Ten years ago, I made the biggest mistake of my life.
When Hawke left for the NHL and my hockey dreams went up in smoke, I ghosted my best and longest friend. It made sense at the time, but there hasnβt been a day where I havenβt missed him.
So when we run into each other again, and his only response is βDo I know you?β, I know I deserve it. But I refuse to let one mistake keep us apart forever. Especially when he has bigger problems, and Iβm in a position to help him.
JENSEN
All I wanted this offseason was to spend my time relaxingβnot getting an emergency phone call from Mom to come home. My hometown is full of too many memories of me and Tai so I avoid returning there as much as I can.
But now I have one more memory to add to the list: my high school girlfriend.
And the kid we apparently had together.
Kasen hates me and thinks I abandoned them, and my only way to get to him is through his coach. My ex-best friend. The friend that has been impossible to forget. No matter how much Iβve tried.
I think, based on the blurb, that there is some expectation that this is ALL the angst buuuut it really isn’t there. It’s totally understandable that Hawke would be upset with Tai for ghosting him. And about having a son that apparently no one knew about. However if you are reading that and hoping for more, my apologies π
I really enjoyed it tho as Tai and Hawke find their way back to each other, sliding into their close friendship like no time had passed and coming to the realization that maybe it was always something a little more. And poor Tai, who has carried so much on his shoulders for so long, needing to let someone in again to be there for him again. It’s so obvious how much he loves his dad, who makes a great supporting character in the story, but there’s so much guilt and pain wrapped up in the situation for him. Good thing Hawke is stubborn because Tai’s not going to make it easy.
I’ll agree that there could have been a bit more development of Hawke’s relationship with Kason. The book concentrates more on the two MMCs but I did love seeing them grow closer and Hawke realizing what’s important to him. And Kason is such a cute kid with a smart mouth, hiding his hurt, which is totally understandable, and he’s definitely keeping Hawke on his toes.
I’ve only read a couple of James’s books but she is recommended so often and I see why. I love that she brings the feels, doesn’t scrimp on the heat, and delivers it all in a way that has me hooked to the end. It’s not dramatic but it also isn’t easy and full of issues that feel real and give us an oh-so-satisfying HEA when they finally figure things out.
It doesnβt matter that I was the number one draft pick in the NHL or that Iβm projected to be the next great generational player, because none of it is enough to impress my childhood crush back in my hometown.
Sam used to mock me for being like a Disney Princess with my uncanny knack for finding animals in need. And being home in Colorado for the summer, Iβm bound to run into him now that he runs the animal shelter where I used to volunteer. Where I used to try to get his attention every chance I had.
He never noticed me then, at least not in the way I wanted.
But if thereβs one thing my time in the NHL has taught me, itβs how to fight for what I want.
SAM
Itβs been a few years since I saw the Disney Princess volunteer, but when he brings in a stray cat, I almost canβt believe itβs the same guy.
Damn, has he changed.
Gone is the gangly, pimple-faced teen, and in his place is a man whoβs grown up and bulked out. He used to follow me around, asking endless questions about animal care.
Now heβs back, but instead of asking about animals, heβs asking about me. About my life.
Flirting with me. And heβs good at it, too.
Thereβs something about Lachie thatβs undeniably irresistible. Iβm willing to give in to his charms, even knowing all he can offer is a summer fling.
Turns out, my Disney Princess grew up to be a real Prince Charming.
Tropes: Childhood crush, just for the summer, collective mayhem, Disney Princess puckboy, interfering kikishkins, zombie squirrels, βfuck itβ
I have read some books in this universe but pretty sure not any of the Puckboys so I’m coming at this with basically no knowledge of the characters. Which means I have no idea if any of this story fits for the characters as they have been in previous stories so take what I say using that lens π
Charming Puckboy is kinda insta-love but in a not really way. Lachie has sorta had a thing for Sam for years, Sam just didn’t know it. But now that Lachie is back for the summer, Sam is seeing him with aaaallll new eyes. Eyes that can appreciate how well Lachie has grown up … but while it may have started out as just sex, it doesn’t take long for it to turn into something more.
Which leads to pining. So. Much. Pining. Because Lachie IS only there for the summer and that means that things can’t really go any further. So in between all the steamy moments, the hilarity that apparently naturally comes with the Collective, and their deepening feelings, they have to figure out if they want, or can even have, a future together.
Lachie seemed pretty mature for his age and thinks himself ready for a commitment with Sam. Sam tho is doing a little catching up because Lachie hadn’t been on his radar until now. There are large skips in time, both in the summer and thru the fall, so I can see why some may have wanted more time for the two of them to develop their relationship. But I didn’t really mind them falling fast and I liked them as a couple. While it is easy as a reader to say what they should do, their concerns over getting involved & their wants for a future are understandable.
