Live Through Books

Review Blitz: It Could Only Be You (Only in Goose Hollow #4) by Lisa Shelby

2026-02-04T05:30:00.000-08:00

IT COULD ONLY BE YOU
Lisa Shelby
Release Date: February 2

Buy Links:
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/4o3w8RH
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/42pMYC1
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/4pXArQf
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/4gT65KE
Available in KU

Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…
💖Small Town Romance
💖Brothers Best Friend
💖Secret Relationship
💖MMC Wears Boots and A Badge
💖Suspense
💖He forces proximity to take care of her
💖Puppy Co-parenting
💖The banter is bantering
💖Nickname Only He Calls Her
💖Spice in Chapter One

Blurb
It Could Only Be You is the final installment in USA Today Bestselling Author Lisa Shelby's Only in Goose Hollow Series.

I’ve been Daisy McKinnon’s dirty little secret for over a decade.

To everyone else, our constant bickering is harmless—like siblings who can’t stop needling each other. But what they don’t know is that behind every jab is a truth. A truth she’s too afraid to admit to herself, let alone anyone else.

She’s the woman I can’t stay away from. My best friend’s little sister and my constant challenge. I’ve laid my heart bare, told her what I want and made it clear she’s the only future I see. But she keeps running—hiding behind excuses, pretending the fire between us doesn’t burn for her too.

The problem is… I’m stuck. There is nobody else for me but her. So, all I can do is wait for her to meet me where I’m at.

But when her safety is threatened, I can wait no longer. She’s coming home with me… where she belongs… where I can keep her safe. Whether her brother likes it or not.

MY REVIEW

Owen and his best friend's sister Daisy have been in a fwb situation for years, but Owen wants more. He wants the world to know how he feels, wants her to feel the same. But for reasons she doesn't talk about, Daisy is definitely not up for a public, committed relationship, especially with her brother's best friend. But when something happens and she needs to be in a safe place, Owen brings her home with him. Their close proximity is either going to be the thing that finally brings them together, or will completely sever their ties.

Where can I get my own Owen, cuz this man is freaking swoony. I love it when the man falls first, falls hardest, and never wavers, and that is exactly Owen, and I couldn't get enough of him. Daisy's hesitance to admit her feelings for Owen was frustrating, though somewhat understandable given her circumstances, but at times I really questioned whether she deserved his loyalty and steadfast love. Still, I was glad by the end when they worked through everything, even if their journey was long, filled with obstacles, and frustrating at times. I'm sad this series has ended, but this is a great couple to conclude with - it has everything you could want in a good story - suspense, layered, loveable characters, and lighthearted banter that weaves organically with the deep emotions.

Meet Lisa Shelby
Lisa Shelby is an international bestselling contemporary romance author. She’s also a self-proclaimed love geek and cake-pop addict. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, this is still where Lisa calls home with her husband and their dogs. When she isn’t writing her next happily ever after, you can find Lisa with her husband traveling, listening to live music, and impatiently waiting for her next FaceTime call with her son, who is currently deployed with the United States Marine Corps.

Connect with Lisa Shelby
https://linktr.ee/lisashelbybooks

Cover Reveal: The Fullback (Lincoln Knights #5) by Charlie Novak

2026-02-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

THE FULLBACK
Charlie Novak
Release Date: March 19

Pre-Order Link:
http://mybook.to/thefullback

Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…
🔥MMM Rugby Romance
🔥Rugby Players x Cookie Baker
🔥Trans Rep
🔥Black Cat x Two Golden Retrievers
🔥Hookups To Lovers
🔥Teammates Younger Brother
🔥Best Friends To Lovers
🔥Idiots To Lovers
🔥Sex Toys
🔥Low Angst
🔥Spicy & Sweet
🔥Pining/Yearning

Blurb
Wanted: The Chance To Find Love Without My Heart Getting Totally Rucked

When I end up in bed with my best friend, Hunter, and our teammate’s younger brother, Aiden, it’s only meant to be one night of casual fun… but my heart has other ideas.

I’ve had feelings for Hunter for years, but I’ve never allowed myself to admit them. Not even to myself. Then there’s Aiden, whose stunning confidence is making both of us fall for him. He’s sexy, funny, assertive, and utterly irresistible, and Hunter and I are drawn to him in a way we’ve never been to anyone.

The pair of us have never considered dating each other, let alone a relationship with someone else, and I’m terrified that telling Hunter how I feel will only lead to me getting hurt.

I have to take the risk though, because I can’t bear to lose Hunter or Aiden. If not, I’ll always wonder what if… Content Warning: Hunter has a history of disordered eating, body dysmorphia, and excessive exercise.

Meet Charlie Novak
Charlie lives in England with her husband and two cheeky dogs. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.

She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters — because the world needs more of them.

Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with baking, Dungeons and Dragons, reading and many other nerdy pursuits. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…

Connect with Charlie Novak
https://charlienovak.com/

Review Blitz: Satan's Valentine by Isla Stelmark

2026-02-03T05:30:00.000-08:00

Satan's Valentine by Isla Stelmark is now live!

They warn you not to make a deal with the devil, but I clearly wasn’t listening. It’s just one date. One fake date. On Valentine’s Day. How difficult could being Satan’s Valentine really be?

Damian Edgerton has it all. His penthouse apartment in the city, his thriving business, the authority, respect, and fear of the people he works with and who works for him. Settling down isn’t his style. Relationships are nothing but a weakness, and Damian doesn’t tolerate weakness. But when a potential client assumes Damian is in a relationship and invites him and his girlfriend to a Valentine’s Day dinner to close the deal, Damian doesn’t correct him. Now he needs a date, and fast.

Brielle Collins has no interest in making friends at her new job. She’s been down that road before and all it did was cause drama and damage her reputation. When her new boss, who the office has dubbed Satan, demands her presence at a dinner on Valentine’s Day, her first reaction is to run. But she does need that extra vacation day to fly home for the weekend, and this could be exactly the leverage she needs. And really, what harm could one dinner cause? How difficult could being Satan’s Valentine really be?

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://bit.ly/4iHu0xK

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4an0kDG

MY REVIEW

When Brielle walks into her new accounting job at an advertising agency, she's determined to keep her head down and not get involved in any drama. Unfortunately for her, the big boss, nicknamed Satan by his staff, has asked her to accompany him to a business dinner on Valentine's. She should definitely not be thinking of saying yes, but she needs a day off to attend a family wedding, and this dinner is her only way to get Satan aka Damian to give his approval. She thinks it will be no problem, but she had no way of knowing how her feelings for her devilish boss would change as she spent more time with him and got to know the real man beneath the cold exterior.

Darius saw what love did to his dad, and has never wanted to experience the same thing. So he's been a commitment and relationship-phobe ever since. He knows his staff hates him, knows they call him Satan behind his back, but he doesn't care. It's their own fault for being so incompetent. Then Brielle strolls in and rocks his world. He's allowing himself to be vulnerable to her, opening up to her, and *gasp* developing feelings for her, even though he denies it to almost the last minute. Now he can't seem to be away from her and its distracting him, pulling his focus. Brielle just may be the one...

Damian was truly satan at the beginning of his and Brielle's story. But not only did he have a tender heart somewhere deep inside, only Brielle brought it out. Their chemistry is deliciously spicy, and the way they (he) fought the feelings only increases the tension. I don't think this is the start of a series, but I hope so, because I want to keep reading about Brielle and Damian.

Meet Isla Stelmark

Isla Stelmark is an author of contemporary romance novels. Born and raised in a coastal town in Massachusetts where she currently resides, Isla has been an avid reader throughout her life. When she's not spending her time writing love stories with untamed hearts and sexy book boyfriends, she can either be found with her nose in a book and a hot cup of coffee (or sometimes iced) or enjoying the nature around her.

Connect with Isla
Amazon | https://bit.ly/3Qnb360
Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/53725496.Isla_Stelmark
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566989366536
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/islastelmark_author/

Review Blitz: Peaches and Pucks: A Cheeky MM Hockey Novella by M.A. Wardell

2026-02-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

Peaches and Pucks by M.A. Wardell is now live!

One hotel room. One bed. Zero chance of keeping it professional.

Harry

When I agreed to chaperone the boys’ hockey team, I thought my biggest challenge would be pretending to understand the rules—not being stuck sharing a hotel room with Darius Hall. The hockey coach. The human whistle. The man who’s made my Mondays miserable for years.

But somewhere between the bus ride, the tense semifinal, and one very small bed, I start to realize the worst part of Darius Hall might be how much I like him.

