en-US Mon, 12 May 2025 05:33:09 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 38588713 "Addictive, sexy and beautifully written." -Vi Keeland, #1 New York Times bestselling author on Royal Disaster

What to expect when you're royally expecting

In five years of marriage to Dylan Hale - the hottest (not to mention most deliciously insatiable) duke in England - I've learned one cardinal Never say "no" to the Queen. Her orders? I'm to be the matron of honor at the royal wedding of the century... which is, coincidentally, my due date. Dylan's plan is to seduce me into an early labor to avoid this royal ruckus. So now I'm caught between the Queen's command... and my sexy duke's desire.

The Royal Scandal
Royal Affair
Royal Disaster
Royal Treatment
]]> 120 Parker Swift 1538747723 Jenn 3 arc-netgalley
A cute catch up with Lydia and Dylan to see what they're up to.]]> 3.94 2018
author: Parker Swift
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2025/05/12
date added: 2025/05/12
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

A cute catch up with Lydia and Dylan to see what they're up to.
]]> 220454151 Oops, she did it again��

A one-night stand with a billionaire.
A surprise pregnancy.
Can she trust his love?
Or is it the baby tying them together?

Charlotte Kendall never expected history to repeat itself after a one-night stand at a wedding. Especially since a past encounter left her co-parenting twin daughters she adores. Except this time, her baby daddy is a man she can’t resist.

Billionaire Jared Sterling always gets what he wants—and he wants Charlotte Kendall. When he learns �����’s pregnant, he’s all in. But Charlotte’s past has taught this independent, single mom to guard her heart. She doubts Jared’s motives and believes he’s only invested for the baby.

Their chemistry is undeniable and Jared will do anything to convince Charlotte �����’s his endgame. But her life is complicated and when her brother’s recklessness puts Charlotte in danger, Jared takes over, proving he’s offering the love and stability she has always craved.

Now Charlotte must decide—will she keep running from the man who’s offering her everything, or take a chance on love?]]> 184 Carly Phillips 1685594166 Jenn 0 currently-reading 4.38
author: Carly Phillips
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/10
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 31423493 "He's not who you think he is . . . "

Meeting Dylan Hale has turned my life upside down. I'm dating an actual duke who's devastatingly handsome and deliciously naughty. On the surface, I'm living the high life. But this surreal world of royalty and paparazzi is getting out of control.

Someone knows way too much about Dylan and me-about the moments when we're alone, about how his hands leave a trail of fire over my skin . . . about the complete control he has over me between the sheets. And worse, it's starting to become clear that Dylan's keeping secrets from me, too . . .]]> 320 Parker Swift 1455598062 Jenn 3 arc-netgalley
This was an enjoyable second installment to the series, and there were a few moments where you thought the enemy was going to be one person and then it wasn't, but it still felt like the author was taking a story that probably could have been shorter and extending it. I believe there's a third one, but I'm okay with where I ended the story here. ]]> 3.94
author: Parker Swift
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.94
book published:
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2025/05/05
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable second installment to the series, and there were a few moments where you thought the enemy was going to be one person and then it wasn't, but it still felt like the author was taking a story that probably could have been shorter and extending it. I believe there's a third one, but I'm okay with where I ended the story here.
]]> 30364208 One seriously sexy son-of-a-duke . . .

Behind the posh British accent, Dylan Hale possesses a down-and-dirty sexiness. Off-the-charts gorgeous, a ruthless architect . . . and did I mention he's a future duke? Every time we touch, it's wildfire. All need and lust and heat. But Dylan has rules: just sex, no one can know, and in the bedroom he gets complete control. All I have to do is follow the rules, because falling in love with Dylan Hale is all it would take to screw everything up . . . royally.

Royal Scandal Series
Book 2: Royal Disaster
Book 3: Royal Treatment
]]> 352 Parker Swift 1455598046 Jenn 3 arc-netgalley
Feels like Fifty Shades meets the royal family a bit...but not quite as spicy. I enjoyed the story, but felt like we very quickly moved from a flirtation to something more. Once we got about 2/3 of the way in, I was invested and now want to see where the story takes us.]]> 3.72
author: Parker Swift
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.72
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/25
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Feels like Fifty Shades meets the royal family a bit...but not quite as spicy. I enjoyed the story, but felt like we very quickly moved from a flirtation to something more. Once we got about 2/3 of the way in, I was invested and now want to see where the story takes us.
]]> 210387742
I’m not a cop anymore, but I’ve seen enough danger to know that Laney Young, the beautiful stranger who just showed up in my small town, is running from it. She’s lying about where she came from and what �����’s doing here.

I don’t want her near my family or the quiet life I’ve made for myself. But my brothers have other plans. Now �����’s everywhere–working at my distillery, living in our guest house, calling me ‘cowboy�� and skinny-dipping in my horse trough.

But it’s the way she dishes out attitude from that pretty mouth of hers that has me wanting things I’ve sworn to myself I’d never want again. I should push her away, forget how her lips taste, and ignore how she makes me want more out of life again.

