Who needs a fairytale, when you’ve got a fancy dress wedding.
Dragged to her best friendβs Tudor-themed wedding at Hever Castle, Hayley Price figured she could handle a few costume changes and a little harmless role play.
She was not expecting a corset out for blood, a hostile hedge, or a persistently problematic peacock.
Paired with Tyler Ashford⦠insufferable, inconveniently attractive, and cast as the earl. Their mission is simple: pretend to be madly in love.
Easy⦠right? Stay in character. Convince the audience.
But as the weekend unravels into a comedy of errors and sparks fly, their fake romance starts to feel dangerously real. Complete with wardrobe malfunctions, rogue hair rollers, and a leading man who thinks the bathtub is a perfectly acceptable place to flirt.
Happily ever after wasnβt in the script, and enemies-to-lovers has never looked so undignified.
*****
Review:
I found this book to be a hoot. Very Bridget Jones’s Diary, with a clumsy, trouble-prone heroine and a more staid hero who is charmed by her. Based on Goodreads, it looks like Bell is a new author and she’s got lots of things going for her. There’s entertaining humor and banter, also sweetness as Hayley gets to know Tyler even better. Could there have been more depth? Probably. Were there scenes missing that would have enhanced the story? Sure. I would love to get a better understanding of why Tyler is the black sheep & some of his history and see some more interactions of both of them with their friends. But even with a few plot holes, I was overall just as charmed as Tyler. And I’m definitely going to be looking out for more from this author.
*****
Author Info:
Sarah Bell writes swoony, slow-burn, romances full of flirty banter, emotional depth, and those deliciously heart-twisting moments that lead to unforgettable happily-ever-afters.
She believes love should make you laugh as much as it makes you feel, and her books deliver both in equal measure.
Based in West Sussex, England, Sarah writes from a makeshift office planted firmly in the middle of family chaos, wedged between plastic toys, PlayStation controllers, and far too many abandoned colouring pages.
She writes what she affectionately calls Baby Spice Sarah-lit: perfectly imperfect, emotionally honest romance designed to make you laugh, ache, and fall in love.
Her books blend humour, warmth, vulnerability, and longing, capturing romance at its most human.
A risk prevention specialist with a tight grip on his heart meets the prince of pandemonium who wants to set it free.
For Rayden James, love means devastating loss, so he focuses his energy on growing his private security business and avoiding romantic entanglements at all costs. His dedication pays off when his company lands its largest account yet. But the ink is barely dry on the contract when a chaotic charmer crashes through his defenses and makes Ray crave things he shouldnβt want.
Atticus Livengood is not living up to his name after a teeny-tiny mistake costs him his career, his home, and his dignity. With his self-esteem circling the drain, Atticus makes overhauling his life the top priority. A new job offers the perfect fresh start until a hopeless attraction to the head of security threatens to trip him up.
Sparks fly from the jump, and each new encounter fuels a physical and emotional connection that refuses to be ignored. But surrendering to their desire means making themselves vulnerable to one another and a fickle universe that takes just as quickly as it gives. Will Ray and Atticus stand and deliver for a chance at love or play it safe and walk away?
Tropes: Tortured hero, grumpy/sunshine, hurt/comfort, opposites attract, and a little forced proximity
*****
Excerpt:
Rounding the side of the building, I saw a hooded figure wailing away on a grayish hatchback car with a crowbar. Heβd already knocked out one of the windows on the side I could see and had likely knocked out one on the opposite side too. I ripped my walkie-talkie off the belt and radioed for help as I willed the stupid golf cart to go faster.Β
βAre you fucking kidding me?β came Archerβs tinny reply.
βNo, damn it. I need backup at the community recreational building. Call the police.βΒ
βPolice? Whatβs going on?β
βJust get here.β Thinking of the sabotaged batteries, I added, βBetter drive our SUV.β As if to prove my point, the electric motor sputtered and whined. βShit.βΒ
Clang, clang, clang. Crash!
