Review – Playing Mr. Perfect

12 Wednesday Feb 2025

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Sneak Peek

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Book Review, Melissa Foster, Playing Mr. Perfect, The Bradens at Ridgeport series

Quarterback Clay “Mr. Perfect” Braden is determined to show sexy scientist Pepper Montgomery the benefits of hands-on research in PLAYING MR. PERFECT, the first book in the Bradens at Ridgeport series by New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melissa Foster. Loaded with heat, humor, and heart, this steamy, small-town, opposites-attract standalone romance is unputdownable. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a happily ever after that will leave you breathless.

Playing Mr. Perfect

The Bradens at Ridgeport #1

by Melissa Foster

Releasing Feb 12, 2025

World Literary Press

Blurb:

What happens in Paris, stays in Paris, right?

Oh, Pepper. If only…

Okay, I admit it.

Sleeping with the NFL quarterback who the media has dubbed Mr. Perfect might not have been the smartest move, but I’m in the City of Love, I’d had a few drinks, and was jacked up on giddy girl talk and hopeful hearts—two things I never buy into—and I threw caution to the wind.

I want to sneak out before he wakes up, but when I open my eyes, he’s already up.

In more ways than one.

Convincing the ridiculously cocky (pun intended) man that I’m not the woman he slept with last night is awkward.

Actually, he makes it impossible.

The thing is, I don’t even know who that woman was.

And now he’s determined to find out.

About the Series:

Fall in love with the Bradens at Ridgeport and join these business-savvy, pleasure-oriented New Englanders as they fall head over heels with their forever loves.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208459267-playing-mr-perfect

Buy Links:

BUY DIRECT FROM MELISSA’S SHOP: https://bit.ly/shop_PMP

KINDLE: https://lnk.to/PMP_Kindle

APPLE: https://lnk.to/PMP_Apple

NOOK: https://lnk.to/PMP_Nook

KOBO: https://lnk.to/PMP_Kobo

GPLAY: https://lnk.to/PMP_GPlay

PAPERBACK: https://lnk.to/PMP_Pb

AUDIOBOOK: https://shop.melissafoster.com/products/playing-mr-perfect-audiobook

*****

Excerpt:

Read Sneak Peek at https://melissafoster.com/playing-mr-perfect-sneak-peek/

*****

Review:

I enjoyed Pepper and Clay’s story. There was a little awkward dialogue in the beginning but once we got moving all was good. They were adorable together, with each of them bringing out the good in the other – Pepper needs someone to to bring out her fun-loving side, to get her away from being all work, while Clay needs someone who appreciates him for who he is and doesn’t expect him to be “Mr. Perfect”.

But he is a pretty perfect boyfriend. He listens, observes, and pushes when Pepper needs it. He’s thoughtful in the things he does and the gifts he gives her. And how to relax. Which she does for him as well. Allowing him to remember what he loved about football and what’s important to him.

Playing Mr. Perfect is steamy, sweet, and playful. There’s not a lot of angst, drama, or miscommunication. Just a couple of moments where they let their insecurities overcome them but they are few and short.

(There are a lot of characters from a related series, with Pepper’s sisters. I’ve read some, probably not all, but I still got confused about their stories. I think if you focus on Pepper & Clay and just look at them as her siblings & their spouses it is a little easier.)

*****

Author Info:

Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented–perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines.

Website: http://www.melissafoster.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MelissaFosterAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Melissa_Foster

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3023973.Melissa_Foster

Newsletter: http://melissafoster.com/newsletter/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/melissa-foster

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissafoster_author/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@melissafoster_author

Review – Not So Over

09 Sunday Feb 2025

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Ashley Rayne, Book Review, Not So Over, Not So series

Not So Over

Not So series

by Ashley Rayne

Blurb:

What if he’s not the one who got away?

Parker
I knew the minute I broke Marcus’ heart—and my own in the process—that I was making the biggest mistake of my life. But try telling that to the anxious voice in my head, telling me I’m not good enough or how bored he must be with me. I’d give anything for a second chance with him, or at the very least, a chance to apologize. When my best friend’s destination wedding gives her the chance to play ‘match re-maker’ with her brother and me, will he finally listen to what I need to say?

Marcus
One minute, I was looking forward to a future with my soulmate and the next, I was devastated by him ending things with no explanation. He’s tried to call and explain what happened, but I’m not ready to hear. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be ready. Unfortunately, my twin sister is his best friend, so we’re going to be around each other for the next week. A supposed reservation snafu—that has Kendra written all over it—has me forced to share a room and the only bed in it with him. With my plan of ignoring him now impossible, am I finally ready to hear what he has to say?

