Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
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TART Challenge - Round 4 - Chapter Chicks (9)

I hope your son is doing okay. I can't even imagine the pain he must be in. My coworker's daughter is a gymnast and she got her after an accident on the bars last week. This sounds as painful as that if not more so.
Sending healing vibes his way.

Task 3 - 7. Read 4 books that are stand alones.
Book/Author: Trouble by Tia Louise

Qualifies: Standalone (not part of a series)
Page Count: 296 (Kindle Edition)


Thanks ShanA. Very helpful. Let's see what they say.
This book came out as an e-book from the start, then kindle. Then the first reference to a kindle ed. is the one with 161 pages (although 2nd ed.). The 132-page kindle edition to which Mkat refers was actually published a month later. And I don't see anything in GR that refers to a first edition. And yup, Amazon says 161 pages. Whew, confusing. :)

Task 3 - 7. Read 4 books that are stand alones.
Book/Author: That Guy by Kim Jones

Qualifies: Standalone
Page Count: 250 pages

This was for the book I chose. It currently has no page numbers for the kindle edition, so hopefully it'll be fixed soon.
Mony, the book you read does have the copy you have as the 2nd kindle edition, meaning the one with 131 pages is the 1st (or earliest).
The 2nd edition has the page count that you have for 161, but since we are using the first (or earliest kindle edition) then it doesn't work.
Which completely sucks

This was for the book I chose. It currently has no page numbers for the kin..."
Okay. I'm on a tear with book reading so not a biggie & I'm glad it prompted me to read that book. It's actually a bit of a cult book so I wanted to know what the buzz was all about. :)

Task 2 - 2. Each player reads the first book in a series, can be same or different series - no pass for this task.
Book/Cover Link: Counsellor by Celia Aaron

Qualifies: (Acquisition Series, #1)
Page Count: 209 pages

𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝟑 - 𝟕. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝟒 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬.

Playing with Fire by L.J. Shen
𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬: Book is a standalone (not part of a series)
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: Kindle Edition, 373 pages
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝:
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠/𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:

Task: Task 3 - 7. Read 4 books that are stand alones.

The Varsity Dad Dilemma by Lex Martin
Qualifies: Not listed as part of any series in Goodreads either on the author's page, the book's page, or in the title.
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 1st Edition, 434 pages

Thanks Mony! We got back home after midnight, but things are better than I thought they would be. Just a concussion. CT Scan was clear. No breaks, no bleeds, nothing of concern. No damage in the ear from the elbow. No swelling in the eye from the ball. Just beat up and well, concussed. So, I'll be on the couch and reading while the boyo hangs out with me in boring old silence.

Maggie, I hope your son isn't hurt too badly! My youngest played football and I remember all too well the trips to urgent care. Oddly, his worst in..."
OOOFFFFFFF! Not that bad! We do cycle as a family in the summer. And we have had our issues with over the handlebar injuries as well. Honestly, I think 2020 was the first year where we didn't meet our deductible. He's okay for him. CT Scans were clear. It's a "light" concussion. He should be cleared to play again by the weekend. The biggest issue he's dealing with today is pain in his ear from the elbow and the dizziness. The dr told him he could watch TV without his glasses because his vision is bad enough it would blur it for him, so this morning I learned that there is both professional sand soccer as well as profession indoor soccer. This kid.....
His cousin beat him in the weekend sports injury competition though. She plays field hockey. She dislocated her shoulder during her game. She popped it back into place and continued to play. Her dad is an EMT, so the coach called him down. She.......She wins all the injury competitions.

💖 Healthy is the best thing! Cute makes my heart happier! So excited and happy for you ShanA!

Very good news! Sorry to hear he's having some pain. Yea, it's pretty scary these physical games. Looks like many of us mamas have been through your experience. My son got really roughed in competitive rugby (worst sport of them all), really went down - no concussion but years later still has faded shoe cleat scars on his leg. Conversation starter. 🙄 Daughter was in eastern US uni varsity hockey. Those women are rough. Playing in last game in conference finals, she got slammed with elbow (by an Olympic player, no less ) & passed out for 30-60 sec, disoriented rest of day, couldn't focus on studies for 3 wks. I was so upset, knowing LT effects of concussions. Argh
"Sports moms are no sissies"

Task 2 - 2. Each player reads the first book in a series, can be same or different series - no pass for this task.
Book/Cover Link: Counsellor by Celia Aaron

Qualifies: (Acquisition Series, #1)
Page Count: 209 pages
Rating: 3 stars
Review: The storyline was just the kind of trope I like to read. Wealthy alpha lawyer & smart young woman - who must live with him for one year, in return for suspending her dad's jail sentence. I know, but like this stuff. 🤷♀️ The first third of the book was well done. Story was compelling. Edgy, witty, barbs, some suspense. But then the execution & writing fell flat, with some filler to get the story set up to allow for 2 more books. I looked at those & read a bit....same deal. I think if this had been condensed into one book, it would have been a really good read.

𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝟑 - 𝟕. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝟒 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬.

Playing with Fire by L.J. Shen
𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬: Book is a standalone. Not part of a series
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: Kindle Edition, 373 pages
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝: 9/28/21
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 3.5/4 stars
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: This was around a 3.5 for me. Usually I can easily fall for the H, but I just wasn't feeling West. Sometimes I wanted to slap him, sometimes hug him and sometimes fall at his feet and worship. He was so indecisive and with that came the cruelness that the h didn't deserve. I adored Grace though. She stole the show, as did her Grandma. It was overall just an ok read for me.

Task: Task 3 - 7. Read 4 books that are stand alones.

The Varsity Dad Dilemma by Lex Martin
Qualifies: Not listed as part of any series in Goodreads either on the author's page, the book's page, or in the title.
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 1st Edition, 434 pages
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝: 9/28/2021
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4 stars
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: This book actually went in a direction I didn't think it would. The guy I anticipated being the baby daddy wasn't. His response to becoming a dad wasn't what I expected. The fact that he was a student athlete took a back seat to the plot of the story. It was more of a college growing up really fast, and being pushed outside of that self centric bubble harshly, overnight, and surviving. Additionally the side characters were well developed, entertaining, added to the story and also grew and changed with the main character. The female lead starts as a guarded and hurt woman due to life circumstances. The author gives her valid reasons for these traits, but even she experiences valid growth, change in perspective, as well as offering both herself and the main character forgiveness. I like that it didn't fall right into a happily ever after or an insta attraction. I also like that the author made clear the fact of being a young parent is NOT easy, convenient AND stressed the fact that bonding parent/child time was needed.

𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝟑 - 𝟕. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝟒 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬.

Playing with Fire by L.J. Shen
𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬: Book is a standa..."
Me too M. I actually rated a bit lower. And I usually love Shen's books! :)

Task 3 - 7. Read 4 books that are stand alones.
Book/Author: That Guy by Kim Jones

Qualifies: Standalone
Page Count: 250 pages
Rating: 5-star +
Review: This is one of those books where you either love or hate it, depending whether this is your kind of humour. Well, I love it! Penelope “inadvertently” squats in sexy wealthy Jake’s apartment overnight. Jake comes home, finds her & a hot, crazy story takes off from there. Fantastic lines by Penelope as she hangs out with reserved Jake, who finds himself liking her while wondering what the hell is going on. Great chemistry & sizzling love scenes. And also giant belly laughs which brought my DH around to ask what was going on. “Nothing”

Task 3 - 7. Read 4 books that are stand alones.
Book/Author: Trouble by Tia Louise

Qualifies: Standalone (not part of a series)
Page Count: 296 (Kindle Edition)
Finished: 09/28
Rating: 2 stars
Review: I'm sorry, but I didn't like either one of the main characters.
Jocelyn and Spencer are both a mess. Spencer from his past and Jocelyn is just pitiful.
I guess I'm just not in the mood for women who are described as intelligent act like idiots when it comes to men.
What woman moves in with a man they only know for 3 weeks, then acts surprised when it doesn't work out? Why was this woman who is supposedly intelligent make excuses for a man who obviously is not looking out for her best interest. It takes something to be in your face to finally let this zero go??
Then to turn around and continue to pine after a man who lets you know that he doesn't do relationships and then runs hot and cold the rest of the time. Does she have so little self-esteem or self-worth?
Spencer is a smart, attractive man, who spends most of this book acting like a big child with a toy. I wanna play with the toy, then I don't. I don't wanna play with the toy, but I also don't want anyone else to play with it either.
I was actually more interested in what was happening with Courtney and her ex, than I was with the two people that was supposed to carry this story.
I would have had more respect and Jocelyn if she would have actually made him work for her attention.
In the end it all goes back to her supposedly being smart, but all of her actions show the opposite.

