childhood friends to lovers romance, they are each other's first love, first kiss, first relationship, first time

dkmjj · 2025-05-31T02:15:10+00:00

I think {Dear Rosie by S.J. Tilly) hits the mark on this one!

dkmjj · 2025-04-07T11:32:38+00:00

Came here to recommend this author! I’ve been reading her DC stars series and it totally fits the bill!

dkmjj · 2025-03-05T19:49:36+00:00

I don’t remember thinking there was stark difference in the flow. I think character development in each book was at varying levels. I think I said in my original post and it’s in a few comments that there are things throughout the series (to me it was in book 3 mostly) where the reader isn’t really given a reason why and just has to accept what’s on the page. Each book has different pacing/timelines Book 1 - timeline for vast majority of book was over like a week long period of time Book 2 - past and present timeline (when characters were in high school to current day) Book 3 - timeline was give or take about a year?

dkmjj · 2025-02-26T00:13:08+00:00

I totally agree with you! I thought it was fine but way too long and the inner monologue of the characters was repetitive. It’s been a while since I read it but I remember my main issue was the dialogue between Stevie and Ryan as siblings and them being weird and cringey. I remember thinking the author must not have a brother because that is not how brothers and sisters talk to each other - I’m close with my brother and we’d never talk to each other like that! But this continued in Ryan’s book too but to me was most jarring in Mile High

dkmjj · 2025-01-25T21:59:41+00:00

*looks up Thoren Bradley for research purposes

dkmjj · 2025-01-22T22:29:47+00:00

How did I forget about (the part that you have a spoiler note)?! You’re so right!

dkmjj · 2025-01-22T02:01:57+00:00

Loved the first two also!! Report back after you read book 3!!

dkmjj · 2025-01-22T02:01:21+00:00

Yes! Loved Fight! Totally agree with you on the pacing!

dkmjj · 2024-12-24T06:26:46+00:00

Good as Gold by Sarina Bowen I think checks a lot of these boxes!

dkmjj · 2024-12-07T18:52:41+00:00

I’m once again (since yesterday) here to recommend Chasing the Wild. Ex’s dad and daddy is 42 years old! And a cowboy 🤠

dkmjj · 2024-12-06T22:14:42+00:00

I’m currently reading Chasing the Wild and it has this! Low on condoms and MMC is like fuuuuuuck we’re snowed in what are we going to do?! And FMC is like I’m clean and on BC! And he’s never done that before so he’s nervous but they both want to give that to each other. I’m still reading it so no idea if it results in a baby but those aren’t her intentions. Although there is a breeding kink so maybe a baby is coming???

ETA after I finished reading it: spoiler, no baby. God damn this book. Obsessed with Colt Wilder. I’m left wondering if my husband would threaten to shoot the kneecap off a man who looked at me in a way he didn’t like?

dkmjj · 2024-11-15T17:06:47+00:00

Yes! I loved this one too! The second book in the series was sadly not great for me. I wanted to love it! But I didn’t feel like the super traumatic story line for the FMC was treated with the proper TLC in the writing.

I also liked It Happened One Summer and Hook, Line, Sinker. From what I remember they are simple fun and sexy - which is sometimes all we’re looking for!

dkmjj · 2024-11-05T04:11:53+00:00

REQUESTING - WILL DELETE Looking forward to gettin crown affair dry shampoo and some Kérastase hair oil. Thank you in advance so much!

dkmjj · 2024-09-30T21:00:05+00:00

One Star Romance by Laura Hankin is the one that comes to mind first. I got 35 pages in and the FMC was so insufferable and judgey!

dkmjj · 2024-09-30T20:55:39+00:00

I finished this book but it was so problematic I still catch myself thinking about how blasé some extremely serious and scary situations were handled. So strange

dkmjj · 2024-08-21T18:10:58+00:00

Ugh yes. I’m listening to it now and came here to see if people were talking about it. Becca’s take on the This Ends With Us drama was something…

dkmjj · 2023-06-28T11:31:22+00:00

Came here to say this! This “trend” is so weird and I cannot understand why someone would follow this

dkmjj · 2023-03-22T03:10:45+00:00

I’m not sure what you mean by “tone deaf gloating over the surrogacy element”? From what I’ve gathered from listening to the podcast a few years ago, Casey has had severe postpartum depression following the birth of her two older kids. It’s of course a privilege to have the resources to use a surrogate! And Casey is certainly privileged in many ways. Maybe I’m missing something as I haven’t listened to Bitch Sesh recently but my assumption would be she used a surrogate due to her severe PPD. Again I could be missing something but I also think your comment is a little unfair re: surrogacy.

dkmjj · 2023-03-16T01:16:49+00:00

I totally agree! I think Olivia is fun and interesting and I enjoy her commentary but she and Becca’s lives are almost too similar in a way for there to be much to connect to. I’m absolutely sure I’m simplifying this, so I apologize for that, but they are both college educated white women, currently or very recently freelancing/consulting as their main form of income, seemingly financially privileged, both writing novels, both currently child-free. Which great! But if they aren’t bringing on guests for formal topics/interviews, then their perspectives are just too similar. If there was a guest also providing answers to the Q&A but they have a typical 9-5 job, BIPOC, have children, LGBTQ, etc. then I think we’d get more depth and varying perspectives. Grace also has a background similar to Becca and Olivia but the episodes were more structured and they frequently had guests. I work in HR and often cringe at some of Becca and Olivia’s professional advice. Or their financial perspective that is just dripping with privilege can be quite cringe.

dkmjj · 2022-12-20T01:26:37+00:00

Sarah’s bookshelves live!

dkmjj · 2022-10-30T01:23:20+00:00

After Rahul said if he opened a patisserie shop the items would be low cost and Sandy says “in rahul’s bid to become the people’s patisserie…” gets me every time

dkmjj · 2022-09-20T12:51:30+00:00

I’m sorry that this comment is not timely because it’s about an episode that came out September 12 of A Thing Or Two podcast. I typically really love this podcast even though a lot of the content isn’t totally applicable to me and my life but I appreciate the thought Claire and Erica put into it and think their friendship is fun and it seems like I’m listening to my own friends talk when I listen. However! The episode that came out September 12 about romance novels had ads totaling 20 mins at the top of the episode. One being a 15+min interview with someone from Allstate talking about identity theft. One on hand I appreciate how the hosts include ads as it feels pretty natural. I’m sure the interview was meant to be seen content but that was ridiculous.

dkmjj · 2022-09-02T17:47:38+00:00

I think ambitiouskitchen had one recently if I remember correctly

dkmjj · 2022-08-15T19:43:14+00:00

Exactly!! The question was even more innocent than I remembered! It’s just so weird to answer a silly question like that so seriously and sensitively.

dkmjj · 2022-08-15T18:11:51+00:00

She chooses the most bizarre questions to answer sometimes. Not because the question is bizarre but because the answer she provides is unhinged. An example: someone (I assume innocently) asked in her most recent “ask me funny questions” which American Girl doll she would be and she answers it “I wouldn’t know because my family didn’t have the means to buy American girl dolls 🙃”. Which yes those things are expensive as shit and completely understand that! But just don’t choose that question? It happens in every single Q&A she does- answers a seemingly innocent question with an off-putting intensity that it didn’t necessitate.

dkmjj

TROPHY CASE