Review – Only One Island

20 Sunday Jul 2025

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Only One Island

by R. Cayden

Blurb:

Castaway with his boss’s son.

HANK

I’ve attended some dreadful company parties, but getting lost at sea marks a new low for a work event.

My only companion on this life raft is Elliot. He’s ten years younger than me, wildly chaotic, and mostly responsible for getting us in this mess.

The fact that he’s also my new boss’s son is just a cherry on top of this terrifying, near-death sundae.

We crash on a small island, stranded somewhere off the coast of Seattle.

Elliot and I are exhausted, battered, and hungry. We lost half our clothes in the desperate swim to shore, and there are more storms on the horizon.

But we made it, and surely, we’ll be rescued soon.

If only we can agree on a survival strategy.

I’m an amateur naturalist and detail-oriented person, while Elliot is… creative.

Maybe it’s a survival instinct, but as the nights pass, Elliot and I find comfort in each other’s arms.

He becomes everything to me, my other half.

Until we get rescued, that is, and the real world comes to pull us apart.

Only One Island is a 70K M/M romance, loaded with heat and geeky fun. Our opposites-attract heroes danger-bang their way to survival and a well-earned HEA, with plentiful nature facts and constant disasters along the way. Enjoy!

*****

Review:

There’s not a lot of drama here, outside of how horrible Elliot’s family treat him and how & when they will get off the island. While enjoy feels like the wrong word I liked the first half of the book for their struggle to survive, trying to find food & shelter & rescue, and as it turns into a case of if it can go wrong it will go wrong. Unfortunately it doesn’t get that much easier for them once they do get saved.

But they’ve developed a connection and it’s one strong enough to get them through whatever life throws at them. I like that they recognize that things they’ve been thru could create a trauma bond but after time recognize that they have real feelings and work well together. They are opposites and Elliot brings lightness & fun to Hank who does a good job of providing the support & confidence that he needs.

I’m not sure if I’m disappointed or delighted by how things turn out, most especially with the issues at Hank’s office. I can definitely say I thought it was going to go in a different direction. But I do like where everyone ends up so I consider it a win. And the epilogue is just the sweetest.

Review – Sweet Thing

17 Thursday Jul 2025

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Sweet Thing

Chicago Players #1

by Kate Meader

Blurb:

My dad’s teammate needs a nanny and I need a job. Sounds perfect, right? Except for my massive crush on him … the one he knows all about.

LARS

I just found out I’m a dad.

My one-night stand dropped a baby bombshell in my local bar where I was celebrating my team’s win. Then she fled, leaving me holding my new daughter.

Thank God for Adeline. The daughter of my teammate and closest friend on the Chicago Rebels, she practically raised her little sister and knows exactly how to deal with this situation. I need a nanny; she needs a job. Problem sorted, right?

Not so fast …

ADELINE

I think you’re the sexiest guy alive.

That’s what Lars Nyquist overheard me say while recounting my embarrassing crush on him. Yeah, that Lars Nyquist. Defenseman for the Chicago Rebels. Owner of the thickest thighs in the league. More than a decade my senior. Oh, and my dad’s teammate.

My only option? Leave the country, of course. Luckily, I’d already planned a round-the-world trip with my bestie and by the time I returned to Chicago a year later, I expected my blunder would be long forgotten. Shows what I know. Now I’m lying awake in the bedroom next to his while playing nanny to his surprise little girl. But I can ignore this stupid infatuation. I have to. Even though the sight of Lars learning to be a dad leaves me breathless and takes that crush to a whole other level.