Darius

I’ve spent years pretending Harry Peterson doesn’t get under my skin. Easier to tease him than admit I notice everything—his color-coded lesson plans, the cedar-and-coffee smell, that unguarded laugh.

Now we’re stuck sharing a hotel room, and I’m running out of excuses for the way I feel. One bed. One night. And suddenly I can’t decide what’s harder to handle: his endless commentary or how much I miss it when he stops talking.

Peaches and Pucks is a cozy, rivals-to-lovers novella full of banter, heart, and heat—because sometimes love takes a slapshot straight through your defenses.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://bit.ly/4ovbpX5

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4aklq5N

MY REVIEW

The last thing Harry wants to do is chaperone this peewee hockey tournament, but he's been roped in, and it's for the kids, so he's here. Unfortunately he has to room with the coach, Darius, the man who's made his life miserable ever since they both started teaching (Harry's an English teacher and Darius is the PE coach) at the same school. But, as he soon finds out, Darius doesn't really dislike him. Will Harry be able to wrap his head around Darius true feelings for him? Or has his past traumatized him too much to allow him to find his way in Darius' ultramasculine sports world?

Darius has crushed on Harry for years now, but like a little boy, didn't know how to express himself, so teased him to the point that Harry actively avoids him when possible. Well now Harry can't avoid him anymore when they are forced to share the same hotel room (and bed) during this hockey tournament. Darius is intent on not only expressing his true feelings finally, but begging Harry's forgiveness. If their romp this weekend is any indication, Harry may have just forgiven him and appears to share his feelings. Or not...because now they're back to where they were before. Some timely advice has him sticking around, though, intent on showing Harry they're meant to be.

Despite Harry's stepping back from Darius after their fling, Peaches and Pucks is low angst. It's also fun, sweet and seriously spicy. Darius definitely needed a hard dose of reality, can't blame Harry for being up in his feelings, but he didn't drag it on long, and Darius stuck around and proved what a sweet guy he really was. I haven't read anything by this author prior to this, but now that I have read and really liked his writing, I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from him.

Meet M.A. Wardell

Writing as M.A. Wardell, LAMBDA Literary Award nominee Matt writes spicy queer rom-coms.

His goal is to tell adult gay love stories with a diverse representation of flawed and damaged characters who find healing through love.

Matt loves rom-coms and has always wished for better representation, so he's writing the stories he wishes existed. The queer men in his stories are flawed and messy. Helping them find their HEA is Matt's passion.

Connect with M.A.
Website | www.mawardell.com
Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/28189533.M_A_Wardell
Amazon | https://bit.ly/4iGifqu
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089846252205
Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/share/g/195mqDQpEr/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/mawardellauthor/
Other | https://bsky.app/profile/mawardell.bsky.social
Newsletter | https://www.mawardell.com/

Review: The Fifteen-Minute Rule (Dickson University #3) by Max Monroe

2026-02-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

The Fifteen-Minute Rule (Dickson University #3) by Max Monroe is LIVE NOW!

Amazon: https://geni.us/TFMR_ebook

TROPES
🩷New adult standalone romance
😍Dual POV
🫶Campus King / Social Royalty
😅Pining. Yearning. Desperationnnnn.
🫢College DRAMAAAA
😂FUNNY
😍BANTER
🔥Popular Guy × Girl Next Door
🫢Secretly in love
🫨Slow Burn

Dickson University’s reigning social king can get any girl on campus to fall for him…except the one he’s been silently falling for his whole life.

Campus legend. Life of the party. The guy everyone wants to know.
That’s me—Ace Kelly.

But the one person who truly knows me? Julia Brooks.
My best friend since we were kids.
Julia’s the kind of girl everyone loves. Sweet, painfully beautiful, and steady, she’s always been my constant.

Somewhere between childhood and college at Dickson University, I fell for her. Hard. And I’ve been running an incognito mission ever since.

Operation: Make Julia fall in love with me...without ruining the friendship.

Flawless plan, right? Wrong.
One catastrophically stupid moment—fine, several—might’ve blown everything apart.

We’ve always had our fifteen-minute rule: get mad, shout, hate each other all we want, but when the time is up, we're back to best buddies.

But this time, fifteen minutes might not be enough.

Not when Julia’s trust and our entire lifetime of “us” is suddenly on the line.

I’m in love with my best friend.
And come hell or high water, I’m not giving up my girl without a fight.

MY REVIEW

Ace Kelly has just opened his eyes and realized what everyone else around him has always known - he's in love with his best friend, Julia. He cannot believe he's just now coming to this realization, and that it's something he's apparently felt forever but just didn't know. But now that he does realize it, he has one mission - get his best friend to fall in love with him, too. No problem...

Oh Ace...he is so definitely Thatcher's son 😆 The shenanigans he gets up to, the things he does with Julia's love his only goal - pure Kelly! But ah to be the person he was so focused on. I don't know how Julia didn't admit it earlier because once he came to his realization, there was to be no other outcome but Ace getting his girl. Julia's dad Kline may not have been that thrilled with the whole idea (I mean, the Kelly's are a lot 🤣), but everyone else was, and so was I, because this couple were soulmates, even if they weren't exactly in on the secret for far too long. Dickson University has been awesome so far but Ace and Julia I think are the most fun. Really, there's no way that Thatcher Kelly's son wouldn't be the swoony but goofy guy his dad was, especially when he was in love. All of the OGs are around for our couple - meddling, supporting in their own ways, and in the case of Ace's younger, kinda scary little brother, Gunnar, proving that the second generation is carrying on their parents' legacy with their own, equally humorous, style. I can't wait for whichever couple is up next!

Review Tour: Oh No... It's You: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance by Lauren Runow

2026-01-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

📱𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄📱
𝐎𝐡 𝐍𝐨... 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮: 𝐀𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐬-𝐭𝐨-𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 by USA Today bestselling author Lauren Runow is now LIVE!

𝑶𝑵𝑬-𝑪𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑲 𝑻𝑶𝑫𝑨𝒀!
𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅!
https://amzn.to/4iRuwsW

What to expect:
💥Enemies to lovers
💼Workplace romance
🚪Forced proximity
📱Falling over texts
🧑‍🧑‍🧒Meddling family
🤠🏙️Cowboy/City girl
📲Blind dating app

Blurb

What happens when your mystery match is everything you want—except he’s your real-life enemy?

I would honestly rather walk down Fifth Avenue in my underwear than deal with David at work.

When my best friend’s brother creates a blind dating app where your friends play matchmaker, signing up feels harmless. Seven days of anonymous texting before you can even exchange phone numbers? Easy. Low stakes. Zero chance of someone finding out it’s me if I don’t want them to—especially since I sign up with my middle name instead of my real first name, you know… just in case.

My mystery guy turns out to be charming, funny, and he gets me in a way no one else ever has. I look forward to every message like some kind of lovesick teenager staying up way too late just to talk to him.

There’s just one teensy little problem, one big enough to shake the universe—the person I’m matched with is David from work, only I don’t figure that out until day seven.

So now I’m falling for the man I swear I can’t stand, and he has no idea it’s me on the other side of the phone.

What do I do when the seven days are up and real life steps in, insisting I either reveal myself or ghost the one person I never meant to fall for?

Oh No… It’s You is a contemporary rom-com featuring an irresistible enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance twist that will have you rooting for David and Zoe to finally get it right.

Add to your GR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/244218784-oh-no-it-s-you

Find other books by Lauren Runow here: http://www.laurenrunow.com

MY REVIEW

A dating app where you're matched by your friends, and you don't get to see pictures or know personal details? Yeah sounds weird but it's working for Zoe because she's formed a real connection with her match David. Too bad he has the same name as her office nemesis...and it turns out...IS her office nemesis. Should she risk losing him by telling him her true identity?

Enemies to lovers is always entertaining reading as the feelings turn from contempt to lust and love, or in their case, reveal that the contempt was always masking their true feelings. They actually turned out to be sweet together, along with their hilarious snark and witty banter, and his family - their meddling and the way they give David so much shit while at the same time showing true love the way only family can. Zoe and David are adorable - they have spicy chemistry, and even more heart.

Review Blitz: Sterling Stone (Sterling Falls #7) by L.B. Dunbar

2026-01-30T05:00:00.000-08:00

STERLING STONE
L.B. Dunbar
Release Date: January 29

Buy Links:
Amazon US: https://a.co/d/7GmOhyS
Amazon UK: https://amzn.eu/d/6EPEo05
Amazon AU: https://amzn.asia/d/6gAYPJO
Amazon CA: https://a.co/d/7z7pxYC

Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…
🔥Silver fox sheriff
🔥Wanderlust urban artist
🔥Small town
🔥One night reunite
🔥Opposites attract
🔥He's protective
🔥She's restless
🔥Eldest brother responsible for large family
🔥All the steam

Blurb
This small town *could* be big enough for both of them . . . Quiet. Serious. Protective. All words Stone Sylver would use to describe himself. And yet, something in his classic blue eyes said he was so much more. Buried beneath the years of raising his younger siblings and being a small town sheriff was a man looking for love.