These two have written some of my favorite reads so I’m really not sure why I’ve only reviewed a couple of Finley’s books so far. I like the world they create and the characters they populate it with. They have issues & emotions that are real, delivering the spice & the feels in equal measure. I’m definitely going to have to get my hands on more of their stories going forward.
(Returning readers probably love the opportunity to catch glimpses of all of the previous characters but I didn’t really have any issues keeping up as a fresh reader.)
*****
Author Info:
Eden Finley is an Amazon bestselling author who writes steamy contemporary romances that are full of snark and light-hearted fluff.
She doesnβt take anything too seriously and lives to create an escape from real life for her readers. The ideas always begin with a wackadoodle premise, and she does her best to turn them into romances with heart.
With a short attention span that rivals her sonβs, she writes multiple different pairings: MM, MMF, and MF.
Sheβs also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes donβt make sense to anyone else
Genre: Military Romance Standalone Tropes: Brother’s best friend, forced proximity, alpha hero, bodyguard, soulmates, action and suspense, found family
Blurb:
HE THINKS HEβS TOO GUARDED TO LOVE.
Army Captain Nic Romero fears one thing: consequences.
Losing an arm and a leg in battle because he trusted the wrong woman was brutal enough. Now, he has a second chance at his military career with Project VIPER, the classified program that transformed him from a wounded warrior into an elite fighting machine.
This time, his walls are as impenetrable as his bionic body. But a blazing encounter at the beach with a secret-keeping siren threatens his defenses.
His only focus should be protecting her from a deadly threat. Problem is, her safety isnβt the only hard part of this mission. Heβs already experienced the thrill of her addictive heat. Another hit could trigger consequences more dangerous than the enemy.
SHE THINKS SHE CANβT BE PART OF HIS WORLD.
Dr. Olivia Darren never meant for her overprotective brother to find out she seduced his VIPER teammate. But thanks to the trouble tailing her, one night with playboy Nic Romero has morphed into a fever dream.
Now sheβs entangled in a classified world of secrets and shadows with Nic assigned as her protector. His constant presence screams danger, his touch feels like a dare, and the powerful feeling that sheβs destined to repair his wounded heart wonβt retreat.
She doesnβt belong in his perilous world but try telling that to her heart that may have finally found where it belongs.
There’s so much about these stories that I like. I love the guys together – how their injuries and recovery has bonded them into a family. The women are sassy, smart, and strong. And Wolf does a great job of tying her romance and suspense elements together.
Pretty much my only real complaint is something that has gotten better as the series has progressed – this author loves to use similes and metaphors. In the first story, it seemed like every third sentence was one, but either I’ve gotten used to it or she has gotten better about it π
Otherwise, I really have enjoyed getting to know the men of Viper and watching them fall in love. I’ve also liked the way that Wolf ties all of the threads together over the course of the series. I’m looking forward to seeing Linc fall in love and how things get wrapped up.
While it can technically stand on its own, would be better enjoyed after reading the rest in the series.
*****
Author Info:
Kristie Wolf is an award-winning author of steamy romantic suspense.
When she was a teenager, she read her first romance novel and connected with it so deeply that she immediately told her mother she was going to write one. She is thrilled to bring that dream fully to fruition with the release of Too Dangerous to Love, Book One in the Project VIPER Series.
While her career as a marketing professional in the government technology space hasnβt taught her to troubleshoot a computer, sheβs fascinated with what happens when technology spectacularly fails. The chilling stories sheβs heard from the nationβs tech leaders are the catalyst for plots about maniacal terrorists but donβt worry. Her military and law enforcement alpha heroes and badass heroines always save the day while burning up the pages and finding happily ever after. Sheβs looking forward to sharing the VIPER world with you starting with the October 2023 release of Too Dangerous to Love, followed by the February 2024 release of Knife to the Heart, Blood Snow Series Book One, and the Fall 2024 release of Too Lethal to Love, Project VIPER Series Book Two.
Kristie resides in Maryland with her husband – aka her tech support – and her two teenagers who participate in nearly every sport or activity ever invented. Many of her words are written on the pool deck, on the sidelines and in the bleachers, or in her car. When sheβs not behind her computer she can be found:
Β· Training for her next half-marathon or walking her Vizsla and her Pittie-mix rescue while listening to her favorite authors.
Β· Watching cheerleading videos on her phone because she misses being a coach.
Β· Learning everything she can about Elvis Presley because sheβs going to write a romance novel based on him someday.
Β· Making space in her closet for another pair of cowboy boots she doesnβt need but has to have.
