Favorite Reads of 2019

Happy 2020, Chatterbabes!

It's time for our annual best of the year post where we tell you about all of the books that consumed us, ripped out our hearts, fucked our minds, stole our breath, and soothed our souls. 

We gush about the characters that made us swoon, sob, scream, smile, cheer, rage, and laugh our asses off. We celebrate the authors that gave us the stories that inspired us, pulled on our heart strings, drove us mad with angst and anticipation, made our pulses pound, our palms sweat, our stomachs quiver, and our thighs clench. 

It's our favorite post of the year, and we can only hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoy sharing it with you. Without further ado, here are our Favorite Reads of 2019!

Kiss Me With Lies by S.M Soto

I’m not even going to lie, this blurb had me hook line and sinker. I knew that I had to read this book but I never and I mean NEVER expected the outcome that I got when I finished this story. This shouldn't even be called a cliffhanger. It's a semi stroke inducing WTF is happening Ending!! It was sexy and mysterious with just enough thrill, to keep you on your toes.

Read my review Here
Sonya❤

Kiss Me with Lies damn near gave me a HEART ATTACK!! The minute I saw the cover and blurb, I was like, WHERE IS THIS BOOK? I need it now!! I loved the thrill of the mystery and suspense, the scorching hot sex scenes, and a TO FREAKING DIE FOR CLIFFHANGER. I mean, WTF WAS THAT?!?!? This book continuously kept me on my toes and trust me, you’re going to need a lot of wine and chocolate to get through! 

Read my review here. 

💗 Denise

 Deviant King by Rina Kent 

Rina Kent left one hell of an impression on me with Deviant King! I literally read the entire book from start to finish in one sitting. The steamy scenes between Elsa and Aiden were intense, twisted, and super hot! Their relationship is complicated from the beginning, and just when you think things are starting to make more sense, BAM! Rina Kent throws you a curve ball that knocks your ass out!

This story isn't about your average new adult couple, and their romance isn't normal by any means. Like it's stated in the title, Aiden King is one deviant motherfucker! He has no boundaries whatsoever, and his moral compass is broke as shit. The things he did to Elsa were cruel, crazy, and 100 percent criminal on several occasions. Prepare to clutch your pearls if you can't deal with sexual situations that aren't exactly consensual. *In other words, heed the content warning before going into this one!*

Read my review here.

💋Jessica 

I Dare You by Shantel Tessier

I Promise You by Shantel Tessier 

If You Dare by Shantel Tessier 

Best Dark Romance Series

Bully romances became a HUGE thing for me in 2019 and I could not stop devouring anything that I could get my hands! But let me tell you, the Dare Series is ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING! Trust me when I tell you that I’ve read quite a bit of bully romances, but this one stood out the most for me! Absolutely unputdownable, addicting, and I loved every single one of the characters in this dark and twisted series! YOU. NEED. IT. 

Read my review for I Dare You here. 

Read my review for I Promise You here. 

Read my review for If You Dare here. 

💗 Denise 

I've absolutely loved reading every single book in the Dare series! They're full of twists, suspense, secrets, violence, steam, betrayal, and murder! The savagery, insanity, bloodshed, passion, and twisted agendas mixed with family, loyalty, and love made for one hell of a story! Basically, this series is dark, fucked up, and a damn good time! You don't want to miss it! 

Read my review for I Promise You here.
Read my review for If You Dare here.

💋Jessica

The Devil’s Playground Duet by Ashley Jade

                          

I truly believe that this author sat down with a pen and paper and as she began to write, it caught fire!! I have no freakin words for this book. Yes she gave us the courtesy of including a warning and stating that there are no heroes in this story. Let me repeat that again. She said there are no heroes in this story!!! I kid you not. Do you know what I did? I ignored it because I didn’t believe it. Well let me just tell you something… this book is messed the ****up!! I didn’t know who was more crazier, me or the characters and you will definitely be pit out of your comfort zone while reading this so if you’re a prude, this is not your kind of book. If you like seriously messed up dark reads with a tremendous amount of wtf moments, this is your book! Please be advised: drinking is a must with this book.
Sonya❤

Read my spoiler free review for the Devil Here
Read my review for The Devil's Advocate Here

I don’t even have ANY words to say about this duet, but I’ll try. This book right here fucking MINDFUCKED ME IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE! This book is pretty fucked up and twisted and will make your head spin! If you’re into mindfuck, dark, and completely twisted reads... GRAB THIS DUET. You will not regret it. Oh, and read the warning at the beginning of book one because you have been warned! 

