REVIEW: Sunastara & The Venusian

 OUR REVIEW:

Admittedly space romance is wayyyyy outside of my reading comfort zone, but I really like Jess K Hardy's novels so I thought I'd give it a shot. And while it wasn't my favorite, I still enjoyed the challenge that it provided. The 'world' Sunny and Freddie inhabited required me tapping into my imagination but the romance they had didn't and I think that's why I could read past the things that didn't always click in my brain. The thing I've really enjoyed about Hardy's characters is that they tend to be older, more experienced characters and she continued with that in this novel too. 

Truth be told, this won't be everyone's jam, but I think many will really enjoy it; so if you're like me and you normally don't read space romance, maybe give it a shot and see what you think. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3AD4nfX

SYNOPSIS:

On this deep space pleasure cruise, love is in the recycled air

As the hospitality specialist aboard an infamously debauched interstellar pleasure cruise, Sunastara Nex never mixes work with pleasure. But she knows more than most how little the universe cares for rules and order. For the most worlds-shattering one-night stand of her life just became the newest member of her crew.

Freddie is as gorgeous as she remembered, still unbearably tempting, and still very interested. Unfortunately, he’s also strictly off limits. Until he comes up with the wildest seduction strategy this side of the wormhole.

But while Sunny and Freddie hide their romance in a world of make-believe, a very real threat puts their ship and possibly the entire Known Universe at risk. Faced with the unknown, they’ll have to decide whether they’ll fight for a future together, or let the gravity of their pasts tear them apart.

REVIEW: Not in My Book by Katie Holt

REVIEW:

Not in My Book was a pleasant surprise--I went in totally blind, not knowing anything other than it looked like it would be a romcom. As you can see in the synopsis, we learn that Rosie and Aiden are taking a writing workshop and are mortal enemies. They're almost the caricature of enemies--narrowed eyes and sneering words--lots of zingers exchanged between them and you could just tell that all of that animosity was going to add up to some hot stuff later. It totally did. But in order to get there Rosie and Aiden had to be forced together, which happened thanks to their poor behavior and their exasperated professor. They were forced to co-write a novel together, despite the fact that they didn't write the same genres (and he actually detested romance, which is what she wrote). So in order to pass the class, they begrudgingly started writing and that's where the fun really began. As readers we got to see bits and pieces of their novel layered on top of their story--a fun addition--and got to see how much they mirrored each other.  We got to see Rosie and Aiden's love story mimicked in their shared writing; they got to know each other through the writing and because of their writing. 

I really enjoyed the set up of the story, as well as the story of Rosie taking a risk and moving to NYC to live her dream. I also appreciated that her move there wasn't easy and yet she was so determined that she pushed through as best as she could. If there was anything that didn't work as well as the other parts, it was the big break up scene-their blow up was so big and Rosie's decisions because of it were so hasty that I found it a smidge unbelievable. That being said, it wasn't a dealbreaker and I am looking forward to all the things Katie Holt writes next. 

 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4d5hDqV

SYNOPSIS: 

The Hating Game meets Beach Read in this sexy and hilarious contemporary romance from a debut Peruvian-Tennessean voice.

Rosie, an idealistic and passionate Peruvian-American who has grown up without strong ties to her culture, leaves her Tennessee hometown to pursue her dream of making it in New York as a writer. But her plan is derailed when she ends up in class with her arch-nemesis and ex-crush, Aiden Huntington—an obnoxious, surly, and gorgeous literary fiction writer who doesn’t have much patience for the romance genre, or for Rosie.

Rosie and Aiden regularly go to verbal battle in workshop until their professor reaches her breaking point. She allows them to stay in her class on one condition: they must co-write a novel that blends their genres.

The reluctant writing duo can’t help but put pieces of themselves into their accidentally steamy novel, and as they slowly get to know each other, they try to put their differences aside. Meanwhile, their manuscript-in-progress provides an outlet for them to confess their feelings—and explore their attraction toward each other.

When Rosie and Aiden find themselves competing against each other for a potentially career-changing opportunity, the flames of old rivalry reignite, and their once-in-a-lifetime love story is once again at risk of being shelved—unless they can find a way to end the book on their own terms.
 

REVIEW: Mile High by Liz Tomforde

OUR REVIEW:

I've been seeing Mile High float around the book universe for a little while and decided this week was the week to give it a shot. I was intrigued by this one because I saw many reviews love it and yet the first few reviews of Goodreads seemed to not. I didn't let either of those sway me and jumped in. 