One that has the potential to break my sorry little heart …

Sweet Thing is the first book in the brand new Chicago Players hockey series from Kate Meader, the USA Today bestselling author of the Chicago Rebels and Rookie Rebels series.

https://geni.us/sweet-thing

*****

Review:

I’m a little conflicted about this one. I liked the slow burn and the characters are interesting, with their hangups and troubles (although I do wish both of them had gotten some professional help). Plus his daughter, and the relationship he develops with her, is just the absolute cutest. I also like the idea of Addy and Lars together, the way they are brought together and even the way things are resolved between them. It is a little predictable but aren’t most romances 🙂

I did find the age gap a little much for me, just a personal preference when its anything over 10 years and one of them is that young. It helps that Addy is a bit of an old soul so most of the time I didn’t even really think about it unless they brought it up. Some others found issue with the friendship between her dad and Lars but it didn’t really bug me all that much. I found their relationship kinda fatherly anyway.

Overall I liked these two together, loved little Mabel, and enjoyed them figuring out a way to a HEA. There are some hints leading to future books, including a cliff-hangerish moment in the epilogue. I’m definitely intrigued and excited to see where Meader is going to take things.

(There’s a lot of characters that returning readers will know but I got a little jumbled for me as a newbie. But the romance itself will stand on its own.)

*****

Author Info:

Originally from Ireland, USA Today bestselling author Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron, a fire hose, or a hockey stick, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with big-hearted guys and strong heroines – and heroes – who can match their men quip for quip..

Connect with Kate Meader:

https://www.katemeader.com/links

~

Review – Tempting Me

15 Tuesday Jul 2025

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Tempting Me

The Asher Family #3

by Jami Rogers

Blurb:

Luca Asher is my brother’s ex-best friend, the best contractor in our small town of Lovers, a walking dream when he doesn’t have a shirt on—heck, with it on, too, and he was the first boy I ever loved.

He just doesn’t know that last part.

On the rare occasions I converse with him, I get a comeback for everything.

Our banter is my favorite thing. He’s so clever and quick and, again, sexier than any man I’ve ever met.

But none of that changes the fact that he betrayed my brother. My family. Me.

And none of those facts would matter except for my one little problem.

I had this plan to save my family’s marina, which backfired. Now, my parents have given me a deadline to prove to them it’s still worth saving. If I don’t make it, they’ll sell everything, and I’ll lose my dream to keep the place.

They gave me one rule: do not hire that Asher boy.

At this point, I have only one option left to make this happen.

Hire Luca and beg him not to tell a single soul about it.

My heart forgave him years ago, but my head knows better than to trust the enemy.

And yet, in a matter of weeks, he starts to remind me of the old us, and I find myself falling for him all over again.

The idea of me and Luca is … tempting.

Tempting Me is a small-town, steamy, enemies to lovers romance with his ex-best friend’s sister, lots of banter, and a secret agreement.

Buy Link: 

https://geni.us/AmazonTM

Available in KU 

*****

Review:

I liked Luca and his blunt truthfulness. His straightforwardness is refreshing and leads to some fun (and awkward) moments with Shay. And I can’t blame him for his hurt over the past and the want to feel like enough as he is. Who doesn’t want to be trusted and liked for all they are.

Shay definitely comes across as a bit childish in spots. Especially in her treatment of Luca. I understand where she’s coming from, trying to hide her crush and follow the wishes of her family. But come on girl! I do feel for her with the way her parents treat her attachment to The Marina. The way that plays out is harsh … but also sweet.

This is my first book by Rogers and I enjoyed it. I found the characters a little immature in some places and I felt like a few places needed a bit more resolution, but I’m definitely interested in more from her.

*****

Author Info:

Just a girl who loves to write small town romance books and wants to share them with the world.

Connect with Jami Rogers:

https://linktr.ee/authorjamirogers

Spotlight – Penn

15 Tuesday Jul 2025

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Penn

Pittsburgh Titans series

by Sawyer Bennett

Blurb:

Penn Navarro is the best player in the league—unstoppable on the ice, untouchable off it. But the moment the game ends, so do the celebrations. Because no amount of goals, no number of wins, can silence the demons that haunt him.

