The Mouse Kingdom Blog

Category: Mouse’s Book Reviews

  • Book Review of Baby for my Best Friend’s Brother By Annie J. Rose

    I need to state before getting into this review that I was given this book through Booksprout. Now that has been stated, I can now get into the book review. There are going to be spoilers in this review. 

    I really enjoyed this book. From the very beginning, I was pulled into Quinn’s story and everything she was going through. Watching her try to escape her manipulative and abusive manager had me instantly invested, and I loved seeing her return home and lean on the people who truly cared about her.

    I really liked Callum too. He’s carrying so much heartbreak after losing his wife, and I thought his character had a lot of depth. I loved how both he and Quinn had emotional baggage, but instead of it feeling overwhelming, I felt like it made their connection even more meaningful. I really enjoyed watching them slowly help each other heal.

    Their chemistry was definitely there from the start, and once Quinn moved in with Callum for safety, I was completely hooked. I loved the mix of romance, danger, healing, family, friendship, and emotional growth. Jason was such a slimy character, and I was so ready to see Quinn finally break free from him.

    I will say I was a little disappointed there wasn’t really a secret baby trope like I expected, but I still really enjoyed the story overall. For me, the characters, the emotions, and the healing journey made this a very entertaining and heartfelt read that kept my attention all the way through.

    Now for the star ratings I’m giving this book.
    I’m giving this book an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
    The story is getting a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
    The writing style is getting a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
    The spicy level is getting a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
    The spicy rating would be a 4 according to romance.io stem rating guide.

    Links
    Amazon
    Goodreads

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  • Book Review of Grumpy Billionaire’s Fake Date by Katie Chance

    I need to state before getting into this review that I was given this book through Booksprout. Now that has been stated, I can now get into the book review. There are going to be spoilers in this review. This is an ARC copy.

    This book had me staying up way too late just to keep reading about Roman and Sage. From the start, I was completely hooked. I was smiling nonstop, and the chemistry between these two was so strong.

    Sage is such a strong female lead. She’s established in her community, fiercely protective of what she’s built, and absolutely not about to let some billionaire CEO come in and make life-changing decisions without a fight. Roman, on the other hand, is the classic hyper-focused billionaire who is controlled, work-driven, and all about spreadsheets and bottom lines. So of course, sparks fly.

    I really enjoyed the dynamic between them. They come from totally different worlds. Sage is a small business owner just trying to hold onto what matters, while Roman is trying to redevelop the very neighborhood her business is in. Their attraction builds quickly, and while the fake dating trope didn’t last long (and honestly didn’t really need to), I still loved watching Roman slowly open up and turn into a total golden retriever for Sage.

    Overall, this was a cute, steamy, and very enjoyable romance with phenomenal characters, plenty of tension, and an ending I didn’t expect but was still really happy with.

    Now for the star ratings I’m giving this book.
    I’m giving this book an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
    The story is getting a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
    The writing style is getting a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
    The spicy level is getting a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
    The spicy rating would be a 3 or 4 according to romance.io stem rating guide. I’m taking a guess on what the rating would be as this book just came out yet.

    Links
    Amazon
    Goodreads

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  • Book Review of The Ink That Remembers by Cecily Vane.

    I need to state before getting into this review that I was given this book through BookSirens. Now that has been stated, I can now get into the book review. There are going to be spoilers in this review. This is an ARC copy.

    The Ink That Remembers is definitely a unique read and unlike a lot of the paranormal romances I usually pick up. It leans much more atmospheric and literary, with a gothic mystery feel, a haunted house setting, and an immortal love interest that slowly unfolds over the course of the story.

    The book follows Nell, a rare-book cataloguer who inherits her great-aunt’s estate on the Maine coast, only to discover a house full of impossible secrets, a strange archive, and Callum, the mysterious caretaker who has been there for centuries. The writing is rich, detailed, and beautifully done, with a lot of focus on mood, mystery, and the haunting atmosphere of the house itself.

    I’ll be honest, I had a hard time getting into this one at first. The romance is very subtle and slow-burn, to the point where it almost felt like it wasn’t there for me on my first read. After going back and rereading parts of it, I could appreciate it more and see what the author was building. While this wasn’t fully my kind of read, I did enjoy the paranormal elements, the immortal love interest, and the unique style.

