Spinning tales of Jack-O-Lanterns is what I do, not who I am. At least, that’s what I thought before one argument with my grouchy grandpa ended up with me turning into a literal gourd.
If my family’s legends are true, I’ll be stuck as a pumpkin forever unless I find my fated mate before my thirty-first birthday…this Halloween.
But how am I supposed to find a guy as a pumpkin when I can’t even find one as a single man?
Mason
The last thing I want to do after a long shift at the coffee shop is go to family owned pumpkin farm with my friend. That is, until I find the perfect pumpkin to bring home. When a hot, muscled, and very naked beefcake appears in my locked house, I’m sure I’m losing my mind.
Especially when I realize I’m falling in love with a man…who turns into a pumpkin every night.
Can I push aside my sanity and embrace my feelings for Jax and save him from turning into a pumpkin forever? Or will Jax’s curse break more than just my heart?
Trick Or Treat is perfect for fans of quirky shifters, pumpkin spicy rom-coms, and laugh out loud humor.
*****
Review:
The premise of Trick or Treat is absurdly fun. I mean the main character turns into a pumpkin during the day and back into a man at night and he only has a few days to find his mate or he’s a gourd forever. It’s quirky and weird and humorous. (I mean his … ya know … smells and tastes like pumpkin spice, for goodness sake.)
There are a couple of problematic moments – from homophobia & slurs to questionable spicy moments – but it’s a novella with a plotline that kinda necessitates an insta-love thing and once they give in to their connection things heat up pretty quickly. I like them together and I feel like they are a good match. I also found the resolution to be entertaining.
You pretty much have to throw any believability out the window with a story like this but that’s ok. It’s meant to be fun and weird and steamy and … well, fun.
Stupid workplace lunch thief. Stupid upper management for not helping. Stupid me for not getting more than my gorgeous rescuer’s first name when I had the chance. How will I find him now?
Blue There’s a lunch thief on the loose in my office, except he only seems to be stealing my lunch. Oh, I know who it is… But for “reasons,” management refuses to do anything about it.
When things escalate one Friday night, an attractive stranger comes to my rescue.
A cute, teddy bear of a stranger that is making me want to cuddle and call him my own.
I only have a first name to go on, but surely I’ll be able to track him down with enough determination.
Henry His unique design sense, bright colors, sparkly jewelry, and colorful hairstyles grabbed my attention from the moment I first saw him a year ago. He’s held it ever since.
When I interrupted a nasty confrontation in the men’s restroom on a Friday evening, I finally learned his name and discovered that he’s even more beautiful up close than from a distance.
Waiting one weekend to see him again feels like forever, but I’ve waited this long, and I already know that he’ll be worth it.
Now if I can just manage to help him vanquish his bully, maybe he’ll notice me in return.
Glitter is a standalone story featuring an outgoing scientist who loves experimenting with his creative style, a quiet engineer who loves building creative things, and a love story that blooms in an office lunchroom. Oh, and one very important cat who thinks the whole tale is about him.
Tags: Blue gets his lunch stolen yet again; upper management can go and get bent; Henry is a workaholic but is okay with it, even if it is a Friday night; suspicious bosses have perfectly valid reasons to be suspicious; Blue loves to get dressed up; Henry loves to see Blue dressed up; color and jewelry and accessories, oh my; the less said about the antagonist, the better; Henry finds something new to obsess over; Blue feels like an idiot, but he’s determined and a researching wizard, so this should be child’s play (it’s not); Blue is stubborn about shipping (he shouldn’t be); Sir Cattus deigns that Blue is an acceptable new servant (as it should be); lasagna competition; impromptu and versatile sleepover; lace is pretty and smells delicious; pocket bears and angels; phone calls that turn into something more; nervous dates with creative solutions; overprotective brothers and best friends; overly engineered things of beauty; revenge truly is the sweetest thing
*****
Review:
Glitter is so sweet and not very long, but please make sure you check out the content warnings. Parts of it were very tough to read and my heart just broke for Blue. But there were great parts too – like the connection with Henry and with Blue’s friends, the sauciness of Sir Cattus, and the satisfaction when things work out in the end.