Hockey is my life. It’s what I was born to do. That’s not ego talking, just fact—I’ve spent years honing my skills, earning my place among the elite. But talent doesn’t erase my mistakes, and no amount of success will make me forget the damage I’ve done. It’s why I keep my distance from my teammates, because if you never let anyone in, you’ll never get hurt. Or those are the lies that I tell myself.

Mila Brennan represents the darkest parts of my history. She’s a ghost I’ve tried to bury, the reminder of everything I’ve lost. When she shows up in Pittsburgh looking for me, I know nothing good will come of it, because our sins don’t stay forgotten. They fester, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, and Mila’s arrival means my time is up.

The past isn’t just knocking at my door—it’s kicking it down, crumbling all the walls I’ve built around myself in the process. And when the danger comes for us both, I’m forced to do the one thing I swore I never would. Let her in.

Buy Link:

https://geni.us/SB-Penn

*****

Author Info:

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.

If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).

Connect with Sawyer Bennett:

https://geni.us/SawyerBennett

Spotlight – Karma’s a Beach

15 Tuesday Jul 2025

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Karma’s a Beach

by Samantha Chase

Blurb:

It’s bad enough I have to fly home for a funeral.

Not just any funeral either. My ex’s funeral. Where I have to give the eulogy.

Let’s just say he was an ex for a reason, and I’d much rather write a speech about his flaws than wax poetic about what a great person he was. But I just couldn’t bring myself to say no to his mom when she asked.

So here we are.

I just have to get through the funeral and then it’s a whole month of relaxing on the beach with my oldest friends.

But of course, nothing ever goes according to plan.

Entitled passengers, flight delays, lost luggage. Everything that could wrong went wrong. And I might have had a little too much wine and spilled my entire life story to the man in the seat next to me. The incredibly nice, incredibly sexy man sitting next to me.

It’s a good thing I’ll likely never see him again.

Or so I thought.

The stranger who awkwardly comforts me at my ex’s funeral? Airplane guy.

And I’ll give you one guess about who shows up at the beach house.

Kill. Me. Now.

This was supposed to be a relaxing vacation, but now I have to worry about how attracted I am to a man who knows entirely too much about me and only seems to catch me at my absolute worst.

Or maybe I’ll get lucky and he’ll be into hot messes.

Buy Links:

https://geni.us/KarmaBeach

*****

Author Info:

Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance that’s hotter than sweet, sweeter than hot. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than eighty titles under her belt – including THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE which was a Hallmark Christmas movie in 2017 and THE WEDDING SEASON which was a Hallmark wedding movie in 2023! She’s a Disney enthusiast who still happily listens to 80’s rock. When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Solitaire when she should be writing, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 32 years and their two sons in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Connect with Samantha Chase:

https://linkin.bio/samanthachaseromance

Review – Scrooge You!

14 Monday Jul 2025

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Scrooge You!

Christmas Falls series

by Brigham Vaughn

Blurb:

Joel McArthur thought he knew everyone in the small town of Christmas Falls. He’s been running Ginger’s Breads bakery for more than a decade, after all. But who is the mysterious runner who’s been passing by his shop every morning?

Hayden Bradley’s post-college plans fell through, landing him in this stupid small town he can’t get out of fast enough. He hates Christmas and he’s tired of the endless holiday cheer. But as Hayden finds himself spending more and more time at Joel’s bakery, he’s forced to admit that he’s developed a taste for the ginger-molasses cookies and the handsome ginger-haired baker who makes them.

Christmas Falls is a multi-author M/M romance series set in a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie.

Scrooge You! (Christmas Falls Season 1) – Audiobook

*****

Review:

I got the audiobook of this one and I really enjoyed it. It’s a little Christmas in July treat with all sorts of holiday fun, read by James Edward Jones who has a smooth voice and gentle cadence. He helps make it a soft and comfy listen.

I like both Joel & Hayden and enjoyed seeing them figure things out. Hayden is a fun grump to Joel’s more sedate sunshine. A sunshine that slowly gets Hayden looking at the holidays in a more positive manner and evaluating exactly what he wants for his future.

