Review – The Adventurous Bookworm

28 Friday Mar 2025

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The Adventurous Bookworm

Paige Turner series

by Kathleen Brooks

Blurb:

From bookworm to main character.

Paige Turner’s time to fulfill her New Year’s Eve resolution is almost up. She and her book club friends resolved to use the heroines from their favorite romance novels as inspiration for the year. Paige’s resolution had her going through a romance genre and trope checklist to try to lose her V-card, but what she found—besides making new friends—was self-discovery and the confidence to rival any heroine. Paige had used their inspiration to gain her dream job, but now it was time to finally find someone to punch that card.

Paige dives head first into the last part of the year with her own Roman vacation romance, motorcycle club romance, and hello sports romance! However, the heroines in her books never had the unexpected problems Paige faced trying to live out her hockey romance and football romance tropes. And what was she thinking going to an MMA fight? That’s just the beginning, though. It’s Halloween and time to live out as many paranormal tropes as possible in one night. Entering the holiday season, Paige goes from launching the book of her career to a New York City celebrity bachelor auction to heading home to save her small town’s bookstore at Christmas.

By the end of the year, Paige will have gone from bookworm to bookdragon. The questions are: who will be standing next to Paige when the ball drops on New Year’s Eve? And will Paige find more than just someone to punch that card, but someone to deliver her very own happily ever after?

Buy Link:

https://kathleen-brooks.com/books/the-adventurous-bookworm

*****

Review:

Like the previous two books, The Adventurous Bookworm is full of humorous hijinks, quirky fun, and fantastic characters. And like the previous books, is it always 100% realistic? No. Is it entertaining and satisfying? Oh, definitely. It delightfully ties up all of the loose ends and does a wonderful job of wrapping up Paige’s year of adventure, giving her the HEA that I was waiting for. And that ending, whew! I didn’t see it coming and maybe I should have but that just means I’m going to have to go back to see what clues I missed 🙂

If you are looking for a fun rom-com, the Paige Turner series is a fantastic choice.

*****

Author Info:

Kathleen Brooks is a multiple time New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. Kathleen’s stories are romantic suspense mostly set in small fictional towns. Kathleen loves writing about strong female heroines, the men who love them, quirky characters, funny animals, strong communities, sassy octogenarians, and happily-ever-afters.

Kathleen lives in Kentucky with her husband, daughter, and dog who is waiting to make her appearance in one of her books. When not writing, Kathleen always finds time to enjoy reading a good book.

Connect with Kathleen Brooks:

https://kathleen-brooks.com

~

Review – Power Forward

28 Friday Mar 2025

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Power Forward

Chicago Thunder Hockey series

by Jodi Oliver

Blurb:

Jackson

When I attended my teammate’s wedding, I wasn’t expecting to come face to face with the man who broke my heart fourteen years ago. 

He was my teammate. My first love. 

But when I got traded, he threw what we had away.

Now he’s back in my life and he wants to give things another go. 

If I agree to try again, and it all goes wrong, it’s not just my heart that’s at risk of breaking. It’ll be my kids’ hearts too. 

Hayden

I don’t have many regrets in life. Only one. 

Hurting Jackson Wilde.

Since my career ending injury, my life has been on a downward spiral. I’ve projected to the world that everything’s fine, but deep down, I’m a broken man. 

For the last six years I’ve been working on getting back pieces of the man I used to be. Not just to save me from myself, but for this moment. 

A chance to win Jackson back. 

I know it’s not going to be easy, but I’m going to give it my all.

Power Forward is a second chance sports romance featuring a hockey player and an ex-teammate turned sports agent. It includes mental health rep, adorable kids, unintentional matching Halloween costumes and all the Thunder found family vibes.

It is book four in the Chicago Thunder series and can be read as a standalone.

Buy Link:

https://mybook.to/PowerForwardThunder4

Available in KU 

*****

Review:

There’s so much to like about this one – the mental health rep, the fact that love doesn’t fix everything, the found family love … so many feels. Every chapter just grabs the heart more than the last.