Read my review for The Devil here.

Read my review for The Devils Advocate here.

💗 Denise

The Devil by Ashley Jade

The Devil's Advocate by Ashley Jade

The Punk and the Plaything by B.B. Reid

Best Second Chance Romance

Favorite Friend Group

The Punk and the Plaything was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I had extremely high expectations, and B. B. Reid delivered! She gave me all the angst, banter, and steam I could want! If you loved the other books in the series, there is no doubt in my mind you'll love this one, too!  Not only did she give us all the backstory we were missing when it came to Jamie and Bee's relationship, but she incorporated all the other characters into the story to an even greater degree than ever before. Seeing them all together and getting so much of them in this book gave me all the motherfucking feels!!!

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Before You by Marni Mann 

It’s been 2 months since I’ve read this book and this story still haunts me. These characters took me on one hell of an emotional journey that was filled with heartbreak, lies, reunion and forgiveness.  I was not planning to fall in love with these characters but you know what? I did and I was better for it. If you’re looking for a story that’s going to make you feel, shred your heart and put it back together again, then you really need to take a chance on this one.  Sonya ❤

Read My Review Here 

The Regret Duet by Aly Martinez 

I am not recommending this duet to our followers. I am not suggesting that you add it to your tbr and then hopefully one day you get a chance to read it. I won’t do it. I am standing on my bed and screaming from the top of my lungs and telling you that you NEED to read these books!! I thought this series was going to be ok and leave me a bit disappointed in one way or the other but holy shiiiiit I was wrong!! Read them, devour them and thank me later!

 Sonya ❤

Read my Written With Regret review Here

Read my Written With You review Here

Kiss and Break Up by Ella Fields 

Favorite Friends to Lovers Romance

If you’re looking for a knock out angsty, gut punch New Adult romance, look no further because it’s here!! KABU will give you all of the emotions. From anger to hurt, then joy and shock, this book will give it to you in spades! I loved seeing these characters journey and knowing that getting to their happiness was not an easy route and every sacrifice, every heartbreak and every unspoken word, led them to finding their own kind of happiness. This book was worth it because these crazy characters and their maddening love? Was freakin worth it!

Read My Review for KABU Here

Sonya

Kiss and Break Up is an angsty NA romance that gave me all the feels! I predicted that would be the case before I even laid eyes on the first page though, because Ella is a master at getting every single emotion out of you no matter what kind of story she writes. She is the kind of author that rips out your heart and makes you want to thank her for it. One minute, you're throwing your kindle across the room and the next, you're hugging it to your chest with tears rolling down your face.

Dash made me swoon, want to curse him out, straight up murder him, and have his babies all in the same damn book! That shit takes talent, and this author has it in spades. I am always blown away by her work, and this was no exception.

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Pitcher by Kristy Marie
Favorite Novella 
Best Couple

All. The. Fucking. Feels.

Anniston and Theo are one of my favorite couples of all time. Theo is a hot, hilarious, alphahole with a hidden heart of gold, and Anniston is one of the sassiest, strongest, and most loving heroines I've ever read. Their love story is bumpy, backwards, and breathtakingly beautiful. I've experienced every emotion possible as a result of these two, and they will always have a huge piece of my heart.

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

The Kiss Thief by L.J. Shen

Favorite Adult Contemporary

Everything about The KISS Thief SCREAMED for me to read it!! The minute the blurb dropped, I was like WHY HASN’T THIS BOOK HIT MY KINDLE YET, lol! I love mafia, age gap, and arranged marriage so this right here was right up my alley!! Plus, L.J. Shen writes pure magic, so I mean, YOU NEED THIS BOOK. Period. 

