Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“How does she explain that she used to be afraid to love anyone because there’s a well at the center of her chest and she doesn’t know where the bottom is?”

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

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I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Early last year I read and loved Casey McQuiston’s debut Red, White, & Royal Blue like many a Cannonballer before me. Upon its completion I knew McQuiston was an author to add to my must reads list – they were writing the kind of queer romance I was looking for in the world. Once announced I put One Last Stop on my to read list having faith in the author, […]

When your vice becomes a virtue

A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

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Mackenzie Lee’s novel is a fun romp across 18th Europe with a bitchy bisexual mc, his brilliant ace sister, an unrequited love for his gay best friend and a host of murderous aristocrats in pursuit. The plot moves fairly quickly with snappy dialogue supplied by Lord Henry “Monty” Montague, a seemingly unrepentant spoiled brat rogue on his Grand Tour. Monty is a great character, who manages to never be completely obnoxious in his clueless privileged bumblings. He retains enough awareness to make him truly charming- […]

The reality I would gladly trade in for our own.

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

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On the book itself (or at least the Amazon page itself) this book is labeled as “pure love, pure joy, a pure escapist read.” YES. YES AND YEEEEEES. I received this gem of a book from my CBR Book Exchange buddy this year (thanks Bonnie!!) and was delighted. It is a GREAT book to be gifted. It was vaguely on my radar, but I didn’t have a real intention of reading it as I’m newer to romance but I read it in two freaking days […]

A unique approach to a romance plot that really works

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

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This is a slow burn love story, the kind that takes eight years to finally come together, the kind that has both main characters taking years to realize that the “casual” thing they started when they were teens is, in fact, the most important relationship in their lives. Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov meet in December 2008, when they are both 17, at the world junior hockey tournament. They’re both the best players on their respective teams, sure to be drafted by the NHL that […]

Romantic Comedies are my favorite genre, and these ones are good

Rule Breaker by Lily Morton

Deal Maker by Lily Morton

Risk Taker by Lily Morton

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A couple of weeks ago I discovered a new contemporary LGBTQ romance writer, Roan Parrish, whose work I really enjoyed. Finding a new author is always exciting for me, as I have a tendency to read everything by the authors I like. I’ve been working my way through Roan Parrish’s work, but her books tend towards the heavy and serious, and I found myself looking for something light and romantic…enter this series. Lily Morton’s Mixed Messages series consists of three books: the first book is […]

“Even things that needed you could hurt you in the taking.”

Riven by Roan Parrish

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This book surprised me. Ostensibly it’s a contemporary LGBTQ romance, but I’ve read quite a few m/m romance novels and this one stands out, in a good way. Riven is about two musicians, Theo and Caleb, falling in love. Theo is a 25(ish) year-old rock star, the lead singer and songwriter of a popular rock band. Theo loves music but hates everything about being a rock star- his bandmates were a group long before he showed up and while they need him to be successful, […]



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