Carina Taylor

This was such a funny and cute fake dating (fake engagement) story, I loved pretty much everything about it. - The meet cute, the banter and definitely the grandpa.

Sassy meddling grandparents are usually not my favorite, they are often overdone to an extent that they annoy me more than they entertain. But grandpa Alexander was such a sweetheart and found family is one of my favorite tropes, so I loved the relationship he formed with “Miss Magnolia”.

Magnolia is sweet and kind but show more definitely a bit sassy and just the perfect match for Nash. I especially loved how protective and caring he was.
The two have immediate chemistry and are just extremely cute together.

Yes, the story is a bit over the top, but I just loved it. It’s lighthearted but with a lot of heart and it made me laugh and smile and root for the characters. It’s everything I want in a clean romantic comedy.

This is book 1 in the Pine Ridge Ranch series but book 2 Charlie takes a Chance already released in January 2025 and I loved it just as much. I have enjoyed all of Carina Taylor’s book so far but I think this is my favorite series of hers and I can’t wait for book 3, Betting on Bliss!

* Thank you to the author for letting me read an advanced copy of this book. I leave this review voluntarily and the expressed opinions are my own. show less

Oh my goodness, I loved Clean Out of Luck, the next book in the Only Magic In The Building series! Carina Taylor delivers a new favorite in this funny, sweet, oh so swoony, brother’s best friend romance. Combine an enchanted apartment building & magical wish granting mop with a sizzling slow burn romance, & you have one charming, hard to put down story!

Scarlett Fernsby fulfilled a dream when she moved into a basement apartment in The Serendipity. She also has six glorious months while her show more overprotective brother & parents are away to finally find love, even if the men she tends to go out with leave much to be desired. What she doesn’t count on is Wade Hendrix, her older brother’s best friend. He’s worse than Phoenix & seems to make it his mission to ruin Scarlett’s chances to date. However, the more she spends time with Wade, the more she begins seeing him in a different light. And if it’s up to The Serendipity & a certain magical mop, her wish for love might come true.

Wade’s a hunky firefighter who loves playing the hero especially where Scarlett is concerned. He’s had a crush on her for years but’s afraid to admit it. Watching her go out with the wrong guys is the worst. But, as Scarlett starts to notice him in a new way, he has to find a way not to scare her off.
I loved Wade! Scarlett has some pretty disastrous dates & I laughed so hard at all the times Wade shows up to rescue her whether she wants to be or not. His strategizing with Phoenix had me chucking especially when Scarlett gets even.

These two are so perfect for each other & while there’s plenty of hilarity, there’s also a sweet friendship between them. Scarlett nearly died in a terrible accident & I enjoyed the way Wade helped her work through her fears. Underneath their witty repartee is a sizzling chemistry & I loved how a casual remark about owing a kiss ignites their relationship.

Some favorite moments:

*Salsa & chips
*The goodnight kiss
*Driving Scarlett to her dates
*Bookstore date
*The fire
*Gloria
*Chicken suit

Highly recommend this not to miss read! Love this series & can’t wait to read more. I purchased a copy from Kindle Unlimited but also received an advanced copy from the author without expectation of a review. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided. show less

Rook to King is an enjoyable, original, mystery romcom that had me completely invested from the beginning. I loved the witty banter, fake relationship romance, and suspense as Gracen & Bodie search for a chess set worth a fortune. It’s a good girl/morally gray MMC romance with delightful, quirky side characters that was so much fun to listen to.

Gracen works at Annie’s Antique shop authenticating pieces for resale. When she receives a chess piece from a set worth millions, she’s all of show more a sudden visited by a conman named Bodie King who wants the piece. Unfortunately, his usual charm & charisma doesn’t work on Gracen and she refuses to sell it to him. Bodie wants that piece, but he also needs Gracen’s skills, so he persists. But, Bodie’s not the only one after the chess set. When Gracen’s shop, conveniently owned by Bodie, is set on fire, she & Bodie go on the run to try to find the other chess pieces before danger finds them.

I loved Gracen’s & Bodie’s romance! They’re both after the chess set so there’s definitely some trust issues as they try to outwit the other. I loved all their adventures as they face one hilarious yet suspenseful situation after another. At several points, they pose as a couple especially in front of Gracen’s family much to their delight & the sparks certainly fly.

The mystery was so good and I loved all the cloak & dagger stuff as they try to find the missing chess pieces and board which supposedly leads to an even greater treasure. There’s a mysterious figure named the Rook who’s also after the chess set. The Rook’s identity is teased out throughout the story & I have to admit was a total surprise.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook version. It’s a dual narration audiobook and I grew to appreciate both the male and female narrators. I loved the female narrator’s interpretation of the characters and how she voiced them. At first, the male narrator was a little over the top for me, but as I got used to his performance, I ended up really enjoying it.

This is definitely one unique, fun romcom not to miss. Highly recommend! Although it’s part of a series, I had no difficulty listening to it as a standalone. Look forward to going back and reading the previous book. I received an advanced complimentary listening copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4-4.5 stars!

CW: Some mild infrequent swearing, innuendo, kissing only. show less

I think my therapist could have chosen this book for me. That’s how accurately my flaws were displayed in the characters. I am terrible at saying no, especially to my family and am incredibly nosy, which has come back to bite me before. It made me kind of uncomfortable to read because I felt very called out and seen by two fictional characters. Kimber could be a therapist and I would love her to meddle and help me improve my slightly unhealthy family relationships because she did it like a show more boss.

I will say that their banter got a little harsh at times and I personally wouldn’t have been able to brush some of it off. I love some flirty banter any day but theirs bordered on just being mean occasionally. Maybe I was just taking it to heart, and it was actually flirty. Guess that’s a clear sign I will never end up in an enemies-to-lovers trope IRL. It does show how perfect the two of them are for each other as they both find it flirty and enjoy it, so I suppose all is well.

SPOILERS BELOW



The MCs displayed so much emotional maturity at the end of the book by leaving their trip still single to sort out their situations rather than trying to start something when they weren't in the right place. I am hunting down the rest of Mack’s cousins’ books to get another dose of Mimi if I can.

All’s to say I want more of their small town and Mack’s grandma and am going to have a very interesting therapy appointment soon.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. show less