    If you love gothic, quiet, atmospheric stories with mystery and subtle romance, this one will probably work much better for you than it did for me.

    Now for the star ratings I’m giving this book.
    I’m giving this book an overall rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.
    The story is getting a rating of 3 out of 5 stars.
    The writing style is getting a rating of 2 out of 5 stars.

    Links
    Amazon
    Goodreads

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  • Book Review of Spell to Pay by Elle Wren Burke

    I need to state before getting into this review that I was given this book through BookSirens. Now that has been stated, I can now get into the book review. There are going to be spoilers in this review. 

    This was such a fun paranormal cozy mystery! I had a really good time with this one. The four-day fae wedding setting was so much fun, and I loved all the chaos that came from what first seemed like a prank but turned into something much more serious.

    Kinley continues to grow on me with every book, and I really liked seeing her learn more about herself, her past, and her magical world. Ryland was supportive as always, and Twilight and Midnight completely stole so many scenes.

    There’s mystery, humor, a little romance, and just enough danger to keep things interesting. And that ending definitely has me ready for the next book!

    Now for the star ratings I’m giving this book.
    I’m giving this book an overall rating of 4 of out of 5 stars.
    The story is getting a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
    The writing style is getting a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

    Links
    Goodreads
    Amazon

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  • Book Review of Magical Midlife Madness [Dramatized Adaptation] by K.F. Breene

    I need to state before getting into this review that I was given this book through Booksprout. Now that has been stated, I can now get into the book review. There are going to be spoilers in this review.

    This book review is going to be based on the audio dramatized adaptation of the book.
    Magical Midlife Madness was such a fun surprise for me. On paper, this book should have been way too cheesy or over-the-top, but somehow it ended up being hilarious, charming, and ridiculously entertaining.

    After her divorce and with her son off at college, Jessie decides it’s time to start over and figure out life on her own. When she accepts a job as the caretaker of Ivy House, a strange old home she’s felt connected to since childhood, she quickly realizes she’s walked straight into something much bigger than a simple fresh start. Between the magical house, a gargoyle butler, eccentric townspeople, and a whole hidden magical world, things get chaotic fast.

    What I loved most about this book was Jessie herself. I’m honestly tired of reading fantasy where the heroine is always some flawless twenty-year-old who somehow masters everything instantly. Jessie felt real to me. She’s divorced, self-aware, funny, independent, and just trying to get her life back together. I especially appreciated how the story embraced her age and experience instead of acting like adventure, magic, and romance only belong to younger women. That was so refreshing.

    The plot itself is fairly straightforward, and the world-building isn’t super deep, but for me that wasn’t really the point. The fun came from the journey, the humor, and getting to know all of the weird and lovable characters in this magical little town. Niamh completely stole every scene she was in, Austin brought that perfect slow-burn energy, and the overall cast made the story so much better. I loved the banter, the friendships, and the found-family feel running through everything.

    I will say the ending felt a little abrupt and a bit anticlimactic for me. It definitely wraps up one major issue, but it’s also very obvious this is setting up a much larger story. Once I realized this was part of a series, that made a lot more sense. Even so, I still found it entertaining enough that I’d keep going.

    And if you can, I absolutely recommend listening to the Graphic Audio/audiobook version. It adds so much to the experience. The full cast, different character voices, and “audio movie” feel made the humor and personality of the story stand out even more. It really brought the whole thing to life, and I had such a great time with it.

    Overall, I found Magical Midlife Madness to be funny, quirky, and unexpectedly delightful. If you love paranormal fantasy with humor, eccentric characters, magical chaos, and a heroine who proves life can still get interesting after 40, this one is definitely worth picking up.
    I can’t wait to listen to the next book.

    Now for the star ratings I’m giving this book.
    I’m giving this book an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
    The story is getting a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
    The writing style is getting a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
    The spicy level is getting a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
    The spicy rating would be a 1 according to romance.io stem rating guide.

    Links
    Amazon Link #1
    Amazon Link #2
    Goodreads
    Audible
    Graphic Audio

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