Review – Test of Time

10 Friday Apr 2026

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Test of Time

Blossom Peak #3

by Harlow James

Blurb:

Falling for the single dad next door wasn’t part of my plan when I moved to Blossom Peak.

I accepted the teaching job for a fresh start, far away from the controlling ex I left behind.

But Rhonan Hart is everything you could ask for in a man. Strong, dependable, helpful, an amazing father to his daughter, Ellis… and looks beyond sinful in his sheriff’s uniform.

Except his daughter is my student, and he’s determined to pretend like our connection doesn’t exist.

(I’m determined to pretend he didn’t see me naked when my shower blew up, and he tried to save me.)

But soon, he’s sneaking over to my house at night—warming my bed, tearing down his walls, and making me want something I knew I couldn’t have.

My life is a mess, one I’m still trying to clean up. 

But this man and his child give me a glimpse of a future I want, no matter what the cost.

Just when I think I’m on the path to moving on, fate decides to give us the test of time.

I just hope this is a test we both survive.

Buy Link: 

https://mybook.to/testoftime

Available in KU 

*****

Review:

Vienna and Rhonan have both been hurt in the past and are guarded about getting involved again. From their very first (adorable) meet-cute tho, there was something there between them. And the little dance they do, so hesitant to listen to their hearts, is fun and I enjoyed their back & forth as they (quickly) lose the battle to keep their distance.

While James’s spicy scenes aren’t always my favorite, I can definitely see why it would work for readers. They are definitely hot and steamy. But it’s her characters that are the draw for me – the way the whole group is there for each other, at times supportive and loving and teasing. I haven’t read the other two stories but I get the idea that there were some things that needed to be worked out among the guys. Based on this tho it just brought them closer. And I love the little family they’ve managed to make together.

While I enjoyed the story, the audiobook really made this one for me. The way the narrators (especially Aiden Snow) brought the characters to life, delivering lines in a way that made me laugh out loud and then later choke up a little … absolutely wonderfully done. I am definitely adding some star fragments to this one for them.

Just a heads up: The prologue would have you thinking there is a bit more of a suspense element than there is. It’s pretty much just the very end. While the story is good on its own, it won’t meet that need if you go into it expecting more.

*****

Author Info:

Steamy Romance Author

Harlow James is a pen name I use to protect my identity as a high school teacher. Keeping those two roles in my life separate is necessary, but also fun! It’s like a live two lives, and anonymity gives me the opportunity to be bold and take risks in my stories.

I stumbled upon romance novels in 2018 when I picked up Driven by Kristy Bromberg, and I was obsessed. I had just lost my grandmother too, so reading offered me an escape from reality and a chance to grieve on my own terms.

About a year later, I got an idea for my own book and started writing. I researched self-publishing and jumped in with both feet. I had no idea what I was doing!

But now I’ve built a business and hobby that I LOVE! I have an outlet that’s just for me. When I write, I’m not a mom, a wife, or a teacher…I’m a woman who gets to tell stories that no one else can.

My books are the perfect blend of heartwarming moments, full-bellied laughs, and PLENTY of steam to melt your Kindles 😉 And there are always elements of me sprinkled in to every character and story that I write.

When I’m not writing you can find me reading or spending time in my kitchen. I love to cook and feed my family and friends. Otherwise, you can find me watching comedy specials with my husband, camping with our kids, or taking naps. I live for naps 😉

Connect with Harlow James: 

https://linktr.ee/harlowjamesauthor

Review – All for Love

09 Thursday Apr 2026

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All for Love

Windy Harbor #3

by Willow Aster

Blurb:

A spicy Small Town, Single Mom, Forbidden romance from USA Today bestselling author Willow Aster

Waking up in a gorgeous man’s lap definitely wasn’t on this year’s bingo card, that’s for sure.

Flying halfway across the country, exhausted and on an empty stomach, is a lot. Having to do all that while realizing I’ll be away from my little girl while she’s at her dad’s is an even worse feeling.