Tropes: Enemies to friends to lovers, forced proximity, sports agents/co-workers, secret relationship
Blurb:
Fox
There are only three things in life Iβm passionate about: my family, sports, and hating Archer Holloway.
Heβs the most prolific associate at the firm and out earns everyone at our level. Plus, heβs annoyingly good-looking and is somehow able to charm everyone. Everyone except me.
His athlete roster might be impressive, but his tactics for signing clients can be questionable at best.
So, when the chance arises to stealthily pitch to someone heβs gunning for, I donβt hesitate.
Two can play at this game.
Archer
I donβt understand why Lincoln Fox hates me. Okay, so maybe I signed a few athletes he was pursuing, but thatβs not personal. Itβs business.
I really do think heβd come to like me if he got to know me. He wonβt give me the time of day though. He never has. Which is a shame because Fox is the most attractive man Iβve ever met.
The more he argues with me, the more everyone around us thinks thereβs a spark between us. The office pool is over two thousand dollars now, but theyβre backing the wrong horse. No one will win this bet because the chance of us hooking up are less than zero. Fox will never see me as anything more than an over-competitive jerk. What a waste of money.
When Archer and Fox find themselves having to work together, they develop an unlikely friendship. And while Archer definitely rubs Fox the wrong way early on, it doesn’t take long for those sparks to take a certain turn π Soon Fox finds out that there is more to Archer than he thought. And Archer realizes that some of Fox’s frustration with him might have been hiding other feelings. Causing both men to see each other, and themselves, differently.
Sometimes you want something with a little more …. excitement isn’t the right word … drama? angst? oomph? Whatever you want to call it. But other times a slow burn romance just hits the spot and The Office Bet falls into that category. It’s not for everyone but I really like them, especially when they are written by someone of Finley’s skill. Her stories always have great banter, a delicious amount of steam, and characters that keep me coming back.
**There are lots of appearances by characters from other stories (though this one is good as a stand alone) and I’m sure that is a treat for returning readers. I know I loved seeing the ones I’ve met before π **
*****
Author Info:
Eden Finley is an Amazon bestselling author who writes steamy contemporary romances that are full of snark and light-hearted fluff.
She doesn’t take anything too seriously and lives to create an escape from real life for her readers. The ideas always begin with a wackadoodle premise, and she does her best to turn them into romances with heart.
With a short attention span that rivals her son’s, she writes multiple different pairings: MM, MMF, and MF.
She’s also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes don’t make sense to anyone else.
Β Island men know what they wantβ¦but not always what they need.
(All the books in the series can be read as standalone stories and do not end on a cliffhanger.)
Bed-Hopping
Island Confidential Novella
by TA Moore
Length: 38 000 words
Release Date: July 31, 2025
Tense/POV: Third person, alternating POV
Tropes: Fake dating, small town romance, lies, love at first sight.
Themes: Forgiving your own mistakes, moving on, sometimes itβs worth the risk.
Blurb:
It shouldn’t have been this difficult.
All Ryan wanted was to leave his ex-boyfriend at home and go to his childhood best friend’s wedding as a single man. The only problem was that apparently he was the only sane person he knew. His actor ex didn’t want their break-up on social media until it would be good PR for him. Meanwhile the bride, and childhood best friend, was so rigorously superstitious about bad omens that the wedding would have been cancelled already if someone hadn’t ‘seen’ an extra magpie at the engagement party.
So Ryan had agreed to keep the break up quiet until after the honeymoon. It did mean he had bring his ex as his plus one to the ceremony, but it would only be a few more weeks. That couldn’t hurt.
Only problem is that now Ryan has to try and stop his ex turning their break-up into a soap opera, convince the hottest man he’s ever seen that they can kiss without it being cheatingβ¦and make sure the bride didn’t find out about any of it.
Maybe he needed some of that good luck she was hoarding?
βOh, you canβt tell her,β Jenny said from the other side of the counter. She shook a plastic bottle of mayo vigorously in one hand. βShe will lose her goddamn mind.β
It wasnβt the reaction that Ryan had hoped for. He pulled a dubious face and rubbed the back of his neck.
βIt canβt be that bad,β he protested.
Jenny mugged incredulity at him as she flipped the cap of the mayo bottle and turned it upside down. She squeezed a wriggly line of mayo over the curry-yellow chunks of chicken sheβd already thrown onto the roll.
βAre you kidding me?β she asked. βYou think that your best friendβyour astrology symbol tattooed, magpie saluting, psychic consulting BFFβis going to take it in her stride that love is dead?β
She smacked the bottle down to punctuate that and raised her eyebrows expectantly at him for his input.