Task 4 - 23. Each teammate reads a book that has been read by one of the RRRC moderators. No pass for this task.
To qualify for this task, the selected books need to be marked as read by one of the RRRC moderators. There is no date requirement for this task, but the selected book must be marked as read and rated. Please include a link to the moderator's review or read shelf in your completion posts. To make your searching easier - Fran, Jane, Karen and I all read MM Romance, but Jane reads MM exclusively. Fran, Karen and I read both MF and MM.

23. Each teammate reads book that has been read by one of the RRRC moderators. No pass for this task.
MKat - https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
KarenH - https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Task: Task 4 - 23. Each teammate reads a book that has been read by one of the RRRC moderators. No pass for this task.

Dirty Letters by Penelope Ward Vi Keeland
Qualifies: ~KarenH~ marked as read on 1/19/2020; MKat marked as read on 2/16/2020
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 294 pages

𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝟒 - 𝟐𝟑. 𝐄𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐑𝐑𝐂 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬. 𝐍𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐤.

Getting Played by Emma Chase
𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬: ~KarenH~ marked as read on Oct 25, 2019
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: Kindle Edition, 292 pages

Task: Task 4 - 23. Each teammate reads a book that has been read by one of the RRRC moderators. No pass for this task.
At Last by Jill Shalvis

Qualifies: ~ MKat marked as read on Aug 13, 2012
MKat's review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 345 pages


Task 4 - 23. Each teammate reads a book that has been read by one of the RRRC moderators. No pass for this task.
Book/Author: An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

Qualifies: MKat marked as read 08/09/2017
MKat's Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Page Count: 384 (Kindle Edition)

Task: Task 4 - 23. Each teammate reads a book that has been read by one of the RRRC moderators. No pass for this task.
At Last by Jill Shalvis

Qualifies: ~ MKat marked as read on Aug 13, 2012
MKat's shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 345 pages
Rating: 4-star
Review: The Lucky Harbour series is one of the first romance series I read years ago. They're comfort reads for me these days. This one is about laidback, easygoing Matt, a ranger working in a Pacific Northwest forest. And Amy, a young woman with a chip on her shoulder, looking for her way in life through her grandmother's connections with that beautiful forest. Matt is a great character - sexy, competent, giving Amy her space & then not. Amy's a hard nut to crack but works at opening up. Usual LH characters & settings like Eat Me cafe & Lucille who posts everybody's business on Facebook & has a voting poll for hottest guy in town.

𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝟒 - 𝟐𝟑. 𝐄𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐑𝐑𝐂 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬. 𝐍𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐤.

Getting Played by Getting Played
𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬: ~KarenH~ read on October 25th 2019 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: Kindle Edition, 292 pages
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝: 9/30/21
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 4 stars
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: I really liked Dean in Getting Schooled and loved him even more in this one. He was swooney and just what Lainey needed in her life. One hot night led to SO much more. I loved the small town aspect and usually secret baby doesn't mesh well for me, but this one worked. I thought it was fun that Lainey was a lifestyle blogger and had her entire life on display. The good, the bad and all the lovey dovey. Their relationship was so sweet and flirty.

𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝟒 - 𝟐𝟑. 𝐄𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐑𝐑𝐂 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬. 𝐍𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐤.

Getting Played ..."
yay, M! Read this one too. Book #1 was great too!


Not to worry Maggie...real life... :)

Sounds amazing...have fun, ShanA!

Task 4 - 23. Each teammate reads a book that has been read by one of the RRRC moderators. No pass for this task.
Book/Author: An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

Qualifies: MKat marked as read 08/09/2017
MKat's Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Page Count: 384 (Kindle Edition)
Finished: 10/02
Rating: 5 stars
Review: Update 10/02/2021
I don't remember my heart being in my throat while reading everything Sophie went through the first time around.
Loved it.
Original 03/10/2015
Julia Quinn has done what she does best... Wrote a fun and funny historical romance.
This is not just another Cinderella story.
Sophie and Benedict meet at a masquerade, they both start falling for each other. The problem, he can't find her.
Sophie is in no way living in the lap of luxury, being the by-blow of a noblemen is not an ideal situation, but most especially when his new wife lives to make your life a living hell.
Once these two finally meet again, the fun begins. When they are together we see who they really are and not the "masks" they put on for the rest of the world.

Task: Task 4 - 23. Each teammate reads a book that has been read by one of the RRRC moderators. No pass for this task.