Blue hasn’t had it easy. Obviously gay from a young age, he’s grown into a man with confidence and his own unique style. But that hasn’t stopped the bullying, which is just so difficult to imagine. Luckily it also attracts Henry’s attention. Henry who is super smart and super into everything that makes Blue Blue. I loved the way his brain works and the way that he throws himself full body into helping Blue, wooing Blue. It’s so sweet to see.
There’s fluff and steam and insta-love in Glitter but also heartache and hurt. And I enjoyed every last moment of it.
There are two sacred rules in the Montagalo household:
Family comes first.
Don’t date my brother’s teammates.
Of course I went and broke both…
It started with a little banter on a dating app.
A teeny, tiny secret:Flirty messages with Luca Babineaux, the sweet, charming—and stupidly attractive forward on the Houston Baddies—who makes sweat and bruises look so f’ing hot. One spark turns into a secret first date. A few kisses become way more.
Now I’m tangled in a full-blown secret romance and every time Gio walks into the room, I have a full-blown anxiety attack.
Dating in secret? Thrilling. Lying to my brother? Exhausting.
Falling for Luca Babineaux obviously wasn’t part of the game plan.
He wants to go public with our relationship. I’d rather not.
Now I have to decide what matters more: keeping my promises to my dumb, overprotective brother…or choose myself for once.
I didn’t love this one QUITE as much as I did Hit Me With Your Best Shot, but it was definitely a fun read. Luca is a good boyfriend – supportive and loving of Nova’s every messy inch. He’s emotionally solid and seems to have his life together. Except he doesn’t have someone to be with.
Nova is unabashedly loud and, well, a lot. She’s struggled to find someone that accepts all of her. Until she meets Luca. Someone she should not be getting involved with.
I enjoyed these two together – their flirty texts and unconventional dates. There were times when I actually laughed out loud at their antics. I wasn’t 100% behind the resolution to their issues, and really feel like Nova needed to step up a little more, but I really enjoyed their romance. It ends in just as amusing a way as it started 🙂
*****
Author Info:
Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte’s, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.
Carter – I’m used to pressure. Used to privilege. What I’m not used to? Having the fate of an entire town resting on my shoulders, and my long dormant libido smacking me in the face mid-back rub.
That’s what happened on Monday morning, when my assistant sent in a masseuse—and in walked Sloan. With strong hands, soft eyes, and a very firm directive for me to undress… Let’s just say it relieved the tension, though not in the way I was expecting.
It should have been a one-time thing. A tension-reliever. A professional service.
Instead, it’s my undoing.
Because Sloan isn’t just anyone. He’s an employee. The one person I should never touch—especially with my father on the board that decides whether I sink or save the ski resort that keeps this small town alive.
And yet, every time I look at Sloan, every rule I’ve lived by starts to unravel.
I can fix the resort. I can fix my relationship with my father. But can I do it without destroying the one man who makes me feel like I’ve finally found home?
This spicy small-town MM romance features a workaholic, a do-gooder, costumes with way too much latex, and a drinking game you’ll have to try for yourself.
Author’s Note: Privileged is written as book two in the Adrenalin series, although it can be read as a standalone. This slow-burn, workplace romance with adult themes and humor will have you dreaming of the mountains, craving small-town charm, and wishing you had a reason besides Halloween to wear a costume. HEA guaranteed.
*****
Review:
*minor spoilers*
Oh Carter *sigh* I just want to give him a hug. His younger years as a pro skier had many positives, but it also left him at a disadvantage at people-ing. Add that he’s spent a year by himself, giving his all into figuring out how to save the ski resort, and by extension the town, well … it means that he doesn’t have the best reputation with the locals. And that he’s carrying all sorts of stress on his own. Until he meets Sloan.
I like Sloan. He’s a stand-up guy, hardworking and big hearted. He’s compassionate, giving, & loyal and just what Carter needs. He’s able to help Carter set down some of his burden, ask for help where he needs it, and open up to others. Together they are just the sweetest and I couldn’t get enough of them together.
For me, third act breakups can be an obvious choice but Lenard’s work. This one just about broke my heart but I appreciate where they were both coming from and why things went the way they did. And I really like how it all gets resolved.
I am really enjoying Lenard’s books. She delivers relatable characters, interesting story lines, and a good mix of heat & heart. Her Adrenalin series so far has been feel good, lower angst, and charming. It’s got a lovely found family, small town charm and satisfying HEAs.
