en-US Sun, 04 May 2025 14:50:57 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 214390463 A wry, heartfelt tale of a teen who's taking her church camp by storm—one deadly sin at a time.

Riley quietly left church a year ago when she realized there was no place for a bi girl in her congregation. But it wasn’t until the pastor shunned her older sister for getting an abortion that she really wanted to burn it all down.

It’s just her luck, then, that she’s sent to the principal’s office for slapping a girl talking smack about her sister—and in order to avoid suspension, she has to spend spring break at church camp. The only saving grace is that she’ll be there with her best friend, Julia. Even if Julia’s dad is the pastor. And he’s in charge of camp. But Riley won’t let a technicality like “repenting� get in the way of her true mission. Instead of spending the week embracing the seven heavenly virtues, she decides to commit all seven deadly sins. If she can show the other campers that sometimes being a little bad is for the greater good, she could start a righteous revolution! What could possibly go wrong? Aside from falling for the pastor’s daughter . . .]]> 317 Jenna Voris 0593692756 Jaime 0 4.18 2025
author: Jenna Voris
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: 2025-queue, bbbc, monthly-queue, currently-reading
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]]> 36748616 He's tall. He's dark. He's brutally handsome . . . And he may be her only hope. Kit Jernigan despairs of ever fitting in with her new tight-knit K9 unit--they've been through too much to welcome a stranger. So when a killer strikes, it's a fight to convince her fellow officers to trust her long enough to catch the woman she knows is responsible. She can't do it on her own. What she needs most is a partner: local fire spotter Wesley March. Wes knows in his heart that Kit is right, and he's willing to leave his lonely tower to help her prove it. But the more time they spend together, the hotter the fire smolders . . . and the more danger they're in. A member of the K9 unit's inner circle is determined to have her revenge--no matter who gets burned in the process. This time, it's personal.]]> 352 Katie Ruggle 1492664588 Jaime 0 to-read 4.06 2018
author: Katie Ruggle
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 35023951 For the lost. The sick. The injured.
But when a hunted woman takes shelter in his arms, this gentle giant swears he'll do more than heal her battered spirit―he'll defend her with his life.

K9 Officer Otto Gunnersen always had a soft spot for anyone in need. As Monroe's very own Dr. Doolittle, he dedicates himself to rehabilitating the injured souls that cross his path―but for all his big heart, he's never been in love.

Until he meets Sarah Clifton's haunted eyes. Until he realizes he'll do anything to save her.

All Sarah wants is to escape a life caught between ambitious crime families, but there's no outrunning her past. Her power-mad brother would hunt her to the ends of the earth...but he'd never expect Sarah to fight back. With Otto and the whole of Monroe, Colorado by her side, Sarah's finally ready to face whatever comes her way.

It's time to take a stand.]]> 373 Katie Ruggle 1492643106 Jaime 0 to-read 3.99 2018
author: Katie Ruggle
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 34006761
When an accident leaves Hugh and his K-9 partner, Lexi, on desk duty, both are anxious for Hugh to heal. Until then, the highlight of his day is teasing the beautiful but mysterious new kennel employee. Their simmering attraction fuels a passionate kiss—interrupted by a sniper’s bullet. With targets on both of their backs, Grace and Hugh will do whatever it takes to stay alive…not realizing the most dangerous threat of all is hiding right in front of their noses.

Rocky Mountain K9 Unit Series:
Run to Ground (Book 1)
On the Chase (Book 2)]]> 339 Katie Ruggle 1492643076 Jaime 0 to-read 3.86 2017
author: Katie Ruggle
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 32331591 CHARLAINE HARRIS, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series

He lost his mentor.
He lost his K9 partner.
He almost lost his will to live.
But when a ruthless killer targets a woman on the run, Theo and his new K9 companion will do whatever it takes to survive-and save the woman neither can live without.



Grieving the death of his partner, Theo Bosco has no room in his life for distractions. Though his instincts scream that he should avoid Juliet 'Jules' Jackson, he can't seem to stay away. It doesn't help that Theo's new K9 companion has fallen head over paws with Jules's rambunctious family.Or that when he's with her, Theo finally knows peace.

When Jules rescued her siblings, whisking them away to the safety of the beautifully rugged Colorado Rockies, she never expected to catch the eye-or the heart-of a cop. Yet as Jules struggles to fight her growing attraction to the brooding K9 officer, another threat lurks much closer to home...

And this time, there's no escape.

Rocky Mountain K-9
Run to Ground (Book 1)
On the Chase (Book 2)

What People Are
"I love Ruggle's characters. They're sharply drawn, and vividly alive. I'm happy when they find each other. These are wonderful escapist books."-CHARLAINE HARRIS, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series
"Sexy and suspenseful, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough."-JULIE ANN WALKER, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author for Hold Your Breath
"Chills and thrills and a sexy slow-burning romance from a terrific new voice."-D.D. AYRES, author of the K-9 Rescue Series for Hold Your Breath]]> 418 Katie Ruggle 149264305X Jaime 0 to-read 3.94 2017
author: Katie Ruggle
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 223665363 WHY DATE A MOUNTAIN MAN? Because it's effing in-tents.

Bounty Hunter Charlie Pax is in a bind. Not only did her own mother skip town after putting the family home up as collateral, but it's days before her first court hearing and she still hasn't been found. If she doesn't show, Charlie and her sisters will lose everything. There's only one thing left for Charlie to make a big show of leaving town with the one piece of bait sure to lure her mother out of hiding and set a trap for her in the remote Rocky Mountains town of Simpson, Colorado.

Surly Simpson firefighter Kieran Byrne is no stranger to being on the wrong side of the law. He's the prime suspect in the murder of a local militia leader, and he needs help proving his innocence before he can take the fall for someone else's crime. Charlie's got her hands more than full, but pretty soon the two strike a if she can help Kieran prove his innocence, he will use his contacts to track and entrap her mom. Two birds, meet one stone.

As they break into the local militia's compound, dodge flying bullets, and hunt for the stolen necklace, Charlie and Kieran discover they share an explosive attraction…and a growing affection neither can deny. But is there room for something as soft as romance in either of their hardscrabble worlds, or will the call of that lifelong adventure be something neither can find it within themselves to deny?]]> 304 Katie Ruggle 1492680273 Jaime 0 to-read 0.0
author: Katie Ruggle
name: Jaime
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: to-read
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]]> 210205599
Dash is used to people slowly backing away when he enters a room, but a certain beautiful bounty hunter's earnest trust throws him off guard…and catches his attention. Yet as the two throw punches and awkwardly flirt, vultures circle. Every criminal in town has turned against the Pax girls, and they're willing to hit them where they're (supposedly) weakest: Norah. To keep herself and her family safe, Norah will need every new skill that Dash teaches her.

Good thing that Dash is ready to do whatever it takes to protect the gentle-yet-fierce bounty hunter who stole his heart.]]> 364 Katie Ruggle 1492662593 Jaime 0 to-read 3.94
author: Katie Ruggle
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.94
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199407625
Felicity Pax loves her job. She craves excitement, and being a bounty hunter gives her that in spades. So when her estranged mother disappears with a small fortune in tow, Felicity chases her like she would any other skip. Too bad she didn't barter on having increasingly infuriating (and infuriatingly hot) PI Bennett Green on her tail.

Bennett's got a job to do, and if that means shadowing Felicity…well…he's had worse assignments. Even if he's 99% sure the increasingly intriguing bounty hunter is leading him on a wild goose chase through the Rockies.

If she has to drag her PI tail through endless quirky mountain towns in order to shake him, that's what she's determined to do…but it isn't long before Felicity's intended distraction turns up a mystery worth solving—and Bennett becomes the unexpected partner she never realized she needed. As things heat up, Felicity will have to decide what's most important to staying one step ahead of the "enemy" or giving herself freedom to experience the adventure of a lifetime.

The Rocky Mountains get unBEARably hot in Katie Ruggle's brand-new series packed with adventure, action, tall dark & scruffy heroes, and a sense of quirky humor that will be your next perfect escape.

Books by Katie

Fish Out of Water

Hold Your Breath

Run to Ground

In Her Sights]]> 352 Katie Ruggle 1728251893 Jaime 0 to-read 3.46
author: Katie Ruggle
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.46
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/04
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]]> 28321041
It's all come down to this...

Daisy Little has lived in agoraphobic terror for over eight years. Trapped within a prison of her own making, she watches time pass through her bedroom window. Daisy knows she'll never be a part of the world... until the day she becomes the sole witness of a terrible crime that may finally tear the Search and Rescue brotherhood apart for good.]]> 395 Katie Ruggle 1492628263 Jaime 0 to-read 4.03 2016
author: Katie Ruggle
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: to-read
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]]> 26149944
As a Motorcycle Club member and firefighter, Ian Walsh is used to riding the line between the good guys and the bad. He may owe the Club his life, but his heart rests with his fire station brothers...and with the girl he's loved since they were kids, Rory Sorenson. Ian would do anything for Rory. He'd die for her. Kill for her. Defend her to his last breath-and he may just have to.

Every con in the Rockies knows Rory is the go-to girl for less-than-legal firearms, and for the past few years, she's managed to keep the peace between dangerous factions by remaining strictly neutral. But when she defends herself against a brutal attack, Rory finds herself catapulted into the center of a Motorcycle Club war-with only Ian standing between her and a threat greater than either of them could have imagined.

Search and Rescue:
On His Watch (novella)
Hold Your Breath
Fan the Flames
Gone too Deep
In Safe Hands

What People are Saying:
"Sexy and suspenseful, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough."-Julie Ann Walker, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author on Hold Your Breath
"Chills and thrills anda sexyslow-burning romance from a terrific new voice." -D.D. Ayres, author of the K-9 Rescue Series on Hold Your Breath"]]> 448 Katie Ruggle 1492628204 Jaime 0 to-read 3.90 2016
author: Katie Ruggle
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 25880375 In the remote Rocky Mountains, lives depend on the Search & Rescue brotherhood. But in a place this far off the map, trust is hard to come by and secrets can be murder...

As the captain of Field County's ice rescue dive team, Callum Cook is driven to perfection. But when he meets new diver Louise "Lou" Sparks, all that hard-won order is obliterated in an instant. Lou is a hurricane. A walking disaster. And with her, he's never felt more alive... even if keeping her safe may just kill him.

Lou's new to the Rockies, intent on escaping her controlling ex, and she's determined to make it on her own terms... no matter how tempting Callum may be. But when a routine training exercise unearths a body, Lou and Callum find themselves thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a killer who will stop at nothing to silence Lou � and prove that not even her new Search and Rescue family can keep her safe forever.]]> 365 Katie Ruggle 1492628174 Jaime 0 to-read 3.94 2016
author: Katie Ruggle
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 57661268
Some people might accuse mathematician Everett Sloane of being stuffy, but really he just prefers things a certain way: predictable, quiet, and far away from Tommy Cabot—his former best friend, chaos incarnate, and the man who broke his heart.

The youngest son of a prominent political family, Tommy threw away his future by coming out to his powerful brothers. When he runs into Everett, who fifteen years ago walked away from Tommy without an explanation or a backward glance, his old friend's chilliness is just another reminder of what a thoroughgoing mess Tommy has made of his life.

When Everett realizes that his polite formality is hurting Tommy, he needs to decide whether he can unbend enough to let Tommy get close but without letting himself get hurt the way he was all those years ago.]]> 105 Cat Sebastian Jaime 0 4.16 2020
author: Cat Sebastian
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/03
shelves: romance-historical, romance-lgbtq, monthly-queue, currently-reading
review:

]]> 199533606 The Other Black GirlĚýłľ±đ±đłŮ˛őĚýMidsommar in this spine-chilling, propulsive psychological adult debut from highly acclaimed author Vincent Tirado, in which a married couple moves into a gated “communityâ€� that slowly creeps into a pervasive dread akin to the social horror of Jordan Peele and Lovecraft Countyâ€�We Came to Welcome You cleverly uses the uncanny to illuminate the cultish, shocking nature of systemic racism.

Where beauty lies, secrets are held…ugly ones.

Sol Reyes has had a rough year. After a series of workplace incidents at her university lab culminates in a plagiarism accusation, Sol is put on probation. Dutiful visits to her homophobic father aren’t helping her mental health, and she finds her nightly glass of wine becoming more of an all-day—and all-bottle—event. Her wife, Alice Song, is far more optimistic. After all, the two finally managed to buy a house in the beautiful, gated community of Maneless Grove.

However, the neighbors are a little too friendly in Sol’s opinion. She has no interest in the pushy Homeowners Association, their bizarrely detailed contract, or their never-ending microaggressions. But Alice simply attributes their pursuit to the community “Invest in a neighborly spirit”…which only serves to irritate Sol more.  

Suddenly, a number of strange occurrences—doors and stairs disappearing, roots growing inside the house—cause Sol to wonder if her social paranoia isn’t built on something more sinister. Yet Sol’s fears are dismissed as Alice embraces their new home and becomes increasingly worried instead about Sol’s drinking and manic behavior. When Sol finds a journal in the property from a resident that went missing a few years ago, she realizes why they were able to buy the house so easily�

Through Sol’s razor-sharp tongue and macabre sense of humor, Tirado explores the very real pressures to assimilate with one’s surroundings to “survive,� while also asking the question: Is it survival when you’re no longer your true self? Because in Maneless Grove, either you become a good neighbor—or you die.]]> 384 Vincent Tirado 0063383187 Jaime 0 to-read, bbbc, 2025-queue 3.06 2024
author: Vincent Tirado
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.06
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> 219301727 In this vibrant, gratifying novel, a pious, small-town teenager travels to Atlanta to get an abortion and finds herself smack in the middle of the civil rights movement and the secret lives of queer Black people.

