ARC Review – Cupid’s Match by Lauren Palphreyman

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Hello lovelies! Today, I have my review for Cupid’s Match by Lauren Palphreyman. Adored by 50 million readers on Wattpad, this hilarious smash-hit book is now in print for the first time.

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abouthebook2

Publisher: Wattpad Books

Expected Publication: October 1, 2019

Genre(s): Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology, Romance

Format:  Paperback, 384 pages

purchaselinks

AMAZONBARNES AND NOBLEINDIEBOUND

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He’s mythologically hot, a little bit wicked, and almost 100% immortal. And he’ll hit you right in the heart . . .

“Miss Black, we have a big problem.”

Lila Black doesn’t believe in matchmaking, let alone soul mates. So then why is she constantly being hassled by the Cupids Matchmaking Service? But this gilded, cherub-bedecked dating agency isn’t exactly what it seems . . . and it’s about to turn Lila’s entire world upside down.

It turns out that Cupids Matchmaking is the real deal. As in, it’s run by actual cupids—who don’t look at all like they do in the paintings—and they have a serious problem with Lila’s “match.” Because this guy shouldn’t be in the system. He shouldn’t have a match. And while he’s irresistibly hot, he’s also incredibly dangerous. Because Lila’s true love match is Cupid. The original bad boy of love. And he wants her.

Now Lila’s once-normal teenaged world has exploded into a mythological nightmare overrun by crime-lord sirens, wrathful cupid hit men, magic arrows that cause no end of trouble, and a mischievous, not-so-angelic love god she can’t seem to stop herself from falling for . . .

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Hilarious, Charming, and Surprisingly Delightful

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Rating – 3.5 hearts rounded to 4

Cupid’s Match by Lauren Palphreyman is a charming, humorous, and entertaining romance fantasy with a fun mythological twist. I found myself laughing a few times, swooning a bit here and there, and just having a really good time. Definitely a quick and amusing tale that enamored me until the end.

The idea of actual cupids running a Matchmaking service hidden in the real world is really intriguing. I knew there’ll be plenty of silliness and humor in the story and I couldn’t wait. While I didn’t completely love this book, I do have to admit… it’s absolutely a unique, quirky and fun read. The pacing is fast and feels rushed from time to time, but it wasn’t bothersome. I thought the writing is easy to follow and engaging. The plot is a bit outrageous and a little predictable, but there’s a few surprises that made the story really enjoyable. I don’t fully understand how the magical system really works, but the world-building is quite fascinating and the mythology aspect is creative and interesting enough. The narrative does get a bit absurd once in a while, the dialogue is sometimes chessy and awkward, the characters are kind of a mess, and the ending seems too convenient. So yes, the execution isn’t always perfect and there are some parts of the storyline that are confusing, but if you allow yourself to just relax, not overanalyze everything, and really enjoy the story for what it is, then you’ll have an awesome time just like I did.

I didn’t feel a deep connection with any of the characters, but I thought they’re all quite adorable and such a fun group. Lila is not always likeable, but she’s interesting and I enjoyed her personality. Cupid is the typical “bad boy” love interest and he definitely charmed me. I don’t think I’m head over heels in love with him, but he’s funny, magnetic, and swoony. Cal is serious, strict, and stony for the most part, but there’s something alluring about him. I was actually more drawn to him than Cupid and I wanted to knock down his walls in order to get to know the real Cal who I think is really sweet, caring, and fun. I like the secondary characters and I thought it was cool how all the cupids have names that begins with the letter “C.” The other mythological creatures are nicely introduced and I’m excited to learn more about them in the other books.

I do like the romance. It is a bit cringy at times and there’s definitely an insta-love/soulmate thing going on between Lila and Cupid, but I enjoyed their chemistry. They made me swoon here and there and I do think they’re cute together. I’m not so sure about the love triangle though and I’m kind of confused as to why it’s even there. I just don’t really like love triangles cause I have to choose one love interest to root for and sometimes, I really do like both while other times I’m in love with the one that doesn’t get the girl/boy.

Hilarious, charming, and surprisingly delightful, Cupid’s Match by Lauren Palphreyman is a wonderfully fun fantasy romance that I’m sure will keep readers amused. While this didn’t hit me in the heart with all the feels, I definitely enjoyed the action, the drama, the bantering, the mystery, the intriguing characters, and the over-the-top, but sweet romance. Overall, this is a satisfyingly entertaining book that left me smiling in the end.

If you’re looking for some silly fun, a few good laughs, and a story that will lighten your mood, then this book might just be for you.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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abouttheauthor

Bio taken from Author’s Website and Photo from Facebook

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LAUREN PALPHREYMAN is an author based in London.

She is best known for her supernatural teen romance series, Cupid’s Match, which has accumulated over 40 million reads online, has been developed into a pilot episode for CW Seed, and will be published by Wattpad Books (October 2019).

She is part of Wattpad’s social influencer programme, the Wattpad Stars, where she has written for brand campaigns, spoken on a panel at London Wattcon, and completed a chapter for Writer’s Digest’s ‘Writer’s Guide to Wattpad’. Her standalone fantasy romances, Thorn, and Ink, have both accumulated over half a million reads online to date.

