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Bella Heartwood Book Reviews
š Bookish thoughts, cozy vibes, and honest feelings — all in one place. I mostly review romance and romantasy books, from sweet to steamy (and all the messy feelings in between!), but I also like to explore other genres. I hope my reviews help you discover your next favorite read! šāØ
Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice
Author: Katie Cicatelli-Kuc
Rating: 4.5/5 āļø
Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice is a sweet, cozy fall YA story that I genuinely enjoyed from beginning to end šš§”
When I picked up this book, I knew nothing beyond the blurb on the backāand Iām so glad I went in that way. Itās very much a YA novel, and I think itās important to read it with that mindset, especially since it leans into being a āfeel-goodā fall read. With that in mind, the characters feel wonderfully crafted, and I really appreciated seeing Lucyās growth throughout the story.
Lucy, our sixteen-year-old main female character, has lived her whole life in the small town of Briar Glen. Outside of school, she helps her mom run their small, beloved coffee shop. She has a genuine passion for bakingānot just the doing, but the creative spark behind dreaming up flavors and experimenting, much like she does with coffee. Their cafĆ© has its steady stream of loyal customers, and everything feels familiarā¦ until a national coffee chain opens directly across the street. Not only is it a huge competitor, but itās famous for its pumpkin spice latteāa drink Lucy absolutely refuses to put on their own menu, convinced itās made with nothing but artificial ingredients.
As that new shop gets ready to open, a new student arrives at Lucyās school: Jack Harper. Heās cute and effortlessly charming, and Lucyās instant crush only adds another layer to the changes unfolding around her.
Thereās no major drama in this book, and honestly, I didnāt miss it. I was here for the āsmall but feels bigā moments that Lucy and her mom faceābecause through the eyes of a sixteen-year-old whoās only ever known a certain rhythm of life, those moments are big. Lucy overreacts at times, sure, but I could completely understand why everything felt so overwhelming to her. This story leans into small, heartfelt challenges rather than big twists, and I actually loved that. It suits the cozy, comforting tone perfectly, and I truly enjoyed following Lucy through every step.
The side charactersāmostly other teensāadd a nice charm and help the story move forward in a natural, engaging way. This was a page-turner for me, and I loved every chapter. Iāll definitely be reading more from this author.
Thereās little to no romance here, and thatās worth noting. This is a YA feel-good story that focuses more on Lucy herself and how she navigates the changes that shake up the world as she knows it.
Rating: 4.5/5 āļø
Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice is a sweet, cozy fall YA story that I genuinely enjoyed from beginning to end šš§”
When I picked up this book, I knew nothing beyond the blurb on the backāand Iām so glad I went in that way. Itās very much a YA novel, and I think itās important to read it with that mindset, especially since it leans into being a āfeel-goodā fall read. With that in mind, the characters feel wonderfully crafted, and I really appreciated seeing Lucyās growth throughout the story.
Lucy, our sixteen-year-old main female character, has lived her whole life in the small town of Briar Glen. Outside of school, she helps her mom run their small, beloved coffee shop. She has a genuine passion for bakingānot just the doing, but the creative spark behind dreaming up flavors and experimenting, much like she does with coffee. Their cafĆ© has its steady stream of loyal customers, and everything feels familiarā¦ until a national coffee chain opens directly across the street. Not only is it a huge competitor, but itās famous for its pumpkin spice latteāa drink Lucy absolutely refuses to put on their own menu, convinced itās made with nothing but artificial ingredients.
As that new shop gets ready to open, a new student arrives at Lucyās school: Jack Harper. Heās cute and effortlessly charming, and Lucyās instant crush only adds another layer to the changes unfolding around her.
Thereās no major drama in this book, and honestly, I didnāt miss it. I was here for the āsmall but feels bigā moments that Lucy and her mom faceābecause through the eyes of a sixteen-year-old whoās only ever known a certain rhythm of life, those moments are big. Lucy overreacts at times, sure, but I could completely understand why everything felt so overwhelming to her. This story leans into small, heartfelt challenges rather than big twists, and I actually loved that. It suits the cozy, comforting tone perfectly, and I truly enjoyed following Lucy through every step.