When her past shows up and mingles too closely with mine, her lies begin to unravel. The rules don’t matter anymore. I mess up, dig too far, and get too close. Only two things have the power to keep her safe now: bourbon and lies.]]> 448 Victoria Wilder Jenn 0 to-read 4.10 2024
author: Victoria Wilder
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 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 Jenn 0 to-read 4.08 2025
author: Abby Jimenez
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 43782404 In the Heart of Texas, a heartthrob cowboy may get his second chance at love . . . Danny Oldman, the handsome Lone Star sheriff, is still single. He tells himself, and anyone who asks, that he is married to his job--and what matters most is keeping the people of his beloved Texas hometown safe. The truth? Danny still hasn't gotten over his high school crush. She moved away after graduation and took Danny's heart with her. Skylar Long never thought she would have to flee Houston and return home--where it all began for her. But that's what happened after the man of her dreams turned out to be an actual nightmare. Now, Skylar is desperate to escape her obsessive boyfriend. Nothing shocks her more than seeing Danny again and realizing that their long-ago attraction is more powerful than ever. But can she and Danny find a way to fight against Skylar's wealthy, powerful ex who is dead set on tearing them apart? Contains mature themes.]]> 288 Donna Grant 1250250048 Jenn 4 arc-netgalley
This is one of those books where you kind of have an idea what's going to happen, but then it does and you're shocked. I loved returning to the Easts and Harpers and seeing Danny, who we've come to know and love over these past books, find happiness. Things are not great for him when things start so I was excited. But of course, things can't be easy and when his high school crush returns, it's with an abusive ex hot on her tail. What follows is a story of reconnection and danger and a community coming together. ]]> 4.10 2019
author: Donna Grant
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/16
date added: 2025/04/16
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This is one of those books where you kind of have an idea what's going to happen, but then it does and you're shocked. I loved returning to the Easts and Harpers and seeing Danny, who we've come to know and love over these past books, find happiness. Things are not great for him when things start so I was excited. But of course, things can't be easy and when his high school crush returns, it's with an abusive ex hot on her tail. What follows is a story of reconnection and danger and a community coming together.
]]> 218112481 It’s just a little crush. What could possibly go wrong?

I’ve had more than enough relationship drama to last a lifetime, so romance with Stevie Palmer, the gorgeous server I had a hot one-night stand with, isn’t in the cards. However, she would make the perfect fake girlfriend to help me win my custody battle.

When I offer her an obscene amount of money to play along, she agrees. I insist this arrangement is strictly business. No feelings. No complications.

Easy, right?

Except nothing about Stevie is easy. She’s unexpected softness, stubborn as hell, and impossible to ignore. I tell myself I can keep my hands off of her. That I can ignore the way she makes me feel. Then one kiss turns into another. One night into more. And suddenly, our perfect little arrangement is anything but simple or straightforward.

With so much at stake, can I turn our fake relationship into a real happily ever after?]]> 258 Carly Phillips 1685594077 Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
This was quick and fun, and boy did it pack a punch! Between a long time crush finally moving into reality and the very real life instances that our characters were facing, Phillips and Wilde created quie a story. I felt for Stevie as she navigated it all, between taking care of her sister and trying to put herself through school...not to mention dealing with Caleb's baggage...she had a lot on her plate. And Caleb was also in a tough spot trying to explore things with Stevie and being pushed to go further faster than anticipated. I enjoyed seeing some of our old characters and seeing the way everyone came together...plus the spice was nice.]]> 4.54 2025
author: Carly Phillips
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/09
date added: 2025/04/16
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

This was quick and fun, and boy did it pack a punch! Between a long time crush finally moving into reality and the very real life instances that our characters were facing, Phillips and Wilde created quie a story. I felt for Stevie as she navigated it all, between taking care of her sister and trying to put herself through school...not to mention dealing with Caleb's baggage...she had a lot on her plate. And Caleb was also in a tough spot trying to explore things with Stevie and being pushed to go further faster than anticipated. I enjoyed seeing some of our old characters and seeing the way everyone came together...plus the spice was nice.
]]> 38838598 New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant takes you deep inside the Texas rodeo scene in the second book in her Heart of Texas series, Cowboy, Cross My Heart, where danger and desire ride side by side. . .

Naomi Pierce isn’t the type to let a cowboy sweep her off feet. It’s not her first rodeo, after all. But when she returns to her Texas hometown, she can’t help but be swept up again in the rough-and-tumble world of hard-riding, bronco-busting good-ol��-boys she loved as a girl. She might be here to photograph her Rodeo Queen best friend. But it’s one fine-looking cowboy who really captures her eye��

Brice Harper is all man, all muscle, and all heart. From the moment he rides into the stadium, he can’t help but notice the beautiful stranger with a camera watching him from the stands. It doesn’t take a zoom lens to see the sparks of instant attraction. But things really heat up when he meets Naomi up-close―and he discovers that someone is stalking her friend. Brice wouldn’t be any kind of cowboy if he didn’t offer to help the ladies out. But can the rough rider keep this spirited shutterbug out of danger―without risking his heart?]]> 291 Donna Grant 1250169003 Jenn 4 arc-netgalley
Those boys we met in the first book in the series are all grown up! When Naomi comes back to town to see her best friend, she has no idea that she's about to be thrown into a corrupt world of danger...or that she's going to meet the man who'll change her life. To be honest, this was a little bit darker than I was expecting, but I was completely hooked from the get go! We had some attraction, some danger, some sibling drama, and a community coming together. Looking forward to more by Grant!]]> 4.06 2018
author: Donna Grant
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/14
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Those boys we met in the first book in the series are all grown up! When Naomi comes back to town to see her best friend, she has no idea that she's about to be thrown into a corrupt world of danger...or that she's going to meet the man who'll change her life. To be honest, this was a little bit darker than I was expecting, but I was completely hooked from the get go! We had some attraction, some danger, some sibling drama, and a community coming together. Looking forward to more by Grant!
]]> 210669710
First loves that were ripped apart, and the epic love that saves them.
At nineteen, Seeley “Doc�� Whiskey fell hard for the governor’s daughter, and then she was torn away. He risked his life and his family’s legacy to get her back, only to find out that everything he believed about her was a lie. His heart has been locked down ever since.

Betrayed by everyone she loves, Juliette Chambers has been through hell and back. Now a single mother and veterinarian, Juliette moves back to Colorado to start over. The last person she expects to run into is the man who completely destroyed her.

A chance encounter turns into a moment of fury, sending them into an emotional maelstrom. Tears and accusations fly and passion ignites, but in their wake they discover a trail of secrets and lies and a life-changing blow that takes them to their knees.]]> 451 Melissa Foster Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
Foster did it again! Any time I pick up one of her books, I know I'm in for an emotional, heartfelt, spicy ride and this one was no different. When Doc is confronted by the woman who broke his heart, his world turns on its axis ... and the same is true for her. But neither of them have any clue that the truth of what happened all those years ago is going to help bring them together.

