enjoy |
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Bound Beyond Law
(5 )
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is Book 2 in the Thornhaven Trilogy, and I recommend reading Book 1 first as this is a direct continuation of that story. Elowen, now queen, has to stand trial with Levin at her side against an ancient law that warrants her death because of the completed bond they share. Enter the four courts of the kingdom, each with its own leaders, rules, and way of doing things. It is rare that I rate both Book 1 and Book 2 five stars in a fantasy series because the first book usually leaves very little room for the next one to be just as good, but Marie Nightwell does an excellent job maintaining the intrigue of the first book. The plot picks up where the first book leaves off and introduces side characters from each court. Each one feels different from the others, which made the expanded world feel more interesting instead of overwhelming. I also really enjoyed watching the bond between Elowen and Levin continue to grow while the story introduced new characters, court dynamics, and developments along the way. The plot is slow-paced, just like Book 1, but it still keeps you invested. The court politics gave the story more depth, and the new developments kept it from feeling like a repeat of the first book. The spice is higher and more frequent in this book, but it never feels unnecessary, excessive, or out of place. Read If You Enjoy: |
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Drawn into the Dark
(4 )
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Psychologist Julian Cross is pulled into the dark world of Obscura and its centuries-old vampire owner, Victoria, when she discovers her powers don’t work on him. Obscura is the kind of story that takes its time, building its mystery piece by piece rather than rushing to give you answers. Victoria was easily the most intriguing part of the book for me. The unanswered questions around her and the pieces we slowly uncover kept me hooked. There are a few dry moments, but they never reached the point where I felt like putting the book down. There is also a steady tension between Julian and Victoria. They never quite cross that line, but you can feel that they want to. There is no notable spice in this one, but the tension between them is still there throughout. By the end, I was left wanting to know more about Victoria and where the story will go next. Read If You Enjoy |
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Bound by Conquest
(3 )
⭐⭐⭐.5 (3.5/5) This book exists in The Devil’s Bargain world, but you do not need to read that series first. The author does a good job separating the previous characters enough that you know they have a backstory without ever feeling like you missed something. Cassidy, a New Orleans Medical Examiner, finds herself at a crime scene where the body makes her question everything she knows. Enter Caelum, the Horseman of Conquest, sent with his brothers to restore balance to the world. An unexpected physical contact that saves Cassidy’s life also attaches hers to Caelum’s. The plot follows them as they attempt to solve the murders while navigating an ancient bond between them. It is similar to the prior series, so if you’ve read that, you’ll have an idea of what to expect. It doesn’t take away from their story too much, but there are definitely a few “oh, we’ve been here before” moments. The book is medium paced. The spice is a 3/5—descriptive in some instances and lacking in others. Overall, it was an entertaining read. I do feel like if I hadn’t read The Devil’s Canvas prior, I probably would have enjoyed this one much more. Read If You Enjoy: |
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⭐ 3.5/5 This was definitely a slow-burn read. The characters had some interesting moments and I enjoyed parts of their dynamic, though I personally didn’t feel quite as connected to them as I hoped I would. The plot had an intriguing setup and kept me curious about where the story was heading. Around the 60% mark, though, the momentum slowed down a bit for me, and some parts started to feel a little repetitive. I think I just wanted a bit more happening during that stretch to keep me fully invested. The pacing is on the slower side, which works well with the slow-burn romance, although there were a few moments where I found myself wishing things would move along a little faster. The spice was fine, but it wasn’t really a standout part of the book for me. I think I was hoping for a little more chemistry and intensity after such a gradual buildup. Overall, this was an interesting romantic suspense with a solid premise, even if a few elements didn’t completely land for me. Read if you enjoy: |
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⭐ 4/5 Between Floors was a quick, enjoyable read. The FMC had some neurodivergent tendencies that reminded me of a character from a previous read, but here they felt naturally woven into her character rather than overworked into the story. The MMC was just as entertaining as the FMC, especially once you realize just how much alike the two of them actually are. Their similarities made their dynamic even more fun to read. Since this is a novella, the story moves quickly and so does the relationship, but it worked because there was already a foundation between them. It never felt like the connection came completely out of nowhere. The spice was fitting for the story and well written, with enough heat to match the chemistry. Read if you enjoy: |
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⭐⭐ 2/5 This book might not have been for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work for someone else. I enjoyed the idea of following a married couple who have been together for 15 years and are still discovering new things about each other. Their chemistry was still very present, which I appreciated, especially with such an established relationship. For me, the story just didn’t hold my attention as much as I hoped it would. The frequent focus on the FMC’s neurodivergence also started to feel a little repetitive and sometimes overshadowed the relationship itself. There were parts of the married-couple dynamic I enjoyed, but overall this one just wasn’t the right fit for me. Read If You Enjoy |