DNF: Co-Wrecker by Meghan Quinn

 

Author: Meghan Quinn

Narrator: Dan Stevens

Title: Co-Wrecker 

Series: Binghamton #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Comedy

Format: Audiobook 

Published: March 17, 2017

Where I Got It: Audible

Summary: 

 What do ice cream and Sadie Montgomery have in common? They're both ice cold, but one taste is never enough.

I wanted to be friends — I would have even settled for her seeing me as anything but a nerd — but there was no getting through. So just like any hard-headed, red-blooded man out there, I made up my mind.

I’d make my coworker fall for me.

I’d like to say it was simple, but like every other epic love story, all it took was one drunken night and a lot of naked courage to get the girl. For a moment, at least.

Love with a coworker is never simple, especially since Sadie’s trying to keep us on the low. Not to mention her persistent ex-boyfriend who won’t leave her alone. But I’ve never been good at giving up, and I don’t plan to start now.

The whole thing is a recipe for a rocky road, but I plan to eat the whole gallon, no matter how bad the brain freeze.

Review:

Picked this up because a member of my Twitch community had redeemed a "Pick what Carole reads next" and they said to pick any Meghan Quinn book. I've read one Xmas book in the past (I think it was a short story) so I didn't mind trying another one. I randomly found this on Audible so why not? Free is free babbyyyyyy!

Sadly....I will need to pick a different Meghan Quinn book. There is potential in her writing! It's there I can feel it! However, this was NOT the one for me. 

DNF at about 25% of the book. I just couldn't do it anymore. 

*looks at other reviews on Goodreads* I think I might be in the minority here. Whoops. 

Sadie is a jerk. 

Andrew is a weirdo. 

The scene that really was the downfall for my enjoyment, was the scene when Sadie was training Andrew. RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM, Sadie was all "Yeah I have to train this annoying guy." Like...it wasn't that Andrew just overheard or walked in at an awkward moment. She said it RIGHT in front of him and not even whispering it. WOW. F off Sadie. 

Andrew fell and like motor boated her. Creepy weirdo. 

No thanks. 

Nothing about their behaviors were cute or funny. She needs therapy. He needs to realize he isn't funny or charming. 

DNF for me. 

I will try a different Meghan Quinn book. 

 Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #38

Audiobook Review: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Dan Stevens

Title: And Then There Were None

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Format: Audiobook 

Published: November 6, 1939

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

 Ten people, each with something to hide and something to fear, are invited to an isolated mansion on Indian Island by a host who, surprisingly, fails to appear. On the island they are cut off from everything but each other and the inescapable shadows of their own past lives. One by one, the guests share the darkest secrets of their wicked pasts. And one by one, they die… Which among them is the killer and will any of them survive?

Review:

Not sure how I didn't know about this one. I guess this is one of her popular ones? 

Ten people are brought together by a host who fails to appear. They are stranded on on this island in an isolated mansion. There is no escape. They are stranded with each other and with their wicked pasts. One by one...they die. Who among them is the killer? Will anyone survive to tell the tale?

Slow to start, but it was worth it. By the end you didn't want to stop. 

There are 10 people who all did something bad in the past. Some not so bad, but all bad pasts and it seems they are being punished by someone on the island. 

I had zero idea who and why. Is it one of them? Is there someone hiding and striking? I had no idea. 

The ending was really good and I actually gasped. 

The narrator did a good job. The voices all sounded very similar so I had to really pay attention. I think if I was to read this again one day (and I might) I may try an ebook or physical book. 

Overall, I'll give this 4 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): no one...they all were bad

Least Favorite Character(s): All 10 of them. 

 Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #37

- Cloak & Dagger #23

- Library Love #24

Book Review: Bananapants by Penny Reid

Author: Penny Reid

Title: Bananapants

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Humor

Format: ebook

Pages: 392

Published: August 6, 2024

Where I got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

Estranged childhood friends unexpectedly reunite under bizarre circumstances and bicker their way to love in this bonkers romantic comedy.

Ava Archer misses her best childhood friend most especially during the month of April. Ask any tax attorney, it's a lonely, grueling time of year. Luckily, Ava has just received a surprising and delectably absurd offer from her posh doppelgänger at work. She must pretend to be the aforementioned posh co-worker for one night at an extremely fancy party; a party so fancy, there exists absolutely no chance anyone will recognize her or suspect her ruse...