I felt for Hayden from the beginning. His struggle and regret is so obvious, as is his continuing feelings for Jackson. Their breakup may have been his fault but there is so much going on with him. And Jackson realizes it as well and, while he is still hesitant, is willing to listen and maybe even forgive. It’s complicated and heartbreaking, but some second chances are worth facing the past and being vulnerable for.

There’s also a great group of secondary characters. The people in Hayden’s life who have been there every step of the way as he does the work to find more stable footing. The Thunder players who are obvious in their love and support to one another. And Jackson’s oh-so-adorable children and the relationship they develop with Hayden and the other players is so very sweet. I love the little family that they’ve created.

While Oliver delivers a great read, it definitely isn’t an easy one. It’s raw, emotional, sweet, funny, steamy, and angsty. Worth all the feels!

*****

Author Info:

Jodi Oliver is a British author who writes MM romance, happily ever after guaranteed. She loves donuts, dogs and ice hockey, and when she hasn’t got her head in a book or hiding in the writing cave, you can find her at an ice hockey game.

She lives in England but dreams of living in the Canadian countryside, with some highland cows and otters.

You can find her on Instagram @JodiOliverAuthor or in her Facebook reader group ‘Jodi Oliver’s Sin Bin’

Connect with Jodi Oliver:

https://www.jodioliver.com/links

~

Review – Someone to Love

27 Thursday Mar 2025

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Someone to Love

The Skylark Series

by Michelle Major

Blurb:

One month. One fake boyfriend. One shot at forever.

I’ve got four weeks to cross one thing off my bucket list—and it isn’t exactly PG.

I’m not the type to take risks, but when a friend battling cancer dares you to go big, you don’t say no. My mission? Lose my V-card before my baby sister’s wedding.

Did I mention she’s marrying my high school crush? Yeah. There’s no way I’m walking into that ceremony as the awkward, untouched older sister.

Enter single dad Ian Barlowe—my sinfully hot, NFL legend neighbor, who owes me big time after his daughter breaks into my house. He offers to make amends by playing my fake boyfriend. How can I say no?

It should be easy enough—except nothing about Ian feels fake. The chemistry? Explosive. His unexpected sweetness? Heart-melting. And the way he seems to like me just as I am? Ruh, roh.

Here’s the thing—I don’t do vulnerability, and neither does he. But as the line between pretend and real starts to blur—especially in the bedroom—I wonder if happily-ever-after is a game we can win.

I set out to score one for the bucket list, but now I’m playing for keeps. And if we’re not careful, I might lose my heart in the final play.

Buy Link:

https://a.co/d/9RsZkOH

Available in KU

*****

Review:

There were moments of humor, some of feels, and a little frustration. Ian and Sadie together are enjoyable, with his support of her and working to improve her confidence. Ian recognizes that she’s giving and loving, sacrificing for others, but that it’s not recognized or returned. I do wish that by the end she’d have been more appreciated by the people around her. She’s getting there and maybe we’ll see more thru the rest of the series.

Ian is working hard at being a good dad, settling into retirement and a new town. He’s trying and it’s obvious, as is his struggle with being loved. This is another one of those moments where I wish we’d gotten a bit more. He has reason for struggling with relationships – his childhood as well as past relationships – but it needed just a little more … explanation? Examples? Just a bit more show not tell, I guess?

It was obvious that we were going to get a third act breakup due to some misunderstanding or miscommunication. These two are struggling so much with their feelings, past hurts, and insecurities. And neither is confident enough to put themselves out there or get advice from someone else.

Overall, though, I liked what Major does here. The characters are interesting and the plot has a good mix of angst, humor, and steam. Looking forward to seeing what happens next for the citizens of Skylark.

(There was a moment that I really had an issue with – Ian and his brother talk about people with an Only Fans account and suggest that they are bad people. I was hoping we’d be past looking down on sex workers. Surely they could have found another way to do this.)

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestselling author Michelle Major loves stories of new beginnings, second chances and always a happily ever after. An avid hiker and avoider of housework, she lives in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains with her husband, two teenagers, and a menagerie of spoiled furbabies. Connect with her at http://www.michellemajor.com.

