Ex Games by Stella Rhys. M/F, 3/5 stars, 3/5 spice, Contemporary, 1 PoV, 1st person. 2016. Narrator: Carly Robins

Taylor is still reeling from being ghosted by her fiance Aaron, when his brother Mason shows up with a wedding invitation from his Ex and Aaron. They concoct a scheme to be each other’s plus one and make the new couple uncomfortable.

This is one of the last few books I have access to on my list of brother love triangles. Often the first bro bows out early but this one has some great brother angst throughout the book. What I can’t understand is why both of these men are in love with the cardboard cutout of a FMC.

Content notes: Discussion of a miscarriage, classism, body shaming

This short book has received many reviews and many stars so I’m not sure what I can add except that I appreciate that the audiobook includes the further reading section.

Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe, M/F, 4/5 stars, 3/5 spice, Contemporary, 1 PoV, 1st person, 2024. Narrator: Alex Finke.

Hallie is a web series producer without a series. She’s given just a week to come up with a new one when she sees cryptid podcaster Hayden’s late night interview. Skeptical about the supernatural yet entranced by Hayden she makes him an offer. He’s the nerdy-yet-thoughtful glasses-wearing MMC I’ve been asking for.

This came out before Love at First Sighting but is a standalone. Reading them out of order didn’t matter. I love that there isn’t a third act relationship breakup. The stakes are elsewhere. Were it not for the recent discourse about third act breakups I might not have noticed this.

Content notes: workplace harassment, emotionally abusive ex, There is a musical intro to a few sections about the web series. It is thematically relevant and brief.

Love at First Sighting by Mallory Marlowe, M/F, 4/5 stars, 2.5/5 spice, Contemporary, 2 PoV, 1st person, 2025. Narrators: Elizabeth Lamont and Iggy Toma.

When El thinks she sees a UFO two things happen. Her social media likes fall and she’s approached by a Man-in-Black. Carter is required to dress in a black suit for his job investigating aliens but it has nothing to do with the Will Smith movies.

This book has a silly over-the-top tone that is maintained throughout the whole book. Los Angeles feels like another character. The noir mystery of Carter’s clothing and job is beautifully contrasted with El’s bubbly personality and experience as a social media influencer.

Content notes: Death of a parent (off page), online harassment, grief, gun violence No third act breakup, everyone has had therapy

Female Fantasy by Iman Hariri-Kia M/F, 4/5 stars, 2/5 spice, Contemporary, 1 PoV, 1st person, 2025. Narrator: Samantha Brentmoor.

Joonie has a chance to meet the man who inspired her favorite romance novel hero but she can only borrow her brother’s truck if she takes his best friend Nico. Nico the guy she used to have a crush on until he broke her heart.

This book is structured with excerpts from the book Joonie loves alternated with the main story. I wasn’t fond of the story-within-a-story at first but it grew on me. It has some solid worldbuilding and I found myself wanting to see the whole thing. It probably works best as a good parts version.

The core of the story was about how Joonie was isolated as a child of immigrants and how fandom gave her connection. I’m still friends with fellow Buffy fans I first met online and then in person 25 years ago so this aspect of fandom really resonated with me.

The plot of the contemporary story is very silly and the MMC Nico is a little underbaked. However, the love the author has for romance books and the fandom surrounding them is clear.

Content notes: racism, stalking, gun violence, toxic relationship

Good Spirits (Ghosted #1) by B.K. Borison, M/F, 5/5 stars, 3/5 spice, Contemporary Holiday Fantasy, 2 PoV, 1st person, 2025. Narrators: Karissa Vacker and Will M. Watt.

Harriet has a nice little life tending the antique store she inherited from her aunt so she doesn’t understand why the Ghost of Christmas Past is haunting her. Nolan, said ghost, is equally mystified but gamely shows her significant events of her past.

This book is a perfect little confection of a Christmas cookie. You can’t overthink it. There is delightful banter, crappy relatives, and wonderful old things with stories.

It didn’t even bother me to be reading this after the Christmas season though it helped that there was a snow storm.

Content notes: death, grief, drowning, crappy parents/toxic relationship, emesis.

Saltcrop by Ume Kitasei. 2025. 5/5 stars. Near Future environmental science fiction. 3 PoV 3rd person. 2025 Narrator: Eunice Wong.

This story is an odyssey of three sisters. The oldest Nora went off to college and never really came back. The two younger ones have stalled lives and careers in their run down town and have to care for their grandmother. Skipper, the youngest, decides to take her boat to the city to find Nora. Carmen, the middle, tags along.

Every place you would think the story would follow familiar post-apocalyptic storylines the women go somewhere new. Even without the expected violence, or maybe in spite of it, the story is still gripping. The ending left me with hope.

Taken for Granite (Khargals of Duras #6) by Nancey Cummings M/F, 5/5 stars, 3/5 spice, Paranormal (SFR) Novella, 2 PoV, 3rd person, 2019. Narrator: Christian Stark.

A short silly book about stone shifter aliens that crashed on Earth long ago and gave rise to the idea of Gargoyles. Our hero Tas has been imprisoned and in his stone shape for decades. Juniper is a down-on-her-luck waitress who owes a local crime boss money. She agrees to do a delivery of what she thinks is stolen goods but is really Tas. There’s a bunch of running around and hiding from both the gang and a government agency that hunts gargoyles. Juniper has the care of her sister Chloe who is used as a hostage but delivers some great teen snark when given the chance

Content notes: imprisonment, torture, trafficking, house fire, parental death, endangered child

Thrum by Meg Smitherman M/F, 4/5 stars, 3/5 spice, SciFi Horror Romance Novella, 1 PoV, 1st person, 2025. Narrator: Cindy Kay.

Ami wakes up from stasis on her spaceship to find the rest of her crew dead. There’s an alien who makes himself look human to help her feel comfortable. What’s real? The end of this story is a dark mindfuck. I’m counting this as romance because the two MCs are together at the end but the way there is full of madness. The first two thirds of the book is more psychological but the last third is very much body horror. Not my usual thing but okay in novella length.

Content notes: death, confinement, blood (so much blood), body horror (very nearly DNFed over it), gore

Second Chance Romance (Harlot's Bay #2) by Olivia Dade, M/F, 5/5 stars, 3/5 spice, Contemporary, 2 Pov, 3rd person, 2025. Narrator: Joy Nash and Stephen Dexter.

Molly only lived in Harlot’s Bay for a few years but when she finds out her one friend there has died she goes back for the funeral. Reports of Karl’s death were exaggerated but he is overjoyed to see Molly again. Can he convince her to give them another chance?

What I love about Olivia Dade is how she writes older main characters who have some baggage as well as some pounds. In this book both MCs are two different flavors of grumpy. Karl hides his feelings behind loud creative swearing while Molly is reserved and has a dry sense of humor.

I spent some time in this book thinking “say the thing” but as an older someone who has said a thing and been ignored or mocked, I really get why it was hard for them to do that particular piece of communication.

Content notes: emotionally abusive ex, swearing (not something I usually mention but Karl swears a lot) Both characters being plus sized isn’t a plot point though there is a passing mention of previous fatphobia.