The right man for a longtime cowboy might be a city slicker.
Joe
I’ve been going into Max’s Place for twenty years, but tonight’s different. There’s a stranger at the bar with city-fancy clothes, wide shoulders, and the face of a fallen angel. I’m just an ordinary cowhand. Being gay’s the most noteworthy thing about me, so I don’t expect much. But when his eyes light on mine and he invites me to ride in his classic ’67 Mustang, I figure what the hell. If he’s a serial killer, what a way to go. And if he’s not, then a couple of my cowboy dreams might finally come true.
Sylvester
I grew up here in these Colorado foothills, but I haven’t been back since I was ten. Now I’ve inherited my grandfather’s neglected ranch, and I can’t decide whether to sell it or stay. I stop in at the only gay bar in fifty miles, wondering if I can have a decent life as an out gay man in this county. And there coming in the door is the kind of tall, lean, working cowboy who pushes all my buttons. I don’t know if Joe will be a reason to stay or a one night stand, but I’m going to have fun tonight.
Cowboy Dreams is a 36,000 word novella about two solitary men in their 40s figuring out how unexpectedly well they fit together, in bed and out of it.
**All royalties from this book through December 2025 will be donated bi-monthly toNova Ukraine – a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine**
*****
Review:
Cowboy Dreams starts with all the steam as Joe and Sylvester pick each other up at the bar but they feel a connection that with time and closeness eventually develops into something deeper. There is a bit of an insta-love thing going on but it’s to be expected in a shorter story.
I do kinda wish this one had been a full novel because I really liked these two. I liked them as people and I liked the idea of them as a couple, so I wanted to see even more of their time together as they grew closer. But for a novella I’m still satisfied – it has feels, it has heat, and it has a satisfying (if not quite complete) HEA.
Harper is a new author for me but this won’t be my last read. Her characters are interesting, the story flows well, and the writing is smooth, feels real, and has a good mix of feels & heat. Hopefully, we come back to the Circle K so we can get an update on these two but regardless I’ll be keeping an eye out for more.
USA Today bestselling author Laura Pavlov delivers a spicy enemies-to-lovers romance about a billionaire developer and a small-town entrepreneur battling their desires in the Land of the Midnight Sun.
You, Me, and Forever
Blushing series
by Laura Pavlov
Blurb:
Myles St. James is tearing my world apart.
Wish Iโd known that before I slept with him.
It was supposed to be a one-night stand.
Like I knew anything about those.
But I needed to blow off steam.
My ex had just gotten engaged.
My dry spell was nearing six months.
And my booming wedding planning businessโthe one I started with my bestieโwas about to lose its favorite venue to some bulldozer-happy developer from New York.
The Seaside Inn is such a special place.
My second home.
And ever since that famous singer got married there, people are flocking to Blushing, Alaska, for their own weddings too.
Guess whose fling turns out to be the hotshot real estate guy?
But he isnโt what I expected.
And sleeping with the enemy doesnโt feel nearly as wrong as it should.
Because Myles St. James is rocking my world.
Too bad giving in to him could mean giving up my dreams.
I’m not sure what to say except that I loved this one so much. It has a huge small town allure, with an eclectic group of friends, a well endowed moose (?), a porcupine that just wants to cuddle, and a bridezilla or two.
Myles, for all his big city swagger, fits in so well and quickly finds himself charmed just as I was. Especially with Montana, who is saucy, fun, and keeps him on his toes. From a one night stand to enemies to friends to more, their interactions are so entertaining. And for all his talk about not being relationship material, Myles sure knows how to be there for others. Not just Montana, but everyone. He just has to learn to have a little faith in himself and see it too.
Pavlov’s newest is quirky, humorous, and steamy. It’s got a wide range of feels and while their journey is predictable it is also all sorts of satisfying. I really couldn’t have loved this more and I’m excited to see where we go next in Blushing.
*****
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!
Theyโve been in an intimate relationship for three years.
Theyโve just never met.
Will Campbell has been in an interesting relationship for the last three yearsโwith a woman he doesnโt know. Every time heโs worked the kissing booth at a Sweetbriar Ridge festival, heโs been kissed by the same mysterious woman. Itโs the same thing every timeโa steamy kiss that leaves you wanting more and then a disappearing act. But this year? He vows to stop her and convince her to do more than just kiss and run.
