Review – The Hotshot

17 Tuesday Feb 2026

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The Hotshot

The Dugout #1

by Piper Rayne

Blurb:

Raising my cousin’s three kids wasn’t in my five-year plan.
Actually, it wasn’t in ANY plan.

One minute I’m a single labor and delivery nurse living a quiet life and the next, I’m navigating guardianship hearings, meltdowns, and homework I’m pretty sure requires a math degree.

Enter Hayes Carlisle.

My best friend’s older brother.
Chicago Colts newest catcher.
And the man I once kissed and immediately pretended I didn’t.

So, when the custody battle I’ve been dreading becomes a reality, I shouldn’t be surprised that Hayes swoops in with a wild idea—a fake relationship. According to him, pretending we’re together will polish his image and prove to the court I’m not taking on an instant family alone.

But pretending to be Hayes’ girlfriend is a terrible idea.

Because he remembers how to make me laugh.
Because he looks at me like our kiss wasn’t a one-time mistake.
Because the kids start asking him to read bedtime stories.
Because my heart starts wanting things my life doesn’t have room for.

I can manage the chaos. I can fight for these kids.
But pretending not to fall for Hayes Carlisle?

That might be the one thing I can’t do.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://books2read.com/thshot

Duet Narration by: JF Harding & CJ Bloom

Also Featuring: Teddy Hamilton, Sean Masters, Connor Crais, Erin Mallon, Willa Jaymes, Meg Sylvan & Austin Stone

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/41QEV0V

*****

Review:

There were so many emotions for me here. My heart just broke for Leighton & the kids with the deaths of their parents and then having the uncertainty of a fight for custody. Hayes and the guys quickly won me over with how they stepped up for the little family. All of them are good men and it’s obvious with the relationships they build among themselves. So sweet to see them doing things with, and for, Leighton & the kids.

But I wish we’d gotten more of that with Leighton and the kids. I would have loved to have seen more of her as the coach for the little league team and doing caretaker-y things with them. They are adorable and I’d love to have seen that side too. I also think we needed more of Leighton getting some help with her issues. Not just from her relationship with her parents but also with losing her cousin & now taking on the kids. That’s a lot for anyone.

It’s no surprise when Leighton struggles with her relationship with Hayes considering those issues. Neither of them handle it the best but it’s definitely in a realistic manner and the support (& gentle nudges) from their friends helps them to get things figured out. There was an issue towards the end that I felt, while it helps wrap up some of the plot lines, with Leighton’s hang ups maybe could have been handled a bit differently.

The Hotshot is a good introduction to the Colts and a setup for a new series. It hits on some pretty heavy topics but showcases how they all care about and support each other. I love these guys and can’t wait for them to find their own HEAs.

Review – Accidentally Living With the Captain

16 Monday Feb 2026

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Accidentally Living With the Captain

Chicago Awakenings #3

by Lexi Amber

Blurb:

Hudson

I thought I was living the dream—captain of my NHL team, married to a model, planning to finally become a dad—the last thing I was expecting was to be served divorce papers.

All the plans I’d been making, all the ideas of what our family would look like, gone, just like that.

Thank God for Adrian, he always knows what to do. My ex kicked me out and Adrian offered to let me stay in his spare room while I figure out what comes next. My future hasn’t felt this uncertain since I entered the draft, but with Adrian offering to help, I feel like I can breathe again, like the unknown might not be the worst thing after all.

Adrian

Living with the perfect man is a cruel and unusual sort of torture.

Hudson walks around half-naked all the time, showing off his perfect hockey body, it’s obscene. And then there’s the teasing. It isn’t new, but I’d assumed he would stop now that we’re roommates and there’s no one else around. He hasn’t.

He’s straight, and I don’t know how much more platonic flirting my little gay heart can take.

I know that our time together is limited. Hudson wants to be a dad more than anything, and he deserves the family he’s always wanted, the future he’d dreamed of. I know that future won’t include me, and I want Hudson to be happy. Even if that means giving up our time together, helping him move on.

He was never mine, so why does the thought of saying goodbye feel like it might break me?

I’m screwed.