Connect with Michelle Major:

https://www.instagram.com/michellemajorauthor/

~

Spotlight – The Strike Zone

27 Thursday Mar 2025

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The Strike Zone

The New York Lions #4

by Lulu Moore

Blurb:

My name is Parker King, and I am in love.

Except Scout Davison barely knows I exist.

Therefore, I do what any sensible guy does when he’s trying to get a girl’s attention, I ask her out.

Except I’m too late.

Thanks to the job offer on the New York Lions Social media team, Scout’s focus is on work, so while pining for her I focus on making her my friend instead. Friends first, date later.

Or at least I thought.

The more time we spend together though, the harder it becomes for both of us to deny our feelings.

And when a new company policy makes it almost impossible for us to give in, we find ourselves falling for one another.

Now all we need to do is keep our relationship a secret until after the playoffs, and avoid Coach breathing down our necks.

The Strike Zone is a dangerous place to stay, but we’re going out swinging.

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3CKKIvH

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/thestrikezone

*****

Author Info:

Lulu started writing by accident, and somehow found herself stuck in a fictional world of ice hockey, baseball and billionaires. A world she has no plans to leave. She’s the creator of The New York Players Series, The Tuesday Club Series, and The New York Lions – the worst team in the M.L.B.

More recently she’s ventured across the Atlantic to where her latest novel is set – the beautiful cities of Oxford and Cambridge, and the annual rowing showdown on the River Thames.

She’s a big fan of strong heroines, because those fierce alphas need someone to keep them in check. You’ll find her navigating her way through Romance Land one HEA at a time, and trying to figure out the latest social media platform she needs to post to.

Connect with Lulu

Website: https://lulumoorebooks.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21005275.Lulu_Moore/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lulu-Moore/author/B08WPY8YSW/

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

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/560932142401799

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

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

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lulu-moore

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lulumoorebooks/ 

~

Review – Craving You

25 Tuesday Mar 2025

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Craving You

The Donovans Series

by Samantha Chase

Blurb:

A sexy weekend fling at a wedding.

That’s all it was supposed to be.

And it was, until two little pink lines appeared.

Hailey Donovan was never impulsive. Well, until that weekend at her cousin’s wedding when she met the most attractive man she’d ever seen. They danced, they flirted, and at the end of the night, she threw caution to the wind and agreed to spend the weekend with him. It was never supposed to be more than that—it made no sense to keep in touch when they lived a thousand miles apart. A positive pregnancy test and a mild panic attack later, she kind of wishes they’d stayed in touch. As if that wasn’t enough, turns out her baby-daddy-to-be is her cousin’s new brother-in-law. Things are about to get extremely complicated.

Everything in Max Calloway’s life is coming up roses. Sort of. He was currently living above his brother’s garage, but the expansion of his cybersecurity business and investing in the family bar was going to help change that. And if that wasn’t enough, he’d had the most exciting weekend of his life with a beautiful woman. It’s just too bad he hadn’t been able to convince her to stay in touch. But his luck must really be turning because Hailey’s coming back to Sweetbriar Ridge for a visit, and he’s determined to get her to give them a chance.

Then she tells him he’s going to be a father.

They may be doing things a little out of order, but Max doesn’t let that stand in his way. He’s determined to prove to her that what they have is real. But first Hailey needs to learn to trust that what’s happening between them is more than just a craving.

Buy Link:

https://www.chasing-romance.com/craving-you

*****

Review:

We’re pretty much thrown right into it with Hailey finding out that she’s pregnant, deciding what she’s going to do. And like a good book boyfriend, Max steps up. He throws himself all in to supporting her, letting her lead & make decisions that work for her.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a book of any length if everything just falls into place. Hailey may be all over the place, but she’s got some insecurities from a past relationship and, I mean, there are the hormones so … But all their issues are realistic and their journey to a HEA worked well.

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a Samantha Chase book and I think I have been missing out. Craving You is sweet, quick, & low angst and both Max & Hailey are relatable & likeable. Definitely be adding some books to my TBR pile.