Where do you get an abortion in 1960 Georgia, especially if the town midwife goes to the same church as your parents? For seventeen-year-old Doris Steele, the answer is Atlanta, where her favorite teacher, Mrs. Lucas, calls upon her brash, wealthy childhood best friend, Sylvia, for help. While waiting to hear from the doctor who has agreed to do the procedure, Doris spends the weekend scandalized by, but drawn to, the people who move in and out of Sylvia's celebrities whom Doris has seen in the pages of Jet and Ebony, political leaders like Coretta Scott King and Diane Nash, women who dance close together, atheists! And even more shocking? Mrs. Lucas seems right at home.

The young people Doris encounters are no less surprising. When he's not flirting too hard or talking too much, Sylvia’s nephew, Dexter, brings Doris into the heart of Atlanta’s civil rights movement, where some activists practice nonviolence to prepare for sit-ins, while others carry guns to protect Black families from the Klan.

From the guests at a queer kickback to the student activists at a SNCC conference, Doris suddenly finds herself surrounded by so many people who seem to know exactly who or what they want. Doris knows she doesn’t want a baby, but what does she want? Will this trip help her find out?

These Heathens! is a funny, poignant story about Black women’s obligations and ambitions, what we owe to ourselves, and the transformative power of leaving your bubble, even for just one chaotic weekend.]]> 272 Mia McKenzie 0593596943 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue, bbbc 4.67 2025
author: Mia McKenzie
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> 218695937 A novel about one woman’s fight for freedom, set in a near future where even dreams are under surveillance.

Sara has just landed at LAX, returning home from a conference abroad, when agents from the Risk Assessment Administration pull her aside and inform her that she will soon commit a crime. Using data from her dreams, the RAA’s algorithm has determined that she is at imminent risk of harming the person she loves most: her husband. For his safety, she must be kept under observation for twenty-one days.

The agents transfer Sara to a retention center, where she is held with other dreamers, all of them women trying to prove their innocence from different crimes. With every deviation from the strict and ever-shifting rules of the facility, their stay is extended. Months pass and Sara seems no closer to release. Then one day, a new resident arrives, disrupting the order of the facility and leading Sara on a collision course with the very companies that have deprived her of her freedom.

Eerie, urgent, and ceaselessly clear-eyed, The Dream Hotel artfully explores the seductive nature of technology, which puts us in shackles even as it makes our lives easier. Lalami asks how much of ourselves must remain private if we are to remain free, and whether even the most invasive forms of surveillance can ever capture who we really are.]]> 336 Laila Lalami 0593317602 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue, bbbc 3.64 2025
author: Laila Lalami
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> 185127087
Years after fleeing San Francisco and getting sober, Jhanvi has made a life for herself working at a grocery co-op and saving for her surgeries. But when her friend (and sometimes more) Henry mentions that he and his techie festival-goer friends spent $100,000 to transform a warehouse basement into a sex dungeon, Jhanvi starts wondering if there’s a way to exploit these gullible idiots. She returns to San Francisco, hatching a plan to marry Henry for his company’s generous healthcare benefits.

Jhanvi enters a world of beautiful, decadent fire eaters and their lavish sex parties. But as her pretensions to cynicism and control start to fade, she develops a Gatsbyesque attraction to these happy young people and their bold claims of unconditional love. But do any of her privileged new friends really like or accept her? Her financial needs expose the limits of a community built on limitless self-expression, and soon she has to choose between doing what’s right, and doing what’s right for her.

This darkly funny novel skewers privileged leftist millennial tech culture, and asks whether "found family" is just another of the 21st-century's broken promises.]]> 287 Naomi Kanakia 1558613161 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue, bbbc 3.67 2024
author: Naomi Kanakia
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> 199248447 A captivating debut exploring power imbalances, bodily autonomy, love, and the generational legacy of resilience.

The Blueprint is a harrowing novel set in an alternate United States—a world of injustice and bondage. Solenne Bonet, a young Black woman in Texas, lives in a society where an algorithm dictates her occupation, spouse, and residence. Seeking solace, she pens the biography of Henriette, her ancestor and an enslaved concubine. When Solenne becomes entangled with Bastien Martin, a high-ranking government official, she must decide, with Henriette's story as her guide, whether to escape the psychological bond that imprisons her.]]> 304 Rae Giana Rashad 0063330091 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue, bbbc 3.81 2024
author: Rae Giana Rashad
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> 219848297 A stunningly original love story between a museum employee and the man in a masterpiece hanging on the walls—a breathtaking debut about time, art, and the enduring power of love.

Jean’s life is the same day in and day out. Frozen in time by his painter father, the legendary Henri Matisse, Jean observes the ebb and flow of museum guests as they take in the works of his father and other masters like Renoir, Picasso, and Van Gogh. But his world takes a mesmerizing turn when Claire, a new museum employee, enters his life.

Night after night, Claire moves through the gallery where Jean's painting hangs, mopping the floors, talking softly to herself to stem her loneliness and gazing admiringly at the masterpieces above. The alluring man in the corner of the Matisse—is he watching her? Why does she feel a deepening pull to him, like he can see her truest self, her secrets? Did he just move? 

In an extraordinary twist of fate, Claire discovers she can step through the frame of Jean's painting and into a bygone era, a lush, verdant snapshot of family life in France in the throes of World War I. She and Jean begin a seemingly impossible affair, falling in love against the backdrop of the gallery’s other paintings come to life—glittering parties, exhilarating horse races, and windswept beach bluffs, that they can move through together and where Claire is seemingly the only modern visitor, alone in possession of this gift.

But as their happiness is threatened by challenges both inside and outside the museum, Claire and Jean find themselves in a fight to preserve the love they’ve only dared to dream of. Will their extraordinary connection defy the confines of reality, or will the forces conspiring against them shatter their carefully curated happiness?]]> 304 Morgan Pager 0593875389 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue, bbbc 3.85 2025
author: Morgan Pager
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> 217299700 In this outrageous and deeply serious satire, two star indoor volleyball players juggle unspoken jealousies in their off-court romance ahead of their rival teams� first rematch in a year

Six is 6�7�, scheming to rejoin the starting lineup, and barely checks her phone. Green is 6�1�, always building her brand, and secretly jealous of her more famous girlfriend. Together, they’re going where no Asian American trans woman has gone before: the men’s pro indoor volleyball league. Our hot girls with balls just thought playing with the boys would spare them some controversy . . . haha.

Besides playing for rival teams, they’re also lovers tending to their relationship between away games, time zones, and their weekly Instagraph live show. Soon, they’ll reunite for the championship tournament, the first to accommodate in-person fans since the COVIS pandemic struck the world a year ago. Just as they enter an airtight bro bubble of the world’s best, they’re faced with a public crisis that necessitates an indisputably humiliating task: make a public statement online.

Can Green stock up enough clout for her post-ball future? Can Six girlboss her team’s seniority politics? Can they both take a timeout to just grieve? Their rabid fans and horny haters await their next move. We’re all just desperate for a whiff of the feminine sweaty energy that makes that ball thwack with such spectacular force.]]> 288 Benedict Nguyễn 1646222474 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue, bbbc 4.03 2025
author: Benedict Nguyá»…n
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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review:

]]> 176443312
Camp counselor Cory Ansel, eighteen and aimless, afraid to face her high-strung single mother in New York, is no longer sure where home is when the father of one of her campers offers an alternative. The CEO of a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company, Rolo Picazo is middle-aged, divorced, magnetic. He is also intoxicated by Cory. When Rolo proffers a childcare job (and an NDA), Cory quiets an internal warning and allows herself to be ferried to his private island. Plied with luxury and opiates manufactured by his company, she continues to tell herself she’s in charge. Her mother, Emer, head of a teetering agricultural NGO, senses otherwise. With her daughter seemingly vanished, Emer crosses land and sea to heed a cry for help she alone is convinced she hears.

Alternating between the two women’s perspectives, Rachel Lyon’s Fruit of the Dead incorporates its mythic inspiration with a light touch and devastating precision. The result is a tale that explores love, control, obliteration, and America’s own late capitalist mythos. Lyon’s reinvention of Persephone and Demeter’s story makes for a haunting and ecstatic novel that vibrates with lush abandon. Readers will not soon forget it.]]> 320 Rachel Lyon 1668020858 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue, bbbc 3.50 2024
author: Rachel Lyon
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> 218153678 An electrifying story of love, betrayal, and the complicated allure of bougie domesticity.

“Dinan writes like some kind of demigod. Her fictions make thinkable new realities for how we live and what we might expect from each other.”� Torrey Peters, author of Detransition, Baby

You can fall in love with an outline, you can even make a home with one, but there will come a time where you can’t deny the bones their flesh. A person is no fewer than two things.

Thirty years old with a lifetime of dysphoria and irritating exes rattling around in her head, Max is plagued by a deep dissatisfaction. Shouldn’t these be the best years of her life? Why doesn’t it feel that way? After taking a spill down the stairs at a New Year’s Eve party, she decides to make some changes. First: a stab at good old-fashioned heteronormativity.

Max thinks she’s found the answer in Vincent. While his corporate colleagues, trad friends, and Chinese parents never pictured their son dating a trans woman, he cares for Max in a way she’d always dismissed as a foolish fantasy. But he is also carrying baggage of his own. When the fall-out of a decades-old entanglement resurfaces, Max must decide what forgiveness really means. Can we be more than our worst mistakes? Is it possible to make peace with the past?

Funny, sharp, and poignant, Disappoint Me is a sweeping exploration of love, loss, trans panic, race, millennial angst, and the relationships—familial and romantic—that make us who we are.]]> 320 Nicola Dinan 0593977874 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue, bbbc 4.17 2025
author: Nicola Dinan
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> 214537791
“Brilliant � so alive and vibrating that it took my breath away.”—Kevin Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to See Here

Star point guard Mack Morris’s senior year of high school begins with twin cataclysms: the death of Mack’s father and the arrival of transfer student Liv Cooper. Playing side by side for their high school basketball team, Mack and Liv discover an electrifying, game-winning chemistry on the court. Off the court, they fall into an equally intoxicating more-than-friendship—one that feels out-of-bounds in their small Pennsylvania town. Mack teeters on the precipice of adulthood as desire and grief collide with drugs, sex, and the looming college signing deadline. Caught between the dual impulses of ambition and self-destruction, Mack must decide what kind of life they want to fight for.

Written with the lush longing of Andre Aciman’s Call Me By Your Name,the obsessive attention of Jean Kyoung Frazier’s Pizza Girl, and with all the romance and feeling of the beloved 2000 movie Love & Basketball, A Sharp Endless Need is a stunning testament to the big feelings of coming-of-age, falling in love, and, of course, playing sports.]]> 272 Marisa Crane 0593733649 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue, bbbc 4.16 2025
author: Marisa Crane
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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review:

]]> 205986459 We've always been best friends... but what if we were more?

Laniah Thompson is a homebody who craves privacy. Issac Jordan is internet-famous and spends his days followed by paparazzi. She runs a small business with her mom in her hometown. He runs an international brand. And they've been best friends since childhood.

When Issac comes home to Providence for the first time in months and discovers Laniah's dream is slipping out of reach as she and her mom struggle to pay the bills at Wildly Green, their natural hair store, she refuses to take a dime from him. And so, he does what any self-respecting best friend would do: tells the world they're dating. Suddenly business is booming, and Laniah agrees to his ridiculous plan to pretend to be lovers for the course of the summer. Just long enough to catch the eye of an investor and get her dream back on track.

Too soon, though, Laniah knows she's playing with fire, because for as long as they've been friends there's an undeniable pull they've never given in to. And as the lines between what's real and pretend blur, it becomes harder and harder to see where friendship ends and something else begins...

Brimming with chemistry, A Love Like the Sun is the perfect slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance about falling in love and second chances. Perfect for fans of Tia Williams and Emily Henry.]]> 368 Riss M. Neilson 1398721662 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue, bbbc 3.64
author: Riss M. Neilson
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.64
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, 2025-queue, bbbc
review:

]]> 199532113 Talia Hibbert meets Carley Fortune in this swoon-worthy story of love and friendship in the age of social media—where what you see might not be all you get.

To her countless Instagram followers Josephine Boateng is the dazzling Dr. Jojo—and her opinions on health, growth, and self-love matter. Her message: be smart (she has a medical degree after all), be significant, and do not put up with foolish men.

But behind the camera, Jo’s story is more complicated—she finds her influencer career underwhelming; her potential career in medicine overwhelming, and she’s hung up on her best friend, nepo-baby and romcom heartthrob Ezra Adelman. When Ezra shows up to his thirtieth birthday party with her childhood bully on his arm, however, Josephine realizes that it’s time to take her own advice and prioritize herself for once.

No one is more shocked than Malcolm Waters when his debut novel turns him into a critic’s darling. When he’s invited to a swanky penthouse party to discuss turning his book into a film, he knows rubbing elbows with the elites of entertainment will be great for his career. The only problem: he’s not good with people, and even worse at networking.