βOK, no, not when you put it like that,β Ryan said. βBut itβs not like that. I just broke up with my boyfriendββ
Jenny wagged a greasy blue-gloved finger at him to stop him there.
βYou mean, your soulmate,β she corrected him, with jazz hands for emphasis.
βI do not,β Ryan said. βIf he was, Iβd not have broken up with him.β
That objection was dismissed with a rude noise. βItβs not about you.β
βIβ¦wow, sorry,β Ryan said. βThereβs me thinking it was.β
Jenny shrugged as she grabbed some red onion and tossed it onto the sandwich. Then she took a beat to consider her creation and added some sweetcorn. Ryan started to object but gave it up as the yellow kernels sank into the mayo. He was hungry, and he would rather have unwanted sweetcorn he knew about than one stray left behind to surprise him.
βOK, obviously you think itβs about you,β she said. βFrom Clemβs point of view, though, itβs about her and her relationship. That psychic saying her and Greg are soulmates is the basis of their relationship.β
βThatβsβ¦they love each other,β Ryan objected. βThey have weathered so much in their relationship andββ
βYeah, but only because theyβre soulmates,β Jenny said. She picked up the top of the roll and smacked it down on the toppings. βRemember when Greg went to Newcastle to work? Clem told me that the only reason she made it work was because that psychic told her they were endgame.β
βOK, so the psychic was right about her and Greg, but wrong about me and Devon,β Ryan said. βWeβre broken up. Sheβs going to have to come to terms with that eventually.β
βSure,β Jenny said. Paper crinkled as she pinched, folded, and tucked it around the sandwich. βIf youβd broken up, like, six months ago! You canβt drop it on her a week before her wedding, one of the biggest decisions of her life, that the psychic was full of shit. Itβs going to look like the worst omen in the world. She will definitely panic and call it all off.β
Shit.
*****
Stag WeekendΒ Β Β
Island Confidential Novella
by TA MooreΒ Β Β
Length: 45 000 words
Tropes: Forbidden romance, Giveaway the Bride, Lost Wedding Ring, Stag Party
Blurb:
Simon had a plan.
He’d go to his sister’s wedding, he’d keep his head down, and the whole family would finally have something other than his disastrously brief engagement to talk about. It was going to be the fact that none of them liked his new brother-in-law, but that wasn’t Simon’s fault.
It was a simple plan that really couldn’t go wrong. Not unless Simon did something really stupid, like wake up the morning after a stag weekend with a stranger in his hotel bed and no idea who it was.
That was the sort of gossip that was hard to beat.
Tropes: Rule of funny, best friendβs ex, ex complications
Themes: Accepting youβre worth more than you think, letting go of an ex, small town romance
Blurb:
When Danny Shaw’s ex dumped the job of returning some…personal items…to a short list of his previous conquests on him that seemed like imposition enough. Until he opened the bag and found that the items in question could best be described as extremely intimate and disturbingly detailed.
But when life gives you a bag of hyper-realistic sex toys, modeled after penises your ex knew and admired, what else is there to do but find the biggest dick you know and ask if one of them is his?
Meanwhile, all Will wanted was a quiet night out. Not that he was going to turn down a chance to spend time with Danny, even if it did lead to some weird conversations.
Tropes: Fake dating, opposites attract, secrets and lies, small town romance.
Blurb:
His mother. His best friend. The barmaid at the local pub. Everyone is determined to find Nathan Moffatt a boyfriend. Itβs the last thing Nathan wants. After spending every day making sure his clients experience nothing but romantic magic, the Granshire Hotelβs wedding organizer just wants to go home, binge-watch crime dramas, and eat pizza in his underwear.
Unfortunately, no one believes him, and heβs stuck with lectures about dying alone. Then inspiration strikes. He needs the people in his life to want him to stay single as much as he does. He needs a bad boyfriend.
Thereβs only one man for the job.
Flynn Delaney is used to people on the island of Ceremony thinking the worst of him. But he isnβt sure he wants the dubious honor of worst boyfriend on the entire island. On the other hand, if he plays along, he gets to hang out with the gorgeous Nathan and piss off the owners of the Granshire Hotel. Itβs a win-win.
Thereβs only one problemβFlynnβs actually quite a good boyfriend, and now Nathanβs wondering if getting off the sofa occasionally is really the worst thing in the world.
TA Moore is a Northern Irish writer of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and contemporary romance novels. A childhood in a rural, seaside town fostered in her a suspicious nature, a love of mystery, and a streak of black humour a mile wide.
Coffee, Doc Marten boots, and good friends are the essential things in life. Spiders, mayo, and heels are to be avoided.
