oliphauntstone
Britalian bookwyrm with a soft spot for the beta boys ✨
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12h
Band Sinister
K.J. Charles
Sir Philip Rookwood is the disgrace of the county. He’s a rake and an atheist, and the rumours about his hellfire club, the Murder, can only be spoken in whispers. (Orgies. It’s orgies.)
Guy Frisby and his sister Amanda live in rural seclusion after a family scandal. But when Amanda breaks her leg in a riding accident, she’s forced to recuperate at Rookwood Hall, where Sir Philip is hosting the Murder.
Guy rushes to protect her, but the Murder aren’t what he expects. They’re educated, fascinating people, and the notorious Sir Philip turns out to be charming, kind—and dangerously attractive.
In this private space where anything goes, the longings Guy has stifled all his life are impossible to resist...and so is Philip. But all too soon the rural rumour mill threatens both Guy and Amanda. The innocent country gentleman has lost his heart to the bastard baronet—but does he dare lose his reputation too?
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13h
oliphauntstone wants to read...
1d
Not in Love
Ali Hazelwood
A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science.
Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.
Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through - and he's a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can't stop thinking about. The woman who's off-limits to him.
Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business - one that plays for keeps.
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oliphauntstone started reading...
1d
Love, Theoretically
Ali Hazelwood
The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.
Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.
Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?
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oliphauntstone finished a book
1d
Nothing Like the Movies (Better Than the Movies, #2)
Lynn Painter
In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.
For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: strong-willed girl-next-door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off to UCLA to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process.
Flash forward months and months later and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him.
Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with the rom-com worthy big gestures she loves. Only…Liz will have none of it. Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend…a guy friend.
Still, Wes won’t give up, adapting his clever plans and going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good.
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oliphauntstone started reading...
6d
Nothing Like the Movies (Better Than the Movies, #2)
Lynn Painter
In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.
For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: strong-willed girl-next-door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off to UCLA to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process.
Flash forward months and months later and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him.
Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with the rom-com worthy big gestures she loves. Only…Liz will have none of it. Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend…a guy friend.
Still, Wes won’t give up, adapting his clever plans and going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good.
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oliphauntstone wants to read...
6d
The Seven Year Slip
Ashley Poston
An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.
Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.
So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it.
And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again.
Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future.
Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed.
After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing.
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oliphauntstone wants to read...
6d
Comeback (Holland Brothers, #3)
Rebecca Jenshak
My brother’s best friend is such a jerk.
An imposing, handsome jerk who doesn’t trust me. And now we’re roommates.
He wanders around the apartment in nothing but gray sweatpants, looking like a broody, tattooed muscle god, and playing music that shakes the walls. I want to hate him for treating me like an intruder, but there’s something about the way he looks at me—like he’s trying to figure me out—that keeps pulling me in.
Archer Holland is loyal, caring, and protective—with everyone except me.
Every time I move around our apartment, I can feel his glare. And the worst part? It only makes me want him more.
Not that it matters.
He’s my brother’s best friend—the one guy I can never have. But after a late-night rescue, we go from sharing a wall to sharing a bed.
I’m not sure what my brother would do if he found out, but it doesn’t matter because Archer says it can’t happen again.
That imposing, handsome jerk is about to find out I’m done playing by his rules.
Comeback is a football romance with lots of spice, swoon, and a happily ever after. It’s the third book in the Holland Brothers series and can be read as a standalone.
Tropes:
- forced proximity / roommates
- broody tattooed football hero
- sneaking around
- ASL and chronic illness rep
- dual POV
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oliphauntstone finished reading and left a rating...