Scrooge You! is non-angsty, easy to read with no real drama other than the expected over whether Hayden will stay or find a job somewhere else. It has characters that feel real, with real problems and real relationships, and a romance that slowly works its way to a HEA. That cozy kind of read is one of my favs, especially in a holiday romance.

Review – Take a Chance

12 Saturday Jul 2025

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Take a Chance

Blue Creek Ranch series

by Kris T. Bethke & Tia Fielding

Blurb:

To say Mal Trevino is down on his luck might be an understatement. Out of work and the sole parent of his young son, he’ll do whatever it takes to get back on his feet again. But his luck seems to finally be turning when he applies for, and lands, a job at Blue Creek Ranch. The Harringtons seem too good to be true but he’s not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He takes all that they offer and works hard, while also trying to avoid getting too attached. Mal knows all too well that the good things in life can be taken in a blink.

Crew Harrington’s mission in life is to keep his family ranch thriving. Hiring Mal quickly proves to be a good decision. Mal is competent, capable, and shows a lot of talent. The only downside? That’s Crew’s kryptonite. Getting involved with an employee is a recipe for disaster. But there’s no denying the chemistry between the two men. All they have to do is figure out how to make it work. 

It starts out as a bit of a rough ride. Crew’s missteps reinforce Mal’s walls. But as the days pass and the more time they spend together, the harder it is for them to stay away from each other. As Crew and Mal learn to communicate, and let each other in, love isn’t far behind. All Crew wants is for Mal to take a chance; on him, on their future, and on happily ever after. 

Buy Link:

https://getbook.at/BlueCreekRanch1

*****

Review:

Take a Chance is all about the slow burn & slow angst as there isn’t a ton of drama or issues with others. Just a bit of miscommunication and some troubles caused by Mal’s history. It’s handled well by Crew as he gets to know Mal and his absolutely adorable son. He is so supportive and understanding, but that makes sense based on his amazing family. They all opened their doors, arms, and hearts to Mal and Payton.

Mal has some issues with trust and letting people in. As much as he wants to believe the Harrington’s are truly as caring as they seem, he struggles. People haven’t been as accepting of him and it’s left some scars. But it doesn’t take long for them to wear him down, tho it does take a little longer for him to be as sure of Crew.

Found family is one of my fav tropes and this delivers in spades. I’m looking forward to getting know the rest of the siblings as we get more books in this series. And hopefully get more of Mal and super cute Payton!

Spotlight – I Could Be Yours

10 Thursday Jul 2025

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I Could Be Yours

by Helena Hunting

Blurb:

The best man ghosted me six years ago after kissing me, and now I have to plan every wedding event under the sun with him. 

Nate Stiles is the definition of serious. Furrowed brow? Check. Rain cloud personality? Double check.

I shouldn’t be thinking about the fact that our kiss was the best one of my life right now. I should be planning the bachelorette party of the millennium.

I shouldn’t be wondering when Nate became such a good dancer after we got roped into salsa lessons with the happy couple. I should be mentally ticking off boxes on my bridal checklists.

I shouldn’t be wondering what it would be like if I didn’t hate Nate Stiles. I should be holding strong against a man who doesn’t believe in love.

My name is Essie Lovelock. I am a reformed love obsessed fairytale fanatic and I’m determined to be the best maid of honor my best friend could ever have.

And I am absolutely not going to fall for the best man.

*Nate and Essie’s standalone summer holiday romance. This title can be read as a complete standalone.

Buy Link: 

https://helenahunting.com/books/icby

Available in KU 

*****

Author Info:

NYT and USA Today bestselling author, Helena Hunting lives outside of Toronto with her amazing family and her adorable, emotional cat, who thinks the best place to sleep is her keyboard. Helena writes everything from emotional contemporary romance to romantic comedies that will have you laughing until you cry.

