Briefly Romantic(12)

Posted September 13, 2022 by Andi in Books, Briefly Romantic, Review / 0 Comments

Here are a few brief thoughts on some romance reads released in September:

Briefly Romantic(12)Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings
Series: A Brush with Love #2
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
Published: September 6, 2022
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Lizzie has made endless mistakes. Kitchen fires, pyramid schemes, bangs (of the hair and human variety), you name it, she’s done it… and made a mess of it too. One mistake she’s never made is letting anyone get closer to her than a single hook-up. But after losing yet another bakery job due to her uncontrolled ADHD, she breaks her cardinal rule and has a two-night-stand that changes everything.

Once burned, twice shy, Rake has given up on relationships. And feelings. And any form of intimacy for that matter. Yet something about charming, chaotic Lizzie has him lowering his guard. For two nights, that is. Then it’s back home to Australia and far away from the pesky feelings Lizzie pulls from him. But when Lizzie tells him she’s got an unexpected bun in the oven, he’ll do whatever it takes to be a part of his child’s life… except be emotionally vulnerable, obviously. He’s never going to make that mistake again.

Through a series of mishaps, totally “platonic” single bed sharing, and an underground erotic baking scheme, Lizzie and Rake learn that even the biggest mistakes can have the most beautiful consequences.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.



I feel hard for A Brush with Love when I read it in 2021, but I fell even more head over heals for Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake. Lizzie is not your typical heroine. She is a straight up mess. But she is so charming and likable that you can’t help but love her and feel bad for her at the same time. People just don’t understand her or how her brain works and they don’t take the time to find out. They just call her flakey and that’s the end of it. But Rake…Rake is different. He expects Lizzie for who she is and that’s that. But man were Lizzie and Rake were so good together! For all their differences they were a great match. It was like they were waiting for each other to make them more complete. What started as a random one night stand becomes something else entirely. And the title is not wrong, all of it is the best “mistake” Lizzie could ever make. Definitely add to your TBR! And if you haven’t read A Brush with Love, pick that one up too and preorder Mazey’s next release, The Plus One.

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Briefly Romantic(12)Lucy on the Wild Side by Kerry Rea
Published by Berkley Books
Published: September 13, 2022
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A charming and wildly funny new romantic comedy by Kerry Rea, author of The Wedding Ringer.
Lucy Rourke has two great loves in her life: the gorilla troop she cares for as a primatologist and the laundry list of reality TV shows she watches to escape the fact that her actual love life doesn’t exist. And like a reality contestant gunning for the final rose, Lucy’s laser-focused on one thing: getting promoted to head keeper. So when a wildlife docuseries hosted by hotshot TV personality Kai Bridges chooses her zoo as its summer filming location, she sees an opportunity to showcase her beloved gorillas to the world and land a starring role in her department.

When Kai and his film crew arrive, however, it's obvious to Lucy that Kai cares more about sky-high ratings than the gorillas, and he considers her a camera-averse know-it-all whose wardrobe consists entirely of khaki. But she’s surprised to discover there’s more to him than his rugged good looks and cheesy catchphrases...and that maybe a promotion isn’t the only thing she wants. But when secrets from their pasts threaten to complicate everything, Lucy discovers that happiness and success aren’t the same thing—and that finding joy just might mean getting a little wild.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.



Kerry Rea is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. She just has a way of telling a story that sits really well with me and Lucy on the Wild Side was no different. Lucy’s story is a pretty emotional one. It appears that the book is going to be a story about a zookeeper falling for someone she hated, but there is so much more involved. Lucy and Kai have a lot going on in their personal lives and families so the story is so much more than an enemies to lover romance. By the end of the book I was invested and very very emotional. Kerry Rea has a way of bringing out the best emotions in her readers so don’t sleep on her as an author. Make sure you add her books to your TBR. I personally can’t wait until her next book comes out!

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Briefly Romantic(12)The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
Published: September 13, 2022
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Allison Avery loves to win. After acing every academic challenge she’s come up against, she’s finally been accepted into her dream Ph.D. program at Claymore University, studying medieval literature under a professor she’s admired for years. Sure, grad school isn’t easy—the classes are intense, her best friend is drifting away, and her students would rather pull all-nighters than discuss The Knight's Tale—but she’s got this. Until she discovers her ex-boyfriend has also been accepted. Colin Benjamin might be the only person who loves winning more than Allison does, and when they're both assigned to TA for the same professor, the game is on.

What starts as a personal battle of wits (and lit) turns into all-out war when their professor announces a career-changing research trip opportunity—with one spot to fill. Competing with Colin is as natural as breathing, and after he shattered her heart two years ago, Allison refuses to let him come out on top. But when a family emergency and a late night road trip—plus a very sexy game of Scrabble—throw them together for a weekend, she starts to wonder if they could be stronger on the same team. And if they fall for each other all over again, Allison will have to choose between a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and what could be a twice-in-a-lifetime love.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.



The Make-Up Test was an excellent book about second chances and allowing yourself to know that your feelings are your feelings and that’s all that matters. Allison and Colin were a complicated pair with history. But once they got past their history and when they actually talked, they were magical together. I wish we got a tad more about Sophie and Allison’s friendship, but in the end this was a chef’s kiss of a book. I look forward to more from Jenny Howe in the future!

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