Burning.x.Impossibly.x.Bright

[Review] CHASE LOVETT WANTS ME by Helena Hunting

2025-01-11T12:00:00.007-05:00

Cover Designer: Hang Le
Artwork by Mary Livas @Searland_art

Book Source: Received an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: January 10, 2025

DESCRIPTION

A brand new standalone, opposites attract, college hockey romance.

Chase Lovett.
Star of my (unrequited) fantasies.
Hottest guy on campus.
Hockey god.

Too bad he has no idea who I am. Literally, I’m so invisible to him that he once sat on me in class.

No thanks to a fire in the dorms, he just became my accidental roommate.
Did I mention the hotel room our university moved us to has only one bed?
Not ideal.

Worse, I accidentally left “My Precious” Lord of the Rings underwear hanging to dry in our shower.  My actual nightmare.

My name is Cammie Lovelock and this might just be the worst, best thing that’s ever happened to me.

Grab your copy today!

Amazon World → https://geni.us/ChaseLovettWantsMeZon
Amazon Paperback → https://amzn.to/41lOENk
Audio → https://geni.us/ChaseLovettAudio
Add it to Goodreads → https://geni.us/ChaseLovettWantsMeGR

REVIEW

I’ve been eagerly awaiting this book since we first saw Hemi and Dallas interact when the series started and their story was definitely worth the wait!!!

I love how fierce Hemi is and she’s such a powerhouse, but Dallas was definitely the one I was the most excited for in this book because it was very clear that he’d been head over heals for a very long time and boy is he just as much of a cinnamon roll as I was hoping for! He was so generous and considerate, but he was also a dirty talker and boy did that make him even better. He’s my fave out of all of the heroes in the series so far and I loved his dynamics with Hemi.

Seeing the way the relationship evolved in IF YOU NEED ME was wonderful! I love a good fake dating story and this one had me hoooooked! There was a bit more drama that I expected at times, but I loved how it was resolved and that we got lots of sweet moments afterwards!

Overall, this is my fave in the Toronto Terror series and I loved Dallas and Hemi so much! Looking forward to what Helena comes up with for our hockey boys and bad@ss babes brigade next! Highly recommend this one if you love stories where it starts out looking like enemies to lovers, but really one of them has been pining for ages…especially if you also love dirty talking golden retriever mmcs. ;)

Star Rating:★★★★★

About Helena Hunting

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

Connect with Helena:
Website | Amazon | BookBub | Facebook
Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads
Facebook Fan group

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Subscribe to Helena's Mailing List

What do you think?

Does CHASE LOVETT WANTS ME sound like something you'd like to read? Who else loves it when the hero is absolutely obsessed with the heroine?

[Review] IF YOU NEED ME (Toronto Terror, #3) by Helena Hunting

2024-12-02T18:00:00.048-05:00

Cover Designer: Hang Le
Artwork by Rosie's Fables

Book Source: Received an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: November 6, 2024

DESCRIPTION

A standalone enemies-to-lovers, fake engagement hockey romance.

I’ve been secretly in love with Wilhelmina Reddi-Grinst since the third grade.

I should be the one taking her to our small-town high school reunion. The prom king finally gets his chance with the valedictorian.
Except she hates me.

To the world, I’m a pro hockey player with a million dollar smile.
To Hemi, I’m the menace who (accidentally) sank her bike to the bottom of the lake.

I never thought I’d be able to right my wrongs until she took the team’s PR job.
I’d hoped I was making progress, winning her over—one geriatric polka party at a time.

Until I got drunk one night and made a mistake. A very big mistake.
Now the world thinks we’re both very much in love–—except Hemi is absolutely in loathe.

To save our jobs and reputations, we have to convince all our friends, family, and bosses that our fake relationship is the real deal.

I’ll do anything to protect her, especially if it means I get to be the best boyfriend Hemi never expected.

Grab your copy today!

Amazon → https://geni.us/IfYouNeedMeEbook
Website → https://helenahunting.com/books/iynm/
Goodreads → https://geni.us/IfYouNeedMeGR

REVIEW

Star Rating:★★★★★

About Helena Hunting

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

Connect with Helena:
Website | Amazon | BookBub | Facebook
Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads
Facebook Fan group

Never miss an update!
Subscribe to Helena's Mailing List

What do you think?

Does IF YOU NEED ME sound like something you'd like to read? Who else is a sucker for fake dating tropes and cinnamon roll MMCs who love to dirty talk? :P

[Review] IF YOU WANT ME (Toronto Terror, #2) by Helena Hunting

2024-07-19T22:07:00.004-04:00

Cover Designer: Hang Le
Artwork by Rosie's Fables

Book Source: Received an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: July 11, 2024

DESCRIPTION

A standalone age-gap, dad's best friend's hockey romance.
There’s no one more off limits than my best friend’s daughter.
Peggy Aurora Hammerstein. The Toronto Terror’s unofficial team princess. I would never do anything to mess with our team dynamics this late into the hockey season, but seeing her work in the front office changed something for me.
I see her as she is now: a powerful woman with ambition for miles.
When I hold her against me, she fits perfectly.

