Booked All Night

Falling for Real by Carly Phillips - ARC Review

2026-04-15T09:30:00.012-04:00

One canceled date.
One overbooked hotel.
One fake boyfriend who feels way too real.

I arrive at a family wedding expecting maid-of-honor chaos—not to share a room with Tristan Hayes, the devastatingly charming nightclub owner I’ve crushed on for too long.

When the hotel runs out of rooms, Tristan gives his to an elderly couple without hesitation, and I see the kind of man he is.
So I offer to share my king-sized bed.

Just for the weekend. It’s totally innocent.
Until my ex shows up with a date.

Suddenly Tristan’s hand is on my waist, his smile lethal, and he becomes my fake boyfriend. It's temporary and perfect.
Except the chemistry isn’t fake.
And wedding weekends don’t last.

Or do they?

A fun, flirty wedding-weekend romance featuring fake dating, forced proximity, one bed, and a hero who always shows up—with a guaranteed HEA.

Fake Date • Wedding Weekend • Forced Proximity • One Bed • Miami Heat • A Dare Family Series Story

Telling an entire story in a novella requires a story that can be told quickly but still be believable. The novellas that work best for me are the ones that are focused on characters you have met before or who have a previous connection.

Kaylee and Tristan are attracted to one another, but have never acted on the attraction. Both of them are in Key West to attend a wedding, and pretty much immediately end up sharing a room, with one bed, and fake dating to keep her from having to deal with her ex-boyfriend (who, to be fair, really should be an ex).

The story moves quickly, as you would expect for a novella, but the author does a strong job of making sure the quick movement of the story is realistic and works within the confines of the story.

I liked them together as a couple and I liked the parts of them I was able to get to know separately.

Buy This Book!!
Amazon

No, Don't Ever Stop by Marni Mann - ARC Review

2026-04-12T09:30:00.001-04:00

A guarded billionaire single dad meets the one woman who could heal his heart in this emotional and blisteringly hot romance by USA Today bestselling author Marni Mann.
One look at former NFL player Gavin Worthington has Emily craving things she shouldn’t. Yet his scorching-hot body and dangerously perfect smile are everything she wants. At the same time, a single glance at the breathtakingly sexy Emily Wren and her unforgettable blue eyes has Gavin desiring things he hasn’t in years.

Their agreement is one night of uninhibited pleasure. No strings, no complications.

But one taste isn’t enough, and he can’t get Emily out of his head.

Gavin never lets women get close—his seven-year-old son, Ben, is his entire world. But there’s something about the gorgeous nurse that breaks through every wall he’s built. She’s incredible with his boy, lights up his darkest places, and makes him hunger in ways he’d forgotten were possible. The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to deny their growing feelings. Except the pull of Gavin’s past is stronger than they imagined.

For this grumpy single dad to move forward and hold on to the only woman who’s made him feel alive in years, he’ll have to convince Emily that their connection is more powerful than the emotional barriers between them. They’ll need to trust that sometimes the most unexpected love stories lead to the happiest endings. All they have to do is take the chance.

Yet again, Marni Mann has written a book that I really enjoyed. I can't lie, I will read anything she writes, so there was an assumption going into this one that I was going to enjoy it.

Gavin is a single father who has convinced himself that a relationship isn't something he wants, even though there are happy and healthy relationships all around him. Emily is a nurse and a friend of the woman his brother is dating, so she is in his life. Does this stop him from wanting to have one night with her? No, it doesn't.

The journey these characters take, from one night stand to building something lasting isn't all that original, but it's the way it is written, the way the characters draw you in, is what sets this book apart.

The blurb alludes to something that happens in the story, but I liked the way it was handled. I also saw it coming, I think more because the author really wasn't all that worried about hiding the revelation.

Buy This Book!
Amazon
Release Date: April 21, 2026

Captivation Creek by Claire Kingsley - ARC Review

2026-04-05T10:30:00.010-04:00

He’ll help her solve a mystery, but they can’t risk their hearts.

A devastating injury ended Theo Haven’s pro-football career, but he’s made a good life for himself in his hometown. The high school teacher and football coach might be single, but that’s by choice. And his work bestie, Penelope? She’s one of the best parts of his job, but they’re just friends.

No, really. Not the sort of friends who are secretly pining for each other or destined to hook up. Just… friends.

Art teacher Penelope Fallbrook is stuck in a rut. When a locally renowned artist dies suspiciously, she channels her restless energy into amateur sleuthing. Who better than her best friend Theo to help her search for the truth?

When Penelope’s life comes crashing down, Theo is there, picking up the pieces and offering a place to stay. Best friends become roommates, and living one room away might be too much temptation.

As they dig deeper into the mystery of the artist’s death, secrets unravel. Are they searching for a murderer? Or uncovering the work of a serial killer?

And Penelope might be in danger of becoming the next victim.

Author’s Note: a fun twist on friends-to-lovers with work besties turned roommates turned lovers. A murder mystery, small-town shenanigans, feuding senior citizens, page-turning suspense, and a charming couple who will steal your heart.

Captivation Creek can be read as a stand-alone.

In order for friends to lovers to work, I have to believe they are friends. I definitely believed in the friendship between Penelope and Theo and I was charmed by it. They are great friends because they accept one another for the people they are, which is the best basis for a friendship and for a romance.

The book did stumble a little in the move from the friends to lovers portion of the story. The friendship relationship was strong. I believed they were interested in one another as more than friends. But getting them there, getting them to being a couple, was a little awkward and pulled me out of the story a couple of times.

The suspense portion of the book also felt like it was tossed in and not really important. I did think it felt like it was a little unnecessary as it was written.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, and getting to see the other characters from other books in the series.

Buy This Book
Amazon

Ryder by Jessica Peterson - ARC Review

2026-04-04T10:30:00.001-04:00

One hard fall in the rodeo ring.
One maddeningly gorgeous cowboy.
One chance at love she swore she’d never take.

Billie Wallace has spent her whole life trying to prove she’s more than the Wallace Ranch’s “wild” only daughter. All she wants is a shot at barrel racing—and a purpose beyond crunching numbers in her daddy’s office. But when her very first run ends in disaster, Billie lands flat on her back with Ryder Rivers—her childhood crush, her brother’s best friend, and the town’s notorious heartbreaker—hovering over her.

