I wanted to get into reviewing because I figured there were likely people with similar tastes who would appreciate my recommendations. Because of the vast number of romance novels being published now, I realized I wanted to become an ARC reviewer. This would give me the opportunity to find the newest releases and let everyone know how great (or not so great) they are before they hit the shelves. Also, well, maybe I won’t spend QUITE as much money on books as I do now. Maybe. Possibly.
Because of how closely I follow LJ Andrews (one of my favorite authors) on social media, I came across an Instagram post from The Realm Studios about a mailer they were taking sign ups for that included Broken Souls and Bones by LJ Andrews along with some goodies to go with it. I KNEW I had to sign up. Unfortunately, they had over 1000 sign ups and I didn’t make the cut. I was a little upset, but it worked out for me, as it brought me to their website! There, I signed up for their newsletter and started getting notified when they had new ARC applications open. This led to me signing up for a cozy romantasy called Bargains With Benefits by Jillian Witt. And I got it!
I was excited to get my first ARC, though I wasn’t sure how to feel about reading a “cozy” romantasy. There was a part of me that was afraid it might be too cheesy, as I was used to reading serious fantasy romances. I was excited nonetheless, so I went into it with an open mind. I’m so glad I did. This book combined everything I’ve always loved about contemporary romance (I’m a huge Tessa Bailey fan) with the fantasy elements I’ve grown accustomed to in the romantasy genre. I read it in about two days and couldn’t wait to scream it from the rooftops. Problem is, who would I tell?
RoseUponRowsOfBooks was created. I had to quickly try to learn how to navigate social media in a way I had never experienced It’s honestly been so fun! Stressful at times, but definitely fun. And it’s only been a couple of weeks! Instagram, Goodreads, TikTok, Pinterest, Threads, and now a website where it can all come together!
I have so many plans for what to do in the coming weeks. I’ll be posting more reviews, unboxings of my many book box subscriptions, and photos and videos of my collection of special editions! Let’s get started!
Read my full extended review of Bargains With Benefits on Goodreads HERE