There are plenty of twists and turns along the way...moments that break your heart in two and then put it back together again...moments that make you see red you're so angry and moments that have you shedding tears of joy. I also feel like I thought the story was going in one direction, but it was a misdirect! You have to love it. I can't wait for more by Foster!]]> 4.75 2025
author: Melissa Foster
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.75
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/14
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

Foster did it again! Any time I pick up one of her books, I know I'm in for an emotional, heartfelt, spicy ride and this one was no different. When Doc is confronted by the woman who broke his heart, his world turns on its axis ... and the same is true for her. But neither of them have any clue that the truth of what happened all those years ago is going to help bring them together.

There are plenty of twists and turns along the way...moments that break your heart in two and then put it back together again...moments that make you see red you're so angry and moments that have you shedding tears of joy. I also feel like I thought the story was going in one direction, but it was a misdirect! You have to love it. I can't wait for more by Foster!
]]> 145654345 The people we lose take a part of us with them…but they leave a part of themselves with us too.

Aurora De La Torre, or Ora to her friends, knows moving back to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, a place that was once home and is now full of bittersweet memories of her late mother, isn’t going to be easy. Starting your whole life over probably isn’t supposed to be.

But after breaking up with her longtime famous musician boyfriend, hiding out in a small town in the mountains might be the perfect remedy for a broken heart. And checking out her landlord who lives across the driveway just might cure it, too.

Only Tobias Rhodes didn’t rent out the apartment to her, rather it was his teenage son, Amos. Fiercely protective of his family and distrusting of strangers, gruff and grumpy Rhodes initially keeps little miss sunshine Ora at a distance. But over days and weeks, long hikes and fireside chats, Aurora breaks down his walls and soon an unbreakable friendship blossoms into a once-in-a-lifetime love.]]> 608 Mariana Zapata 0063325896 Jenn 5
My only critique was that there were parts that got a little long while others I wanted more of.]]> 4.17 2021
author: Mariana Zapata
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/07
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves:
review:
Oh wow, this was a great read! Everything about Aurora's story (and it truly is Aurora's story) was fantastic. Did it break my heart a few times? Yes. Did it put it back together even better than it was before? Absolutely. The tension between Rhodes and Ora is high - I mean, how can it not be when your teenage son rents out the garage apartment without permission - but they slowly become part of each other's lives and watching that happen was a joy.

My only critique was that there were parts that got a little long while others I wanted more of.
]]> 219494895 Welcome back to Sunrise Cove for this heartwarming enemies-to-lovers tale where found family, forgiveness, and love may just be the key to finding yourself, from��New York Times��bestselling author Jill Shalvis.

Lexi Clark’s life is falling apart around her, so when �����’s summoned home to Sunrise Cove, the last thing she wants to do is face all the complications she left behind. Her past, her stepsister Ashley, and especially her infuriatingly gorgeous childhood nemesis-turned-crush Heath Bowman.

Yep, Lexi’s pretty sure being home again just might kill her. She’s an overachieving art appraiser who doesn’t believe in trust, love, or Happily Ever Afters. Free spirit Ashley, on the other hand, is so full of life it hurts to look at her. But Lexi can’t refuse Ashley’s plea to honor their late mother’s final wish to make amends with the people she’d wronged.����So, on behalf of her estranged mother’s estate—and with Heath in tow as the executor—Lexi embarks on a road trip to repay all the people her gambling addicted mother owed money to.��

Complicating everything are the feelings that well up for for her mom, for Ashley, and most of all, for Heath. And for the record, she doesn’t like it, or��the way he has of scaling the walls �����’s built around her heart. The road trip shenanigans that ensue are both funny and heartbreaking, but Lexi finds something shocking along the way. Acceptance. Family. And unbelievably—if you ask Lexi anyway—love.]]> 320 Jill Shalvis 006335344X Jenn 0 to-read 4.16
author: Jill Shalvis
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.16
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220207768 From the viral TikTok author of the stalker romcom, Lights Out, comes Navessa Allen’s second book in bestselling The Into Darkness Trilogy, upping the ante with voyeurism and play club kink.

“I wanted this woman, and I was a man who always got what he wanted.��

Nico “Junior�� Trocci knows Lauren Marchetti is off limits. She is sweetness and laughter, whereas Junior exists in a world of violence and depravity. Men like him don’t get to have women like her. It’s why he pushed her away back in high school and kept his distance ever since.

But when Junior looks Lauren up online, he discovers the shy, bookish girl he remembers is gone. In her place is a strikingly beautiful woman whose social media is filled with scantily clad pictures of herself and a connection to a nearby play club. Junior’s innocent curiosity quickly turns into a dark obsession. Watching Lauren from a distance isn’t enough; he needs to make her his.

“���’s ruthless; a walking red flag. Good thing red is my favorite color.��

Lauren is intrigued by the mystery man who keeps showing up at her club, who tempts her white-hot desires. But as their flirty online messages stir up a deeper form of connection, Lauren worries �����’s developing real feelings for this brooding stranger. As their combined desire ratchets up to a breaking point, who will seduce who?]]> 352 Navessa Allen 1638932255 Jenn 0 to-read 4.25 2025
author: Navessa Allen
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219719200 Their connection is undeniable. Their goals are incompatible. When Hollywood hits the small town, will their sizzling chemistry explode?

Daphne Moore is determined to stop being a people pleaser. But after seven lackluster years working on a pop culture tabloid show, the ambitious TV producer is starting to rethink her career-first mantra. And a weekend in Georgia sounds like a great opportunity for a simple reset�� until she meets a six-foot-four country boy who tempts her to backslide.

Harlan Mitchell knows what he wants. But the retired pro baseball player’s plan to get married and settle down on the family farm implodes when he lays eyes on the blonde-haired California beauty. And he can’t resist chasing the sparks when he realizes the curvy temptation is staying right next door.

Abandoning her no-dating rule when her hunky neighbor answers the door wearing only gray sweatpants riding low on his waist, Daphne tries to enjoy the fireworks without worrying about commitment. But when Harlan discovers �����’s still headed back to the West Coast, his loyal heart is torn.

Can their insta-lust turn into a heartfelt HEA?

