Category Archives: Blog Tour

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!

Spotlight – Only for Him

13 Friday Mar 2026

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Only for Him

Only For series

by Natasha Madison

Blurb:

Nothing could prepare them for what was to come.

KYLIE

I learned early in life that love isn’t just given, it’s earned.

Now I’ve decided love isn’t worth it.

At least that type of love.

Until him.

He was broken.

It was safe.

But then I went and did the unexpected. 

I fell in love with him, knowing he would never love me back.

KNOX

I thought I had it all.

I was playing hockey in the NHL.

Three beautiful kids and a wife who loved me.

Until I walked in on her in bed with my brother-in-law.

Everything I thought I had was a lie.

She was everything I thought I didn’t want, and when I least expected it.

I just hope when I finally figure it out, I haven’t lost her for good. 

https://books2read.com/Only4HimNM

Available in KU

*****

Author Info:

When her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…

Connect with Natasha Madison:

https://linktr.ee/natashamauthor

Review – Protected from Evil

11 Wednesday Mar 2026

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Protected from Evil

Blade & Arrow Shadow Team series

by Gia Cobie

Blurb:

A terrible betrayal cost me everything.

My home. My job. My reputation. My so-called friends.

Scared, hurting, the life I’d worked so hard for in shambles, there seemed no better option than to leave.

After years of city life, the idea of escaping to the small town of Williston seemed appealing. So I picked up and moved there to take a job at the local diner. It might not have been what I’d trained for, but I came to enjoy it.

Something else I enjoyed? Talking to Webb—my favorite customer, the most handsome man I’d ever met, and a man I might have considered dating if things were different.

Ever since I met Noelle at the diner, it’s become my favorite place to visit.

And if she gave any sign of being interested, I’d ask her out in a second.

As we grow closer, I can tell she’s keeping a secret. I’m worried, but I don’t know her well enough to push. Not until I find her hurt and and humiliated and crying in the diner bathroom, that is. Not until I find out the truth of why she left her old life behind. 

Noelle needs someone who believes in her. Someone who’ll do anything to protect her. And with the help of my Blade and Arrow teammates, I intend to do just that.

Protected from Evil is a steamy he-falls-first story featuring a former Night Stalker, a scared but strong heroine, a team of Army veterans, found family, forced proximity, thrilling twists, and a guaranteed HEA. Can be read as a standalone.

https://a.co/d/05RJEbxH

Available in KU

*****

Review:

**minor spoilers**

Unfortunately, this wasn’t my favorite of Cobie’s stories, which was disappointing because I love Webb & Noelle. Things were a little awkward in places. While I love the idea of Webb being a little uncertain, a little less confident going into his first serious relationship, I would have preferred for him to get more comfortable in his wooing a little quicker. Is it realistic? Yes. Is it what I would expect from this kind of story? Not so much. You imagine these guys to be a bit more take charge and assured.

And like the last one, if you find your bad guy at about the 2/3 mark there’s going to be another at the end 🙂 So it wasn’t a surprise that something else was coming, which was a bit of a bummer. But I was engaged in the mystery itself. I was pulled in, especially in the last third, and I felt like Cobie did a fantastic job of keeping things suspenseful and the danger level high for me.

But even if they sometimes seem a bit formulaic, I really look forward to Cobie’s stories. I like her characters, and there’s plenty of opportunity to get to know them as they spend time together while they work to figure out whatever suspense element is involved. And so far, all of those parts have worked for me. The bad guys make sense and she does a good job of giving a feeling of risk. I’ll definitely continue to add all of her books to my TBR as soon as I find them.

*****

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!

https://www.giacobie.com

Spotlight – Breaking Strings

06 Friday Mar 2026

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Breaking Strings

Chords & Courts, Book 1

by Becca Seymour

Blurb:

Rafe Ortiz should be focused on the music—on the gigs, the grind, and the industry eyes finally turning his way. Instead, every lyric he writes leads back to one Oliver Marshall, the golden-boy basketball captain with a body built for highlight reels and a secret smile meant only for him.

Behind the court and the stage lights, they burn.

In the shadows, they fall.