Of course, I didn’t get all that the first night we met. The night we did a one-two step in a hotel hallway and knocked heads. The same night we shared a sweet potato cupcake and a single kiss.

Why didn’t we share more? The moment became a great mystery to me and because I thought he was only a brief interlude in my wanderlust life, I wasn’t prepared to see him again in Sterling Falls.

Visiting the small town where I once lived, I learn the man who I witnessed act like a superhero was more entwined in my past than I’d remembered. And for a woman often afraid of a future, I suddenly craved one…with him. Which made no sense as I’d never stuck in one place before. No one had ever asked me to stay.

Then again, from our first encounter, I knew Stone Sylver was different.

MY REVIEW

A chance meeting between Stone Sylver and a beautiful woman is just the start of what will become a series of twists, and a relationship that evolves slowly. Stone stayed home and watched over his siblings, giving up his dreams, but it meant he watched while they all found love and settled down, and he...well, stayed. Now if only he can get her to stay.

Taxi (Tallulah) is a wanderer, an artist who roams the country, painting murals and sharing her art, when she meets a gorgeous guy and they form a connection. Then months later they meet again, only this time it's not so sweet. They have an unexpected connection in their pasts, and now they have to deal with it in their present. If she can get past the baggage her childhood has given her, she and Stone could have something amazing.

I'm so glad Stone finally got his forever. He and Taxi may have taken a long, bumpy journey to get to their happiness, but it was worth every obstacle they overcame, because they got each other in the end. Stone, oh Stone, he deserved every beautiful thing. He was the true rock of his family, had seen them through everything. Taxi ended up being his one, but it definitely took awhile for her to see it. I wasn't too sure of her for most of the story, but her background made some of her behavior understandable. I'm truly sorry that this series is ending, but I'm glad it ended with my favorite Sylver.

Meet L.B. Dunbar
L.B. Dunbar loves sexy silver foxes, second chances, and small towns. If you enjoy older characters in your romance reads, including a hero with a little silver in his scruff and a heroine rediscovering her worth, then welcome to romance for those over 40. L.B. Dunbar’s signature works include women and men in their prime taking another turn at love and happily ever after. She’s a USA TODAY Bestseller as well as #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Later in Life Romance with her Lakeside Cottage and Road Trips & Romance series. L.B. lives in Chicago with her own sexy silver fox.

To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her monthly newsletter, Love Notes.

Connect with L.B. Dunbar
https://linktr.ee/lbdunbarwrites

Review Blitz: No Matter the Cost (Unsanctioned #2) by Anna Hackett

2026-01-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

NO MATTER THE COST
Anna Hackett
Release Date: January 28

Buy Link:
https://go.annahackett.com/nomatter-UN2-Amz
Available in KU

Why you will love this book…
🔥retired assassin hero
🔥assassin heroine
🔥enemies to lovers
🔥protector hero
🔥heroine out for revenge

Blurb
I’ll make her mine, if she doesn’t kill me first.

Bastian
I came from nothing and became known as the Reaper. The most feared CIA assassin in the business. Then I retired, faked my death, and now spend my time running my casino.

But there’s one part of my past I can’t let go—the tiny female assassin who’s vowed to kill me.

We were mentored by the same man, a man we both considered a father, but there’s nothing brotherly about what I feel for Lark.

Now, we’re enemies and she won’t rest until I’m dead.

I won’t rest until she’s mine.

Lark
I have one mission—kill Bastian Thorne.

I lost everything when my parents were murdered. Until a grizzled CIA agent took me in and molded me into a deadly assassin.

Then Bastian executed him.

My plan: infiltrate Bastian’s luxurious life and take him down. But he proves hard to kill and forces me to face an ugly, tangled truth.

Secrets from my past collide with my blood-drenched present. I find myself in the sights of a dangerous killer. One with twisted reasons for wanting me dead.

Now, the only man I can trust is my enemy.

But I know getting close to Bastian is the biggest risk of all.

MY REVIEW

Lark has one central focus - kill Bastian, the man who killed their mentor/father figure. Considering she and Bastian are both former assassins, it might not be as easy as she's hoping. And even less so when he drops a revelation on her, one that has her rethinking everything and realizing her feelings for Bastian might be a lot less contempt and much more like love. Being back in Bastian's orbit is making her long for something like happiness, the kind that can be found by teaming up together to take down the man responsible for the worst loss of their lives.

Bastian's made a good life for himself in Vegas, but something's always been missing. When that missing piece storms back into his life, he's determined to make sure Lark stays. He doesn't want to hurt her, but telling her the truth about their old mentor is going to hurt her the way it hurt him when he found out. It was necessary she know the truth, and now they can find the person really responsible. Together. And once that's done, he just needs to convince her to stay, that they can have something neither ever imagined they could have.

One protective alpha down for the count! Bastian always knew Lark was the one, but their situation wasn't exactly conducive to happy ever afters. Once she came after him, though, it was game over, there was no way he was letting her escape again. Lark resisted, but in the end Bastian finally got through to her heart, which was what he really wanted all along. The men of Unsanctioned are fierce, tough alphas on the outside, but soft on the inside only for the women they love. What a combination - suspense and action, two leads with pasts that left scars on their psyches but have the kind of emotional and physical connection that couldn't be denied for very long. Bastian and Lark are perfect for each other and I loved reading as they finally acknowledged their true feelings for each other and found their happy ever after.

Meet Anna Hackett
I’m a USA Today bestselling romance author who’s passionate about fast-paced, emotion-filled romantic suspense and science-fiction romance. I love writing about people overcoming unbeatable odds and achieving seemingly impossible goals. I like to believe it’s possible for all of us to do the same.

My parents are to blame for my insatiable need to mix action, adventure, and romance. When I was young, I raided my mother’s romances and my father’s action adventure thrillers. I love being exhilarated and left just a little breathless. I’m a sucker for that moment when the team is walking in slow motion, shoulder-to-shoulder heading off into battle.

Connect with Anna Hackett
https://linktr.ee/anna_hackett_author

Cover Reveal: The Irresistible One (The Weston Group #4) by Marni Mann

2026-01-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

Marni Mann has revealed the cover for The Irresistible One!

Releasing: July 23, 2026
Photographer: Daniel Jaems

An extra spicy, single dad, billionaire romance from USA Today best-selling author Marni Mann ...

Get ready for Colson Weston's story. Full blurb to come.

Pre-order your copy today!
Amazon: https://geni.us/TheIrresistibleOne
Audible: https://geni.us/TIOAudio

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4qXsv1X

Review Blitz: Sincerely, Mr. Braden: Seth Braden (Love in Bloom #85) by Melissa Foster

2026-01-27T05:00:00.001-08:00

🔥SPICY NEW WORKPLACE ROMANCE🔥
SINCERELY MR. BRADEN is NOW AVAILABLE at ALL retailers and in Melissa's shop! Can a sexy billionaire, a scorching-hot island fling, and a case of mistaken identity lead to forever love?
Start reading this steamy, angsty, and oh-so swoony romance TODAY!!

⭐️BUY FROM MELISSA'S SHOP, ALL FORMATS (read on ANY ereader. Exclusive special editions available in ebook & print!)
➜ https://shop.melissafoster.com/collections/sincerely-mr-braden-collection
➜ Amazon: https://lnk.to/SMB_Kindle
➜ Apple: https://lnk.to/SMB_Apple
➜ Nook: https://lnk.to/SMB_Nook
➜ Kobo: https://lnk.to/SMB_Kobo
➜ Google: https://lnk.to/SMB_GPlay
SPECIAL EDITION PRINT & EBOOKS: https://melissafoster.com/sincerely-mr-braden
Audio - Coming soon! Pre-order on Melissa's shop:
https://shop.melissafoster.com/collections/sincerely-mr-braden-collection/products/sincerely-mr-braden-audiobook

What you will find in SINCERELY, MR. BRADEN...
🌸Workplace Romance
🌺Billionaire Hero
🌸She’s His Virtual Assistant (He thinks she’s a man!)
🌺Mistaken Identity
🌸He Falls Fast. She Fell First.
🌺Rootless Hero
🌸Caretaker FMC
🌺Island Fling

Come along for the fun, sexy ride as this business-savvy, pleasure-oriented billionaire gets the shock of his lifetime and finds out his ever-efficient virtual assistant is not the man he thinks he is but a beautiful businesswoman who knows many of his secrets and has some of her own in Sincerely, Mr. Braden.