*****

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 – Puck Love

24 Monday Mar 2025

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Puck Love

Elmwood Stories, #6

by Lane Hayes

Length: 70,000 words
Prior Reading: not required
Genre: contemporary, sports
Tropes: Light-angst, hockey, enemies-to-lovers
Trigger/Content Warnings: n/a

Blurb:

Two rivals, one secret, and a shot at forever…

Jake

Favorite things and peeps: hockey, family, friends.
Least favorite person in the entire history of the universe: Mason Trinsky.

I have my reasons, but since you’re curious, Trinsky is a showboat and a loudmouth. Sure, he’s a great athlete. Good for him. I accept that we have mutual friends, and I grudgingly accept that he’ll be a coach at Elmwood Junior Camp this summer—however, I plan to keep my distance.

Of course, some wise guy pairs us up for a camping expedition, and everything that can go wrong does go wrong.

Guess who I’m stuck with?

Trinsky

Favorite things and peeps: hockey, surfing, and my kid brother
Least favorite person in the entire history of the universe: Jake Milligan

Look, I might be in the minority, but if you ask me, Jake is a nitpicking diva who wants everything his way. I hope my NHL team crushes his, and this summer, I want my campers to out-prank his. Childish? Nah, it’s all in good fun.

Until it starts to feel…complicated. I shouldn’t care if he’s happy, should I? I don’t want to be Jake’s friend. I don’t want to have feelings for him at all.

The only thing that matters is hockey. It’s all about the puck. Not love.

Or is it?

Puck Love is an MM bisexual, small-town romance featuring hockey’s hottest rivals, a hiking trip gone wrong, and a shot at forever…

AVAILABLE NOW

https://getbook.at/pucklove-tours

*****

Review:

Y’all, every new Elmwood book is my new favorite. These couples just keep getting better & better and again I have to say that these two may be my favoritist. They just stole my heart. Jake with his quiet seriousness, holding so much of the world on his shoulders. And loud, boisterous Trinsky, who hides a deeper, softer side. Opposites fighting it out on the ice and, mostly thanks to Trinsky’s big mouth, in the media as well. But time spent together gives them the opportunity to see a little further below the surface.

I loved how these two end up spending time together against their will but find themselves slowly getting to know each other. It is so sweet, so touching, as they discover more about each other. Their dedication and love for others, glimpses of the caring men they are. Creating an unexpected connection … and an inescapable attraction.

Puck Love is low angst, adorable, wholesome, sexy, and such a satisfying end to the series. Returning readers will have the opportunity to catch up with characters from past books, but this can be read as a stand alone … why would you want to tho!

*****

Author Info:

Lane Hayes  lives in sunny Southern California with her amazing husband, who thankfully doesn’t mind cooking, and their fabulous fox red Labrador, George, who’s pure mischief. Both provide oodles of inspiration for the low-angst, humorous books Lane loves to write.
She’s been telling stories about sexy, funny, sometimes geeky and quirky men who find love for a dozen years now and loving every minute. In her previous life, she sat at a desk and dealt with numbers, so yes…romance is much more satisfying!

Lane loves tea, travel, and chocolate…in any order. Add a book and she’s set!

My Readers’ Group, Lane’s Lovers: https://bit.ly/3aIbMYg
My Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3cICfaK
Website: www.lane-hayes.com
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/lanehayes.bsky.social
Twitter: twitter.com/LaneHayes3
FB: facebook.com/LaneHayesAuthor
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/lanehayes
BookBub: bookbub.com/authors/lane-hayes
Instagram: instagram.com/lanehayesauthor/
Goodreads: goodreads.com/LaneHayes

*****

Review – Slash & Burn

21 Friday Mar 2025

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Slash and Burn

Holden Cove #2

by Maddy Lowe

Blurb:

Jill Jordan could not be any more off-limits.

A fact that her older brother—one of my best friends and the county sheriff—refuses to let me forget. But I don’t need the warning. I’m home for the summer to recover from an accident—one that broke my body and messed with my head. I’ve got three months to get back on the ice and prove I’m capable of leading my team again, or I can kiss everything I’ve ever worked for goodbye.