Her little flirts and taunts push my buttons, if she doesn’t stop–my control just might break.
But I can never cross that line. I can never know what it could be to call her mine.
I’ve never wanted anyone more than Aurora and no one can ever know.

*This is Hollis Hendrix's standalone novel. If you want to meet Hollis before you read this book, check out If You Hate Me, Rix and Tristan's story.

Grab your copy today!

Amazon Universal → https://geni.us/IfYouWantMe
Audio → https://geni.us/IfYouWantMeAudio
Paperback → https://geni.us/IfYouWantMePB

REVIEW

Helena's new Toronto Terror series has been off to a quick and intense start! In the first book, IF YOU HATE ME, we had an enemies-to-lovers romance that was also brother's best friend, and now in the second book, IF YOU WANT ME, we have an age gap and father's best friend.

So far, my favourite part of the series continues to be the friend group and team dynamics, and I'm also loving the mentions and cameos from Helena's other popular series. It's so fun to see how all of her books connect and I'm loving that we'll definitely get to see lots of the past couples in future books, too.I'm already super excited for the next book in the series, IF YOU NEED ME, since it's going to be Hemi and Dallas's story...and I'm ALWAYS a fan of enemies-to-lovers.

Now onto, IF YOU WANT ME, Peggy/Aurora/Hammer (I'm going to stick with Hammer just for consistency :P) and Hollis definitely had some serious chemistry. The start of their story gave me some serious flashbacks to PUCKED and the banter was classic Helena Hunting. I was constantly laughing, and I loved seeing Hammer and Hollis's friendship in the beginning of the book...their antics when Hollis's cats, Postie and Malone, were involved were so adorable! I have to admit that I enjoyed the first half of the story more than the second part. Because the first book in the series dealt with a hidden relationship, I was a bit letdown by the fact that the second book did, too, and I wished it hadn't stretched on so long. Seeing Hammer and Hollis start to fall for each other was lovely though...I'm hoping we'll get to see Hammer's dad, Roman, find love sometime in this series though because that man has a lot of love to give and definitely needs someone to share his heart with.

Overall, IF YOU WANT ME was an absolute wild ride. If you're a fan of age gaps, forbidden romance, and angst then you will love Hammer and Hollis's story! It definitely feels like Helena Hunting has plans for a lot of the characters in the Toronto Terror series, so I'm excited to see how all of the stories unfold and who gets paired up!

Star Rating:★★★

About Helena Hunting

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

Connect with Helena:
Website | Amazon | BookBub | Facebook
Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads
Facebook Fan group

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What do you think?

Does IF YOU WANT ME sound like something you'd like to read?

[Review] DEVOURER OF MEN by Nikki St. Crowe

2024-05-14T08:00:00.025-04:00

Source: Received an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher: ‎ Blackwell House LLC
Release Date: May 14, 2024
Number of Pages: 222 (Kindle) | 234 (Paperback)

DESCRIPTION

I have few friends and fewer allies. What I do have on the island of Everland is a lot of people who want me gone. So when the Crocodile and Captain Hook reappear in my life, I am in no mood. And worse, they’re unknowingly endangering themselves by asking for me by a name I long considered dead.

Now, not only do I have to save myself, I have to save the two men who I swore I would murder with my bare hands if I ever set eyes on them again considering they abandoned me.

Unfortunately for me, Roc and Hook have other plans, and when I find myself caught between them, I have to make a decision: risk my heart or risk my life?

Devourer of Men is a dark MMF romantasy fairytale retelling. Characters have been aged up for this darker, grittier version. For a full list of content warnings, please visit the author's website.

G E T Y O U R C O P Y N O W !
Amazon US | Amazon Canada

REVIEW

I absolutely loved Nikki St. Crowe's Vicious Lost Boys series, so as soon as I heard she was planning a spin-off centred around Roc, Hook and Wendy Darling, I was instantly on board! I've been eagerly waiting for it ever since and I jumped at the chance to request an egalley...and was ecstatic when I got one! As soon as I started DEVOURER OF MEN, I was "hooked" and didn't put it down until I finished!