Read my review here.

💗 Denise

L. J. Shen is one of my favorite authors of all time, and I look forward to every single book she publishes. This time was a little different though. The mystery surrounding this book and the collective excitement of all of the other L. J. fans I knew took it to a whole new level!

All that build up could have set the stage for a let down of epic proportions, but guess what? It didn't. Not only did The Kiss Thief not disappoint me in the least, it completely blew me away! Every expectation I had was met and exceeded! It is one of the best books this author has ever written.

The Kiss Thief should be on the must read list of every fan of contemporary romance! 

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

       Stay With Me & Even When I'm Gone 

by Nicole Fiorina

Best Debut

Surprising Sequel

Have you ever read a story that you thought was going to turn out one way, but then it went in such a different direction it left you jaw dropped? That's exactly what happened to me at the end of Even When I'm Gone! After I closed my mouth, I just stared out into space clutching my kindle with a goofy fucking smile on my face.

I read so much that I'm rarely taken completely off guard in that way, and if these are the only two books Nicole has ever written, sign me up for everything to come! This author has balls and talent, and I have a feeling she will only get better from here. 

New adult romance fans, this series is for you!
Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Unconditional by Q.B. Tyler 

Forbidden and taboo romances are my favorite to read and QB Tyler came out with her first! I love everything she writes, but there’s something so special about this book that I could not let go! Months and months later, I still think about Cal and Maddie and how they stole my heart! 

Read my review here. 

💗 Denise 

Becoming His Mistress by A.E. Murphy

Favorite Unconventional Romance

Favorite New-To-Me Author

Becoming His Mistress is one of the most surprising reads of 2019 for me! I had no idea how much I would wind up enjoying this story when I decided to pick it up. Cheating is a hard limit for many romance readers, so this book won't be for everyone. However, if cheating in books isn't a no go zone for you, you should definitely check out this one! I have SO MUCH to say about this book that I found it too hard to narrow it down. If you're interested in more of my thoughts, please consider taking a look at my review!

Read my review here.

A. E. Murphy is a "new to me" author, but she's quickly becoming a favorite! I adore the two books I've read from her so far so much that I'm going to try to pick up everything she publishes in 2020. If that's not a recommendation, I don't what is!

💋Jessica

Pretty Little Mess by Carmel Rhodes

I don’t and hardly ever read romantic comedies... like ever. But this book right here popped my cherry! I love office romances and my goodness, this had enemies to lovers too! I WAS OBSESSED. I couldn’t help but fall in love with Max and Ellie and cracking up in between too! 

Read my review here.

💗 Denise

Praying For Rain by BB Easton
Amazing Apocalyptic Romance

Praying for Rain by BB Easton was such a breath of fresh air! It's unlike any new adult romance I've read thus far, and for that reason alone, it's a must read. Fresh and original are the two words that most come to mind when I think of this book. We all need something out of the ordinary from time to time. I certainly did when I read this, and it really hit the spot! 

If you're looking for something fantastically written, captivating, and unique with imperfect characters, mystery, and steam, this one's for you! 

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Unsteady in Love by Harlow Layne

This book is one that made me cry. It tore my heart out, made it bleed, and then mended it back together! I hardly ever cry during books, but man did I become emotional reading this one! The author truly packed a punch in this one and I cannot tell you how much I fell in love with her characters! 

Read my review here.

💗 Denise 

All The Pretty Things Series by Monica James

Best Romantic Suspense

Dark romances have always been my jam!! This series right here consumed the hell out of me! I was hanging off of every word and breathless by the end of each book with those damn cliffhangers! I couldn’t wait for the next book EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I was blown away and this is the author's first dark romance series? I WAS LIKE NO WAY!! If you’re a dark romance lover, don’t miss out on this one! 

Read my review for Bad Saint here.

Read my review for Fallen Saint here.

Read my review for Forever my Saint here.