And no one can know.

Ollie has a reputation to protect and parents who expect perfection. Rafe has a band depending on him and a career poised to explode. Rules say they should walk away. Desire says they won’t survive it if they do.

When March Madness collides with a life-changing showcase opportunity, their stolen nights and breathless encounters become a crossroads—love or legacy, truth or secrecy, each choice carrying consequences that could break them.

Or bind them tighter than ever.

BREAKING STRINGS is an addictive, emotional, steamy MM romance about two men fighting for dreams, for each other, and for the life they’re terrified to admit they want.

getbook.at/BreakingStrings

*****

Author Info:

Becca Seymour is a British/Aussie author and the #1 gay romance best seller of the True-Blue series. Known for “steamy and endearing” and “emotionally profound love stories” (InD’tale Magazine) her books have been nominated for multiple RONE Awards.

Becca has a sweet tooth for marshmallow-hearted monsters, swoon-worthy supernatural studs, and everyday guys and basketball players with hearts of gold. If you like your MM romance sweet, spicy, and occasionally action-packed, slip into stalker mode and fall hard for her True-Blue and Minnesota Eagles men—and maybe a shifter or monster two.

*****

Review – Wilde Ride

03 Tuesday Mar 2026

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Wilde Ride

Love is a Cowboy series

by Kelly Elliott

Blurb:

From New York Times bestselling author, Kelly Elliott, comes a new small town, family saga series.

EMELINE
Seven years.
That’s how long it’s been since I last came face-to-face with Levi Tucker. He’s my older brother’s best friend, and the man I’ve loved for as long as I can remember. Now he’s back in River Falls, along with his young son, Rhett, and suddenly they’re woven into both my personal and professional life.

The last thing I expected was the wild, undeniable pull between Levi and me to turn something strictly professional into something deeply personal. But Levi’s past is closing in, and this time, I refuse to walk away. I’m ready to fight for the life and the love I want, because both Levi and Rhett Tucker are worth the battle.

LEVI
Tragedy brings my son, Rhett, and me back to River Falls, Colorado. After losing my daughter in a devastating car accident and watching my marriage fall apart, returning home feels like my last chance to start over.

When I’m roped into volunteering at the Wilde Family’s summer camp for underprivileged kids, the last person I expect to fall for is my best friend’s younger sister. For the first time, I can see a future filled with love and happiness for my son and me. Yet when my soon-to-be ex-wife reappears in River Falls, everything I’ve begun to build is suddenly at risk.

Will the past destroy our second chance, or will true love finally get its happily ever after?

Wilde Ride is book 2 in the Love is a Cowboy series.

Available Today!
https://geni.us/WildeRide

*****

Review:

Poor Emeline, loving her brother’s best friend but she’s too young, he’s with someone else, they get married and move away … It’s so heartbreaking. And extremely relatable. Years later he’s back, grieving the loss of his daughter and the end of his marriage, and they are spending time together, growing closer again. Of course Emeline finds herself falling in love all over again, with Levi and his son.

Levi is a fabulous father, back home to make a good life for what’s left of his family. Being in River Falls, and with his parents and the Wilde’s again, brings the two closer and has them happy again. Especially one Wilde in particular, one who just fits them. Making him think differently about the future.

Kelly Elliott delivers a delicious mix of emotion, pining, want, and steam. I felt Emeline’s turmoil over her teenage crush on Levi, and how that crush didn’t go away. This is my first of her books and it was a fabulous introduction. Which means I didn’t read the first book in the series but I don’t think it’s needed, although it’ll definitely go on my TBR after this 🙂

(Please make sure you read the blurb. The death of Levi’s daughter and his divorce play a pretty important part of the book and it may be a little too heavy for some.)

Review – Wild Kiss

27 Friday Feb 2026

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Wild Kiss

Wilder Valley series

by Kacey Shea

Blurb:

I always swore I’d never settle down. I didn’t want a family or responsibilities beyond my own needs. Life was easier and a lot more fun when you kept things casual.

But Rosalie Masters made a liar out of me.