Just when he’s about to throw in the towel, he’s rescued by none other than Dr. Jojo. He’s been following her on social media for years, and she’s even more impressive in real life. And to his bewilderment, the feeling is mutual.

But in a world where the lines between private and public are as blurred as those between friendship and love, can they risk it all for something real?]]> 368 Shirlene Obuobi 0063307316 Jaime 0 3.82 2024
author: Shirlene Obuobi
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, bbbc, monthly-queue, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 217387802 Either you're in or you're out.

Welcome to the Thrashers, the elite friend group at New Helvetia High.

They’re everything everyone wants to be.

Jodi Dillon was never meant to be one of them. Julian, Lucy, Paige, and the infamous Zack Thrasher are rich, sophisticated, and love attention. Jodi feels out of place, but Zack’s her childhood best friend, so she’s in.

Then Emily Mills, who desperately wanted to be a Thrasher, dies—and the whispers about the Thrashers begin. As Emily’s journal surfaces, detectives close in, and Jodi faces an impossible choice: betray her friends or protect herself.

But as eerie messages and strange occurrences escalate, it becomes clear—Emily isn’t done with them yet.

A twisty thrill-ride of unforgettable drama and suspense that "encapsulates the vulnerability of adolescents playing adult games" (Ali Hazelwood) from USA Today bestselling author Julie Soto, The Thrashers will keep you up at night desperate to read just one more page.

"A tour-de-force YA debut from Julie Soto." - Alexa Donne

"For fans of Karen McManus and Kara Thomas, The Thrashers had me holding my breath, sweaty-palming my e-reader, and dying to flip each page to see what would happen next." - Susan Lee

"Expertly plotted and full of flawed, morally gray characters you still can't help rooting for, The Thrashers is one of the best books I've read this year." - Evelyn Skye]]> 352 Julie Soto 125037717X Jaime 4 4.35 2025
author: Julie Soto
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: paranormal, read-2025, ya-thriller, young-adult
review:
This is slightly reminiscent of Karen McManus, with a victim seemingly communicating from beyond the grave, but it stands very well on its own two feet. The teenage drama is delicious, and the members of the group are all different enough to not blend into one. Jodi is our main character, and the way she stands out feels real, with her insecurities and doubts about how she fits in and whether her friends actually care about her. This story keeps you turning the pages and then leaves you at the end with your mouth hanging open. This was a successful branch out for Julie Soto.
]]> 217247948
In museums and markets, over text messages and translation apps, Ping and Sarah slowly begin to learn each other’s languages, communicating in a rich and ever-shifting blend of English, French, and Cantonese. As their friendship blooms, so does their private dialect—a personal linguistic patchwork, a shared secret just for them. But when their feelings for each other start to deepen, they discover that the simplest words to translate can be the hardest words to say.

In these sumptuously painted pages, award-winning graphic novelist James Albon (The Delicacy) presents a dazzling love story about cross-cultural connection, the bewildering sensation of feeling one’s brain rewrite itself, and the intoxicating rush of the foreign becoming familiar.]]> 176 James Albon 1603095578 Jaime 4 3.95
author: James Albon
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.95
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: characters-of-color, france, friends-to-lovers, graphic-novel, lgbtq, read-2025, romance-lgbtq
review:
This is a lovely sapphic romance between women from England and Hong Kong, both living in Paris. They are both struggling with the languages, yet find a way to communicate with each other. The art feels very Parisian, and I really liked how Albon handled showing their conversations in a mish mosh of language. I could have done without so much of Sarah's work stuff, but it did help to illustrate why she felt so lonely. Overall I enjoyed this, and I would read another graphic novel by Albon.
]]> 29539961
George Holloway has spent his life alone, exploring the treacherous beauty of the Colorado Rockies. He's the best survival expert Search and Rescue has, which makes him the obvious choice to lead Ellie Price through deadly terrain to find her missing father. There's just one problem-Ellie's everything George isn't. She's a city girl, charming, gregarious, delicate, small. And when she looks up at him with those big, dark eyes, he swears he would tear the world apart to keep her safe.

With a killer on the loose, he may have no choice.

Ellie's determined to find her father no matter the cost. But as she and her gorgeous mountain of a guide fight their way through an unforgiving wilderness, they find themselves in the crosshairs of a dangerous man in search of revenge. And they are now his prey...

Search and
On His Watch (novella)
Hold Your Breath
Fan the Flames
Gone too Deep
In Safe Hands

What People are
"Sexy and suspenseful, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough."-Julie Ann Walker, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
"Chills and thrills anda sexyslow-burning romance from a terrific new voice." -D.D. Ayres, author of theK-9 Rescue Series"]]> 386 Katie Ruggle 1492628247 Jaime 0 4.25 2016
author: Katie Ruggle
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/30
shelves: 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, romanceopoly-2025-queue, monthly-queue, currently-reading
review:

]]> 81339977 Tutoring the star quarterback in exchange for a few fake dates won’t lead to anything more� right?

James

Football is my everything. I live, eat, breathe the sport. But when I transfer to McKee University to escape the distractions that nearly cost me my future in the NFL, I’m faced with another consequence: retake and pass the writing class I failed at my last college or lose any chance I have at making it big. That’s where fellow senior Beckett Wood—gorgeous, stubborn, and just my type—comes in.

She’s the key to my success in this class� but the price of her help is a fake relationship, and I never do things halfway.

Bex

I don’t mess around with athletes—I’ve already learned that lesson—and at first glance, handsome, self-assured James Callahan is no exception. He wants me to help him pass the writing class we’re both stuck taking, but I’m too busy to take on yet another responsibility. But when his teammate—my cheating ex—won’t leave me alone, I realize I need to convince him I’ve moved on� and what better way than by pretending to be with James, who wants nothing to do with a real relationship?

Yet with every fake kiss, James pulls me deeper into a place that thrills and terrifies me. Why does he make me feel alive like no one else has?

And why don’t I want it to end?]]> 310 Grace Reilly Jaime 0 3.57 2022
author: Grace Reilly
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/30
shelves: romance-contemporary, sports, fake-relationship, new-adult, football, college, spicy, 2025-queue, currently-reading
review:

]]> 221285493 Starting over is hard. Falling for her gorgeous butch roommate might make it impossible.

When a tall, stunning butch protects Mira from her ex-boyfriend at the club—and offers her a safe place to stay—Mira should be relieved. Not flustered. She’s not into women.

Yet this tough electrician with curves for days makes Mira’s heart race like never before.

But Isabel, wounded by grief, forces Mira to keep her distance. Until Mira’s desperate to win a union election at work—and only Isabel has the experience to teach her how.

Soon they’re lingering over dinner, teasing each other as the apartment heats up. And Isabel is making her coffee every morning, hanging her shelves, giving her smoldering looks before bed�

But Mira can’t afford temptation. Not after living with her nightmare ex.

No matter how well Isabel takes care of her…or how much Isabel needs healing, too.

She can’t risk her freedom—or her heart.

Make Room for Love is a steamy slow-burn romance starring a trans woman discovering she’s bi and finding her happily ever after.]]> 346 Darcy Liao Jaime 0 3.90 2024
author: Darcy Liao
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: bbbc, monthly-queue, currently-reading
review:

]]> 186872392
An estimated one in thirty-six children in the United States is diagnosed with autism. New research has shed light on the many factors that determine a child’s trajectory—but many parents are still navigating this complex terrain without a road map. Pediatric neurologist Dr. Suzanne Goh has spent decades working with autistic children, and in this practical and research-based guide she shares her renowned and revolutionary model of an innovative, whole-child approach that combines optimal medical treatment with the most effective strategies for advancing cognition, communication, and behavior.
Demystifying a wide range of diagnostics and therapies and offering new insights into the neurological, biochemical, behavioral, and social factors that play a role in successful outcomes, the book is an essential resource for understanding all of autism—a strengths-based approach that helps parents design a comprehensive treatment plan. It is also a celebration of what each autistic person brings to the world—and how parents can best nurture the remarkable uniqueness of their child while setting them up for the future they envision.]]> 333 Suzanne Goh MD 0593712714 Jaime 0 currently-reading, audiobook 3.91
author: Suzanne Goh MD
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.91
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: currently-reading, audiobook
review:

]]> 29907803
What It Is: Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But in the face of handwringing boys, "personal experimentation," influenza, mystery mold, nuchauvinism, and the willful, unwanted intrusion of "academia," they may be lucky just to make it to spring alive. Collects issues #1-4."]]> 112 John Allison Jaime 0 4.03 2015
author: John Allison
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: monthly-queue, currently-reading
review:

]]> 32967547 Can you fall in love with someone you've never even met?

Hailey Taylor Emery has a hunch that her favorite client at Fetch—an anonymous virtual assistant service—is actually hockey star Matt Eriksson.

Although it's against the rules for her to check his file, she's 95% sure she spends at least part of each day texting with her lifelong crush and catering to his every need. Still nursing a wounded heart thanks to her recent breakup, Hailey is perfectly content with some harmless online flirting... until she has to meet her client. Face to face. Cue: utter panic.

Matt Eriksson is no stranger to heartbreak. He's still not over the destruction of his marriage, and it sucks to be the only guy on the team who knows the truth—that hockey and long-term relationships are a toxic mix. He barely sees his kids, and dealing with his ex makes him feel insane. The only person in his life who seems to understand is someone who won't show her pretty face.

But it's nothing that a pair of fourth row hockey seats can't fix. Hailey can't resist the offer. Matt can't resist Hailey. Good thing he doesn't have to. Fire up the kiss cam!

Warning: Contains rabid hockey fans, misunderstood dick pics, hockey players at the opera and exploding ovaries.]]> 294 Sarina Bowen Jaime 0 4.02 2017
author: Sarina Bowen
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: to-read, romance-contemporary, spicy, sports, hockey, friends-to-lovers, single-parent, monthly-queue
review:

]]> 53438773
When a rogue wave strips Tess Dunn of her bikini top, desperate, half-naked times call for desperate, please-cover-me-kids-are-coming-closer measures. Enter Lucas Karlsson, AKA that flirty Swede in the water nearby. When he prevents her bare buoys from being exposed to fellow vacationers, even an ocean can’t drown the sparks that fly.

Lucas, a former top-level tennis pro now giving lessons at the resort, fled there after the abrupt, painful end to his injury-plagued career. But he’s finally ready to move on with his life—and after a few late-night, hands-on sessions with Tess, he’s eager to prove he’s the ace she wants.

But this match comes with challenges: She’s forty, and at twenty-six, he’s barely old enough to rent a car. Worse, they only have two weeks together before Tess returns to her assistant-principal life in Virginia. During that brief time, they’ll have to play hard, take a few risks, and find out whether their chemistry is a one-shot wonder…or whether they’re meant to be doubles partners for life.]]> 312 Olivia Dade 1945836121 Jaime 0 3.59 2020
author: Olivia Dade
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: to-read, romance-contemporary, 2025-queue, monthly-queue
review:

]]> 56236716 In this steamy tale by USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn, an American searching for her purpose escapes to a Scottish town but finds more questions than answers when she meets a brooding yet handsome handyman.

Freshly fired from her third job in a row, Bonnie St. James has lost her way. So when she and her best friend stumble upon a “help wanted� post to run a coffee shop in the Scottish Highlands, they apply on a whim. Who knows? Maybe traveling to a new place is just what she needs to figure out her next move.

When the friends arrive in the tiny idyllic town of Corsekelly, they instantly fall for the gorgeous Highland landscape and friendly townspeople. But Bonnie finds a less-than-warm welcome in Rowan MacGregor, the rugged local handyman. Busy wrestling his own demons, Rowan’s in no mood to deal with the quirky American—even if she is a bonny lass.

As Bonnie and Rowan’s paths inevitably cross, insults—and sparks—fly. Can the pair build on their similarities to help each other find purpose and direction…and maybe romance too? Or will their passionate tempers fling them apart?]]> 349 Meghan Quinn 1542025214 Jaime 0 to-read 3.98 2021
author: Meghan Quinn
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 12700353
Until Greg's mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.

And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.]]> 295 Jesse Andrews 1419701762 Jaime 0 to-read, monthly-queue 3.53 2012
author: Jesse Andrews
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: to-read, monthly-queue
review:

]]> 211025407 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780593712993.

An epic and intimate tale of one couple across sixty years as world events pull them together and apart, illuminating the Chinese diaspora and exploring what it means to find home far from your homeland.

A single choice can define an entire life.

Haiwen is buying bananas at a 99 Ranch Market in Los Angeles when he looks up and sees Suchi, his Suchi, for the first time in sixty years. To recently widowed Haiwen it feels like a second chance, but Suchi has only survived by refusing to look back.

Suchi was seven when she first met Haiwen in their Shanghai neighborhood, drawn by the sound of his violin. Their childhood friendship blossomed into soul-deep love, but when Haiwen secretly enlisted in the Nationalist army in 1947 to save his brother from the draft, she was left with just his violin and a note: Forgive me.

Homeseeking follows the separated lovers through six decades of tumultuous Chinese history as war, famine, and opportunity take them separately to the song halls of Hong Kong, the military encampments of Taiwan, the bustling streets of New York, and sunny California, telling Haiwen’s story from the present to the past while tracing Suchi’s from her childhood to the present, meeting in the crucible of their lives. Throughout, Haiwen holds his memories close while Suchi forces herself to look only forward, neither losing sight of the home they hold in their hearts.