Enter Dylan. The irresistibly gorgeous man whose lap I collapsed in on my flight home. He is handsome, charming, and manages to sweet-talk me right into bed with his beautiful smile and twinkling hazel eyes. This is sooo unlike me, but I couldn’t help myself.

Dylan and I don’t really know each other. Plus, I live in Minnesota, and he lives in California, and anything long-term would never work. Yet the chemistry between us can’t be denied.

But then the real problem between us comes to light, and it’s a big one. A forbidden one. There’s no way we can ever be together…but how do we give up on each other when our fiery connection feels like a once-in-a-lifetime love?

All for Love is book three in the interconnected, standalone Windy Harbor series.

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3ObYz3e

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://geni.us/AllforLove

Audible: https://adbl.co/4chNTcY
Narrated by: Isabelle Ruther & Austin Stone

*****

Review:

Just like the rest of Aster’s stories, All for Love delivers charm with a dash of steam. I love Dylan, with his enthusiasm, big heart, and sense of humor, and he’s absolutely adorable with Dahlia’s daughter, Chloe. Not a surprise considering how close the Whitman’s are with each other.

Dahlia is understandably concerned about the forbidden part of their romance, but finds the connection with Dylan irresistible. I mean, the man is not only good to her, but also amazing with her daughter. Something none of the men in her life have been so far. How could she resist this man?

There’s drama in their story, but unlike the first couple of books it’s external instead of internal to their relationship, which works well here. It relates to some issues that have been running thru the series and not completely resolved by the end. So while it isn’t necessary to have read the others, I feel like this is one of those cases where it helps to read the books in order.

Dylan and Dahlia and Chloe are adorable together. From their first meet cute moment to their happy ever after, I was delighted. Aster has created a large, loving, welcoming family with the Whitmans and I’m always so excited to get a new story.

Spotlight – Ryder

07 Tuesday Apr 2026

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Ryder

Lucky River Ranch series

by Jessica Peterson

Blurb:

One hard fall in the rodeo ring.
One maddeningly gorgeous cowboy.
One chance at love she swore she’d never take.

Billie Wallace has spent her whole life trying to prove she’s more than the Wallace Ranch’s “wild” only daughter. All she wants is a shot at barrel racing—and a purpose beyond crunching numbers in her daddy’s office. But when her very first run ends in disaster, Billie lands flat on her back with Ryder Rivers—her childhood crush, her brother’s best friend, and the town’s notorious heartbreaker—hovering over her.

In all the years she’s known him, Ryder has never entertained Billie’s shameless flirting. But after her fall, he’s suddenly everywhere—showing up to help her when she’s hurt, staring at her across the honky-tonk when she’s trying to move on with a bronc rider, and encouraging her to explore her dream career.

Before either can really register what’s happening, their partnership sparks into much more than just dust and arguments.
Late nights turn into stolen kisses. Stolen kisses turn into something that feels dangerously like forever. Ryder swears he’s not the staying kind, but the way he looks at Billie like she’s the only woman in the world makes everyone start to wonder if he’s ready to stop running…

RYDER is an interconnected standalone book in the Lucky River Ranch Series.

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/489QyDr

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
https://bit.ly/4oCMSQo

Purchase the deluxe edition paperback!
https://bit.ly/4v0GrdE
The Deluxe Edition is available in North America with designed edges and spot gloss!

Amazon Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4bWoEwE
Audible: https://bit.ly/47fLIUu
Narrated by: Lila Winters & Stephen Dexter

Spotlight – Kace

07 Tuesday Apr 2026

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Kace

Pittsburgh Titans series

by Sawyer Bennett

Blurb:

Kace Elliott is the hockey player with a genius IQ and a secret side hustle in applied physics. He’s falling for his research partner, but she doesn’t know who he is outside of the lab. Now, the closer they get, the harder it becomes for him to keep his two worlds from colliding.

