#women's fiction rom-com

[literary-love-songs]

HAPPY EMILY HENRY RELEASE DAY TO ALL THOSE WHO CELEBRATE!!!! 💗🙂‍↕️⭐️💅

#bookblr #book #books #novel #book lovers #literature #emily henry #people we meet on vacation #beach read #happy place #funny story #funny story emily henry #women’s fiction #rom com #romance novel

[bookishlyvintage]

Really Good, Actually • Monica Heisey

[ thoughts | book sleeve ]

#really good actually #monica heisey #anti romantic comedy #rom com #womens lit #womens fiction #book review #mini review #bookblr #booklr #reading #cozy reads #flat lay #cozy gamer #cozy games #lonesome village #nintendo switch #indie games #girls who game #gamer girl

[annarellix]

Just a Fika by Beck Erixson

Family. They're always meddling in your love life Even after they're dead.

Brooklynite-and genealogist-Ingrid Ekstrom accepts a surprise request from her typically estranged family: to become the live-in caretaker of their shared historic house in the sleepy Jersey Shore town of Aegir Haven. A fun-loving cousin is quick to introduce Ingrid to the local handyman and bluegrass musician. As he fixes up the place, Ingrid digs into the house's past and learns about the family she barely knows. And then Mormor-her long-dead grandmother-shows up, acting as though not being in the spirit realm is perfectly normal. Ingrid's always yearned for stronger family connections, and it's nice having Mormor around. Mormor tries to set her up with a young real estate attorney who's closer to her more thunderous, god-like personal standards than the musician with keen senses Ingrid is falling for. As lore and legends mingle with real life, she's torn. Mormor's fantastical family sagas can't actually be true, right?

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/justafika

My Review: I wanted to read this book as I found the plot interesting, there were paranormal elements and I love ghost stories. I also wanted to read it because I know what Fika means in Italian, don’t aks, but not what it is in Sweden. It’s a cute and compelling story that made me smile and reading. There’s a couple of strong female characters, Ingrid and Mormor, there’s an intriguing setting, and two well rounded love interest. I’m not a fan of love triangle but this played an important role in the plot. The author did a good job in describing the sedate life in Aegir Haven, the ancient house. I laughed, rooted for the characters, and had a good time. It’s the first story I read by this author and won’t surely be the last. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher and Rachel’s Random Resources for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Author: Beck Erixson writes about the beautifully awkward world of navigating the journey to true happiness through friendships, love, and family—be it blood, found, or chosen. Her stories enhance the importance of positive interconnection, even when we feel lonely. She lives on the Jersey Shore, and can often be found either writing by the river, or in it in some way. Her short stories have appeared in Many Nice Donkeys, and Full Mood Mag.

Social Media Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BErixson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BeckErixsonAuthor/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beckerixsonauthor GoodReads: Beck Erixson (Author of Just a Fika) | Goodreads

#review #netgalley #ghosts #Rachel's Random Resources #women's fiction #rom com

[jeevesreads]

5-STAR AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Savor It by Tarah DeWitt

With a soft, tender romance and a small town that is bursting with eccentric charm, this quiet love story slowly got under my skin in the best of ways. I’ve loved all three of DeWitt’s previous books, so I was nervous that this wouldn’t meet my very high expectations, but I shouldn’t have worried. Her writing is fresh and distinct (as always), with an undercurrent of emotion weaving through the…

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#5 star #Angsty #Book Review #Cinnamon Roll #Contemporary Romance #Fling to More #Friends to Lovers #Kindle Book #Opposites Attract #Rom Com #Romance Book #Romance Novel #Romantic Comedy #Single Dad #Slow Burn #Small Town #Tarah DeWitt #Women&039;s Fiction

[astracapone]

It’s release day for WOULD I LIE TO YOU, and if you’ve thought about grabbing a spicy rollercoaster of emotions to read, I’ve got you covered. British charm meets American sass in this wf/rom-com! Free if you’re subbed to KU. Check it out!

#naughty american girl #proper british boy #lots of smut #rom com #women’s fiction #protag looks like elvis

[desdasiwrites]

– Meryl Wilsner, Mistakes Were Made

#book quote of the day #meryl wilsner #mistakes were made #contemporary fiction #romance #lesbian rom-com #sapphic romance #“Meryl Wilsner writes happily ever afters for queer folks who love women” #book quotes

[queenvreads]

REVIEW: Love Me Do by Lindsey Kelk

2/5 ⭐⭐

**Thank you to Harper 360, HarperCollins & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own.**

During her two-week trip to LA, Phoebe unexpectedly becomes a matchmaker for her sister's friend Bel and the appealing new neighbor, Ren. What takes her by surprise, however, is her gradual romantic feelings for Ren, which she realizes only when she's already emotionally invested. Getting into this book was was a challenge for me. I anticipated a fun, beachy, summer rom-com based on the gorgeous cover, but it came across more as women’s fiction, which wasn't what I was in the mood for. I had to push through the first quarter, and it just didn’t get better. Despite the presence of romance, the premise revolved around Phoebe setting up Bel with Ren, despite her own feelings for him. Phoebe and Ren shared a few moments where their mutual attraction was evident, yet Phoebe was merely a visitor, and Ren was committed to Bel, leading to a tangle of emotions.

The story felt predictable and lacked innovation to me. Certain elements closely resembled scenes from the movie "The Holiday,” and in comparison, I found the movie more enjoyable. The impersonation trope, which, for me, is almost as bad as miscommunication, turned me off. I found it really cheesy :(

The characters presented a mix of positives and negatives for me. I found Phoebe cute and funny, but her choices were cringy. Ren came across as a nice guy, and his shared interest in bird watching with Phoebe, was random but endearing. However, I found Bel to be quite annoying. I didn't appreciate how she forcefully inserted herself into situations. I am disappointed that I didn't like this one, as all the reviews are so positive! I will try to give this author another chance. I see she has a popular Christmas book that I have yet to check out.