Lauren previously worked as an insight analyst for Penguin Random House. Now she spends her days writing, drinking coffee, and deviously plotting for cupid world domination! As a huge fan of Marvel and big blockbuster franchises, her life’s ambition is to create a fictional, multimedia universe for fans to enjoy and explore.

authorlinks

WEBSITEGOODREADSFACEBOOK –  TWITTERINSTAGRAM

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Thanks for stopping by loves. As always, happy reading and have a fantastic day!!

 

sincerelykjologo

ARC Review – The QB Bad Boy and Me by Tay Marley

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Publication Date: August 13, 2019

Publisher: Wattpad Books

Genre(s): Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction

Format: Paperback, 416 pages

 purchaselinks

AMAZONBARNES AND NOBLEINDIGO – BOOK DEPOSITORY 

 

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Everything changed the day Drayton Lahey crashed into Dallas’s life…

Dallas Bryan is a no-nonsense cheerleader who has her sights set on a dance scholarship to CalArts. Drayton Lahey is the bad-boy quarterback from football royalty who’s completely wrong for her—at least, that’s what she tells herself. The longer Dallas tells herself she doesn’t need Dray, the quicker she realizes it might be time to forget what she needs and go after what she wants.

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mythoughts

Irresistibly Charming, Hilarious and Heartwarming 

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The QB Bad Boy and Me by Tay Marley is an adorable, funny, and heartwarming YA contemporary romance. I loved every moment until the very end and cannot stop swooning over Drayton and Dallas.

So absolutely smitten with this book! It’s such a cute teen romance perfect for anyone looking for that wonderfully sweet make your heart skip a beat feeling of being young and in love for the first time. The plot is simple and quite predictable – a popular quarterback and sassy cheerleader falling for each other in their last year of high school as they both deal with choosing a college, family drama, and new experiences. I’ve read many books with similar storylines, but this honestly caught me off guard. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I do and become so addicted to the story and characters that I never wanted it to end. I enjoyed the humor, the friendships, the family dynamics, the serious parts, the endearing moments, and every single scene that managed to touch my heart. Marley penned a fantastic love story that’s not only charming and fun, but also effortlessly believable, relatable, and affecting. This book had me enthralled from start to finish and I loved it all.

I love the characters in this book. They’re likable, interesting, and just wonderful on their own ways. Gabby and Josh are so precious together and such great friends to Dallas and Drayton. I liked their romance too. It’s cute and swoony. I love that Gabby is a hopeless romantic. Definitely saw a little bit of myself in her. I’m not too fond of Nathan, but I don’t dislike him.

Dallas and Drayton are made for each other and I wholeheartedly cheered them on! They’re both such strong, independent and quite stubborn individuals, but I love that deep down, they’re actually very sweet, caring, and loving people. Dallas is my kind of girl – she’s fierce, determined, and not afraid to say what’s on her mind. Drayton is such a softie at heart. I love how protective he can be… even though he is a bit too much sometimes, his intentions are good. I love them as they are and totally adore them as a couple. Their chemistry is absolutely delicious and filled with moments that have all the FEELS. The sexual tension between them is wild and undeniably palpable. I loved their playful bantering, their flirting, their sarcasm, and their sense of humor. Their relationship is just so amazing and had me swooning the entire time. It’s realistic, relatable and feels genuine. I definitely have a new favorite OTP and Drayton and Dallas are just so darn perfect and cute together.

This story is irresistibly charming, well-written, and refreshing. There are quite a few cheesy moments and some that are a bit cliched, but I’m not complaining. I smiled, laughed, swooned, and even cried a little. The characters are likable, the plot is engaging and emotional, and the romance is utterly swoon-worthy and adorable. I really love this book and if I could change anything at all, I wouldn’t… well, except maybe doing a dual POV. I just really want to get into Drayton’s head and know everything he’s thinking and feeling.

This book is so good and I’m definitely excited to read more from Tay Marley. I wasn’t familiar with this story when it was on Wattpad, but The QB Bad Boy and Me has stolen a piece of my heart. It’s truly a delightful, entertaining, and touching read and I cannot recommend it enough.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, feels and swoons are my own.

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(Mini bio and photo taken from author’s goodreads)

taymarley

Tay Marley wears many hats: bibliophile, entrepreneur, wife, mother, and featured Wattpad author. Her whirlwind journey on Wattpad began in 2017 and led to one hundred thousand dedicated followers, a five-part series, and three stand-alone books, including her breakout story, The QB Bad Boy and Me, which have amassed over forty-one million reads. She resides in New Zealand with her husband. When she isn’t writing about confident women and their love interests, she’s teaching her three small children how to be the leads in their own epic tales.

 

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authorlinks

WEBSITEGOODREADS  – INSTAGRAM 

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Hope you enjoyed reading my review and get the chance to swoon and fall in love with Drayton and Dallas.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you.

sincerelykjologo