But when Jill and I are forced to team up on a community reading program, the sexy librarian is hard to hide from. She looks at me like she knows me. Like she sees right through the act I’m trying to pull off. When I finally trust her with the truth, she offers to help me in secret, because it turns out she’s got just as much riding on this as I do.

Getting to know Jill again—all grown up and more gorgeous than ever—has me skating on thin ice before I know it. Pretty soon getting caught by her brother is the least of my worries. With my dream on the line, I need to keep my head in the game, but Jill is more than just a distraction. And this is more than just a summer fling I can slash and burn.

Buy Link:

https://a.co/d/5OQ6zUf
Available in KU 

*****

Review:

I adored Jill and Grady together. They provide support and understanding to each other, stepping in when the other stumbles or loses confidence, as they handle their individual anxieties and traumas. It gives them a connection they didn’t expect.

As with Down & Dirty, book 2 in the series has great characters and I liked the direction their relationship takes. This one isn’t as angsty but their HEA still takes a bit of work and I’m here for it. I also enjoyed the way that she normalizes mental health in their story.

I am so glad I found Lowe. Her Holden Cove series has been so enjoyable and I feel like she’s just going to keep giving us great reads.

*****

Author Info:

Maddy Lowe is a small town, contemporary romance author who lives in the woods of New Hampshire with her goofy hound, Oliver. When not dreaming up ways to make love bloom in her tiny fictional town of Holden Cove, you can find her floating in a kayak or mixing up margaritas.

Connect with Maddy Lowe:

https://www.instagram.com/maddylowebooks/

~

Review – My Silver Lining

20 Thursday Mar 2025

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My Silver Lining

Rosewood River series

by Laura Pavlov

Blurb:

Lulu Sonnet is the bane of my existence.

She’s caused me more physical pain than any man should ever endure.

From an accidental throat punch to a near death by shovel—

Don’t even get me started on that vicious pool ball accident where she almost robbed me of my family jewels.

She’s a hot little heathen, and what’s worse?

She’s staying in my brother’s rental house while I’m temporarily living in the guest house.

And now she needs a favor.

A fake boyfriend.

I’ll dote on her for a few weeks, she’ll return the favor so my boss’s daughter will stop nagging me, and then we’ll part ways.

It seems simple enough.

Until we end up in the same shower.

And then the same bed.

The lines are blurring.

She’s beautiful and fierce and sexy all at the same time.

But Lulu isn’t staying in Rosewood River forever.

The place I call home is just a pitstop for her.

But suddenly everything I thought I wanted is no longer important to me.

My fake girlfriend has turned my world upside down.

And now nothing feels right without her.

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3Cg1RwP

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://geni.us/mysilverlining

Paperback releasing March 25th!

Audible: https://bit.ly/3DjEwLr
Narrated by: Sean Masters & Vanessa Edwin

*****

Review:

Pavlov has become one of those writers that I trust is going to give me a book I love. I was a little hesitant with Lulu – I’m not always a fan of the prickly, black catty kind of heroines – but I adored her. She’s feisty, sassy, and complicated. Her interactions with Rafe are entertaining and they fit together so well as their fake relationship develops into something more real. And speaking of Rafe, he makes a pretty darn good fake boyfriend. And an even better real one. He’s good for Lulu, supporting her and centering her with she needs it. I loved it.

*****

Author Info:

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!

Connect with Laura

Website: https://www.laurapavlov.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6569734.Laura_Pavlov

Amazon: http://amzn.to/3c1xKZX

Facebook: http://bit.ly/3eSvEdp

Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2OKU6T5

Instagram: https://bit.ly/2TKf5Zs

X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurapavlov2

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

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/3ii8Vdp

~

Spotlight – Save Your Breath

20 Thursday Mar 2025

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Save Your Breath

Kings of the Ice series

by Kandi Steiner

Tropes: Pro Hockey Romance, Fake Engagement, Athlete & Pop Star, Childhood Friends to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Unrequited Love (or so they think), Opposites Attract, Slow Burn

Blurb:

THIS JUST IN: HOCKEY BAD BOY AND POP STAR EXTRAORDINAIRE ENGAGED!

That was the headline we’d wanted. If only I’d known the cost to get it.