🥳 FOLLOW ME :) HERE

#romance novels #bookstagram #bookish #booktok #tiktok #booklr #books #book review #romance #rom com #romance books #romantic #women's lit #women's fiction #Lindsey Kelk #love me do #bookworm #bibliophile #books and reading #book blog #bookstagrammer

[twopoppies]

https://x.com/savan_kotecha/status/1786822536069517665?s=46&t=8oGXlY2gNSWLDR_INsMZpg god he’s so pathetic

I can't stand him. He's such a fake POS. But she's pathetic as well. That whole article is basically her rejecting all criticism of her book because it's obviously misogyny. Her article is the same bullshit excuse Olivia gave for any criticism of her work or her behavior. Misogyny.

I will give her credit for being frustrated that the movie seems to have removed any substance her book may have had and has turned into a feel-good rom-com, complete with a happy ending. That must be annoying as fuck.

However, she has the nerve to say that people who label her work as "romance" or "fanfiction" are being reductive because her book is so much more. It's a story "about ageism, sexism, the double standard, motherhood, female friendship, agency, and the dark side of celebrity".

She goes on to say that "Labeling it as “fluff” or “fanfiction”—particularly when done by those who have not read it—is both reductive and dismissive. And this is not something that happens to male authors." Meanwhile, most fic is written by women. And I'd hazard a guess that most romance is as well. So, it's okay to dismiss those forms of art created by women as "fluff", but not her very serious deep novel? 🙄 I wonder if she's seriously delved into fic before criticizing it as a reductive form of art. I highly doubt it.

And this is my favorite part:

"But assuming a novel with a fictional celebrity in a relationship must be based on an existing celebrity—in this case, the internet has decided, Harry Styles—is unimaginative at best and sexist at worst."

AS IF SHE DIDN'T TELL THE WHOLE WORLD that her character was inspired by him when the book came out. AS IF she didn't use that as a way to excite her readers. AS IF THE ACTOR IN THE FILM DOESN'T FULLY COPY Harry's mannerisms and wardrobe choices at times. AS IF Anne Hathaway didn't steal a line out of Olivia's playbook and focus her early promo on this film's sex scenes being about "a woman's pleasure". AS IF there aren't numerous moments in the film that echo tabloid moments in Harry's life.

Everyone is backtracking now because his fans pitched a fit. It's all so idiotic. And I can't wait for this movie to go away.

You can read her full article here.

#the idea of you #savan kotecha

[lgbtqfiction]

hello all!

i made this blog because i often see people pitching media on the basis of representation, or getting very excited about representation in media! personally, i've primarily been reading fiction with queer characters for a year or so— not avoiding stories without that, but simply interested in genres of media that have a ton of queer representation and people often ignore! thus, i wanted to make something organized by both genre and representation, that puts plot first but is an opportunity for people to enjoy queer-positive content!

anyone can submit, using the submissions box of this blog: here's a format, and the rules! also, please use the provided tags in the submissions box, so people using this blog can navigate by tag

q: can i submit something i wrote?

a: yes please, but it should be fairly polished, and either be finished or have a reliable updates schedule!

form is as such—

title

[IMAGE (optional)]

author (if relevant):

format:

premise:

tone & rating:

setting/genre:

representation (optional):

--- keep reading ---

other representation (optional):

disclaimers (if relevant):

more detailed version of the form, with rules, under the cut! please read those rules if it's your first time submitting!

put the title of whatever it is on top

[IMAGE (if you want)]

format: podcast, tv show, anime, manga, etc! include something about country of origin, if relevant (so good omens would be 'british tv show' and heaven official's blessing would be 'chinese novel'; but if it's set in the far future or a fantasy world and fully dubbed/translated in a variety of languages, no need to note it)

occasionally, there will be genres defined by queer representation, like danmei, BL, or yuri! feel free to include them in this section; or not, but in that case, please check the tags that specify those genres so people can sort by them if they want.

premise: keep this spoiler free! a few sentences about what the story is about, & its setting!

tone & rating: dark, gritty, tragic, dark comedy, rom-com, slice-of-life, etc. i've decided to break up 'genre' so that tone and setting words are different. as for rating, only include it if it's notable; for example, if a work has explicit sex scenes, add a note that says 'explicit' or '16+' . (depending on the level of detail).

setting/genre: setting-based genres like sci-fi, contemporary, urban fantasy, etc, with specifics up to the level of; "science fiction (far future)" "science fiction (near future)" or "cultivation fantasy" !

(note: for this blog, 'magical realism' is a genre popular in latin america, in which magical elements are made present in a realistic world usually to make an allegorical point or with a sense of hyper-real surrealism; 'urban fantasy' is a genre where magical creatures such as werewolves and vampires or people with magical powers casually exist in realistic cities. you can have something that's both, but i'm distinguishing them as terms for now!)

representation (optional): this section is optional because it may be made clear by the synopsis! for example, if the synopsis is something like "Sakura and Rie fall in love, but their families aren't in support of two women being together", you don't need to clarify that there are lesbians in the synopsis. however, if the mc sakura later feels conflicted because she's also attracted to men and wonders if it's worth losing everything for rie, you might want to note that it has a bisexual mc in this section! (and of course, if queerness isn't a major focus in the plot, here's where you put all the information on it!)

----- Keep reading ---- (include one here, please!)

other representation (optional): here's where you note poc rep if it's relevant/notable (no need to say 'the characters are all asian' in an anime); disabled representation; how the female characters are handled; and anything else you liked seeing! (or any disclaimers, if for example the story sidelines its women). no need to be comprehensive, but consider what different people might be happy to learn about, or want to be warned for!

disclaimers: this blog accepts any and all lgbtq+ fiction. this means that i'd like people to be pretty comprehensive in their disclaimers! please add one for:

incest

in-universe homophobia

out-of-story homophobia ('doylist homophobia') and the context;

age gaps if one or both of the characters is a minor and the gap is 3 years or more;

rape

copganda/a major character being a cop (feel free to note any nuance present!)

police brutality

"bury your gays" (no need if characters die but the story is clearly queer-positive/unrelatedly tragic)

#lgbtqia #lgbtq fiction #queer fiction #queer representation #chitra.txt

[literary-love-songs]

Book Lovers | Emily Henry

#book lovers #emily henry #books #bookblr #book #people we meet on vacation #beach read #quotes #quote #novel #romantic comedy #womens fiction #rom com #literature

[forkaround]

This post is an extension to this post about what can be classified as a BL. I'd rec you read that post first.