There were many things I enjoyed--hockey + romance + main characters of color were all wins for me. I honestly don't think I've read a hockey romance where mmc (Zanders) and fmc (Stevie) were both Black. That, of course, is probably my fault, but it was nice to have that diversity. I also enjoyed that the main male characters were self-aware and wholeheartedly advocated for therapy--what a nice surprise. And, I appreciated that the focus on family wasn't just about the biological ones, but also the ones we make. 

So Zanders and Stevie. Where to start? He's a man who loves casual hook ups, clothes, hockey, and his best friend. He comes off, initially, as arrogant and a smidge insufferable. Stevie? Stevie is his flight attendant on the private plane his team has chartered. She's a girl who loves her volunteer work, thrifting, and her brother. Immediately these two rub each other the wrong way and yet can't seem to keep their eyes off each other. As we spend more time with them, we get to see what they're really about--their insecurities, their hopes and dreams, and their fears and hurts. 

The more they see each other, the more intrigued they become, and eventually, they find that their accidental run ins whet their appetite for each other and they finally give in. The rest of the novel is reading about how they navigate this secret relationship, the obstacles they have to overcome, and the learning and healing they gain from being with each other. 

While this was a little on the long-ish side, it wasn't enough of a reason for me to not like it or not want to read more of the series; I'm curious about the other novels in this series and how she develops the themes she introduced in Mile High

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4fNlMBO

SYNOPSIS:

ZANDERS

Chicago hockey isn't complete without me - everyone's favourite player to hate. I know my role, and I play it well. In fact, I thoroughly enjoy spending the majority of my game time in the penalty box before leaving the arena with a new girl on my arm each night.

What I don't like is the new flight attendant on our team's private plane. She works for me, not the other way around. But I'll be sure to remind her of that, and I can guarantee, by the end of the season, she'll be begging to quit her job.

But every road trip blurs the lines, and I can't quite figure out if I keep pushing that flight attendant call button in order to push her buttons, or if it's more than that.

STEVIE

I've been a flight attendant for years. I thought I'd seen it all, but when my new job lands me onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL, I start to second guess everything. Including the promise I made to myself of never hooking up with an athlete again . . . no matter how annoyingly tempting he may be.

Evan Zanders is unfiltered, unapologetic, and too attractive for his own good. He loves his image, but I hate everything about it.

Everything but him.
 

REVIEW: Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson

OUR REVIEW:

These writers I love, they really have me going outside of my comfort zone these days and Lana Ferguson is no different. I really loved The Nanny and The Game Changer so anytime she publishes something, I jump on it. This time she's got me reading and imagining a romance with a Lochness Monster and a woman named Key. Here's what I appreciate about the way Ferguson does it: she sets things in a real place, with characters you can easily imagine being 'real', and she injects it all with humor and love and all of the other pathological things that romance requires. Then, and only then, does she nudge us into the direction of monsters. 

So while monster romance is really not my thing, I still found myself having fun with Lachlan and Key and their tension and history and all of the things that made them click. Admittedly, I did not always have the patience for their narrative, so sometimes I felt the urge to skim and I'm not really sure where or why that always happened, but there were places that just felt long. If you asked me now, which parts they were, I couldn't tell you, but as I was reading, I didn't always find it to be as consuming as I wanted it to be. That being noted, I still had fun reading it and felt satisfied when I put it down, so a solid 3.5 read for me.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/48U5Yug

SYNOPSIS:

A woman discovers that not all monsters are her enemy—the opposite, in fact—in this new paranormal romance by Lana Ferguson, author of The Fake Mate.

Keyanna “Key” MacKay is used to secrets. Raised by a single father who never divulged his past, it’s only after his death that she finds herself thrust into the world he’d always refused to speak of. With just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father’s life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, Key has no idea what she’ll find in Scotland. But repeating her father’s mistakes and being rescued by a gorgeous, angry Scotsman—who thinks she’s an idiot—is definitely the last thing she expects.

Lachlan Greer has his own secrets to keep, especially from the bonnie lass he pulls to safety from the slippery shore—a lass with captivating eyes and the last name he’s been taught not to trust. He’s looking for answers as well, and Key’s presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. It’s even more troublesome when he gets a front row seat to the lukewarm welcome Key receives from her family; the strange powers she begins to develop; and the fierce determination she brings to every obstacle in her path. Things he shouldn’t care about, and someone he definitely doesn’t find wildly attractive.

When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after—and that she might also be the key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they’ll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairy tales, and that love can be a real loch-mess.

 

REVIEW: Blindside Beauty by Lex Martin

OUR REVIEW:

I can't believe this series is over; it's been my one guaranteed dose of football + (sometimes surprise) babies + and the women these men can't seem to live without and it's been such a fun series to read. The final book in this series pairs together a nanny, Abigail, and the newest quarterback, Nick, in town. She needs a job to pair for the trip she sacrificed for her previous loser boyfriend and he needs help watching his daughter while he's wrapping up his final season of football. As I've come to expect in this series, the two don't immediately hit it off--she accidentally bumps into his car (with her car) and leaves a bad impression, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and eventually Abigail and Nick find an arrangement that works for them. 