DEVOURER OF MEN was just as addictive, thrilling, sizzling and fantastic as I hoped it would be...and now I'm desperate for any all all news on what's up next! I already loved Roc and Hook's chemistry sooooo much from the previous series, and trust me...it just got even better in this one. The tension between them was so tight and they were explosive! My initial excitement may have been because I was so curious about how Roc and Hook's chemistry would evolve, but the story itself was also fantastic and completely pulled me in! And if you thought the chemistry was great with just Roc and Hook...trust me, it got even better once Wendy was thrown into the mix. Along with loving the sizzling chemistry and the story itself, I also loved that we got to see more of the Seven Isles and that some of the mysteries surrounding Roc, Hook, and Wendy are starting to unravel.

Overall, I thought DEVOURER OF MEN was phenomenal! If you like spicy, darker stories that have amazing banter, riveting plots, steamy chemistry, and tension that will keep you hooked then I highly recommend this one...and if you haven't read Nikki St. Crowe's Vicious Lost Boys series, I highly recommend it, too! It's perfect for any fans of Peter Pan who are interested in seeing a darker...and heated reimaging of an old fave. Heads up that all of Nikki's books are super spicy! ;)

Star Rating:★★★★★

Have you read any of Nikki St. Crowe's books yet? If you did, did you love them,too?

If you haven't, do dark re-imaginations of classics appeal to you?

[Release Day, Excerpt, + Review] IF YOU HATE ME (Toronto Terror, #1) by Helena Hunting

2024-03-07T08:00:00.161-05:00

Cover Designer: Hang Le
Artwork by Rosie's Fables

Book Source: Received an egalley in exchange for an honest review
and also pre-ordered a Kindle version.
Release Date: March 7, 2024

DESCRIPTION

A brand new standalone hate-to-love, brother's best friend hockey romance.

My new roommates are two pro hockey players.
First, my manwhore older brother, and second, his seriously hot best friend (who I seriously hate).
This was a last resort.
No one should be sleeping on a futon that smells like Cheetos and ball sweat.
But here I am, trying to get my life together.

Tristan Stiles is the bane of my existence.
He never wears a shirt.
We can’t seem to stop fighting.
He’s an arrogant playboy with a filthy reputation.
Sure, I had a crush on him when I was fourteen, but that was a long time ago.
I know better than to trust him.

I just need to survive long enough to find a new job and get a new place.
And not accidentally let Tristan rail me into next week.

Grab your copy today, exclusively from Amazon!

Amazon Universal → https://geni.us/IfYouHateMeZon
Paperback Universal → https://geni.us/IfYouHateMePB
Audio Universal → https://amzn.to/49rB7F1

REVIEW

Wowzers! I couldn’t put IF YOU HATE ME down! I’m always up for a new book for Helena Hunting, so I jumped at the chance to read and review this one nice and early and I’m so glad that I did! I read it both as an egalley and listened to bits of the advanced listener’s copy and both the ebook and audiobook were absolutely fabulous…the readers are amazing and Helena’s words were as captivating as always!

IF YOU HATE ME was hilarious, heartwarming and jammed full of sizzling spice! Rix and Tristan were such wonderful characters and I had so much fun seeing them go from hate to something much, much deeper…and their chemistry was off the charts! I loved their solo journeys, and also how they complemented each other. I loved seeing Rix become more confident in herself, uncover her passions, and find a sense of belonging...and Tristan. Oh boy! I was right there with Rix when Tristan was on her last nerve, but he won me over hard! It was a delight to see him grow, and I love, love, loooooved seeing him learn to realize his own worth. Gotta love self-aware main characters who know they have to work on themselves! ;)

There truly was so much heart in this story...and it definitely didn't cool the heat down at all. In fact, I'd say this is one of Helena's spiciest books yet and if you haven't perfected your spicy reader poker face...you might want to watch if you decide to read this one in public...especially if the audio is your format of choice! It's a scorcher and you will likely find yourself blushing. ;)

Now onto the rest of the fabulous cast of characters! One of my favourite parts of starting new series from Helena is meeting her delightful cast of characters...and she's once again created the most excellent group of side characters who I desperately want to read about. I loved Rix's growing group of friends, and loooooved all of the Toronto Terror players! If you look around online, you might just spot some hints on what's in store next for this series (*hint hint* look for IF YOU WANT ME)...and I am seriously so excited for what's next! I'm also just so excited for all of the potential in this series, and can't wait until more and more people have read IF YOU HATE ME so we can all discuss who we want to read about next! ;)

Overall, I absolutely loved IF YOU HATE ME! Enemies-to-lovers is one of my favourite tropes and I'm always a fan of brother's best friend...so this was right up my alley! I also adored seeing a sports romance set in Toronto from one of my favourite Canadian authors! It was so fun to see certain Canadianisms...and even hear some of them in the audio version, too. I highly recommend IF YOU HATE ME to anyone who loves spicy rom-coms that are high on the spice scale and pack some delightful heat, especially if you also love hockey romances! This is one that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon and I already can't wait to reread it! ;)

Star Rating:★★★★★

About Helena Hunting

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

Connect with Helena:
Website | Amazon | BookBub | Facebook
Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads
Facebook Fan group

Never miss an update!
Subscribe to Helena's Mailing List

What do you think?