���ܳٳ�ǰ�’s Sweatpants & Sweet Tea is an opposites attract small-town romance with a colorful supporting cast of meddling townsfolk and family, lots of spicy swooniness, and a generous splash of humor.

Buy Sweatpants & Sweet Tea for a sip of steamy delight today!]]> 292 Melanie Shawn Jenn 0 to-read 4.37
author: Melanie Shawn
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.37
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211004837 From the New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House, Hell Bent, and creator of the Grishaverse series comes a highly anticipated historical fantasy set during the Spanish Golden Age

In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family's social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain's king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England's heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king's favor.

Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition's wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.]]> 400 Leigh Bardugo 1250884276 Jenn 0 to-read 3.89 2024
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 212806981 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...]]> 447 Ali Hazelwood 0593550447 Jenn 5 own
That said, it was spicy and sweet and yes, I did want to shake Scarlet sometimes, but it all was just great. ]]> 4.09 2025
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/24
date added: 2025/03/24
shelves: own
review:
Another great Ali read - though it would have been even better if she understood the med school application/timeline at all. That actually took me out of it a bit.

That said, it was spicy and sweet and yes, I did want to shake Scarlet sometimes, but it all was just great.
]]> 211004089
Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers. But with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants, packing up the seeds before they are transported to safer ground. Despite the wild beauty of life here, isolation has taken its toll on the Salts. Raff, eighteen and suffering his first heartbreak, can only find relief at his punching bag; Fen, seventeen, has started spending her nights on the beach among the seals; nine-year-old Orly, obsessed with botany, fears the loss of his beloved natural world; and Dominic can’t stop turning back toward the past, and the loss that drove the family to Shearwater in the first place.

Then, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman washes up on shore. As the Salts nurse the woman, Rowan, back to life, their suspicion gives way to affection, and they finally begin to feel like a family again. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting her heart, begins to fall for the Salts, too. But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers the sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own dark secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, the characters must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late—and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.]]> 303 Charlotte McConaghy 1250827957 Jenn 0 to-read, book-gaffigans 4.25 2025
author: Charlotte McConaghy
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves: to-read, book-gaffigans
review:

]]> 220262236 The #1 International bestselling author of On Dublin Street is back with this witty, emotional and steamy fake-dating sports romance in which ambitious entrepreneur, Beth Carmichael, meets her match in the grumpy football captain who moves into the apartment above hers.

Imagine my surprise when my new neighbor turns out to be one of Scotland’s most famous (and hottest) professional footballers, Callan Keen. I’m even more shocked to discover that the brooding player is still holding a grudge for something that happened (or didn’t happen) between us years ago.

Too busy trying to take my social media management company to the next level, I don’t have time for this gorgeous blast from the past. Or at least I shouldn’t. Yet whenever I see him, I can’t help but engage in a battle of wits with the grump upstairs.

When a huge client opportunity arises, circumstances force me to enlist Callan’s help. I require a fake date and Callan needs me to facilitate a meeting with my dad to further his own business interests.

The deal between us should be simple. Except, of course, the blazing chemistry we’ve shared since the moment we met. We can’t deny it, we can’t control it, and soon we’re agreeing to six weeks of no-strings-attached, mind-blowing, steamy shenanigans.

I told myself I was too smart to catch feelings. But when Callan finally finds out the truth about our past, he becomes the guy I used to know. And that man is way too easy to fall for.

The problem is that Callan has vowed to never let another person close enough to break his heart again.

It just might prove impossible to show my stubborn Scotsman I’m worth the risk, especially when old wounds are re-opened and threaten to wreck any chance of a future together…]]> 440 Samantha Young 1915243270 Jenn 0 to-read 3.95 2025
author: Samantha Young
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214063467 ���’s a grumpy single dad who's serious and uptight.
She’s a younger free spirit who's sunshine and light.

Fallon Sterling’s one experience with a rich, older man ended in heartbreak. So when twin nine-year-old girls wind up in her gallery, followed by their oh-so-hot dad, she refuses to notice how sexy he is. And she will not let herself fall for his broody charms. Or his adorable daughters. That was her plan. Unfortunately, planning hasn't always been her strong suit��

Noah Powers needs a reliable nanny, not a romance with a much younger artist who his girls adore. The fact that he desires Fallon and the sunshine she brings into his drab world doesn't matter. His focus needs to be on his work and his daughters. Trouble is, he can never remember that when Fallon is in his arms.

Somewhere between a matchmaking family (his) and dangerous workplace drama (hers), Fallon and Noah realize they might have more in common than they thought. But is it enough for happily ever after?]]> 274 Carly Phillips 168559400X Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
Oh this was fun! I loved how Carly was able to write a relationship that had an age gap, but that wasn't the primary focus. Instead, Fallon and Noah are dealing with attraction to one another and the fact that his twin daughters have formed an attachment to her. It was so sweet watching all four of them interact. And, since things can't be perfect, there is trouble (and a little danger). I really love how Carly is able to create these stories and I'm so excited about the groundwork she's laid for the next book!]]> 4.37
author: Carly Phillips
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.37
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/06
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

Oh this was fun! I loved how Carly was able to write a relationship that had an age gap, but that wasn't the primary focus. Instead, Fallon and Noah are dealing with attraction to one another and the fact that his twin daughters have formed an attachment to her. It was so sweet watching all four of them interact. And, since things can't be perfect, there is trouble (and a little danger). I really love how Carly is able to create these stories and I'm so excited about the groundwork she's laid for the next book!
]]> 214283601 A steamy chance encounter between a professional hockey player and the manic pixie dream girl he just can’t seem to forget takes a turn when the pair realize that their parents are engaged—in an all-new rom-com by #1��New York Times��bestselling author Tessa Bailey.

When professional hockey player Sig Gauthier’s car breaks down and his phone dies, he treks into a posh private country club to call a tow truck, where he encounters the alluring Chloe Clifford, the manic pixie dream girl who captivates him immediately with her sense of adventure and penchant for stealing champagne.

