Hey all, Dani here.
I feel like I’m making progress on catching up on all this reading and reviewing backlog, but at the same time I look at my list of books I still need to review and it doesn’t seem to be getting any shorter. In fact, I looked at my NetGalley review ratio again the other day after posting up a bunch of my recent blog posts, and I had increased the percentage by 2 or 3, which was great…and then I got approved for a few more books, so the percentage went right back down. I know the obviously solution is to stop requesting books, but I can only resist that request button for short periods at a time and then I go on a request-binge. Oops.
But hey, I’m caught up on reviews for one series I had fallen behind on! Yay! Okay, I didn’t have a lot of catching up to do, just two posts/reviews, but I guess I can still celebrate little victories. I think that’s especially important when living in times like we are now. So, what little victories have you celebrated from either 2020 or so far in 2021?
Oh, if you haven’t checked out any of my reviews for the Bromance Book Club series, you can find the other ones here: The Bromance Book Club, Undercover Bromance, and Crazy Stupid Bromance.
One of Bustle’s Best New Books of July 2021
A Popsugar Best Book and Best Romance of July 2021
With his passion for romance novels, it was only a matter of time before Vlad wrote one.
Elena Konnikova has lived her entire adult life in the shadows. As the daughter of a Russian journalist who mysteriously disappeared, she escaped danger the only way she knew how: She married her childhood friend, Vladimir, and moved to the United States, where he is a professional hockey player in Nashville.
Vlad, aka the Russian, thought he could be content with his marriage of convenience. But it’s become too difficult to continue in a one-sided relationship. He joined the Bromance Book Club to learn how to make his wife love him, but all he’s learned is that he deserves more. He’s ready to create his own sweeping romance—both on and off the page.
The bros are unwilling to let Vlad forgo true love—and this time they’re not operating solo. They join forces with Vlad’s neighbors, a group of meddling widows who call themselves the Loners. But just when things finally look promising, Elena’s past life intrudes and their happily ever after is cast into doubt.
My Thoughts:
Rating: 5 stars
This is my favorite book of the series so far! I’m so glad the Russian got his own book…and what an adorable surprise that he’s writing his own romance novel.
I loved learning more about Vlad and Elena, and watching their story unfold, and I also enjoyed meeting the Loners, because they were some fascinating characters too.
There is just so much I could say to gush about the Russian, and his story, but I don’t want to say too much because I feel like a lot of those are just really nice to discover on your own. Okay, I have one thing to say because it’s not really a spoiler…Vlad is an animal lover. We saw it a little bit in Mack and Liv’s book when members of the Bromance Book Club were out at the farm and Vlad was hanging out with Hazel the chicken…well Hazel makes a cameo appearance in this book, and it is black and white on the page that Hazel is his favorite chicken, so that was an adorable (and slightly amusing) moment. I won’t say more about why Hazel makes a cameo appearance, but I love that it happened.
Oh, oh, and then there’s the Cheese Man. All the hush-hush conversation about this bad habit and going to this forbidden place, a sort-of members only thing…and it turns out to just be a delightful “underground” cheese shop.
I think Vlad’s story made me laugh the most, but I also got caught up in it the most. But I also think that Vlad’s story showcases Colton off quite a bit too, so I’m hoping he gets to step out in the spotlight with his own book soon enough.
This friends-to-lovers romance was one I was definitely looking forward to, and one that didn’t at all disappoint. Yes, both Vlad and Elena have to work through some issues in communication and some held-in secrets and such, but there is so much heart and humor…and all the delicious food…seriously this book made me hungry…that I just enjoyed this book from start to finish.
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All right, that is all from me for today. Thanks for stopping by and I’ll be back soon with more geeky content.
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