💗 Denise

 I had so much fun bingeing the All The Pretty Things trilogy this year! I picked Bad Saint up on a whim, and it's one of the best decisions I made in 2019! I absolutely adore Willow and Saint! Their story completely captivated from the beginning of book 1 all the way til the end of book 3. I never wanted to put a single one of the books down, and my love for the characters only grew as I read. I'll never forget Willow and Saint, and I'm certain you won't either!

Read my short review here.

💋Jessica

Forever and Never by Ella Fields

Best Angst

Forever and Never is one of the best new adult romances I've read all year! Lars and Daphne's journey to their happily ever after is atypical, complicated, heartbreaking, frustrating, and beautiful. The characters themselves are strong, resilient, endearing, and brave. I was swooning, fuming, smiling, tearing up, and clutching my heart throughout the entire book. Ella Fields put my heart through the ringer, but I wouldn't want it any other way!

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Savior by Fiona Cole

I love anti-heroes. I FUCKING LOVE THEM. Erik HAS MY FREAKING HEART!! And let me just say that I went through SO. MANY. DAMN. EMOTIONS. while reading this book right here! I was completely entranced by the two main characters, I lived for their connection, and I just love how beautifully this author tackles such tough subjects that aren’t talked about a lot in the book world! 

Read my review here.

💗 Denise

Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff 
Favorite YA SciFi

Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff are amazing storytellers. The way Gemina and all the other books in The Illuminae Files trilogy are woven together through a myriad of  different formats (texts, redacted files, emails, journal entries, transcriptions, etc.) is absolutely brilliant! That unique style of storytelling makes these books such fun reads! I was literally yelling at this book, gasping, and freaking the fuck out over and over and over again. I could barely catch my breath! Shit got crazy, y'all!!! 😂 The ending was fucking fantastic! 

Bottom line, if you're a YA fan, read this series! If you're a fan of scifi of any kind, read this series! If you want to read an action packed, well-written story with an unique storyline in an interesting format, READ THIS SERIES! You're welcome in advance! 

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

 The Moth and the Flame by B.B. Reid
Spectacular Slowburn

Wren and Lou killed me over and over again. Their slow burn romance is epic and torturous, but so damn worth it! They have history, respect, loyalty, and so much love for one another it hurt me to see them resist the pull between them for so long.  At one point, I thought my Kindle was going to crack by how tightly I was gripping it. 

Their first kiss felt like a fucking victory! I almost got up and did a dance and everything. I'm joking! A little. It did feel monumental, but that's just because the author made me believe in them from the moment they met. She made me feel that instant connection, and then established a solid friendship and love between the two of them. I felt what they felt, and I knew just how much they had to lose if things turned sour. If you're a fan of the author or new adult romance, put this one on your tbr asap!

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Interpreter by Kristy Marie

Favorite Diverse Romance 

Best Side Character Cast

Interpreter is one of those books where I loved EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the book, series, and EVERYTHING. I am so glad I was introduced to this book and this world because every time I read it, it feels like I’m coming home! The banter is hilarious, the connections are so raw, the friendships and real, and everything this  author writes makes me fall in love with her characters EVEN MORE! 

Read my review here.

💗 Denise

 We all have our unicorn authors. They write books we automatically one-click without even reading the blurb. We fall in love with their heroes and heroines every single book without fail. They make us feel all the feelings and carve out a permanent place in our heart. Kristy Marie is one of those authors for me, and Interpreter is a perfect example of why.

It's beautiful. There is no other word I can use that more accurately describes this story to me. Milah and Tim have such an intense, intimate connection that you can feel it pouring off the page. The amount of heart that went into this novel can be felt in every type of relationship portrayed in this book. You may shed some tears reading this story, but you'll laugh your ass off, too! Expect nothing less than all the feels!

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Rich Boys of Burberry Prep Series
 Favorite Contemporary Reverse Harem Series  

The Rich Boys of Burberry Prep took over my life this year! Once I picked up Filthy Rich Boys, I couldn't stop! I fell so hard for all of these characters, and this series became one of my favorite contemporary reverse harem series ever! It's a bit of a slow burn, but in the best way possible. There are several guys that needed to build a believable and solid relationship with the heroine, and C. M. Stunich accomplished that with perfection.