I woke up in the morning with this in my notifs and I just....

Anyway, let's break it down:

Does a QL simple mean that the main characters are queer and you go in knowing that?

First of, in my post I say BL is where you know "Boys are kissing boys and girls are kissing girls." If there is no romance (thus the reference to kissing), the show becomes irrelevant to the conversation.

But to answer: What's wrong with that?

That makes literally *anything* centering queer people and queer love a QL

Great! It's QL.

I've seen this pointed out multiple times have these people wondered why they don't want to call something they think is good a QL? What is wrong with the title of QL?

and that imo is somewhat belittling of queer people's existence as in their presence in society as a a given is inherently 'genre'

Yeah, and Pride and Prejudice is a 'straight genre'

If that doesn't make sense, well, that sentence didn't make sense to me. Does making crime shows make the lives of cops and criminals in to a genre??? It's such an absurd statement. Or maybe I'm just sleepy....

this is very different from thinking QL is 'bad'--you'd never call anything with an expected straight romance in it 'romance' by default

Yeah! That's how it works! Romance is romance. Romance is a genre. It's literally the biggest genre there is. There is more romance written, published, made into animation or live action than literally any other genre by a huge margin.

Romance can and is often combined with other genres. Doesn't change that it is a romance.

you'd call it whatever genre it is; when you meet a series of fitting tropes you'd call it a rom-com

What does rom stand for again?

Romance is often used with other genres, from action to horror to contemporary to fantasy to sci-fi.

This I think primarily comes from people not knowing how genres work. It's not a Boolean (as one would say in computer science). It's not a True/False thing where if it's action it can't be romance. If it's romance it can't be political.

As they say: It contains multitides.

shouldn't queer stories be afforded the same discretion?

Moonlight Chicken, Kinnporsche, Old Fashion Cupcake, Bad Buddy, Love in the Air, Not Me, 180 Degrees, GAP the series, HIStory 3: Trapped, About Youth, Mood Indigo, Cherry Magic, I could go on. You don't have to go anywhere else for it. BL already has it all.

So I'll ask again: Why do you feel that 'BL' is a bad word?

Other people have wrote about this with better sources and much deeper understanding so I'll try my best to convey it here:

As I understand the situation, something got lost in translation when yaoi travelled from Japan to the US and people started understanding yaoi to be a 'dirty' genre, that did not depict honest queerness despite it being made up of majorly queer people. It became the genre that was 'for straight women by straight women'. If you look at US the same phenomenon can be observed when people talk, or at least talked, about slash fiction. Mix in some cultural context and yaoi goes from a fun escapist genre to the bane of queer existence genre. Fiction is enjoyed differently in different parts of the world. Nothing wrong with that. Hell, nothing unique or special with that statement either. It's a fact of life. If Shakespeare can't be universal, as many like to claim, we should not expect the same of anything else.

And let's never forget how westerners think their version of queerness is the only real version. I've had personal experience with this and I can say: People need to open their minds and understand that not everything is from their perspective. When I encounter any American thing in a show or book, I simply slide past it because I'm not American. I've never been to America. It doesn't change the story itself, so why bother, what would be the point. If people applied that approach instead of analyzing every detail and expecting it to fit your world view then we would all be happier.

(It turned sappy at the end there. I'm sleepy.)

#Moonlight Chicken #Kinnporsche #Old Fashion Cupcake #Bad Buddy #Love in the Air #Not Me #180 Degrees #GAP the series #HIStory 3: Trapped #About Youth #Mood Indigo #Cherry Magic #manner of death #long post #only friends #wedding plan #laws of attraction

[annarellix]

Johanna Porter Is Not Sorry By Sara Read

A sharp, witty debut novel about a soccer mom who steals a world famous portrait of herself from the narcissistic artist who was once her lover, an impulsive crime that will re-frame her suburban life and make her question her life choices. The headlines dubbed it the art heist of the decade, but for Johanna, it wasn’t theft, it was a rescue. Twenty years ago, Johanna Porter was a rising star in the art world. Now she’s an unknown soccer mom. When an invitation arrives to an elite gallery opening for her former lover, the great Nestor Pinedo, Johanna wants to throw it in the trash where it belongs. But with some styling help from her daughter, she makes an appearance and comes face-to-face with the woman she was before the powerful and jealous Nestor ruined her. La Rosa Blanca is a portrait of Johanna herself, young and fierce and fearless—a masterwork with a price tag to match. When she cuts it out of its frame, rolls it up, and walks out, Johanna is only taking back what was stolen from her. Hiding out with La Rosa Blanca in a shack on the Chesapeake Bay, Johanna digs into the raw work of reviving her own skills while battling novice-thief paranoia, impostor syndrome, and mom guilt. But Johanna doesn’t just want the painting, she wants to paint again. To harness her powerful talent, she must defy everyone’s expectations—most of all her own—for what a woman like her should be.

My Review: This was unexpected as I was expecting a classic rom com got more as this is an excellent book about a woman who takes back her life, her dream, and her narrative. And this woman is a gifted artist whose career was ruined by jalousie and spite. And this woman is a mother, is brave and decides to steal a very valuable portrait of the young Johanna painted by her former lover who’s also the one who trashed her career and dreams. This could a very serious and complex novel, full of thought provoking parts about the role of women in art and how they must be able to recognize their own value. This book talks about these serious topics but it’s also entertaining and compelling. Johanna is a strong woman who’s not afraid the take risk, to reflect on her life and steal her portrait. If you want to know more please read the book. I loved it and love Johanna and the other well plotted characters. The author is talented and can’t wait to read other books. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Buy Links: BookShop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/johanna-porter-is-not-sorry-sara-read/18524228?ean=9781525899980 Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781525899980_johanna-porter-is-not-sorry.html   Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/johanna-porter-is-not-sorry-sara-read/1141490074?ean=9781525899980 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Johanna-Porter-Not-Sorry-Novel/dp/1525899988/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=johanna+porter+is+not+sorry&qid=1673387930&sprefix=johanna+porter+%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-1 Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Johanna-Porter-Not-Sorry/Sara-Read/9781525899980?id=8292090795540 ISBN: 9781525899980 - Publisher: Graydon House