Does IF YOU HATE ME sound like something you'd like to read?
And are you excited for the start of Helena's new series?

[Release Day, Excerpt, + Review] THE CATCH (The Influencer, #3) by Amy Lea

2024-02-13T19:00:00.048-05:00

Source: Received an eGalley to participate in the blog tour.
Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: February 13, 2024

Number of Pages: 341 (Kindle)

DESCRIPTION

A grumpy lobster fisherman tosses a fashion influencer’s impeccably curated life overboard in the next romantic comedy from international bestselling author Amy Lea.
In a last-ditch effort to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, Boston fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? The burly and bearded B and B owner and fisherman, Evan Whaler—who single-handedly disproves the theory that Canadians are “nice.”

After a boating accident lands Evan unconscious in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancée by his welcoming yet quirky family, who are embroiled in a long-standing feud over the B and B. In a bold attempt to mend family fences, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for one week in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content.

Amid long hikes and campfire chats, reeling in their budding feelings for each other proves more difficult by the day. But is Mel willing to sacrifice her picture-perfect life in the city for a chance at a true, unfiltered love in the wild?

Grab your copy today:

Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Indigo | B&N | Bookshop | Blackwell's

REVIEW

I've been wanting to read Amy Lea's books for so long now, so I decided that THE CATCH was the one that I wanted to start with...and boy was it an excellent choice!

First off, I absolutely loved the characters! Melanie and Evan were wonderful and I loved seeing their relationship evolve...and oh boy, oh boy did I adore having a lumberjack-esque grumpy fisherman as the hero in this--I feel like that's a high I've been chasing ever since I read (and loved) Tessa Bailey's It Happened One Summer, and while there were definitely some similarities to the premise, Amy Lea kept this story so fresh and fun and I loved every single second of it! I loved that it was set in Nova Scotia, I loved Evan's family and all of the small town shenanigans! As someone from a small Canadian town that's a similar size...albeit in a very different part of the country, I can confirm that the way everyone knows all the news and the way everyone all comes together is very, very accurate. :P

Along with amazing characters and loving the Canadian setting, I loved the plot and story so much! It had elements of WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING, and THE PROPOSAL, and gave me all of those gooooooood ol' school rom-coms vibes! The chemistry between Mel and Evan made it even better, and it was so fun to see everything that they got themselves into.

Overall, I thought that THE CATCH was absolutely amazing and I loved it so much! I did read it as a standalone, so I think that if you wanted to do the same, you definitely can! I have to admit that I will definitely be going back to read the first two books in the series now though because I definitely want to get to read Crystal's and Tara's stories, too! Highly recommend this one if you're looking for a fun, steamy rom-com that you won't want to put down...and I recommend it even more if you're like me and can't resist a grumpy, super capable hero that seriously knows how to take care of the woman he loves. ;)

Star Rating:★★★★★

EXCERPT

“Put me down! My underwear is showing,” I demand as a gust of wind hits my ass cheeks. At least I’m wearing a cute lace thong.

“Rest assured, I’m not looking,” he mutters as I flail like an eel the entire ascent up the staircase. He doesn’t put me down until we’re outside my bedroom.

“I’m taking a star off your Airbnb review for manhandling,” I warn as he attempts to steady me against the wall just as Lucy passes by with a mini garbage can.

“Double bagged. Just in case. Looks like she might need it,” she says, giving Evan a troubled look as she turns to get out of my vicinity. “Sorry, I’m out. I don’t do puke. Night, guys.”

“I won’t puke. I’m feeling fan-tas-tic!” I shout after her with unfounded confidence. I push the door open the tiniest crack, revealing the disaster I left my room in. My cheeks flush with embarrassment. I’m a secret slob—someone who looks neat and tidy to others but is most comfortable in my own chaos (when no one’s looking).

“I can take it from here,” I assure Evan, righting myself.

His expression is quizzical. “No. You can barely stand.”

“I’m great. You can retire to your underground candlelit lair now.” I take an eager stride into my room, which to me was pretty smooth, but apparently I’m useless.

He leads me to the bench at the foot of the bed, where I proceed to topple face-first into the mattress, legs spread like a mannequin. The compromising position isn’t lost on me.

“I feel the need to warn you, I have some pretty lethal hair spray. Just as effective as bear mace, according to Cosmo,” I say, voice muffled by the mattress.

“What are you gonna do? Blind me with it?” he asks, bending over to retrieve it from under the bed.