In all the years she's known him, Ryder has never entertained Billie's shameless flirting. But after her fall, he's suddenly everywhere—showing up to help her when she’s hurt, staring at her across the honky-tonk when she’s trying to move on with a bronc rider, and encouraging her to explore her dream career.

Before either can really register what’s happening, their partnership sparks into much more than just dust and arguments.

Late nights turn into stolen kisses. Stolen kisses turn into something that feels dangerously like forever. Ryder swears he’s not the staying kind, but the way he looks at Billie like she’s the only woman in the world makes everyone start to wonder if he’s ready to stop running…

RYDER is an interconnected standalone book the Lucky River Ranch Series.

There were so things I really enjoyed about Billie and Ryder. I love a good forbidden romance, and dating your best friend's younger sister is one of the more popular ways to make a relationship forbidden. That part of the story worked for me, as did the connection between the characters although at times I did think Billie and her reactions to Ryder were a little immature.

The sexy times are definitely spicy, but they also served to move the story forward as the attraction between them being something neither could fight was actually an important part of the development of their relationship.

That said, the inner dialogue in this one was a struggle in places. I see why it was there, as a way of getting the important parts of the story into the narrative without bogging it down with too much heavy emotional content. But, the result of doing it in this manner left my feeling like a lot of the important parts of the story were told rather than shown and bringing the reader along on the journey.

I still enjoyed the title, but I think this one lost me a little in the way the development of the rather serious undertones of the story was handled.

Buy This Book!
Amazon

Made for Mayhem by Aimee Vance - ARC Review

2026-03-27T09:30:00.020-04:00

Starting over was never part of the playbook.

On the eve of his retirement from the NHL, Ty Hudson met a woman he never forgot—and lost her just as quickly. One night. Immediate sparks. Terrible timing.

Three years later, Ty is back in Linwood, adjusting to a life that looks nothing like the one he planned. His days are split between reviving the Mayhem Hockey Club and tending to a rescue farm full of misfits, each one in need of a second chance. And then came Junie, the eight-year-old next door who needed one too. Loving her is easy. The thought of losing her is unbearable.

Daisy Winslow never expected her life to unravel all at once. Within hours, she’s without a job, without a home, and grieving the sudden loss of her sister. She arrives in Linwood determined to find something good to hold on to, starting with bringing her niece home. To her surprise, Junie is already safe, loved, and living with the one man Daisy never forgot.

That spark reignites, even as grief makes everything heavier. Daisy is barely holding herself together. Ty is risking his heart—for her and for the family he never knew he wanted.

But this time, he isn’t walking away.

🌼 Grumpy x Sunshine

👨🏻 Single Dad/Guardian

❤️‍🩹 Healing from Grief

🏠 Forced Proximity

🔥 Slow Burn → Scorching

🐓 Farm animal chaos

🏒 Found Family

Ty and Daisy meet, the first time, on the night he retires from the NHL. He is a little lost, a little unsure on what he is going to be doing next, and more than willing to spend a little time avoiding making those decisions. I think anyone who has ever made a big life decision knows how it feels to finally be facing the decision, even if it was your idea, and feeling a little at a loss for where to go next. The idea of putting that off, even for a night, is appealing to Ty and I related to this.

Daisy is new in the city and at the start of a new era in her life. They have one night together, they don't exchange names, and life goes on. I think the idea that she would be ok with putting off starting that new life to spend the night with a man she was attracted to makes a lot of sense.

The story takes place three years after their initial meeting, after a lot of life happens, and when both of them are again at a crossroads in their lives. Getting into it specifically is a major spoiler, but it works out perfectly that they had the connection from the past that works it's way into the present.

The writing style does lend itself to shorter sentences, which at times did make it feel like it jumped from scene to scene, but not enough to ruin the story for me, just something I noticed.

Buy This Book
Amazon

Knight's Storm by Katie Reus - ARC Review

2026-03-26T09:30:00.000-04:00

Discover book 1 of the all-new small-town romantic suspense series set in Sanctuary Falls, by USA Today bestselling author, Katie Reus!

Someone is trying to frame her for murder.

When Berkley Knight wakes up in a dead man’s house with no memory of how she got there, she runs. Given her checkered past, she doesn’t trust the cops, so she calls her brother for help. They retrace her steps, trying to figure out who could have dumped her there and why. But when they start digging, they wind up with even more questions—and in more danger.

He’ll do whatever it takes to clear her name.

Unfortunately, the same thing happens again, only this time Berkley wakes up in her murdered ex-husband’s house. Now she’s the prime suspect, but soon realizes that whoever is terrorizing her has just begun to systematically destroy her life. The one thing she never imagined was turning to her enemy for help, but Nick Storm is exactly who she needs to fight the maniac who’s terrorizing her. It turns out that the danger is much closer than either of them realize. And the only way they both survive is to trust each other.

I was intrigued by the blurb of this one, and I was all in on the story with Berkley and Nick and the idea that she was being left in the homes of dead men, but wasn't the killer. This felt like a different kind of suspense story and as I really enjoy romantic suspense, I was all in.

I can't lie, I was mad at Nick for just believing her ex at the beginning of the story, but I ended up mostly forgiving him at about the time Berkley did. Nick had redeeming qualities that made up for the lack of brilliance at the beginning of the story. And, honestly, it made the story more engaging as I needed to get past being annoyed at him to enjoy the story.

The whodunnit of this one ended up being a complete shock. While there were some clues in the story that narrowed down who it was going to be, for some reason I was totally surprised, which made the payoff at the end really worth it.

Buy This Book!

Amazon

Only For Her by Natasha Madison - Cover Reveal

2026-03-25T10:30:00.003-04:00

Meet Natasha Madison:

When her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…

Connect with Natasha Madison:
https://linktr.ee/natashamauthor

Pre-Order Link:
https://books2read.com/Only4HerNM

Blurb

Victoria

Being offered a job in a brand-new city wasn’t something I was planning on.

Neither was meeting him at a random hotel bar that same night.

We shared a drink, flirted, and then one thing led to another.

We exchanged first names, and I escaped the next morning with a quick goodbye.

I never expected to see him again.