After calamity strikes, Nick offers to house Abigail and that's when their romance really heats up. As much as they'd like to deny their feelings, they just can't, and before you know it they're trying (and failing) at being FWB. Despite what they tell themselves, they can't help but fall for each other and the rest is history. Of course there are some incidents and obstacles along the way, but the thing I love about romance is that I know I'm going to be happy at the end and Blindside Romance definitely gives me that HEA I crave. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3AIPAjP

SYNOPSIS: 

My football player ex cheated on me, so the last thing I need is to fall for another quarterback. Especially when he’s still mourning his baby mama who tragically passed away.

After I accidentally plow my car into Nick Silva’s bumper, I can’t blame him for not hiring me to be his daughter’s nanny, but I’m still salty about it. I need the money to go on a trip of a lifetime, one my ex didn’t want me to take.

The worst part is Nick just moved in next door.

I’m sure he associates me with my dirtbag ex—his former teammate—so I try to avoid my neighbor whenever possible.

But when his new babysitter gets locked out of the house, leaving Nick’s four-year-old alone inside, I attempt to rescue her by breaking in through a window.

Unfortunately, I have a wardrobe malfunction and end up flashing my goodies to the whole neighborhood, Nick included.

Because of my embarrassing heroics, Nick’s now convinced I’d be a great nanny.
The trouble with football players is they’re very persuasive, so I agree to take the job but immediately regret it.

Who needs to see a gorgeous, shirtless man jumping rope and doing push-ups in gray sweatpants? Who wants to watch a sexy, single dad snuggle his little girl and read her bedtime stories? Who enjoys working closely with a walking, talking thirst trap every single day?

Fine. I do. I want all of that, but I already swore I’d never date another jock after the last one stomped all over my heart, so this bookworm needs to play it safe.

But rumor has it Nick has a new girlfriend, which helps me maintain appropriate boundaries.

Because I won’t be blindsided by another quarterback again.

Blindside Beauty is an angsty nanny romance featuring an adorkable, accident-prone bookworm and a struggling, grumpy single dad. If you enjoy close proximity, enemies-to-lovers vibes, opposites attract, small towns, and college football, you’ll love this steamy final addition to the USA Today bestselling series Varsity Dads.
 

REVIEW: Real Americans by Rachel Khong

OUR REVIEW:

So, I was intrigued by the synopsis and the first pages, and then within chapters, I felt a little less enchanted. Lily's story felt a little disconnected and I don't know if I ever fully understood her. I powered through, though, and decided to give Nick's story a chance. I told myself if I didn't connect within his first few chapters, I'd throw in the towel. That didn't happen. I found Nick's story so compelling and frustrating and I couldn't put it down. In retrospect, knowing a little of Lily and Matthew's story (Nick's parents), helped me understand Nick better, but I just didn't love that part of the story. 

Should I backtrack for a minute? Probably. 

This novel is told in three generational perspectives. We start with Lily. We learn that she is a poor, seemingly purposeless, intern, living in NYC in 1999. She meets Matthew at a work party and she falls for him, while never feeling like she's good enough for him. They're together for a while, then she ghosts him, only to reunite with him later. They end up married and having Nick. I'm glossing over quite a bit, but essentially, what I got from her part was her fraught history with her mom, her distress at being poor and a bit at a loss for who she was or what she should be doing, until she met Matthew. Even after meeting him, there was a sense of her being not really sure of her place in the world. Things happen and her part ends mysteriously and we jump into Nick's story when he's in high school. 

I think what was so compelling about Nick's story was how easy it was to connect to him; you understood his angst and its source. And while he, too, was a little lost at times, he seemed to be more decisive and eager to figure things out. He, as they all were, was definitely flawed and frustrating, but it was easier to follow his narrative. 

The last part of this novel was reserved for Lily's mom, Mei (May). Her story was also quick and easy to read, Threaded with persistence and a desire for something better, she constantly suppressed her deepest wants for a shot at a future that wouldn't look anything her past. Her story is filled with things you'd never want to live through, and is really just sad, which doesn't excuse what she did to Lily and Nick, but it made a lot more sense, when you found out her backstory. The very end of her part brings us to the present and we see that her life isn't sunshine and daisies, but she gets one last chance to right some wrongs and tell her story. 