*Please make sure to check the authors note at the beginning of the book. On-page anxiety attack.

Buy Link – https://getbook.at/NotSoOver

*****

Review:

I’m a bit all over the board on this one. I love the idea, Marcus is an amazing partner, and I felt so bad for Parker. But I also felt like the pacing was a bit off – the first part was a bit rushed and the second part dragged.

Parker is a bit nervous because he’s going to be in the same location as his ex and is hoping that he’ll get the opportunity to explain why he broke up with him. But he’s also nervous that it won’t go the way he hopes. Marcus isn’t open at first to listening but he gets there pretty quickly. (Maybe a little too quickly.) And they spend the week finding their way back together.

I do feel like Marcus was a bit too fast being alright with sharing a room with Parker. I understand that he isn’t over him and I’m guessing he is hoping that this will give him the excuse to get back together. But he says he was devastated and I think he needs a bit more to get to that point. I do appreciate how he takes what Parker tells him and puts the effort into figuring out how he can help. The man straight up does the work to be a good partner and I love it!

So the first part is all the feels and by midway they are pretty much together. After that it is a lot of steam, with a little bit of moving their relationship further along. I’m not against heat in my stories but I think the balance is off. A bit more time needed to be spent on addressing how hurt Marcus was by the way their relationship ended, forgiving Parker, and being comfortable with giving him another chance. To working their way towards each other again.

Pacing issues aside, I did enjoy it. Loved me some Marcus and his happiness made me happy.

Review – Seaside Serenade

03 Monday Feb 2025

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Book Review, Love in Bloom series, Love in Bloom: Seaside Summers, Melissa Foster, Seaside Flirt, Seaside Serenade, Seaside Summers series

Seaside Serenade

Seaside Summers series

by Melissa Foster

Blurb:

What’s better than finding your forever love on Valentine’s Day?

They say opposites attract, but for former boxing champ and gym owner Brock Garner, having the beautiful dark-haired, tattooed, combat-boot wearing pixie Cree Redmond flitting around his club has nearly driven him mad. Brock has wanted her since the first time he saw her, and when he learns she has the singing voice of an angel, it speaks to another part of his heart and he’s unwilling to hold back any longer. But Cree’s dating a burly biker and is firmly off-limits. Or so he thinks…

Buy from Melissa Foster’s store

*****

Review:

I often feel like novellas don’t do their characters justice but not this time. Would I have liked more of them? Well, yeah, but Foster does a really good job of giving us a complete story in just a few pages.

Both Brock & Cree have been crushing on each other but a misunderstanding on her relationship status has kept him from pursuing her. The time together, though, has given them an opportunity to get to know each other and for feelings to develop. That helps with being able to make it a believable novella romance.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and I enjoyed it. The narrators are nice to listen to – Masters could read the back of a cereal box and I’d be happy – and they complement each other well. At around an hour it was a fast listen and perfect for a lead up to Valentine’s Day.

(Can stand on its own. For returning readers, there are updates on characters from the rest of the series, but I kept up just fine.)

Review – Right the First Time

01 Saturday Feb 2025

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Book Review, Kristen Vail, Right the First Time, Shafer U series

Right the First Time

Shafer U Book 1

by Kristen Vail

Blurb:

He’s the smoking-hot football star.

I’m the nerd just trying to graduate.

So why does he keep staring at me?

I’ve always been the girl guys ignore until they need my class notes. But being invisible suits me. I’m at college to keep my head down, get accepted to grad school and hopefully save my dysfunctional family.

Simple enough—until Cam Forrester looks my way.

I’m not about to get sidetracked by some sexy wide receiver. The last time I trusted a man like him I got burned so bad I still can’t shake the dark memories.

But when Cam rescues me from one of the most humiliating moments of my life, I realize this cold, cocky athlete isn’t so cold when he’s around me.

So when he vows to prove to me he’s more than meets the eye…well, what girl wouldn’t give in?

Trust a heartbreaker with my fragile heart?

That’s a dangerous play.

And I’m all in.

Buy Link:

https://a.co/d/hWxIboE

Available in KU

*****

Review:

There was so much I enjoyed with Lenni & Cam’s story. I felt for her as she struggled to distance herself from her past and juggle school & family. It’s a lot for anyone and naturally she’s finding it difficult on her own. It leads to lots of mistakes, poor assumptions and miscommunication.