I especially never expected him to come face-to-face with him at my brother’s house.

As the new coach of the team.

Zane

I was the youngest coach in the NHL.

I had to focus on one thing and one thing only.

My job.

It’s the only thing I had time for.

Until I came face-to-face with the stranger I thought I would never see again.

She’s off-limits in every sense of the word.

Not just because she’s younger than me.

She’s the sister to my star player.

My Kind of Guy by Sarina Bowen - ARC Review & Release Blitz

2026-03-24T09:30:00.097-04:00

He’s a backup goalie with a broken game. The only thing he needs more than a win is the hot, grumpy bartender who pours his weekly beer.

Becker James is having a spectacularly bad season. Once a top draft pick, he’s now riding the bench in the minors, one failed save away from being cut. The highlight of his week? A lonely hour on a barstool at Sportsballs, Denver’s queerest watering hole—and Forest, the bartender with flannel sleeves, a gruff voice, and a beard that stars in Beck’s dreams.

Opportunity strikes when Forest’s LGBTQ hockey team—the Stickhandlers—loses their goalie last-minute. Beck makes Forest an he’ll help them beat the most hated team in the beer league, but he wants something in return—one night together.

Cue the record scratch, because Seth Forrester doesn’t do hookups. After his last one went horribly wrong, he swore off men for good. He’s definitely not falling for the awkward hottie who just stammered through an indecent proposal.

But Beck is prepared to press his case, no matter how awkward it gets. And one beer league game turns into something messier, sweeter, and so much harder to walk away from…

For various reasons I’ve previously detailed, I am highly selective about the M/M authors I choose to read. So, if I am reading it, it's got to be from an author I know will make the story work and make both of the characters in the main couple feel like entire people, not the lead and a secondary character.

Beck and Forest were both leading men in their own right, and so them being together...well, let's just say I loved them, and the idea of them, from the beginning. They are so perfect for one another, when on paper I am not actually sure they should work as Beck is so adorably quirky and Forest...isn't. He just isn't. He has things that make him who he is, but I loved that the two of them together make one another into more than they were apart.

It took me no time at all to read this title, and that is because I was involved and invested from the beginning. I loved them, their story, I wanted all of the things to be perfect for both of them, and I wanted to see their happy ending, immediately.

Buy This Book!

Amazon

Apple Books

Kobo

Nook

Google Play

Audible: Coming soon!

Author's Website Books Page

Author's Website Series links Page

ADD TO GOODREADS

Love Grows Wild by Winter Renshaw - ARC Review

2026-03-20T09:30:00.000-04:00

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Winter Renshaw comes a small-town slow burn about a writer who returns to her roots and the farmer who helps her grow.

Wren Jensen thought she had it all—until she was left at the altar and left with nothing but writer’s block. Out of options, she packs up her five-year-old son and heads back to her hometown of Colton Valley, hoping the quiet countryside will inspire her again.

Hunter McCrae wanted that property for himself. The last thing the grumpy farmer expected was a single mom moving in next door—or how much she’d unsettle his carefully guarded solitude.

Wren isn’t looking for love. Hunter isn’t looking for neighbors. But with every stolen glance and shared moment, the walls they’ve built start to crack.

She’s haunted by heartbreak. He’s married to his solitude. Neither is ready to risk it all.

But sometimes love doesn’t follow rules. It grows wild, right where it’s not supposed to.

Wren and Hunter were one of those stories you are drawn into immediately.

Hunter was so complex, but the more you get to know about him, about who he is, the more you like him. It was absolutely believable why Wren was interested in him despite her past and the reasons she had to keep her distance.

I loved the depth of the character development for both of them. The book was a series of finding out the pieces of each of them as the other learned them. It left me feeling connected to them as people, which left me really invested in the story.

Without spoilers, it's hard to fully describe the journey they both go on, the ways they show up for one another and believe each other. This book is full of the little moments that build up to lead to two people forming the kind of connection that lasts.

Buy This Book!
Amazon

The Hockey Problem by Kendall Ryan - ARC Review

2026-03-17T10:30:00.051-04:00

He’s the NHL’s most guarded single dad.
She’s the one woman who can’t afford to fall for him.

Tori Wells didn’t fight her way into the NHL just to become another cautionary tale. As a team physical therapist, she lives by strict rules: heal the players, protect her career, and never—ever—cross the line with a hockey player.

Then she’s assigned to Zayden Bishop.

On the ice, he’s untouchable—a French-Canadian superstar with a reputation for being cold, private, and impossible to read. Off the ice, he’s a devoted single father running on discipline, stubbornness, and too little sleep. Until a serious shoulder injury threatens his season—and the stability he’s built for his six-year-old daughter.

Tori is in charge of his rehab. Full oversight. Daily sessions.
No room for mistakes.
No room for attraction.

Except Zayden isn’t what she expected.

The more time they spend together—early mornings, quiet road trips, late-night conversations—the harder it becomes to pretend this is just professional. Because Zayden doesn’t just need his shoulder fixed. He needs someone who sees the man behind the jersey.

And Tori is dangerously close to becoming that someone.

Crossing the line could cost her everything she’s worked for. And Zayden can’t risk bringing anyone into his daughter’s life unless he’s certain they’ll stay.

Perfect for fans of Meghan Quinn, Elle Kennedy, and Monica Murphy, this slow-burn, single dad, forced-proximity hockey romance brings the heat—and the heart—in all the best ways.

Book one in a brand-new hockey romance series. Each book can be read as a standalone.

This is a slow burn that just works, I think because it builds on the little things that are a foundation for any relationship. I love a story that builds the relationship while the reader is present, so slow burn stories do tend to be some of my favorites.

Add in the workplace connection that makes it forbidden and adds a little tension, and I was all in on this story. I loved the addition of his daughter and the ways in which him trusting her with his daughter was one of the ways their connection with one another deepened.

I also liked that the reason they couldn't be together was real, and it was something that wasn't necessarily easily resolved. It did work out, but it's a romance so it was going to, but it wasn't without stress and reasons to think that maybe it wasn't. I also, without spoilers, liked his involvement in the way the story resolved, as it not only worked but it made it feel real and that he was invested in their relationship, even though as a reader you know this by that point.