The Author: Originally from Washington, DC, SARA READ tried the nine-to-five life for about a nanosecond before moving to rural Virginia to become a flute-maker’s apprentice and traditional fiddle player. Childbirth led her to a career in nursing. A cancer survivor herself, she now has the distinct privilege of caring for cancer patients. She is co-founder of #momswritersclub, a biweekly YouTube and live Twitter chat for writers. Sara lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, with her husband, two teens, a terrier, and three snarky cats. She loves a long run, a long road trip, and a long talk with a friend. www.sararead.net

Author Website: https://www.sararead.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarareadauthor/r Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarafinn11/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarareadauthor Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21955366.Sara_Read

#Blog Tour #Graydon House #women's fiction #women in art #rom-com #Netgalley #review

[jeevesreads]

SNEAK PEEK AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Smart, funny, and a little bit heartbreaking, this truly is a love letter to all of the rom com fans out there. I know there are readers who don’t enjoy mixing angst or family drama with humor, but that is exactly what makes this such a nuanced, memorable read. It’s a rom com first and foremost – our heroine quite literally schools the hero on the rules of the genre – but there’s also…

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#5 star #Audiobook #Book Review #Contemporary Romance #Katherine Center #Kindle Book #Office #Opposites Attract #Rom Com #Romance Book #Romance Novel #Romantic Comedy #Roommates #Slow Burn #Women&039;s Fiction

[astracapone]

As I return from Vegas (and feel a bit sorry for myself), I feel it’s the best time to spread some cheer by reminding everyone that the second book in my series is available for pre-order! Check it out!

#naughty american girl #proper british boy #rom com #women’s fiction #protag looks like elvis #writing smut #lots of smut

[ship-enthusiast]

hit me with your kill shot, baby || javier peña

Pairing || Javier Peña x Fem!OC/Fem! Reader (she/her)

Words || 5.4k

Summary || In order to lure out an informant of Escobar, Javier's partner has to seduce him far enough into an alleyway to knock him out.

Content || smut, p in v (protected - wrap it before you tap it), slightly rough sex, face sitting, fingering, swearing, brief mentions of violence, jealous!javi (my favorite), hickey, marking, praise kink, consensual, making out, light angst, brief unwanted physical contact

A/N || This is a work of fiction! This is in no way correlated to the real Javier Peña or anything with the DEA and Pablo Escobar

Juliette and Javier had never seen eye-to-eye since the two had met years ago and their animosity for each other, although mainly one-sided, had only grown. 

Their constant bickering had only peaked when they were assigned the same mission of tracking down an informant of Pablo Escobar. 

Javier had never detested Juliette, not even once during their long and arduous partnership as coworkers in the DEA. He just never understood why she had been so against him since, what it seemed like, she had laid eyes on him. 

Juliette was extremely dedicated to her work. She graduated at the top of her classes and excelled in everything she did which landed her a cushy DEA job in the first place. She could have slacked off then but she chose to continue giving her all that landed her a promotion and a transfer to the Colombian branch to help track down Escobar. 

The night before she had to hop on a plane to Latin America, her friends had taken her out to a bar to celebrate her promotion. Juliette didn’t like to drink a whole lot but she indulged her friends a bit more that night when she had locked eyes with a mysterious man. She was sober enough to realize that this man was absolutely breathtaking with doe brown eyes and short curls framing his tan skin.  

Of course, her friends had pressured her into flirting with him which ended up in a heated make-out session in the women’s bathroom before Juliette came to her senses to ask for the man’s number before they did anything further. Hell, she hadn’t even asked for his name yet. The stranger then faltered and tried to explain that he wasn’t looking for anything serious and had to leave for a trip the next day. Which, of course, was a crushing blow to Juliette’s ego as she immediately exited the bathroom and dragged her friends home to re-watch their favorite rom-coms and drown her sorrows in a tub of ice cream. 

This led her to almost be late to her flight and when she finally landed in Colombia, she had a nice introduction to Agent Murphy on the way to HQ only to come face-to-face with Javier Peña, the man she had left blue-balled in the stall of a bar bathroom. 

He had shaken her hand with a friendly smile as if his tongue hadn’t been shoved down her throat less than 12 hours before which fueled Juliette’s anger and embarrassment. 

Whilst in her time in Colombia, she had befriended some other female researchers who shed some light on Peña’s womanizing ways which would only further cement Juliette’s animosity for the man. 

This leads to the present day when Steve was hurt during a stakeout and since he was out of commission, Juliette was assigned to Peña to lure out an important informant of Escobar’s. 

Tiago Ramirez-Garcia is a sexist man with a love for women only second to Juliette’s current partner. The easiest plan to lure the man away from all his bodyguards and the attention of the large crowd he always surrounded himself with was, unsurprisingly, a woman.

Steve had told Juliette that she didn’t need to subject herself as the bait but she merely brushed it off, claiming that this was the easiest way with the least amount of casualties. 

She and a fellow coworker, Thea, decided to go shopping for something suitable for the next day. 

“I honestly don’t know why I’m even going through with this plan,” Juliette sighs heavily, dragging her hands across her face. “I thought these scenarios only happened in movies. Or romance books.”

“It’s kind of exciting, isn’t it?”Thea asks. “Seducing  a man into his demise.” 

“I mean, sure if you put it that way. I don’t know how well this is going to play out.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, yeah Tiago has a history of flirting with anyone with a vagina between their legs but all the past women he’s been with have been…gorgeous. I don’t know if I can pull this off.”

“Jules,” Thea stops the two in their tracks and grabs the woman’s shoulders. “Don’t say that. You’re breathtaking and of course, he’s going to take the bait. I mean, I know I would.”

Juliette laughs at her friend’s comment, tucking a strand of hair loose from her bun. 

“Besides, you’re going to feel so confident after you’re all dolled up, Peña won’t know what hit him.”