Cam has his own troubles. Trying to balance school, family, others’ expectations, and his own wants. It’s a big part of growing older as we try to figure out who we are, what we want, and how to honor ourselves & those we love. It’s a struggle for him, but he is a stand up guy with a good heart and does the best he can to do the right thing.

For a first book, I’m really impressed. Vail does a good job of giving us characters with flaws and issues that feel realistic, with a good balance of sweetness, angst, and growth. These are not perfect people, they struggle but they try, and I appreciate that there’s a good resolution for both of them individually as well as a couple. I’m looking forward to seeing where the author takes us next. Reeve’s got lots going on and I need to know everything 🙂

(Please note that there are content warnings for this one that can be found on the author’s website – kristenvail.com)

*****

Author Info:

Kristen Vail is the author of spicy sports romance featuring realistic characters and relationships with plenty of delicious tension. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, kids and rescue pup.

When she’s not writing, you can find her cooking, listening to music and rewatching shows from the ‘90s.

Connect with Kristen Vail:

https://www.instagram.com/kristenvailbooks/

Review – Not Your Biggest Fan

29 Wednesday Jan 2025

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Book Review, by Sara Ney, Not Your Biggest Fan, Not Yours series

Not Your Biggest Fan

Not Yours #1

by Sara Ney

Blurb:

USA Today bestselling author Sara Ney sizzles with a quick-witted, sexy romp about an eager entrepreneur and a cocky football star who couldn’t be more different—or more into each other.

Harlow James is destined to rock the dating world. The creator of Kissmet, the app helping singles find love, she’s in New York to secure advertisers. But the sassy, small-town girl can’t help meddling in other people’s business.

When she runs into a muscular stranger at her go-to food truck, Harlow doesn’t realize he’s Landon “Andy” Burke, the NFL’s most-wanted free agent, in town to talk contracts. She just sees a hottie about to get burned by undercooked street food. Though she tries to warn him, he shrugs her off, making a little wager instead.

In a messy twist of fate, Andy finds himself in the same hotel as Harlow. When she collects on their bet, they make a mind-blowing—and bed-rocking—connection. But after the weekend, she goes home to Green Bay to her goofy dad and corgi, ready to focus everything on work again. Kissmet, however, has other ideas, when Andy knocks on her door…

Buy Link:

https://books2read.com/NYBFSaraNeyKU

Available in KU

*****

Review:

I enjoyed Harlow and Andy together. Their time in NY is fun, with an enjoyment of the city and each other. And their flirty texts afterward are some of my favorites moments.

It is an insta-love kinda thing though, so you need to be ok with a little less than logical romance between the two of them. It’ll require you to just go with it and enjoy that they spent like 2 days together before deciding that major life decisions could be made. Realistic, no, but it’s a fun, rom-comy story and doesn’t have to be that real.

Although I do wish we’d gotten more of what it actually means for Harlow to be in a relationship with Andy. She gets a bit of it but I’m hoping that we get glimpses of it as we get future stories in the series. Because it isn’t going to be easy, and based on her issues once she figures out who he is, it’s something that needs to be addressed.

But Ney has an out here because their friends are a hoot and I’m looking forward to more books as (hopefully) each of them finds their own HEA. And Harlow’s dad as well. Like Harlow settling in to a relationship with Andy, I’m hoping that we get more of his search for a partner as we move along. There’s plenty of opportunity to address some of those missed moments and I’m curious to see where she goes.

Silly, funny, and lighthearted, as an introduction to Ney’s work I enjoyed Not Your Biggest Fan. Set your believability cap off to the side and just settle in for some fun 🙂

*****

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.

Connect with Sara Ney:

https://linktr.ee/authorsaraney

Review – The Perfect Love

25 Saturday Jan 2025

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Bethany Monaco Smith, Book Review, Ida Heartthrobs series, The Perfect Love

The Perfect Love

Ida Heartthrobs Series

by Bethany Monaco Smith

Blurb:

Chelsea Winters knocked me on my ass.

Meeting the curvy, auburn-haired goddess was the last thing I was expecting on my first day at a new college. But when she shows up at the lake house I share with my seven close friends, she looks like my literal dream girl.

Then we spend a few hours talking, and I know without question, she’s meant to be mine.

Until she panics, runs away, and tries to ghost me.

But our campus isn’t that big, and it doesn’t take long for us to cross paths again, and when we do, I realize how terrified Chelsea actually is.

Afraid to trust or let anyone past the upbeat, confident exterior she puts up.