So while it didn't start out as promising as I wanted it to be, it ended so much stronger than I thought it would. It definitely left me with things to consider and that's something I always appreciate. A very solid 3.5 read for me. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3YHSNIv

SYNOPSIS:

From the award-winning author of Goodbye, Vitamin: How far would you go to shape your own destiny? An exhilarating novel of American identity that spans three generations in one family, and asks: What makes us who we are? And how inevitable are our futures?

Real Americans begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City, when twenty-two-year-old Lily Chen, an unpaid intern at a slick media company, meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not: easygoing and effortlessly attractive, a native East Coaster and, most notably, heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. Lily couldn't be more different: flat-broke, raised in Tampa, the only child of scientists who fled Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Despite all this, Lily and Matthew fall in love.

In 2021, fifteen-year-old Nick Chen has never felt like he belonged on the isolated Washington island where he lives with his single mother, Lily. He can't shake the sense she's hiding something. When Nick sets out to find his biological father, the journey threatens to raise more questions than answers.

In immersive, moving prose, Rachel Khong weaves a profound tale of class and striving, race and visibility, and family and inheritance—a story of trust, forgiveness, and finally coming home.

Exuberant and explosive, Real Americans is a social novel par excellence that asks: Are we destined, or made, and if so, who gets to do the making? Can our genetic past be overcome?
 

REVIEW: Home Game by Ginger Scott

OUR REVIEW:

It's been toooo long since we've been in the Reed and Nolan universe, so you can imagine our delight when we saw that Ginger was revisiting them, with the added extra fun of the story being focused on their daughter, Peyton, as she meets and falls for Wyatt, the quarterback for the new, rival high school in town. 

I was so excited when this was announced!! I love not only that we are back in the OG Ginger era, but that Reed is a hometown Coach now, and his daughter is giving him a run for his money by finding her own path. I love Ginger Scott's ability to write the best coming of age story, not only for the romance, but also for the extra character development that she writes so well and gives us a fantastic story to sink into. I love this world so much! 

Home Game had all the things you love about a Ginger Scott novel about young love: drama, tension, laughter, and of course, love. In the case of Peyton and Wyatt, there was the obvious source of tension (him playing for the rival team), but throw in a bunch of bruised egos, amped up by teenage testosterone, and a dad (Reed) who is suspicious of Wyatt, and their path wasn't easy. Naturally, that didn't deter them and despite the forces working against them, they figured it all out. I loved that Nolan seemed to be all for it, from the beginning, as evidenced by the gleam in her eye she always seemed to have when it came to these two. I also loved that Reed was initially such a hard ass, which cracked me up, honestly, when I think back to his story. 

Exactly! I wasn't sure exactly what we were in for! Fall football drama is always a fun time, but split up a team in a town that eats, sleeps and breathes football and we were in for it! How they meet, and who they are was so fun. There was some things with the team and how well Ginger writes sports that had me enthralled and it was on. Daddy's little girl is growing up, and yes, it is exactly as fun as we thought when we remember the Waiting Series and how much Reed has grown as as a character then but still makes us know that Peyton is her father's daughter for sure! 

Home Game was just the read I needed--a little sweet, a little spicy, a little nostalgic all wrapped up in the perfect package of Peyton and Wyatt. I am that girl and would not be myself if I didn't also say I would love more from these characters!!! 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4eZ87au

SYNOPSIS:

Football has been my life. Not that I ever had a choice in the matter. When your dad is a retired, future Hall-of-Fame quarterback, the gridiron tends to weave its way into your DNA.

I always loved the game, but I could do without the spotlight that comes with being Peyton Johnson, the great Reed Johnson’s daughter. To make matters worse, when my dad retired from the NFL, he decided his second calling was to take over the head coaching gig at my high school, where he has coached my boyfriend for the last three years.

Correction—my ex-boyfriend.

While the fairytale high-school sweetheart story may have worked for my parents, I have other plans. And following a self-absorbed athlete to college is not part of them, no matter how hard my dad tries to push me and my ex together.

Thankfully, a new high school opens and draws a line through the center of our town, sending half of my dad’s players to a new team. And apparently, their new quarterback is breaking all of my dad’s old state records. It’s the ultimate distraction, giving me the chance to land myself a spot on the cheer team at any college that isn’t close to home.

But then I meet him. Wyatt Stone. The guy my dad considers our enemy. The best quarterback I’ve ever seen. A complete jerk who I can’t quit thinking about. And running into. And rooting for.

Now, I’m the one who is distracted. And repeating my parents’ love story doesn’t sound so bad after all.