Being mysterious is fun, but Sloane Donovan is tired of the kiss and run game sheโs been playing for years. It might have all started as a dare, but now she wants more. Now that her sister is Sweetbriar Ridgeโs newest resident, she has even more reasons to visit, and she vows that at the next festival she wonโt run away after the kiss. But maybe she doesnโt have to wait until a festival to find the sexy man who kisses like a dream. Maybe she can just drive around Sweetbriar Ridge until she finds him.
With the next festival on the horizon, Will has a plan. But that plan goes out the window when he unexpectedly runs into his mystery woman. This time, heโs determined not to let her get away, so he does the only thing he can think ofโkiss her. And he keeps kissing, hoping sheโll choose to give them a real chance.
I liked Sloane and Will together – how they met and kept coming together, how the are formally finally formally introduced, and the way things work out for them. But I did have a few problems.
Both characters came across as a bit immature. I’m not sure how old Sloane’s supposed to be, and she recognizes her own immaturity, but I struggled a bit with her. And I did not like AT ALL how people treated Will. It was almost like he was a child … or a joke to them. He’s enthusiastic and a bit clumsy but I can’t tell if his immaturity was on him or the way that other people interacted with him. I felt like he deserved so much better.
Overall not my favorite by Chase but still a solid story. I felt like they had a pretty solid romance between them and it had its moments of quirky fun. Returning readers will love seeing all of the Donovans and seeing the big loving family come together for Sloane and Will.
*****
Author Info:
Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance thatโs hotter than sweet, sweeter than hot. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than eighty titles under her belt โ including THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE which was a Hallmark Christmas movie in 2017 and THE WEDDING SEASON which was a Hallmark wedding movie in 2023! Sheโs a Disney enthusiast who still happily listens to 80โs rock. When sheโs 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 Mayleneโฆoh, and spending time with her husband of 32 years and their two sons in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
Deacon Slater was my high school crushโthe bad boy with haunted eyes that made my heart skip a beat. But in our small town, the Slater name is synonymous with trouble, and Deke lived up to it when he landed in prison a few years after graduation.
He served his time and now he’s back, living in the apartment above mine, covered in ink and even more intriguing than before.
As the owner of Sugar Rush bakery, I’m used to building bridges with my muffins and cookies. I’ve seen cowboys nearly come to blows over the last lemon bar. But Deke wants nothing to do with my treats…or me. He keeps his distance, barely speaking when I knock on his door.
Until the day he doesn’t have a choice.
He’s there when I need him, stepping in to protect me, showing me the caring man beneath his rough edges.
We couldn’t be more different. I’m a curvy ray of sunshine in a pink apron and he’s a stoic, tattooed carpenter in work boots. But the more walls we tear down, the closer we get. And piece by piece, we discover how well we fit.
But when darkness from his past comes looking for him, what we’re building could all fall apart. Because this time, trouble isn’t just circling Deacon Slater.
Deacon is back after a few years in prison. Between his record and his less than respectable family, he’s struggling with how he’s perceived by others in his small home town. And his sweet downstairs neighbor, his childhood crush.
Phoebe had a thing for Deacon when they were kids, and a decade away hasn’t changed it much. Kindness and understanding, and a few sweet treats, has them developing a friendship of sorts. That develops into something more.
Like See It Through, the characters just shine in this series. Both Phoebe and Deacon have some baggage from their pasts (granted his is heavier than hers) but with time and patience they figure things out. And work to create a healthy, long term relationship. Wolf delivers another story that is emotional, steamy, and oh so satisfying.
*****
Author Info:
Julia Wolf writes sexy rockers, broken bad boys, snarky heroines, and bad ass women. She’s a firm believer in happily ever afters, no matter how rocky the road is to get there.
Julia lives in Maryland with her husband and three crazy, beautiful children. When she’s not writing romance, she’s reading it. Some of her favorite things are, in no particular order: goats, books, coffee, and Target.
Our latest superstar is my newest problem. Until I meet his mother…
Chicago Ravens captain Ledger Cole believes in earning your stripes, not coasting on golden boy status. So when Austin Hart becomes the NHLโs youngest signee, Ledger is determined to give him a pretty steep learning curve.
Auburn Hart is barely clinging onto her sonโs meteoric rise to stardom. Uprooted to a new city, a new job (working in a coffee shop in your thirties is fiiine, right?) and being forced to keep an eye on Austinโs troublemaking tendencies is…a lot.