Which means it’s now my mission to show her she’s safe with me. She can trust me with her hurt and her heart. If she needs to go slow, I’ll crawl, as long as it’s to her.

We’re both here for a fresh start, trying to heal from our pasts, but the more time I spend with her, the less I’m worried about the past because all I see is my future with her.

There might not be any such thing as the perfect love, but I know without a doubt, she’s my perfect match, and I’ll do whatever it takes to be the man she shares her future with.

Buy Link:

https://a.co/d/aT8VLXI

Available in KU

*****

Review:

This is my first read by this author so I’m not sure how this represents her writing style. But I’m not 100% sure what to think of this one. I loved Chelsea and Trevor, individually and as a couple, and I loved the found family that they have created. There are a lot of them, so I was glad for the character guide at the front to somewhat keep up.

For a large group of college students, tho, they come with a large amount of trauma. This is where my hesitation comes in. I guess they could have bonded because of their issues but it seems like every one of them has something big they need to work through. And they know a lot about mental health, good communication, and support. I mean A LOT. Trevor is an amazingly perfect book boyfriend, tho he does have some trauma of his own to work thru, but the rest are amazingly perfect friends. Sure, a couple of them are studying counseling, some are actively in therapy, and they’ve been thru a ton collectively, but they are also only 20 years old. (Not that # of years lived necessarily means that you can’t have these kinds of lived experiences, but all of them?)

I saw another review say that it felt like an after school special and I can see that. There’s a lot of mental health terminology and advice, girl power and healing. I love that Chelsea is so into supporting women, lifting them up – **** the patriarchy, choose the bear kinda thing. But there’s so much going on here. I’m not sure if it is because there are so many of them, and they are so close, that it felt that way. And I admire both Trevor and Chelsea and how they address & overcome their issues. It was just a very full book.

Please know going in that this book deals with some really heavy subjects. It has some fantastic mental health representation and I love to see the normalization of that in books. The characters try so hard to be good people, good friends, to be supportive and love enthusiastically. They are wonderful characters and I so want to know their stories, to get to know them better.

It just feels like a lot when there are so many of them 🙂

*****

Author Info:

Bethany is a small-town girl and lover of all things romance, love, and happily ever afters. She is an indie author of both adult contemporary romance series and new adult drama series set in small towns. She loves taking her characters (and readers!) on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the story whether it’s a standalone romance or a continuous series. Even though she puts her characters through their paces, she always leaves them with a happily ever after, knowing they rode off into the sunset with a good life and their perfect match by their side.

She is shamelessly obsessed with the friends-to-lovers trope and will read any friends-to-lovers book she can get her hands on while writing plenty more. When she’s not writing, you can find her mom-ing, binge-reading, drinking coffee and pretending the laundry doesn’t exist, eating sushi with her SIL, and cheering on all her author pals.

Bethany lives in the Southern Tier of NY with her husband and two sons. You can find out more about Bethany and what she’s working on next on Instagram @bethanymonacosmith.

Connect with Bethany Monaco Smith:

https://bethanymonacosmith.com/links/

Review – Better Than Friends

21 Tuesday Jan 2025

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Better Than Friends, Book Review, Jill Shalvis, Sunrise Cove series

Old flames reignite in Sunrise Cove in this charming enemies-to-lovers, second-chance, small-town, forced-proximity love story about family, friendships, and true love from New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis.

Better Than Friends

Sunrise Cove series

by Jill Shalvis

Blurb:

When Olive Porter’s off-the-grid parents go missing, she reluctantly seeks out Noah Turner, her ex and the only person she both trusts implicitly and not at all.

As a special investigative agent for the National Park Service, Noah’s used to living under intense pressure. Or he was until he got injured on the job. Now unhappily recuperating at home while being smothered by his loving but nosy family, he’d love nothing more than a good distraction.

So when Olive shows up looking like a million bucks, he has to do a gut and heart check. Because nope, no matter what, he can’t fall for her again, the woman who once blew up his entire life and never looked back. How ironic then that his own personal hell (Olive) is also his ticket out of town. The question is, will the risk be worth the reward.

These books truly stand alone, read in ANY ORDER. They’re connected by setting, not characters.

Add to Goodreads

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Buy Links:

DIGITAL

AUDIO

PAPERBACK

HARDCOVER

*****

Review:

Shalvis is great at giving her readers cute, heartfelt small-town romances. The characters are the highlight of her stories. And here I love them all, especially Noah’s sister and her son, who provide some of the best moments in the story.