 

NEW REVIEW: My Darling Jane by Ilsa Madden-Mills

 

OUR REVIEW:

I've had fun reading this series and I was very curious about how she'd write Jasper. He'd always come off as such a player and sometimes a little arrogant or smug and even though that can be fun, I wasn't sure how it would turn out. Turns out Jasper is so much more than I thought he'd be--he's warm and caring and has a lot more depth than I suspected, which makes him a great match for Jane--sister of Emmaline, owner of a matchmaking service, and mother to a precious daughter. It shouldn't work--he comes off as a player and she has zero time for all of that, and yet it totally works. 

It starts off innocuously enough--she needs clients for her service and he does her a solid and agrees to try it out--but after one terrible date...and then several not great ones, they become closer and closer as she tries to get to know him better to find him the perfect girl. Of course neither of them are really interested in him finding someone through the dating service, because what they both want is each other. From late night talks to missions to find his nieces and everything in between, Jasper and Jane find that they truly do like each other and find love in the other. 

Sweet, fun, romance that you'll read in just a few hours and I am eager to see who on this team or in this family goes down next. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3zcwP78

SYNOPSIS:

On an ordinary day, Jane Darling wouldn’t be caught dead in a sports bar wearing a toga with angel wings. But she’s desperate to launch her matchmaking business to secure her young daughter’s future. Her to attract new clients at any cost.

Her Cupid outfit catches the eye of New York’s beloved star quarterback, Jasper Jannich. She and Jasper have always clashed, but when a pushy admirer goes too far, he steps in as an unexpected knight in shining armor.

He offers a tantalizing to be Cupid’s Arrow’s premier client. Reluctantly, Jane agrees, aware of the business potential despite her reservations about Jasper and his playboy reputation.

As she sets him up on date after date, it grows clear that Jane’s the only woman he wants.

She is his goal, his endgame.

She’s not not interested…but her heart has been burned before. To get anywhere, they’ll need courage and faith, not just sizzling chemistry.

He’s ready to make the pass. Is his darling ready to catch it?

REVIEW: Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

OUR REVIEW:

In book two of this series, my curiosity was fully piqued, and Sig and Chloe did not disappoint. They were just as fraught with tension as I suspected they would be and while I've been around the romance block a few times, so I didn't quite see the scandal of them being together, I quite enjoyed it nonetheless. I enjoyed learning more about Chloe and how much more depth she had, since she'd seemed a little shallow when we first met her in book 2. I enjoyed learning about Sig and his huge heart and secret insecurities. It was nice to read about genuinely kind characters who cared so much about each other that they'd sacrifice being together to make sure the other one was okay. Sounds convoluted, and completely messed up, but somehow that's what they felt they needed to do, and yet it all ended up being okay. Romance crisis averted. 

I don't know what it is about sports romances that get me every single time, but they do. I guess I love the idea of it--the idea of this big jock falling hard and being helpless to stop it? It just works, or it does in this series, and I seem to be a sucker for it, so sign me up for the next one. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/48vrC83

SYNOPSIS:

A steamy chance encounter between a professional hockey player and the manic pixie dream girl he just can’t seem to forget takes a turn when the pair realize that their parents are engaged—in an all-new rom-com by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey.

When professional hockey player Sig Gauthier’s car breaks down and his phone dies, he treks into a posh private country club to call a tow truck, where he encounters the alluring Chloe Clifford, the manic pixie dream girl who captivates him immediately with her sense of adventure and penchant for stealing champagne.

Sparks fly during a moonlight kiss and the enamored pair can’t wait to see each other again, but when Sig finally arrives to meet his dad’s new girlfriend over dinner, Chloe is confusingly also there. Turns out the girlfriend is Chloe’s mother. Oh, and they’re engaged.

Sig’s dream girl is his future stepsister.

Though the pair is now wary of being involved romantically, Chloe, a sheltered harp prodigy, yearns to escape her controlling mother. Sig promises to teach her the ins and outs of independence in Boston—but not inside his bedroom. They both know there can never be more than friendship between a famous hockey player and his high-society, soon-to-be stepsister. But keeping their relationship platonic grows harder amid the developing family drama, especially knowing they were meant for so much more…

 

NEW REVIEW: Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn

OUR REVIEW:

I have really enjoyed every book in these interconnected stand alone novels featuring the three friends who love each other like sisters. In the other two we got to know a former child/teen star turned homemaker over star, a country music star, and now we get to know Maren-a former YouTuber known for her fishing prowess. Seriously, how unexpected is that? A woman who is known for her superior fishing skills?! Awesome. Love it. And even more than that, I love that her love interest is someone she's known forever, has crushed on forever, and is divorced and available. I even love how she ends up there--not the terrible former boyfriend part, but the part that sends her running home to her favorite place...the place that her dreams were really made of. So we have Maren, this super smart, super pretty, and super wonderful woman and we have Joe--her brother's best friend, divorced father to two awesome kids, and also wonderful human being. What a pair!