This was an enjoyable read and I definitely recommend it. I am looking forward to the next one in the series.

Buy This Book!
Kindle: https://amzn.to/3NIjzyQ
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4sGBKnU
Audible: https://geni.us/AudioHockeyProblem
Goodreads: https://geni.us/hockeyprbGR

Fallen Hero by Riley Edwards - ARC Review

2026-03-16T10:30:00.004-04:00

Former Navy SEAL Mason Hughes locked his heart away years ago after devastating betrayal. Now his iron control serves him well on dangerous missions…until a high-stakes operation in Dubai brings him face-to-face with the enigmatic Calista Ventura.

Calista is on a mission for vengeance, and the last thing she needs is the tempting distraction of the infuriating yet irresistible Mason. But when their missions become dangerously entangled, she finds herself relying on his lethal skills to stay alive.

As they work to expose an international trafficking ring, the heat between them becomes impossible to deny. Mason’s protective instincts war with Calista’s need to handle things alone. But in a world of deadly secrets and powerful enemies, trusting the wrong person could be fatal.

When Calista’s past catches up with them both, they’ll have to decide if the chance at love is worth risking everything they’ve fought to protect.

This book was a little uneven for me. I really liked Mason and Calista, even the parts where they were pretending not to like one another, or fighting with one another.

But, for me the evolution of the relationship between them seemed a little choppy, like it was moving forward, and then it wasn't. While I do understand a lot of this was because of the way the story of their relationship was also happening within the story of the mission they were on, it left me feeling like I was struggling to keep up with where we were in their story and as a result, not always able to pick it up immediately or to get back into the flow of their romance.

That said, I liked both of them and I wanted to see them get their happily ever after and to catch the bad guys, which was a huge subplot to the romance.

This one wasn't perfect, but I liked the characters enough to want to see how it resolved, even though it did feel like it was a little choppy in some places.

Buy This Book!
Amazon

Then There Was You by S. L. Scott - ARC Review

2026-03-16T10:30:00.003-04:00

The time is now.

I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to smile, to laugh, and to really live. Until I met him.

Heart-stoppingly handsome.
Totally forbidden.
Keats Matthews looked at me like I was something special.

He was escaping his past. I wanted to escape my present. Together, we fell hard and fast and knew we had found forever. Or so we thought …

Six years later, his shoulders are broader than I remembered, his charming smile thaws my frozen heart, and it’s so tempting to run my fingers through his hair like I did years ago. But it’s the tenderness and warmth in his brown eyes that remind me of the forever we almost shared.

It’s magic when we’re together again. Our chemistry has only magnified. Seeing him, confident and more irresistible than ever, has me falling for him all over again and hoping for a second chance.

But he still believes our timing was off before. He’s wrong. It was the secret I kept hidden that was our undoing. Time hasn’t healed old wounds, and not everything hidden has come to light. When it does, we’ll stand together or fall apart. Either way, we must find out.

Keats and Sophie were one of those couples you just cheer for from the beginning. I liked both of them, and there was something about them that made me want them to get their HEA. The title is a second chance, with a little bit of a twist as we, as readers, were part of their initial meeting and then around for their missed connections and their second chance, which is unusual, and I liked it.

There were a few times where I wasn't the happiest with Sophie, but she was young when the choices that bothered me the most happened, so it was hard to totally hold them against her. As she matured, I did like the choices she made more and I forgot to hold the ones at the beginning of the story against her.

Their chemistry really worked and the romantic scenes added to the story and also to their connection. Spicy scenes in books are rarely a bad thing, and when done well (as this one was) they improve the story and give it momentum.

Pre-Order This Book - Releasing March 27, 2026

Amazon

The Deal Maker by Louise Bay - ARC Review

2026-03-15T09:30:00.038-04:00

When the maid of honor and the best man fabricate a romance to keep the peace, the only thing they can’t fake are the sparks.

Lucy Jones is tired of being the “other sister.” Elizabeth is the golden child—beautiful, serene, and engaged to the perfect man. Lucy? She’s thirty, single, and still dodging her mother’s digs about how she never quite measures up. But when Elizabeth names Lucy as her maid of honor, she vows her sister’s wedding will be her grand rebrand. She’ll prove she’s polished, sophisticated, and totally in control.

Enter Hunter Bain. Best man. Business bro. Walking scowl emoji. Also the rudest, most aggravating man Lucy has ever met—and her new partner in planning the joint bachelor/bachelorette weekend. Fantastic. Because nothing says “reinvent yourself” like clashing with a man who thinks party planning is beneath him.

From drunken disasters to shenanigans on Martha’s Vineyard, Lucy and Hunter can’t stop butting heads. Until one impulsive lie forces them to pretend they’re dating. It’s supposed to be temporary. It’s supposed to be fake. But every lingering glance, every stolen kiss, every unexpected laugh makes it harder to remember what’s real and what’s not.

Full of sharp banter, slow-burn tension, and laugh-out-loud chaos, The Deal Maker is a swoony enemies-to-lovers rom-com about messy families, fake relationships, and finding love when you least expect it.

This title is a standalone, and it's a great chance to introduce yourself to this author, if you haven't already. The characters are fun, and some of them are awful, but all of them are engaging and no one feels like they are extra and could have been left

Lucy and Hunter dislike one another from their initial meeting, and one of the challenges I have about the enemies to lovers is not believing that they would dislike one another, or that they wouldn't be able to get past the reasons for their dislike: this book had neither issue. I believed in the reason they didn't like one another, and I believed in their evolution as a couple.

I enjoyed the way the author paralleled the growth of both Lucy and Hunter as they realized some things about themselves that allowed them to see things a lot differently. Exactly what this is would be a spoiler, but I can say it really made the story work for me.

Buy This Book!
Amazon

Bloodlust by Sandra Brown - Review

2026-03-14T09:30:00.032-04:00

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown delivers a new signature sexy suspense about a detective seeking justice for his murdered wife with the help of a psychotherapist … while fighting an undeniable attraction to her.

Two years ago, Detective Mitch Haskell lost his wife to a vicious act of retribution, and has since attributed her murder two men: Roland Malone and the unidentified mastermind of the crime known only as Oz. Malone, a ruthless executioner and drug dealer who fronts as a restaurant owner, neutralizes so cleanly that he doesn’t leave a trace. And he performs his handiwork at the biddings of Oz, the faceless kingpin of a drug trafficking operation whose name alone evokes terror.