6d
Look, I realize it’s not life changing literature here but the fact that Lynn Painter’s book have to even end just irks me. I love her writing, I love her characters…they’re authentic even when they annoy the ever living sh!dskjfh outta me. I just want her stories to go on and on and on and ooooooon (okay I've only read two but I'm hooked). I want to watch Charlie and Bailey every day and see them grow and learn and thrive and raise their child Puffball like a creepazoid because I love them so much. Charlie wanting Bailey so bad but trying to protect his own heart cracked mine a bit…but I loved that they were able to grow a friendship (a coworkership?) and actually enjoyed being around each other while learning they could lean on one another. Did I want to sucker punch the dude a couple of times? Probably...yes I did yes but I also realize why he did and said some of the things he did and said to Bailey whichmygirldidnotdeserve. At the end of the day, I think it killed him to see her cut up and sad and he'd do just about anything to get her out of her funk. Top class banter between the two (my humor, maybe not yours) and yes I know it all could have been resolved with a little help from our good friend Mr. Communication but if we had that how many books would we really have? Okay I’m sure plenty but none good enough for me lol. Charlie is just so jaded by witnessing everyone in his life fall out of love. It’s left such a stain on him that he has a hard time building relationships for himself because all my guy is waiting on and can focus on is the pending doom and the heavy loneliness that hits him once it’s over. Bailey is mourning her old life years after her parents divorce. Even though she and her mom forge their new life states from her dad, she holds out that tiny bit of hope that somehow things will go back to the way they were…or at least, stay as they are now with nothing (and no one) new weaseling it’s way in and disrupting her comfort. Puffball is an angel sent to earth with the sole mission of bringing these two weary wankers together and I believe he does a damn good job at it. Mission accomplished, little dude. God, I miss them already. LYNN, ANOTHER! …please? P.S. While I appreciated the dual POVs how come Charlie's chapters were like 2-4 pages max? I wanted to see inside his head so much more 😔
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oliphauntstone finished a book
1w
Better Than Before (Betting on You, #0.5; Better than the Movies, #0.5)
Lynn Painter
Lynn Painter’s Better Than the Movies collides with Betting on You when, after meeting the annoyingly cute Bailey on his flight, Charlie gets picked at the airport up by his cousin, Wes, who introduces him to his annoyingly cute neighbor, Liz.
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oliphauntstone wants to read...
1w
Better than the Prom (Better than the Movies, #1.5)
Lynn Painter
Prom night has arrived, and Wes Bennett couldn’t be less excited.
Not only is he not going with Liz, the girl he’s loved his entire life, but Liz is going with Michael, the guy she’s loved her entire life. Talk about a nightmare.
They manage to avoid each other at the event, but every glance he steals of her in that gown, smiling up at her date, feels like a punch to his solar plexus.
But when she’s waiting for him after he ditches the dance, he realizes that nothing about the prom even matters.
Because Liz Buxbaum, in Chuck Taylors and a sweatshirt under the streetlight that shines above their spot, is actually far better than the prom.
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oliphauntstone wants to read...
1w
Nothing Like the Movies (Better Than the Movies, #2)
Lynn Painter
In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.
For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: strong-willed girl-next-door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off to UCLA to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process.
Flash forward months and months later and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him.
Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with the rom-com worthy big gestures she loves. Only…Liz will have none of it. Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend…a guy friend.
Still, Wes won’t give up, adapting his clever plans and going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good.
0
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oliphauntstone wants to read...
1w
My Lucky Charm (Holidays with Hart, #2)
Courtney Walsh
A humiliating break-up leads to an impulsive New Year’s Kiss with a complete stranger.
What could possibly go wrong?
It’s no secret that I love life. And Dr Pepper. But also, I love a challenge. . .
So when the coach of the Chicago Comets gives me the opportunity to help their star player, newly traded to their team, acclimate to life in Chicago, I'm all in.
I have to be. After my last job went up in flames, I have something to prove.
It turns out that the player, Grayson Hawke, is the rudest, most off-putting, reclusive guy I’ve ever met.
It also turns out that he is the beautiful stranger I kissed on New Year’s Eve.
I can do this job. I can do this job. I can do this job.
And I can. Really well.
I can make Gray’s life easier, show him all the reasons to fall in love with this city, and in the process, hopefully completely forget that the amazing kiss ever happened.
How hard can it be? We’re total opposites anyway.
I love people . . . and all their stories. Gray loves hockey . . . and nothing else.
I love to talk. Gray only stares.
I’m happy-go-lucky. Gray’s all work and no play.
There’s just one problem. The more time I spend with Grayson Hawke, the more I start to see that underneath his bristly, standoffish exterior, he’s nothing like the man everyone thinks he is.
And suddenly, all the reasons for keeping my distance, staying professional, and not falling for someone again. . . are impossible to remember.
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oliphauntstone wants to read...
1w
Picking Daisies on Sundays
Liana Cincotti
Perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Jenny Han, this romantic comedy follows a hopeless romantic finishing college who agrees to embark on a fake relationship with her childhood best friend, who, unfortunately for her, also happens to be her first love.
Daniella Daisy Maria wanted love. It’s all she hoped for when watching endless rom-coms every Friday night. What she hadn't hoped for was to find it in her childhood best friend Levi. It was the hand-trembling, heart-thumping kind of love that wasn't supposed to happen when you saw your best friend. But it all ended when he didn’t feel the same way and she vowed to never see him again.