At once epic and intimate, Homeseeking is a story of family, sacrifice, and loyalty, and of the power of love to endure beyond distance, beyond time.]]> 512 Karissa Chen Jaime 0 kindle, bbbc, monthly-queue 4.24 2025
author: Karissa Chen
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: kindle, bbbc, monthly-queue
review:

]]> 25686321 B019CGXRZM

The winner of the Harvill Secker/Daily Telegraph crime writing competition

Captain Sam Wyndham, former Scotland Yard detective, is a new arrival to Calcutta. Desperately seeking a fresh start after his experiences during the Great War, Wyndham has been recruited to head up a new post in the police force. But with barely a moment to acclimatise to his new life or to deal with the ghosts which still haunt him, Wyndham is caught up in a murder investigation that will take him into the dark underbelly of the British Raj.

A senior British official has been murdered, and a note left in his mouth warns the British to quit India: or else. With rising political dissent and the stability of the Raj under threat, Wyndham and his two new colleagues–arrogant Inspector Digby, who can barely conceal his contempt for the natives and British-educated, but Indian-born Sargeant Banerjee, one of the few Indians to be recruited into the new CID–embark on an investigation that will take them from the luxurious parlours of wealthy British traders to the seedy opium dens of the city.

The start of an atmospheric and enticing new historical crime series.]]> 400 Abir Mukherjee Jaime 0 3.87 2016
author: Abir Mukherjee
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: historical-1915-1930, india, mystery-historical, dnf
review:

]]> 58953634 He knows how to score, on and off the ice

Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she’s going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over

Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls…he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world—and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love.]]> 472 Elle Kennedy Jaime 0 4.22 2016
author: Elle Kennedy
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: romance-contemporary, sports, spicy, new-adult, hockey, college, 52-book-club-2025-queue, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, ku, currently-reading
review:

]]> 218171623 368 Brenda Novak 0778387682 Jaime 0 4.55
author: Brenda Novak
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.55
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: kindle, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges
review:

]]> 218671828 You’ve Got Mail łľ±đ±đłŮ˛őĚýThe Hating Game! Vying for a promotion against a bitter rival as the only female data analyst for a professional baseball team, Emmy finds solace in the text-flirting relationship that started as a wrong number exchange—unaware that the man she’s texting is the one she’s fighting for the promotion.

Emmy Jameson lives by three no dating, no sharing personal news at work, and baseball above everything. As the only female data analyst for a professional baseball team, Emmy is constantly trying to prove herself.

Especially when she’s put up for a senior analyst position against her arrogant, infuriating coworker Gabe Olson. Sure, he’s gorgeous and smart and he was a baseball star in college who knows the sport inside and out, but so does Emmy. She is not going to lose to him again. There will be no distractions this summer. Not even her sister’s pending destination wedding in Mexico for which she needs to find a plus one.

But then she receives a text from an unknown number with a simple  “Last night was fun.” When she strikes up a conversation with the mystery texter, they realize that he was given a fake phone number after a bad date that just so happened to be Emmy’s. Despite her rules, Emmy can’t deny the instant connection she feels and soon finds herself falling for the stranger on the other side of the screen…and inviting him to her sister’s wedding.

Emmy’s world turns upside down when her mystery man turns out to be none other than Gabe Olson. They are left having to travel to the wedding together while trying to sort out which version of their relationship is their in-person rivalry or the deep connection they found in their messages.]]> 368 Holly Michelle 0063420368 Jaime 0 4.34 2025
author: Holly Michelle
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: kindle, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, monthly-queue
review:

]]> 213618149 A journalist investigates a seductive and mysterious cult and its leader, an enigmatic Vietnam War veteran, in this not-to-be-missed novel.

Faruq Zaidi, a young journalist reeling from the recent death of his father, a devout Muslim, takes the opportunity to embed in a cult called The Nameless. Based in the California redwoods and shepherded by an enigmatic Vietnam War-veteran named Odo, The Nameless adhere to the 18 Utterances, including teachings such as “THERE IS NO GOD BUT THE NAMELESS,� “ALL SUFFERING IS DISTORTION,� and “SEE ONLY BEAUTY.� Faruq, skeptical but committed to unraveling the mystery of The Nameless, extends his stay over months, as he gets deeper into the cult's inner workings, compassionate teachings, and closer to Odo. Faruq himself begins to unravel, forced to come-to-terms with the memories he has been running from while trying to resist Odo's spell. 

Told in three seamlessly interwoven threads between Faruq’s present-day investigation, Odo’s time before the formation of the movement as a Black infantryman during the Vietnam War, alongside three other Black soldiers, and a documentary script that recounts The Nameless� clash with a Texan fundamentalist church, O SINNERS! examines both longing and belonging. Ultimately the novel What is it that we seek from cults and, inevitably, from each other?]]> 464 Nicole Cuffy 0593597443 Jaime 0 to-read, bbbc, monthly-queue 3.58 2025
author: Nicole Cuffy
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: to-read, bbbc, monthly-queue
review:

]]> 211003894
Now, Noon is stuck navigating the submerged town with her mom, who believes their dead family has reincarnated as sea creatures. Alone with the pain of what happened that night at the cove, Noon buries the truth: she is not the right shape.

When Mercy’s predatory leader demands Noon and her mom capture the creature drowning residents, she reluctantly finds an ally in his deadly hunter of a daughter and friends old and new. As the next storm approaches, Noon must confront the past and decide if it’s time to answer the monster itching at her skin.]]> 272 Trang Thanh Tran 1547611111 Jaime 0 to-read, bbbc, monthly-queue 3.59 2025
author: Trang Thanh Tran
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: to-read, bbbc, monthly-queue
review:

]]> 9822
Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.]]> 240 Robert C. O'Brien 0689862202 Jaime 0 4.16 1971
author: Robert C. O'Brien
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1971
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: popsugar-2025-queue, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, radford-reads-2025-queue, currently-reading
review:

]]> 561456
But when you're the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.

Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive...]]> 352 Rick Riordan Jaime 0 currently-reading 4.37 2007
author: Rick Riordan
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 40727118
But things don't stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: The magical borders which protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner by the Cyclops Polyphemus on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters--the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millenia--only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name...the Bermuda Triangle.

Now Percy and his friends--Grover, Annabeth, and Tyson--must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes by the end of the summer or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family--one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.]]> 279 Rick Riordan 0120000318 Jaime 0 4.24 2006
author: Rick Riordan
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: 52-book-club-2025-queue, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, currently-reading
review:

]]> 217388258 Was it...
Bitter, all-consuming jealousy?
Pathological sibling rivalry?
Pure insanity?

Whatever the cause—and everyone has a theory—it's the Crime of the Decade when glamorous Georgia Cartwright, who was adopted as a newborn, is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy, Southern family.

Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution where the most violent offenders are held while she awaits trial. The only words she whispers when her estranged twin sister Amanda visits are, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.�

Amanda doesn't trust Georgia, but she can't abandon her in a place so eerie and menacing that it seems to exist in another dimension. Is Georgia the victim of a powerful family that's so depraved murder is the least of their crimes? Or is Amanda being led down a path of madness into the web of a master manipulator?

Nothing is as it seems in Sarah Pekkanen’s The Locked Ward, a shocking psychological thriller about the complex bonds of sisterhood—and what happens when they are stretched to the breaking point.

Some doors in the Locked Ward should never be opened.]]> 320 Sarah Pekkanen 1250349516 Jaime 0 3.89 2025
author: Sarah Pekkanen
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/16
shelves: kindle, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges
review:

]]> 222376489
When high school librarian Yael’s secret podcast starts to take off, she decides to hire Kevin, a remote freelance editor/producer so she can manage juggling her mental health, day job, and the queer teen book club she’s been hosting at school after hours. To maintain her anonymity, they communicate strictly via email and Kevin only knows her by her podcast persona, Elle.

Little does Yael know that Kevin, who in real life goes by his middle name, Ravi, is the same man she tore apart for climbing out of her bedroom window after a one night stand with her roommate, Charlie. And she certainly never expects him to show up to volunteer at her book club.

In person, Yael and Ravi clash until their sparks turn into something more. Over email, Elle and Kevin are starting to fall hard when they decide to keep things strictly professional. But when Ravi discovers the truth, will keeping it a secret mean the end of everything he’s built with Yael/Elle? And what happens when she finds out? Will they fall twice as hard, or cut ties in more ways than one?]]> 320 Rachel Runya Katz 1250369975 Jaime 0 4.58
author: Rachel Runya Katz
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.58
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/16
shelves: kindle, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges
review:

]]> 222376487 Is it time to renew love or start a new chapter?

Ingrid Dahl, a cheerful twenty-nine-year-old librarian in the cozy mountain town of Ridgetop, North Carolina, has been happily dating her college boyfriend, Cory, for eleven years without ever discussing marriage. But when Ingrid’s sister announces her engagement to a woman she’s only been dating for two years, Ingrid and Cory feel pressured to consider their future. Neither has ever been with anybody else, so they make an unconventional decision. They'll take a one-month break to date other people, then they'll reunite and move toward marriage. Ingrid even has someone in mind: her charmingly grumpy coworker, Macon Nowakowski, on whom she’s secretly crushed for years. But plans go awry, and when the month ends, Ingrid and Cory realize they’re not ready to resume their relationship� and Ingrid’s harmless crush on Macon has turned into something much more complicated.

Overdue is a beautiful, slow-burn romance full of lust and longing about new beginnings and finding your way.]]> 416 Stephanie Perkins 1250313465 Jaime 0 3.83 2025
author: Stephanie Perkins
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/16
shelves: kindle, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges
review:

]]> 50391615 Lionel seeks to hurt us, the Nymphs seek to hurt the entire Fae race, and between all of it, we just have to try and survive each day as it comes.
I'm afraid of everything falling apart, but it looks like it already has.
]]> 886 Caroline Peckham Jaime 0 4.31 2020
author: Caroline Peckham
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: characters-of-color, bullies, fantasy-romance, fae, romance-dark, sisters, werewolves-shape-shifters, vampires, ku, 2025-queue, currently-reading
review:

]]> 202329680 “I don’t just want to hear her laugh, I need to earn it. Every time I gain a little ground, I want more. I want to break out of the shade and back into her light. Without even realizing it, I’ve become addicted to it. To her.�

From the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the genre-breaking international TikTok sensation Butcher & Blackbird comes the second book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy—a hate-to-love dark romantic comedy packed with danger, chaos, and heat.

Contract killer Lachlan Kane wants a quiet life working in his leather studio and forgetting all about his traumatic past. But when he botches a job for his boss’s biggest client, Lachlan knows he’ll never claw his way out of the underworld. At least, not until songbird Lark Montague offers him a use his skills to hunt down a killer and she’ll find a way to secure his freedom. The catch? He has to marry her first.

And they can’t stand each other.

Indie singer-songwriter Lark is the sunshine and glitter that burns through every cloud and clings to every crevice that Lachlan Kane tries to hide inside. The surly older brother of her best friend’s soulmate, Lachlan thinks she’s just a privileged princess, but Lark has plenty of secrets hiding in the shadows of her bright light. With her formidable family in a tailspin and her best friend’s happiness on the line, she’s willing to make a vow to the man she’s determined to hate, no matter how tempting the broody assassin might be.

As Lachlan and Lark navigate the dark world that binds them together, it becomes impossible to discern their fake marriage from a real one. But it’s not just familiar dangers that haunt them.

There’s another phantom lurking on their doorstep.

And this one has come for blood.

Tropes:
Hate-to-love
Marriage of convenience
Grumpy / sunshine
He falls first
Groveling, but make it psycho
Touch her/him and die]]> 409 Brynne Weaver 1638931801 Jaime 0 4.13 2024
author: Brynne Weaver
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/11
shelves: 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, romanceopoly-2025-queue, currently-reading
review:

]]> 74950582
In Idaho, Tait and Henry make a last minute change of plans for the holiday, and scramble to get into the spirit. In LA, Meyer and Farley watch Hazel perform in the Nutcracker, and reflect on some of the meaning behind one of the season's traditions. Over in Santa Cruz, Deacon and LaRynn are finally slowing down after a year of new beginnings.

These small stories were written as a humble thank you to everyone who has supported these books in the last year, and who has fallen in love with these characters as much as I have. I hope your holidays are all filled with reflection on the past, hope for the future, and most of all; joy for the present.]]> 41 Tarah DeWitt Jaime 0 to-read 3.92 2022
author: Tarah DeWitt
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217388096 An emotional, spicy, second-chance romance from USA Today bestselling author Tarah DeWitt.

This time, they'll get it right.

Wren and Ellis Byrd fell in love as kids, had their son Sam when they were only teenagers, and built a life together in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon. They were made for one another…until they fell apart.

Now divorced and in their 30s, Wren runs the bakery in town, while Ellis works as a firefighter. They live separate lives, though they are hardly off each other’s minds.