The side charactersāmostly other teensāadd a nice charm and help the story move forward in a natural, engaging way. This was a page-turner for me, and I loved every chapter. Iāll definitely be reading more from this author.
Thereās little to no romance here, and thatās worth noting. This is a YA feel-good story that focuses more on Lucy herself and how she navigates the changes that shake up the world as she knows it.
Bride
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Rating: 5 āļø (Iād give it 1000 if I could!)
Wow. I absolutely loved this Ali Hazelwood book ā thatās now 2/2 five-stars from her for me! š¤ Bride is a total page-turner: a paranormal romance that entertained me on every single page and kept me wanting more.
Misery (our FMC) is such a hilarious, unfiltered, and effortlessly cool character that I couldnāt help but root for her from the beginning. Even though sheās a vampyre supposedly born without feelings, Misery is caring to her core and would do anything for the few people she lets into her heart. After spending years as collateral in the humansā territory, she finds herself in a similar situation again ā but this time, it involves the weres (werewolves).
Lowe (our MMC) starts out serious and not-exactly-fun-to-be-around, but as the story unfolds and we get his backstory piece by piece, everything about him starts to make sense. He cares deeply for his pack and is determined to be a better Alpha than the one before him, which makes him incredibly compelling in his own steady way.
Misery and Lowe enter a marriage of convenience to help form a new alliance between vampyres and werewolves, fully expecting it to be something to simply get through and move on from. They never imagine that spending time together ā living in were territory, learning each otherās rhythms, and letting their walls down ā would change everything. Oh boyā¦ how much it does change.
I LOVED these two together. Every moment, every interaction, every shift in their relationship had me completely hooked. And beyond the romance, the individual growth each of them goes through is beautiful to watch. The secondary characters are also wonderfully written ā each one adding something meaningful to the story and helping it move forward in a way that feels natural.
Thereās mystery, humor, tension (including the steamy kind š), and so much heart.
I highly recommend Bride for anyone who enjoys paranormal romance, vampyres and werewolves, political alliances, a dash of mystery, Ali Hazelwoodās signature charm, and especially for those who love a queen FMC who doesnāt fit the traditional mold ā an outcast trying to find her place in the world. Bride is book one in the Bride series, with the sequel Mate now available.
Genres: Fantasy Ā· Romance Ā· Paranormal Ā· Romantasy
Rating: 5 āļø (Iād give it 1000 if I could!)
Wow. I absolutely loved this Ali Hazelwood book ā thatās now 2/2 five-stars from her for me! š¤ Bride is a total page-turner: a paranormal romance that entertained me on every single page and kept me wanting more.
Misery (our FMC) is such a hilarious, unfiltered, and effortlessly cool character that I couldnāt help but root for her from the beginning. Even though sheās a vampyre supposedly born without feelings, Misery is caring to her core and would do anything for the few people she lets into her heart. After spending years as collateral in the humansā territory, she finds herself in a similar situation again ā but this time, it involves the weres (werewolves).
Lowe (our MMC) starts out serious and not-exactly-fun-to-be-around, but as the story unfolds and we get his backstory piece by piece, everything about him starts to make sense. He cares deeply for his pack and is determined to be a better Alpha than the one before him, which makes him incredibly compelling in his own steady way.
Misery and Lowe enter a marriage of convenience to help form a new alliance between vampyres and werewolves, fully expecting it to be something to simply get through and move on from. They never imagine that spending time together ā living in were territory, learning each otherās rhythms, and letting their walls down ā would change everything. Oh boyā¦ how much it does change.
I LOVED these two together. Every moment, every interaction, every shift in their relationship had me completely hooked. And beyond the romance, the individual growth each of them goes through is beautiful to watch. The secondary characters are also wonderfully written ā each one adding something meaningful to the story and helping it move forward in a way that feels natural.