Sparks fly during a moonlight kiss and the enamored pair can’t wait to see each other again, but when Sig finally arrives to meet his dad’s new girlfriend over dinner, Chloe is confusingly also there. Turns out the girlfriend is Chloe’s mother. Oh, and they’re engaged.

Sig’s dream girl is his future stepsister.

Though the pair is now wary of being involved romantically, Chloe, a sheltered harp prodigy, yearns to escape her controlling mother. Sig promises to teach her the ins and outs of independence in Boston—but not inside his bedroom. They both know there can never be more than friendship between a famous hockey player and his high-society, soon-to-be stepsister. But keeping their relationship platonic grows harder amid the developing family drama, especially knowing they were meant for so much more��


]]> 320 Tessa Bailey 0063380781 Jenn 5 own
Oh boy, I didn't know what to expect with this one, knowing that Sig and Chloe were about to be step-siblings. It was fun to have Tessa dip a toe into the taboo...though this one made me a bit uncomfy - just because Sig was putting such a big emphasis on it. That said...wow was it hot. It built and built and built and no wonder it impacted them both the way it did. I also really appreciated that Chloe grew up over the course of the book and moved away from the selfish way she was. Can't wait to see what's next in this world!]]> 3.44 2025
author: Tessa Bailey
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/02
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves: own
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Oh boy, I didn't know what to expect with this one, knowing that Sig and Chloe were about to be step-siblings. It was fun to have Tessa dip a toe into the taboo...though this one made me a bit uncomfy - just because Sig was putting such a big emphasis on it. That said...wow was it hot. It built and built and built and no wonder it impacted them both the way it did. I also really appreciated that Chloe grew up over the course of the book and moved away from the selfish way she was. Can't wait to see what's next in this world!
]]> 22609310
For once, Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is hiding a huge secret. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything Auburn loves most, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it—but can she do it?]]> 306 Colleen Hoover 1476791457 Jenn 0 to-read, own 4.14 2015
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> 214534098 ���’s been watching her for years, waiting for the right moment.
Isaiah Johanssen has built his life around two things: rugby and secretly loving his friend Robyn Cassidy. Since they met playing rugby in college, their stars have never aligned. But Isaiah isn’t worried—he has a plan.

Professional rugby player Robyn Cassidy is determined to show Isaiah she wants more than friendship, but every time she tries to get his attention, the words escape her. Normally bright and confident, she finds herself tongue-tied around her longtime crush.

So what happens when Del, her sexy and charming personal trainer, offers to be her flirt coach, only to find out he’s crushing on the same man? The same man who is now her head coach.

Maybe it’s time Del shows Isaiah exactly what he’s missing out on.
A spicy, friends-to-lovers romantic comedy with a guaranteed HEA, kink, and lots of praise. This is book 2 in the Rugby Lover’s series but can be read as a standalone.]]> 392 Sloan Spencer Jenn 0 to-read 3.91 2025
author: Sloan Spencer
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215363487 LIMITED EDITION FIRST PRINTING featuring sprayed edges, designed chapter headers, full color inside covers, and front cover foil with spot gloss—while supplies last!

For fans of Jenna Levine and K.F. Breene, the steamy, laugh-out-loud paranormal romance about learning how to love—including the darkest parts of ourselves—complete with HEA, clothes-ripping-hot love scenes, and a crew of devilish demon brothers who are supposed to be the bad guys . . .

From the instant New York Times bestselling author of SANCTUARY OF THE SHADOW!

The hunter shall become the hunted . . . And the timid shall become the fierce.

Enslaved to an evil demon queen for millennia, Mishetsumephtai has only ever served one purpose. He is the Hunter, the one who drags the guilty back to Hell. But finally tasting freedom on Earth has changed him, and for the first time, Mist questions his duty. The human female who smiles at him with no idea what a monster he is, draws him in, and he’ll do anything to possess her.

Lily Donovan thought the most dangerous thing about running to the corner store at night would be the aisles of junk food. She didn’t bargain on encountering chaos in the form of a man with unusual tattoos and beguiling amber eyes, stalking her through the ice cream section. Since the death of her parents, Lily has tried to forget what she is. But denial is not an option when �����’s confronted with everything �����’s been running from.

Neither Mist nor Lily can ignore the burning magnetism between them. But Mist’s reprieve from Hell was always temporary, and the punishment for disobedience will be worse than death. Yet he can’t relinquish the woman whose scent calls to him like nothing he’s hunted before.]]> 352 Aurora Ascher 1496755863 Jenn 0 to-read 4.09 2022
author: Aurora Ascher
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58902005 Asmodeus, Prince of Hell, just wants to play music. Jazz, specifically.

Unfortunately, he’s a demon, and he’s supposed to be evil. A career as a musician isn’t exactly an option.
And he’s cursed, to top it all off.

Sick of playing by the rules, Ash and his brothers escape Hell in search of freedom on Earth, only to discover it’s harder than they thought to keep their enemies off their tail. The four rogues quickly become the Underworld’s Most Wanted, and if they’re caught��
The consequences will be dire.

Everything changes for Ash when he meets a beautiful violinist who can see through his curse. It must be too good to be true, but he can’t resist the temptation.
No matter the risk, he has to have her.

Evangeline Gregory is just your average human. She works at a jazz bar, plays gigs on weekends��
And, apparently, hallucinates demons.

At least, that’s what she tells herself happens when, moments after she meets the man of her dreams, she sees him shift into a seven-foot-tall, red-skinned monster.

Not believing her own eyes, Eva decides to investigate and soon finds herself caught in the middle of a supernatural clusterf**k of epic proportions. But Ash isn’t the only one keeping secrets, and the search for answers reveals a shocking truth that will change the course of her life forever.

Or maybe just doom it.


My Funny Demon Valentine is a steamy paranormal romance about learning how to love (and what love is in the first place) with an HEA, clothes-ripping-hot love scenes, and a crew of devilish demon brothers who are supposed to be the bad guys.
There’s violence, sex, and too much swearing. You’ve been warned.]]> 360 Aurora Ascher 1777853206 Jenn 5 own 3.76 2021
author: Aurora Ascher
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves: own
review:
Oh I loved this one!!! It was funny and sweet and heartwarming and now I'm so eager to watch all the other guys find love (at least, I hope that's what this series is). I loved the supernatural aspect of it and the way the demons were with one another. I didn't see the twist coming - like, I knew there was something bigger but didn't know what it would be - and I loved all of the action too. Can't wait to read more!
]]> 222963330 Our agreement was strictly professional…until it wasn’t.