Bottom line, I had an absolute blast reading these books! It was definitely one of the highlights of my reading year in 2019.

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Violent Ends by Jessica Hawkins 

Violent Ends by Jessica Hawkins 

Violent Triumphs by Jessica Hawkins

I LIVE for mafia romances again with the age gap and arranged marriages, THEY ARE EVERYTHING. This series was a little different than what I was expecting, but nonetheless, it was absolutely addicting and I couldn’t ever get enough! This one kept me on my toes and guessing at every turn, but one thing for sure... CRISTIANO IS BAE AF!! 

Read my review for Violent Delights here.

Read my review for Violent Ends here. 

Read my review for Violent Triumphs here.

💗 Denise

Naked or Dead by A.E. Murphy & Xela Knight

Most Memorable Mindfuck

Different, unexpected, suspenseful, intriguing, and dark, Naked or Dead is the kind of read that keeps you on your toes and has you guessing the whole way through. It starts out like a typical bully romance, but quickly turns into something much more interesting! There's not much else I can say about the book without spoiling the fuck out of it for you, but if you're in the mood for a twisted, surprisingly emotional, mind fuck, this one's for you!

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Best Dark Adult Paranormal Fantasy

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo is a dark paranormal urban fantasy/dark academia novel that involves morally gray characters, ghosts, occult magic, secret societies, and murder! The story is unique, intriguing, creative, dark, gory, atmospheric, action packed, and mysterious. It discusses important topics in today's society like classism and privilege, and I simply couldn't put it down. It was everything I didn't know I needed in a book! 

The beginning is super slow, but after it picks up the pace, the story becomes all consuming. 

I can't stop thinking about it, and I finished it over a month ago! I love it so much I've been searching for other books like it ever since! (If you know of any, hit me up! Lol)

💋Jessica

The Maddest Obsession by Danielle Lori

Most Memorable Mafia

Best Sexual Tension

  

Mafia romance is one of my favorite things to read, but I have surprisingly few "go to" authors in the genre. Danielle Lori added herself to the mix with The Maddest Obsession, the second book in her Made series. It's predecessor, The Sweetest Oblivion, was one of my top reads of last year.

Gianna and Christian are sexual tension personified! Whenever they came in contact with each other, I felt like I could barely breathe! My heart beat faster. I got anxious. The whole nine yards!  Seriously, their chemistry and banter was out of this world! Though that comes as no surprise to me, because the author is a master of sexual tension. I dare anyone to read either one of the books in this series and say otherwise! As far as I'm concerned, the Made series is gold, and this author is one of the best I've read in this subgenre! 

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
Favorite YA Fantasy

Falling Kingdoms is a fantastic YA fantasy that's been described by readers as a YA Game of Thrones, and let me tell you, the hype is warranted. The author has no problems killing motherfuckers left and right, and truth be told, that's one of the things I like most about it. It feels like nobody is safe, and you have no idea what could happen next. 

 The author's writing style makes this such a quick, gripping read that would be perfect for a fantasy newbie. There isn't a ton of language that over-complicates understanding the world or makes the book feel more dense than it would otherwise, and the story is perfectly paced with an incredibly intriguing plot. Magic, violence, betrayal, romance, and twists and turns aplenty, Falling Kingdoms is one of my favorite fantasies of 2019.

Read my review here.

💋Jessica 

Boys of Brayshaw High & Trouble at Brayshaw High by Meagan Brandy

New Adult Bully Romance Series of the Year 

2019 was the year of the bully romance, and no bully romance series was more talked about or beloved than the Boys of Brayshaw High series by Meagan Brandy. There is no way I could leave it off my favorites list. It was one of my most highly anticipated series of last year, and it blew my expectations out of the water! Raven is the fierce heroine we all want to read about, and the Brayshaw boys are the hot heroes we all wish we could bang, preferably at the same damn time! 