Thereās mystery, humor, tension (including the steamy kind š), and so much heart.
I highly recommend Bride for anyone who enjoys paranormal romance, vampyres and werewolves, political alliances, a dash of mystery, Ali Hazelwoodās signature charm, and especially for those who love a queen FMC who doesnāt fit the traditional mold ā an outcast trying to find her place in the world. Bride is book one in the Bride series, with the sequel Mate now available.
Genres: Fantasy Ā· Romance Ā· Paranormal Ā· Romantasy
Leather & Lark
Author: Brynne Weaver
Rating: 4.5 āļø
Spoiler-free review
Leather & Lark was such a great sequel to Butcher & Blackbird! Fun, witty, sexy, and filled with strong character development, this book delivers exactly what dark romance readers love while giving us a whole new side of Lark to enjoy.
From the beginning, we get to explore a different layer of Lark, and itās so refreshing to see her take center stage as the FMC after being an outstanding secondary character in the first book. During one of her āactivities,ā she crosses paths with a not-so-nice man hired to clean up her mess ā and letās just say their night ends on very bad terms for both.
Fast forward, and Lark discovers that this annoying, not-likable man is actually Lachlan, her best friend Sloaneās brother-in-law. Their relationship doesnāt improve at allā¦ at first. But life has other plans, and circumstances push them into a fake-marriage arrangement that is challenging, chaotic, and hilarious at times. Forced to spend more time together, they start uncovering unexpected traits in each other ā the kind that make their connection impossible to ignore.
Lark and Lachlan are such a great couple, and their interactions are raw, vulnerable, exciting, and packed with delicious sexual tension. The secondary cast adds fantastic layers to the story, but the true standout is Aunt Ethel ā fierce, brave, saucy, and exactly the chaotic family energy Lark needs. Their relationship has its own unique flavor of love, and itās one of the highlights of the book.
While I had fun with this story overall, there were a few slower moments, and some of the miscommunication between the FMC and MMC didnāt always land for me. Still, this is a wonderful read for anyone who enjoys dark romance with vengeance, blood, sharp humor, and explicit sexual content. Butcher & Blackbird remains my favorite in the series, but Leather & Lark is an amazing addition and absolutely worth reading.
Please read the trigger warnings before diving in!
Rating: 4.5 āļø
Spoiler-free review
Leather & Lark was such a great sequel to Butcher & Blackbird! Fun, witty, sexy, and filled with strong character development, this book delivers exactly what dark romance readers love while giving us a whole new side of Lark to enjoy.
From the beginning, we get to explore a different layer of Lark, and itās so refreshing to see her take center stage as the FMC after being an outstanding secondary character in the first book. During one of her āactivities,ā she crosses paths with a not-so-nice man hired to clean up her mess ā and letās just say their night ends on very bad terms for both.
Fast forward, and Lark discovers that this annoying, not-likable man is actually Lachlan, her best friend Sloaneās brother-in-law. Their relationship doesnāt improve at allā¦ at first. But life has other plans, and circumstances push them into a fake-marriage arrangement that is challenging, chaotic, and hilarious at times. Forced to spend more time together, they start uncovering unexpected traits in each other ā the kind that make their connection impossible to ignore.
Lark and Lachlan are such a great couple, and their interactions are raw, vulnerable, exciting, and packed with delicious sexual tension. The secondary cast adds fantastic layers to the story, but the true standout is Aunt Ethel ā fierce, brave, saucy, and exactly the chaotic family energy Lark needs. Their relationship has its own unique flavor of love, and itās one of the highlights of the book.
While I had fun with this story overall, there were a few slower moments, and some of the miscommunication between the FMC and MMC didnāt always land for me. Still, this is a wonderful read for anyone who enjoys dark romance with vengeance, blood, sharp humor, and explicit sexual content. Butcher & Blackbird remains my favorite in the series, but Leather & Lark is an amazing addition and absolutely worth reading.
Please read the trigger warnings before diving in!
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