The assailant was too busy bashing the rear quarter panel and window on the poor car to notice my approach. I wanted to keep it that way.Β
βWhatβs that noise?β Archer demanded.
βAn assault on a vehicle. Get here.β
βIβm already on my way. Almost to the SUV. Should you approach this perp alone?β
βSo far, the assailant has only brandished a crowbar. I can survive that.βΒ
The electric golf cart battery died, and I bit back another curse. The hooded assailant jerked his head up, noticing me for the first time.Β
Launching myself out of the cart, I commanded, βDonβt move.βΒ
The assailant froze like a deer in headlights for all of two seconds before he turned and ran. I pumped my arms and legs fast in pursuit, smiling to myself because I had done my homework, and his chosen path only led to trouble. Sure enough, I rounded the building and saw that the perp had trapped himself between the building on the right, an eight-foot stone wall on the left, and a six-foot privacy fence in front of him that surrounded the outdoor pool, where the occupants jammed to seventiesβ disco music. The only real escape was for this asshole to get past me, and that would not happen.Β
βTogether. Spread βem. Together. Spread βem,β called out a man on the other side of the fence.Β
The assailant raised his crowbar as if he might charge me, then launched it over the poolβs privacy fence instead. He took two steps back to get a run, then leaped toward the top of the fence, landing in the middle with an awkward splat. The guy somehow held on to the top of the fence and dug his toes into the wood to climb the rest of the way. His slow progress allowed me to hit the fence directly behind him. My lead foot landed in the middle of the board, and I used the momentum to propel me up high enough to see over the top. Gripping the fence, I flung my body over the boards, eyes scanning the surroundings to see where the man with the crowbar had gone. My gaze landed on a bare-chested, hot guy balanced on the edge of a chair with his toned legs extending in front of him. He was stuck in the spread βem position as he gaped at me, which sent my mind to places it had no business going under the circumstances.Β
Awareness sparked and sizzled in my brain as familiar eyes locked on me and widened in surprise. I still couldnβt tell if they were green or brown. The world around us faded away, and my descent seemed to slow. Keeping my attention on Atticus was stupid and dangerous. I needed to survey the rest of the area, but I couldnβt tear my gaze away from him, not even when I landed on the concrete with a jarring thud.Β
That momentary distraction allowed the assailant to take a swing at me with the crowbar. I felt the air move and ducked just in the nick of time, so the blow glanced off my shoulder instead of hitting me in the head. I lowered my shoulders and rammed them into his gut, lunging forward with more strength than was necessary to make the tackle. One minute, my feet were on solid ground, and the next, I was falling through air and splashing into the water. My attacker squirmed in my grip, but I wasnβt about to let go. I wanted to take the fucker down to the bottom of the pool and alligator roll him until he stopped moving. But a cooler head prevailed, and I dragged the assailant to the surface of the pool.Β
*****
Review:
There were lots of times that I smiled at this book and even giggled a few times. Kit is so eager and earnest and he fits in so well with the residents of Silver Maple. I love him for all his clumsy, enthusiastic glory and I love Ray for his steadiness & his appreciation of what makes Kit Kit. They are great together, with Ray helping Kit get his self esteem back and Kit helping Ray to let go of some of his guilt. Both of them have a lot of trauma to address, and a therapist is mentioned but no one actually sees one. I’m hoping that maybe that comes up more as we move through the other books because both of them deserve to be, and love as, their unabashed selves.
And I’m looking forward to the next books because I love the idea of the RAVEN guys. Found family / Band of Brothers type series are some of my favorites and there is so much potential here. These guys have traumas that they need to face in order to be able to truly live again, which means there is a lot of potential here. Unfortunately we didn’t really get to know them all that well. We’re introduced to them and given little hints but maybe we’ll have to wait for their individual books to really get to know them. Which is fine, but it just loses a little of that something special.