Heβs a European prince with over a thousand-year-old lineage and he hates her as much as he craves her
Alyssa
When Iβm introduced to Prince Carl-Theodor Frederick Maximillian Christoph Albert Maria Johann Anselm 17th Prince of Saxony-Bremer and Lautenburg-Bornheim an-der-Elbe, Iβm as breathless as his endless name. Something savage twists inside me. Gorgeous and charming as he might be, I don’t trust men like him, men who believe they’re a superior species, who wield near-unlimited power with the license of ancient nobility.
Instinct warns me to keep away or I might get burnt to a cinder.
It’s easier and safer to pretend he doesn’t touch me. So I use my imagination to dream up insults, abusing and defaming him and his family. Meanwhile, I try to avoid him.
Until I canβt, because he turns out to be irresistible. Soon, he has me on my knees before him, which, alas, is exactly where I want to be. But what does he want? Prince Hot and Cold, arctic ice and lava, he brings me to the edge of insanity.
Prince Carl-Theodor of Saxony-Bremer
At first sight, Alyssa blinds me with her beauty.
Then she wrecks my being like a derailed express train.
Never has anyone so deeply insulted me or my family. Rage transfixes me, my pride so deeply injured that it seems my heart bleeds into my innards.
Since my father died, I am Head, Protector, and Defender of the House of Saxony-Bremer. I won’t endure hearing my family slandered, then do nothing about it. I vow to avenge my bloodline, to pay her back in kind for her vicious words. I’ll make her hurt, make her taste her own medicine.
But hurting her f*cking turns around to hurt me. I can bend her to my will, but once she’s tamed, once she hurts like hell, her pain reaches out to me. Have I committed myself to a vow I canβt keep?
NOTE: This book has content for mature readers 18 and over.
A glimpse of her in the opera house made me a walking calamity. A dismissive smirk instead of her name scorched me. Iβd hunt her down till I find and claim her as mine.
I loved owning women, then I found my woman. But she would never be owned, not even by the gods. Iβm soon waging wars with her dangerous criminal ex.
My fearless woman goes after her tormentor behind my back. A dangerous criminal who eludes Europol and Interpol. I must eliminate the enemy before he harms her.
Iβm going to hurt her, but Iβd rather kill our love than have my empress bound with the chains of a dead man whoβd been her nightmare for more than ten yearsβ¦
A P von KβOry writes romance, psychological thrillers, and nonfiction. She loves diversity β itβs in her aristocratic DNA. She has won more than half a dozen prizes and awards from four continents. Her family stretches from the Nilotes of the Eastern African Nile Delta to Germany, France, and the Walloons (Belgium). She lectures Economics and Sociology in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Sheβs married and has a son. Being migratory β and weather willing β she lives in Germany, France, Cyprus, and Greece.
From rivalries to secret glances across the rink, dive into a story filled with passion, ice, and a little bit of chaos.
As the hottest left-winger in the league, I was the handsome golden boy for the L.A. Quakes. But after suffering horrific injuries during a game, my life is on a breakaway to disaster. My biggest fear is a darkness from my past is about to repeat itself. All I want to do is hide from the world, but fate has another plan.
Feisty beauty Liliana Alvarez doesnβt suffer fools lightly, especially when it comes to her kids in her new non-profit outreach. Sheβll drag me, kicking and screaming, if necessary, from the hole Iβve crawled into if itβs the last thing she does. For some reason, she is patient enough to wait for me to heal and something sparks between us, wounds, and all. But her abusive ex-boyfriend threatens to shatter our hopes of a happily ever after.
Can enemies-turned-lovers help save each other or is the ice tilted against us?
Easing open the door, I slip through, bolting to the welcoming darkness of the closed Quakesβ Cove bar. I lean against a wall, shrouded in shadows, and stare down at the rink below. Itβs late morning, and the rookies are doing drills under the watchful eyes of Jason Tolls, Linc, and a couple of other player development coaches. My friend looks in his element. Happy. Shit. I miss him, as well as Sonny and Bri. But I donβt go out much. Between scaring a kid at the grocery store and panic attacks that strike out of nowhere, I keep myself hidden away. The guys have their lives, and I donβt need to ruin their happiness by freaking them out. They wouldnβt care, but I do.
βHey.β The soft, whispered word makes me glance away from the ice. F**k. Catherine Bishop, the Quakesβ owner, and Lincβs girlfriend, steps into the bar and stands next to me. I turn my face away, seeking refuge in the shadows.