I loved their story because it was filled with so much kindness. She needs the kindness of him and his family to help her find her footing after leaving a great job and a less than great boyfriend. He needs her kindness to help him with the chaos of single parent life. They both instinctually know how to help each other and care for each other and love each other. Because they've known each other for so long, they're getting to know each other as adults and while there are definitely obstacles to them reaching their HEA, there are more good moments than bad. (I'll just say, thank god Joe finally said something to her brother because that guy was THE WORST for a good portion of the book). 

Loved the romance and their story, loved the autism representation, loved the cameos by her friends, and really, just loved the whole thing. Sign me up for the next Erin Hahn book, I'm ready!

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3xrMxe3

SYNOPSIS:

In Erin Hahn's latest cozy, swoony romance, Maren Laughlin has been fishing her whole life, but she’s finally ready to be caught.

At thirty-three, Maren Laughlin's just turned down her boyfriend’s proposal, walked away from her decade-long position as a park ranger, and returned to her childhood playground in Northern Wisconsin to accept her inheritance: a decrepit waterfront bait shop. After a lifetime of letting things happen to her, she’s ready to start making her own moves, even if everyone else thinks she’s making the wrong ones. Well, not everyone—at least the local heartstopper and resort owner is on her side.

Josiah Cole has made some missteps in his life, but he’s proud of what he has: two awesome kids and the keys to the kind of getaway spot that has families coming back every summer– their up north home away from home. After his marriage dissolved, leaving him a single dad, he feels he’s the last person to judge Maren for her recent transformation (even if his best friend, her brother, wants him to feel otherwise). Besides, he genuinely likes having her around. She’s a breath of fresh air, his kids adore her (not to mention her dog, Rogers), and it doesn’t hurt that she’s beautiful.

Things between Maren and Joe are easy. So easy, they’re fully immersed in the middle before they even decide to begin. It’s not a question of should they, but rather can they make it last? Are things too easy, or is this just how real love works? In Erin Hahn’s heartwarmingly sexy Catch and Keep, Maren and Joe have to be brave enough to find out.
 

REVIEW: Embracing the Change by Kristen Ashley

 

OUR REVIEW:

I've been waiting for this book for what seems like forever...or, ever since Nora and Jamie showed up on the page together and every single character in this series has been dying for them to get together. Nora and Jamie did not disappoint and Kristen Ashley did the best job of making their romance completely over the top in every single way. From their extreme wealth, their forced proximity on a yacht, their housing, clothing, and accoutrement to the dramas that filled their days and the page, I was hooked the first scene and didn't blink until I was done. I loved escaping into their lives, lives so far removed from mine that it felt like fantasy. I loved catching up with all of the other characters from the previous books in the series. And I loved that even though Nora and Jamie live a life I'll never live, I found them to be likable and genuine and characters you couldn't help rooting for. 

Of course it doesn't hurt that Kristen Ashley is like my own personal catnip; I am addicted to the worlds she creates. I'm almost finished rereading all of her previously released novels and it's honestly ruined me for so many other reads because these characters just feel like home.

All of this to say: Embracing the Change was another 5 star Kristen Ashley read for me and, of course, I cannot wait for what she releases next. 

BUY HERE: https://amzn.to/3MZixKA

SYNOPSIS:

That Kiss…

Gorgeous New York socialite, Nora Ellington has been waiting a very long time for her happily ever after.

So long, she’s given up on it and has decided, even though she’s the plus-one friend without benefits to a man she’s head over heels in love with, an HEA will forever be out of her reach.

Handsome billionaire Jamie Oakley thought he’d had two happily ever afters in his life. However, neither lasted long, and both ended in tragedy. He’s not about to try it again or put his children through the trauma Jamie has learned from experience undoubtedly will come their way.

And he’s made this decision even if the woman who’s become his constant companion is a woman he loves straight to his soul….and wants with everything that is him.

But then, one night, Jamie loses control and kisses Nora.

He can’t go there.

She can’t go on without it.

They’ll never be the same.

Or will they?

REVIEW: The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez

OUR REVIEW:

The Next Best Fling had a cute premise--two people in love with other people who help each other out when the people they're in love with become engaged to each other. Did you catch all that? 

Marcela and Theo have been in each other's circle of acquaintances for a while but get to know each other when Theo's brother (Marcela's original love interest) and his girlfriend (Theo's original love interest) become engaged, much to their chagrin. Marcela and Theo become each other's plus one to all sorts of events and it's through these dates that they get to know and care for each other. It becomes clear, from early on, that Theo's brother is a complete douche and Theo is the superior brother of the two. Thankfully, Marcela picks up on that sooner than later.