As a first book in a new series, taking on the work of introducing a new world, Walker does a good job with Stand and Deliver. It’s spicy and funny but also pulls at the heartstrings as both Kit and Ray, and later his friends, have to address past hurts. It’s a slow burn with a pretty obvious relationship issue that they have to get past, but I like the way Walker handles things and I have faith that she’ll take us somewhere good.
*****
Author Info:
Aimee Nicole Walker is an international bestselling author of Male/Male contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. Her stories guarantee hunks with bigβ¦hearts, lots of humor and heat, and the occasional homicide. Aimee is a lifelong dreamer, an avid reader, and an off-key singer. Only two of those traits help her craft captivating characters and charming communities where everyone is welcome. She uses the other quirk to entertain her pets during writing breaks.Β
Aimee has loved the same guy for over thirty years. Her husband is the reason she can write romance novels, and heβs possibly inspired a fictional murder plot a time or ten. They share three adult children, two adorable grandsons, and a menagerie of pets that donβt include goats or donkeysβ¦yet. Love inspires everything she does, books keep her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day.
Can you believe this? Havertonβs football hero is opening a bagel shop next to my pizzeria and heβs sellingβwait for itβpizza bagels. The nerve!Β
And Rob Vilmer isnβt above using his fame to attract clients. Itβs annoying and yes, Iβm feeling a little crusty about the situation. My temper has gotten me into a few binds, but a pizza-bagel war? This is a first.Β
Iβm gonna crush him.Β
ROB
After years of playing in the pros, Iβm beat. All I want is to open a bagel shop in the town that gave me a shot at the big time. Iβd love some peace and quiet too, however, I wonβt be getting that with Mateo Cavaretti next door.Β
Geez, I canβt believe I had a crush on that guy in college. Sure, heβs still incredibly good-looking, but heβs a grouch. And while I like my business partnerβs idea of settling our dispute with a classic bake-off, Mateo and I canβt be in the same room without fireworks exploding.Β
Okay, some of those fireworks are extra sexy and that might be a problem.Β
Or is all truly fair in love and pizzaβ¦and bagels?
Allβs Fair in Love and Pizza is an MM grumpy/sunshine, small-town romance featuring former teammates, a culinary challenge, and a HEA worth fighting for.Β
*A portion of All’s Fair in Love and Pizza was originally included in the Delicious Anthology. This new version has doubled in length to over 40k words and a whole lot of bake-off shenanigans!Β
βWhoa. Wait up.β I held my hand like a stop sign and stepped into his space. Bad move. I had to tilt my head to meet his eyes now, and that was weird. I was six oneβnot exactly a small dude, but that asshole had sprouted at least another two inches since college. Iβd bet he was six foot six. And yes, he was an asshole. I hadnβt thought so until a minute ago, but nowβ¦ βYou canβt sell pizza bagels next to a pizza parlor.β
βI canβt?βΒ
βNo, you canβt. Itβs brand assimilation or something. Itβs illegal.βΒ
βIllegal?β he scoffed. βI donβt think so, Mateo. Bagels are bagels, pizza is pizza. But I was only kidββ
βYeah, but a pizza bagel is a piece of dough thatβs dressed up to look like something it isnβt. Itβs shady advertising, not to mention blatant customer poaching. Sell all the bagels you want, but donβt sell pizza bagels. Thatβs a great way to get off to a rotten start. You know what Iβm saying?βΒ
Rob regarded me for a long moment. βAre you threatening me?β
βThreaten is a strong word. Iβm suggesting you do the right thing.β
βOr what?βΒ
I snort-laughed in my most derisive, supremely irritating fashion. It was the kind of insincere and dismissive gesture that had pissed off opponents on the field years ago and still probably got under my cousinsβ skin. Nothing to brag about, but heyβ¦Iβd learned how to play with the big kids early. Rule number one: Never show fear. Rule number two: Never back down or give someone else the upper hand.Β
βI βspose youβll find out.β I turned on my heels, tray clenched to my chest as I sauntered next door.
