Go Fug Yourself Book Club discussion

Comment here or share links your reviews for romantic reads that had an impact on you. And we welcome recommendations to NOT read a book as well.

I've started a new series from a new-to-me romance writer and I am really enjoying it, so I am sharing the wealth. The writer is Kennedy Ryan and it is her Hoops series. Here are my reviews for the first two books:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I am on a romance tear, with three 5-star books in the last week and a half. Some of the books I have loved (starting with those three):

I am a huge Sarah MacLean fan and the new one, Heartbreaker, is one of her best efforts IMO https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I may have liked the new Ali Hazelwood, Love on the Brain, more than Love Hypothesis. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

It turns out my favorite Tessa Bailey is from several years ago. I absolutely fell in love with this one despite the awful title and cover of Indecent Exposure https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... and though it did not make the best of list I also liked the first in this series

Emily Henry always makes me happy and Book Lovers was no exception. I did not love it as much as the first two books, but I did in fact love it https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Honorable mention to Eloisa James Wilde in Love, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and to Tessa Bailey's Fix Her Up https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

My top 10 romance reads this year. Would love to see what books others have loved this year

The Idea of You https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Nora Goes Off Script https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book Lovers https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Indecent Exposure https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Long Shot https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Love on the Brain https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Studfinder https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
About Last Night https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fix Her Up https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Darling Beast https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Loved The Idea of You, though I know it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Book Lovers was my absolute favorite, because I realllllly identified with the main character.

I was looking for something smutty with no dominance in it - I get so tired of the “possession” “you’re mine” BS. Anybody have any recs?

Kris—The Idea of You is still my fave of the year. And yes—ran into a bit of judgement for it (as if?!), but it just hit the right notes for me. I especially like the theme that comes through about valuing what women value instead of putting down entire genres because women produce more successful art in them. It’s madness!!

Kris: have you read Flock by Kate Stewart? The first book is not possessive/dominant (even if —eventually—that becomes a plot point in later books). It’s great. And voiced by Joe Arden (if you are an audio listener). Love him!!

Kris wrote: "Loved The Idea of You, though I know it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Book Lovers was my absolute favorite, because I realllllly identified with the main character.

I was looking for something smu..."

Hey Kris, I think you would like Nora Goes Off Script. There was definitely none of that alpha stuff. Also Studfinder could be a good choice for you. Since both made my best of you know I liked them.

Other possibilities for non-possessive romance: I liked (didn't love) Two Wrongs Make a Right and On Location; Scandalized was fun; and the book with the most ridiculous name I have ever read qualifies too Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny.

Kris wrote: "Loved The Idea of You, though I know it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Book Lovers was my absolute favorite, because I realllllly identified with the main character.

I was looking for something smu..."

I love the Eastside Brewery series by Mia Hopkins. Well-written, smutty, and I don't recall dominance in it. There are three books and they don't need to be read in order.

Also, it is fun to drop in on all this The Idea of You love. It was my top romance of the year by a mile.

Alicia wrote: "Kris wrote: "Loved The Idea of You, though I know it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Book Lovers was my absolute favorite, because I realllllly identified with the main character.

I was looking for ..."

Just added Thirsty. Thanks for the suggestion Alicia!

RAFE: A BUFF MALE NANNY?!????!?! Omg!
Sounds like someone used madlibs to create that title. 😆😆😆😂😂😂

Bonnie G. wrote: "Alicia wrote: "Kris wrote: "Loved The Idea of You, though I know it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Book Lovers was my absolute favorite, because I realllllly identified with the main character.

I w..."

Hope you enjoy! And I've had The Idea of You forever, guess I need to read it soon.

Kris wrote: "RAFE: A BUFF MALE NANNY?!????!?! Omg!
Sounds like someone used madlibs to create that title. 😆😆😆😂😂😂"

I know! I totally read it because the title cracked me up. It is actually quite charming and really sexy.

Alicia wrote: "Bonnie G. wrote: "Alicia wrote: "Kris wrote: "Loved The Idea of You, though I know it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Book Lovers was my absolute favorite, because I realllllly identified with the ma..."

Hope you enjoy The Idea of You, Some people were bothered that id did not follow every romance convention. It is more Casablanca than Pretty Woman. I loved it.

Kris wrote: "Loved The Idea of You, though I know it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Book Lovers was my absolute favorite, because I realllllly identified with the main character.

I was looking for something smu..."

Hi, Kris :) I wrote a few replies, but if you don't use GR from a computer (I wrote from my phone app) it will not allow you to "reply" SIGH. One of the many things I'd like to change about this platform. I just wanted to validate your love for the Robinne Lee book. I think I read The Idea of You in February and I'm still not over it.

Recommend: Flock by Kate Stewart
And I agree--hard to get out of the dominant/possession trope.

Kris wrote: "RAFE: A BUFF MALE NANNY?!????!?! Omg!
Sounds like someone used madlibs to create that title. 😆😆😆😂😂😂"

I put off reading it for ages because of the title - it was only after I read several of her other books and was pretty hooked on her as an author that I gave it a go.