Connect with Helena Hunting:

https://linktr.ee/helenahunting

Review – Crazy Love

10 Thursday Jul 2025

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A small town, marriage of convenience, single dad, sports romance from USA Today Bestselling Author Willow Aster

Crazy Love

The Single Dad Playbook Series

by Willow Aster

Blurb:

Penn Hudson. Sexy. Intense. Gorgeous.
The star running back of the Colorado Mustangs.
Well-known playboy and consummate bachelor.
We met in the Bahamas.
I knew exactly who he was.
He had no idea who I was.
Yet for a few blissful hours, it didn’t matter.
We had an unbelievable connection…
Something special that held so much promise.
Then I unexpectedly had to leave and never had a chance to say goodbye.

Fast-forward to today, when I am about to see Penn again,
and he’s going to find out exactly who he was kissing in the Bahamas.
I’m excited about my new job and returning to my hometown of Silver Hills.
But seeing him every day won’t be easy,
especially with the lingering memory of his touch and the attraction that still burns between us.
When he faces an obstacle in adopting a young boy he’s mentored for years,
I offer him a solution I never thought I’d make:
A fake marriage.
He needs to show stability and a squeaky-clean public image,
and I figure, how hard could it be to play house?
But as time goes by, nothing feels fake anymore.

I’d always planned on getting married for love,
but sometimes we make once-in-a-lifetime sacrifices.
I just hope I won’t be devastated in the process.

Crazy Love is book five in the standalone The Single Dad Playbook series.

Goodreads: https://geni.us/CrazyLoveGR 

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://geni.us/Crazylove

*****

Review:

Honestly, I don’t think I even read the blurb before signing up for this one so I was a smidge disappointed that we went the obvious fake marriage route. The trope can be fantastic but it can also be bad, depending on how it’s written, but I shouldn’t haven’t doubted Aster because she handles it like a dream. And really the story is about so much more.

It’s full of humor and feels, with adorable kids and a just as adorable dad Penn, and I couldn’t have been happier with how everything goes. Crazy Love is low angst and so satisfying as we get to be there while Penn figures out how to be a dad and a husband, from the first meet cute with Addy to the sweet ending for this adorable family.

I am so sad to see this series end. I absolutely loved these guys. The way that they support each other, stepping up when they needed to, giving themselves whole body to their kids and their women. And Penn is no different. He comes into himself so much here and I loved every minute of it.

Aster was a new to me author when I picked up my first Single Dad Playbook story but she quickly found a place on my must read author list.

Spotlight – The Wildest One

10 Thursday Jul 2025

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A scorching hot, hockey, forbidden, billionaire romance from USA Today best-selling author Marni Mann …

The Wildest One

The Weston Group #2

by Marni Mann

Blurb:

I’m not the calm before the storm. I am the storm. And only she can tame my wild ways.

Hockey is my religion.

My body is my temple.

My only goal in life is to win another Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Whales, so women are just a sexy distraction.

Until her.

The fiery redhead I see across the bar while I’m at an away game.

With one look, I know I have to meet her.

With one touch, I need her beneath me.

With one bat of her long lashes, I want those eyes gazing up at me as she kneels before me.

And with booze flowing through my veins, I do something I’ve never done. I offer her a proposition—to spend a long weekend with me.

What is only supposed to be three nights of sizzling passion turns into much more, and when I leave for my next away game, I find myself wanting her in ways I’ve never felt.

She’s a young heart with an old soul.

My dream woman in every way.

The only thing I’ve ever encountered that my family name, talent and money can’t attain.

But there’s too much distance between us, and I realize that maybe we just aren’t meant to be.

Until a chance meeting skates us right back together and our time is suddenly now.

Except all of that changes when I learn the truth …

She’s forbidden, untouchable, and off-limits.

With my heart on the line, can I score the most crucial goal of my life, or will she realize that being with the wildest one isn’t worth the sacrifices she’ll have to make?

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4ib3r2d

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://geni.us/TheWildestOne

Audio: https://geni.us/TheWildestOneAudio
Narrated by: Sean Masters & Savannah Peachwood