Aurora Paige

I love when kisses at midnight spark a new relationship or let out suppressed feelings, that is what dreams are made of right there. Add in a brother’s best friend and mutual long-term pinning? Sign me up! This is a fantasy come to life. Their chemistry is next level and I totally get why he had to stay away to stop himself from making a move.
I will say this book confirmed that boys are stupid, especially teenage boys, what went down at her debut was so stupid, like gah Jaxson why! But my oh my is he hot AF now, and the way he is with her is so beautiful and hot. I will say that I CANNOT believe he didn’t see Athena’s whole thing coming, like how naïve are you dude?
Also, Aurora Paige writes food descriptions too well, I got hungry just reading about the dishes.
I loved the way the author integrated Filipino traditions in the book, both her debut at 18 and New Years. It really added to my understanding of Stella and her family dynamics. Filipino representation is not very common in romance books (at least from my experience) and I want more! The dance with 12 men at the debut alone is ripe with possibilities, plus you have matchmaking family members (at least in Stella’s case) and the New Year’s traditions, and that’s just what this book covers!
Please write more Filipino romance stories! And seriously if anyone knows of any books involving the dance at the debut like this one, please tell me.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.… (altro)

No one expects to know what they want with life at 18 or be with the person they will marry in high school, but what if you leave that life behind only to realize it's what you wanted all along. Kayla wanted to own a bakery and stay with her high school sweetheart Chase but her grandfather wanted her to follow in his footsteps and go into a reliable field so she left Chase and her bakery dreams in Starlight Bay and headed to the city. Chase knew he wasn't up for city life and had dreams of becoming fire captain in his hometown, so he said goodbye when Kayla left for the city and put all his time and energy into work. Now here they are 5 years later and neither has really moved on, and Kayla is moving back to Starlight Bay to open the bakery of her dreams with her inheritance from her grandparents and they will come face to face with the love that never left their hearts. I love these two! They both dealt with family expectations and dreams differently but maintained similar values and loves. Once you see them interact without the awkwardness it’s clear they were meant to be.
*SPOILERS*


They both felt bad about how things ended but realized it helped them grow up. I love how certain Chase is that he needs to keep her this time, the sentiment of realizing the one that got away is the one is so beautiful. I love how hard they work to be aware of each other's needs and feelings.
I suspected cousin foul play as soon as the fire was mentioned, them being upset over inheritance made them prime suspects. I appreciated how shocked Kayla was to hear the truth because even if a reader suspects it, people rarely suspect their family of such cruelty. Chase is adorable, the way he rushed in to save her and then cared for her was so cute and sweet. I appreciated how the combination of the fire and the fact that this was their second go at a relationship contributed to the speed of each stage. It was ‘fast’ but felt very normal considering everything else. I expected an engagement ring on Christmas morning given their progression but think the gift she got was far more appropriate. Speaking of which, where can I get a Hot Firefighter Calendar? Seriously, they do these in books for fundraisers all the time and my town has never done one and I feel wronged.
This book was so sweet (and hot) and the perfect holiday read, all very expected with Aurora Paige and she has yet to disappoint. I wish I had a dashing high school boyfriend to rekindle my romance with after this book because it made it seem so perfect.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.… (altro)