Obsessively vowing to avenge his late wife’s murder, Mitch has been on a downward spiral, jeopardizing his closest relationships and drinking excessively to numb his pain. After going one step too far, Detective John Bowie, his former best friend and now his boss, has forced Mitch to get therapy to sort himself out.

Dr. Dylan Reede is immediately empathetic to the pain she senses beneath Mitch’s cavalier attitude and wisecracking. She’s determined to make the most of his mandated sessions. But from the moment Mitch breezes into her office, Dylan finds it a struggle to maintain the professional and personal boundaries that keep her own tragic past at a safe distance.

As Mitch begins to close in on Oz and Malone’s operation, they’re prepared to stop him by any means necessary. And when it’s revealed that Dylan might hold the key to bringing them to justice, Mitch and Dylan’s irresistible attraction to each other may not only compromise both of them professionally, but place them in Oz’s bullseye.

Why is it that I love titles where one of the characters is some type of therapist? I think it's because of how forbidden it makes any romance with anyone with an official relationship with them, so Mitch and Dylan, well, I was in from the first page.

Usually with Sandra Brown's titles, there is a moment of a "gotcha" when something happens that you didn't see coming. This one was no different, although I actually felt it happened more than once, which made it even more fun.

I loved the book, I loved the way it unfolded, and the way I was drawn into the story from the very beginning, even though I never totally figured it out until the very end.

I also enjoyed that Bowie, the hero from a previous title, was one of the characters in this story, so it was like getting to spend time with prior characters while getting to know the ones in this story.

I enjoyed the title and I am looking forward to whatever story Sandra Brown tells next.

Buy This Book!
Amazon

Ice Cold Chemistry by Kendall Ryan - Cover Reveal

2026-03-13T11:30:00.055-04:00

He’s spent years building walls. She’s about to tear them down.

Releasing June 25, 2026

Buy Links:

Amazon

Audio: coming soon!

Goodreads

She’s the distraction the team can’t afford. He’s the solution no one saw coming.

Winnie Garrett is done with men. After a toxic relationship left her second-guessing everything, she’s focused on one thing: her dream job as the New York Knights’ new yoga instructor.

Banks Callahan doesn’t do relationships. Or feelings. Or anything that requires letting people get close. Growing up in the foster system taught him not to need anyone—and definitely not to want something he could lose.

So when the team’s new yoga instructor becomes an unexpected locker-room distraction threatening their playoff focus, Banks comes up with a solution so ridiculous it just might work.

Fake dating.

If the guys think Winnie is his, they’ll back off. It’s simple locker room code: you don’t touch what’s claimed—like calling dibs on the last slice of pizza.

The problem? Nothing about Winnie Garrett is simple. She’s warmth and laughter and everything Banks has spent years convincing himself he doesn’t need.

She makes him want things he can’t have.

Makes him feel things he doesn’t understand.

He was never supposed to fall for her. But somewhere between fake hand-holding, pretend nicknames, and very real late-night moments, the line between “just for show” and “dangerously real” starts to blur.

Ice Cold Chemistry is a slow-burn hockey romance featuring fake dating, a grumpy hero, a sunshine heroine, and the relationship neither of them planned—but both might need.

It Seemed Like a Good Idea by Lauren Blakely - ARC Review

2026-03-06T10:30:00.014-05:00

Grumpy meets sunshine in this charming and hilarious forbidden small town romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely!

I really don't need a bodyguard―I run a small-town lavender farm, for bee's sake! But I'm getting one anyway since my identical twin sister just booked the movie role of a lifetime and it's being shot in my hometown. And guess who my new broody, tattooed protector is? None other than the guy I had a one-night stand with last month.

he's the guy with the wicked mouth and heated eyes who ran out on me before the bang without so much as goodbye. And of course he arrives in my tiny hometown where the film is shooting right in the nick of time to save me from the paparazzi at the market. The coffee shop. The dress shop too. I'm trying hard to stay mad after the third time the sexy jerk rescues me.

To top it all off, he's staying in the cottage at my farm. With me. And there's only one bed.
Maybe just one night would relieve all this tension? But one night turns into another, and then into sharing hearts and secrets that are best locked up. Especially since he's leaving and I'm staying, and there's no way we can be more than a summer romance that ends far too soon.

Small town, rom com, grumpy/sunshine, bodyguard, mistaken identity, forbidden romance, only one bed

Why is the idea of a small town romance set on a lavender farm the most appealing thing I have heard of in a while? Admittedly, I love Lauren Blakely titles, small town romance stories, and am a fan of lavender, so I am sure those things helped.

Ripley and Banks also helped with my enjoyment of the story, as I loved both of them and really did want to see them grow as a couple. I liked the secondary characters, and I am looking forward to getting to know them better.

I enjoy books with a lot of drama, but I also enjoy titles like this one, with people you like and want to get to know, and feel that you do get to know as you are along for a little bit of their story. The connection between Ripley and Banks felt real, as did their reasons for both wanting to keep things professional and for being unable to do so. The push and pull between them before they decided to be together was perfection.

Buy This Book!

Amazon/Kindle Unlimited

Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles - ARC Review

2026-03-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

He spent a lifetime trying to escape his dark past…but to save her, he’ll wade back into the shadows.

Braedyn Winslow never expected to return to Starlight Grove—the town that took everything from her. Not after her best friend, the one who’d sacrificed so much for her, vanished without a trace. But with a young son to raise and a past that won’t stay buried, Brae is back…and determined to uncover the truth.

She just didn’t count on the brooding, reclusive mountain man living next door.

Dex Archer is the stuff of local legend—silent, rugged, and surrounded by whispers of his and his brothers’ violent father. But Brae sees through the scowl and his parentage to the man beneath: fiercely loyal, unexpectedly kind…and just dangerous enough to protect her when someone starts warning her off her search.

The closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to stay away from Dex. And as things get more perilous, Brae realizes the only person she can rely on is the one man who swore never to trust again.