Yeah, yeah. Look, maybe Rob wasnβt the enemy. Maybe it was a quirky act of fate that heβd happened to lease the property next to mine. The one I wanted.
Fortune had shined upon him and that was nice and all, but Boardwalk Pizza was an institution in this town. We were the experts, we were the ones with decades of experience, and we werenβt going anywhere.Β
So Rob could shove his goddamn pizza bagel up his ass.
*****
Review:
I love Lane Hayes’s books. Her name on the cover makes it an automatic read for me but honestly I struggled a little at the beginning of this one. It’s set up as an enemies-to-lovers or rivals-to-lovers story but I just didn’t get why Mateo was so antagonistic to Rob from the beginning. I had faith tho and kept going and I’m glad I did. Once I got a little further, I loved the two of them together, and individually, and it made for lighthearted fun.
Teo is all sorts of prickly and sarcastic but he loves big and loud. And he’s surrounded by a family that loves just as big and loud and I love that for him. I need more from them because they are a hoot. While Rob may be a little quieter, he loves big too and he adores every bit of Teo’s grouchiness.
I do feel like there was an opportunity to go a little deeper into their issues – Rob’s anxiety and Teo’s reasons for putting up walls. It was originally a novella in an anthology so I’m wondering if maybe the additions just didn’t mesh quite as well as they could have.
Mixing a bit of fun with a dose of family love and some heat, Hayes gives us a nice, comfortable read. It’s not angsty, more a quiet slide into a HEA.
*****
Author Info:
Lane HayesΒ lives in sunny Southern California with her amazing husband, who thankfully doesnβt mind cooking, and their fabulous fox red Labrador, George, whoβs pure mischief. Both provide oodles of inspiration for the low-angst, humorous books Lane loves to write.
Sheβs 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 yesβ¦romance is much more satisfying!
Lane loves tea, travel, and chocolateβ¦in any order. Add a book and sheβs set!
Gracie Reynolds and I have been best friends since we were kids. Sheβs smart, kind, funny, beautifulβand one of the best parts of my life. When Gracie walks into a room, people notice. I always notice.
But when she moved across the world with a guy I despised, it felt like Iβd lost a piece of myself. I missed her in ways I still canβt explain.
Now sheβs backβ and sheβs crashing at my place for a couple of months while she figures things out. Sheβs single and ready for a fresh start. Iβve always had her back, and that hasnβt changed.
What has changed? The way that she looks at me. The way I canβt stop looking at her. So, when Gracie makes me a once in a lifetime proposition–obviously, I’m all in. But this isn’t your average gray area–it’s a full-on, sweat-inducing, five chili pepper detour we never meant to take.
Gracie has big dreams though, and Iβd never be the guy to hold her back. Even if all I wantβ¦is to be the reason that she stays.
Order now and receive the stunning DELUXE FIRST PRINT RUN while supplies lastβfeaturing gorgeous detailed sprayed edges, custom designed endpapers and an exclusive bonus scene, only available in print.
I think that this one had a few things going on from the start. Returning readers were waiting to see what Beefcake all grown up would be like and he’s just as emotionally confident as we could hope he would be. He’s got swagger but with the big heart to back it up. Love Cutler as an adult, his parents and uncles and godfathers really did a great job of helping him grow into a stand up human being.
There’s also a lot of pressure put on their story because of the long friendship between Gracie and Cutler. I mean, it’s been obvious to everyone around them that their connection had the potential to be so much more. There was no way their little arrangement wasn’t going to lead to a HEA for them. They just needed to get out of their own way to see it.
But it did lead to some issues caused by lack of communication. For two people who know each other SO well, there were times that they had no idea that they were on pretty much the same page. And I get how scared you might be to ruin a friendship with someone that means that much to you … it wasn’t going to be an easy change to make. It involves minimal drama or angst but a lot at stake for them both to go down that path.