On the ice, I’m Kace Elliott—starting goalie for the Pittsburgh Titans, fighting to prove myself in the playoffs. Off it, I’m William—a scientific researcher, quietly holding on to the academic world I’ll return to when hockey is over. Both versions are real, they just aren’t meant to overlap.

Until Dr. Laurel Kent.

Laurel is brilliant, principled, and deeply rooted in a world where transparency matters. She knows me online as William, her intellectual equal, the man who shares her passion for data, late-night collaboration, and easy, unexpected chemistry. William is very much her type whereas athletes are not.

I need her to like the bigger part of me—the hockey player. When she meets me in person, as Kace, I make the choice to let her see the type of man she’s sworn off from ever dating. She gets the Titans goalie and all the craziness that comes with the playoffs. But here’s where it gets complicated: I make the dangerous decision not to tell her Kace and William are the same person.

By some stroke of luck, Laurel agrees to give Kace a shot, and our time together is more than I ever hoped for. The closer together we grow, the less she talks about William, and I convince myself I’ll tell her the truth when the timing is better, once I’m able to prove I’m more than the label she’s written off. But timing has a way of unraveling even the best intentions.

As the pressure of the playoffs intensifies, the boundary I’ve relied on becomes impossible to maintain. When Laurel discovers how closely intertwined my worlds really are, I’m faced with the cost of asking someone to love only part of me.

And winning on the ice means nothing if I lose the woman who made me want to stop dividing my life in two.

Buy Link:

https://geni.us/SB_Kace

*****

Author Info:

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.

If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).

Connect with Sawyer Bennett:

https://geni.us/SawyerBennett

Review – Redeeming Rogue

06 Monday Apr 2026

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Redeeming Rogue

Fox & Falcon Securities #1

by Gia Cobie

Blurb:

I never wanted to see him again.

It was painful to even think about the man who’d broken my heart when I was seventeen—the man I’d thought I’d spend my life with until he tossed me aside as if I meant nothing.

But when I wake up in the hospital eighteen years later, hurting and confused, Nico’s there to protect me.

He says I was attacked on my way to see him. He wants to know why, after years of silence, I showed up again. But I can’t answer his questions because I can’t remember. Not why I was back in Manhattan. Not why I supposedly wanted to see him. And I have no idea who tried to kill me.

The last thing I expected to see on my way home from work was my ex-girlfriend being loaded into an ambulance, unconscious and injured.

Just as instinct demanded I go to her, logic said to leave the past buried. After all, we were nothing to each other anymore. Dredging up old hurts and betrayals would accomplish nothing. 

But it was Sofia. My Sofia. Who was attacked on the street on her way to see me.

So I go to see her in the hospital, unsure of what to expect. And when I get there, I arrive just in time to stop another attack. 

As I hold a vulnerable Sofia in my arms, I know there’s no way I can leave her. And I’ll do everything in my power to protect her.

Buy Link:

https://a.co/d/0fWJo8Be

Available in KU 

*****

Review:

I always enjoy Cobie’s stories. She does a good job of mixing the suspense & action elements with the more emotional ones. Here we get a couple with a very believable second chance at love, as long as they can keep Sophie alive 🙂

The danger that she’s in gives Nico & Sophie the necessary reason to spend time together. And Cobie does a good job of giving us bits and pieces of Sophie & Nico’s history, as well as how it affects their interactions today, resolving it in a satisfying way that gives them an opportunity to develop a new relationship. That danger is also resolved in a satisfying way (although there is a little gray area toward the end that I’m not sure how I feel about, tho I’m betting it’ll play out in the series), with a mystery that kept me going and in my feels.

It’s the first story in a new series and really only focuses on Nico & Sophie, with a little bit of an intro to his friends and F&F Securities. Based on it & the ending, we can probably expect similar stories to what we’ve seen from other series set in this world. And I’m here for it because every book I’ve read so far has kept me coming back for more.

*****

Author Info:

Gia Cobie is an award winning author living in upstate New York with her husband and small zoo of animals. She loves writing about protective heroes and the strong women they fall in love with.