Beaker Brothers Ranch is part dairy farm, part animal sanctuary, even more so since the gorgeous town vet keeps finding more misfits to deliver to Dean’s door. Even if he wasn’t a fumbling mess whenever the Doc came around, he’d never say no.
Beaker Brothers has always been a place where even the most awkward of the world can find their home.
With his happily ever after on the line, Dean will need to grow some bull-sized balls and go after the man of his dreams.
But hey, with a pygmy goat as a wingman, it’s in the bag… right?
Loosely connected to the Love in Play series, Dean is the older brother of Alan Beaker, Banana Ball player and MC in Totally Opposed, Love in Play book 3.
*****
Review:
I loved this one sooo much – the unconventional farm animals, the way Dean can’t say no to Preston & how he calls him Doc, the way everyone on the farm supports each other. It’s just ALL the sweetness and I couldn’t get enough.
There is a little drama with Preston’s past that was unexpected but it works. Leading to a few extra heartwarming moments for our guys. Not that they need any help! Their friendship developing into something more is *sigh*
Jackson’s newest is a slow-burn, small town romance with all the feels and quirkiness I could want. Like her Love in Play series, it’s not going to be for everyone. But I’m here for every fluffy, feel good moment and I am ready for the next book. Gimme, gimme now!
Rule #1: Don’t become a bodyguard to the kid you used to bully.
In my defense, I didn’t know it was that kid. I barely remember high school. But Kai Jacinto remembers everything.
Rule #2: Don’t let him pretend he doesn’t need you.
Kai’s got a stalker. He’s already been attacked—twice—but he still acts like this is just a mild inconvenience. He’s rich, arrogant, and pushes my buttons like he’s trying to set off a bomb. Unfortunately for both of us, I don’t walk away from the job.
Rule #3: Don’t get distracted by how gorgeous he is.
I’m straight. Allegedly. But Kai’s grown into a man I can’t ignore—brilliant, funny, and hotter than sin, straightness be damned. And the more I see of the beautiful, fragile man he’s become, the more determined I am to keep him safe.
Rule #4: Don’t let him know you’ve fallen.
I’ve been through war zones, gun fights, and more ambushes than I can count, but nothing prepared me for the mess Kai’s made of my heart. He’s mine to protect. Mine to crave. Mine to ruin if I’m not careful.
But I’ll burn the world down before I let anyone touch him again. And I’ll break every damn rule I’ve got, just to make him mine.
Rival for Rent is Book 1 in the Heartbreakers Anonymous series. It’s an enemies to lovers, bully to bodyguard, bisexual awakening romance with high heat, forced proximity, and opposites attract energy.
*****
Review:
Mason is struggling after the end of his military career but finds a purpose in protecting an old schoolmate. Even if he is hostile and unwilling to accept Mason’s help, or take the threat to his safety seriously. I liked how patient Mason is with Kai at the beginning and how the tables turn in the second half. I think that they are a good match – Mason taking care of Kai and Kai boosting up Mason. It’s super sweet. And steamy too 🙂
I did have a few issues. I felt like Kai forgave Mason a bit too quickly for the way he was in high school, which could have been better explored. And considering some of the things that happened in the Marines I was also a bit surprised at Mason’s “bi-awakening”. The bad guy also seemed a bit far fetched, a little too convenient – good romance with a bit of suspense but not necessarily a good romantic suspense story.
Overall, tho, I did enjoy their stories purely on Kai and Mason today. The way they are forced to spend time together, getting to know the men they have become. I also liked the way the suspense element was well paced and woven smoothly into their romance. With the fun epilogue I’m gonna be looking for the next book.
Baseball means everything to me. I’ve worked my whole life to make it to the majors, putting in the hours to improve my game, and sacrificing nearly everything along the way. Including being honest about who I am.
Then the rookie, Knox Singleton, showed up.
We told ourselves it was just a fling, that we were just having a good time. But it stopped feeling casual a lot faster than I expected.
When he got traded mid-season, I tried to play it cool. Pretended like I didn’t have feelings for him. We agreed to move on, but I still thought about him often.
Now we’re teammates again on a brand-new expansion team in Portland, and it’s as though things never ended between us.
He’s still the guy who makes everything feel effortless.
The guy I’ve never stopped thinking about.
This time, I don’t want to hide who I am. I want him, and I want the world to know.