You know what they say about best-laid plans...
When the chance to finally meet my virtual assistant arises, I jump on it. Imagine my surprise when I find his beautiful sister Eleanor in his place.

The moment I meet Ellie Mitchell, my world shifts.

What was supposed to be a brief hello with my assistant turns into an unforgettable weekend with an incredible woman. I’ve spent a lifetime keeping people at arm’s length and walking away unscathed, but Ellie obliterates every wall I’ve ever built.

What I learn next shatters my world.

I don’t know which betrayal cuts deeper: The lie she told me or the truth that I still want her.

MY REVIEW

When Eleanor "Ellie" is offered a week of relaxation at her client Seth's home, she takes him up on it, not realizing she'd come face to face with him for the very first time. She uses a different name in her business life, thanks to a horrible previous incident with a client, and knows Seth thinks she's a man, a friend actually. But when he walks into his home and she sees him for the first time, she's so flustered she blurts out a lie, and sets the stage for lots of drama when he inevitably finds out her true identity. Will their instant connection be enough to overcome her lie?

Seth has always kept people at a distance. Oh he loves his family, but he lets very few into his heart, the better to keep from being hurt. Then he meets a beautiful woman, one he thinks is his virtual assistant's sister, and keeping her at a distance is the last thing he wants. He's never connected with someone as strongly as he has with Ellie and he's not about to give her a chance to walk away from him. Except, there's the tiny matter of her true identity - one that can break his trust.

I always say it's not possible to love Melissa's writing more, but with each story, I fall in love even harder! Seth is quite possibly the sweetest, kindest and most swoony of all her heroes. He's so gone for Ellie, even when he finds out who she really is so there is very little angst over her lie. And speaking of Ellie...that poor woman, she was so damaged by her mother's abandonment that she didn't even realize how it affected all her decisions, decisions that were to her detriment sometimes. I wanted to give her a big hug, but it wasn't necessary because Seth gave her everything she could possibly have wanted and needed. This pair is so heartfelt, has so much delicious chemistry that I just wish I could read a whole series about them.

Review Blitz: Falling for the Fake Lumberjack (Axes & Endzones #1) by Sara Ney

2026-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

FALLING FOR THE FAKE LUMBERJACK
Sara Ney
Release Date: January 27

Buy Link:
https://books2read.com/falling4tflumberjackku
Available in KU

Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…
🍂Small Town
🏈Sports - Football Player x Yoga Teacher
🍂Mistaken Identity, Hiding in Plain Sight
🏈RomCom
🍂Log Rolling Liar
🏈He Falls First
🍂Competent Hero
🏈Golden Retriever vibes
🍂Grand Gesture Energy
🏈Big Foot Moment - Half naked in the woods?

Blurb
A small-town yoga teacher finds something real with a linebacker posing as a lumberjack in this sharp and spicy romance from USA Today bestselling author Sara Ney.

With rugged good looks and muscles for days, Harris Bennett stops traffic no matter what he’s wearing—flannel shirt or football jersey. So when management sends him to Star Lake, Washington, for a team-building retreat, it’s no wonder a local mistakes him for a lumberjack. And Harris leans right into the misunderstanding. Because that “local” looks amazing in yoga pants.

Lucy LeBrandt is a yoga instructor with trust issues: She doesn’t have time for men. But she’s definitely drawn to the hot, goofy lumberjack who seems to know nothing about, well, lumberjacking. He’s only in town for a week. Maybe she can squeeze him in between classes…

Harris has no idea what to do with an axe, and Lucy has no idea what to do about Harris. But they both know exactly what to do when they’re alone together. Can they split the difference between them, or is their romance just one stroke away from “TIIIIIMBER!”?

MY REVIEW

The last place Harris wants to be is in this out of the way resort on a "bonding" retreat with his teammates. But when he sees the beautiful yoga instructor he's thanking the powers that be for sending him here. There's only one tiny little problem - she thinks he's one of the lumberjacks hired for Star Lake's Fall Fest. He wants to impress her and chopping some logs shouldn't be too hard, right? He's a linebacker, that's a much harder job than being a lumberjack...

Harris and Lucy are so much fun! He's so freaking adorable that I can fully understand how Lucy fell in love with him in such a short time. I was in need of something lighthearted, witty and sweet with low angst, and Harris and Lucy and their shenanigans hit the spot perfectly. Lucy's friend Annabelle is up next and I'm already rubbing my hands in anticipation because she definitely needs to find love next.

Meet Sara Ney
Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte’s, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.

Connect with Sara Ney
https://linktr.ee/authorsaraney

Review: Pretty Prey (Empire of Kings #2) by A. Zavarelli

2026-01-26T05:30:00.000-08:00

Pretty Prey (Empire of Kings #2) by A. Zavarelli is NOW LIVE!

Amazon: https://geni.us/PrettyPrey

𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐒:
Stalker
Masks
Obsessive/Possessive Book Boyfriend
Touch Her and 💀
Mafia/Secret Society
Protective Hero
Neurodivergent FMC
Storm X Sunshine
Tortured Artsy Hero
Friends to Enemies to Lovers
Second Chance

It started with a message from a stranger.
Or so I thought.
Beneath a veil of anonymity, he lured out my secrets, fears, and desires.

Behind the mask, he could be anyone.
And somehow, it felt safer not knowing.

He comes to me under the cover of darkness, pulling me deeper into this forbidden game.
I give myself to him, knowing the consequences could destroy my life.
I just didn’t expect him to be the one to ruin me.

When the mask comes off, the truth cuts deep.
He isn’t just a man obsessed.
He’s the same man who’s hated me for the last nine years.

In the Cosa Nostra, they call him Il Lupo.
The wolf.
And all this time…
I’ve been his prey.

MY REVIEW

Gabi and Romeo "Il Lupo" used to be friends, but one fateful night changed everything for them. Now he's hated her for years, but watches over her from afar, from the shadows, obsessing over her but never letting her know his true feelings. Gabi has her own true feelings for Romeo, but she too doesn't let on, even though some suspect. Except she cannot admit because she's supposed to marry the horrible man her stepfather has arranged for. Romeo might have other plans for her though...

Whew, I thought I was prepared for Romeo but I soon found out that I really wasn't. But I absolutely loved every dark part of his soul, the way he loved Gabi, and would have scorched the earth for her. She is amazing - a neurodivergent heroine dealing with the neurotypical world that is made all the harder for her because of her family's Mafia and secret society ties. She not only had strength of character though, she had a seriously strong support system in her friends and found family, and in Romeo of course, though she wasn't always aware (or at least not that she wanted to admit) that he was in her corner. No one does dark alphas, tortured leads quite like Ashleigh, and I think Romeo just may have become my favorite morally black anti-hero of hers. He's got a soft spot only for his Gabi, his little shark, and loves fiercely. I can't imagine a couple more perfect for each other than Gabi and Romeo. I wish there were going to be a whole series about them, but I know they'll pop up in the next Empire installment - and I cannot wait for it!

Review: One Heartbeat Away (Murdock Brothers #6) by Taryn Quinn

2026-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

One Heartbeat Away (Murdock Brothers #6) by Taryn Quinn is NOW AVAILABLE!

Amazon: https://geni.us/OHA-choice

Ripley - The Rebel
Rescuing a damsel in distress is second nature for me—I'm the only tow truck game in town.

Until Mercy Hart's brand new delivery truck breaks down with my brother's wedding cake inside.

I'd love to save the day—problem is, I'm driving my ragtop Cadillac and my tow truck is currently locked down because of a petty war I'm having with the mayor.

To say we are in a bit of a quandary is an understatement.
Miss Independent needs me and innovation is my specialty.

My brother is getting married at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, and I will not be the one to ruin his big day.

And if I'm lucky, I might just get more than a kiss to start the new year. Because, have Mercy, I'm in…love?

Ripley and Mercy have known each other all their lives, but one night, and the space of one heartbeat, changes everything. Indigo Valley is full of hope and new starts. The Murdock Brothers fall hard and fast, but a scorching HOT happily ever after is guaranteed.

These are quick stories served best with a glass of wine or a cup of tea before bed. Or if you’re feeling extra spicy, you can read one of these books on your lunch break!

MY REVIEW

When Mercy's delivery van breaks down and threatens Ripley's brother Sullivan's wedding, it's up to Ripley to help get her and the cake there safely. That short but important ride to the wedding is just the start of their instant connection, and will change both their lives.