“What does Peña have to do with this?”Juliette raises an eyebrow as she’s ushered into a dress shop. 

“Mm, I don’t know,” Thea hums, pretending to shrug thoughtfully. “Just the way he looks at you. I don’t think you’ll be walking home with just one man trailing after.”

Juliette rolls her eyes and begins mindlessly scrolling through the dresses on a nearby rack. “I mean…” her hand stops at one outfit. “I could always test that theory.”

She picked off a wine-red dress, smoothing the satin fabric with her index finger. “This’ll do.”

Thea had come over to her apartment early to finish curling Juliette’s usually straight long hair, pinning it into a stylish updo, and finishing off her look with a smokey eye and deep red lipstick to match her dress. 

Thea went out of her room to give her privacy. Juliette took another deep breath and looked at the dress hanging on her bathroom door. Did she really want to do this? Yeah, yeah she did.

She slips on the dress, the soft fabric welcoming against her skin when she feels the harsh cold of the chains. The dress was cocktail style with a flowy front and an open back, adorned by several silver chains dipping just over her ass. Juliette gives herself a once over in the mirror and turns around, admiring the chains gliding across her smooth skin. 

She exits her bathroom to pull out a pair of black heels she hadn’t worn in ages before letting Thea back into her bedroom. 

“What were you saying earlier?”The other woman raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah, okay,” Juliette blushes slightly, scratching at her cheek. “I just wish now that I don’t have to only get dressed like this for a mission.”

“Of course not,” Thea smiles happily, looping her arms around the now taller Juliette. “After this, we can both get dolled up and go clubbing. How does that sound?”

“After this, I’ll probably take a long nap but…maybe next week I’ll be free.”

“You better be.”

There’s a light knock on Juliette’s apartment door that breaks the two’s conversation. Juliette smooths her already smooth dress and looks back to Thea who only gives her an overly enthusiastic thumbs up and a large grin. Juliette shakes her head in response before grabbing a black clutch purse hanging on her kitchen counter and opening the door for Peña.

“Agent Wei, are you…”

Javier stops mid-sentence, his arm leaning against the doorway as his eyes raked up and down Juliette’s body.

She shifted on her feet, suddenly feeling self-conscious underneath his intense gaze. “You ready to go?”

“Uh, yeah,” he nods slowly, moving his body so she could slip past him. He closes her door with a soft click and follows behind her, his hand occasionally brushing against her bare back. 

Juliette wills her body to go still, hoping she doesn’t trip on the flat ground when she feels his breath so close to her neck as he reaches across her to open the passenger door. She dips her head in thanks and carefully enters the car, buckling up as he walks to the other side. 

Juliette fidgets with her hands, twisting the ring on her middle finger while Javier turns on the vehicle. He leans up from his seat, placing a hand on the shoulder of the passenger back seat to pull out of the driveway. Her body stills once more, her fidgeting halting for a moment before he finally slumps back into his seat and shifts the gear into drive.

The rest of the car ride to the club is fairly uneventful between the two, besides the few glances he’d shoot her away when he thought she wasn’t looking. 

They finally reach their destination and Javier parks the car, unbuckling himself before finally looking at Juliette in the eyes. “And you’re 100% sure you want to do this?”

“Yes, Peña, I’m fine,” Juliette rolls her eyes, unbuckling her own seat belt. “I can take care of myself.”

Javier only clenches his jaw, his arm flexing as he grips the steering wheel tighter. The other hand fishes out a hearing device from a bag tucked in the dashboard. He motions her closer with a finger and she, embarrassingly quickly, obeys. He brushes a part of her hair aside, delicately placing the device into her ear. He swipes his thumb across her cheek and onto the device, effectively turning it on. 

“Be careful,” he says softly. 

Juliette merely leaned back and gives her partner a mock salute before exiting the car and pulling down her dress which had ridden up from the ride. 

She peers into the side mirror, tucking a few stray strands of hair back into bobby pins whilst feeling his gaze never leaving her face. Satisfied with her appearance, Juliette turns her attention to the loud club, practically able to feel the vibrations stemming from the loud building. 

Juliette saunters over to the front of a long line and flashes the bouncer a smile, pulling out a card from her clutch she had been given for VIP access.

The large man in black just grunted as he unhooked the velvet rope, letting her pass. She maneuvers her way through a sea of scantily clad sweaty people and into a dimly lit hallway. She begins ascending a pair of stairs, glow-in-the-dark arrows pointing her up to the VIP lounge. 

Juliette flashes her card to the next bouncer before finally being let into the room. It was darkly lit with velvet padded walls, lights setting the atmosphere with a purple glow, illuminating the bar in the back. Various couches were strewn about, facing in different directions. Some of them were placed in front of a stage where a pole resided, a beautiful dancer moving in tune with the high bass music. 

Juliette never felt more out of place. Sure she had been clubbing before but never in such an extravagant setting since she had been a broke college student. 

“You alright there, hermosa?”

Her earpiece cracked to life, Javier’s familiar voice infiltrating all her senses. She felt too relieved to hear something comforting to bite at his pet nickname. 

“Yeah,” she whispered under her breath. “I just got into the lounge.”

She probably didn’t need to tell him since he could hear everything on her side but she felt the need anyway. Her body froze for what felt like the millionth time that night at his breathy next words.

“Good girl.”

When there was no further response from the other side, Juliette made her way to the bar in the back for a better scope of the room. She asked for vodka and slightly rotated her seat, glimpsing at all the other patronages in the room. 

Some were mingling quietly, making idle chatter while others were fully on each other, hands all over their bodies before they finally stopped to drag the other into a private room.

Fuck. Private rooms. Tiago could be anywhere on this floor and it wouldn’t be guaranteed she’d even see a glimpse of them this whole night. How could she ever think she could do this?

Slumping her shoulders in defeat, Juliette downs her drink in one go. 

“Juliette, is everything okay?”

He’s never called her by her name before. Before she could register what he said or calm her rapid heartbeat at the sound of her name, she felt a foreboding presence at her back. 

“What’s a pretty little thing like you doing here?”

