Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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Predictable, but in the best way

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

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“Explain to me again,” said Oliver finally, “why you need a boyfriend?” It was the least I owed him. “Mainly for this big fundraiser we’ve got coming up at the end of April. Our donors all think I’m a bad gay.” He frowned. “What’s a good gay?” “Someone like you.” “I see.” ― Alexis Hall, Boyfriend Material “You” – I gave a thwarted sigh – “are a terrible fake boyfriend.” “I’m building fake anticipation.” “You’d better be fake worth it.” “I am.” ― Alexis Hall, […]

Two Sapphics on a Roadtrip, They Might Kiss?

No Rings Attached by Rachel Lacey

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Honestly, I have read fics with basically this premise a lot over the years. Someone needs a date to a wedding to avoid awkward family reactions and questions. Someone is asked by a mutual friend to fake it, as a favour. Romance ensues. Fortunately for everyone involved (me, you, other readers, the author), No Rings Attached has way more nuance and way less badly written gender identities than those examples. No Rings Attached is Rachel Lacey’s follow up to Read Between the Lines focusing on […]

Grumpy/Sunshine Double Header (and Bingo!)

His Grumpy Childhood Friend (Cider Bar Sisters #2) by Jackie Lau

Her Pretend Christmas Date (Cider Bar Sisters #2.5) by Jackie Lau

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I was simply delighted by this one. His Grumpy Childhood Friend hit a couple different trope happy places for me – second chance romance, friends to lovers – but it also did something I love more and more as I consume a good amount of Romance books: it released its third act tension without a break-up or fight.  The tension point of the story isn’t a misunderstanding or one of the pair freaking out and walking away, instead we get characters dealing with traumatic experiences […]

What if We Fell in Love, as a Bit?

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

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After a spectacularly bad first date, Elle and Darcy assume they will never see each other again. Then both of them have run ins with family where they are once more quizzed about the failures of their love lives. So Darcy hatches a scheme. What if they agreed to fake a relationship for a few months to prove to their respective families that they were in fact capable of doing more than just failing at their personal lives? Surely that would solve all their problems, […]

Fake relationship, second chance category romance

Just a Little Married by Reese Ryan

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This third and final book in the Moonlight Ridge trilogy is the whole reason I started reading it! I love Reese Ryan’s books, and I’m the sort of completionist who can’t just jump in with the third book, but I’ve definitely enjoyed discovering new authors. And this is the perfect finale for me with a mix of the second chance and fake relationship tropes! “Unlike his lovestruck brothers, Travis would happily stick to his “bachelor life,” get Moonlight Ridge’s kitchen and catering services in shape, […]

Opposites Attract Fake Relationship Holiday Romance Novella – a book made for me

Her Pretend Christmas Date (Cider Bar Sisters #2.5) by Jackie Lau

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I received an ARC of this novella from the author, in exchange for an honest review. Her Pretend Christmas Date releases on December 8th, 2020. I am a sucker for a holiday romance novella. I read and enjoyed Lau’s Holidays with the Wongs series (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Valentines Day) and after reading The Ultimate Pi Day Party earlier this year I signed up for Lau’s reviewer list – and Her Pretend Christmas Date is the first work I’ve received as part of that. […]



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