When Sam gets accepted into college and the pair help him move in together, Ellis convinces Wren to take an extended road trip back to Spunes with him to see if they can give their relationship one last chance. Amid the gorgeous scenery of the California coastline, dreamy destinations, and a great deal of long-yearned-for proximity, Wren starts to think it just might be possible. But the two still have to contend with their tumultuous past in order to move forward. And when spoken words fail, sometimes the written word must bridge the gap.
Will they make the most of what’s left of forever? Or will they let each other go for good?

Brimming with big feelings and packed with steam, Left of Forever is bestseller Tarah DeWitt at the top of her game.]]> 336 Tarah DeWitt 1250329442 Jaime 0 to-read 4.57 2025
author: Tarah DeWitt
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 125474634 You really can't go home again.

Tait Logan is proud of the life she’s built for herself. Despite her world-shattering divorce, not having any genuine connections with other humans apart from her sister Ava, and the fact that the remainder of her family is estranged from her life, she’s happy…happy-adjacent, at least. She’s rebuilt herself through her photography; her dream career, the one thing she does still have. When that career contracts her to do an assignment on her estranged family's home, Logan Range—a now famous ranch functioning as the setting for a popular TV show—she’s left with no choice but to agree. It’s only a six-week assignment, after all. She has no plans to set down roots, or get to know the family that, seemingly, has had no interest in a relationship with her since her parents' divorce when she was seven.

Henry Marcum is a cowboy who has dedicated his life to the Logan family and to their ranch. He owes them for raising him, rescuing him, and giving him purpose� He also owes them for every hardship he’s inadvertently brought their way. So, when Tait Logan shows up after 20 years of near total silence, he takes it upon himself to protect the people he knows and loves.

It’s a rocky start when Tait and Henry first collide; he is naturally wary of her intentions, and she is more than perturbed by their literal collision - which results in her broken camera, during her first night on location, no less. But as the pair get to know each other better, they’re thrown off balance time and time again by their growing feelings, and by the story of the Logan family as it becomes increasingly less clear from their perspectives.

Set in the mountains and valleys of Idaho on a rustic ranch, Rootbound is a steamy romance with a warm country feel that touches upon family, heartbreak, and whether the potential for disaster is worth the risk that accompanies love.]]> 336 Tarah DeWitt Jaime 0 to-read 3.71 2022
author: Tarah DeWitt
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 203578886 By that logic, hate and construction may as well be condemned.

LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds had one short and contentious summer fling when they were teens.
Certainly nothing to build a foundation on.
But a decade later, when their grandmothers have left them with shared ownership of their dilapidated Santa Cruz building, they're thrust back together and have to figure out how to brace up the pieces.
LaRynn has the money, but to access her trust, she has to be married.
Deacon has the construction expertise, but lacks the funds.
A deal is struck: Marry for however long it takes to fix up the property, collect a profit, and cut ties.
Thrust into a home without walls, they quickly learn that it's easy to hide behind emotional ones, even in a marriage. But, with all the exposure and pitfalls that come with living with the opposite sex (and none of the perks) they'll also have to learn what it means to truly co-operate as a team.

The Co-op is a steamy story about restoration and renovation, and uncovering all the things that build character within ourselves. It's about the never-ending construction project that partnership is, and finding enjoyment at every stage.]]> 352 Tarah DeWitt 1250329388 Jaime 0 to-read 3.59 2022
author: Tarah DeWitt
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 195790899
Sage Byrd has lived in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington) her entire life. She's learned to love her small world, with the misfit animals on her hobby farm, and her friendships with the town’s inhabitants. But when her 5-year relationship ends and her ex, town-golden-boy Ian, suddenly gets engaged, Sage needs a win―something that will convince everyone to stop pitying her all the time, and to put Ian in his place. The Festival of Spunes, the town’s annual summer competition, would be the perfect opportunity. She just needs a partner.

Fisher Lange was a hotshot chef in New York City until the loss of his sister left him numb, grieving, and responsible for his teenage niece Indy. When Fisher loses his Michelin star along with his love of cooking, his boss sends him and Indy to Spunes on a much-needed summer sabbatical to consult on a restaurant opening. But when clashes with the townspeople threaten his last chance to redeem himself and a kiss with his new neighbor Sage leads to dating rumors, a strategic alliance might just be the best way to turn things around.

A deal is struck. Sage will improve Fisher’s image in the eyes of the town and remove the roadblocks he is facing with the restaurant, and Fisher will be Sage’s partner for the competition. But as their pact quickly turns into steamy rendezvous, emotional wounds begin to heal, and the pair tries to savor every moment, they start to realize that summer is racing by much faster than they would like...

Filled with spicy summer fun, small-town charm, and Big Feelings, this highly anticipated romcom is Tarah DeWitt’s best yet.]]> 336 Tarah DeWitt 1250329426 Jaime 0 to-read 3.87 2024
author: Tarah DeWitt
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211479192 A woman inherits a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets, and then embarks on a magical journey when a charming young physicist wanders into the shop, in this dreamlike and enchanting fantasy novel.

On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen ones—those who are lost—will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike its other customers, for he offers help instead of seeking it.

Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice—by way of rain puddles, rides on paper cranes, the bridge between midnight and morning, and a night market in the clouds.

But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own—and risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back.]]> 384 Samantha Sotto Yambao 0593724992 Jaime 0 bbbc, kindle, 2025-queue 3.79 2025
author: Samantha Sotto Yambao
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: bbbc, kindle, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 220239062
Twice a month the women of the Wheel meet. New members bring cash to add to a pool and then gift to one lucky member. It’s all about giving back. Lifting each other up—as women should, as they must.

When Harper is invited, with the promise of an end to her financial burdens, the sisters inadvertently unleash a darkness lurking within the group. If they’re not careful it might just get them killed.]]> 368 Megan Abbott 0593084969 Jaime 0 3.84 2025
author: Megan Abbott
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: kindle, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges
review:

]]> 213243908 A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.

Aiden Valentine has a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore's romance hotline, that's a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.

Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life-or lack thereof—she begins to question if she's as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending... even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.]]> 448 B.K. Borison 0593641191 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue 4.05 2025
author: B.K. Borison
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: to-read, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 1421990 Flirting With The Grave�

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father � the one responsible for ruining her mother’s life. Then she’s captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unlikely partnership.

In exchange for help finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She’s amazed she doesn’t end up as his dinner � are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn’t have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side � and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.]]> 374 Jeaniene Frost 0061245089 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue 4.13 2007
author: Jeaniene Frost
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: to-read, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 123677290 Most anticipated by Book Riot, Her Campus, and San Diego Union Tribune!

When falling in love is the punchline�

Farley Jones is a loud, chaotic, and hilariously clever standup comedian on the way to stardom. The only thing she loves more than the rush of telling jokes in front of a revved-up audience is her hot older manager Meyer, though he doesn’t have a clue. Keeping her feelings hidden from him is agony (a tragedy, even—in lieu of flowers, please send cash...) but Meyer has been Farley’s closest and most treasured friend, not to mention vital to the trajectory of her career. She can’t risk ruining their relationship by telling him how she truly feels. After all, who else would have the patience to put up with a hot mess like her?

A former standup star himself, single father Meyer Harrigan left the stage years ago in order to focus on raising his deaf daughter Hazel. Farley has been everything to them since she came into their lives three years ago, and despite his grumpiness, his protectiveness over Hazel, and his disdain for public attention, Meyer will do anything to make her standup dreams come true.

When the biggest opportunity of Farley’s career comes along and forces the pair to fake-date in order to stir up publicity, it doesn't take long for their act to bring all those other funny feelings out into the open. Like most matters of the heart, it quickly begins to feel like anything but a joke.

Touching on the creative spirit and all that comes with sharing that gift, Tarah DeWitt's Funny Feelings is a swoony story about friendship, love, and looking for the laugh in life.

"Cozy, tender, sexy, hilarious � I adored every word.� —Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk]]> 311 Tarah DeWitt Jaime 0 currently-reading 3.88 2022
author: Tarah DeWitt
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 60898851
Between breathing life into his family's third generation Boston architecture shop, keeping the peace with his five siblings, and competing in triathlons, he doesn't have much time for feelings.

At least that’s the case until Lauren Halsted tumbles into his life.

The feisty, beautiful blonde isn’t what he wants and definitely not what he expects. She’s so much more.

Lauren Halsted doesn’t have time and that’s turning into a real problem for her.

Losing focus isn’t something Lauren does with any regularity. She has checklists and to-do lists and action plans a mile long. She doesn’t have distractions and she doesn’t let anyone tell her what to do.

When she trips down a flight of stairs and into her architect’s arms, she gives into distraction for one night.

They weren't looking but they found each other anyway.

CW: History of emotional and physical abuse by a parent; on-page moments of emotional and physical abuse by a parent; parent illness; parent loss; estranged family members]]> Kate Canterbary Jaime 0 to-read 3.39 2014
author: Kate Canterbary
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.39
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211798857 Grey’s Anatomy meets a gender-swapped Wedding Crashers in this spicy rom-com about a one-night stand with The One, walking the tightrope of love and workplace ethics, and knowing which rules are worth breaking.

Every summer, superstar surgeon Whitney Aldritch crashes weddings with her best friend. The first one was an accident though after a decade of dropping in uninvited, they’re masters of their craft. They keep the rules simple and they never go to bed alone. 

Then there’s Henry Hazlette, best man and the best one-night stand of Whit’s summer. She never imagined she’d see him again but now he’s one of her new surgical residents—and completely off-limits.

Whitney has staked her reputation on leading the hospital’s new ethics initiative. While Henry is under her supervision, they have to keep it professional. But it doesn’t help that she can’t turn around without running face-first into his offensively broad chest or rubbing up against him in crammed elevators. Also not helping: the way he smiles at her like he can hear her every not-safe-for-work thought.

All they have to do is survive this residency—and the accidental tarot card readings that hit too close to home, a few uninvited houseguests, and the hospital’s hyperactive rumor mill—but only if they’re prepared to bend some rules as the feelings go from just for tonight to get it out of our systems to mine.]]> 426 Kate Canterbary 1946352640 Jaime 0 to-read 3.88 2024
author: Kate Canterbary
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199797698 A group of wealthy Manhattanites escapes to an astrology-themed retreat, where simmering resentments and long-held secrets lead to a shocking death.

Margot needs a minute. She’s been working eighty-hour weeks as a newly minted partner at her law firm. She’s disconnected from her brother, the only family she has left. And she’s still not pregnant after years of trying.

Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat promises rest, relaxation, and wisdom for Margot and her friends. With Instagram-worthy views and nightly astrology readings in an impeccably restored waterfront Victorian house, this getaway should be nothing but idyllic fun. For Margot’s brother, Adam, it’s the perfect opportunity to rekindle the romance that fuels his writing, but his wife, Aimee, hides the darkness of her past with a beautiful social media feed. Their friend, Farah, is a successful doctor who cannot admit she’s losing control. But no one holds a greater secret than their astrologer host, Rini. She has a plan for all her guests, and one won’t be leaving Stars Harbor alive.]]> 307 Carinn Jade 1668045966 Jaime 0 3.47 2024
author: Carinn Jade
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, bbbc-challenge-2025-queue, popsugar-2025-queue, around-the-year-2025-queue, currently-reading, audiobook
review:

]]> 212924035 In this Latinx adult romance debut from National Book Award Finalist Sonora Reyes, two friends enter into a marriage of convenience to save one from deportation—but everything changes when they unexpectedly fall in love.

Alejandro (Han for short) has never been in love. He purposefully keeps his heart at arm’s length from anyone who might want it, which he lets his family and friends think is due to commitment-phobia paired with a heavy dose of emotional constipation. Now, though, he's coming to learn that it might have more to do with his fear of looking too deeply inward, whether that be his sexuality (he's straight, right?), or the looming anxiety about being undocumented in an increasingly hostile environment.

On the other hand, Han’s roommate and best friend, Kenny, is stuck in a soul-sucking relationship with a woman who wants nothing more than for Kenny to ditch Han and marry her. Kenny can't stand being alone, and has always been afraid of being punished for making the wrong choice, so his girlfriend happily makes most of his decisions for him. But when she forces his hand and makes him choose between their relationship and his best friend, he finally knows without a doubt who the correct choice is.

But things aren’t as easy as they should be with Kenny's ex out of the picture. When Han loses the job that had promised to sponsor his work visa, it leaves the two of them anxious as ever. In order to give his best friend a chance at security (and ok, maybe to make his ex a little jealous), Kenny asks Han to marry him. But neither of them are prepared for the very real feelings pretending to be madly in love stirs up.]]> 384 Sonora Reyes 153876668X Jaime 4 3.84 2025
author: Sonora Reyes
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/05
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: characters-of-color, fake-relationship, friends-to-lovers, immigrant-experience, lgbtq, mid-spicy, marriage-of-convenience, read-2025, romance-contemporary, romance-lgbtq, romanceopoly-2025, slow-burn, audiobook
review:

]]> 212808709 A competitive diver and an ace swimmer jump into forbidden waters in this steamy college romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.

Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Stanford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships—at least, that’s what she tells herself.

Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy, Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It’s how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.