While I enjoyed the idea of this novel, some of the execution didn't work for me. Something was a little off with some of the dialogue, which I found distracting. I also thought it went on a little long and so I found my interest waning. That being said, there were some cute scenes and a lot of potential for future books in this series. 

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SYNOPSIS:

Two broken hearts decide that the best way to get over their first loves is with a no-strings-attached relationship in this spicy and charming debut romance.

Librarian Marcela Ortiz has been secretly in love with her best friend for years—and when he gets engaged, she knows it’s long past time to move on. But before she gets the chance, she has a bigger problem to contend with in the form of Theo Young, ex-NFL player and older brother of the man she’s in love with. When she discovers Theo's plans to confess his feelings for his brother’s fiancée at their engagement party, Marcela is quick to stop him—despite how tempting it is to let him run away with the bride-to-be. She manages to convince Theo to sleep off his drunken almost-mistake at her place and when they arrive at a family brunch the next day together, everyone wrongly assumes they hooked up.

Since Theo needs a cover for his feelings for the bride and Marcela needs a distraction from her unrequited feelings for the groom, they decide to roll with the lie. Until one late night at a bar, they take it a step further and discover a layer of attraction neither realized existed. Soon, they find themselves exploring the simmering chemistry between them, whether in library aisles or Marcela's bed. There are no boundaries for the rebound relationship they form—just a host of complicated feelings, messy familial dynamics, and uncovered secrets that threaten to tear them apart before they can even admit to themselves that their rebound is working. Maybe a little too well.
 

REVIEW: The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey

REVIEW:

I loved the first book in this series and I f-loved this book too. What can I say, I'm a sucker for a good sports ball romance and while this was more focused on the relationship between Tallulah and Burgess, there were some good diversionary hockey-focused scenes. 

Tallulah and Burgess were fun to read in a very opposites attracts way. He's a broody, single father, hockey player, who has the biggest heart. She's a sunny, smart, bubbly graduate student who has been burned so badly by her ex-boyfriend that she has isolated herself for years in order to protect herself from that ever happening again. When he hires her to be a nanny to his young daughter, Tallulah definitely questions her choices and almost backs out, but his obvious care and love for his daughter, and willingness to do anything to make Tallulah feel safe and comfortable wins her over. As the spend more time together, they discover that they're good for each other. She nudges him into living more of his life and he nudges her into doing the things her previous isolation had prevented her from doing. Pushing those boundaries created the opportunity for their attraction to build and grow and before you know it, they were falling for each other. Things were going so very well until they weren't and dang, it hurt to see them hurt, as they were both such likable characters, but it definitely made that HEA that much sweeter at the end.

Lately I've needed these easy, fun reads and The Au Pair Affair definitely was that--it practically read itself. So, if you're looking for something quick and fun and romantic, check this one out.

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SYNOPSIS:

A sports rom-com about a burly, surly, single dad who falls head-over-hockey-stick for his quirky live-in nanny...

Tallulah is smart, vivacious, and studying to be a marine biologist. She’s also twenty-six and broke. So when Burgess, a battle-scarred hockey veteran and newly single dad, offers her a job as his live-in nanny, she jumps at the opportunity to get paid while living in a super fancy neighborhood and being around Lissa, his cool but introverted tween.

Her tween charge isn’t the only one who could use some help fitting in, though. According to…well, everyone except Burgess, he needs to get back on the dating scene, and adventurous Tallulah is just the girl to show him how. But as boundaries are slowly crossed and Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter, who wants her parents back together, and his insane chemistry with Tallulah, a huge rift is formed, and Tallulah does the “right” thing—breaks her own heart and walks away.

Though Burgess knows it’s for the best—he’s too jaded, with too much baggage—a chance meeting, and a new push from his daughter, forces him to put everything on the line and fight to prove he learned his lessons well and is worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah. 

 

REVIEW: James by Percival Everett

 

OUR REVIEW:

As you know, we're normally a romance focused blog, but every once in a while we'll branch out to something else and feel compelled to share. Today you need to know more about James a look at Huck Finn's adventures from the point of view of Jim (James). 

To be honest, I wasn't sure if I wanted to read it at first. These days I read to escape and I wasn't sure if I wanted to escape into something that would feel heavy but my curiosity about the rave reviews urged me on and I'm so glad I did. I've told all of my friends who read lit fic to try it because it was such a great read. While it did most definitely delve into really heavy, despicable things in our American history, it also had an undercurrent of hope. I loved James's voice, his conversations with philosophers, his sharp, witty, poignant, striking inner monologue, and his empathy and compassion. Percival Everett gave me a novel I didn't know I needed and I'll be recommending it to all those who will listen. 