βOh, no you donβt.β Catherineβs finger touches my chin and turns my head so Iβm facing her. βYou will not hide from me.β She stares directly into my eyes. Her family did everything in their power to help me recover, starting with the best sports ophthalmologist so I wouldnβt lose my eye. Then a world-class plastic surgeon to keep my scarring to a minimum. I have a functioning eyelid, thanks to them. βYour features were way too pretty and perfect. The scar helps. You now look kind of like a bad boy. Women will go crazy.β
I canβt help the snort which escapes me. βIn my dreams.β
She nudges me with her shoulder. βHowβs your mom? I miss Maja.β
βSheβs good. I spoke with her this morning.β Catherine came over a few times and took my mom out to lunch or dinner so she could have a break from me. Iβd been such a hurting asshole that my boss took it upon herself to look after my mom. They hit it off. Why not? Theyβre both powerful women. Catherine shattering glass ceilings and my mom raising three kids on her own after my dad lost his mind.
She gestures to the ice. βHowβre the rookies? See anyone impressive?β
I break our eye contact, relieved to go back to the shadows and study the players below. Some of them are in their young and gangly stage, like Bambi on ice. But some of the older kids are filling out and showing the promise of their mature athletic bodies to come.
βYour giant six-six goalie looks promising. Heβs going to kill it in the AHL for the Tsunami. Linc must be drooling. For his size, the kid is agile, and he knows how to stay deep in his crease. Heβll be a brick wall for our opponents.β
βYeah, I have high hopes for him. I also like the left winger, Berglund.β She slants her gaze my way. βHe reminds me of you at his ageβfast, full of energy, great hockey sense.β
βLooking to replace me? Afraid Iβll scare the fans?β
She glares at me. βStop it, or Iβll tattle to Linc that youβre feeling sorry for yourself.β
Catherine never takes my bullshit. I sigh. βToo soon to joke?β
βIf I thought you were joking, itβd be okay, but I know you werenβt.β
How does she read me so well? βFine. Youβre right.β We watch the rooks in peaceful silence. I can almost relax.
βHey Ribi, good to see you.β An L.A. Quakesβ blogger calls out in passing.
Suddenly, my heart starts pounding. I break out into a sweat and dizziness swamps me, making me sway. My whole body shakes. F**k. I canβt have a panic attack. Not here. Not now.
βOye gilipollas,β a tiny woman shouts and storms into the bar. I automatically translate the Spanish into EnglishβHey, a**hole. Before I could blink, the petite Latina stabs her finger into my chest, while glaring at my face, stopping my anxiety attack in a flash.
LILIANA
Frustrated as hell, I flew out of the Quakesβ Foundationβs office and storm past a man and woman lurking in the shadows of a closed bar, watching guys skating below. Weirdos. I didnβt know who he was until someone yells, βRibi.β I assume itβs some sort of nickname for Luka Ribic, my MIA hockey player. Not about to miss this opportunity, I spin on my heels and go in for the kill.
βOye gilipollas,β I shout, stabbing him in the chest with a finger. I have to reach to hit my target. The big guy is almost a foot taller than me. He must have understood my Spanish because he blinks at me like Iβm a crazy woman. This smug a**hole has the nerve to smirk at me. βI came to talk to the Quakesβ Foundation. Maureen claims youβve been out on medical leave. What a load of doody!β
βDoody?β The spark of humor reaches all the way to his light brown eyes.
*****
And don’t miss the first book in the series!
LincolnΒ – A Los Angeles Quakes Hockey Series Book 1Β
L.A. Quakesβ fans stomped their feet to cheers of βCaveman!β when I made incredible saves in the crease, leading the team to two Stanley Cup victories. I thought I could go on forever, but at thirty-six, the clockβs counting down even for Lincoln Cavanaugh. Social media and fan sites are filled with rumors of me being traded. Or worse. My future looks as uncertain as a loose puck on the ice.
My fate rests in the hands of Catherine Bishop, daughter of the teamβs owner and a power to be reckoned with. And what fine hands they are, along with everything else about her. A chance encounter leads to sparks between us, but is falling in love with this incredible woman worth the risk?
Because with her by my side, Iβm once again an unstoppable force between the pipes, and victories pile up like never before. However, our love is a ticking time bomb because Catherine has dreams of making history as the first female and person of color to own an NHL team. Sleeping with a player would make that all go up in smoke. I fear when the truth comes out, it will be the final buzzer for us.
Alisa Jean is the pseudonym for award-winning authors Marla A. White and C J Bahr. They first teamed up over thirty years ago over a bottle of Zima (donβt ask) while polishing their gear for a horse show. Theyβve since moved on to better beverages and writing novels. Separately, Marla prefers to murder characters in the usual way, while C J uses paranormal means. The long-time best friends joined together as a writing team through their mutual love of hockey. Wonder twin powers activated! Their hockey romances examine flawed characters with heart, humor, and sexy sizzle.