“If you try anything, I’ll have no choice.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, Mel.” He softens his tone considerably, which is comforting. I’m pretty sure this is the first time he’s ever referred to me by name.

Any lingering appreciation is short lived when he jabs my shoulder without an ounce of delicacy. I must have drifted out of consciousness for a minute or two, because when I open my eyes again, Evan is placing a garbage bin next to me.

“It’s right beside the bed if you need it,” he says slowly, like I’m a small child. “Do you need me to ask Lucy to help you change? A glass of water?”

“No. I’m perfectly fine,” I mumble, flopping over onto my side. He’s weirdly attractive from a horizontal perspective, and I don’t like it one bit.

He watches me for a couple of peaceful breaths before abruptly pivoting on his heel. “This is going in your Airbnb guest review, by the way.”

I glare at him, blowing at the hair stuck to my lip gloss. “The intoxication? Or my veiled threat?”

“Both. Mostly the drunk part. I did warn you about the Screech,” he reminds me, hands flexing at his sides.

“It wasn’t the Screech. Your friends were the ones pouring shots down my throat. Who am I to deny Canadian hospi-taly?”

He cocks his head. “Hospitality, you mean. And you’re wasted.”

“Perfectly sober,” I mumble, sliding under the covers without taking my shoes off.

“Wears shoes in bed. Another star off,” he mutters.

“Mean host. One and a half stars off,” I retort, squeezing my eyes shut when the room starts to spin.

“Scratched the shit out of me with those claws. Minus two stars,” he says, pretending to rub a hand over his shoulder. I definitely scratched him while holding on for dear life as he hauled me up the stairs.

“Hey, I paid a lot for these nails.”

Despite my questionable eyesight in my current state, I’m pretty sure I catch his lips draw upward into the tiniest smile before my eyes close.

----

The Catch by Amy Lea Copyright © 2024 by Amy Lea. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Photo Credit: Amy Lea

About Amy Lea

Amy Lea is the international bestselling author of romantic comedies for adults and teens, including Mindy Kaling’s Book Studio selection Woke Up Like This. Her acclaimed works have been featured in USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Elle Magazine and has been long listed as a CBC Canada Reads finalist. They have also been optioned for film and sold to over a dozen foreign territories.

When Amy is not writing, she can be found fan-girling over other romance books on Instagram (@amyleabooks), eating potato chips with reckless abandon, and snuggling with her husband and two goldendoodles in Ottawa, Canada.

Connect with Amy:
Instagram | Website

What do you think?

Have you read any of Amy Lea's books yet?
Does THE CATCH sound like something you'd enjoy?

[Release Day, Excerpt, + Review] WHERE IT BEGINS (Pucked, #0.5) by Helena Hunting

2023-12-05T08:00:00.041-05:00

Source: Received an egalley to participate in the blog tour,
and also pre-ordered a Kindle version.
Release Date: December 5, 2023

DESCRIPTION

Single dad, hockey coach, and the last guy this single mom should fall for.

Where It Begins, an all-new swoon-filled Pucked novella from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting, is available now!

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Helena Hunting comes a new story in her Pucked series. The untold story of Skye and Sidney, and the origin story where Vi and Miller are teens when their parents start dating and fall in love…

I accidentally grabbed the wrong drink at the coffee shop. On the upside, the hot guy it belonged to chased me down to kindly swap with me. On the down side, the reason I grabbed the wrong drink in the first place is because the hot guy had just caught me checking out his ass…sets.

In my defense, his rear view is rather magnificent.

In true, humiliating form, I word-vomited a bunch of horrible nonsense. Including an unnecessary explanation of the trauma I’d evaded thanks to his chasing me down. Nothing could ruin my lactose-intolerant day faster than my one true nemesis: dairy.

I did not expect him to ask me out on a date after that.

I also didn’t expect the date to go well since my tendency to truth-vomit is high, and not everyone finds that quality endearing.

But apparently he does. Because he asks me out again.
And again.

Sidney Butterson (yes, it’s a weird last name) ticks all my boxes.
He's smart, he's funny, he's employed and he's ridiculously hot.
There’s one catch.

We’re both single parents. With teens.