As an escort to the ultra-rich, I knew my place in the world. I’d mastered the art of blending in and keeping my true self—and my desires—hidden. When billionaire Eric Maxim hired me to be his date to an exclusive art show, I expected another impersonal arrangement. But Eric, with his piercing blue eyes and arrogant charm, was anything but ordinary.

Eric didn’t want complications. All he needed was a polished date for various events—not someone like me—a much younger woman who challenged him, exasperated him, and worst of all, made him feel.

Just as we were on the brink of something real, shadows from my past threatened to tear us apart. Would Eric and I find a way to overcome our fears and fight for the connection we never saw coming, or would doubt and betrayal destroy our chance at happiness?

Forbidden Desires is a steamy, age gap, billionaire romance about love, redemption, and finding the courage to truly be seen. One-click today to follow Jasmine and Eric’s story of love, betrayal and ultimately…happiness—HEA guaranteed!
]]> 386 Erika Wilde Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
Oh this was fun!!! It was steamy but also heartwarming and I was completely enthralled in Eric and Jasmine's story. We love a dual POV (just makes everything better) and just the way these two became so comfortable with one another (until they realized just how comfortable they were getting and things started to change).

Another great read by Wilde!]]> 4.40
author: Erika Wilde
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.40
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/20
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

Oh this was fun!!! It was steamy but also heartwarming and I was completely enthralled in Eric and Jasmine's story. We love a dual POV (just makes everything better) and just the way these two became so comfortable with one another (until they realized just how comfortable they were getting and things started to change).

Another great read by Wilde!
]]> 221251762 Teaming up with your neighbor during a zombie outbreak is a no-brainer, but if it turns out he’s a vampire . . . the stakes couldn’t be higher, in this infectious new paranormal romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Spoiler Alert.

When Edie Brandstrup attempts to save her sweet, seemingly harmless��human��neighbor from the first major zombie breach in two decades, �����’s stunned to be saved by��him—and his ridiculously large sword—instead.��As it turns out, he's actually a super-old, super-surly vampire.��But for all her neighbor's newly revealed cynicism and lethality, Gaston "Max" Boucher (yes, Gaston) is unexpectedly protective. He wants her to stay in his safety bunker until the breach is resolved. Edie can’t risk more innocent people getting killed, though—and Max won’t let her save them alone.

As they unravel a sinister conspiracy to set zombies loose on the world (again), the duo meet a host of lovable allies��and discover��they're not the only ones willing to��fight for the future of humanity.��Despite��the��awful timing, Edie finds herself falling for the vampire who’s helping her save the world . . . but all their dangerous plans could end��their��future��before it even��begins. As she and Max battle side by side, Edie must decide whether having a love worth living for also means having a love you'd die for—and, in a world that grows deadlier by the minute, whether that’s a risk �����’s willing to take.]]> 416 Olivia Dade 0593818202 Jenn 0 to-read 4.08 2025
author: Olivia Dade
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219301746 A hitmaking songwriter and a bitter musician share a startling and inexplicable connection that they’ll do anything to shake, in the next sparkling, magical book from Ashley Poston.

Joni Lark is living the dream. She’s one of the most coveted songwriters in LA…and she can’t seem to write. There’s an emptiness inside her, and nothing seems to fill it.

When she returns to her hometown of Vienna Shores, North Carolina, she hopes that the sand, the surf, and the concerts at The Revelry, her family’s music venue, will spark her inspiration. But when she gets there, nothing is how she left it. Her best friend is avoiding her, her mother’s memories are fading fast, and The Revelry is closing.

How can she think about writing her next song when everything is changing without her?

Until she hears it. A melody in her head, lyric-less and half-formed, and an alluring and addictive voice to go with it—belonging, apparently, to a wry musician with hangups of his own.

Surely, he’s a figment of her overworked imagination.

But then the very real man attached to the voice shows up in Vienna Shores. ���’s aggravating and gruff on the outside—nothing like the sweet, funny voice in Joni’s head—and he has a plan:

They’ll finish the song haunting them both, break their connection, and hope they don’t risk their hearts in the process.

Because that song stuck in their heads? Maybe it’s there for a reason.]]> 384 Ashley Poston 0593641000 Jenn 0 to-read 4.17 2025
author: Ashley Poston
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 110388 A funny thing happened...

Unlike most men of his acquaintance, Gregory Bridgerton believes in true love. And he is convinced that when he finds the woman of his dreams, he will know in an instant that she is the one. And that is exactly what happened. Except...

She wasn't the one. In fact, the ravishing Miss Hermione Watson is in love with another. But her best friend, the ever-practical Lady Lucinda Abernathy, wants to save Hermione from a disastrous alliance, so she offers to help Gregory win her over. But in the process, Lucy falls in love. With Gregory! Except...

Lucy is engaged. And her uncle is not inclined to let her back out of the betrothal, even once Gregory comes to his senses and realizes that it is Lucy, with her sharp wit and sunny smile, who makes his heart sing. And now, on the way to the wedding, Gregory must risk everything to ensure that when it comes time to kiss the bride, he is the only man standing at the altar...]]> 371 Julia Quinn 0060531258 Jenn 4 own 3.79 2006
author: Julia Quinn
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves: own
review:
This one was cute, but not my favorite of the bunch. It was weird to have Gregory changing his mind about who he loved but I did think the climax was very excting.
]]> 58750487
She remembered the words she had whispered to him in the back of the limo after La Rose. "You will worship me, and I won't even have to order you." His request felt sinful and devious, and she reveled in it.

She answered, "Yes."