Juliette looks over her shoulder, her heartbeat continually increasing. Sitting before someone so powerful and so close to Escobar would usually be fine if she had a gun at her side but in this setting, in this outfit, she felt so…vulnerable. 

“I-I…uh.”Fuck she was nervous. 

“You got this, querida.”

Juliette’s body instantly warms at her partner’s words, forgetting the reason why she had hated him in the first place. He was everything she needed at this moment. 

“Am I that obvious?”

Tiago peers down at her, a smile quirking at the corner of his lips. His brown eyes bore into hers as he looked her up and down, an uncomfortable shiver covering her body. His eyes were too light, black hair too long, mustache too full for her liking. She preferred a deep brown that reminded her of her favorite chocolate ice cream, a scratchy half-beard she remembered feeling across her jaw. Soft medium-length curls she had grabbed onto that night to ground herself.

“I’ve never seen someone like you around these parts. Where are you from?” 

“Beijing,” she slips out. “I’m currently studying abroad.”

“College student, huh?”He leans closer and Juliette could almost feel the rancid smell of smoke and weed on his breath. He props an arm awkwardly on the bar to keep himself up to loom over her, his eyes dipping past the fabric covering her chest. 

Juliette pushes down the feeling of covering herself and lets him ogle while she continues playing the naïve newcomer. “This country is so fascinating. Tell me, what do you do for fun?”

She props an elbow on the counter, pretending to look interested. The man’s grin only widened as he finally took a seat next to her, snapping at the bartender for a tray of shots. 

“I can think of a few things.”

Juliette felt herself go on auto-pilot as the conversation continued, ignoring the numb feeling she had when Tiago began touching her thigh, inching higher as every second passed. 

“You know…” she tried to put on her best ‘interested’ voice she could on, trailing a nail down Tiago’s chest and onto his shoulder. “We could get out of here. Have more fun without an audience.”

“Oh, mi vida,” the man groans at her touch. “What if I like an audience?”

Juliette’s movement halters, her brain going into overdrive. God, she could not have sex with this repulsive man.

“But that is for another time,” the Cheshire grin returns to his face as he whispers into her other ear, stroking her hair just as Javier had done what felt like a lifetime ago. “Let’s go.”

Juliette barely managed to suppress her surprised gasp when he practically yanks her to her feet and ushered her quickly out of the lounge. 

His roaming hands never leave her body as they make their way through the crowded club on the first floor. The moment they exit the building, he’s dragging her toward the direction of what she assumes is his vehicle. It was too close to the lights. There were still countless people waiting to get into the club that had a clear view of them. 

Juliette feels herself tugging Tiago into a direction of a closed-off alleyway without thinking, praying that Javier knew where she was headed. God, she was never going to do this ever again. 

“Eager, are we, hermosa?”

The name leaves a bad taste in her mouth as Juliette fakes another smile, wrapping her arms around the man’s shoulders to whisper in his ear. “I need you now.”

With a final stumble, they were finally out of line from the public and hidden away in the shadows between two buildings.

His mouth immediately trails onto her neck, his hands frantic as they grabbed onto her hips. She involuntarily gasps when his hand reaches lower to grope her ass when the weight of his body is suddenly thrown off her body. 

Juliette regains her breath at the sight of an angered Javier, his eyes dark as he pulled Tiago back from his trance and punched him square in the jaw, knocking him out. His crumpled body fell in a heap at Javier’s feet while his chest heaved. Juliette’s eyes followed the movement, noting the flexing of her partner’s biceps when he strolled over to her in a quick few steps, grasping her chin roughly between his thumb and index finger. 

She didn’t dare breathe a word as he peered over her frame, feeling a different emotion from when Tiago had done the same thing. Heat coiled in her lower stomach his eyes narrowed, zeroing in on the dark spot that began appearing on her neck. 

“I could hear everything,” Javier says lowly, his face so close she only needed to lift her head to kiss him. “Did you like him flirting with you? Touching you? Touching what’s mine?”

“No,” Juliette tried her best to shake her head, whimpering as his hold on her chin only tightened.

“Good.”

With no warning, he immediately dived in, their lips colliding roughly. He bit at her lip, prodding her mouth open with his tongue as his other hand snaked up her waist and bare back before cradling her neck. He let go of her chin and threaded his calloused fingers through her curly hair, releasing some of the bobby pins. 

Her hair began falling past her shoulders as Javier began kissing down her mouth, her jaw, and onto her neck. He started sucking at the spot Tiago had earlier, his lips harsh against the already sore spot.

Juliette could only sigh as she held his body close, stroking the back of his neck until he licked her neck, easing some of the soreness before kissing up her jaw and claiming her lips again.

Unable to keep a moan from escaping her lips, Javier suddenly pulled away, taking a few steps back. Breathlessly, she watched him as he threw Tiago’s body over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing. He harshly opened the trunk of the car and unceremoniously dumped the body, slamming it shut before he looked back at Juliette, his eyes still dark and breathing ragged.

She didn’t need to think twice before entering the car and buckled quickly while Javier started the car, the air between them suffocating. Just when she thought everything had been a mistake, Javier’s removed his right hand from the steering wheel and rested it on her bare thigh. 

“Where are we going?” She asked quietly.

“My place.”

Juliette doesn’t respond as his hand trailed higher and higher until his finger grasped onto the thin material of her dress. She grasped onto his hand with both hers when his thumb began rubbing slow circles against her skin.

“Peña, please.” She hated how helpless she sounded, how her small hands clasped around one of his, how his biceps were straining against his shirt, the way he gripped the wheel so tight his knuckles were turning white, the rhythm of his chest rising up and down. It was the hottest thing she’s ever seen.

But she couldn’t do this. Not with her partner.

Javier stopped moving his thumb but his hand stayed on her thigh, his trained eyes never once leaving the road.

Juliette sat in agony, the heat in her stomach never subsiding as long as the man she wanted was sitting less than two feet away. 

It felt like an eternity when Javier pulled into an unfamiliar driveway at an apartment complex. She didn’t say anything as she unbuckled and exited the car. She waited for Javier to take out a pair of keys and unlock his door before following him in. She barely registered the door locking when she was pinned against the wall again, this time a bit more comfortable than the sharp brick of the alleyway.