Only someone isn’t happy that Brae has been digging, and they’ll do anything to stop her. But Dex? He’ll do anything to save her, even slip back into the dark…

I can't lie, I love a twisty and dark romance, so I knew I was going to love Brae and Dex's story before I even started reading. Especially as I am also a fan of this author in general.

What I didn't know is how engaged and invested I was going to be, or how the ending was going to feel like one surprise after another. Just when I thought all of the things had happened, there was still more.

Add this in with the story about two people who really deserve to find happiness, and the people around them who were not only secondary characters but also people you come to feel an attachment to, and you have a story that tells not only a romance, but a missing person's story while also being the start of a new series and laying the groundwork for that, without losing the focus on the main characters.

This one absolutely leaves you wanting the next in the series.

Buy This Book!
Bloom Books
Author's Website

Then There Was You by S. L. Scott - Cover Reveal

2026-02-27T08:30:00.003-05:00

The Time is Now...

Pre-Order This Book Here!

Top Shelf Stud by Kate Meader - ARC Review

2026-02-23T10:30:00.002-05:00

The snail doc wants a baby. I volunteered to do the deed. But it isn’t long before I realize a “donation” will never be enough. I want to be a dad, but most of all, I want her.

Franky

When confronted with the cold, hard facts of her diminishing chances to be a mom, what’s a woman of science to do?

Make a spreadsheet of eligible donors, of course.

Finding a man for life is not in the cards, but one for this singular purpose? I can do that. As the daughter of a Chicago Rebels legend and an expert in the field of gastropods—more commonly known as snails and slugs—I have plenty of choices in the worlds of both hockey and academia. The selection process should be easy, especially as my methodology has already eliminated several options, including Jason Isner, childhood nemesis and recently acquired defenseman for the Rebels. I’ve always considered him arrogant, cruel, and to be honest, not the brightest bulb.

I’m rarely wrong. But I might have been mistaken about Jason . . .

Jason

I surprised even myself when I offered to be Franky St. James’s baby daddy, but fatherhood has been a dream of mine forever. If I can achieve my goal without the hassle of a relationship, even better. I won’t be one of those “pump and dump” donors, though. I want the whole package: nighttime feedings, shopping for cute onesies, teaching my kid to skate. I’m in it for life, and as Franky and I travel this road together, I start to imagine what that life might look like. Not just a baby, but a family of my own.

The thing is, the doc has all sorts of hypotheses about jocks and relationships, and it’s going to take a lot of persuasion—sexy and otherwise—to prove her wrong. She might think the mating rituals of her beloved snails are the only “coupling” worth studying, but I’m determined to show her that when it comes to seeking a mate, this player is as driven as any species in the animal kingdom.

Because making a baby is just the beginning . . .

* She needs a sperm donor * Hockey romance * STEM heroine who studies snails * Childhood nemesis * Enemies to lovers * She watches him make his "donation" * Her brain turns him on * Spicy

I can't lie, the idea of the heroine being a "snail doctor" was not my favorite job for a heroine, but it's definitely a different experience. And I love the representation of women in STEM and how being smart is ok for a woman.

Franky and Jason know one another and when Jason learns that Franky wants a baby, he is all in. And, I loved the twist that while he was good with being her baby daddy, he also wanted to be a father. He just didn't necessarily think that it was going to work out that he was also going to be involved with Franky.

I also loved how much he thought that she could never be interested in him as more than a donor. I loved how their relationship was sweet at times and how you got to fall in love with him as she did, and as she did with him.

I always enjoy this author's stories and this was another one to add to the list of books I am glad I read.

Buy This Book!

Amazon

The Grump Next Door by Kendall Ryan - ARC Review

2026-02-11T10:30:00.026-05:00

One guest house. One week. One slow-burn disaster waiting to happen.

Dean Whitaker has zero interest in weddings, fairy lights, or the perky woman currently turning his guest house into a scented-candle crime scene.

He’s a divorce attorney. He thrives on prenups, logic, and not getting glitter on his suits.

Poppy Monroe is a wedding planner with a checklist for everything—except how to survive living next door to a hot, brooding, tightly wound lawyer—aka the groom’s brother.

They’re opposites in every way—except for the undeniable chemistry neither of them wants to talk about.

Their mission: survive one week of wedding chaos.

Her sunshine and glitter pens.
His whiskey and restraint.

Opposites attract. Then they combust.

I enjoy enemies to lovers stories and Dean and Poppy's was fun. I related to both of them; his desire to help out his brother with absolutely no desire to have wedding guests traipsing all over his lawn. And her desire to prove that she is able to make a success by being focused and working hard.

I am not sure I totally believe a wedding planner could handle a wedding of this size all on her own, but I was willing enough to believe it that it worked for me and the story. And, as it was the basis of their story, and all of their arguments and banter, it worked even if it might have been a bit of a stretch to plausibility.

The story ARC was strong on the way to them being together, but I do think there was too much at the end of the story. I am not sure we needed all of the endings to know how this story was going to end. Was it enough to ruin the story? No. I just am not certain it was needed.

The scene stealing star of the show was the goat, or was it two goats? (It's a long story.)

Buy This Book!

Kindle https://amzn.to/4p2O3by

Audible https://geni.us/grumpaudible

Paperback https://amzn.to/4qvMMKJ

Goodreads https://geni.us/GrumpND

Falling for Trouble by Carly Phillips - ARC Review

2026-02-05T10:30:00.040-05:00

Brother’s Best Friend • Forbidden Romance • Billionaire Protector • Miami Heat • A Dare Family Series Story

He’s the bad boy my family warned me about—and the one man I can’t have.

I just landed the job of my dreams—planning the Miami Thunder football team’s anniversary celebration—and I can’t afford distractions. Especially not tattooed billionaire and reformed troublemaker Lucas Carras. He exudes alpha-hero intensity, but he’s been off limits for as long as I’ve known him.

But the kickoff party is happening at the nightclub he co-owns with my brother… and with my sibling out of town, I’m stuck working with Lucas.

Forced proximity ignites the desire we’ve both been pretending doesn’t exist. From bedrooms to storage rooms, the scorching tension causes us to cross every line we swore we wouldn’t. On paper, we’re complete opposites. In reality, the chemistry is undeniable.

This party is everything I’ve worked for—my moment to prove myself. Until the sabotage starts.