Aleksander Suter has been my best friend since high school—and the only man who’s ever been able to truly get under my skin. With his reputation for trouble and a smirk that could melt ice, he’s also the NHL’s favorite bad boy.

When my publicist’s plan to fix my image collides with his need to clean up his own, we find ourselves in a fake engagement that feels too real from the start.

Now, I’m releasing my new album, putting on a show for the paparazzi I usually try to dodge, and falling too fast for a man who never falls for anyone. Every stolen glance, every heated touch blurs the lines between us until I’m wondering where the lies end and the truth begins.

And when a hurricane traps us together in his high-rise condo, all my carefully built walls collapse, and resisting the pull between us becomes a losing game.

Suddenly, the stakes are higher than just headlines, and the risks feel more personal than ever.

But as our past resurfaces and old feelings reignite, I realize the biggest risk isn’t losing my career—it’s losing my heart to the one person I thought would never be mine.

Save Your Breath is book four in the Kings of the Ice series: a series of interconnected standalones following a team of professional hockey players and the women who bring them to their knees. They do not need to be read in order, but you will gain glimpses of future characters/couples in each book.

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/410s907

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3V90feH

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/SaveYourBreath

Amazon Model Paperback: https://bit.ly/41PXFhf

Barnes & Noble Model Paperback: https://bit.ly/41C4DoM

Amazon Special Edition Paperback: https://bit.ly/41GLgLc

Barnes & Noble Special Edition Paperback: https://bit.ly/3QVG01h

Renegade UK Paperback*: https://bit.ly/4ibY57o

Listen to the Kings of Ice series in audio! https://bit.ly/3QZWiX1

*Includes delivery to the US & CA.

*****

Author Info:

Kandi Steiner is a USA Today and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author living in Tennessee. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.

An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. Her love for writing started at the ripe age of 10, and in 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.”

She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a hopeless romantic and found herself bursting at the seams with love stories she was eager to tell.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, planning her next adventure, or pole dancing (yes, you read that right). She enjoys live music, traveling, hiking, yoga, spending quality time with her family (fur babies included) and soaking up the sweetness of life.

Connect with Kandi

Website:  www.kandisteiner.com

Newsletter: kandisteiner.com/newsletter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7319216.Kandi_Steiner

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kandi-Steiner/e/B00JDJOINE 

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

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KandiSteiner

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kandi-steiner

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

Pinterest: pinterest.com/authorkandisteiner

Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future: www.kandisteiner.com/events

~

Review – Down & Dirty

19 Wednesday Mar 2025

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Down & Dirty

Holden Cove #1

by Maddy Lowe

Blurb:

Skylar Stone hates me.
It’s just harder to tell now that I’m paying her to pretend she doesn’t.

Being a motocross legend with a pretty face has earned me some of the most lucrative modeling contracts around. So, when my ex’s sex tape scandal puts my endorsement deals in jeopardy I’ll do just about anything to save my reputation – including hiring my teammate’s uppity older sister to be my fake girlfriend. It’s the perfect solution. She gets the cash she needs for her son, and I get to keep my modeling career on the upswing.

But riding 450s on a muddy track is easier than dating this woman. Photo ops and late nights turn into blurred lines, and before I know it there’s more at risk than just my financial future. A lot more.

When the deal we struck goes way off course, the only way to protect our hearts, is to play it down and dirty.

Down & Dirty is the first in a series of stand alone small town romances.

*****

Review:

I liked these two. Skylar does make some assumptions about Corey but she quickly finds out that he’s nothing like what she thinks he is. He’s caring, with more depth and understanding, seeing her like no one else does. And while he’s already a good guy, Corey grows thru his relationship with Skylar, realizing that there’s more to life and their relationship than he would have imagined.

There’s a bit of angst – they got together under less than truthful circumstances so it isn’t surprising. It makes sense for their situation and their personalities, not drama for drama’s sake, and it is resolved in a way that worked for me.

While writing this review, I found out this is the first work by Lowe and I am pleasantly surprised. The pacing was a smidge off (it drug just a bit) but the characters were really well done and I liked the way their relationship evolved. I’m excited to see what comes with book 2!