Desmond (Des) Sullivan is a thief. And not the heart-of-gold kind. He’s the steal-from-the-rich-and-give-to-the-also-rich-so-he-can-get-paid kind. He does, however, have one firm rule never steal what the target can’t afford to lose. After a brutal falling out with his father, Desmond hasn’t returned to Chicago in over ten years. But when a good friend is swindled and something priceless is stolen, Desmond must return home, both as himself and his thieving alter ego. Infiltrate a dangerous secret society of the world's most elite billionaires while leveraging his estranged father’s resources and not blowing his cover? Sure. No problem. Or it wouldn’t be a problem if Ava Archer hadn’t just walked into the room, wearing a ridiculous wig, speaking with a preposterous accent, and pretending (badly) to be someone she’s not.

Review:

I've had my eye on this since it released last year. I like Penny Reid and this seemed like a fun read!

Here we have Ava and Des. The two were childhood friends, but became estranged and stopped talking. Des is trying to infiltrate a dangerous secret society with the world's most elite billionaires. However, when Ava walks in the room with a bad wig and a bad accent.....he has to intervene. Ava was doing just fine pretending to be her posh co-worker. She still doesn't fully understand why her co-worker needs her to do this, but they look a like and Ava needs this. The reunite under these weird circumstances that will lead to adventure and love. If they don't bicker each other to death.

At first...I really enjoyed this. I was loving the banter and bickering. You could tell they cared about each other, but the past has a funny way of messing up the present. 

Also, I loved that we dealt with mental health in such a good way. It never felt like too much and it felt real. 

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut.....after page 100 (ish)....I just....was done. I skimmed my way through the remaining book. I just couldn't care. What is wrong with me??? Everything was set up nice. A good plot and some good characters. But it just didn't connect for me. 

Am I the problem? This is 2 books in a row that I yawned my way to the end. 

Am I in a slump?

Oh no. 

This just wasn't the book for me. 

2 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): eh

Least Favorite Character(s): meh

 Challenge(s):

- TBR #8 (Do the Hustle)

Book Review: Once Removed by Margaret Watson

Author: Margaret Watson

Title: Once Removed

Series: Blackhawk Security #2

Genre: Romantic suspense, Western

Format: ebook

Pages: 271 

Published: January 15, 2021

Where I got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

When Lainey becomes trapped in a burning building with her almost-divorced husband’s body, Brody rescues her just in time. And when she realizes the killer is now after her, she takes refuge at Brody’s Montana ranch.

Lainey and Brody have been fighting their attraction for years. But as the barriers between them fall, Lainey rescues Phoebe, a runaway teen, from the compound where her husband died. Now they’re forced to focus on Phoebe and an invisible threat.

Whoever murdered her husband has eyes on Lainey. Will their fragile new family survive a desperate predator? Can they protect Phoebe, identify the killer and find their happily ever after?

Review:

Picked this up as a freebie since it fit for a couple of reading challenges. I didn't realize it was part of a series, but it was fine without reading the first one. 

Here we follow Lainey and Brody. Lainey is trapped in a burning building with her almost-divorced husband's body. Brody rescues her just in time. They realize that there is a killer after her so Brody lets Lainey take refuge at his ranch until they can find the killer. They have been friends for a very long time. There has been an attraction over the years, but they never acted on them. But as the barriers start falling between them, they rescue a runaway teen that came from the same compund her husband died. Now they have more at stake to find the threat. 

This started out SO strong. I was enjoying the chemistry and the mystery. So suspensful all around. How will they cross that line into love AND who is this killer? It was so good. 

However....things fell apart about halfway. 

It just lost all steam for me. I literally felt myself trying to skim. I was over it. I can't even fully point at what made me start feeling meh about everything. Lainey and Brody were fine enough. Phoebe was okay. The romance sizzled out for me. I didn't feel their chemistry anymore. I just wanted the killer to be caught so I could be done. 

Eh.

Great start. Meh finish. 

2 stars from me. 

Favorite Character(s): No one

Least Favorite Character(s): The killer I guess?

 Challenge(s):

- Cloak & Dagger #21

- Romance Reading #20 (Romantic suspense)