I'm sad the Murdock Brothers series has come to an end, but it's fitting that it concludes with Ripley, the eldest. He and Mercy are adorable. Instalove for sure, but their connection is strong and believable and we know they have known each for a long time considering their small town connections and mutual friends. I love all of this writing duo's small town worlds, all their heroes and heroines, and I think these short stories are some of their most entertaining and fun. I'm going to miss the Murdocks, but hopefully they turn up in later stories and adjacent towns.

ARC provided by the authors for an honest review.
Ebook also purchased through Amazon.
Teasers from Taryn's Facebook Page.

Review Blitz: Just Don't Call It Love (Bayou Blades #1) by Erin Nicholas

2026-01-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

JUST DON’T CALL IT LOVE
Erin Nicholas
Release Date: January 23

Buy Link:
https://a.co/d/7ZjG02A
Available in KU

Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…
🔥Small Town
🔥RomCom
🔥Hockey Romance
🔥Found Family
🔥Grumpy Sunshine
🔥Fake Dating
🔥Whole town hates him!
🔥Parks & Rec meets Bonkers Hockey!

Blurb
Welcome to Rebel, Louisiana—where the humidity feels personal, even the otters hold grudges, and chaos is a competitive sport.

I used to play hockey in sold-out arenas. Now my wrecked knee and I are stuck in a little bayou town that’s been mad at me for a year. I need a big comeback–and ZERO drama.

So first thing, I get tackled at the airport by a sunshiny woman in yellow overalls who’s thwarting my kidnapping… by her grandpas.

That’s Nora Delaune—Parks & Rec director, caffeine-powered menace, and the only person in Rebel willing to give me a chance. She needs me to win games and help save the town’s ice arena before it gets turned into a laser-tag nightmare.

And I… kind of like being needed by her. Even when she’s producing a singing, dancing, wig-wearing ice extravaganza that is definitely not hockey.

Then my sister—the team’s new owner—drops the bomb: if Nora and I “date,” the town might stop hating me. Fine. We’ll fake it. As long as we don’t call it love.

But between late-night practices, the sugar-addicted swamp-werewolf mascot, otter drama, and the way Nora looks at me like I’m worth rooting for…I’m in trouble.

I came to Rebel to rebuild my career.
I didn’t expect to lose my heart doing it.

𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝘿𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙄𝙩 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘵, 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭-𝘰𝘧-𝘩𝘪𝘫𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘺-𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳!

MY REVIEW

Alex is stuck in this tiny Louisiana town rehabbing from a career ending injury, trying to get the town of Rebel to stop hating him. That's where the town sunshiney sweetheart comes in. He and Nora will be fake dating, but the fake part starts feeling far too real in short time. From some crazy version of hockey to the town voting on what (who) they hate most, Alex is starting to find himself not just being welcomed here, but being loved. Is it possible to fall in love in a short time, with not just this quirky town, but with his fake date too?

I can't tell you how much I loved chaotic ray of sunshine Nora and her opposite, likes routine Alex. They really are like Parks & Rec meets a crazy version of hockey, but even funnier, cuter, and with swoony worthy moves. Being back in Erin's small town Louisiana world, with all her quirky residents, is like walking into a big hug. I can't wait for more "bonkers hockey" and bayou love now.

Meet Erin Nicholas
Erin Nicholas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over sixty sexy contemporary romances and rom coms. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy, and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines and happily ever afters. She lives in the Midwest with her husband who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books, her kids who will never read the sex scenes in her books, and family and friends who say they’re shocked by the sex scenes in her books (yeah, right!).

Connect with Erin Nicholas
https://www.instagram.com/erinnicholasbooks/

Review Blitz: Penalty Play (Boston Rebels #5) by Julia Connors

2026-01-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Penalty Play (Boston Rebels #5) by Julia Connors is LIVE NOW!

Amazon: https://geni.us/penaltyplay

🌴 Vacation Fling
🏒 Stepsiblings
🌴 Opposites Attract
🏒 Workplace Romance
🌴 Agent’s Daughter

We were never meant to see each other again. It was a one-night, no-names fling in Bermuda . . . until the next day when I watch her walk down the aisle at our parents’ wedding and discover she’s now my stepsister.

We say it won’t happen again, but we give in to the temptation of “just one more time” . . . twice. We tell ourselves there’s no harm in it. Given my stepdad’s and her mom’s rocky marital histories, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see each other again.

Except, a few days later, I walk into the Boston Rebels’ offices to assure management that I’ll focus on nothing but hockey after I missed last season thanks to an injury. Instead, I find myself face-to-face with my stepsister, Morgan, who now works for the team.

At first, we pretend we’ve never met and try to steer clear of each other. But it’s impossible. Her friends are tangled up with my teammates. Her dad is my agent. She’s everywhere: at the rink, out with our friends, and in my head.

I have every reason not to pursue her. I tell myself I’ll stay away. And yet, I can’t get enough of her.

So we make a deal: a secret friends-with-benefits arrangement—no feelings, no commitment.

The more I truly get to know her, though, the more I can’t imagine my life without her. But forever is the one thing I promised myself I’d never give anyone again.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Penalty Play is book 5 in the Boston Rebel series, which features interconnected standalones about the players on a fictional professional hockey team.

Tropes:
* stepsiblings
* vacation fling
* agent’s daughter
* opposites attract
* workplace romance
* secret relationship

MY REVIEW

Morgan's in Bermuda for her mother's latest wedding, when she meets a gorgeous stranger and spends the hottest night with him. Neither is looking for more, and they know they'll never see each other again...until they do - at the wedding of their parents! Not only are they stepsiblings, but as they find out - she's his agent's daughter. Now they have to figure out how to deal with their still present chemistry that they cannot do anything about.

I normally avoid stepbrother stories like the plague, but in Penalty Play, it's not much of an issue. The two aren't technically steps, and even though they kind of are, there are many more important things in their story to deal with - his aversion to letting himself be vulnerable, her awful mother and the way she's affected Morgan's poor heart. But thankfully both of them do more than a little growth, and they finally allow themselves to be with each other. I love these two, love the Boston Rebels, and am sad that this series is ending. But what a way to conclude - with a wonderful couple who have delicious chemistry and tons of heart.

Review Blitz: The Sheriff’s Rescue (The Southern Hart Brothers #3) by Stella Holt

2026-01-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

The Sheriff's Rescue by Stella Holt is now live!

She’s home for a few days, but a snowstorm, forbidden attraction, and a smoking hot sheriff have other plans…

As the family outcast, Shelby Shepherd won’t stay in her small hometown of Sandy Point, Georgia one second longer than she has to. Her wealthy and connected family look down on her. But when a rare blizzard shuts down the town, Shelby’s stranded in a ditch. Being rescued by the local sheriff, Wesley Hart, wouldn’t be so bad if he hadn’t starred in all her unrequited high school dreams. Now all grown up, he’s utterly irresistible—and totally irritated by her presence. Too bad the only space in town for Shelby to shelter is his bachelor pad.

Wesley Hart has no time for house guests, especially Shelby—the gorgeous daughter of his nemesis. Shelby’s beauty is only matched by the trouble she brings, but turning her out in the storm is not an option. He’s determined to remain polite, professional, and resist his attraction to her.

But Shelby’s tired of being ignored, and Wesley’s ready to break a few rules. What happens when a fling doesn’t begin to quench their desire?

Forced proximity. Forbidden attraction. Second chances under southern snow. Steamy small-town romance with heart and humor.

Download today!
Amazon US: https://bit.ly/4oXNrE9
Amazon Worldwide: https://bit.ly/43Toz8w
Apple Books: https://bit.ly/3LvhAwm
Nook: https://bit.ly/4orCvPm
Kobo: https://bit.ly/47Ko7KY
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3MdSBxZ

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4p12cGr

MY REVIEW

Shelby's finally come back to her hometown, to see her beloved grandpa. He's the only one in her awful family she'd come back for. Unfortunately, she came at the worst time, weather wise, now her car's stuck and she's wearing entirely ineffectual clothes for a blizzard. Thank God her high school crush, Sheriff Wesley Hart, comes along and rescues her. Being snowed in has their chemistry sizzling, and the forced proximity gives them a chance to indulge. But it's just a little hookup, as she won't be here forever, and he hasn't dated in so long he forgot how. Except Shelby just may be discovering a good reason to stay here now.

This small town had a heck of a lot going on! I like Wes and his family, and Shelby's amazing grandpa, but I have to admit that Shelby bugged me. I get that she had some trauma because of her family, but she was the worst communicator and jumped to conclusions 90% of the time. I felt like Wes could have done a lot better, found someone far more stable and mature enough for a relationship. But aside from Shelby's kinda awful character, I liked the rest of The Sheriff’s Rescue. The chemistry is strong, the bit of suspense is entertaining, and the small town characters are quirky and fun.