And if our kids don’t like each other?
Well, we’re doomed.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

Grab your copy today, exclusively from Amazon!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AAmSxD
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/whereitbegins
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3LftLK2
Audible: https://adbl.co/40GZbAj

REVIEW

I've been a fan of Helena Hunting's Pucked series for years, and I've been intrigued by Violet's mom, Skye, and her stepdad, Sidney, ever since we met them, so when Helena announced that she was writing Skye and Sid's story I was 100% on board and EXTREMELY excited...and I can now confirm that it was phenomenal! I only wish it had been longer because I would have gladly read 100s and 100s of pages about Sid and Skye. :P

WHERE IT BEGINS was adorable, hilarious, sweet, and delightfully spicy! It was so lovely seeing a closer look at Violet's parents and I adored seeing them fall in love! I loved getting to know them more in this novella...their chemistry was amazing, their banter was fantastic, and it was honestly just such a wonderful and fun experience following along while they got to know each other. It was also so fun to see Vi and Miller as teenagers and to see their dynamics with their parents...and what happened when they were all introduced, too! So many hilarious antics, heartwarming scenes, and delightful quirky moments that I personally love whenever Violet and her mom, Skye, are involved!

This novella was so much fun and I couldn't stop smiling the entire time that I read it! It made me want to go back and do a full re-read of Helena's entire Pucked series and the two spin-off series, too (All In and Lies, Hearts, and Truths), so that tells me it's not only perfect for super fans like myself, but also a great introduction to Helena's entire Pucked universe.

If you're a fan of romances that are heartwarming, spicy, and funny that you won't want to put down, then I highly recommend you pick up WHERE IT BEGINS and every other book that Helena Hunting has ever written because she doesn't miss. I have loved every single one of her books that I've read and I'm always delighted when I have something new from her to look forward to! Also, if you're a sports romance fan and you haven't read any of her books yet, you are seriously missing out!

Star Rating:★★★★★

EXCERPT

Hubert, the barista, calls out, “Skye and Sidney! Your lattes are ready!”

I rush forward and grab mine, muttering a hasty, “Thanks!” Then beeline for the exit. Of course, that’s the moment a hoard of teens barrel through the door, forcing me to hold it open until the entire gaggle has stormed the café.

Once outside, I hustle to the crosswalk. I punch the button and glare as the sign counts down from thirty.

And then I hear my name being called.

I glance toward the café and, much to my horror, the attractive man whose butt I was admiring is rushing toward me, coffee in hand.

“Hey! You’re Skye, right?” he asks.

“Yes. That’s me.” Maybe he didn’t mind my checking out his butt.

“You took the wrong coffee.” He taps the side of the cup with the name SKYE written in Larissa’s lovely cursive.

“Oh.” I turn mine around and see Sidney scrawled on the side. And it’s a pumpkin spice latte. Half sweet, skim milk. “Wow. I would have spent the rest of the afternoon working from a bathroom stall if you hadn’t caught me.” At his questioning expression, I continue with the embarrassing word vomit. “I’m lactose intolerant and this much dairy would mean stomach cramps for days.” I bite my lips together and close my eyes. “Sorry. You didn’t need to know that. I haven’t taken a sip. See. No lipstick prints.” I thrust the cup toward him and reluctantly crack a lid.

He’s smiling. Widely. “I’m very glad I caught you when I did then. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for an afternoon of prolonged discomfort.”

We exchange takeout cups. “It would’ve been my fault for not checking more than the S, but I was trying to escape my embarrassment. Seems like it’s following me around and making things worse.” I step away from this exceptionally hot man who inspires an unprecedented amount of word vomit. “Thank you for stopping me. You, uh...you didn’t drink out of mine, did you?”

“I didn’t.” His eyes are blue. So vibrant and pretty and his teeth are straight. I glance at his hand. His ring finger is bare. Then I realize he’s giving my hand the same inspection. “Do you work around here?”

“Just across the street.” I thumb over my shoulder. “You?”

“No, but I’m in the area often.” He tucks a hand in his pocket. “Maybe you’d like to grab a coffee later this week?”

I blink at him. Then open my mouth and ask a stupid question. “Are you asking me out?”
“Unless you’re already seeing someone. I didn’t see a ring, so I was hopeful.” His bottom lip slides through his teeth and for a moment, he looks boyishly handsome.

“But…you don’t know anything about me.” I don’t know why I haven’t said yes yet. He’s attractive and thoughtful enough to stop me from drinking the wrong coffee. His kindness saved me from ending up curled in the fetal position on a bathroom floor.

He rubs the back of his neck. “I’ve seen you here before. I’ve been working up the nerve to introduce myself. Looks like the universe gave me a push in the right direction.” He holds up a hand and gives his head a little shake. “I’m probably making this awkward. I’ll be here Wednesday at eleven-thirty. Hopefully, I’ll see you then.” And with that, he turns and disappears into the crowd.

About Helena Hunting

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

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[Review] THIS CAN'T BE GOODBYE (Bower Boys, #0.5) by Kelly Siskind

2023-11-29T08:00:00.059-05:00

Source: Received an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 29, 2023

Number of Pages: 147 (Kindle)

DESCRIPTION
She's the bane of my existence and the last woman I should want.
Then why does learning we can't be together damn near shred my heart?

