Smash or Pass Saturday - Trope Edition

1. Enemies to Lovers – 💥 SMASH

There is nothing more delicious than sizzling banter, death glares that slowly melt into longing stares, and that one iconic “Who did this to you?” moment. Gah! This trope owns me. I am its willing victim. What could make this trope any better, you might ask? The male character falls first, and she's having none of it. Enemies-to-lovers where he grovels - 💥smash me twice

📚 Fav: "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros

2. Love Triangle – ❌ PASS

I think it's the indecision that does it for me, and oftentimes, the second love interest is poorly developed; they're just there to cause drama. Now, if there's a great plot to go along with the love triangle, then I'd give the book a chance, but I am yet to find a book with this trope that I enjoyed enough to recommend it.

📚 Mild Exception: "It Ends with Us" by Colleen Hoover.

3. Fake Dating – 💥SMASH

Do I love watching two people pretend to be in love until they accidentally fall for real? Absolutely. It’s messy, it’s romantic, it’s probably the most-read trope for me. Sometimes you need an easy read, and to know how the book will end is comforting. Don't get me wrong, I love a book with a good plot twist or a 'gasp' moment. But sometimes, when it's been a mentally draining day, an easy read is needed.

📚 Fav: "The Love Hypothesis" by Ali Hazelwood

4. Grumpy x Sunshine – 💥 SMASH

This dynamic makes me giggle and kick my feet every time. Watching a grumpy man slowly fall for the human embodiment of joy? Give me all the books! The moment where he is soft and caring with his love interest, but ruthless and harsh with everyone else. Swoon.

📚 Fav: "Twisted Love" by Ana Huang

5. Secret Baby – 🤔 UNSURE

This one’s a gamble. Done well, it can be super emotional. Done poorly, it feels manipulative. I need high stakes, major grovelling, and NO miscommunication nonsense. I often find that there's a silly reason she keeps the pregnancy a secret, and that just doesn't do it for me. 

📚 Tolerable: "The First Play" Series by Katy Archer, "Know the Score" by Kylie Kent.

6. One Bed Trope – 💥 SMASH

Is it cliché? Yes. Do I care? Not even a little. It’s the tension, the awkward conversations, the accidental cuddling at 2 AM… chef’s kiss.

📚 Fav: "Icebreaker" by Hannah Grace

7. Billionaire Romance – 💸 Smash... 

I’m not into billionaires unless they secretly rescue puppies, bake at midnight, and worship the ground she walks on. My favourite part is when he hands her his 'black Amex card' to buy whatever she wants.

📚 Faves: "Twisted Love" by Ana Huang, "The Fine Print" by Lauren Asher

8. Forced Proximity – 💥 SMASH

Yes, lock them in a cabin during a snowstorm. Yes, make them share an office with only one desk. I support all forms of this chaos.

📚 Faves: "Credence" by Penelope Douglas (warning: not for the faint-hearted)

9. Amnesia / Memory Loss – 🧠 Pass

I just can’t. It feels like a soap opera plot twist from 2003, and unless it’s masterfully written, it usually pulls me out of the story instead of pulling me in. This trope would need an amazing plot to keep me interested.

📚 Maybe: "Say You Swear" by Meagan Brandy, "No Pucking Way" by C.R. Jane

10. Forbidden Love – 🔥 SMASH

Yes to the danger. Yes to the angst. Yes to the whispered “we shouldn’t be doing this.” When written with depth and emotion? It’s irresistible.

📚 Faves: "Twisted Games" by Ana Huang, "Credence" by Penelope Douglas (warning: not for the faint-hearted)

The Deal - Elle Kennedy Book Review

 

📚 Book Review

Title: The Deal (Off Campus Series)

Author: Elle Kennedy

Genre: New Adult Romance, Sport Romance

Pages / Format:  374 pages (Paperback/Kindle/Audiobook)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4/5)

📝 Quick Summary (Spoiler-Free):

Hannah Wells is smart, focused, and emotionally guarded—especially when it comes to matters of the heart. But when her crush barely notices her, she reluctantly agrees to tutor the cocky hockey captain Garrett Graham in exchange for his help making her crush notice her. What neither of them expects? That fake friendship and flirty banter will lead to something real.

 My Thoughts:

Writing Style:

Effortless, snarky, and fast-paced.

Characters:

Hannah is independent, strong, and honest about her experiences with trauma and her boundaries.

Garrett starts as a typical cocky jock but develops into one of the most loveable, loyal and protective book boyfriends out there.

Plot & Pacing:

A great mix of romantic build-up and character development. There’s enough tension and emotion to keep the story engaging. A novel I couldn't seem to put down for longer than a few minutes.

World-Building / Setting:

Set on a college campus filled with locker room talk, emotional baggage from past trauma, controlling parents, and slow-burn chemistry, The Deal is a witty, heartwarming, and deeply satisfying opposites-attract romance.

Themes & Emotions:

This book explores healing from trauma, mutual respect, and genuine connection in a heartfelt and realistic way—all while being laugh-out-loud funny at times.

🖤 Favourite Quote:

"You’re not my type."
“I’m everyone’s type.” — Garrett Graham.

✨ Final Thoughts:

The Deal is everything you want in a college romance—fun, flirty, emotional, and just the right amount of spice. Hannah and Garrett's relationship feels real, and the banter is on point, a chef's kiss. It’s the kind of book you finish with a full heart, a big smile, and a little sad that it's over. 

🧭 Perfect for Readers Who Enjoy:

• Becka Mack's - Playing for Keeps Series
• College Romances
• Witty Banter
• Tropes like fake dating, opposites attract, slow burn, and found family

How I got Into Reading

I've had a pretty busy few years, with having two young kids, I didn't really have much time for any hobbies. In November 2022, one of the moms at my daughter's school recommended a book to me.

I was never much of a reader and always swore that I'd 'wait for the movie'. I've seen all the Harry Potter movies but have never read the books. My brother always told me, 'The books are so much better than the movies' and I knew he was probably right, but I never had the time or the want, to read a book.

Books to me screamed boring. That was until I flipped open the cover of a rather popular fantasy novel, with fae shadow bat boys and the rest is history.

Can you guess the book? Of course you can.

A court of thorns and roses was my gate way into the reading world. 

I think I read that book within 2 days and rushed out to buy the next one. I still remember telling my husband that I needed the next book, it was a life and death situation. He laughed at my dramatics, but I was dead serious. Little did he know, my new hobby would cost him a fortune. By the end of that week, I'd read the whole series and was rather upset that it was over. The next book I got my hands on was Fourth Wing and it truly was all over then. My slight addiction for reading had begun and has surprised everyone in my family.

I came to realize that books can be boring, especially the novels you're given at school to read. But when you find that genre that captures your interest, or the trope that you can relate to, or wish you could relate to, it changes your whole outlook on reading. On life as well. It's an escape from the realities of this world, where there's always a happily ever after (the books I read at least).

My husband also says to me that he could never get into reading, and I always tell him, 'You just haven't found the book that draws you in yet'.

So, since November of 2023, I've read over 400 books, from fantasy, so sport romance, to dark romance, mafia romance. The list goes on and I can say that I'm hooked.

So, I decided to start this blog to document my reading addiction and hopefully draw a few more people into the world of dragons, bat boys, morally grey hero's and rather handsome hockey players.

I'd love to hear which book sucked you into the reading world. Leave a comment below.

Happy Reading

xx