Meet Stella Holt

Stella Holt is the master of slow-burn, heart-pounding romances that ignite with searing chemistry and deep emotion. Her stories are filled with powerful moments, raw passion, and irresistibly hot alpha heroes who fall hard for the strong, fiery heroines that challenge them. Each book is a journey into the kind of love that consumes, heals, and ignites.

Her first series, Legacy of the Maguires, takes readers deep into the world of a close-knit family of first responders in Virginia. With six books full of firefighters, SEALs, bodyguards, paramedics, doctors, and police officers, this saga is the perfect escape into a world of desire, and devotion. Between steamy love scenes and family drama that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer, the Maguire men will have you wishing for your own protective hero in real life.

When Stella isn't creating love stories that tug at your heart, she's sipping on a cup of coffee, searching for the perfect lipstick (she forgets to wear), and baking something sweet for her family. A true country girl at heart, she calls the beach home, where the waves are as calming as her ever-growing list of fictional heroes.

Connect with Stella
Website | https://stellaholtbooks.myshopify.com/
Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22756169.Stella_Holt
Amazon | https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BLLYR3PV
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090629731311
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/stellaholtbooks/
Bookbub | https://www.bookbub.com/authors/stella-holt
Pinterest | https://www.pinterest.com/stellaholtauthor/
Newsletter | https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/238349/74962106674316731/share

Review Blitz: Just Breaking The Rules (Hockey Ever After #1) by Lauren Blakely

2026-01-21T05:30:00.000-08:00

There are rules in life, just like there are rules in the rink.
The “don’t date your business partner” rule.
The “don’t fall for your best friend’s sister” rule.
The “stop kissing each other over the cookie batter” rule.
And we’re breaking every single one.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the first standalone hockey romance in her brand new Hockey Ever After series, JUST BREAKING THE RULES! This sexy, single dad, opposites attract hockey workplace romance answers the burning question -- what happens when you open a small town bakery with your brother's hockey star best friend? This romance about the one that got away is filled with steamy moments, love letters, and all the heart, heat, and humor you’ve come to love from Lauren’s sports romances! Releasing January 21st in all formats, and free to read in Kindle Unlimited, find out more about the characters on the graphics and pre-order your copy today!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/JustBreakingAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/JustBreakingAUD
Samantha Brentmoor & Teddy Hamilton narrate in Duet!

About JUST BREAKING THE RULES

Breaking the rules has never tasted so good…

How did I end up opening a bakery with my brother’s hockey star best friend?

Start with one cake disaster, add a dangerously hot pro athlete, and mix in a steamy encounter that definitely wasn’t supposed to happen.

But when the sexy, single dad hockey player saves me from a cake contest catastrophe, I do something reckless: ask him to go into business with me.

I’m out of options—no loan, no backup plan—and this bakery is my last chance to prove I’m more than my past mistakes.
Now we’re partners, and we agree that one moment up against the door stays in the past.

Not that Corbin makes it easy.
He sends flowers when I’m down.
Braids my hair before we bake.
Gives me his jersey to wear to games.
Shows up late to test recipes… then stays way too long.

When we find a box of old love letters tucked inside a bakery cupboard, suddenly, our story feels just as risky—and just as impossible to resist.

Maybe some rules are meant to be broken. No matter the cost to our dreams.

And breaking the rules has never tasted so good.

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!
✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/JustBreakingAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/JustBreakingAUD
Samantha Brentmoor & Teddy Hamilton narrate in Duet!

READ THE EXCERPT:
Corbin
Those last two words echo like a warning—working together.
We are definitely working very closely together, and this—kissing, touching, f*&king—is a recipe for failure.
But when she looks at me like that, lips wet, eyes dark, I can’t bring myself to care about consequences. Not when she’s right here in my arms and I need her so damn badly.
I make quick work of the apron strings, undoing them at her neck as I crush her lips with mine.
Her mouth feels so good, soft and pliant. She moves with me, our tongues skating together. Our moans mingling.
“It feels like forever since I kissed you,” I mutter as I briefly break the kiss, frantically tugging down the apron, exposing the collar of the dress that I bought her.
“A day is a long time,” she teases.
“I didn’t kiss you yesterday.”
She seems to think about that for a few seconds. “You should keep making up for that.”

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!
✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/JustBreakingAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/JustBreakingAUD
Samantha Brentmoor & Teddy Hamilton narrate in Duet!

MY REVIEW

Just when Mabel needs him the most, her brother's best friend Corbin swoops in with a rescue. And now they're opening up a bakery together. How are a hot mess of a baker and a hockey playing single dad going to run a business together without crossing the professional lines that being business partners have? Or even more significantly, that having a common person in her brother and his best friend and boss have?

Corbin has been entranced by Theo's sister Mabel since he first saw her, but never really wanted to admit it for more than one reason. But now the two of them are opening up her dream bakery together, and all the close proximity is making it impossible for him to keep a leash on his tightly held restraint. Coming up with the arrangement of business partners with benefits, keeping it secret from her brother, seems like just the idea to indulge in their chemistry without having to risk the scary repercussions of having a relationship for all the world to see.

Lauren's hockey romances are some of my favorite in the probably oversaturated hockey subgenre. Why? Because of characters like Mabel and Corbin. They are so freaking cute - opposite in almost every way, but the thing they have in common is they each have huge, but slightly walled off hearts. She's a hot mess, but she's so sweet and genuine, just wanting to prove she's not a mess. There's no way she could end up with someone other than Corbin, the man who saw (and loved) her real self. And he slowly helped her to see her own self worth, that she wasn't really a mess or unworthy the way her ex and parents had convinced her she was. I love this witty, sweet story for all its giant heart and delicious, adorable couple.

ABOUT LAUREN BLAKELY
A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s cute but spicy. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and is the vegetarian at your dinner party.

Connect w/ Lauren
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Cover Reveal: Only For Him (Only For #3) by Natasha Madison

2026-01-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

ONLY FOR HIM
Natasha Madison
Release Date: March 13

Pre-Order Link:
https://books2read.com/Only4HimNM

Why you will love this book…
🏒Hockey Romance
💛Sworn off Relationships
🏒Single Dad
💛Emotional Scars
🏒Opposites Attract
💛Frenemies with Benefits
🏒Teammate's Sister

Blurb
Nothing could prepare them for what was to come.

Kylie
I learned early in life that love isn’t just given, it’s earned.
Now I’ve decided love isn’t worth it.
At least that type of love.
Until him.
He was broken.
It was safe.
But then I went and did the unexpected.
I fell in love with him, knowing he would never love me back.

Knox
I thought I had it all.
I was playing hockey in the NHL.
Three beautiful kids and a wife who loved me.
Until I walked in on her in bed with my brother-in-law.
Everything I thought I had was a lie.
She was everything I thought I didn’t want, and when I least expected it.
I just hope when I finally figure it out, I haven’t lost her for good.

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

Review Blitz: Protected from Villainy (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Blade & Arrow Shadow Team #2) by Gia Cobie

2026-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

PROTECTED FROM VILLAINY
Gia Cobie
Release Date: January 20

Buy Link:
https://a.co/d/fj0CrNF
Available in KU

Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…
🔥Wounded warrior
🔥Grumpy/Sunshine
🔥Protective alpha hero
🔥Physical therapist/Former patient
🔥Security team
🔥Found family
🔥Forced proximity
🔥Friends to lovers
🔥Can be read as a standalone

Blurb

As soon as I heard the news, I knew it had to be wrong.

Bea? A killer? Impossible.

Not the sweet therapist who gently bullied me into recovery and never gave up on me, no matter how grouchy I was. She believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. And I wouldn’t be where I am now without her.

Helping Bea means breaking the law. It means asking my Blade and Arrow teammates to risk their freedom, if we’re caught. But the idea of leaving Bea on her own is unthinkable. So, with my friends' help, we race to stage a daring rescue before it's too late.

I woke up from one nightmare only to be thrust into another.

First witness to a horrific crime; now accused of being the one who did it.

On top of that, my protector is a man I never expected to see again. I thought about Indy from time to time—wondering, worrying, even toying with the idea of checking up on him. But I never, ever imagined I’d wake up on the other side of the country after he abducted me.

I want to be angry with him for what he did, even though he claims he’s just trying to help me. But it’s really hard to stay mad at Indy when he’s the only one who makes me feel safe.