In her spare time (when she has any!), Gia enjoys reading and spending time in the Adirondacks, and also has a weakness for reality romance shows, wine, and buying way too many books!

Follow Gia for updates on her latest releases!


Connect with Gia Cobie:

https://www.giacobie.com

Review – Mr. Trick Play

03 Friday Apr 2026

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Mr. Trick Play

The Playmakers #1

by Becca Jackson

Blurb:

LUKA

I’ve dreamed of being in the NHL since I was a kid, and even though I wasn’t drafted to the same team as my best friend, Cosmo, I’m determined to prove I belong here.

But when I meet my new no-nonsense captain, veteran defenseman Reid Raines, there is just one problem. Reid isn’t impressed by my flashy moves. In fact, he’s determined to rein in risk-takers like me and teach me to play it safe.

What he doesn’t know is that I have a plan of my own, one that has less to do with holding back my killer instincts and more to do with knocking him off balance with my wit and charm.

Basically, it’s time to Luka-love-bomb the captain.

But the more time we spend together, on and off the ice, the harder it is to ignore a shift between us.

My infectious energy has chipped away at Reid’s cool exterior, and every heated exchange feels charged with something new. Now I’m even more excited to see what will happen when the captain finally lets himself lose control.

Buy Link: https://getbook.at/ThePlaymakers1

*****

Review:

Reid had adulthood thrust on him at an early age when he got guardianship of his brothers after his parents died. Juggling his family with his career, and now being captain of his team, has made him a little more … staid and straight laced. He tends to be a bit of a rule follower.

Kinda the opposite of the team’s new rookie who tends to put on a bit of a show, giving the crowd something extra to cheer about. Their differences definitely don’t do much to damper their attraction to each other tho. An attraction that they maybe shouldn’t indulge in … but can’t ignore.

There’s not a lot of angst to their story, despite their situation. We spend some time with them early on as they get to know each other and Luka tries to find his place on his new team. Once they decide to explore their feelings they just have to figure out how that will work.

I’ve read a few of Jackson’s books and all of them have been kinda fluffy & feel good. Low angst with lots of sweetness & feels and Mr. Trick Play definitely fits in that category. Perfect for when you want to snuggle in and get a word based hug 🙂

Review – A Puck Between Friends

03 Friday Apr 2026

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A Puck Between Friends

Gods Versus Monsters Hockey #3

by J.R. Gray

Blurb:

When my best friend offers to come as my date to my sister’s wedding to get back at my sister for breaking his heart, I agree thinking it will be hilarious. What I didn’t consider was that I’ve been in love with him half my life, and all the consequences of us fake dating. 

My family demands I bring my new boyfriend to her shower first, and things only go downhill from there. My sister is marrying the goalie from our rival team who immediately is up in arms about us dating. 

Fair, but I don’t have time to dwell on it as things quickly get weird with my best friend. Wolfe is straight, it shouldn’t be weird right? It’s fake after all. But I’m so wrong.  He kisses me like I’ve never been kissed before, and then we both realize we have to keep this up for months until the wedding. 

Between the unexpected sexual tension, hockey, and the secrets we are keeping. I don’t know how we’re going to get through the season. 

Buy Link:

https://mybook.to/APuckBetweenFriendsGVM

Available in KU 

*****

Review:

Wolfe takes his confidence & golden retriever energy into basically every part of his life and his bi-awakening isn’t any different. I love how he takes it all in stride and is so sure & so proud of his sexuality. It takes Angel a little more time to really believe in it but Wolfe isn’t above putting in the work.

And I felt for Angel, loving his best friend and having to see him with first his sister & then years of one night stands. I adore a good best friends to lovers romance but these kinds can just break your heart. It’s totally understandable for it to take Wolfe a while to stop doubting the truth of their new dynamic. Years of deep friendship and a closeness like their’s would be hard to risk.

This is my first book by Gray and I really enjoyed it. The friendship between Wolfe and Angel, developed over years of closeness and some trauma, morphs so well into something more. And Gray doesn’t scrimp on the emotions or the steam as they find their new footing & what their futures might bring.