So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water...]]> 464 Ali Hazelwood Jaime 4 3.93 2025
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/05
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: bdsm, college, read-2025, romance-contemporary, sports, spicy
review:

]]> 195431722
The three Blue sisters are exceptional—and exceptionally different. Avery , the eldest and a recovering heroin addict turned strait-laced lawyer, lives with her wife in London; Bonnie , a former boxer, works as a bouncer in Los Angeles following a devastating defeat; and Lucky , the youngest, models in Paris while trying to outrun her hard-partying ways. They also had a fourth sister, Nicky, whose unexpected death left Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky reeling. A year later, as they each navigate grief, addiction, and ambition, they find they must return to New York to stop the sale of the apartment they were raised in.

But coming home is never as easy as it seems. As the sisters reckon with the disappointments of their childhood and the loss of the only person who held them together, they realize that the greatest secrets they've been keeping might not have been from each other, but from themselves. 

Imbued with Coco Mellors’s signature combination of humor and heart, Blue Sisters is a story of what it takes to keep living after loss—and, ultimately, to fall in love with life again.]]> 272 Coco Mellors 0593723775 Jaime 4
They learn that their parents are planning on selling the apartment Nicky lived in, and want someone to go through Nicky's things before they do. They each eventually end up in New York, having to reckon with both themselves and their sisters.

I enjoyed this, though it's not a particularly happy story. It does end on a hopeful note.]]> 4.02 2024
author: Coco Mellors
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/04
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: bbbc-challenge-2025, contemporary-fiction, general-fiction, grief, lgbtq, read-2025, siblings, sisters
review:
This is the story of sisters, 3 alive and one dead. It's been a year since third-born sister Nicky died, and the other sisters have dealt with their grief in their own ways. Oldest Avery puts on a brave face for her wife but is sneaking cigarettes in the back yard and stealing wallets from department stores. Bonnie abandoned her boxing career to be a bouncer on the other side of the country. And youngest sister Lucky has continued down of spiral of reckless behavior with alcohol and drugs that may not only cost her her career but her life. The one thing they have not done is lean on each other as sisters.

They learn that their parents are planning on selling the apartment Nicky lived in, and want someone to go through Nicky's things before they do. They each eventually end up in New York, having to reckon with both themselves and their sisters.

I enjoyed this, though it's not a particularly happy story. It does end on a hopeful note.
]]> 57628810
56 DAYS AGO
Ciara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin the same week Covid-19 reaches Irish shores.

35 DAYS AGO
When lockdown threatens to keep them apart, Oliver suggests that Ciara move in with him. She sees a unique opportunity for a new relationship to flourish without the pressure of scrutiny of family and friends. He sees it as an opportunity to hide who - and what - he really is.

TODAY
Detectives arrive at Oliver's apartment to discover a decomposing body inside.

Will they be able to determine what really happened, or has lockdown provided someone with the opportunity to commit the perfect crime?]]> 305 Catherine Ryan Howard 1982694653 Jaime 0 3.68 2021
author: Catherine Ryan Howard
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: thriller, around-the-year-2025-queue, 52-book-club-2025-queue, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, currently-reading
review:

]]> 40801462 220 Waubgeshig Rice 1773052462 Jaime 4
I enjoyed this a lot, but it's not without its flaws. I did wonder why they didn't just send one person South to see what was happening, and a lot of the side characters blended together. But I thought it was an interesting story with a bit of a hopeful ending.]]> 3.88 2018
author: Waubgeshig Rice
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/02
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: 52-book-club-2025, around-the-year-2025, canada, characters-of-color, general-fiction, indigenous-author, indigenous-people, read-2025, scifi-postapocolyptic-dystopian
review:
An already isolated community on an Anishinaabe reservation in Canada becomes even more isolated when they suddenly lose their internet, phone service, and finally, electricity. Winter has begun, making the roads south unpassable except by snow machine, and with no other way to find out what's going on, all they can do is sit tight. Thankfully, they are prepared with a good amount of food and resources for the whole community, until strangers from the South start trickling in.

I enjoyed this a lot, but it's not without its flaws. I did wonder why they didn't just send one person South to see what was happening, and a lot of the side characters blended together. But I thought it was an interesting story with a bit of a hopeful ending.
]]> 216437557 disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong�

. . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.]]> 416 Abby Jimenez 0349442827 Jaime 0 4.10 2025
author: Abby Jimenez
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, romanceopoly-2025-queue, kindle, monthly-queue
review:

]]> 211003724
At a passing glance, County Road 951 is an entirely unremarkable stretch of blacktop, a two-lane scar across the Cascade foothills of Central Oregon.

But the road is known by another name, coined by those who’ve had to clean up after all those scenic detours went horribly wrong: The Devil’s Driveway.

When Livia and her long-time friends take the Driveway as a shortcut to a much-needed weekend getaway, what begins as a morning joyride quickly becomes anything but. Soon, they’re driving for their lives, pursued by a horror beyond anything they ever imagined.

The Devil’s Driveway might be only 15 miles long, but with danger at every turn, it will take the four women to the very limits of their friendships and their sanity.

And there’s no telling what else lies in wait just beyond the bend.]]> 368 K.C. Jones 1250792711 Jaime 3 3.44 2025
author: K.C. Jones
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/28
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: horror, read-2025, paranormal, popsugar-2025, around-the-year-2025
review:
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. The characters are mostly okay, though Livia's lack of a spine was a problem and Ash was just mean for no reason. As far as the story goes, it got pretty repetitive until basically the 75% mark. I did think that it pulled together well in the end, and the climax was satisfying enough. I probably would find it scarier if I found myself driving through the woods a lot, but from the safety of my home, not so much.
]]> 39863307 It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime.

Delighted by a surprise invitation, Miriam Macy sails off to a luxurious private island off the coast of Mexico, with six strangers—an ex-cop, a chef, a financial advisor, a nurse, a lawyer, a young widow.

Surrounded by miles of open water in the gloriously green Sea of Cortez, Miriam is shocked to discover that she and the rest of her companions have been brought to the remote island under false pretenses—and all seven strangers harbor a secret.

Danger lurks in the lush forest and in the halls and bedrooms of the lonely mansion. Sporadic cell-phone coverage and miles of ocean keeps the group trapped in paradise. And strange accidents keep them suspicious of each other, as one by one . . .

They all fall down]]> 320 Rachel Howzell Hall 0765398141 Jaime 2 2.85 2019
author: Rachel Howzell Hall
name: Jaime
average rating: 2.85
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/23
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: mexico, popsugar-2025, read-2025, thriller-suspense, unreliable-narrator, audiobook
review:
This book was a mess. The narrator was very annoying, and while I could keep track of the women, I kept getting the men confused. The premise is weird. There's a scary "drug lord" thrown in for no good reason. There's flashbacks with no warning. My expectations were low, but not low enough.
]]> 52661162
Then a local boy appeals to him for help. His brother is missing, and no one in the village, least of all the police, seems to care. And once again, Cal feels that restless itch.

Something is wrong in this community, and he must find out what, even if it brings trouble to his door.]]> 451 Tana French 073522465X Jaime 5 3.70 2020
author: Tana French
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/17
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: ireland, mystery, 52-book-club-2025, around-the-year-2025, audiobook, read-2025
review:

]]> 214269328 Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not

Lenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Her best friend, Lou, recently passed away after a battle with cancer, and her death has left Lenny feeling completely lost. She’s avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with Lou, and the list of things she’s supposed to do to help her live again. The only thing she can do is temporary babysitting gigs, and luckily, she just landed a great one, helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. It’s not perfect: Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, always seems to be around, and is kind of... a huge jerk. But if Lenny acts like she has it all together, maybe no one will notice she’s falling apart.

Miles sees right through her though. Turns out, he knows a lot about grief and, surprisingly, he offers her a proposition. He’ll help her complete everything on her “live again� list if she’ll help him connect with Ainsley and overcome his complicated relationship with Reese. Lenny doubts anything can fill the Lou has left behind, but she begins to spend more time with Miles, Lenny is surprised to discover that, sometimes, losing everything is only the first step to finding yourself, and love, again.]]> 416 Cara Bastone 0593595734 Jaime 5
Six months ago, Lenny lost her lifelong best friend Lou, her constant companion, and she is still deep in grief. She can hardly stand to stay in their shared apartment, and to keep busy and try to pay her rent she is picking up short-term nannying jobs here and there. Her latest job takes her to single mom Reese and her daughter Ainsley. The job looks to be easy enough, except Ainsley's uncle Miles insists on sticking around and observing. What a creep, right?

After an accidental backpack spill, Miles discovers that Lenny's carrying around a book about grief and shares that he's read it too. He then offers to help Lenny through her grief and complete the list of things she is supposed to do after Lou's death to help her live again, IF Lenny stays on and works for Reese long term and helps Miles learn how to connect with Ainsley. Reluctantly, Lenny agrees, and a friendship begins to form.

Lenny and Miles's friendship felt very real to me, and though Miles is awkward and sometimes jumps to wrong conclusions, he's also gentle and perceptive to what Lenny needs. I loved the slow buildup to the relationship, and the ways their friendship also influenced the complicated relationship between Miles, Ainsley, and Reese. There was just so much in this book and it was all good.

This is the first Cara Bastone book I've read and you'd better believe I'm adding anything else she's written to my list.]]> 4.22 2025
author: Cara Bastone
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/22
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: around-the-year-2025, friends-to-lovers, grief, read-2025, romanceopoly-2025, romance-contemporary, slow-burn
review:
This was a gorgeous book about finding hope at the other end of loss and grief.

Six months ago, Lenny lost her lifelong best friend Lou, her constant companion, and she is still deep in grief. She can hardly stand to stay in their shared apartment, and to keep busy and try to pay her rent she is picking up short-term nannying jobs here and there. Her latest job takes her to single mom Reese and her daughter Ainsley. The job looks to be easy enough, except Ainsley's uncle Miles insists on sticking around and observing. What a creep, right?

After an accidental backpack spill, Miles discovers that Lenny's carrying around a book about grief and shares that he's read it too. He then offers to help Lenny through her grief and complete the list of things she is supposed to do after Lou's death to help her live again, IF Lenny stays on and works for Reese long term and helps Miles learn how to connect with Ainsley. Reluctantly, Lenny agrees, and a friendship begins to form.

Lenny and Miles's friendship felt very real to me, and though Miles is awkward and sometimes jumps to wrong conclusions, he's also gentle and perceptive to what Lenny needs. I loved the slow buildup to the relationship, and the ways their friendship also influenced the complicated relationship between Miles, Ainsley, and Reese. There was just so much in this book and it was all good.

This is the first Cara Bastone book I've read and you'd better believe I'm adding anything else she's written to my list.
]]> 141310659 Totally original and utterly compelling, with a voice all of its own, this is the outstanding new thriller from the no.1 internationally bestselling author of The Silent Patient, Alex Michaelides.

This is a tale of murder.
Or maybe that's not quite true. At its heart, it's a love story, isn't it?

One spring morning, reclusive ex-movie star Lana Farrar invites a small group of her closest friends for a weekend away, on her small private island, just off the coast of Mykonos.

Beneath the surface, old friendships conceal violent passions and resentments. And in forty-eight hours, one of them will be dead.

But that was just the beginning...

You may think you know this story. Think again.]]> 368 Alex Michaelides 0241575532 Jaime 3 3.50 2024
author: Alex Michaelides
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/27
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: thriller-suspense, greece, locked-room, 52-book-club-2025, read-2025, audiobook
review:
If you liked The Silent Patient, this was nothing like it. The voice is odd, and the story meanders much more than I would expect for a thriller. No one is particularly likeable, but also, no one is particularly interesting, even Lana. None of the twists surprised me. It tried to pick things up at the end, but by then I was already unimpressed and was just glad the increased pace meant it would soon be over.
]]> 15745753 "So did Jerry Lee Lewis," Eleanor answers.
"I'm not kidding," he says.
"You should be," she says, "we're 16."
"What about Romeo and Juliet?"
"Shallow, confused, then dead."
"I love you," Park says.
"Wherefore art thou," Eleanor answers.
"I'm not kidding," he says.
"You should be."

Set over one school year in 1986, Eleanor & Park is the story of two star-crossed misfits—smart enough to know first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.]]> 328 Rainbow Rowell 1250012570 Jaime 4 3.92 2012
author: Rainbow Rowell
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/23
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: young-adult, ya-romance, 52-book-club-2025, coming-of-age, family-drama, friends-to-lovers, read-2025
review:

]]> 30969875 IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT

Minos thought he could
Pull a fast one
On me,
Poseidon!
God of the Sea!
But I’m the last one
On whom you
Should try such a thing.
The nerve of that guy.
The balls. The audacity.
I AM THE OCEAN!
I got capacity!
Depths! Darkness! Delphic power!
So his sweet little plan
Went big-time sour
And his wife had a son
Born with horns and a muzzle
Who ended up
In an underground puzzle.
What is it with you mortals?
You just can’t seem to learn:
If you play with fire, babies,
You’re gonna get burned.

Much like Lin-Manuel Miranda did in Hamilton, the New York Times best-selling author David Elliott turns a classic on its head in form and approach, updating the timeless story of Theseus and the Minotaur for a new generation. A rough, rowdy, and darkly comedic young adult retelling in verse, Bull will have readers reevaluating one of mythology's most infamous monsters.]]> 200 David Elliott 0544610601 Jaime 5 3.83 2017
author: David Elliott
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/22
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: mythology, novel-in-verse, novella, read-2025, retelling
review:
This was very accessible, and had a fun voice. Each character is written with a different style of verse, which helps it to not read a monotone.
]]> 58945351 She was the face that launched a thousand ships,
The fierce beauty at the heart of Olympus,
And she was never ours to claim.