This obviously sets up a new series of books with Cutler and Gracie’s friends but it didn’t feel like too much to be introduced to a new set of characters and a new town. Pavlov gives us just enough to be intrigued by each of them, and of the little family group they’ve made together, but not be overwhelming. Definitely looking forward to what comes next with each of them.
My Forever Girl has the slow burn feels and steam and connection that I’ve come to expect from Pavlov’s books. There’s all sorts of small town charm, found family closeness, and plenty of heat. Cutler has grown into a fantastic book boyfriend – supportive and caring and confident – and it was so enjoyable to see him and Gracie finally realize they were meant to be together.
FromΒ New York TimesΒ andΒ USA TodayΒ best selling author, Kelly Elliott, comes a new small town romance series that brings her back to her roots.
LILIBETH
When I moved to River Falls, Colorado, falling for the townβs broody, tight-lipped cowboy was not part of the plan. Yet somehow, every run-in with Caden Wilde turns into a battle of sharp words and stolen glances. We argue like weβre at war, but my pulse never gets the memo.
Heβs stubborn. Infuriating. Impossible.
And the most breathtaking man Iβve ever seen.
When a twist of fate forces us to spend a few days alone together, the line between enemies and something far more dangerous begins to blur. Beneath the scowls and sarcasm, I see pieces of the man he tries so hard to hide.
Thereβs just one problem. Caden doesnβt believe in relationships.
So, I agree to his rules. A few days. No promises. No expectations. Weβll walk away as friends when itβs over.
Simple.
Until my heart refuses to play by those rules.
CADEN
Two years ago, the woman I planned to marry shattered my future with a single word. Since then, Iβve kept my life simple, my ranch, my routine, and no room for anything that could wreck me again.
Then Lilibeth Asher blows into town like a Colorado storm.
Sheβs sunshine where Iβm shadows. Hope where Iβm hesitant. Too kind, too bright, too tempting for a man who swore he was done believing in forever. From the moment we met, sheβs challenged me, pushing my buttons, breaking through my silence, and making me feel things I buried long ago.
When a snowstorm traps us together, I convince myself I can handle it. A temporary truce. A few nights in my bed. No strings attached.
Iβve survived heartbreak before. I can survive this.
But Lilibeth isnβt temporary. She slips past my defenses, tearing down the walls I built piece by piece. And when life throws us a curveball neither of us sees coming, walking away is no longer an option.
Now I have a choice to make. Smother this spark before it roars out of control.
Or surrender to the wild flame sheβs ignited inside meβa fire fierce enough to burn away my past and powerful enough to light the rest of my life.
Wilde Flameis book three in the Love is a Cowboy series. Each book is a stand alone book, but the author highly suggests you read the books in order for a better reading experience.
Oh, do I love these Wildes! Wilde Flame is not quite as angsty as Wilde Ridebut Caden is definitely going thru some things and he’s not shy about it. While he may be a grump tho, he’s a sexy, hardworking, caring, honest grump. And who can blame him for being more than a bit hurt. We knew that Rachel did him wrong but seeing it play out – ugh! That woman is a piece of work and unbelievably brazen in her self-centeredness. No surprise that Lilibeth in all her peppy, happy, positivity is going to get a … certain reaction from him.
And I have to give it to Lilibeth, she doesn’t put up with much from Caden. She knows something happened in his past, recognizes that he’s running on hurt, but she also seems to elicit a bigger reaction from the man. And once the universe seems to keep throwing them together she does a good job of figuring out her boundaries, what’s needed to protect her heart, and keeps to them. Caden is pretty hard to resist so it isn’t easy but she does it. Luckily it doesn’t take too long for him to figure things out π
Elliott once again gives us a delightful mix of emotion, want, and steam. The Wildes are wonderfully close and they support each other, providing wisdom and comfort when it’s needed most. And Caden needs a lot! I love that conflicted cowboy but he’s stubborn too and isn’t going to make things easy for himself. But I was enthusiastically there for every single moment of it! And when he lets himself love again …. oh boy, is Lilibeth a lucky, lucky woman.