Juliette looked up at Javier, taking in his disheveled appearance. The top buttons of his shirt had been unbuttoned, his hair wild from when she had grabbed it, red lipstick smeared on his lips, and his deep brown eyes peering down at her soul.

His breathing finally evened out as his hands reached out to softly cup her face, leaning his forehead against hers and closing his eyes.

“I’m sorry, hermosa. I didn’t mean to be that rough.”

“Are you okay now, Peña?”

“Javi,” he says slowly, opening his eyes once more. “Call me Javi.”

“I can’t do that,” Juliette whispers back. “We…we can’t do this.”

“Why not?”His eyebrows furrow in confusion. “There’s no office policy about dating. Or sleeping around, for that matter.”

“I-I know.”

Juliette sighs and closes her eyes, taking a deep of a breath as she’s allowed with Javier caging her with his body and then opening them. “I don’t think you remember me. From when we first met.”

She took his silence as a confirmation to continue. Shakily, Juliette continued talking. “We met at a bar, actually. Three years ago. We…had a good time. And when you wanted to go further, I stopped you because I didn’t want to be some random fuck in a dingy bar bathroom. I wanted something more that you obviously weren’t ready to give me.”

“Cariño,” Javier whispers, his eyes softening. “I didn’t blow you off because I didn’t want you. I was scared. I was scared that if I was seen with an innocent civilian you would be in danger, and I never wanted that kind of experience for you.”

Juliette’s breath is stuck in her throat at his confession, placing her hands over his comfortingly.

“Of course, that was before I found out you were a fellow agent. A damn good one, at that. And then you were also assigned to the same case and I couldn’t face you given how our last meeting had ended. So I pretended I didn’t know you. For three whole fucking years like a douchebag.”

“So please,” he dips his head down, his nose brushing hers. “Let me make it up to you.”

Juliette nods mutely, never taking her eyes off his.

“I need you to use your words, querida. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes,” she replies. 

Javier smiles, his eyes crinkling in the corner before he lowers his mouth, capturing her lips into a gentler kiss. A hand smooths down her body to rest on her hip, bringing their bodies closer.

“If you’re going to make it up to me, you’re going to have to give me more than that,” Juliette says sheepishly.

“If I do that, I won’t be able to stop.”

“I don’t want you to stop.”

Javier digs his head into her shoulder, groaning. “Mierda, you can’t say those things to me.”

Juliette lightly chuckles, resting her head on top of his.

“Do you know the traffic light system?”Javier peers up at her from under his bangs.

“I do.”

“Good girl.”

Javier reconnects their lips into a searing kiss, his mouth frantic against hers. He lowers both his hands from her face down her waist and roughly grasps her ass. Juliette gasps from the contact as Javier smiled at the sensation, using this moment for his tongue to enter her mouth. His hands then lowered onto her upper thighs and pushed up so she almost straddled him mid-air, deepening their kiss. 

He pulled away for a moment and started tracing her jaw with his tongue as he began carrying her into the bedroom. Javier’s breathing became uneven as he looked up to stare into Juliette’s eyes.

“Color?”

“Green.”

He merely smiled before throwing her onto his head, using his foot to close the door as he pulled his shirt over his head. He tossed it carelessly on the floor and climbed onto the bed, hovering over Juliette’s body.

“Did I ever tell you how amazing you look tonight?” He began kissing her shoulder, the hair from his mustache tickling her sensitive skin.

“No, but I fully welcome it.”

“You look absolutely breathtaking, hermosa,” he rests his head on the juncture between her chin and shoulder for a second. “I just hated that fact that you looked so good for another man.”

“N-no,” Juliette shakes her head. “I bought this dress for you.”

“For me?” He looked up, Juliette brushing some hair out of his eyes, and nodded.

“Did you know that this is my favorite color?”

Juliette mutely nodded again.

“Fuck,” Javier felt weak, his heart beating erratically in his chest as he leaned down to kiss her again before mumbling against her lips. “Fingers or my tongue?”

“What?”

“Do you want my fingers or my tongue?”

Juliette stutters, her brain short-circuiting at his words. “I want whatever you’re willing to give me.”

“Everything,” he growls out. “I’ll give you my everything, cariño.”

He leans over her to set up some pillows for her to sit comfortably before his hands trail down her body. He kisses her slowly, biting at her lip while his hands slid the dress down her frame and throwing it next to his shirt.

“No bra?”

“C-can’t wear one with this d-dress,” Juliette manages to stutter out.

Javier sits on the back of his legs as he looks at her naked form, drinking in the sight of her dampening lace panties. He begins kissing down her body, taking in a nipple. Juliette arches her back, pushing her breast closer into his mouth as his other hand trails up her stomach to grab onto the other. 

He kisses further down her stomach, taking the end of her panty with his teeth and pulling the fabric down to her calves before yanking the panties off completely, his eyes transfixed on the heat pooling between her thighs. He begins kissing up her leg and inner thigh, completely ignoring her throbbing pussy and focusing his attention back on her breasts.

He rotates boobs, his hot tongue swirling across the other breast while Juliette’s pinned body writhes underneath. He roughly places his knee in between her legs and she cries out in frustration. 

“Just fuck me already, Peña!”

“Javi,” he says against her breast, entering his middle finger into her slit. “When I fuck you this good, you will be calling me Javi.”

Juliette moans loudly, her head thrown back against the pillow as Javier enters another finger. He begins sliding in and out with ease, his mouth never leaving its spot. 

Juliette’s body shudders as she grips onto Javier’s shoulders tightly, one hand yanking at his hair. Javier groans at the sensation, curling a finger within her walls.  

“Fuck, Javi–faster, please–”

“What color?”

“Green!”

Javier quickens his pace, his cock throbbing when she tightened. 

“Mierde, you’re so tight. How is my cock going to fit in such a tiny cunt?”

Juliette moans loudly, a familiar feeling bubbling in her chest when she releases.

“That’s…I’ve never come…from hands before,” she pants loudly, sweat sticking to her forehead. 