Meagan Brandy's writing sucks you in and consumes you. It feels impossible to tear your eyes off the page. Once you get to the end of a book, you'll be practically salivating for more. The characters intrigue you, make you laugh, piss you off, break your heart and put it back together again a few times before capturing it completely. The romance between Raven and Maddoc drives you mad with anticipation and the sexual tension and angst of it all twists you up in the most delicious ways! Bottom line, this series deserves all the buzz it's getting. Don't miss out!

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Gypsy Blood by Kristy Cunning 

Best Paranormal Reverse Harem

Most Memorable Side Character

Gypsy Blood is about a gypsy woman named Violet that can see ghosts, is being hunted by a cult, and turns into something otherwordly when she's angry. Oh yeah, she's also being haunted by a ghost named Anna and followed around by a vampire, a werewolf, an incubus, and a monster hunter. As you can imagine, that makes for a damn good time! 

The All the Pretty Monsters series is intriguing, hilarous, action packed, steamy, and a whole lot of fun! Paranormal reverse harem fans, you need this in your life!

💋Jessica

Off Balance series by Lucia Franco

Top Taboo Series

Best Binge Read

Best Sex

The Off Balance series is one of the best taboo romance and sports romance series I've ever read and one of my favorite series of all time! Lucia Franco is such a talented author. It's clear writing romance is her calling. She completely blew me away with every single piece of this story. The gymnastics aspect is so detailed it's incredible. The character development from the first book on is phenomenal. The story is captivating, emotional, and angsty af. The sex is scorching hot! Throw away your underwear before you start reading and have your boyfriend, husband, or b.o.b. handy, because hooolllyyy shhhiittt! I'm not exaggerating!

 Ahhh! I love these books so much it feels impossible to put into words, so I'm just going to tell you to read them. If taboo is your thing, you won't find better, but it's also so much more than that. The romantic relationship and friendship between Kova and Adrianna feels so real, raw, and intense, but their professional coach/gymnast relationship is just as touching and beautiful.  

Don't misunderstand me. This series isn't all sunshine and roses. It's gut wrenching and heartbreaking at times. You will want to murder people pretty much the entire time you read it, too. Don't worry though! It's all part of the exquisite torture that is Kova and Adrianna's relationship. You will gladly take whatever pain Lucia dishes out and ask for more, because it's one hundred percent worth it! 

Read my review here. 

💋Jessica

Kill Switch by Penelope Douglas

Favorite Book of 2019 

Book Boyfriend of the Year  

I read over 100 romance novels every year and love plenty of them, but I rarely add a book boyfriend to my fictional harem. Not only did I add Damon this year, but I shoved his ass way to the top with my man, Vicious. If you know me, you know just how significant that is. 

Damon Torrance is a character that I went from absolutely loathing to loving with all my heart over the course of three books. Penelope Douglas deserves an award for the way she changed my mind about his character and the depth of which she made me feel for him. This series solidified her place as one of my favorite authors in all of fiction. The Devil's Night series is one of my favorite series of all time, and Kill Switch is my favorite book of 2019!

Read my review here.

💋Jessica

Author of the Year

L. J. Shen 

Did a single author create more excitement in the book world this year? From the insane anticipation and mystery of The Kiss Thief to the crazy hype of the All Saints High series and surprise of In the Unlikely Event, no other human being is responsible for more buzz in the romance book community then L.J. Shen. The stats for these books alone speak for themselves. # 1 in Contemporary Romance, #2 Most Sold Book on Amazon, #2 Most Sold Fiction Book on Washington Post, and Top 2 book in the entire Amazon Kindle store! She was even featured in Oprah magazine.  

Congratulations, Leigh on an incredible year, and thank you for making this a hell of a year for us, too!

Read my review for The Kiss Thief here.

Read my review for Pretty Reckless here.

Read my review for Broken Knight here.

Read my review for In the Unlikely Event here. 

💋Jessica

  5 Star

Honorable Mentions

   

 

   

Did you see any of your favorites on the list? We would love to know! 

Are there any books on your favorites list that you think we need to read?

Did you find any new books for your tbr? 

Feel free to let us know in the comments!

Thank you so much for reading! See you guys next time!