And while I liked Noah and Olive together, I think a little more development needed to be done for why Noah ran so hot and cold. I get that he was hurt by Olive in the past (and another girlfriend did a number on him) but it doesn’t quite explain why he’s all over the place now. Just needed a little bit more to make it easier to follow.

Olive, tho, is not as difficult to understand. With the way her parents (and then Noah & his parents) treated her, she’s going strong with a lot of baggage. The girl needed, and still needs, someone to step up and be there & prove to her that she’s worth it.

Shalvis takes readers on a roller coaster ride as Noah & Olive do the dance of will they, won’t they, can they keep their hands to themselves. Better Than Friends is humorous and sweet and angsty, but not heavy. It’s all about found family and loving yourself & each other, differences and all.

(The series is not connected, outside of the setting, so don’t worry if this is your first.)

*****

Author Info:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis writes contemporary romance and romantic comedies filled with madcap adventures and shenanigans and sexy times. (just don’t tell her mom). She’s sold 20 million plus copies worldwide to date and lives with her family in a small mountain town near Lake Tahoe full of quirky characters (Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is mostly coincidental).

Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning novels wherever books are sold.

Visit http://www.jillshalvis.com for a complete book list and fun blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Connect with Jill:
http://instagram.com/jillshalvis
http://facebook.com/JillShalvis

Review – Sometimes You Fall

17 Friday Jan 2025

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Book Review, Carrington Cove series, Harlow James, Sometimes You Fall

Sometimes You Fall

Carrington Cove, book 3

by Harlow James

Blurb:

They used to call me one of the greatest baseball pitchers of all time.

Now someone is about to call me ‘Dad.’

Losing my major league baseball career led me back to my hometown with a chip on my shoulder and no one to blame but myself.

And even though I reluctantly just agreed to help coach the high school baseball team, my life felt flat.

But when my crush from high school tells me she’s pregnant after one hot night together, my dull life from before becomes anything less than boring.

Unfortunately, the way I found out was after her teenage son broke into my automotive repair business, making our relationship even more complicated.

Scottie Daniels has always been the girl that got away.

But now that she’s having my kid, the dream of a family with my dream girl becomes the only thing I can focus on.

Can I persuade her to give us a chance at having a family?

Can I get her son to let me in too?

And can I also convince Scottie that sometimes you fall—but you can fall into the right place at the right time with the right man when it counts?

Buy Link:

https://mybook.to/sometimesyoufall
Available in KU

*****

Review:

For someone that’s never been in a relationship, Grady proves himself to be a darn good partner. Having grown up without a dad, he pretty much just does what he would have wanted his own dad to do. He’s there for Chase and Scottie, supporting them, showing up for them, and giving them the love they’ve not had up until now.

Scottie’s marriage was not the best and she’s still carrying those scars, finding it difficult to trust. She’s spent years being everything for her son, never being able to rely on his father. Little by little, though, Grady is showing her that not all men are the same.

While some of the dialogue from the spicy moments were occasionally a little … enh for me, my biggest complaint is that we didn’t get enough of Grady with Chase. I would have loved to see more of their interactions, them bonding, and Grady showing him what a real father figure is like. The bits that we do get are great and I just wanted more as he proves to both Scottie and Chase that he can be trusted.

This is my first book by Harlow James and I liked it. The pacing is good, and while there’s steam the emphasis is on the people and their connections. And with the final chapter she gives us, I’m SOOO curious about what happens in the next book 🙂

*****

Author Info:

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 – Reckless Love

16 Thursday Jan 2025

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Book Review, Reckless Love, The Single Dad Playbook Series, Willow Aster

Reckless Love

The Single Dad Playbook Series

by Willow Aster

Blurb:

I fell in love with Rhodes Archer the night we met thirteen years ago.

We made a pact that night to never cross the just-friends zone.

However, Rhodes crossed that line by kissing me recently, and I can’t get over it.

I’ve loved him, ached for him, craved him for years, but I’ve never wanted to ruin what we have.

And now, when I’m a cheerleader for the Colorado Mustangs and he’s their superstar tight end, we’re not even supposed to be in the same room, let alone be together.

But, he is everything to me.

And that includes my godson, Rhodes’ adorable three-year-old son, Levi, who I love as my own.

It’s impossible to stay away from each other. And I don’t want to when I can still feel his lips on mine and the lingering touches between us.

The lines have blurred, and rules are being broken…

I just hope we aren’t being too reckless and break each other’s hearts in the process.