(Can be read as a stand alone but there were a few things from previous books that were a little confusing. Not related to the main plot tho and just a vagueness that I would probably understand if this wasn’t my first book in the series.)

*****

Author Info:

Gray is a cynical Chicago native, who drinks coffee all day, barely sleeps, and is a little too fashion obsessed. He writes realistic and damaged characters because everyone deserves a happily ever after.

Connect with J.R. Gray:

https://www.instagram.com/hipsterwriter/

Review – The Wild Card

02 Thursday Apr 2026

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The Wild Card

The Dugout #2

by Piper Rayne

Blurb:

Getting pregnant after a one-night stand with my brother’s best friend was never part of the plan.

We’re talking about Foster Davis here.

Chicago Colts closing pitcher.
The broody king of one-word answers.
And the man everyone knows keeps one foot out the door.

Surprisingly, when two pink lines turn my world upside down, Foster doesn’t run. He steps in, he shows up, and he insists we do this together.

Pretending we’re fine is easy. Pretending this is just about the baby? Not so much.

Because Foster is gentle when no one’s watching.
Because he looks at me like I’m something worth protecting.
Because the walls he’s built start to crack—and I’m the one he’s letting inside.

Our arrangement was supposed to be simple. Boundaries were set. Co-parents and no catching feelings.

Okay, maybe a few sex lessons were added in too. Bad idea, I know.

Because the more time I spend with Foster Davis, the harder it is to remember why I ever thought he was the risky choice.

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3IWsHxd

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://books2read.com/twc

*****

Review:

**maybe some minor spoilers**

Foster is probably one of my favorite Piper Rayne characters. I love his swagger and his issues and am really intrigued by the dynamic with his parents & brother. (Definitely looking forward to finding out more in Decker’s book.) And Callie’s sass – girl wasn’t taking anything lying down in The Hotshot 🙂 No wonder that the two of them together create sparks!

A lot of the times in accidental pregnancy or forced proximity tropes the reasoning is a little forced but I found that it works well here. I liked the two of them living together and taking the opportunity to get to know each other better. The secret of the baby and the way things play out was good too.

The sex lessons tho … I understand why they go there and how it might have worked in relation to just the two of them but I’m pretty sure a guy like Foster has a few tricks up his sleeve. Yes, part of the point was that he wasn’t exactly the guy that everyone thought he was. And that men sometimes think they are more amazing in bed than they really are but he had regular partners, not just bunnies or one night stands …

The relationship between the two of them, as well as the found family aspect of the teammates, sells it for me. Piper Rayne always delivers on her characters and both of them just got me in my feels. I was rooting for them every step of the way to figure out how to communicate their needs and concerns so they could figure out a way to support & truly love one another.

Review – Extra Credit

29 Sunday Mar 2026

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Extra Credit

The Boys of Elmwood U #1

by Hayden Hall

Blurb:

Look, I’m not stupid. I’m just really, really bad at Statistics.

Bad enough that Coach is threatening to bench me if I don’t pull my grades up. Bad enough that Professor Colby assigned me a tutor from the Thinkers’ House: a nerd who actually enjoys calculating standard deviations.

Enter Bennet Marlowe: certified genius, overpowered paladin in shiny armor, and the most annoyingly attractive guy I’ve ever failed to impress. He’s all sharp edges and sharper wit, hiding behind oversized sweaters and reading glasses that have no business making me lose focus during study sessions. He’s also completely off-limits. It’s hard to learn anything when all I can think about is whether he’d let me kiss him if I got the answer right.

And yet, I keep finding excuses to see him. Crashing his D&D night. Convincing him to see a movie with me when my date bails. Walking him home and standing too close on his doorstep. Kissing him clumsily near said doorstep.

And somewhere between pivot tables and probability, I’m starting to think maybe I’m not just bad at Statistics. I’m catastrophically bad at keeping my hands to myself.