Orders vanish. Vendors back out. Someone is determined to ruin the anniversary… and my reputation along with it.

Suddenly Lucas isn’t just a distraction. He’s my protector, my anchor, and the only man I trust to stand by my side.

But when my brother finds out about us, family drama explodes. And I’m torn between being the good girl who plays by the rules... and falling for trouble.

Perfect for fans of Carly Phillips and high-heat sports romance, Falling for Trouble features a possessive hero, high-stakes suspense, and a guaranteed HEA.

Why are heroes who own nightclubs so hot? I am sure it's not just me as there are tons of titles with this setup, but I enjoy it and I was all in on this story. I enjoy this author, I like the trope, and well, I always enjoy titles in this series (or spinoff series).

Rainey and Lucas are perfect for one another, even though it takes a bit for them to decide they are more than just a fling no one can know about as he is also her brother's best friend. I did think the sabotage of the event angle was a little unnecessary, as I thought there was enough to the story without adding in the drama of something going wrong with the event, but it wasn't a big enough subplot to totally derail their story.

I was behind them as a couple, and I liked both of them as people, so it was easy to invest in this story.

Buy This Book

Amazon

The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura - ARC Review & Blog Tour

2026-01-23T10:30:00.022-05:00

Daniela Guiterrez has been in love with her brother’s best friend for as long as she can remember—until he went missing a year ago during an archaeological expedition. But on a solo trip to Greece, the intrepid librarian discovers that Theo is very much alive, although judging by the criminals holding him hostage, he is not doing well.

An expert in Ancient Greek archaeology, Dr. Theo Galanis has been abducted by artifact smugglers in search of a priceless gemstone—the Eye of the Minotaur. This ridiculous assignment was supposed to get Dani out of his system, not keep her tied up next to him. But when a little white lie spirals into his captors believing Theo and Dani are engaged, they must utilize her research skills and his expertise to solve the centuries’ old Minoan mystery, all while feigning a romance to keep each other alive.

Now with less than six days to find the jewel, underground societies, mythological beings, and pesky abductors are only half the battle. Because among the ancient ruins and temples they explore is an even bigger danger: falling in love for real.

This book was a little quirky and a lot of fun. I am not sure what I was expecting from Daniela and Theo, but I couldn't put it down and I was invested from the beginning and really wasn't sure how this was ever going to work out for them.

I am not always the biggest fan of the miscommunication trope, but this one really works as the reason they don't talk about all of the things going on is that they are running from kidnappers, and treasure seekers, and odd cults that no one even knows still exist, and pretty much everything else, so they were a little busy.

Once they figure things out and allow themselves to focus on one another, the way the author develops them as a couple is well done and balanced nicely with the suspense and adventure plot. And, I loved the ending. It was very them and perfect.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.

Buy This Book!
Amazon

Just Breaking the Rules by Lauren Blakely - ARC Review

2026-01-19T11:30:00.012-05:00

Everyone knows the golden rule of business: don’t bang your business partner. Especially if he’s your brother’s hot-as-sin, hockey-star best friend.

But when the sexy single dad athlete saves me from a cake contest catastrophe—and shows me how good he is with his hands—I blurt out the world’s worst business pitch: Want to invest in my bakery?

With no loan or backup plan, this is my last shot at proving I’m more than my past mistakes, and shockingly, he says yes.

We set one rule: don’t mix business with pleasure.
Except Corbin Knight’s impossible to resist.

When he’s not scoring goals, he’s staying up late with me to test tempting recipes.
Braiding my hair before we bake like it’s foreplay.
Giving me his jersey to wear to games.

I try to keep a professional distance from the bossy, possessive and dangerously flirty hockey player, but soon we’re testing the limits of the kitchen counter.

This bakery is my chance to finally get my life right, so I fight the messy feelings.
Until one night, he shows up after closing and admits he can’t stop thinking about me.

Suddenly I’m ready to break every rule—no matter the cost to our dreams.

And breaking the rules has never tasted so good.

This is Corbin and Mabel's romance. Tropes include: Brother's best friend, single dad, workplace romance, hockey, the one who got away, love letters

What is it about a hockey player who is also willing to be a nice guy? Or, in this case, a nice guy who wants to own his own bakery. I think it's that the two seem so different, but when it's done well, as in this case for Corbin and Mabel, I think it's that it makes them feel like people and not characters.

Add in the quirky humor and the banter that is a lot of fun, and this book is a recipe for a fun, steamy, sexy, and enjoyable read.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.

Buy This Book!

Main Character Energy by Kendall Ryan - ARC Review & Release Blitz

2026-01-07T10:30:00.011-05:00

Andi Callahan prefers the quiet company of the dead.

As a morgue tech in a sleepy coastal town outside Boston, she lives for silence, predictability, and zero small talk.
Living people? Too loud. Too messy. Too nosy.

The dead don’t interrupt her, meddle in her life, or flirt with her.

Cole Hartley does.

He’s everything Andi avoids—charming, persistent, and entirely too good-looking for his own good.
The town’s beloved firefighter-paramedic has a hero complex the size of Massachusetts and a dangerous talent for cracking Andi’s ice-cold composure.

What starts as a harmless bet to make her smile turns into something neither of them saw coming.
Now Cole’s determined to prove that life is worth the mess—and that love might be the riskiest, most rewarding thing of all.

Funny, heartfelt, and impossible to put down, this opposites-attract romance asks what happens when a woman who’s made peace with solitude finally lets herself feel everything.

Perfect for fans of quirky slow-burns, grumpy-sunshine, spicy banter, enemies to lovers, and one very determined golden retriever in human form.

This book was fun because it really was a simple, boy meets girl, slow burn. Cole and Andi see each other because their jobs put them into the same place, much to Andi's chagrin.

She's been through a lot in her life, and she uses that as an excuse to push people away because it's easier than risking being hurt. Cole sees this and decides she's worth the risk. Their story is a slow burn, in that it takes time for them to be together, but also in that they take the time to get to know each other before they allow themselves to act on the attraction.

The secondary characters add to this in a great way, with a bit of a parallel to what Cole and Andi are experiencing.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.