Amazon – https://amzn.to/3Z9uKCM

*****

Review:

I loved, and didn’t love, this book. I felt for Adrian with his crush on straight, married Hudson. How hard it has to be to be in such close proximity to his crush, knowing that if he misunderstands then everything could crash around him. Plus, thanks to his parents, he has A LOT of issues over being wanted for himself vs what he can do for others. That’s one of the places where I feel like we could have gotten something a little bit more. That man needed to talk to a professional about it. This isn’t something that “love can fix” and I really wish his friends would have helped. (Beck does redeem himself a little as he is very aware of the role that Adrian has in the company.)

Poor Hudson can be such a clueless idiot. He’s a good man, one that has a big heart, but he struggles as he finds himself alone and unsure of what’s next. He’s either oblivious to things or just isn’t paying attention, which is obvious with the dissolution of his marriage, and for being in his mid-30s he comes across as juvenile a few times. I adore the relationship he’s building with Adrian but I struggled with the way that he tries to get there. It’s realistic, because who wants to make themselves vulnerable like that, but if you can’t talk about it you aren’t ready to do it 🙂

This is a super slow burn, dealing with Hudson’s changing ideas of himself & his future and growing feelings for Adrian. I enjoyed it but it’s not going to be for everyone and you have to have a ton of patience with these two. But I found the payoff to be satisfying and I enjoyed the ride to their HEA.

Review – Free Falling

05 Thursday Feb 2026

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Free Falling

Colburn Brothers #2

by Jill Shalvis

Blurb:

College rivals become workplace frenemies-turned-lovers in this warm, sexy contemporary romance from New York Times bestseller Jill Shalvis. First, they were rivals… Now they’re stuck with each other…

Retired hockey player Caleb Colburn needs this construction project to prove himself in the family business, but he also needs to recover from the injury that ended his pro career. Too bad Emma Sumner, architect liaison and Caleb’s college nemesis, is back in town and assigned to the project. They’re going to have to see each other almost every day. Which means once again she’ll make his life a living hell.

As for Emma, her job is on the line with this big project, made all the more challenging by the project manager. Caleb was the one who had snagged the scholarship she’d desperately needed to stay in college. She’s been living hand to mouth ever since and has no intention of ever forgiving the man.

But the beautiful historic building they’re renovating is exactly the kind of project that they both love best. Their surprising common ground and a burning mutual attraction start bringing them closer and closer to a potentially explosive mistake. And that’s even before the secrets come out…

*****

Review:

I am loving this series. Especially the close relationship between the Colburns after surviving an abusive childhood, how they became pillars of their community with an amazing support network for themselves and others. And it’s that network that would be there for Emma. If she would only let them.

Emma is sassy and stubborn and sharp, the perfect match for Caleb. Their relationship still has some of the negativity from their college years, plus the secrets and baggage that Emma is carrying, and it definitely takes them some time to let that go. Well, her more so than him. But with patience and charm, he’ll get her to let down her guard. At least a little bit.

Being a second chance romance, with a small town feel, there’s just so much to like with Free Falling. It’s funny, with the way that Caleb & Emma create sparks and with the boisterous family’s complicated dynamic. They might fight and tease big but they also love big and they warmly embrace Emma. It gives all the feels and plenty of steam, and a glimpse at what might be next.

(Part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. There is a bit of a mystery that is not resolved tho that will probably be in the next book.)

Review – The Ultimate Goal

02 Monday Feb 2026

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The Ultimate Goal

Brooklyn Blades #1

by Felice Stevens

Blurb:

Rip

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

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

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

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

I’m definitely noticing him now.

Adrian

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

Maybe I can fake it.

Nope, I can’t.

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

And Rip.

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

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

Buy Link

https://geni.us/TheUltimateGoal

*****

Review:

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

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

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

Spotlight – Kissing the Irish

30 Friday Jan 2026

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Kissing the Irish

by Bryce Quinn

Blurb:

A new name.

A new city.

A whole new life.

I’ve done everything I can to leave the past behind — the past I barely escaped from. Now, I’m a teacher at an elementary school, living a quiet life. It’s not perfect, but it’s safe. And after everything I’ve been through, safe is enough.