As one of my sister’s best friends, we’ve known each other for years. A single mom pretty enough to turn every head in town—including my own—I never imagined she’d be interested in knocking boots with this cowboy.

Boy, was I wrong.

What starts as a week of secret hook ups, quickly becomes something I can’t live without.

She’s prim and proper.

I’m rugged and rough.

We could not be more opposite if we tried.

But her brilliant mind and naughty side have lassoed my attention. And her tender heart—the one she doesn’t let most people close enough to witness—makes it impossible to leave her alone.

For the first time in my life, I’ve fallen for someone I can’t get out of my system. Wild horses couldn’t drag me away from this woman. The problem is I don’t know how I’ll convince her to give us a chance.

Wild Kiss is the next small town romance in the Wilder Valley series by USA TodayBestselling Author Kacey Shea. Enjoy as a standalone, or start at the beginning of the series!

Buy Link:
https://amzn.to/46TNB9L

*****

Review:

Love this. Love it! The opposite attracts trope, Rosalie in her book loving glory, Jackson being willing to try new things and throwing himself into it full body, the steam (oh, the steam) … just all around fantastic! I couldn’t get enough of them. But, whew, do these two have issues. I feel so bad because both of them can get caught up in their insecurities and it just leads to so much hurt feelings & confusion.

Gotta hand it to Jackson tho, because there are times that he pushes through and puts himself out there when things don’t seem right, getting Rosalie to open up some. Showing her that there are good people in the world, people who will make her a priority and keep coming back. Even when it is scary for him, giving her honesty and emotions that she responds to, which in turn lets him see that he can be more than he thinks. And having someone see & appreciate a deeper him has Jackson evaluating himself in other places.

But I appreciate that Shea also doesn’t go too all in on where their issues could have taken us. There are opportunities to add some extra (probably unnecessary) drama and troubles for them but she gives us something that feels very real for these two. No drama just for drama’s sake.

Y’all, I think I need to change this to a low angst and sweet read page because that seems to be my TBR pile 🙂 Not that I’m complaining. I really feel these two, their hang ups and their struggle with the changes & potential that their relationship brings. I adore how they are open to it once they get past those issues and work through road bumps. Love you Kacey Shea and I’ll be coming back for more!

*****

Author Info:

Kacey Shea is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy contemporary romance. She enjoys writing strong and smart heroines, heroes with hearts of gold, and stories that deliver a satisfying, well-earned happily ever after. 

When she’s not writing you will find her spending time with her children, drinking iced tea by the gallon, or planning her next escape from the Arizona heat. 

Kacey has a free book for all newsletter subscribers along with bonus epilogues for her most beloved novels.

Kacey enjoys interacting with her fans so please feel free to stalk her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Connect with Kacey Shea:

https://linktr.ee/kaceysheabooks

Review – Whiskey, Words and Whispers

26 Thursday Feb 2026

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Whiskey, Words and Whispers

Sweet Tea & Trouble series

by Sawyer Bennett

Blurb:

In the nosy town of Whynot, North Carolina, secrets don’t stay quiet for long. When Penny Pritchard returns home to help run her aunt’s café, she doesn’t expect to fall for Sam-Pete Rochelle—the charming bartender with a very big secret: he’s the anonymous, wildly successful author of steamy fantasy romance novels.

When his identity is revealed, the town loses its collective mind—and Penny must decide between the big career she built in D.C. or the epic love story waiting for her back home.

A laugh-out-loud, friends-to-lovers romance filled with Southern charm, second chances, and small-town scandal.

Available now on the Sawyer Bennett Store and wherever books are sold.

*****

Review:

Sam loves Whynot but is not unaware of its faults. It’s full of traditional, small town, Southern vibes with a few pockets of progressiveness. And while they love Sam, most aren’t going to love the books he rights. He’s just at the point he can’t keep hiding who he is.

Penny left for college and on to Washington DC but she’s back home to help her aunt and isn’t leaving while she’s needed. Sam definitely makes the time in Whynot even more appealing but she quickly realizes that maybe there is something in her hometown that speaks to her. Reasons to stay.