---

Persephone is the Goddess of Spring in title only. Since she was a little girl, flowers have only shriveled at her touch. After moving to New Athens, she hoped to lead an unassuming life disguised as a mortal journalist. All of that changes when she sits down in a forbidden nightclub to play a hand of cards with a hypnotic and mysterious stranger.

Hades, God of the Dead, has built a gambling empire in the mortal world and his favorite bets are rumored to be impossible. But nothing has ever intrigued him as much as the goddess offering him a bargain he can't resist.

After her encounter with Hades, Persephone finds herself in a contract with the God of the Dead, and his terms are impossible: Persephone must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever. The bet does more than expose Persephone's failure as a goddess, however. As she struggles to sow the seeds of her freedom, love for the God of the Dead grows―a love that is both captivating and forbidden.]]> 379 Scarlett St. Clair 1728258456 Jenn 0 to-read 3.87 2019
author: Scarlett St. Clair
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 212431577 What would you do if you caught your brother cheating on your best friend?

While Beth is proud of her Malibu beach shop, Surf Sandwiches, she's even prouder of her charismatic brother, Rick, who rose from foster care all the way through surgical residency. She makes subs, he saves lives. Things takes a turn for the happy after she finds out Rick is dating her new best friend, Jana. Then Jana’s handsome brother adds even more sparkle to Beth’s days…and nights.

But when she catches Rick with another woman—like, with with—her visions of an idyllic family future disappear in one awful instant. Either she betrays her brother or she keeps his secret and risks losing the man she loves and her best friend.

Love and loyalty collide with secrets and betrayal in this witty and emotional tale about the lengths we’ll go to for family, from Susan Mallery, bestselling author of The Boardwalk Bookshop.]]> 384 Susan Mallery 1335402535 Jenn 0 to-read 3.70 2025
author: Susan Mallery
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217562358
I wanted this woman, and I was a man who always got what he wanted.

Nico 'Junior' Trocci knows Lauren Marchetti is off limits. She is sweetness and laughter, whereas Junior exists in a world of violence and depravity. Men like him don't get to have women like her. It's why he pushed her away back in high school and has kept his distance ever since.

But when Junior looks Lauren up online, he discovers the shy, bookish girl he remembers is gone. In her place is a strikingly beautiful woman whose social media is filled with scantily clad pictures of herself and a connection to a nearby play club. Junior's innocent curiosity quickly turns into a dark obsession. But watching Lauren from a distance isn't enough; he needs to make her his.

He's ruthless; a walking red flag. Good thing red is my favorite color.

Lauren is intrigued by the mystery man who keeps showing up at her club, who tempts her white-hot desires. But as their flirty online messages stir up a deeper form of connection, Lauren worries she's developing real feelings for this brooding stranger. As their combined desire ratchets up to a breaking point, who will seduce who? And will they survive the fall?

Caught Up is a fast-paced dark romance with a morally grey male lead. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the content warning at the beginning of the book.

]]> 326 Navessa Allen 1529442443 Jenn 0 to-read 4.24 2025
author: Navessa Allen
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 201017011 “I don’t need another kink.��

That thought pops into my head whenever I pull up my favorite social media app, but alas, every time I scroll, I learn something new about myself, and another one is born. And yes, I know I’m responsible for what the algorithm shows me, but I’m trying to ignore that fact.

Lately, my feed has been dominated by masked men. I’ve favorited videos with them dressed in full cosplay, decked out in futuristic military apparel, and wrapped up like ghouls.

But more than anything else, my FYP is filled with shirtless men wearing ghost masks. Bonus points if they’re heavily tattooed, wielding a knife, or covered in fake blood. At night, I dream about being chased by them, of them catching me and doing deliciously dark things to my more than willing body.

I never could have guessed that by sending one drunken text, those dreams would become my new reality.

Lights Out is a fast-paced dark romance with a morally grey male lead. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the TWs at the beginning of the book. ]]> 338 Navessa Allen Jenn 5 4.15 2024
author: Navessa Allen
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/27
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves:
review:
I completely loved this one! I listened to the audio book and got completely caught up in Josh and Allie's story. I was hooked from the get go and, considering I don't usually go for the darker romances, that was surprising. The love scenes were very spicy (as expected) but what I wasn't prepared for was the heart that these two had. Watching them fall for each other was something special and I can't wait to see what Navessa comes up with next!
]]> 110393
MEET OUR HERO...

Gareth St. Clair is in a bind. His father, who detests him, is determined to beggar the St. Clair estates and ruin his inheritance. Gareth's sole bequest is an old family diary, which may or may not contain the secrets of his past... and the key to his future. The problem is—it's written in Italian, of which Gareth speaks not a word.

MEET OUR HEROINE...

All the ton agreed: there was no one quite like Hyacinth Bridgerton. She's fiendishly smart, devilishly outspoken, and according to Gareth, probably best in small doses. But there's something about her—something charming and vexing—that grabs him and won't quite let go...

MEET POOR MR. MOZART...

Or don't. But rest assured, he's spinning in his grave when Gareth and Hyacinth cross paths at the annual—and annually discordant—Smythe-Smith musicale. To Hyacinth, Gareth's every word seems a dare, and she offers to translate his diary, even though her Italian is slightly less than perfect. But as they delve into the mysterious text, they discover that the answers they seek lie not in the diary, but in each other... and that there is nothing as simple—or as complicated—as a single, perfect kiss.]]> 384 Julia Quinn 006053124X Jenn 4 own 3.94 2005
author: Julia Quinn
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/22
date added: 2025/01/22
shelves: own
review:
Such a cute installment! It is odd to think of Hyacinth as the main character, especially since I'm mostly thinking of her age in the show, but I liked seeing who she becomes. I liked her relationship with Lady Danbury as well as her and Gareth figuring each other out. I can't tell how I feel about Gareth...definitely felt like he was a tad manipulative but also loved her, so I'm on the fence.
]]> 16054217 The #1 New York Times bestselling series finale and sequel to A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night

Bringing the magic and suspense of the All Souls Trilogy to a deeply satisfying conclusion, this highly anticipated finale went straight to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. In The Book of Life, Diana and Matthew time-travel back from Elizabethan London to make a dramatic return to the present—facing new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home, Sept-Tours, they reunite with the beloved cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency.]]> 561 Deborah Harkness 0670025593 Jenn 4 bea-2014, own, signed 4.15 2014
author: Deborah Harkness
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2014/07/15
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: bea-2014, own, signed
review:
What an ending! Everything about this book was terrific. I loved the twist on Gallowglass and realizing how much he has been affected. I also loved all of the twists and turns with children and the blood rage. The only part that really bugged me was that the end left me wanting. What happens to Diana? Is she going to become a vampire and die before everyone else? That really really really bugged me. Give me a conclusion!
]]> 40093255 A hilarious and nostalgic trip through the history of paperback pre-teen series of the '80s and '90s.