Most days, I even manage to convince myself I’m happy.

Until Eoin Walsh walks into my life.

He’s calm, steady, and far too easy to lean on.

And before I know it, he’s become my anchor — the one thing holding me in place when everything inside me says I need to run.

Because I know the rules.

Never stay too long. Never get too comfortable. Never let anyone in.

But this time, leaving feels impossible.

Because saying goodbye to him means breaking my own heart.

And it turns out, Irishmen have a way of stealing your heart before you even realize it’s gone.

BuyLink: 

https://a.co/d/bwUdFnz

Available in KU 

*****

Author Info:

Bryce Quinn is a romance author who believes in love with a spark. She writes stories filled with sassy heroines and the irresistible men who fall for them—always with plenty of banter, chemistry, and heart. When she’s not crafting love stories, she’s probably lost in a book herself, dreaming up new characters, or enjoying a good cup of coffee.

Connect with Bryce Quinn:

https://www.instagram.com/authorbrycequinn/

Spotlight – Sterling Stone

29 Thursday Jan 2026

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Sterling Stone

Sterling Falls #7

by L.B. Dunbar

Blurb:

This small town *could* be big enough for both of them . . .

Quiet. Serious. Protective. All words Stone Sylver would use to describe himself. And yet, something in his classic blue eyes said he was so much more. Buried beneath the  years of raising his younger siblings and being a small town sheriff was a man looking for love.

Of course, I didn’t get all that the first night we met. The night we did a one-two step in a hotel hallway and knocked heads. The same night we shared a sweet potato cupcake and a single kiss. 

Why didn’t we share more? The moment became a great mystery to me and because I thought he was only a brief interlude in my wanderlust life, I wasn’t prepared to see him again in Sterling Falls.

Visiting the small town where I once lived, I learn the man who I witnessed act like a superhero was more entwined in my past than I’d remembered. And for a woman often afraid of a future, I suddenly craved one…with him. Which made no sense as I’d never stuck in one place before. No one had ever asked me to stay.

Then again, from our first encounter, I knew Stone Sylver was different. 

Pre-Order Links:

Amazon US: https://a.co/d/7GmOhyS 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.eu/d/6EPEo05 

Amazon AU: https://amzn.asia/d/6gAYPJO 

Amazon CA: https://a.co/d/7z7pxYC 

*****

Author Info:

L.B. Dunbar loves sexy silver foxes, second chances, and small towns. If you enjoy older characters in your romance reads, including a hero with a little silver in his scruff and a heroine rediscovering her worth, then welcome to romance for those over 40. L.B. Dunbar’s signature works include women and men in their prime taking another turn at love and happily ever after. She’s a USA TODAY Bestseller as well as #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Later in Life Romance with her Lakeside Cottage and Road Trips & Romance series. L.B. lives in Chicago with her own sexy silver fox.

To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her monthly newsletter, Love Notes.

Connect with L.B. Dunbar:

https://linktr.ee/lbdunbarwrites

Review – Sincerely, Mr. Braden

28 Wednesday Jan 2026

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Sincerely, Mr. Braden

The Bradens at Ridgeport Series

by Melissa Foster

Blurb:

Come along for the fun, sexy ride as this business-savvy, pleasure-oriented billionaire gets the shock of his lifetime and finds out his ever-efficient virtual assistant is not the man he thinks he is but a beautiful businesswoman who knows many of his secrets and has some of her own in Sincerely, Mr. Braden.

You know what they say about best-laid plans…

When the chance to finally meet my virtual assistant arises, I jump on it. Imagine my surprise when I find his beautiful sister Eleanor in his place.

The moment I meet Ellie Mitchell, my world shifts.

What was supposed to be a brief hello with my assistant turns into an unforgettable weekend with an incredible woman.

I’ve spent a lifetime keeping people at arm’s length and walking away unscathed, but Ellie obliterates every wall I’ve ever built.

What I learn next shatters my world.

I don’t know which betrayal cuts deeper: The lie she told me or the truth that I still want her.