When they first meet, sparks flyβ¦but not the romantic kindβ¦
Ella Westhoff is a marketing genius. But romance? Not her strong suit. So, while sheβs prepared to return to her small hometown and help her grandmother successfully reopen her B&B, she will not fall for the grumpy landscaper on the jobβthe one who so thoroughly annoyed her at first sight. That was the plan, anywayβ¦
Cooper Daniels isnβt cut out for love, either. His bitter divorce certainly taught him that. One-night stands are all heβs willing to commit to these days. Which means that even though he enjoys bantering with the brilliant Ella, he knows he canβt be the kind of guy she deserves. No matter how much she makes him wish he could beβ¦
Somewhere between fresh starts and past hurts, business and pleasure, Ella and Cooper might be able to claim a happily ever after. But only if theyβre willing to cross some lines along the wayβ¦
Lines We Shouldnβt Cross, book 1 in the Innocence series, is a sweet and spicy, emotional contemporary romance. Download today and get ready to fall for Ella and Cooper.
**Releases March 20th!! Get it for On Sale for a limited time!**
This, this⦠guy! I stalk out of the dining room, fuming.
Of all the people for Pippa to rent the carriage house to, it had to be him. And now heβs living right next door, invading my sanctuary, the space Iβve always considered mine.
Why did he have to ruin my hope of living in the carriage house? There must be plenty of places available for rent in town. I sigh, trying to let my frustration go because bitching and moaning wonβt change a thing.
Iβd spent countless sleepovers there with my best friend, trading secrets, and dreams. Later, losing myself in romance novels, Iβd imagined my own epic love story. Yeah, well, that had been a big naΓ―ve fantasy. Most guys turn out to be jerksβlike my exβnot some swoon-worthy hero who sets my body ablaze while cherishing my soul. That kind of guy only exists between the pages.
Now, another real-life example of an arrogant jerk stands right there in the dining room, pouring wine as if he owns the place. His broad frame fills the space like a quintessential guyβs guy. His large hands tell a different story. Hands that could build barn walls or something, not pouring wine with unexpected gentleness. Strength and softness, wrapped in those sexy, veiny forearms. If heβd be anyone else, Iβd be hopelessly flustered.
Fine, the manβs hot enough to melt steel, but that’s where my appreciation ends. His charm could strip paint of wood, and it’s just about as healthy to be around. He might have fooled Pippa, but not me. And now weβre supposed to work together? Fricking perfect.
In the kitchen, I muster a smile. βNeed a hand?β The lasagnaβs rich scent fills the room, promising comfort.
Pippa, beaming as though sheβs crafted a culinary masterpiece, hands me a tray bearing the nightβs first course. In the center, a mason jar filled with her homemade ranch dressing takes the spotlight amid the salad greens and a basket of still-warm bread.
βCould you bring this in?β
Her warm smile tells me sheβs missed me and is happy Iβm home.
βOf course.β I wonβt rain on her parade, so I nod and smile. One quick taste of the creamy dressing first, then the breadbasket joins the greens as I steady myself to face Mr. Arrogance Next Door.
βThanks, darling.β Pippa smiles. βIβll be right there.β
Yes, please, I pray silently. I donβt care to be alone for even one minute with that infuriating man. I let out an inaudible sigh, part frustration, part resignation.
βAlright,β I say, forcing a cheery tone. With no excuse to dodge McCocky, I carry the tray out of the kitchen.
*****
Author Info:
I write the kind of romance novels that blend sweet and spicy into something deliciously real – stories that’ll warm your heart one minute and make you reach for a fan the next. My characters are flawed souls who stumble their way to love with enough emotional baggage to fill a cargo plane, but they’re worth every messy moment.
Life handed me my own romance novel when I fell for an American military man while living in Germany. Now I’m living my happily-ever-after in a cozy Kentucky town, where my European roots tangle perfectly with Southern charm. You’ll find me powered by excessive amounts of coffee, testing ice cream flavors (strictly for research purposes), and soaking up cuddles from my golden retrievers, Dakota and Tucker.
The last thing I expect when I meet the new guy at work is for my life to be thrown into chaos. Iβve spent years hiding my attraction to men, but Luka is funny, outgoing, and for reasons I canβt explain, he sees past my introverted nature and wants to be friends.
Iβve never felt a connection with anyone like I do with Luka. He makes me want to open up and share the parts of myself I usually keep hidden. I donβt want to make things awkward between us, but the more I try to get over my feelings, the harder it is to stay away.