Naomi James holds a grudge like it’s an Olympic competition.

She’s always in front of me in line for our coffees, going out of her way to annoy me—not advancing when she should, paying in pennies and nickels—all because I did something stupid seven years ago.

Even worse, the slope of her long neck and smell of her tropical perfume drives me to distraction.

Apparently, my body didn’t get the we-hate-Naomi memo.

She’s so aggravating, I have half a mind to quit frequenting my favorite coffee shop. Until I discover why she's harbored a grudge this long.

Now all bets are off, because hell . She thinks I said awful things about her, which I most certainly did not, and I can’t live with this misunderstanding. Or how often she invades my dreams. Or the fact that I’ve wanted her for seven years.

But just when Naomi looks ready to forgive me and admit she’s angry because she cares, any future together gets ripped away from us…

THIS CAN'T BE GOODBYE is a prequel to the Bower Boys series, complete with its own swoony HEA! Previously titled 5 Tricks to Seducing Your Enemy , it has been re-written to include both points of view and extra scenes. If you love small town romance, enemies to lovers banter, feel good sighs, and face fanning spice, you'll devour this book.
B U Y L I N K S:
Amazon US | Amazon Canada
(Available for purchase or in Kindle Unlimited.)

REVIEW

I remember reading THIS CAN'T BE GOODBYE back when it was first called 5 TRICKS TO SEDUCING YOUR ENEMY! If I remember correctly, it was originally released through Kelly Siskind's newsletter and I loved it so, so much! It made me so excited to start the Bower Boys series, and now here we are, full circle, with it being revised and re-released just in time to wrap up the series!

I was so happy to get the chance to read this story again and to have even more of Avett and Naomi's story! Their banter was amazing and I looooooved their enemies to lovers dynamic! It was so lovely to see how their relationship transitioned through the story, and I loved seeing where they ended up...I also love the little teases to the first book in the series, 50 WAYS TO WIN BACK YOUR LOVER. This is such a wonderful introduction to Kelly's Bower Boys series and it'll definitely have you excited for more books set in the world of Windfall!

Overall, I thought that THIS CAN'T BE GOODBYE was fabulous and the revisions that Kelly made to it made it even better! It's a great way to introduce yourself to the world of Windfall, a great spicy and sweet read if you just want something quick, and a fabulous way to go back and revisit the world of Windfall one last time like I did! While it's much shorter than the rest of the series since it's a novella, it's still a lovely story and I highly recommend it...and then if you haven't read any of the Bower Boys books yet....I highly suggest you just keep going. ;)

Star Rating: ★★★★★

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[Review] 7 STEPS TO SEDUCING YOUR FAKE FIANCE (Bower Boys, #5) by Kelly Siskind

2023-11-15T08:00:00.034-05:00

Source: Received an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 15, 2023

Number of Pages: 341 (Kindle)

DESCRIPTION
What’s worse than being fake engaged to a woman who despises you?
Falling head over heels for her.

Larkin Gray hates me with the fire of ten thousand suns.

We haven’t seen each other in twelve years, but she’s still furious with me for breaking a promise to her…and she’s even prettier than I remember.

But there’s no undoing the damage I caused.

Since I can’t make amends, I avoid her lethal glare at all costs. Until I stumble upon her lying about having a fiancé to her ex, and I lose my ever-loving mind. Suddenly, I’m introducing myself as her betrothed and getting us invited to his wedding.

Predictably, Larkin is intent on making my life miserable, except this barbed banter is kind of fun. And the more time we spend together, the more we discover we have in common.

Then she kisses me to prove our relationship status and I damn near lose my heart.

I’m ready to go all in with Larkin, but she’s not the only one I hurt twelve years ago. Her intimidating brother has every reason to hate me too and doesn’t want me touching his sister. But my lips and tongue don’t count as hands. Right?

Trigger warning: Physical and emotional abuse. It’s also recommended that you read book four in the Bower Boys series, 4 HINTS YOU LOVE YOUR BEST FRIEND, before reading this heart-gripping story.
B U Y L I N K S:
Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Barnes & Noble

REVIEW

It’s hard to believe that with 7 STEPS TO SEDUCING YOUR FAKE FIANCE we’ve hit the final book in the Bower Boys series!

I have absolutely loved this series from the very first moment we entered Windfall, and it has been so fun getting to see these characters over and over again…and I’ve really loved that we’ve gotten to see the brothers all find love.

I’m a huge fan of companion series, and the sort of small-town setup that Kelly Siskind has created in the Bower Boys series is my kryptonite! I loved that we got to see our favourite characters come back, and I loved seeing the background characters and the town as a whole as it evolved throughout the series! I loved so many of the side characters and Windfall truly feels like a home away from home…and the Bowers feel like family! I’m going to miss them all so much, and you can bet I’ll be revisiting them again!