When loneliness and chance create the perfect hookup, neither Auburn nor Ledger realizes their awkward real-life connection โ until the truth spills out. But with more than one career at stake, and Auburnโs scars hovering at the door, they canโt just follow this irresistible pull. Can they?
Your Pucking Mom is a dual POV, forbidden love, forced proximity hockey romance for fans of Becka Mack.
TW: for abusive relationship with her mom and past sexual assault
Auburn has a lot of trauma she’s spent years working on, and she still has a long way to go. (I do kinda wish she was still seeing a therapist because I think that it’s needed, especially with the move and changes in her & Austin’s lives.) Her connection to Ledger, tho, is pretty hard to ignore.
For not having had a relationship before, Ledger is a pretty stand up guy … as well, as a sexy and forceful. I appreciate the patience he takes with Auburn, in and out of the bedroom. He’s supportive, caring, and understanding.
Some may have an issue with how quickly they fall into a sexual relationship together, but I think that it works OK knowing that she’s been thru therapy. Getting her POV for it helps as well. Not that making that step is easy or without bumps (big bumps) along the way.
This is the first by Taylor that I’ve read. While the writing isn’t what I am used to (it’s a little quirky) and there are some times when it feels like things don’t flow quite right, overall I enjoyed it a lot. I’ll be interested in seeing what comes next in this series.
*****
Author Info:
Vee Taylor is a passionate writer based in the suburbs of Chicago. With a lovingly supportive husband, two dogs, and two children, she finds inspiration in her daily life and uses it to fuel her writing. Her passion for reading and writing began ten years ago, and she hasn’t looked back since.
As an avid book lover, Vee is obsessed with all things bookish. She loves exploring new worlds, discovering new characters, and delving into different genres. Her favorite genres include dark romance, romantasy, and good ole smut. When she’s not writing, she can often be found with her nose buried in a book or scrolling aimlessly on social media.
Aside from writing, Vee is also a talented photographer that worked for years in the wedding industry. She loves spending time with her friends and family, and enjoys trying new things. With a zest for life and an unwavering passion for writing, Vee Taylor is so excited that you are here on this journey with her.
Get ready to fall hard for the mysterious Seeley โDocโ Whiskey and the one woman he never thought would walk back into his life, in this sexy and emotional second-chance standalone romance. The Whiskeys: Dark Knights at Redemption Ranch is a small-town, big-family series of standalone romance novels featuring fiercely loyal, insanely sexy bikers who give horsesโand peopleโa second chance. No cliffhangers, no cheating, and a happily ever after that will leave you breathless.ย
Love, Lies, and Whiskey
The Whiskeys: Dark Knights at Redemption Ranch
by Melissa Foster
World Literary Press
Blurb:
First loves that were ripped apart, and the epic love that saves them.
At nineteen, Seeley โDocโ Whiskey fell hard for the governorโs daughter, and then she was torn away. He risked his life and his familyโs legacy to get her back, only to find out that everything he believed about her was a lie. His heart has been locked down ever since.
Betrayed by everyone she loves, Juliette Chambers has been through hell and back. Now a single mother and veterinarian, Juliette moves back to Colorado to start over. The last person she expects to run into is the man who completely destroyed her.
A chance encounter turns into a moment of fury, sending them into an emotional maelstrom. Tears and accusations fly and passion ignites, but in their wake they discover a trail of secrets and lies and a life-changing blow that takes them to their knees.
The Whiskeys are stand up people and Doc is no different. He can be grumpy and rigid but he’s hiding a heart of gold, one bruised by a lost love. Meeting her again, learning the truth, gives them another chance and bringing out the man he used to be.
Juliette is a good match for Doc. She had a rough start but she’s created a good life for herself & her son and getting to the truth of their past also has her looking at the future with brighter eyes. And with Doc & the other Whiskey’s at her side, she’ll find out that she can face down just about anything life has for her.
Foster’s latest did not go at all like I expected. And it was a gut punch every step of the way. From Juliette and Doc’s meeting again after so long, to finding out the truth of what happened all those years ago, getting to know each other again and the troubles life sometimes gives you. It’s emotional hit after emotion hit, both good and bad. Make sure you are ready, then throw yourself whole body into this roller coaster of a read!