My world turns upside down when Iβm thrust into single parenthood to my day-old son. Coming from a home where hatred and resentment thrived, Iβm terrified of messing up my kid. Just when Iβm at my lowest point, on the brink of drowning, a stranger shows up at my door and somehow, he makes it a little easier to breathe even as he makes the guilt in my chest a little louder.
TYLER
My world turns inside out with the loss of my sister – my best friend. Iβm hours too late to say goodbye and by the time I get to the hospital, her newborn has already left with her fiance. Tracking them down isnβt as difficult asΒ notΒ falling for him. Everyday this man makes me fall a little harder as I search for the answers my sister took with her to an early grave.
This is a LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.
This is my first book by Reitan and I’m not sure where to start. There are some trigger warnings so I would make sure that you read those to make sure the book is a good fit. It also discusses kinks pretty bluntly so make sure you’re OK there too. I’m kinda like Tyler, more on the slightly salted vanilla side of things, so while it’s not my thing personally I do appreciate where they are coming from and I feel like Reitan explains things well.
She also knows how to deliver the heat because Denny and Tyler are hot together. HAWT hot! While they bring the spice tho they also bring tons of emotions. I mean, Denny hits us right from page one with his guilt and his anxiety and his fear of the future. Then when Sally dies … ooof, it’s a gut punch. But Tyler comes at a time when he’s needed and they slowly get to know one another, drawn together by the miracle of a little boy and the impact from the loss of his mother.
And I love them together. I understand their hesitation considering who Sally was but they work together seamlessly. It’s pretty low angst while also being complicated, steeped in the problems that come from childhood trauma. It’s not easy, and probably could have used the advice of a professional, but I do like that all of them are willing to recognize that they may need to explore further to understand who they are.
Being my first book there is a lot of history in this world and within this friend group that I don’t know or understand. I enjoyed Denny’s story without it but I think I might have a better understanding of their dynamics and their needs with that background. Because these guys truly love each other, making a little family together that does everything they can to support one another.
They are there for Danny even before Ty’s birth and especially after, when he is barely keeping his head above water. Respecting his wishes while also recognizing that he’s not going to always ask for the help he needs. And that respect is extended to each one of their little group, doing everything they can to support and provide the care that each one of them needs. I would love to see more of this play out and am very much looking forward to seeing it in other stories.
*****
Author Info:
Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. All of her RH relationships end up being heavily polyamorous – meaning itβs not just all the men for one woman. Thereβs also some M/M action going on. When she canβt fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center – and utterly swoon-worthy! Donβt ask her how many book boyfriends she hasβ¦
When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (donβt even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!
ONE PRESS CONFERENCE. ONE UNEXPECTED QUESTION. AND A CRUSH SHE IS DEFINITELY NOT QUALIFIED TO HANDLE.
Carlisle prides itself on being quietly respectable. Unfortunately, a shy proofreader and a famous football manager have just made that considerably more complicated.
AVA
I am not a sports journalist. I donβt understand formations, transfer windows, or why managers get blamed for things that look suspiciously like other peopleβs mistakes. I correct spelling. That is my area of expertise.
So when food poisoning wipes out the entire sports desk and I get sent to cover the arrival of Jack Westland, my plan is sit quietly, take notes, and escape unnoticed. Clearly, that was optimistic.
I panic. I ask a question. Now apparently Iβm the journalist he wants following the team for an exclusive, which makes absolutely no sense. I donβt know football. I donβt like attention. And I definitely donβt understand why he keeps looking at me like I said something important when I was mostly trying not to embarrass myself.
JACK
I didnβt come to Carlisle for the reasons people think. I came to work. To build something. To be closer to my son. Being a single dad means routine matters. Privacy matters. Complications are not part of the plan.
Then Ava asks a question no one else thinks to ask. She isnβt impressed by reputation. She isnβt chasing a headline. She just sees things most people miss. That alone makes her someone I should probably keep my distance from.