*A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Helen of Troy, Achilles, and Patroclus that's as sinful as it is sweet.*

In Olympus, you either have the power to rule...or you are ruled. Achilles Kallis may have been born with nothing, but as a child he vowed he would claw his way into the poisonous city's inner circle. Now that a coveted role has opened to anyone with the strength to claim it, he and his partner, Patroclus Fotos, plan to compete and double their odds of winning.

Neither expect infamous beauty Helen Kasios to be part of the prize...or for the complicated fire that burns the moment she looks their way.

Zeus may have decided Helen is his to give away, but she has her own plans. She enters into the competition as a middle finger to the meddling Thirteen rulers, effectively vying for her own hand in marriage. Unfortunately, there are those who would rather see her dead than lead the city. The only people she can trust are the ones she can't keep her hands off—Achilles and Patroclus. But can she really believe they have her best interests at heart when every stolen kiss is a battlefield?]]> 402 Katee Robert 1728231809 Jaime 0 to-read, 2025-queue 3.93 2022
author: Katee Robert
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 29367958
But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she's beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn't find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He's asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?]]> 475 Mariana Zapata Jaime 0 4.18 2016
author: Mariana Zapata
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, poc-author, romance-contemporary, sports, mid-spicy, slow-burn, marriage-of-convenience, football, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 39337760 304 Amy Daws 1944565132 Jaime 0 4.07 2018
author: Amy Daws
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: kindle, romance-contemporary, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 93038511 The hardest part is waiting for the fall.

I am currently in love with, have always been in love with, and will continue to be in love with, my best friend, Bennett Walker Shaw.

In five minutes, my best friend’s bride will greet him in a gorgeous white gown with forever on her lips. Except that bride won’t be me.

Moments like these force you to look at your life a little closer.

At twelve-years-old, he and I promised to always be there for each other. But in our childlike optimism we didn’t understand the frail, tattered string of time. How people change. How families fall apart.

How sometimes we fall apart too.

I could try to pinpoint where our mess started, but I’m not sure where I’d land in our patchwork timeline.

Maybe it’s best to go back to the beginning. Back to when the meaning of love was simply defined by a small town theme park and that beautiful, messy-haired boy.

Their Freefall At Last is a slow burn romance spanning two decades, featuring two childhood best friends and their many years of pining. Enjoy the comforts of a small town theme park, filled with lots of love and steamy tension.]]> 516 Julie Olivia Jaime 0 4.10 2023
author: Julie Olivia
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, small-town, romance-contemporary, mid-spicy, friends-to-lovers, slow-burn, ku, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 58648147
After saving the demon Fallon in a wine-drunk stupor, all he wanted to do was kill an evil witch enslaving his people.

I mean, I get it, don't get me wrong. But he's dragging me along for the ride, and I'm kind of peeved about it. On the bright side, he keeps burning off his shirt.]]> 260 Kimberly Lemming Jaime 0 3.88 2021
author: Kimberly Lemming
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, ku, romanceopoly-2025-queue
review:

]]> 123194693
My name is Rachel Price, and two months ago I walked away from The Perfect Man—sweet, funny, and so sexy he should be illegal. We shared one magical night. No names. No strings. I never thought I’d see him again. I was wrong.

As it turns out, Mr. Perfect is the playboy grinder for the Jacksonville Rays, the NHL’s hottest new hockey team . . . and thanks to the ten-month fellowship I just landed, I’m his new physical therapist. Imagine my anticipation as those familiar muscled legs walk towards me, the way my pulse races as he reaches out to . . . shake my hand. The jerk doesn’t even recognize me!

This is going to be the longest ten months of my life. Because now Mr. Perfect Mistake is determined to use his every seductive trick to win me back. Meanwhile, I also have to contend with his best friend the surly team equipment manager, and an exasperatingly stubborn, superstitious goalie who’s convinced I’m his good luck charm.

This is my chance to prove myself, and I’m not risking it for anything. But between one unexpected night, and one secret revealed, these men are ready to test all my limits. Still, I can’t fall for a player—let alone three. Or can I?]]> 756 Emily Rath Jaime 0 to-read, ku, 2025-queue 3.68 2023
author: Emily Rath
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, ku, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 53303848
Rush is a Fae Guardian, a wolf-shifter whose enhanced abilities have made him a ruthless protector of Elphyne. His job is to protect the realm from the human enemy, and to ensure the sins of the past never come to pass again lest magic die forever. Well... it was his job until half a century ago when he allowed one night of weakness to distract him from his job. His punishment was a curse worse than death. Now a ghost, he spends his lonely time longing to be part of the living, once again protecting them from monsters� until one washes up on the shores of his lake.

Clarke is beautiful, feisty, fierce, and she's the only person who can see him.

If he hands her over to the Order, she’s his ticket to having his curse removed, but the more he learns about this human, the more he realizes maybe she’s not the monster he’s trained to believe. In fact, she’s capable of inciting passion he’d never dreamed possible again, but Clarke has a message from the past� sins are already repeating. This time, if they don’t stop the coming evil, it won’t just be magic that dies. It will be everything.

The Witcher meets Beauty and the Beast in this gripping, heart-stopping new epic fantasy romance featuring a band of brothers, shifters, fae protectors and their strong willed women from our time. If you love your books full of page turning action, intrigue, and romantic tension then this book is for you. For fans of Kristen Ashley's Fantastical series or Sarah J Maas's adult fantasy romance.

More in the Fae Guardians Series

The Longing of Lone Wolves
The Solace of Sharp Claws
The Dreams of Broken Kings]]> 468 Lana Pecherczyk Jaime 0 3.96 2021
author: Lana Pecherczyk
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: kindle, fantasy-romance, spicy, fae, werewolves-shape-shifters, time-travel, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 61373532 Working as a nanny for the world’s grumpiest single dad should have been simple. Except I can’t keep my eyes off him. And he can’t keep his hands off of me.

Cade Eaton is thirteen years older than I am and barely looks my way. Until I get him into the hot tub one night for a game of truth or dare. Then all bets are off—and so are our clothes.

He’s gruff, a little rough around the edges. But broad-shouldered ranchers with calloused hands and filthy mouths are this city girl’s kryptonite. So who am I to resist?

But it’s in our quiet moments together that he softens. It’s when he takes care of me that I realize his hardened exterior is just a façade. It’s when I watch him go all sweet with his little boy that I really fall for him.

Someone convinced him once that his best wasn’t good enough. But I’ve never felt more cherished than I do in his arms.

My contract may say this arrangement is only for two months.

But my heart says this is forever.
]]> 476 Elsie Silver Jaime 0 4.39 2022
author: Elsie Silver
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, age-gap, small-town, spicy, romance-contemporary, cowboys, single-parent, ku, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 123179008
For the first time in her life, Clementine “Emmy� Ryder has no idea what she’s doing. She’s accomplished everything on her to-do list. She left her small hometown of Meadowlark, Wyoming; went to college; and made a career for herself by doing her favorite thing: riding horses. But after an accident makes it impossible for her to get back into the saddle, she has no choice but to return to the hometown she always wanted to escape.

Luke Brooks is Meadowlark’s most notorious bad boy, bar owner, and bachelor. He’s also the unofficial fifth member of the Ryder family. As Emmy’s older brother’s best friend, Luke spent most of his childhood antagonizing her. It’s been years since he’s seen her, but when she walks into his bar and back into his life, he can’t take his eyes off her. Despite his better judgment, he wants to do a whole lot more than just look at her.

Emmy’s got too much on her mind to think about romance. And Luke knows he should stay away from his best friend’s younger sister. But what if Luke is just what Emmy needs to get her spark back? Or will they both go up in flames?]]> 356 Lyla Sage Jaime 0 kindle, 2025-queue 3.82 2023
author: Lyla Sage
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: kindle, 2025-queue
review:

]]> 60313107
She doesn’t anticipate being auctioned away to a kraken.

Thane is cold and distant…but he’s not unkind. Isolated as they are, Catalina finds herself seeking his company again and again. And when she finally agrees to uphold her portion of the bargain?

That’s when things get really interesting.

But she only gave the demon seven years, and when the time is up, she’ll have no choice but to leave behind the kraken who’s stolen her heart and return to the world that doesn’t want her.

Author’s Note: For all tropes, tags, and CWs, please check the author’s website.]]> 182 Katee Robert Jaime 0 3.40 2022
author: Katee Robert
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.40
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, romanceopoly-2025-queue
review:

]]> 122753311
A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.

In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with Instagram-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only…there is no boyfriend.

Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he’s ever received.]]> 332 B.K. Borison 0593641124 Jaime 0 3.74 2021
author: B.K. Borison
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, romanceopoly-2025-queue, monthly-queue
review:

]]> 210521813
I, on the other hand, don’t–at all–have anything figured out.

Trust me, I didn’t think taking over my mom’s dream bed and breakfast in Copper Run Vermont was going to be easy. It should be a good place to heal after my divorce. But apparently my scones belong in the garbage with my small talk skills. As pointed out by none other than Cliff.

Cliff is inescapable. He knows exactly what people need–always. His charm, the way he wears flannel, and even his pastries, make not wanting to be friends with Cliff and his daughters pretty hard.

Friends? I can make friends. That’s safe.

Except I’m leaving in three months to pass the inn off to my little sister and get the promotion in Seattle I’ve been working towards.

So ask me why I’m thinking about kissing my hot neighbor.]]> 510 Julie Olivia Jaime 0 4.36 2024
author: Julie Olivia
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, ku, romanceopoly-2025-queue
review:

]]> 221711793 WITH OVER 1.5 MILLION COPIES SOLD . . .

Chevy Stevens has garnered acclaim from literary giants,
including Stephen King who called THOSE GIRLS “incredibly scary and suspenseful� and Gillian Flynn who called STILL MISSING “utterly absorbing.�

With THE HITCHHIKERS, she forges new ground with a novel that will both terrify you and break your heart.

On the remote Canadian highways in 1976, Tom and Alice set out to heal their fractured marriage.
An RV, a new beginning, and the hope of recovery after a devastating tragedy.
Then they meet two young hitchhikers,
Ocean and Blue—a seemingly innocent couple who aren’t who they seem. . . .
They are Jenny and Simon.
And they have left a trail of blood, destruction, and madness behind them.
Now Tom and Alice are trapped—prisoners in a deadly game, with nowhere to turn.
But as the tension builds and the lines blur,
the question becomes, In whose heart does evil truly lie?

A chilling, twist-laden ride to the final page—THE HITCHHIKERS is a master class in suspense and shock.]]> 384 Chevy Stevens Jaime 0 4.00 2025
author: Chevy Stevens
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: kindle, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges
review:

]]> 41154302 Award-winning author Sonali Dev launches a new series about the Rajes, an immigrant Indian family descended from royalty, who have built their lives in San Francisco...

It is a truth universally acknowledged that only in an overachieving Indian American family can a genius daughter be considered a black sheep.

Dr. Trisha Raje is San Francisco’s most acclaimed neurosurgeon. But that’s not enough for the Rajes, her influential immigrant family who’s achieved power by making its own non-negotiable rules:

·       Never trust an outsider

·       Never do anything to jeopardize your brother’s political aspirations

·       And never, ever, defy your family

Trisha is guilty of breaking all three rules. But now she has a chance to redeem herself. So long as she doesn’t repeat old mistakes.

Up-and-coming chef DJ Caine has known people like Trisha before, people who judge him by his rough beginnings and place pedigree above character. He needs the lucrative job the Rajes offer, but he values his pride too much to indulge Trisha’s arrogance. And then he discovers that she’s the only surgeon who can save his sister’s life.

As the two clash, their assumptions crumble like the spun sugar on one of DJ’s stunning desserts. But before a future can be savored there’s a past to be reckoned with...

A family trying to build home in a new land.

A man who has never felt at home anywhere.

And a choice to be made between the two.

Ěý±Ő±Ő> 481 Sonali Dev Jaime 0 3.65 2019
author: Sonali Dev
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: saved, poc-author, romance-contemporary, retelling, to-read, around-the-year-2025-queue, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, romanceopoly-2025-queue
review:

]]> 127280315 A sapphic opposites-attract romance with Mazey Edding's signature sparkling voice!

Winning the lottery has ruined Opal Devlin's’s life. After quitting her dead-end job where she’d earned minimum wage and even less respect, she’s bombarded by people knocking at her door for a handout the second they found out her bank account was overflowing with cash. And Opal can’t seem to stop saying yes.

With her tender heart thoroughly abused, Opal decides to protect herself by any means necessary, which to her translates to putting almost all her new money to buying a failing flower farm in Asheville, North Carolina to let the flowers live out their plant destiny while she uses the cabin on the property to start her painting business.

But her plans for isolation and self-preservation go hopelessly awry when an angry (albeit gorgeous) Pepper Smith is waiting for her at her new farm. Pepper states she’s the rightful owner of Thistle and Bloom Farms, and isn’t moving out. The unlikely pair strike up an agreement of co-habitation, and butt-heads at every turn. Can these opposites both live out their dreams and plant roots? Or will their combustible arguing (and growing attraction) burn the whole place down?]]> 400 Mazey Eddings 1250847087 Jaime 0 3.69 2024
author: Mazey Eddings
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, romanceopoly-2025-queue
review:

]]> 53417713 A baker provides the sweetest escape for an actor in this charming romantic comedy.