Dirty Letters by Penelope Ward Vi Keeland
Qualifies: ~KarenH~ marked as read on 1/19/2020
MKat marked as read and reviewed on 2/16/2020
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 294 pages
Completed Date: 10/1/2021
4 stars
Review: I wasn't sure how this read was going to go for me. I don't typically read through a lot of the reviews when I'm looking for a book, but for this one I did. The reviews seemed very split on this one particularly regarding Luca's POV. I personally wound up loving it. I think the biggest thing I would ask the authors to change would be to back off on Luca's diagnosis a little as it is more complex PTSD than true agoraphobia. Overall, they portrayed Luca's condition, her triggers, and the fall outs very very well. While to some readers Luca may run from handling her stressors and being calm to turning to the opposite extreme too quickly, I know that these scenes aren't too fictionalized from the truth. I really enjoyed the over arching pen pals, to silence, back to pen pals, part of the plot. I also liked that while both Luca and Griff were very successful personas in their careers, neither knew that the other was a famous person. To them, they were still just Luca and Griff. I also liked how it was Griff who wanted to hold on to that piece the most and was fighting for that the most. I wasn't crazy about how he felt that Luca's "lifestyle" was "working for him in this manner" as it's not really a lifestyle and more a result of a serious mental illness, but it worked for the plot. Additionally I love how Doc was written. As a non traditional long term therapist in Luca's life, I enjoyed seeing his conflict in balancing the different roles he filled in her life as friend, therapist, and father figure. I also loved seeing his struggle as he started to take on a bit a fatherly role with Griff towards the end as well. As a person who does struggle with some illnesses I was personally anxious to read about how excessively small Griff and Luca's support circle is. I have to keep reminding myself they are fictional and no harm will come to them as they are really alive. Overall, it's a well written story, a good give and take with the relationship. I liked that even when Griff hit his wall (as he should have) he wasn't ready to truly let go, but he also understood he couldn't "fix" Luca. I thought the deeper mental issues were handled mostly realistically and with an understanding for those who walk around in those skins in the real world. I'm glad I made this my book of choice.

☀️🏖️🍸☕️🧁📚🍷👩🏻🍼😴 🚴🏼♀️🏃🏻🚙 😎"
My migraine finally broke!! This weekend it's a cup tournament for the son's soccer team (we'll still go to watch even though he's sitting on the bench), fall festivals have hit Connecticut - so I will be going to get apple fritters and apple crisp for my parents. And apparently my dad's mini apple orchard (6 trees) over produced this year. The deer aren't keeping up with their side of the deal, so the daughter and I will be climbing trees to get to the upper fruit so it doesn't go to waste. The son and my parents will visit and my husband typically is just told to grab a drink, sit down and enjoy some quiet unless he WANTS to do something. (My mom claims her kids are "a lot" and our spouses need "a break" when they come to see her)
My mom has some medical procedures coming up in three weeks so this weekend is the last weekend she physically be near all of us until the end of the month. My siblings and I are going to stagger visits so she can see all the grandkids in person and give them hugs before we have to go back to facetime calls and yelling at her from the neighbor's yard across the street while she quarantines ahead of and after her surgeries.
Thank goodness my parents still live in the same house I grew up in and most of the neighbors are either the same childhood neighbors or my childhood friends who purchased their parents' homes. It makes these weird COVID visits easier to explain.🤣

Task 5 - 19. Each teammate reads a book another teammate read and rated 4 Stars or higher in the last 3 months. No pass for this task.
Books selected for this task need to have been read by a teammate on or after July 2, 2021 and rated at least 4 stars. Please include a link to the teammate's review or read shelf showing the selected book in your completion post.

Task 5 - 19. Each teammate reads a book another teammate read and rated 4 Stars or higher in the last 3 months. No pass for this task.

Stuck-Up Suit by Vi Keeland
Qualifies: Read by Maggie on Aug. 1/21 & rated 4 Stars
Shelf:https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Page Count: Kindle Edition, 328 pages


No problem if not. I have other choices."
Hi Shan, I do own it. Is there a way for me to share it via Kindle?

Task: Task 5 - 19. Each teammate reads a book another teammate read and rated 4 Stars or higher in the last 3 months. No pass for this task.

The Lies We Steal by Monty Jay
Qualifies: Read by M on 9/30/2021. She rated it 4 stars. Link to her review.
Page Count: 398 pages per Amazon.
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Task 3 - 7. Read 4 books that are stand alones.
Books selected for this task can not be listed in any series on GR.