Just when I’m ready to come out, my past throws a curveball I never saw coming.
At first Knox and Crew get involved in a sexual relationship but it doesn’t take them long to become friends and then something more. Life throws them a curve ball tho with a trade for Knox to a new city just when they were starting to develop feelings for each other. And it just … sucks! It hurt me to see them face up to the idea that it ended just when it was starting. And oh my heart as they have to deal with their separation. And when things change yet again … so sweet!
This is the first for me from either of these authors and I enjoyed it bunches. It’s got a lot of steam but there are feels too. I will say, I’m not sure where we’re going to go from here. Crew and Knox have already been thru so much and it is going to break my heart if they have more struggles between them as a couple. I get that there may be some issues with their careers or families or whatnot but I really want them to be able to settle into a HEA together. No more drama for their relationship! 🙂
*****
Author Info:
Meet Kimberly Knight:
Kimberly Knight is a USA Today Bestselling author who lives in the Central Valley of California with her loving husband, who is a great research assistant, and young daughter who keeps her on her toes.
Rachel Lyn Adams is a USA Today Bestselling author who was born in Southern California and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, five children, and a crazy number of fur babies. In 2017, she took a chance and published her very first book. Little did she know just how much that decision would change her life.
Tiger Lilies and Tight Endsis a contemporary sports romance, where our hero unexpectedly finds his best friend’s little sister on his doorstep needing a place to hide out from her ex and the world. The only problem, she’s not so little anymore . . .
Tiger Lilies and Tight Ends
Tampa Tarpons series
by Kathryn Andrews
Blurb:
When fate delivers a roommate . . . don’t block it.
Tyler Quinn
There is a beautiful woman unexpectedly living in my house. A woman I sort of know because she’s my best friend’s little sister. Although, she’s definitely not so little anymore.
My entire professional career, I’ve been the starting tight end for the Tampa Tarpons. Life as a football player keeps me in the spotlight, when my preference is the dark. Through unfortunate past experiences, I guard my privacy and don’t do roommates, ever. But when my best friend calls and says he needs a favor, I don’t say no. Although I wish I had. Now she’s here, with her gorgeous turquoise eyes, big trusting smile, and taking up my spot on my couch. I’ve established the rules for how this is going to go, but as time passes and she opens up, I find it’s becoming harder and harder not to break them.
Lily Kent
If I know one thing for certain, I’m never dating another football player again.
After walking away from a very long and expired relationship, I needed a place to stay to plan out my life. My new life. I can work anywhere, so when my brother suggests crashing with his best friend Tyler, I say,”Yes.” Who doesn’t love palm trees, sunshine, and an attractive roommate? Tyler is the definition of tall, dark, and handsome, but the best part is he’s also kind. He makes me feel grounded when everything else feels upside down. He makes me feel things I wasn’t expecting. I know I said no more athletes, but in those moments when his hand grazes my back or when he makes me laugh, I wonder about my plans. Maybe I should change them, maybe we should, after all, fate did lead me to his door.
I find it so hard to put this author’s books down and finish them basically in a day. Sibling’s best friend is a popular trope for a reason and Andrews delivers. It’s sweet as Tyler slowly lets someone else in to his life and Lily finds herself again after years in a unfulfilling relationship. And I enjoyed getting to know them right alongside them as they find themselves spending time together.
Like in Wildflowers and Wide Receivers there are third act troubles, which you can see coming a mile away. Knowing Tyler’s past, it makes sense and I appreciate that Lily is understanding even through her hurt. I like how it is resolved and how they work their way through it.
My only complaint is that we needed more of the guys interacting. Their friendships were such a highlight of W&WR and while they are there for Tyler I wanted even more of their group together. There’s something about that found family, bro love that is just so appealing to me 🙂
This is the second of Andrews’s that I’ve read but definitely won’t be the last. I enjoy the characters and while their stories are messy they have fun and feels and a good dose of heat. Looking forward to seeing what comes next!
*****
Author Info:
Kathryn Andrews is a #1 Inspirational Romance Bestselling Author who loves stories that end with a happily ever after. She started writing at age seven and never stopped. Kathryn is known for Chasing Clouds, the Starving for Southern series, and her much loved Hale Brothers series. Her stories are sweet, southern, and fall into the genres of chi-lit, contemporary romance, sports romance, and southern fiction.