THE BRADENS AT RIDGEPORT
Playing Mr. Perfect
Sincerely, Mr. Braden
Shamelessly Mr. Charming

Get Your Copy Here!
Melissa’s Shop: https://shop.melissafoster.com/collections/sincerely-mr-braden-collection
Amazon: https://lnk.to/SMB_Kindle
Apple: https://lnk.to/SMB_Apple
Nook: https://lnk.to/SMB_Nook
Kobo: https://lnk.to/SMB_Kobo
GPlay: https://lnk.to/SMB_GPlay

Audio – Releasing February 26 on all retailers!
Pre-Order Audio from Melissa’s Shop: https://shop.melissafoster.com/products/sincerely-mr-braden-audiobook

*****

Review:

Like most of Foster’s stories, it’s the characters that kept me turning the pages. What do you mean the MMC is a dirty talker in little nerdy glasses and quirky clothes, with a too big brain? And he’s found himself a delightful FMC that truly appreciates all of that and his humongous heart. I love that for him and the fact that he’s pretty quick to realize what he’s got right in front of him.

But as much as I love Seth, it’s really Taylor’s story. She’s struggling with a lot between caring for her dad and the fact that she’s never really gotten over the way her mom left. She has the support of her sister but she hasn’t really let herself relax. Until her weekend with Seth …

I’m not a huge fan of intentionally lying as a trope. I get why Taylor kept her identity secret and it plays out pretty smoothly but it just isn’t my favorite. I do think that Foster does a good job with setting us up. We understand how Taylor gets here and why she feels like this is her only option. I also think that the reveal and aftermath are handled well. It doesn’t go too long and is resolved in a pretty believable way. There’s a little bit of angst and some trouble coming their way but it works. And I love to see them as a couple, supporting each other and their loved ones, meshing their two lives together. So very satisfying.

Spotlight – Falling for the Fake Lumberjack

27 Tuesday Jan 2026

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Falling for the Fake Lumberjack

by Sara Ney

Blurb:

A small-town yoga teacher finds something real with a linebacker posing as a lumberjack in this sharp and spicy romance from USA Today bestselling author Sara Ney.

With rugged good looks and muscles for days, Harris Bennett stops traffic no matter what he’s wearing—flannel shirt or football jersey. So when management sends him to Star Lake, Washington, for a team-building retreat, it’s no wonder a local mistakes him for a lumberjack. And Harris leans right into the misunderstanding. Because that “local” looks amazing in yoga pants.

Lucy LeBrandt is a yoga instructor with trust issues: She doesn’t have time for men. But she’s definitely drawn to the hot, goofy lumberjack who seems to know nothing about, well, lumberjacking. He’s only in town for a week. Maybe she can squeeze him in between classes…

Harris has no idea what to do with an axe, and Lucy has no idea what to do about Harris. But they both know exactly what to do when they’re alone together. Can they split the difference between them, or is their romance just one stroke away from “TIIIIIMBER!”?

Buy Link:

https://books2read.com/falling4tflumberjackku

Available in KU 

*****

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 – Just Don’t Call It Love

23 Friday Jan 2026

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Just Don’t Call It Love

Bayou Blades series

by Erin Nicholas

Blurb:

Welcome to Rebel, Louisiana—where the humidity feels personal, even the otters hold grudges, and chaos is a competitive sport.

I used to play hockey in sold-out arenas. Now my wrecked knee and I are stuck in a little bayou town that’s been mad at me for a year. I need a big comeback–and ZERO drama.

So first thing, I get tackled at the airport by a sunshiny woman in yellow overalls who’s thwarting my kidnapping… by her grandpas.

That’s Nora Delaune—Parks & Rec director, caffeine-powered menace, and the only person in Rebel willing to give me a chance. She needs me to win games and help save the town’s ice arena before it gets turned into a laser-tag nightmare.

And I… kind of like being needed by her. Even when she’s producing a singing, dancing, wig-wearing ice extravaganza that is definitely not hockey.

Then my sister—the team’s new owner—drops the bomb: if Nora and I “date,” the town might stop hating me.

Fine. We’ll fake it. As long as we don’t call it love.

But between late-night practices, the sugar-addicted swamp-werewolf mascot, otter drama, and the way Nora looks at me like I’m worth rooting for…I’m in trouble.