Protected from Villainy features a wounded warrior hero, a sweet and strong heroine with struggles of her own, forced proximity, found family, a security team of Army veterans, and plenty of sweet and steamy moments. Can be read as a standalone and an HEA guaranteed!

MY REVIEW

As soon as Indy hears that Bea is a murder suspect, he knows there's absolutely no way she's guilty. So he and his teammates come up with a way to rescue her. With him she'll stay until they can find evidence proving her innocence, and find out who's really guilty. He always was fascinated with her back when she was his physical therapist, but having her back in his life is showing him how he truly feels. He's not sure he can let her go when this is all over. Here's hoping she feels the same way.

When Bea wakes up with no clue where she is and how she got there, the first person she sees is her former client, Indy. Finding out how he took her out of the hospital, to save her he says, should make her mad, but what she's really feeling is something much different. With Indy she feels safe and protected, and she's starting to feel something a whole hell of a lot more than either of those two things also. But when this whole ordeal is over, will Indy want her to stay?

When I first was introduced to Indy in his sister and Rafe's story (Protected from Malice), he was so intriguing that I I really wanted to read his backstory. Similar to Rafe, Indy is a protective alpha, also similar to Rafe, he feels as if he's not good for the woman he's realized that he loves. Thank God for Bea because she saw the real Indy, that he was a truly good man, and deserved to be loved, to have the happiness they found together. I love Gia's characters - her alphas are sometimes broken in ways, but all have big hearts, soft spots for the ones they love. Her heroines are equally amazing, with big hearts, also with their own scars, but love their protective guys. Indy and Bea's story is now my favorite in this series with its suspense (I definitely did not have a clue who the villain was) that wove seamlessly with their evolving, strengthening physical and emotional connections. The cast of found family is strong this time around too, and I'm very, very excited to read as each one finds love.

Meet Gia Cobie
Gia Cobie is an award winning author living in upstate New York with her husband and small zoo of animals. She loves writing about protective heroes and the strong women they fall in love with.

In her spare time (when she has any!), Gia enjoys reading and spending time in the Adirondacks, and also has a weakness for reality romance shows, wine, and buying way too many books!

Follow Gia for updates on her latest releases!

Connect with Gia Cobie
https://www.giacobie.com

Review: Private Deal (Kings and Rivals #3) by Nana Malone

2026-01-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

Private Deal (Kings and Rivals #3) by Nana Malone is NOW LIVE!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4oHf7MY
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/PrCcpV
Apple Books: https://bit.ly/4qsgOiJ
Nook: https://bit.ly/4bbvZbJ
Kobo: https://bit.ly/4jhYVRf
Google Play: https://bit.ly/4aCvdEr

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4aCECf1

They told me he was dead.

I watched them lower an empty coffin into the ground.

Now I'm alone, drowning in a world of enemies I never knew existed. The threats Lance shielded me from have found me, and without his protection, I'm more vulnerable than ever. I have to be strong. I have to survive. Even if my heart feels like it died with him.

But when shadows move in the night and impossible glimpses of a familiar silhouette haunt my dreams, I start to question everything. Am I losing my mind with grief? Or is something far more dangerous at play?

When a stranger with Lance's eyes steps from the darkness, my world tilts off its axis. The man I mourned. The love I lost. The protector I desperately need.

He's here. He's real. And he's very much alive.

The weeks of grief and terror should make me hate him for letting me suffer. Instead, when he pulls me into his arms, when his lips crash against mine, I remember why I fell for him in the first place.

Our enemies think they've won. They think Lance Lakewood is buried and his empire is crumbling. They have no idea what's coming for them.

Private Deal is the explosive conclusion to the Kings and Rivals trilogy—a steamy, high-octane romance where love transcends death, and two hearts fight for a future that seemed impossible.

MY REVIEW

Morgan spiraled when she thought Lance was gone. Her grief was so much that she almost wasted away. Luckily fate had something different in mind for this amazing couple, and they were able to finally be together. But there was his past to deal with, and it would not be easy to confront and overcome all the darkness coming for them.

Whew, the twists and turns of Morgan and Lance's story - so freaking good! Throughout this whole trilogy, Lance's past has been either lurking with menace in the background or aggressively right in front of them. And here in Private Deal, that past is finally, finally put to rest, but only after Nana puts the two of them and their families through the absolute wringer. The intensity, the suspense, and their physical and more importantly, emotional, connection ramp up and strengthen to the point that I was on the edge waiting for the inevitable blowup, and when it came, whoa...but the way their conclusion wraps up is pretty spectacular. I, as I usually do, love this couple. Their beautiful connection, the way it deepens with time, and the way Lance confronts his past, puts it truly in his past, and is able to create his own found family unit, is beautiful. I'm looking forward to Micah's story next, and if I'm lucky, at some point, Hector's too!

Review: Cage (The New Bradfords #2) by Tia Louise

2026-01-15T05:30:00.000-08:00

CAGE by Tia Louise is LIVE!!!

💜BINGE NOW!
Amazon: https://mybook.to/CageAmz

Duet Audio: coming Feb. 6!
*Available in Kindle Unlimited. All illustrations by Laura Moore, https://www.instagram.com/lcm_designss

📚 Tropes:
🏒Hockey romance
🏒Seriously broody single dad
🏒Roommates to Lovers
🏒Hilarious dog antics
🏒STEM FMC
🏒"Just once"
🏒Only one bed
🏒Jealous alpha hero
🏒No cheating, cliffhanger, or third act breakup...

Sometimes fate sends a sign, and sometimes it sends a bloodhound with a hot hockey player holding its leash, dragging it off you.

Owen Stone is not your usual hockey player. He’s a six-foot-two single dad with dark hair, ocean eyes, and muscles for days. He’s also a last-minute trade trying to find a home for his seven-year-old daughter, his psychic sister, and his adoring bloodhound. Naturally, my hockey-star cousin tells him to move in with us. I’m a sucker for a good dog.

Gina Bradford hits me right in my weakness. She’s tall for a girl, with strawberry-blonde hair, bright green eyes, and a sweet smile. She’s also a champion dog groomer, judge, and owner of a pure-bred show poodle, who is also a notorious towel thief. When my new teammate invites me to be their roommate until I find a home for my crew, I should’ve said no. I’ve survived the worst, and I’ve achieved my dream of playing in the NHL.

My focus is on winning games and taking care of my daughter, not romance.

Until our dogs start acting like fated mates whose sole purpose is to push us together. And a charity calendar forces us to work together. And a highway accident strands us overnight in a hotel with only one room… and only one bed.

We said it was just once. We’ve both been hurt. But once is never enough.

My daughter loves her, and even my psychic sister predicted the girl of my dreams would be holding a dog.

It takes a little faith and a lot of courage, but what we’ve found is more than a cage. It’s a love that shows up, even when you’re not looking for it.

(Cage is a hockey romance with a broody single dad, an FMC obsessed with dogs/not love, roommates-to-lovers, close proximity, “just once,” chosen family, and loads of spicy fun. No cheating, no cliffhanger, and no third-act breakup.)

MY REVIEW

Gina's about to get a new roommie and their dogs are about to make a love match. She's grooming her poodle in hopes of perfecting Spanky's look before the national dog show, when in races Owen's bloodhound Ladybird and chaos ensues. Now that their dogs have bonded, will the new roommies bond, too? Or is Owen's broody going to be too much for Gina's walled off heart?

Owen's trying to find his way with a new team, a new place to live, and make sure his daughter Maddie gets the best of him. When he walks into what will be his temporary digs, his dog makes sure he knows this is where he's supposed to be - that Gina and Spanky are supposed to be their ones. If he can get past his own hangups and Gina's, they can become the unit his psychic sister predicted.

All Tia had to do is say dogs and I was all in on Cage. Spanky and Ladybird are the cutest pair of dogs, ever, but their humans are just as sweet as they fell in love, even while not admitting it, not even realizing it at first. I love that Gina's job is so out of the box - I mean a smart af dog groomer?! How could she not be the fabulous, big-hearted heroine she turned out to be. And then there's broody, hockey player single dad Owen...swoon! The way he is with his adorable daughter, and his doggo, and especially with Gina. My heart could not have fallen harder for him. Gina and Owen's families and friends are around for love, support, and the occasional meddling, and made me smile even bigger as they welcomed each of them into the fold. These Bradfords are some of Tia's best, now I'm waiting impatiently for cousin Maverick, and Dove's story, Flow.

Review Blitz: Hart Street Lane (Return to Dublin Street #3) by Samantha Young

2026-01-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hart Street Lane by Samantha Young is now live!

A steamy fake engagement/marriage of convenience romance from New York Times Bestselling Author Samantha Young.