I’ve got one semester to pass this class and keep my scholarship. Falling for my tutor is definitely not the kind of extra credit I signed up for.

Extra Credit is a gay college romance pairing a hopeless nerd with a cocky jock. If you ever needed a book that felt like a cozy hug, this is the one. It’s the first novel in The Boys of Elmwood U series, but it’s complete with low-angst vibes, spicy lessons, and a happily ever after.

Buy Link: https://getbook.at/BoysOfElmwoodU1

*****

Review:

These two goobers are so sweet together! It feels so real the way they dance around their emotions and their issues. Hiding and waffling because they are so scared of showing who they really are and what they really want. It just feels like a situation I easily could have found myself in at college.

And while the nerd/jock trope is pretty common, as is the different-than-you’d-expect thing that Jason has going on, Hall makes it work for him. Jason is charismatic, well liked, and hot. But he’s also using his charm to hide his insecurities and doubts, to keep people at a distance. He can’t with Bennett tho once they start spending time together. Slowly letting him see his true self, even as he’s afraid that it’ll chase him away.

Bennett is your typical nerd. Super smart and a little awkward, not very experienced or popular, and sure that he and Jason have absolutely nothing in common. But as he lets his assumptions about Jason go, he discovers someone that he really likes. Someone that might like him back, if he can let his insecurities go and believe in what’s happening.

The writing may be a little awkward in spots, especially at the beginning, but the story and characters hold their own and kept me going until that oh-so-adorable epilogue. It’s low angst and a slow burn and I was there for every moment. Looking forward to seeing what else Hall has for us at Elmwood U!

Review – Hell or High Water

26 Thursday Mar 2026

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Hell or High Water

Toronto Thunder #3

by Beth Bolden

Cover Designer: Ozark Witch Cover Design

Model: Joel Ros

Photographer: J. Ashley Converse Photography

Blurb:

Come hell or high water, Nate’s gonna be Ramsey’s perfect (fake) boyfriend . . .

The night Nate Bishop met Ramsey Andresen, he didn’t know who he was.

Didn’t know he was a hockey player. Didn’t know he’d be sticking around in Toronto. Most definitely didn’t know they’d hook up and Ramsey would walk right out of his life. Leaving him aching for more and hating that he can’t forget him.

They meet again at a Thunder team party and Nate’s not only shocked by Ramsey’s presence, but the way he acts like he belongs. He’s gorgeous and perfect and unobtainable, his existence rubbing Nate’s face into everything he can’t have.

He knows his teammates aren’t happy they don’t get along. But the last thing Nate expects is for Ramsey to suggest a plan to get them off their backs.

Not a fake friendship, but a fake situationship.

As they spend more time together—at first a necessity because of the charade, and then because they can’t stay away from each other—Nate starts to learn more about Ramsey’s secrets.

And each shadowy corner that Nate shines light into makes him like Ramsey even more. Until like slides easily into love, and fake becomes something real. Something precious. When they shatter the illusion, can they face the reality that they want each other, completely and forever, after playing pretend for so long?

Tropes: fake relationship, enemies to lovers, football player x hockey player, bad boy settles down

Available on: Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, paperback (model & discreet), and audio narrated by Darcy Stark (est May)

https://readerlinks.com/l/5210107

*****

Review:

Right away, we find out what happened before the season started and why there is so much tension between Nate & Ramsey. And I loved getting their POV, giving us glimpses into their own issues and the way they connect with each other & develop an understanding of what makes the other tick.

I love the two of them together. The way they truly get one another, supporting & appreciating each other. Being solidly there. With patience, they build trust & a safe place to be themselves. Especially Ramsey who has someone that sees him and appreciates his brilliance and his emotional intelligence, loving the complicated man he hides under his suave exterior.

I came into this one with all kinds of faith in Beth Bolden’s skills because enemies-to-lovers and MCs that are averse to emotional involvement usually aren’t my favs. Typically they have more than their fair share of angst but I’ve never been let down by Bolden so I gladly dove into this one. And OH MY GOSH, so good!