*****
Author Info:
Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissaโs emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family orientedโperfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines.
As a high school hockey star, I was on track for greatness. Until an opponent attacked me on the ice, leaving me half blind.
For the past twenty-seven years, Iโve avoided hockey and its painful memories. But when my old teammates get back together to play in a local recreational league, I realize it could be a chance to rewrite history. The only person standing in my way is Jack Gross.
Hockey isnโt complete without a rivalry, and ours comes courtesy of the Blades: theyโre younger, faster, and fronted by Jack, a former professional hockey player who hates my guts after a rooftop hookup gone wrong.
His cockiness and penchant for pranks make me hate him right back. But Jack has a special way of getting under my skin that makes me want to get into his pants. And well, I only have so much willpower.
As our teams get closer to a showdown on the ice, Jack begins shedding his armor of confidence. Despite getting to live the life I dreamed of, maybe Jack is as messed up as me.
The championship game could redeem the past for us both. But there can only be one winner. Will victory taste as sweet if it costs me Jack?
Gross Misconduct is a rivals to lovers, age gap, single dad, gay romance with no cheating and an HEA. It is book 1 in The Comebacks, a series about a friend group of single dads who were hockey all-stars in high school and looking to recapture the magic in their forties. Whether they win or lose, there’s always a post-game beer.
*****
Review:
Griffin had his dreams for the future taken from him at 18, but he’s managed to create a good life for himself. A job that he enjoys and 2 beautiful kids. And now he’s starting a new stage of his life, divorced and newly out as a gay man in his 40s. Then he meets Jack … and things got drastically wrong.
Jack is struggling post NHL life. He’s broke with no idea what he wants to do with his life and a difficult relationship with his dad. And finds himself battling on and off the ice with Griffin.
This was my first book by Truman and I enjoyed the heck out of it. It’s a fast read, funny and steamy and heartfelt. It has a sweet mix of found family and romance, with a bit of angst to keep things hopping. I’ll definitely be looking for another read from him.
Even the wildest hearts need a place to call home.
Wilder
Freshly released from prison, Wilder goes back to the one place he never thought heโd find home. But Blackwood Ranch is a home in which he doesnโt feel welcome. The ranch, and his brother, thrived in his absence, and Wilder wonders whether he belongs there at all anymore. How does a man find his place in a world that wonโt forgive him for his past?
Cash
Cash has called Blackwood Ranch home for seven years, but heโs never truly had a place of his own. He doesnโt realize heโs missing anything until he meets Wilder. He wants to show Wilder that thereโs more to life than survival, but getting past the manโs defenses will be a lesson in patience for the both of them.ย
*****
Review:
Wilder has been thru so much and I wanted to just yell at all of the townspeople that let their childhood reach the state it did. (And there was a moment toward the end that I just wanted to punch one particular selfish old man.)
My heart went out to both of the brothers, living with the consequences of that night and struggling to figure out how to move forward. (I really wish we’d gotten a little more of Lain’s POV. It made me a little angry that things went as far for as long as they did.)
Cash is patient and supportive and good for Wilder. He shows him the love and understanding that he so desperately needs, setting him up for a chance at a good future if he’s willing to trust.
Cash & Wilder’s path to a HEA is not an easy one. There are a lot of 2 steps forward and 1 step back moments for them as they try to work thru Wilder’s adjustment to being out of prison. And having to face his past and his brother again. It’s an emotional story but a satisfying one and I just loved it – every angsty, slow burn, gut punch page.
Okay, I might have a reputation as a playboy, but I swear thatโs not my fault.
Cade – When your small tourist town is lacking in single people, your only option for company is the temporary kind. And if given the choice between sleeping alone or sleeping around, well, can you blame me for choosing the latter?
If you think about it, Iโm a victim of circumstance. A product of my environment. And that suits me just fine. Or it did, until a sexy stranger knocked me over, literally.
The newcomer is an angel to my devil. The type A to my slacker, working on a PhD thesis while I do everything in my power to delay taking over the family business. We should be totally incompatible. Yet somehow, I feel more at ease with this outsider than people Iโve known my whole life.
For the first time inโeverโI don’t want to be just a fling, but how do I win over a relationship prone genius when Iโm a notorious flirt? Thatโs not even the worst part. Did I mention Iโm crushing on a guy, and until I met him, I considered myself straight?