Kathryn graduated from the University of South Florida with degrees in Biology and Chemistry, and currently lives in Tampa, Florida. She spends her days as a sales director for a medical device company and her nights lost in her love of fictional characters.
When Kathryn is not crafting beautiful worlds that incorporate some of her most favorite real life places, she can be found hanging out with her husband and two young sons, while drinking iced coffee and enjoying the sun.
The right man for a longtime cowboy might be a city slicker.
Joe
I’ve been going into Max’s Place for twenty years, but tonight’s different. There’s a stranger at the bar with city-fancy clothes, wide shoulders, and the face of a fallen angel. I’m just an ordinary cowhand. Being gay’s the most noteworthy thing about me, so I don’t expect much. But when his eyes light on mine and he invites me to ride in his classic ’67 Mustang, I figure what the hell. If he’s a serial killer, what a way to go. And if he’s not, then a couple of my cowboy dreams might finally come true.
Sylvester
I grew up here in these Colorado foothills, but I haven’t been back since I was ten. Now I’ve inherited my grandfather’s neglected ranch, and I can’t decide whether to sell it or stay. I stop in at the only gay bar in fifty miles, wondering if I can have a decent life as an out gay man in this county. And there coming in the door is the kind of tall, lean, working cowboy who pushes all my buttons. I don’t know if Joe will be a reason to stay or a one night stand, but I’m going to have fun tonight.
Cowboy Dreams is a 36,000 word novella about two solitary men in their 40s figuring out how unexpectedly well they fit together, in bed and out of it.
**All royalties from this book through December 2025 will be donated bi-monthly toNova Ukraine – a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine**
*****
Review:
Cowboy Dreams starts with all the steam as Joe and Sylvester pick each other up at the bar but they feel a connection that with time and closeness eventually develops into something deeper. There is a bit of an insta-love thing going on but it’s to be expected in a shorter story.
I do kinda wish this one had been a full novel because I really liked these two. I liked them as people and I liked the idea of them as a couple, so I wanted to see even more of their time together as they grew closer. But for a novella I’m still satisfied – it has feels, it has heat, and it has a satisfying (if not quite complete) HEA.
Harper is a new author for me but this won’t be my last read. Her characters are interesting, the story flows well, and the writing is smooth, feels real, and has a good mix of feels & heat. Hopefully, we come back to the Circle K so we can get an update on these two but regardless I’ll be keeping an eye out for more.
USA Today bestselling author Laura Pavlov delivers a spicy enemies-to-lovers romance about a billionaire developer and a small-town entrepreneur battling their desires in the Land of the Midnight Sun.
You, Me, and Forever
Blushing series
by Laura Pavlov
Blurb:
Myles St. James is tearing my world apart.
Wish I’d known that before I slept with him.
It was supposed to be a one-night stand.
Like I knew anything about those.
But I needed to blow off steam.
My ex had just gotten engaged.
My dry spell was nearing six months.
And my booming wedding planning business—the one I started with my bestie—was about to lose its favorite venue to some bulldozer-happy developer from New York.
The Seaside Inn is such a special place.
My second home.
And ever since that famous singer got married there, people are flocking to Blushing, Alaska, for their own weddings too.
Guess whose fling turns out to be the hotshot real estate guy?
But he isn’t what I expected.
And sleeping with the enemy doesn’t feel nearly as wrong as it should.
Because Myles St. James is rocking my world.
Too bad giving in to him could mean giving up my dreams.
I’m not sure what to say except that I loved this one so much. It has a huge small town allure, with an eclectic group of friends, a well endowed moose (?), a porcupine that just wants to cuddle, and a bridezilla or two.
Myles, for all his big city swagger, fits in so well and quickly finds himself charmed just as I was. Especially with Montana, who is saucy, fun, and keeps him on his toes. From a one night stand to enemies to friends to more, their interactions are so entertaining. And for all his talk about not being relationship material, Myles sure knows how to be there for others. Not just Montana, but everyone. He just has to learn to have a little faith in himself and see it too.
Pavlov’s newest is quirky, humorous, and steamy. It’s got a wide range of feels and while their journey is predictable it is also all sorts of satisfying. I really couldn’t have loved this more and I’m excited to see where we go next in Blushing.
*****
Author Info:
Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!
Romantic Reads and Such 