Please pick up this novel and then let me know how much you love it, because I think you will. 

Happy reading!

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SYNOPSIS:

A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , both harrowing and ferociously funny, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view.

When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.

While many narrative set pieces of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river’s banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin…), Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light.

REVIEW: Look on the Bright Side by Kristan Higgins

OUR REVIEW:

I've never read a Kristan Higgins novel before so I had no idea what to expect and I have to say I actually had low expectations. That was dumb. This novel was such an easy, cute, clean romance that I devoured in a matter of hours. It follows the story of Lark, with a few chapters dedicated to Ellie (Lark's mom), and Joy (Lark's landlord). Lark is this super kind and empathetic resident who has just been kicked out of her oncology residency because she's too teary. She's moved to the ER, with the hopes she'll toughen up and perhaps be able to join the oncology department later. As all of this is happening, she's asked to pretend date the biggest a-hole doctor on the hospital's campus, by said a-hole doctor, and somehow she winds up saying yes. It's through her interactions with him and her work at the hospital that we learn more of her tragic past and how's become who she is. And while her past is truly tragic, her present is quite delightful. She has a full life, a lovely family, and she's quite unafraid to give the a-hole doctor some hard truths. Interspersed between her life at the hospital, and her fake dates, we learn about Ellie and her current marriage struggles and Joy and her hurtful past. All three narratives work well together to show a variety of women's experiences and the importance female friendships. They also show the power of all types of love.

All in all a really solid read. 

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SYNOPSIS:

Lark Smith has always had a plan for her life: find a fantastic guy, create a marriage as blissful as her parents’, pop out a couple of kids and build a rewarding career as an oncologist.

Things aren’t going so well.

For one, the guy didn’t work out. Theoretically, she’d love to find someone else, but it hasn’t happened. Two, she’s just been transferred out of oncology for being too emotional. (Is it her fault she’s a weeper?) Three, her parents just split up.

Deviating from the plan was…well, not in the plan. A potential solution comes from the foul-tempered and renowned surgeon Lorenzo Santini (aka Dr. Satan). He needs a date this summer for his sister’s wedding. His ancient Noni wants to see him settled. In exchange, he could make a few introductions and maybe get Lark back into the field of her choice.

As a sucker for old people and fake relationships, Lark agrees. Teeny problem—she instantly falls for his big, warm family. Especially his estranged brother.

Meanwhile, Lark’s mom has moved in with Lark’s flamboyant landlady, Joy, and an unlikely friendship blossoms. The three women have a long summer and a big beautiful house on the ocean to figure out what’s next…and quite possibly learn that the best things in life aren’t planned at all.
 

REVIEW: Business Casual by B.K Borison

 

OUR REVIEW:

It's been a while since I've come across a new to me author that I instantly want to read their entire backlist but B.K. Borison has definitely done that for me. I grabbed Business Casual on NetGalley (thank you NetGalley!) on a whim and I'm so glad I did. It was evident within the first pages that Borison loved the characters and the town she placed them in. Nova was so adorably snarky and snappy and Charlie was so adorably adorable.

Their entire book was just so fun. All romance readers know resistance is futile and yet it's so delightful to read a well written romance where both the characters try their damnedest to resist each other, resist what they truly want. Both Nova and Charlie thought they were doing the 'right thing' by keeping things casual, while secretly wanting things to be way more serious than they were. Their journey to get from nothing to everything was playful and sweet and cute and sexy and just so much fun to read. I had a smile on my face the entire time I was reading and by the time I got to the end, even though I knew a lot about the other couples, I still knew I would be picking up the first books in the series. 

Love this couple, this town, the residents of this town, and everything about it. 5 fun stars!

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SYNOPSIS:
Two opposites decide to test their chemistry with one steamy night together. But will once be enough?

Nova Porter isn’t looking for love, and she certainly has no explanation for her attraction to buttoned-up, three-piece-suit-wearing investment banker Charlie Milford. Maybe it’s his charm? Or maybe it’s his determination to help her fledgling business however he can. Either way, she’s distracted every time he’s around. With her new tattoo studio set to open in her hometown of Inglewild, she doesn’t have time for frivolous flirtations. 

In an effort to get Charlie out of her system once and for all, Nova offers a proposition. One night. No strings. They’ll kick their uncomfortable attraction to the curb and return to their respective responsibilities. But their explosive night together scatters their expectations like fallen leaves. And with Charlie in town as the temporary head of Lovelight Farms, Nova can’t quite avoid him. 

And Charlie? Well, Charlie knows a good investment when he sees one. He’s hoping he can convince Nova he’s worth some of her time.