Sweet is the only way I can describe this one. I loved Sam and Penny together, their issues as life brings them together only to present them with an unknown future, and how they have to decide what they are willing to risk. It’s low angst and that’s fine, because it is all that sweetness mixed with quirky small town fun that kept me glued to the pages.

*****

Author Info:

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Sawyer Bennett writes emotionally rich stories inspired by real-life experience. From contemporary romance and fantasy romance to women’s and general fiction, she creates stories for a wide range of readers.

A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer now spends her days writing—and serving as chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her adorable daughter, plus full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.

Stay Connected
Sign up for Sawyer’s newsletter:
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Connect with Sawyer Bennett
https://geni.us/SawyerBennetthttps://geni.us/GR_Whiskey

Review – Whisper Sweet Nothings

25 Wednesday Feb 2026

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Whisper Sweet Nothings

Rosewood River #6

by Laura Pavlov

Blurb:

Winnie Smith is the perfect nanny.

She’s reliable, warm, and my daughter adores her.

She cooks like a pro, styles pigtails like a fairy godmother, and knows her way around a car engine better than most mechanics.

She’s made life easier.

The house feels full again.

And maybe… so do I.

But living under the same roof has its challenges.

Like catching her in the kitchen after midnight… barefoot, in tiny sleep shorts, eating ice cream straight from the tub.

Don’t even get me started on the way that her lips wrapped around that spoon.

I digress.

It shouldn’t mean anything.

She’s a decade younger. I’m her boss.

She’s off-limits.

And yet, it’s all I can think about.

I was just looking for a nanny—not nightly cold showers and definitely not feelings.

But the more we blur the lines, the harder it is to keep pretending.

We say it’s temporary. No strings. Just one harmless arrangement.

But what if she’s not just what my daughter needs…

What if she’s exactly what I’ve been missing too?

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/48WD6lz

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://bit.ly/3MCOCeF

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4aE3n96

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/4aGlBqx

Audiobook: https://geni.us/WSNAUDIO
Narrated by: Sebastian York & @savannahpeachwood

*****

Review:

Throughout the series, Archer has needed help with his daughter. His family does what they can but he really needs consistent care. Not a surprise to us that when he does find a nanny he finds her captivating. He’s a good girl dad but he can resist for only so long 🙂

Archer loves his daughter with all he has and I love the patience and care he shows her. And those traits extend to those around him. He’s so supportive of Winnie, showing her what a good man is like after years of her being treated poorly by her awful ex. No wonder she has trouble not falling for him.

While predictable for a nanny/single dad romance, I enjoyed it. Archer is just as charming as his brother & cousins and while maybe not as prevalent in some of the previous stories, I loved the family dynamic among them all. Plus, Archer’s daughter Melody is just the absolute cutest. (I too would have taken on the world for her.)

**A little bit of a spoiler but I appreciated that the author actually has had these guys seeking out help for their issues. It’s refreshing to see the prioritization of mental health and therapy.**

Overall, it’s pretty low angst and just a lot of the back & forth on whether they should get together because of who they are to each other, her age, and what she wants for her future. There really aren’t any surprises but it’s satisfying to see them figure out their relationship. The epilogue gives us a hint of what’s to come and I’m excited to see where Pavlov takes us next.

(Can it be read on its own? Yes. Will you miss out on a lot of the fun and vibes of this group? Also yes.)

Review – Playground Games

19 Thursday Feb 2026

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Playground Games

by Lily Morton

Narrator: Joel Leslie

Length: 2h 46m

Genre: contemporary

Tropes: teacher romance, opposites attract, forced proximity

Designer: Natasha Snow

Blurb:

School trips are hell on the teachers.

Auguste Patterson’s happy place on a winter holiday would involve a seat by a fire, a good book, and alcohol. Which is why he’s horrified when the headmaster at the primary school where he teaches demands he accompany a group of young students to France on a skiing trip. Gus believes snow should always be viewed from inside a warm building and never encountered while flailing on skis.

The holiday’s single perk is also the one reason Gus has for liking sports—the school’s PE teacher, Doug Henshaw. Doug is Gus’s secret crush, and sharing a room at the ski chalet with him almost makes managing forty school children bearable. But Gus doesn’t stand a chance with Doug. A handsome, funny ex-professional football player would never fall for a hopelessly unathletic language teacher. Would he?