Arranging for her to stay close to the club is a professional decision. The fact I keep looking for her in every room after that is⦠less professional.
What starts as an exclusive quickly turns into something neither of them planned for. Because curiosity is harmless. Attraction is inconvenient. And pretending they donβt enjoy each other quite that much is becoming impossible.
Fair thereβs a cheeky dose of adult content inside. Set in England and written in British English.
Oh my goodness, I loved loved loved this one! From Ava with her somehow self-assured introvertedness, accepting who she is without trying to be anything she’s not. Hesitant but also willing to do something a little outside her comfort zone when she finds herself spending time with Jack. To Jack who has come to realize what is important to him and is willing to make sure that he is there for his son. And who unexpectedly finds himself enchanted by Ava and the way that she sees things in unexpected ways. Can’t forget adorable Archie with his love of all things dinosaur, of course. Elias gives us a bit of cheek and humor, a good amount of steam, and a HEA that is like cuddling up in a warm blanket. Oh, how I adored it!
Accidentally Pregnant… Accidentally Charmed by the Grumpy Cowboy… Accidentally in Love
When I inherit the dilapidated Loveland Ranch on my birthday, I do what any self-respecting L.A. career woman would do βhave one unforgettable night with a hot, broody cowboy and skedaddle before sunrise.
But when I hear that a crabby neighbor is suing my beloved grandmotherβs estate, I decide her legacy is worth the dirt under my manicure and start renovating.
Cue the hot, broody cowboy, who rides up on a horse and informs me heβs the crab. And just when I think things canβt get worse, the universe hands me another surprise.
A little pink plus sign.
Fitz and I have nothing in common except being fiercely independent. We come from different worlds. We have different visions for the future. We donβt share the same dreams, backgrounds, or even the same zip code.
But it doesnβt take long before I find myself wishing for all the things Iβd given up onβa real partnership with a protective, kind, hot-as-sin man who reassures me Iβm not fighting my battles alone. Except heβs fighting his own battles, and they may be too big for us to overcome.
Will this accidental family we created lead to heartbreak? Or could it be the life Iβve always wanted?
I really enjoyed getting to know Tessa and Fitz. I love the way they get together and then get to know each other better as time goes on. Neither Tessa nor Fitz are really in a situation, physically or emotionally, to get involved but life has its own plan. While accidental pregnancies aren’t always my favorites, I feel like Travis handles it well. She approaches their situation and their changing feelings in a way that works, in a way that may begin a bit heavy on the heat but moves forward with heart. And always with a side of humor and charm.
I do feel like there were some pretty heavy issues that could have been addressed further (and maybe they still will be later) and characters that we could have gotten to know better. And a little bit more of that small town charm π The dynamic between Tessa & her sisters and Fitz & his brother are sure to come up again as they get their own stories so I’m going to see how that plays out.
Rule #2 ofΒ RevengeΒ Club: Donβt fall for your targetβs brother.
LEO
I’m Leo Brennan. Tech consultant. Negotiator of billion-dollar deals. Master of the corporate death stare.
And Iβm currently wearing a sparkly pink unicorn onesie with a light-up horn while screaming βI believe in magic!β at a roomful of sugar-crazed six-year-olds.
How did I get here? I tried to get revenge on my nemesis with a syrup-related βaccidentβ at a restaurant. Except, I hit his lookalike brother instead. On his birthday. And broke his ankle.
Now I’m making amends by playing nursemaid to him and helping him out with his jobs, which includes dog walking and becoming Sparkle McHornface, the sidekick to a children’s entertainer called Captain Giggles.
The worst part? I’m starting to actually like the guy. And he has no idea the real reason why heβs on crutches.
ARCHIE
Oh, I definitely know.
The handsome stranger who βaccidentallyβ baptized me in maple syrup thinks he’s so subtle. But I’ve figured out his connection to my estranged brother, and I also know something else.
