Welcome to the Love Bytes Reviewers’ Best of 2020
Here at Love Bytes, we reviewed everything from contemporary romance to fantasy, paranormal, historical, adventure, mystery, comedy and everything in between in 2020. Each day for the next few weeks, we will feature one of our reviewer’s top picks from books and audio books published in 2020. With thousands of fantastic new books each year, written by hundreds of creative and talented authors, it’s so difficult to narrow our lists down. We all have many favorite authors not featured here and wish we could acknowledge them all.
Taylin’s 2020 Favorites
Always You by Nell IrisWhat makes this, friends to lovers, tale a success is that it doesn’t try to pack a lifetime into a few thousand words. ‘Always You’ focusses on one brief period, adds a little history and lets the rest play out. I was utterly sucked in by the unfolding conversations containing crossed wires, probing questions, awkwardness, and thudding hearts. At just over 10k, for such a short story, I was thoroughly enchanted.
Just Jordan by J.T. CheyanneThis friends to lovers – with a sporting edge – page-turning story contains different types of heartache alongside a perfectly formed extended cast. The author made Trey and Jordan wholesome, flawed and believable. They are stubborn, have disagreements, and keep secrets that need a crowbar to extract. I ate up every word and will be reading it again.
Long Shadow by Elle KeatonThis detective story is set in a world where I got delightfully lost in imagery, characters, and their lives. I was treated to love, family, crime, drama, arson, a bombing, attempted murder, some gorgeous man loving, emotional conflict and more. While the main case is solved and the relationship between Mat and Niall moves forward, some elements of the story carry over to the next book. I was left with questions, but no frustration over a cliff-hanger – brilliant.
Pirates of Romance by Asta Idonea
This amateur operatic short story is one where the reader doesn’t need to know the musical to be able to enjoy the tale. This shortie uses words so efficiently that the storytelling is utilized to the max. I loved the way the personalities come over clearly and different, especially the leads. Pirates Of Romance delivers humor, shy vs player, personal confusion, hurt, comfort, life evaluation, something hot and romance all in one little measure.
Starcrossed by Allie TherinThis magical story set during the prohibition is packed with action, drama, and power play of various kinds. I got murder, intrigue, mystery, love and another interested party, class-division, visions, secrets, ex-lovers, good vs evil and some in-between, paranormal goings-on, alchemy, and more. I did not want to put the book down and ended up reading till after midnight.
Adam Bomb by Kilby BladesAdam Bomb is the kind of story where the friends circle each other for a long time, grow apart, move apart, then find their way back to each other. I found a crackin’ story, with brilliant protagonists, super imagery and a blast of an extended cast that balanced out the intensity of the mains. It’s not the regular type of friends to lovers’ story. I loved that Levi is the guy that holds back in life, but shows who he is through his photography and Adam is entirely the opposite.
James, Earl of Crofton by Rebecca Cohen
This historical has a taste of Royal Court, a new work-in-progress Earl, and a highwayman. The story is a slow-burn drama that contains lots of verbal sparring. It’s not so much a mystery, but more a ‘we know whodunit’ now let’s get proof and set a trap. As for the sparks between James and Adam, lots of simmering is how I’d describe it. But damn, they are good together. It was a delight to read.
Stay Lucky by Leta BlakeThe story is a hospital drama where ex-lovers reconnect. Love the way Doctor Grant is honest to the point of brutality – sooo refreshing, and his lack of halo made him utterly gorgeous. Leo needs dialysis, which adds its own heartache, but I loved that his young daughter was smart, but not unbelievably so, nor was she super-sweet. What I got with Stay Lucky was the journey of two men, both hurt by love, who found their way back to each other. They cared, they hurt, and their hearts got ripped to pieces, but damn, it was a good read.
What a great list! Now I need to add more to be TBR list 🙂
I loved Long Shadow and Starcrossed. The rest are new to me, but I’ll add some of them to my TBR pile. thank you so much for the recs!
I read Long Shadow and enjoyed the series.
I have enjoyed the Crofton books by Rebecca Cohen, got this one to read.
Will be looking at a few of the others!!