Playground Games is a 25K word novella that first appeared in a promotional giveaway. No new content has been added.

LISTEN ON AUDIBLE

*****

Review:

Once I got used to Joel Leslie’s French accent, I loved this one. As a novella, it’s not a very detailed story but Gus and Doug already know each other and are thrown in close contact on a school trip so it’s pretty straightforward.

While it is a complete and satisfying story as is, I would have been happy with a longer one because Gus is absolutely adorable and a blast. He’s so funny and snarky but lovely. He ends up in so many outrageous situations but he handles them with grace and humor. And while Doug may be a little more reserved, he loves all that about Gus as well and together they work, an opposites attract kind of thing.

This is my first by Lily Morton but if they are all like this she is going straight on my must read list!

*****

Author Info:

Lily lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she bought her first Kindle.

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – chocolate Baileys! Her lifetime’s ambition is to have a bath in peace without being shouted by one of her family.

Website: www.lilymortonauthor.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlilymorton

Facebook Readers Group: www.facebook.com/groups/SnarkSquad

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LilyAuthor

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lilymortonauthor

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Threads:https://www.threads.net/@lilymortonauthor

Newsletter:https://bit.ly/LilyMorton-Newsletter

Review – The Ultimate Goal

02 Monday Feb 2026

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The Ultimate Goal

Brooklyn Blades #1

by Felice Stevens

Blurb:

Rip

In the fifteen years I’ve played for the Brooklyn Blades, I’ve won all the awards except the most important one. The Stanley Cup.

But my annoying ex-boyfriend is the team’s goalie, and the paparazzi is loving it. What’s worse is, my absentee father decides to make an appearance and won’t leave me alone.

I’m ignoring it all. My ultimate goal is to win the Cup.

Then my best friend’s younger brother, Adrian, shows up to interview me for the sports segment of the evening news. He’s nervous and unsure, so I have to help him. We grew up together,but I barely noticed him then.

I’m definitely noticing him now.

Adrian

Our sports reporter is injured, so I have to cover the hockey game when my ultimate goal is to be a hard news reporter. Not only am I camera shy, but I know nothing about sports. Sure, I know Rip Tremaine—I’ve had a crush on him for years. Not that he’s ever noticed me.

Maybe I can fake it.

Nope, I can’t.

But Rip saves my interview, and now the station wants me to follow the team. With my job on the line, Rip comes up with a plan: Get my own sports show to prove I can be on camera. I’ll pretend to be his boyfriend, and no one will know, not even my brother.
I’ll have unlimited access to the team.

And Rip.

We can do this. We’re professionals. He’s teaching me all about hockey…and kissing. And I’m helping him navigate his father’s betrayal.

Except neither one of us is pretending anymore. And our ultimate goal now is to win it the Cup, my job, and love.

Buy Link

https://geni.us/TheUltimateGoal

*****

Review:

I enjoyed this read. I liked Rip and I really liked him with Adrian, loved the whole best friend’s sibling thing as well as the Fake Dating trope. I felt like Stevens did a good job with integrating actual hockey with the romance (except that NHL lockers don’t actually have doors on them …) and that it wasn’t overly angsty. And while he is a self-centered @ss, I loved Rip’s ex Denis and hope that he gets his own story next.

But there were a few issues as well. There are inconsistencies that may be because I read an ARC but they seemed pretty central to the plot, with weird character choices and time jumps. Some of the character interactions seemed a bit juvenile and for all his talk about how he’s a grown man, Adrian seemed a little young for his age. I get that he’s inexperienced with low self-esteem (which I don’t really get why) but duuuuuude….he seriously couldn’t just shut up and get out of his own way with Rip 🙂

While I liked it well enough, and will try this author again, there were emotional moments that weren’t acknowledged and were great opportunities to deepen their relationship and make the story even better. I get the feeling that this isn’t normal for this author, based on some reviews I read, so I’m going to consider this a slightly awkward but enjoyable introduction to her books.