Four years later and one night in a crowded bar in the West Village, there he was, just as perfect as ever. Maybe it was the lighting or the way his hair curled above his brow, but she couldn’t say no when he asked her to be his fake girlfriend for his sister’s wedding. Another chance at being his friend and mending her immature mistake? How was she supposed to say no?
The weight of possible rejection from her dream grad school quickly became the least of her problems. With old, resurfacing feelings at every staged, romantic interaction and stolen glance, she struggles to find confidence. She couldn't help but think that maybe she should’ve said no to protect her heart for a second time.
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oliphauntstone started reading...
1w
Betting on You
Lynn Painter
When seventeen-year-old Bailey starts a new job at a hotel waterpark, she is less than thrilled to see an old acquaintance is one of her coworkers. Bailey met Charlie a year ago on the long flight to Omaha, where she moved after her parents’ divorce. Charlie’s cynicism didn’t mix well with Bailey’s carefully well-behaved temperament, and his endless commentary was the irritating cherry on top of an already emotionally fraught trip. Now, Bailey and Charlie are still polar opposites, but instead of everything about him rubbing Bailey the wrong way, she starts to look forward to hanging out and gossiping about the waterpark guests and their coworkers—particularly two who keep flirting with each other. Bailey and Charlie make a bet on whether or not the cozy pair will actually get together. Charlie insists that members of the opposite sex can’t just be friends, and Bailey is determined to prove him wrong. Bailey and Charlie keep close track of the romantic progress of others while Charlie works to deflect the growing feelings he’s developed for Bailey. Terrified to lose her if his crush becomes known, what doesn’t help his agenda is Bailey and Charlie “fake dating” in order to disrupt the annoying pleasantries between Bailey’s mom and her mom’s new boyfriend. Soon, what Charlie was hoping to avoid becomes a reality as Bailey starts to see him as not only a friend she can rely on in the midst of family drama—but someone who makes her hands shake and heart race. But Charlie has a secret—a secret that involves Bailey and another bet Charlie may have made. Can the two make a real go of things…or has Charlie’s secret doomed them before they could start?
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oliphauntstone finished a book
1w
Redeeming 6 (Boys of Tommen, #4)
Chloe Walsh
I’m saving you, six. With his world unraveling around him, and pressure rising at home, Joey Lynch’s life has never been in more turmoil. Desperate to prove himself worthy of the only person he’s ever put his trust in, Joey fights to stay away from a world that threatens to destroy everything. But with the odds stacking against him by the day, can he keep his head above water? Unwilling to give up on the boy she loves, Aoife Molloy fights to save her best friend from the edge of self-destruction. Drowning in a world she doesn’t understand, with only her heart to guide her, Aoife refuses to turn her back on Joey, no matter how badly the odds are stacked against them. Through heartbreak and horror, Aoife and Joey have had each others backs, and this time is no different. Come what may. Irrevocable life changing circumstances, unexpected additions, new schools, and healing hearts all come together in Redeeming 6, the explosive finale for Ballylaggin’s hotheaded lovers. This is your comeback, kid. Based in Ireland, the Boys of Tommen series is bound to captivate and lure you into the world of rugby, hurling, love, and teenage heartbreak. * Warning * Some scenes in this book may be extremely upsetting for some readers. Due to its bad language, mature themes, and potentially triggering scenes, Redeeming 6 is recommended for mature readers.
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oliphauntstone finished a book
2w
First-Time Caller (Heartstrings, #1)
B.K. Borison
A hopeless romantic meets a demoralized radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.
Aiden Valentine has a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore's romance hotline, that's a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.
Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life-or lack thereof—she begins to question if she's as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn't be such a bad thing.
Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending... even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.
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oliphauntstone started reading...
2w
First-Time Caller (Heartstrings, #1)
B.K. Borison
A hopeless romantic meets a demoralized radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.
Aiden Valentine has a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore's romance hotline, that's a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.
Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life-or lack thereof—she begins to question if she's as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn't be such a bad thing.
Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending... even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.
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Post from the Truly Madly Deeply (Forbidden Love, #1) forum
2w
Uhhh
Respectfully I do not think I can finish this. Is it me? Is everyone and the banter and any humour just so all over the place on this book that it's not blending? It must be me. Things aren't vibing in my little pea brain I'm afraid. Someone tell me if I should keep going...I'm on page 272. It's like why quit when I'm HERE but at the same time I don't want to be holding my breath.
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oliphauntstone finished reading and wrote a review...
2w
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