Guilt is a powerful motivator.
And watching this grumpy tech millionaire wrestle with drooling dogs and declare himself a βpretty, pretty unicornβ to a room full of six-year-olds? That’s entertainment I can’t pass up.
But somewhere between his disastrous balloon animals and surprisingly tender moments, something else is going on. I’m falling for the real Leo behind the corporate armor.
Which is dangerous because Iβm currently hiding my own secrets.
And the last thing I need is someone unraveling them.
TheΒ RevengeΒ MishapΒ is what happens whenΒ revengeΒ goes sideways, grumpy meets sunshine, and two men discover that sometimes the messiest mistakes lead to the sweetest love.
Oh goodness how much did I love this one. The humor and silliness and the way that Leo & Archie connect, how Leo learns to embrace the whimsy of working with Archie. To understand Archie’s brilliance and his connection with the kids at the parties. And both slowly begin to see and appreciate who each really are. It made me laugh but it also got me in the feels.
I’ve read a lot of 4.5+ star stories but the last one that came close to 5 stars was also a Jax Calder story. I love the way she blends banter and heat and emotion. She just gives me everything I could want delivered by characters that I adore. Are the stories kinda outrageous and a little unbelievable? Maybe … but they are also so delightfully fun and sweet.
He thinks he dislikes her. He has no idea sheβs the woman heβs falling for.
Iβm Violet Morales β hopeless romantic and firm believer in the universeβs timing.
So when I stumble across FYS, aka Find Your Soulmate, a matchmaking website that promises to find your perfect match, it feels like destiny calling.
What I didnβt count on was being matched with Rowan Teager. Reclusive, selectively mute, billionaire β and the one man in our small town who seems entirely immune to my sunshine. To my face, anyway.
But behind the anonymity of a screen name, we are two opposite strangers falling fast and completely for each other.
The night weβre finally supposed to meet, I end up in a car accident instead. I wake up with a cast on my arm and every memory of my past wiped clean. Including him.
Working through my amnesia, I fall for Rowan all over again β this time not just the man behind a screen name, but the real, quiet one.
In the safety of his home, we start building something real.
But Rowan is convinced that his selective mutism and his silence make him wrong for me. And no matter how loudly I fight for us, he keeps choosing his fear over our love.
Imperfect Soulmate is a lot like Rowan, steady and quiet but with more going on under the surface. Rowan’s past gives him an affinity with Violet that allows him to connect with her, to give her a safe place to rest while she recuperates. A place where she doesn’t feel like there are any expectations around her getting her memories back. But that same history has left him with doubts about himself and what a future together would mean.
I felt for Violet, having no idea what kind of person she is. Left without any memories of her family and friends, her past or her present. Having to discover herself again, trusting people she doesn’t remember. But she feels a draw to Rowan, one that gives her somewhere to figure things out.
Since I haven’t read anything else by Jay, I’m not sure how it compares to her other stories. It’s a sloooow burn and somewhat predictable, but it is sweet. Once you get to the main part of the story, you pretty much know where it is going to go but I like the way that Jay plays it out. (Love Violet for her bravery!) It’s not overly dramatic and their issues are addressed well, both Violet’s amnesia and Rowan’s concerns, leaving us with a satisfactory HEA. Y’all, check out her bio below and that’s pretty much what you are going to get π
*****
Author Info:
What can you expect in a Vikki Jay book?
Cute small town vibes. Swoony rich dudes who can be over-the-top alphas except when it comes to their girls. Shy or sassy sweet heroines trying to find their way in the world. Adorable pets. Families you want to a part of.
All my books take place in the fictional town of Cherrywood and St. Peppers. I write about beautiful coincidences, finding love in unexpected places and times, and fighting hard to get that happily ever after.
Grab any of my books, if youβre up for for some cute, steamy read with a touch of angst, and some… unrealistic meet cutes which can only happen in fiction. β€
Romantic Reads and Such 