Just when I think my life canβt get any more complicated, I start chatting with a guy on an anonymous kink app. Sinbin might be a stranger, but heβs everything Iβve ever wanted in a man. But then again, so is Luka.
How did I go from never having guy trouble to wanting two men I canβt have?
Luka
Being the new guy at work isnβt easy. Neither is having a crush on one of my coworkers. Zander is quiet and shy, and doesnβt have the best social skills, but heβs also sweet and caring and one of the most interesting people Iβve ever met.
Iβve never known anyone like Zander, and the more time we spend together, the harder it is to only see him as a friend. I want him, but heβs straight. And to the outside world, so am I.
In a desperate attempt to get over my crush, I log into an anonymous kink app and start chatting with a man who doesnβt just rock my world but understands me in ways no one else ever has. I might not know what MrNiceGuy looks like, but he feels familiar, like weβve known each other forever. But then again, so does Zander.
How can I be drawn to two men at the same time? And more importantly: how do I choose between them?
Genre: M/M Romance Standalone Trope: Coworkers to friends to lovers, found family, hurt/comfort, anonymous sexting, kink exploration
This is just my second book by Dixon and like It’s Complicated it is super steamy and low angst. I loved these two, alone and together. Both of them are hiding their sexuality but are secretly developing feelings for each other. And thinking the other is straight, it’s difficult spending so much time together at work, believing they can only be friends. And then when they both make a connection with an anonymous person online, it complicates things.
I actually appreciate the way that they figure things out. And the confrontation is satisfying. I do wish we’d gotten a little more of their time together, to see them deepening their connection, but what we do get is great. Luka suffers from issues with anxiety and the way that Zander supports him is just the sweetest. And the way that their friends and family react to their relationship is touching as well. They realize that they have a great support network, one that everyone should have.
I’m enjoying these stories by Dixon. Low angst and high steam isn’t going to be for everyone but I like having that option. Sometimes you want the drama but then a more realistic look at two people meeting, developing a connection, and getting involved is perfect too.
*****
Author Info:
What can I say about myself? Itβs kind of like being the new kid in school and being asked to tell everyone a bit about yourself. Anyone else forget everything theyβve ever liked, thought of, and even their name in those moments?
A few facts about me; Iβm a veteran, Iβm Canadian, and I love books! Iβve been writing my own stories since I was eight and wrote my first novel at sixteen. Iβm the first to admit those attempts werenβt my best work, but they started me on a journey of creating stories that has led me to fulfilling my dream of becoming an author. Iβve written and published in several genres under different names, but MM is by far my favorite, and Iβm so happy to be able to share my stories with people today.
I currently live on Canadaβs east coast with my kiddo and my cats. I have a shoe collecting addiction, and I enjoy taking long walks, discussions with friends, and reading anything and everything I can get my hands on.
I lost my heart to Danny Chambers in high school, even though he parked me in the friend zone five minutes after we met. Itβs taken years to stop thinking about him at least once every hour. It helped when he enlisted in the Air Force. But heβs back, and heβs walking onto the football team. He could go to college anywhere, so why does it have to be Mountain State?
Even best friends keep secrets from each other.
When Danny earns a spot playing receiver for the Wildcats, Iβm in the clear. I can admire him from the stands and go back to my boring life of finishing my undergrad and resigning myself to being married to my career. After what went down with my one-and-only boyfriend last semester, well, I need to stop dreaming about happily-ever-after. Which makes the head games Danny is playing with me so painful. Why is he acting like he wants something more with me?
Five years ago, I made a colossal mistake.
I need a second chance. Growing up a military brat, the one constant in my life was playing football. Though I met all kinds of people while switching schools on the regular, one look at Taryn Hamilton and sheβs my girl. Yet after we met, I discovered quick she was off-limits if I wanted to catch passes on Friday nights. I paid a big price for my bad choice. Now after giving Uncle Sam four years so I could attend college, Iβm at Mountain State where Iβm taking every opportunity to show Taryn how I truly feelβhow I have always felt about her. She is so much more than my best friend.
Football was my first love. Now Iβm playing for my only love.
Tam DeRudder Jackson is the author of the paranormal romance Talisman Series and the contemporary romance Balefire Series. Her favorite βroomβ in her house is her patio where she dreams up stories of romance and risk. When sheβs not writing her latest paranormal or contemporary romance, you can find her driving around in her convertible or carving turns on the slopes of the local ski hill. The mom of two grown sons, Tam likes to travel, attend rock concerts, watch football and soccer, and visit old car shows with her husband. She lives in the mountains of northwest Wyoming where she spends most of her free time trying to read all the books. Her TBR piles are threatening to take over her office, and sheβs fine with that.
Romantic Reads and Such 