Actor Ryan Kwok is back in Toronto after the promotional tour for his latest film, a rom-com that is getting less-than-stellar reviews. After the sudden death of his mother and years of constant work, Ryan is taking some much-needed time off. But as he tries to be supportive to his family, he struggles with his loss and doesn't know how to talk to his dad—who now trolls him on Twitter instead of meeting him for dim sum.

Innovative baker Lindsay McLeod meets Ryan when he knocks over two dozen specialty donuts at her bakery. Their relationship is off to a messy start, but there’s no denying their immediate attraction. When Ryan signs up for a celebrity episode of Baking Fail, he asks Lindsay to teach him how to bake and she agrees.

As Lindsay and Ryan spend time together, bonding over grief and bubble tea, it starts to feel like they’re cooking up something sweeter than cupcakes in the kitchen.]]> 358 Jackie Lau 0593334302 Jaime 0 3.45 2021
author: Jackie Lau
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, romance-contemporary, around-the-year-2025-queue, 52-book-club-2025-queue, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, romanceopoly-2025-queue
review:

]]> 213212691
UK Bus Trip Goals:

1. Crawl out of pajamas.
2. Get over cheating bastard and his stupid ironed jeans.
3. Have my first real adventure!
4. Achieve stability, strength, and growth.
5. Definitely do NOT kiss any British men.

Alice loves a good list. But careful planning didn’t stop her from losing her job and her fiance in one fell swoop. With her dreaded 30th birthday looming on the horizon, Alice makes the first impulsive decision of her life - booking a flight to the UK for a three-week, all-female, literary bus tour. What could possibly go wrong?

Turns out - everything.

Alice arrives to discover that this tour isn’t what she expected. At all. Instead of cool, globe-trotting thirtysomethings with meaningful tattoos, she finds a rickety, antique bus full of fluffy-haired octogenarians. And to make matters infinitely worse, the tour guide makes her blood boil! And that devilish grin of his tells her he’s dead set on making her trip a misery.

But as they travel from castle ruins to cozy pubs, Alice may just find that she’s got it all wrong. The ladies are vivacious. The book club chat is on fire. And damn if that mischievous smile doesn't threaten to turn her world upside down - and her beloved list right along with it!]]> 384 Kat Mackenzie 0063379031 Jaime 4
This was a charming jaunt around the UK with a bus full of quirky old ladies and a couple of young'ns who can't decide if they like or hate each other. I enjoyed the tour around the UK and thought we got enough detail without it feeling like a travel journal. I thought the Bridget Jones stuff felt a little dated, especially for the age of the character, but it was ultimately a tiny detail. The banter between Alice and Robbie is pretty good, but the spice in this book is low, it's basically closed door.

Overall I enjoyed this read and would pick up another book by Kat Mackenzie.]]> 3.84 2025
author: Kat Mackenzie
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/20
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: 52-book-club-2025, books-about-books, enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity, low-spice, popsugar-2025, read-2025, romance-contemporary, scotland, united-kingdom, around-the-year-2025, romanceopoly-2025
review:
Alice is having a terrible day. Her direct flight to Scotland turned into a 30 hour ordeal, her luggage has fallen apart, some rude man cut in front of her at the luggage counter, and if she can't find a ride, she's going to miss the literal bus. This all-woman bus tour around the UK is supposed to rejuvenate her and help her climb out of the depression hole she has been in on the ladder of sisterhood. But when she finally finds the bus, she discovers that her new sisters are all over 65, and that rude guy from the airport? He's the driver.

This was a charming jaunt around the UK with a bus full of quirky old ladies and a couple of young'ns who can't decide if they like or hate each other. I enjoyed the tour around the UK and thought we got enough detail without it feeling like a travel journal. I thought the Bridget Jones stuff felt a little dated, especially for the age of the character, but it was ultimately a tiny detail. The banter between Alice and Robbie is pretty good, but the spice in this book is low, it's basically closed door.

Overall I enjoyed this read and would pick up another book by Kat Mackenzie.
]]> 211004876 The Murder Show is a pulse-racing novel about secrets, old friends, and how the past never leaves us by New York Times bestselling and Emmy Award winning author Matt Goldman!

Showrunner Ethan Harris had a hit with The Murder Show, a television crime drama that features a private detective who solves cases the police can’t. But after his pitch for the fourth season is rejected by the network, he returns home to Minnesota looking for inspiration.

His timing is fortunate � his former classmate Ro Greeman is now a local police officer, and she's uncovered new information about the devastating hit and run that killed their mutual friend Ricky the summer after high school. She asks Ethan to help her investigate and thinks that if he portrays the killing on The Murder Show, the publicity may bring Ricky's killer to justice.

Ethan is skeptical that Ricky's death was anything but a horrible accident, but with the clock running out on his career, he's willing to try anything. It doesn't take long for them to realize they've dug up more than they bargained for. Someone is dead set on stopping Ethan and Ro from looking too closely into Ricky’s death � even if keeping them quiet means killing again...

The Murder Show is a pulse-racing novel about secrets, old friends, and how the past never leaves us by New York Times bestselling and Emmy Award winning author Matt Goldman!]]> 304 Matt Goldman 1250325722 Jaime 0 to-read 3.86 2025
author: Matt Goldman
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217240754
But when they are confronted with a situation where Sloane is told to fill in as a bridesmaid for one of Hudson's business partners, she comes up with an equal trade. She'll be a part of the regency wedding--corset and all--if Hudson marries her. Sloane knows the value of the trade, he needs her, and she needs his wedding ring to get her into a high-society club that will further her career.

It's an instant no from Hudson at first, but when she convinces him that no one will find out, including her brother, and he will benefit from the marriage too . . . well, Hudson finds himself saying "I do."]]> 480 Meghan Quinn 1464237816 Jaime 0 to-read 4.22 2025
author: Meghan Quinn
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215768414
On the brink of adulthood in the early 2000s, destiny intervened, catapulting the sisters into the spotlight as the pop sensation the Griffin Sisters, hitting all the touchstones of early aughts fame—SNL, MTV, Rolling Stone magazine—along the way.

But after a whirlwind year in the public eye, the band abruptly broke up.

Two decades later, Zoe’s a housewife; Cassie’s off the grid. The sisters aren’t speaking, and the real reason for the Griffin Sisters� breakup is still a mystery. Zoe’s teenage daughter, Cherry, who’s determined to be a star in spite of Zoe’s warnings, is on a quest to learn the truth about what happened to the band all those years ago.

As secrets emerge, all three women must face the consequences of their choices: the ones they made and the ones the music industry made for them. Can they forgive each other—and themselves? And will the Griffin Sisters ever make music again?]]> 384 Jennifer Weiner 0063342448 Jaime 0 to-read 3.90 2025
author: Jennifer Weiner
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 57201319
For Guy Chapman, everything must be perfect. His businesses, his food, his whole life. He has more on the line that just creating a culinary empire. There are people who rely on him, from employees to a sister who requires twenty-four-hour care. So when a plucky baker running an inconvenient food truck throws a wrench into his plans, he can’t just let it go.

When things start getting hot in both their kitchens, Guy and Scarlett have to decide what’s more important: winning the block, or winning each other’s hearts.]]> 276 Mary Frame Jaime 0 4.06 2020
author: Mary Frame
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read, popsugar-2025-queue, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, romanceopoly-2025-queue
review:

]]> 116536542
Lucian Rollins is a lean, mean vengeance-seeking mogul. On a quest to erase his father’s mark on the family name, he spends every waking minute pulling strings and building an indestructible empire. The more money and power he amasses, the safer he is from threats.

Except when it comes to the feisty small-town librarian that keeps him up at night�

Sloane Walton is a spitfire determined to carry on her father’s quest for justice. She’ll do that just as soon as she figures out exactly what the man she hates did to—or for—her family. Bonded by an old, dark secret from the past and the dislike they now share for each other, Sloane trusts Lucian about as far as she can throw his designer-suited body.

When bickering accidentally turns to foreplay, these two find themselves not quite regretting their steamy one-night stand. Once those flames are fanned, it seems impossible to put them out again. But with Sloane ready to start a family and Lucian refusing to even consider the idea of marriage and kids, these enemies-to-lovers are stuck at an impasse.

Broken men break women. It’s what Lucian believes, what he’s witnessed, and he’s not going to take that chance with Sloane. He’d rather live a life of solitude than put her in danger. But he learns the hard way that leaving her means leaving her unprotected from other threats.

It’s the second time he’s ruthlessly cut her out of his life. There’s no way she’s going to give him a third chance. He’s just going to have to make one for himself.]]> 698 Lucy Score Jaime 4 4.41 2023
author: Lucy Score
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/04
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: enemies-to-lovers, small-town, romance-contemporary, spicy, 52-book-club-2025, bbbc-challenge-2025, popsugar-2025, read-2025, radford-reads-2025, romanceopoly-2025
review:
4 stars instead of 5 cuz Lucian is stupidly stubborn and pigheaded.
]]> 219655872 “A hilariously fresh and spicy rom-com that I couldn’t put down!� -Meghan Quinn, USA Today Bestselling Author

Help Wanted: Grumpy mountain man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only. Surrogate must be impervious to grunting as the form of communication and nosy brotherly neighbors. Rustic mountain range housing available upon request.

I wanted to pummel my irritating brothers when they posted their own version of a wanted ad to help me with my life.

But I can’t fault the results once the right woman lands in my lap.

Becoming a single father is not a decision I made lightly. In fact, it’s the biggest decision of my entire life.

Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect.

She’s wild, she’s opinionated, she wears cowboy boots. Even my pet goat loves her�

She’s the exact type of person I was holding out for.

And to my great horror, I realize on our first night of attempting this baby-making dance—when the lights are low, the cheap wine is flowing and the home-insemination supplies are laid out on the kitchen counter—I want to do a lot more than just make her my surrogate.

I want to make her mine.

Perfect for fans of:
� Grumpy/Sunshine
� Small Town Romance
� Age Gap
� Curvy FMC
� Meghan Quinn and Tessa Bailey]]> 358 Amy Daws Jaime 4
Wyatt wants nothing more than to be a dad, but he's been burned hard by a woman and has no interest in having an actual relationship. He just wants the baby, no mom needed. Unfortunately, his search has so far been fruitless and the agency he's working with has written him off as impossible to please.

Trista, on the other hand, has no interest in children of her own but she really needs some money. She wants to open an animal rescue, and isn't above using her body to get the funds she needs. Just not in *that* way. When she literally runs into Wyatt's niece after getting turned down at the same surrogacy agency, she gets talked into at least meeting with him to see if it works out.

What follows is a somewhat standard grumpy/sunshine, close-proximity romance with a dash of pregnancy, nosy family, and several non-standard pets. Sometimes I'm not sure which of them is the grumpy one, as Trista has a stubborn streak that she uses to keep herself away from Wyatt. I've read and enjoyed Daws before, and I would definitely read books about the other brothers.]]> 3.95 2024
author: Amy Daws
name: Jaime
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/13
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: 52-book-club-2025, around-the-year-2025, forced-proximity, plus-size-rep, read-2025, romance-contemporary, small-town, grump-meets-sunshine, romanceopoly-2025
review:
This was a fun read, as long as you don't have strong feelings about surrogacy. If you do, this is not the book for you, in any way. If you don't like books with pregnancies, this is not the book for you in any way. But if you can put that aside, I liked the romance here.

Wyatt wants nothing more than to be a dad, but he's been burned hard by a woman and has no interest in having an actual relationship. He just wants the baby, no mom needed. Unfortunately, his search has so far been fruitless and the agency he's working with has written him off as impossible to please.

Trista, on the other hand, has no interest in children of her own but she really needs some money. She wants to open an animal rescue, and isn't above using her body to get the funds she needs. Just not in *that* way. When she literally runs into Wyatt's niece after getting turned down at the same surrogacy agency, she gets talked into at least meeting with him to see if it works out.

What follows is a somewhat standard grumpy/sunshine, close-proximity romance with a dash of pregnancy, nosy family, and several non-standard pets. Sometimes I'm not sure which of them is the grumpy one, as Trista has a stubborn streak that she uses to keep herself away from Wyatt. I've read and enjoyed Daws before, and I would definitely read books about the other brothers.
]]> 49992677
Love Matches, Lust Breath, Flirt Touches, not to mention having to meet my quotas every month. And hitting your target with arrows? That shit is not easy.

But all of that I could handle. Gladly. If only my cupid powers would actually work. But nope. Turns out, I’m a dud.

Unless I want to get sucked out of existence, I need to spread some love around fast. The clock is ticking, but I have the perfect candidate to start with.

Warren Knight. Smart, hot as hell, rich, bachelor-dud extraordinaire. No matter how many dates he goes on, he just won’t seal the deal. It’s time I fix him. And fix me too.

Of course, the asshole doesn’t want to fall in love, so I have my work cut out for me.

They say there’s no rest for the wicked. Well, they should try being a cupid, because this shit is exhausting. Here goes nothing.]]> 342 Raven Kennedy Jaime 0 4.20 2019
author: Raven Kennedy
name: Jaime
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read, 2025-queue-arcs-challenges, ku, romanceopoly-2025-queue
review:

]]>