“I’m going to make you cum three times,” Javier replies, pulling his fingers out. “One for each year I pretended to not remember you.”

“Javi, please. I can’t–that’s too much.”

“It’s okay, you can. I got you.” He places his fingers slick with her arousal and cum into his mouth, moaning at the salty taste. “Fuck, you taste as amazing as you look. May I have more?”

Juliette nods, gasping for breath.

Javier uses the same hand to grasp her face. “Words, hermosa. I don’t like to repeat myself.”

“Y-yes, Javi. Whatever you want.”

Javier grins and flips their position so that she’s sitting on top of her chest, his neck supported by the pillows.

“Javi–”

“I want you to sit on my face, mi querida.”

“But Javi–”

“You said anything I want,” he grips her thigh tightly, pushing her forward. “Or were you lying?”

Juliette grabs the headboard tightly before her body could completely collapse on top of his. She shakily brings her body up, hovering over his mouth in uncertainty. She yelps when hands shove her thighs down, Javier lifting his face eagerly to capture her second lips.

His tongue laps feverishly at her folds, licking and sucking like a man starved. 

“You taste fucking delicious.”

The ridge of his nose bumped against her already sensitive clit, making Juliette squeeze her thighs together as she began grinding her hips, desperate for a release of friction.

Javier moves his hands to hold onto her lower back, his iron grip preventing her from rocking away from his mouth as he dug his face deeper into her pussy.

Juliette throws her head back, nearly screaming as she reaches her climax for the second time that night. Her legs felt like jelly and she could barely hold herself up as she looked at the man underneath her with lidded eyes. 

Javier had licked most of the excess cum off his face, his mustache stained as his hand reached up to swipe the remains off his cheek and into his mouth, his eyes never once leaving Juliette’s.

“That’s two.”

“Javi, please, I can’t,” tears began welling up in her eyes whilst she lay on her back. 

“Shh, yes you can,” Javier whispers against her chest, peppering small kisses as he reaches into his drawer to pull out a condom. “You want to be a good girl for me, don’t you? You’ve been doing so well.”

Juliette whimpers while Javi unbuckles his belt and shucks off his tight-ass jeans. Before he continues, he presses a kiss to Juliette’s cheek, wiping away a single tear. “Color?”

“G-green.”

“That’s my girl,” he places another kiss on her nose before sliding his boxers down his hips, releasing his hard cock. Pre-cum had already been dripping down as he ripped the condom packaging open and rolled it down his length.

“Fuck, Javi, how often have you done this in your apartment?” Juliette asks, suddenly aware of why she had ‘hated’ in the first place.

“Recently, not at all,” he grunts. “And never on my bed. Always on my couch.”

“I thought of you, you know. All these years,” she says tiredly.

“I know.”

Her arm reaches up and he lets her pull him down, his other arm bracing the side so wouldn’t completely crush her with his body weight. Juliette’s fingers thread through his soft hair as Javier lines her entrance with his cock.

“Are you ready, mi vida?”

Juliette nods against his neck. “Please, Javi.”

Javier grunts, tilting Juliette’s swollen lips into a kiss as he enters her, his thick length stretching her walls. She sighs into the kiss, grabbing ahold of his bicep as he bottoms out.

“Tell me when I can move.”

“You can move, Javi. Please.”

With a groan, his hips pull back before slowly re-entering. He repeats his ministrations slowly, brushing the sweat-slicked hair out of her face as Juliette regains her breath. 

“F-faster.”

Nodding against her hair, Javier begins to quicken his pace, his arms reaching to hold onto the headboard as the bed began rocking.

“I think you just ruined my hand for me.”

“Fuck, Javi.”Juliette’s small laugh turns into a loud whimper at the next thrust, her thigh muscles clenching as she comes for the third time that night.

Seemingly not satisfied, Javier pulls out and flips Juliette onto all fours, her body barely able to stand. He holds her up by her stomach and enters again at a deeper angle, his grunts stuttering as he began pounding at a harder pace.

Juliette’s arms fall, her upper body collapsing onto the bed as Javier continued for a few more thrusts before pulling her body up and bracing her against his chest, his hand gripping onto a breast harshly as his hips stuttered. He nudges her hair with his nose, inhaling her scent, relishing the intimacy of the position.

“Please, Javi, I’m going to cum again–”

“Cum for me, hermosa.”

With a final thrust, Juliette leans her head onto Javier’s chest, sleep slowly overcoming her vision.

“Not yet, mi vida. You have to go to the bathroom,” he mumbles into her hair.

Juliette groans tiredly as Javier scoops her underneath her neck and knees and places her on the toilet. He takes a rag to wipe himself off and puts on a pair of briefs before quickly changing the sheets when he hears the faucet turn on. 

He helps clean the between her legs before carrying her back into the freshly changed bed. She sighs contently into his back, her eyes finally closing.

“We’re never using you as bait ever again.”

#javier peña #javier pena one shot #javier pena narcos #smut #javier pena smut #oneshot #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal cinematic universe #jealousy

[queenvreads]

REVIEW: How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder

3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

I didn't know anything about the story when I started reading it. I had an idea that it would be a fun rom-com, and that's what I was looking for at the time. Forget the romance and fun rom com I was hoping to read. Instead, I ended up with a rollercoaster of angsty drama.

The first half of the book was good. I liked the fake dating; it was fun until it took a turn I didn't expect. I didn't realize that Ethan's mental health and drinking issues would be the center of the story. I don't think I would have picked it up if I was aware of that. Topics like addiction, child star molestation, and the dark side of fame were addressed in a candid manner, but the way the fake relationship aspects were handled felt a bit chaotic.

I read it all, but I definitely skimmed through some parts. I really had no interest in Kamilah and their project.

Anyway, it was fine, I didn't hate it but it was totally different than what I expected. I rounded it up to 3 stars because I finished it, and half of the book had my interest, before it took a turn.

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#ava wilder #How to Fake it in Hollywood #hollywood #rom com #romance review #romance novels #chick lit #women's lit #women's fiction #fiction #book review #bookstagram #booktok #booktube #book reccs #book recommendations #celebrity #celebs