Reckless Love is book three in The Single Dad Playbook series. Each book can be read as a standalone.

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4eLwM13

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://geni.us/Recklesslove

Audible: https://bit.ly/3DHNGRA
Narrated by: Sean Crisden & Angelina Rocca

*****

Review:

Rhodes & Elle together are just the best. They have a great connection from years of being friends and they offer each other so much support. Being there for each other, in the best and worst of times. It’s a shame that they somehow managed to friend zone each other when their feelings are so obvious. But maybe it’s for the best as they spent those intervening years truly getting to know each other and coming into themselves. Their time is now and not any earlier.

I don’t usually like romances that do flashbacks – preferring that they do the history at the beginning and then move into the present – but I liked how Aster does it. All of the flashbacks chapters are pertinent to something said or done in the next chapter, but still giving us a good understanding of their history together and how they got to today. Maybe it’s not everyone’s thing but for someone who doesn’t usually like them it seemed to work for me.

The only thing that really bothered me was it didn’t feel like the guys played as much of a part in this one as they did in Secret Love. That found family thing, the way they showed their love & support for each other, was some of my absolute favorite moments in the last book. I just wanted a little more of that.

Aster is a newish to me author and I’m really enjoying her stories. I like her characters, the delicious amount of steam, and all the feels that she gives us. And based on what I’ve seen so far, I’m definitely looking forward to the next one in this series!

*****

Author Info:

Willow Aster is a USA Today Bestselling author and lover of anything book-related. She lives in St. Paul, MN with her husband, kids, rescue dog, and grandcat.

Connect with Willow

Website: www.willowaster.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6863360.Willow_Aster

Amazon: https://bit.ly/WillowAster

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

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/870978829643191/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willowaster/

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Review – A Simple Life

10 Friday Jan 2025

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review

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A Simple Life, Book Review, Melanie Moreland

A Simple Life

by Melanie Moreland

Blurb:

John Elliott is a busy man. He runs his farm and his business, keeping to himself, with no time for anything else in his life.

Quinn Harper is a single mother, looking for a fresh start.

The small town she picked seemed perfect—until her first run-in with John.

They strike sparks of the wrong kind and insist that keeping their distance is for the best.

Yet, despite his growly nature and curt tone, he is sweet to her daughter.

And he finds himself looking for reasons to be in Quinn’s company.

Do things that make them both smile. Make him feel happy.

Sparks sizzle into a low, banked fire.

And then an inferno erupts.

Neither wanted it.

But now, they can’t live without it.

Author’s note: Get ready to swoon over a rugged farmer with a hidden heart of gold, falling for a fearless single mom and her charming little girl.

Buy Link:

https://geni.us/ASimpleLife
Available in KU

*****

Review:

While the dialogue is a little awkward in places, overall Moreland’s newest is just the sweetest. Very low angst, with the biggie being obvious (a tad unrealistic) but very satisfying, and full of all sorts of feels as John & Quinn go from fussing with each other to fighting their attraction. It all may come from some assumptions and tender feelings, but with a little patience and communication, and the adoration of a little girl, they eventually figure it all out.

And oh do I love Abby, Quinn’s daughter. She’s one of those kids who is adorable and funny but not overly precocious to the point of being unbelievable. She’s definitely in some of the best moments of the story. Especially between her and John.

John lets his past impact how he views Quinn and once his story comes out you can understand why he might be a bit sensitive. Once he gets over his initial reaction, he throws himself into wooing both Quinn and her daughter. He might not think that he’s romantic but he’s good at being there, caring, and helping where he’s needed. He brings out the little girl in Abby and shows Quinn what it’s like to be appreciated.

A Simple Life is a simple story of two people who meet and, eventually, fall in love. There’s a good dose of heart and a decent amount of steam and a ton of cuteness. It’s a pretty easy read with an enjoyable progression to a nice HEA ending.

*****

Author Info:

New York Times/USA Today bestselling author Melanie Moreland, lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her beloved husband of twenty-seven-plus years and their rescue cat, Amber. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them.

While seriously addicted to coffee, and highly challenged with all things computer-related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample.

She loves to throw dinner parties, and also enjoys traveling, here and abroad, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip.

Melanie loves stories, especially paired with a good wine, and enjoys skydiving (free falling over a fleck of dust) extreme snowboarding (falling down stairs) and piloting her own helicopter (tripping over her own feet.) She’s learned happily ever afters, even bumpy ones, are all in how you tell the story.

Connect with Melanie Moreland:

https://bit.ly/3xHOcfW