When her nose isnβt buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, sheβs 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. Itβs a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesnβt listen to herβ¦
My home. My job. My reputation. My so-called friends.
Scared, hurting, the life Iβd 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 Iβd trained for, but I came to enjoy it.
Something else I enjoyed? Talking to Webbβmy favorite customer, the most handsome man Iβd ever met, and a man I might have considered dating if things were different.
Ever since I met Noelle at the diner, itβs become my favorite place to visit.
And if she gave any sign of being interested, Iβd ask her out in a second.
As we grow closer, I can tell sheβs keeping a secret. Iβm worried, but I donβt 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 whoβll do anything to protect her. And with the help of my Blade and Arrow teammates, I intend to do just that.
Protected from Evilis 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.
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 π 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!
Rafe Ortiz should be focused on the musicβon 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 wonβt survive it if they do.
When March Madness collides with a life-changing showcase opportunity, their stolen nights and breathless encounters become a crossroadsβlove or legacy, truth or secrecy, each choice carrying consequences that could break them.
Or bind them tighter than ever.
BREAKING STRINGSΒ is an addictive, emotional, steamy MM romance about two men fighting for dreams, for each other, and for the life theyβre terrified to admit they want.
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 menβand maybe a shifter or monster two.
FromΒ New York TimesΒ bestselling author, Kelly Elliott, comes a new small town, family saga series.
EMELINE Seven years. Thatβs how long itβs been since I last came face-to-face with Levi Tucker. Heβs my older brotherβs best friend, and the man Iβve loved for as long as I can remember. Now heβs back in River Falls, along with his young son, Rhett, and suddenly theyβre 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 Leviβs past is closing in, and this time, I refuse to walk away. Iβm 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 Iβm roped into volunteering at the Wilde Family’s summer camp for underprivileged kids, the last person I expect to fall for is my best friendβs 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 Iβve 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.
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 π
(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.)
I always swore Iβd never settle down. I didnβt 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 sisterβs best friends, weβve known each other for years. A single mom pretty enough to turn every head in townβincluding my ownβI never imagined sheβd 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 canβt live without.
Sheβs prim and proper.
Iβm 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 heartβthe one she doesnβt let most people close enough to witnessβmakes it impossible to leave her alone.
For the first time in my life, Iβve fallen for someone I canβt get out of my system. Wild horses couldnβt drag me away from this woman. The problem is I donβt know how Iβll 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!
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 π 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.
When his identity is revealed, the town loses its collective mindβand 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 womenβs and general fiction, she creates stories for a wide range of readers.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer now spends her days writingβand serving as chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her adorable daughter, plus full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
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 π
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.)
Auguste Pattersonβs happy place on a winter holiday would involve a seat by a fire, a good book, and alcohol. Which is why heβs 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 holidayβs single perk is also the one reason Gus has for liking sportsβthe schoolβs PE teacher, Doug Henshaw. Doug is Gusβs secret crush, and sharing a room at the ski chalet with him almost makes managing forty school children bearable. But Gus doesnβt 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.
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 havenβt had a proper conversation with her since she bought her first Kindle.
She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations β chocolate Baileys! Her lifetimeβs ambition is to have a bath in peace without being shouted by one of her family.
Raising my cousinβs three kids wasnβt in my five-year plan. Actually, it wasnβt inΒ ANY plan.
One minute Iβm a single labor and delivery nurse living a quiet life and the next, Iβm navigating guardianship hearings, meltdowns, and homework Iβm pretty sure requires a math degree.
Enter Hayes Carlisle.
My best friendβs older brother. Chicago Colts newest catcher. And the man I once kissed and immediately pretended I didnβt.
So, when the custody battle Iβve been dreading becomes a reality, I shouldnβt be surprised that Hayes swoops in with a wild ideaβa fake relationship. According to him, pretending weβre together will polish his image and prove to the court Iβm not taking on an instant family alone.
But pretending to be Hayesβ girlfriend is a terrible idea.
Because he remembers how to make me laugh. Because he looks at me like our kiss wasnβt a one-time mistake. Because the kids start asking him to read bedtime stories. Because my heart starts wanting things my life doesnβt have room for.
I can manage the chaos. I can fight for these kids. But pretending not to fall for Hayes Carlisle?
That might be the one thing I canβt do.
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There were so many emotions for me here. My heart just broke for Leighton & the kids with the deaths of their parents and then having the uncertainty of a fight for custody. Hayes and the guys quickly won me over with how they stepped up for the little family. All of them are good men and it’s obvious with the relationships they build among themselves. So sweet to see them doing things with, and for, Leighton & the kids.
But I wish we’d gotten more of that with Leighton and the kids. I would have loved to have seen more of her as the coach for the little league team and doing caretaker-y things with them. They are adorable and I’d love to have seen that side too. I also think we needed more of Leighton getting some help with her issues. Not just from her relationship with her parents but also with losing her cousin & now taking on the kids. That’s a lot for anyone.
It’s no surprise when Leighton struggles with her relationship with Hayes considering those issues. Neither of them handle it the best but it’s definitely in a realistic manner and the support (& gentle nudges) from their friends helps them to get things figured out. There was an issue towards the end that I felt, while it helps wrap up some of the plot lines, with Leighton’s hang ups maybe could have been handled a bit differently.
The Hotshot is a good introduction to the Colts and a setup for a new series. It hits on some pretty heavy topics but showcases how they all care about and support each other. I love these guys and can’t wait for them to find their own HEAs.
In the fifteen years Iβve played for the Brooklyn Blades, Iβve won all the awards except the most important one. The Stanley Cup.
But my annoying ex-boyfriend is the teamβs goalie, and the paparazzi is loving it. Whatβs worse is, my absentee father decides to make an appearance and wonβt leave me alone.
Iβm ignoring it all. My ultimate goal is to win the Cup.
Then my best friendβs younger brother, Adrian, shows up to interview me for the sports segment of the evening news. Heβs nervous and unsure, so I have to help him. We grew up together,but I barely noticed him then.
Iβm 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 TremaineβIβve had a crush on him for years. Not that heβs ever noticed me.
Maybe I can fake it.
Nope, I canβt.
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. Iβll pretend to be his boyfriend, and no one will know, not even my brother. Iβll have unlimited access to the team.
And Rip.
We can do this. Weβre professionals. Heβs teaching me all about hockeyβ¦and kissing. And Iβm helping him navigate his fatherβs betrayal.
Except neither one of us is pretending anymore. And our ultimate goal now is to win it the Cup, my job, and love.
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 π
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.
Romantic Reads and Such 