Happy Pub Day 2/1/22

Happy pub day to three great books! These are all some really awesome books, and I've been looking forward to sharing my reviews.

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy 

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Good Girl Complex follows Mackenzie and her struggle between her plans for her life and the need to meet the expectations of her wealthy parents, boyfriend, and friends. She moves to Avalon Bay for college and meets Cooper, a local bartender who usually does not give people like Mackenzie the time of day. As the two become friends (and then something more), Mackenzie starts to come out of her shell and embrace her true self.

I was immediately interested in Good Girl Complex just from seeing the cover and reading the book summary. So as soon I received an ARC, I quickly put aside all other books on my tbr list because I couldn't wait to get started. Good Girl Complex exceeded all of my expectations, and I easily read this book in a couple of sittings. I loved the relationship between Mackenzie and Cooper and dug the unlikely friends to lovers dynamic (not to mention the palpable chemistry that came through each page). Even more so, I liked how the closer they became, the more Mackenzie gained the confidence to be the person she really wanted to be. There are plenty of secrets and conflicts to go around, and it is easy to stay invested in this book. Good Girl Complex is a strong NA/romance novel, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the genre. 4.5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.

Out of the Blue by Alison Bliss

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Out of the Blue is the story of Preslee, who after finding out that she is pre-diabetic decides that she needs to lose weight for her health. Her first day at the gym doesn't go as planned and leads to a viral video of her on the stairmaster. After seeing the resulting video, gym owner and personal trainer Adam takes an interest in Preslee and helps her in her weight loss journey. 

I adored reading Out of the Blue and would have easily finished the book in a day had my schedule allowed for it. The forward by the author that she drew inspiration from her own weight loss experiences helped focus my mindset when reading her book and made me appreciate it even more. I really liked Preslee as a lead and felt she was written in an honest manner; she wanted to lose weight for her but was also transparent about the fact that men had at least a partial influence. And yes, she didn't always make the best choices, but again, it was honest. I dug the slow burn relationship between Preslee and Adam and stayed interested through the final chapter. Out of the Blue was a big win for me and a book that I would highly recommend for women's fiction readers.

Thanks to Forever for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.

3:16 by Max Lucado

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

3:16 is the updated release of the best selling book by Max Lucado. This book focuses on one of the most well known verses in the Bible: John 3:16. Lucado looks at this verse in detail, illustrates it's importance, and covers why it is still so relevant today. The book ends with a 40 day devotional that covers the verse in small pieces.

This is my first time around reading 3:16 and I really enjoyed it. I am always in need of new devotionals, and this one really fit the bill for me. Lucado does a fantastic job dissecting John 3:16 and explaining why it is so important. Many different topics are covered in this book, and it shows important this verse still is in current times. And the devotional at the end it great for daily study. I would recommend 3:16 for readers of all ages.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson--LUCADO BRAND for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.