Jake was quite the mystery for the first chunk of this series since we didn’t see much of him and Cal at first (Cal’s book was the one before this one, 4 HINTS YOU LOVE YOUR BEST FRIEND) , but the more we saw of Jake, the more I wanted to know! I loved how he took care of his family and how we could see that underneath the pillar of strength he presented, there was a bit of darkness and angst that needed to come out! I really loved Larkin’s sass and her banter with Jake was phenomenal--I was constantly laughing, swooning, and smiling at their antics, and it was seriously so fun to see their story unfold…especially after being teased about the drama between them in the last book! I loved that we got a peek into how their story began and how it unfolded so wonderfully…also Jake was such a cinnamon roll and I was 100% here for it! I’ve loved every single one of the Bower brothers…but Jake definitely has a soft spot in my heart and I wanted to give him the biggest of hugs!

This book was packed full of soooo many wonderful tropes--we’ve got our cinnamon roll hero who falls first, a fake engagement, enemies to lovers, all the small-town vibes, and some absolutely hilarious brotherly antics!

Overall, I loved 7 STEPS TO SEDUCING YOUR FAKE FIANCE! Jake and Larkin were wonderful, and along with loving their romance, I really enjoyed the story! It’s been a pleasure getting to know all of the Bowers and their lovely hometown, Windfall! If you haven’t started this series, I highly recommend that you do…especially since Kelly is about to re-release an expanded and re-written version of a prequel novella, THIS CAN’T BE GOODBYE (previously 5 TRICKS TO SEDUCING YOUR ENEMY), in just a couple of weeks! If you’re a fan of sweet, swoony, enticing romances with a nice level of spice, I highly recommend the Bower Boys series…and Kelly’s other books too because she’s absolutely fabulous!

Star Rating: ★★★★★

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[Review] MY BOYFRIEND IS A VAMPIRE by Helena Hunting (writing as Eva Knight)

2023-10-19T09:00:00.066-04:00

Source: Received an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: October 19, 2023 (UK Market)
Number of Pages: 345 (ebook)

DESCRIPTION
The perfect rom-com to sink your teeth into!

-------

Hazy Florence is on track to graduate top of her class but she's determined to have a little fun along the way.

As soon as she lays eyes on her mysterious and swoony new neighbour - Godric Hawthorn - Hazy knows he is just what she needs and they instantly fall for each other.

But this is no quintessential college romance. Godric has a secret . . . he's a vampire.

Dating a vampire comes with its own messy complications. And then there's Hazy's jealous ex-boyfriend who's dangerously close to the truth.

Can Hazy protect her boyfriend's blood-sucking secret?

Or could there be more at stake then Hazy and Godric's hearts?

🧛‍♂️ Order your copy today! 🧛‍♂️

Amazon UK | Blackwells | Bookshop.org | Foyles
Hive | Waterstones | WHSmith | Apple UK | Kobo UK

About Eva Knight (a.k.a. Helena Hunting)

Eva Knight, the paranormal alter ego of Helena Hunting, loves all things romance and spice. When she isn't busy writing spicy college vampire romance, she's devouring her favorite romance novels, or binge watching dark comedies on Netflix with her void kitty, Pumpkin. Her favorite non-reading past-times include running (on purpose), Scrabble (when she can find someone to play with her), cribbage (with her dad) and cross-stitching gnomes (the actual act of cross-stitching, not collecting gnomes who cross-stitch).

Connect with Helena:

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Facebook Fan group | Website

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REVIEW

I absolutely loved MY BOYFRIEND IS A VAMPIRE!

I’m always a sucker for rom-coms, but throw in a vampire boyfriend and it’s a whole extra level of fun!

I thought the premise of this book was so fun, and I'm happy to say that it completely delivered! Hazy and Godric were amazing and I loved them together so-so much! Their romance was fabulous, the comedic parts of the story had me cracking up, and even under a different pen name, Helena Hunting, is just as hilarious and spicy as always! ;)

I loved getting to try something new from Helena, and I'm already hoping that this book turns into a series as I’d loved to see more stories about the other characters, and I’d love more of Hazy and Godric, too!

Overall, I thought that MY BOYFRIEND IS A VAMPIRE was a wonderful story! The plot was fun, the world-building was absolutely fascinating, and the characters were phenomenal! It doesn't have regular distribution in Canada and the US yet, but here's hoping it gets picked up soon because this enjoyable read deserves to be experienced by all! If you're a fan of rom-coms with heart, humour, and a quirky premise...even if you aren't always a fan of vampires...I think you'll absolutely adore this book! I loved and highly recommend it!

Star Rating: ★★★★★

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