What to Expect in Main Character Energy:

Golden Retriever Hero x Black Cat Heroine

Grumpy/Sunshine

Opposites Attract

Small Town Romance

Workplace Romance

Slow Burn

Found Family

Meddling Friends & Coworkers

Past Trauma/Emotional Wounds

Amazon ➜ https://amzn.to/4pVCSlB

Audible ➜ https://geni.us/SXvtLGx

Special Edition Paperback ➜ https://amzn.to/45IdeJj

About Kendall Ryan

Kendall Ryan is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of flirty, feel-good romance filled with heart, heat, and plenty of banter. An American author who has lived all over the world, her books have sold millions of copies and been translated into multiple languages in countries around the world. She writes swoony heroes, bold heroines, and stories that make you laugh, blush, and fall in love.

Love Hard by Louise Bay - ARC Review & Release Blitz

2026-01-06T10:30:00.040-05:00

In my world, love comes with a rulebook.

Marry the right girl. From the right family. With the right last name.

I’m Jack Alden—the only son of the Alden dynasty. The kind of New York family that’s been around since ships were made of wood and fortunes were built on steel.

My mother’s been trying to find me a “suitable” wife for years.

So naturally, I fall for a woman who couldn’t care less about any of it.

Iris Williams.

I first saw her at the New York City Ballet—crying in the stalls like the music had cracked her open. She didn’t know who I was. She wasn’t performing for anyone. She was just… real.

One night with her, and I remembered what it felt like to actually breathe.

Then she disappeared.

Months later, I find her again—on a fruit farm in the middle of Colorado, hurling raspberries at me like she’s auditioning for a food fight. Turns out, Iris is smart, stubborn, and not remotely impressed by a billionaire with a trust fund and an overbearing mother.

She makes me laugh.

She makes me think.

And for the first time in my life, I want something that isn’t written in my family’s history books.

But old money comes with old rules.

And loving Iris means breaking every single one.

They say you can’t choose where you come from.

Maybe not.

But you can choose who you fight for.

And this time, I’m choosing her.

Because when it comes to Iris Williams—I don’t just love.

I love hard.

Jack and Iris are from very different worlds and it's this that both draws them together and causes them to think that they won't be able to stay together.

I connected with both of them, with the desire to be loyal to your family, with giving up things you want for things that you want for your family, and I loved that even though they were from very different worlds, they had the same problems and the same things pulling them away from one another.

The story drew me in, and I was invested in the characters getting their happy ever after. A
dd in their fantastic chemistry and connection and I was engaged in this one from the beginning of the story.

I have enjoyed all of the books in this series and it's nice to see Jack get his happy ending and to see characters from the other books also having theirs.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.

What to expect:

💚Small Town

💚Billionaire Romance

💚Colorado & New York

💚Long Distance

💚Different Worlds

💚Love at first sight

💚Destined to be together

💚Opposites Attract

💚Standalone

➡️𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬!
𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱!
https://geni.us/LoveHard

Amazon US: https://geni.us/LoveHardAmzUS
Amazon UK: https://geni.us/loveharduk
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0F8RCGCQ4
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0F8RCGCQ4
Audible US: https://geni.us/lovehardaudio
Audible UK: https://geni.us/lovehardaudiouk

Add to 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔: https://geni.us/LoveHardGR

Find more books by Louise Bay here: https://louisebay.com/

Booked All Night

Falling for Real by Carly Phillips - ARC Review

Buy This Book!!Amazon

No, Don't Ever Stop by Marni Mann - ARC Review

Buy This Book!AmazonRelease Date: April 21, 2026

Captivation Creek by Claire Kingsley - ARC Review

Buy This BookAmazon

Ryder by Jessica Peterson - ARC Review

Buy This Book!Amazon

Made for Mayhem by Aimee Vance - ARC Review

Buy This BookAmazon

Knight's Storm by Katie Reus - ARC Review

Buy This Book!

Only For Her by Natasha Madison - Cover Reveal

Meet Natasha Madison:

Blurb

My Kind of Guy by Sarina Bowen - ARC Review & Release Blitz

Buy This Book!

Love Grows Wild by Winter Renshaw - ARC Review

Buy This Book!Amazon

The Hockey Problem by Kendall Ryan - ARC Review

Buy This Book!Kindle: https://amzn.to/3NIjzyQPaperback: https://amzn.to/4sGBKnUAudible: https://geni.us/AudioHockeyProblemGoodreads: https://geni.us/hockeyprbGR

Fallen Hero by Riley Edwards - ARC Review

Buy This Book!Amazon

Then There Was You by S. L. Scott - ARC Review

Pre-Order This Book - Releasing March 27, 2026

The Deal Maker by Louise Bay - ARC Review

Buy This Book!Amazon

Bloodlust by Sandra Brown - Review

Buy This Book!Amazon

Ice Cold Chemistry by Kendall Ryan - Cover Reveal

It Seemed Like a Good Idea by Lauren Blakely - ARC Review

Buy This Book!

Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles - ARC Review

Buy This Book!Bloom BooksAuthor's Website

Then There Was You by S. L. Scott - Cover Reveal

The Time is Now...

Pre-Order This Book Here!

Top Shelf Stud by Kate Meader - ARC Review

Buy This Book!

The Grump Next Door by Kendall Ryan - ARC Review

Buy This Book!

Falling for Trouble by Carly Phillips - ARC Review

Buy This Book

The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura - ARC Review & Blog Tour

Buy This Book!Amazon

Just Breaking the Rules by Lauren Blakely - ARC Review

Buy This Book!

Main Character Energy by Kendall Ryan - ARC Review & Release Blitz

About Kendall Ryan

Love Hard by Louise Bay - ARC Review & Release Blitz

Buy This Book!!
Amazon

Buy This Book!
Amazon
Release Date: April 21, 2026

Buy This Book
Amazon

Buy This Book!
Amazon

Buy This Book
Amazon

Buy This Book!
Amazon

Buy This Book!
Kindle: https://amzn.to/3NIjzyQ
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4sGBKnU
Audible: https://geni.us/AudioHockeyProblem
Goodreads: https://geni.us/hockeyprbGR

Buy This Book!
Amazon

Buy This Book!
Amazon

Buy This Book!
Amazon

Buy This Book!
Bloom Books
Author's Website

Buy This Book!
Amazon