This opposites attract MM romance features a small-town bad boy, the studious boy next door, townspeople who love an excuse to wear a costume, and a not safe for work drinking game.
*****
Review:
Worthy is low angst, steamy, and sweet. These two together are delightful and I loved being with them as they fell in love over the course of a summer. It just grabbed me with its mix of feels and flirty fun.
My only complaint is that I’m not sure why Cade is so hard on himself. Sure, he’s slept around but he’s also young and only with those more than willing. He’s also got a lot to offer others – he’s caring, hard working, playful, and supportive of his friends & community. And Maddox sees that as well. With his help, maybe Cade will too.
It’s a slow burn romance so it won’t be for everyone. But those who do pick it up will get emotion, growth, and a LOT of heat, mixed with a good dose of small town charm, humor, and fun. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read from Lenard so far and I’m adding her to my list of go to authors.
Dirty dancing leads to a chance at forever in this sizzling single parent, found family, small town romance by Jessica Peterson.
Sawyer
A Lucky River Ranch Novel
by Jessica Peterson
Blurb:
As a recently divorced single mom, I have zero interest in flirting with guys while on a rare girlsโ weekend away with my sisters. I just want to have fun, celebrate my new job, and listen to live music at a honky tonk.
But when I literally stumble into the most gorgeous guy ever on the dance floor, those plans go up in smoke. Growing up on the barrel racing circuit, Iโm not immune to the charms of a cowboy. But this particular one is hot as hell: Sawyerโs got a mustache, some sexy tattoos, and a very filthy mouth.
Needless to say, we end up naked in his swanky hotel room. Itโs the best sex of my life. And the way Sawyer treats me like a queen? Letโs just say a girl could get addicted to that kind of adoration.
Good thing heโll always be just a one night stand I can look back on with a smile. Iโm rebuilding our life from scratch, and I need to focus on my three-year-old daughter and the dream job I just landed.
Imagine my surprise, then, when I move to Hartsville and run into a tattooed cowboy with an endearing daughter of his own. Now Sawyer wants more than the occasional playdates between our girls. But the closer we become, the more determined this sexy single dad is to keep me forever.ย
As much as I am falling for Sawyer, Iโm terrified. Iโve been down this road before with my ex, and I wonder if I can trust this cowboy. Will he rope the moon for me? Or is my heart destined to be trampled all over again?
Oh my, the Rivers boy … *sigh* I love these dirty talking, big hearted, noble cowboys. Sawyer is trying so hard to be a good dad, good brother, and good cowboy. He’s struggling with feeling like he’s not enough and should be able to do more. But meeting Ava helps take some of that stress away for a little while.
I liked Ava and I liked her with Sawyer but I am not sure I quite understand why she hangs on to her concern about getting involved with him as long as she did. I get that her previous relationship was awful and toxic and abusive but … surely she understands that not every relationship is like that? Maybe it is because they got together so young that it imprinted those feelings about herself.
Their night together at the beginning was steamy, fun, and a chance for them to let go & remember themselves as people not just parents. And it is a feeling that they are able to keep going once they meet again later. They work well together, as adults and as parents, and I enjoyed their relationship a lot.
There’s not a lot of drama in this one. Mostly it’s whether Ava can let go of her issues with relationships to give Sawyer a real chance. He does have a few hang ups of his own, especially with stretching himself too thin. Overall, it’s about them creating an amazing little family together and learning to trust in others – to trust they truly accept them and are willing to bet there when needed. And I enjoy seeing them create connections and relationships with each other & those around them
Full of adorable kids, sassy women, and sexy cowboys, Sawyer is a cute (and hot) addition to the Lucky River Ranch series. Sawyer is such a good man and Ava is the perfect person to help him remember to enjoy life and I’m here for it. And I’m also here for what comes next thanks to that little tease at the end!
*****
Author Info:
Jessica Peterson writes romance with heat, humor, and heart. Heroes with hot accents are her specialty. When sheโs not writing, she can be found bellying up to a bar in the southโs best restaurants with her husband Ben, reading books with her adorable daughter Gracie, or snuggling up with her 70-pound lap dog, Martha.
A Carolina girl at heart, she fantasizes about splitting her time between Charleston and Asheville, but currently lives in Charlotte, NC.
Romantic Reads and Such 