I came to Rebel to rebuild my career.

I didn’t expect to lose my heart doing it.

𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝘿𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙄𝙩 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘵, 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭-𝘰𝘧-𝘩𝘪𝘫𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘺-𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳!

https://a.co/d/7ZjG02A

Available in KU

*****

Review:

This was such a fun read. Nicholas’s books are always full of humor and quirkiness and small town eccentricities. Throw in a hockey game based off of the zaniness of Banana Ball and it’s a win for me! Readers will need to be OK with what is basically insta-love because the whole book is about a week long 🙂 But that doesn’t keep it from being an enjoyable reader.

Nora is very dedicated to her hometown and she has her reasons for wanting to keep everyone happy & to stay in Rebel. It’s complicated but born of love and is handled in a way that totally works. Alex has his own troubles. He’s basically only ever been wanted or needed because of hockey. Finding himself cut from his team leaves him struggling. But time spent with Nora and the rest of the citizens in Rebel has him looking at life a little differently.

From the the very first page, I was hooked. Goofiness mixed with heart is a hallmark of Nicholas’s stories and she brings it in spades. Returning readers will recognize some of their favorite characters but there’s lots of new ones to fall in love with too. From Otter Club to bonkers hockey, Just Don’t Call It Love is all rom-commy fun with a HEA and a glimpse of what’s to come.

*****

Author Info:

Erin Nicholas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over sixty sexy contemporary romances and rom coms. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy, and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines and happily ever afters. She lives in the Midwest with her husband who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books, her kids who will never read the sex scenes in her books, and family and friends who say they’re shocked by the sex scenes in her books (yeah, right!).

https://www.instagram.com/erinnicholasbooks/

Review – Louis

21 Wednesday Jan 2026

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Louis

Seattle Sasquatch Hockey Series

by Harper Robson

Blurb:

Two Goalies. Only One Net. A Game They Never Saw Coming.

LOUIS

I thought I knew exactly who I was—until a career-threatening injury forced me to realize I was wrong about my hockey future. And my heart.

My name is Louis Tremblay, and I’ve spent twelve years being the King of the Crease and the life of the locker room. But when a brutal on-ice collision tears my world apart, I’m suddenly the guy on the sidelines watching a rookie take my net.

My body is broken, my “straight guy” identity is crumbling after one too many dreams about my backup, and now management wants me to mentor that same backup who’s gunning for my job.

Teaching Tanner Sinclair is supposed to save the team’s season, but the more I show him about life in the pros, the more I realize he’s the only one who truly sees me.

TANNER

I don’t do “low-maintenance” because I’m easy; I do it because I’ve spent my life trying not to rock the boat or cause problems. I came to the Seattle Sasquatch to prove I’m a starter, not to fall for the legendary veteran who thinks he has to push me away to save both our careers.

Helping Louis through his injury was supposed to be a professional courtesy, but it ended up being the first time in my life I felt like I belonged.

Now a starting job with another team is on the table, and the only thing more terrifying than leaving the man I’m falling for is staying in a net he thinks he has to give up for me.

The high-stakes world of pro-hockey only has room for one Number One goalie. But as their connection grows, Louis and Tanner must decide if being the starter is a prize worth holding onto—or if they’re ready to rewrite the game plan together.

Tropes: Bi-Awakening, Grumpy x Sunshine, Goalies in Love, Hurt/Comfort, and one very judgy bearded dragon.

Louis is a complete standalone novel in the Seattle Sasquatch series with no cliffhangers and a guaranteed HEA.

*****

Review:

This is the first of Harper’s books that I’m reading and I really like her style. It’s a smooth, easy read and her characters were interesting, with complex issues. Louis’s fear after his injury was soaked into every page and in the way that he interacts with Tanner. And oh Tanner. The way that he spent his entire life making himself small, never finding a place where he fit in, to just be. And them finding a space together, one of support and connection … buuuut, because of that I wanted more. I wanted more of the two of them with their friends and teammates. I wanted more of them together, Tanner learning from Louis, forming a relationship so that the potential trade had more bite. It’s a solid story and one with a good dose of heart but also one that needed just that little bit more to elevate it.