Faking it has never been so hard…

Breaking up with my fiancé wasn’t on my agenda this summer, neither was hiding the truth from everyone, including my colleagues at Pennington’s department store. But that tiny evasion gets me into trouble when I’m forced to play bride-to-be for our new marketing campaign. If my boss finds out I’ve lied to her, it won’t just be my reputation on the line; it’ll be my job.

Enter my new bestie, Baird McMillan. Professional goalkeeper, professional heartbreaker, and now my professional fake fiancé. Baird’s public escapades have gotten him on the wrong side of his football club’s new owner, and he needs to prove he’s settling down. A fake engagement is a win-win for us both.

There’s just one problem. It turns out there’s nothing fake about the explosive connection Baird and I share.

I may not have been looking for love, but every moment with Baird tempts me to reach for it. Yet just as I start to believe a future together could be a real possibility, our pasts come surging back with a vengeance. And with it, those who will do anything to destroy our chance at forever…

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: http://bit.ly/46Dboel
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/rKJLu

Audible: https://adbl.co/4qGaJ2m
Narrated by: Shane East & Mhairi Morrison

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/4faMm8m

MY REVIEW

Maia's about to find out what happens when she and her friend Baird become engaged in a whirlwind fake marriage of convenience. She doesn't know it, but Baird has been in love with her for a long time, and this is his chance to see to it that she falls as hard for him as he has for her.

Baird's professional life has spun out of his control. His off the field exploits have landed him in trouble for the last time and the team bigwigs are demanding he clean up his act or else. So when his friend Maia tells him she needs a fiancé for a project at her job, he volunteers immediately. Now that he knows she's broken up with her douchey ex, he has to shoot his shot. They may only be friends, but he's wanted more than that since he first met her. He's going to use this chance that fell into his lap to claim her heart. He just has to scale the walls she's had around that heart since childhood.

I've read and loved many marriage of convenience stories, but something special sets Maia and Baird apart from all of them - their heart. They already had an emotional connection because of their friendship and that connection only grew stronger the more time they spent "faking" for the sake of both their jobs. Maia had such a heartbreaking backstory, and Baird was the one who saw the real her, the one who became her safe place. I am not ashamed to admit I shed a few tears as Maia grew stronger and gained confidence with help from Baird and his rock steady support, but by the very sweet end, I was smiling as wide as the two of them were.

Meet the Characters: Just Breaking The Rules (Hockey Ever After #1) by Lauren Blakely

2026-01-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the first standalone hockey romance in her brand new Hockey Ever After series, JUST BREAKING THE RULES! This sexy, single dad, opposites attract hockey workplace romance answers the burning question -- what happens when you open a small town bakery with your brother's hockey star best friend? This romance about the one that got away is filled with steamy moments, love letters, and all the heart, heat, and humor you’ve come to love from Lauren’s sports romances! Releasing January 21st in all formats, and free to read in Kindle Unlimited, find out more about the characters on the graphics and pre-order your copy today!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/JustBreakingAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/JustBreakingAUD
Samantha Brentmoor & Teddy Hamilton narrate in Duet!

About JUST BREAKING THE RULES (Coming 1/21/2026):

Breaking the rules has never tasted so good…

How did I end up opening a bakery with my brother’s hockey star best friend?

Start with one cake disaster, add a dangerously hot pro athlete, and mix in a steamy encounter that definitely wasn’t supposed to happen.

But when the sexy, single dad hockey player saves me from a cake contest catastrophe, I do something reckless: ask him to go into business with me.

I’m out of options—no loan, no backup plan—and this bakery is my last chance to prove I’m more than my past mistakes.
Now we’re partners, and we agree that one moment up against the door stays in the past.

Not that Corbin makes it easy.
He sends flowers when I’m down.
Braids my hair before we bake.
Gives me his jersey to wear to games.
Shows up late to test recipes… then stays way too long.

When we find a box of old love letters tucked inside a bakery cupboard, suddenly, our story feels just as risky—and just as impossible to resist.

Maybe some rules are meant to be broken. No matter the cost to our dreams.

And breaking the rules has never tasted so good.

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!
✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/JustBreakingAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/JustBreakingAUD
Samantha Brentmoor & Teddy Hamilton narrate in Duet!

Review Blitz: The Exception by Vi Keeland

2026-01-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

Title: The Exception
Author: Vi Keeland
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Boss/Intern, Dominant Hero, Billionaire
Release Date: January 11, 2026

BLURB

He lives by a set of rules. She might be his one exception.

I just wanted a distraction, something to take the edge off before facing a wedding I was dreading. So on the flight back to New York, I signed up for a dating app. Harmless enough, right?

Wrong.

Turns out, it wasn’t just any app—it catered to people with very specific tastes. By the time I realized it, I was already on my date.

Tall, confident, and sinfully handsome, Jagger Langston seemed like the full package. The chemistry between us was instant—electric enough to burn the whole city down. Though things took a turn when we figured out I’d misunderstood who should join the app. We laughed it off, said goodbye, and went our separate ways.

Or so I thought.

Until I walked into my new internship Monday morning, ready to put the weekend behind me, and there he was—my boss.

Now I’m caught between the rules he lives by—and the temptation to make him break every single one of them.

ADD TO GOODREADS

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
ALSO AVAILABLE
AUDIOBOOK
SPECIAL EDITION PAPERBACK

MY REVIEW

Sutton has joined a dating app and is about to meet her match. Luckily for her, he's gorgeous and commanding. Unfortunately for her, it seems the dating app was for people with certain...proclivities. Proclivities that she doesn't share. All she wanted to do was have a little fun before the wedding of her ex and her stepsister. Yeah. Once she and her hot match realize they really aren't a match, they go their separate ways, never to see each other again. Until she meets her new boss/mentor at her new internship and he's yep, you guessed it - her match that wasn't meant to be. Jagger may have rules, but Sutton's about to make him break them, in all kinds of delicious, intense ways.

For two characters who definitely were not supposed to end up together, Sutton and Jagger ended up being absolutely perfect for each other. She was his exception and he fell hard even if he didn't admit it for the longest time. Not only did their chemistry and spice burn up my Kindle, they were fun and snarky, and Sutton's best friend Miles was hilarious! The kind of best friend we'd all be so lucky to have. Sutton the smart one with a bruised heart had no idea what she was in for when she matched with the dominant Jagger who had his own bruised heart - what a perfect combination!

AUTHOR BIO

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated in twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films by Passionflix, and two of her books are currently optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

AUTHOR LINKS

FACEBOOK
PROFILE / PAGE / GROUP
WEBSITE
TIKTOK
INSTAGRAM
TWITTER
GOODREADS

Review Blitz: Only For Love (Only For #2) by Natasha Madison

2026-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

ONLY FOR LOVE
Natasha Madison
Release Date: January 9

Buy Link:
https://books2read.com/NMOnly4Love
Available in KU

Why you will love this book…
🏒Cat Daddy
🏒Emotional Scars
🏒Opposites Attract
🏒Hockey Romance
🏒Second Chance at Love
🏒Damsel in Distress
🏒Sworn Off Love
🏒Friends to Lovers

Blurb
When a chance encounter changes everything.

Lexi
Falling for a famous hockey player? I would have laughed at you.
I was trapped in a marriage-caged with cruelty.
I wasn’t ever going to be free.
Until I found a way to escape.
Before him, I thought love was a nightmare.
Now I dared to dream.

Kirby
First time I met her I was drawn to her light.
Then I saw the fear in her eyes.
Fear I’ve seen before.
Our chance encounter turned into two.
If she ever needed me, I’d be there.
I never dared to want her.
But I lost my heart to her anyways.

MY REVIEW

Lexi's finally walked away from her horrible husband. She's not looking for a rebound, or anything approaching a relationship, but then Kirby happens. Finally, someone who brings her out of the darkness she was living under, someone who sees her, and shows her what an amazing person she really is. She's falling fast, and this time around, wants people to know, especially her family.

Kirby took one look at Lexi and fell, but she was married, so he kept it hidden. But now she's here, walked away from her disgusting abusive husband, and all Kirby wants to do is show her how amazing she is, bring back the light to her heart her husband had snuffed out. He'll go as slow or as fast as she wants, just as long as she ultimately realizes her true self.

This couple is my new favorite! Not only were they on a journey of healing and self-realization, but a lightening of spirits, a lot of fun (the dares!), and finally, so much love. Lexi's growth arc is amazing, in a natural, organic way, and she emerged as a strong heroine with a renewed sense of self. And then there's Kirby...wow, a sweet cat daddy who fell in love at first sight of Lexi. I adore these two, their journey, and the way they found love with each other.