Every twenty- or thirty-something woman knows these books. The pink covers, the flimsy paper, the zillion volumes in the series that kept you reading for your entire adolescence. Spurred by the commercial success of Sweet Valley High and The Babysitters Club, these were not the serious-issue YA novels of the 1970s, nor were they the blockbuster books of the Harry Potter and Twilight ilk. They were cheap, short, and utterly beloved.

PAPERBACK CRUSH dives in deep to this golden age with affection, history, and a little bit of snark. Readers will discover (and fondly remember) girl-centric series on everything from correspondence (Pen Pals and Dear Diary) to sports (The Pink Parrots, Cheerleaders, and The Gymnasts) to a newspaper at an all-girls Orthodox Jewish middle school (The B.Y. Times) to a literal teen angel (Teen Angels: Heaven Can Wait, where an enterprising guardian angel named Cisco has to earn her wings “by helping the world’s sexist rock star.��) Some were blatant ripoffs of the successful series (looking at you, Sleepover Friends and The Girls of Canby Hall), some were sick-lit tearjerkers à la Love Story (Abby, My Love) and some were just plain perplexing (Uncle Vampire??) But all of them represent that time gone by of girl-power and endless sessions of sustained silent reading.

In six hilarious chapters (Friendship, Love, School, Family, Jobs, Terror, and Tragedy), Bustle Features Editor Gabrielle Moss takes the reader on a nostalgic tour of teen book covers of yore, digging deep into the history of the genre as well as the stories behind the best-known series.]]> 256 Gabrielle Moss 1683690788 Jenn 5 ebook, own 3.77 2018
author: Gabrielle Moss
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/10
date added: 2025/01/10
shelves: ebook, own
review:
This was so cute and so nostalgic and now I just want to spend a year reading all my old BSC/SVH books. Going from major theme to major theme in these books was great, the addition of important context was fabulous, the interjected interviews tied it together nicely. A great read if you were a mega reader of the 80s/90s YA lit.
]]> 222596698 Love brought them here. Darkness may destroy them.

Our historical Catalina Island retreat was supposed to be a dream come true. A charming cottage with a glamorous Hollywood history. A sanctuary where my billionaire husband, Damien Stark, and I can relax, reveling in our ever-growing love.

But the cottage hides a dark secret, and our tranquil paradise soon turns into a haunting nightmare. As shadows of jealousy and betrayal invade our lives and possess our souls, our already intense passion explodes. But now there is a tinge of violence. Of fear. And the walls seem to whisper of murder.

The darkness within these walls threatens to destroy everything we hold dear. And now Damien and I must find a way to break free of these nightmares before they tear us apart.]]> 115 J. Kenner 1958379174 Jenn 0 to-read, arc-netgalley 3.69
author: J. Kenner
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.69
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/06
shelves: to-read, arc-netgalley
review:

]]> 199531900
Part-time adult film actress/one-time adult film director/makeup artist Sunny Palmer has accidentally sold her very first screenplay to the Hope Channel. That was six months ago. Fast forward to a looming deadline, an uninspired Sunny has returned to the source of her inspiration in Christmas Notch, Vermont, to immerse herself in the local Christmas miracle on which her fever dream of a movie pitch was based.

Isaac Kelly, former boy band heartthrob and the saddest boy in the music biz, is the latest owner of the town’s historic mansion. After his years of heartbreak following his young wife’s death, Isaac’s record label is done waiting for new music. What better place to attempt his first holiday album than a snow-covered mansion where he can become a hermit in peace?

But after their best friends�� wedding leads to them waking up together in a freezing motel room with questionable wiring and a broken shower, Isaac takes a chance and asks Sunny to stay with him at his home. Surely the place is big enough that he’ll hardly see her or her unhinged cat. But when the two discover they’re both creatively blocked, they make a handshake deal: Isaac will help Sunny hunt down the truth behind the local lore, and Sunny will find Isaac a new muse.

And with these two opposites under one roof, there’s no way this jingle bell mingle could go off script…right?]]> 400 Julie Murphy 0063338211 Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
So cute to get this last member of Ink’s story. It broke my heart but also was just so sweet. Sad boy Isaac and Sunny (a bit on the nose with the name there) end up as roommates who had previously hooked up and it's not long before they want to try again. What follows is a wonderful story abut grief and loss, but also in helping each other grow and find success in their artistic endeavors. Plus...ya know...the heat.]]> 3.60 2024
author: Julie Murphy
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/28
date added: 2025/01/06
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

So cute to get this last member of Ink’s story. It broke my heart but also was just so sweet. Sad boy Isaac and Sunny (a bit on the nose with the name there) end up as roommates who had previously hooked up and it's not long before they want to try again. What follows is a wonderful story abut grief and loss, but also in helping each other grow and find success in their artistic endeavors. Plus...ya know...the heat.
]]> 110396 Everything was so much simpler... when he was wicked.

In every life there is a turning point. A moment so tremendous, so sharp and breathtaking, that one knows one's life will never be the same. For Michael Stirling, London's most infamous rake, that moment came the first time he laid eyes on Francesca Bridgerton.

After a lifetime of chasing women, of smiling slyly as they chased him, of allowing himself to be caught but never permitting his heart to become engaged, he took one look at Francesca Bridgerton and fell so fast and hard into love it was a wonder he managed to remain standing. Unfortunately for Michael, however, Francesca's surname was to remain Bridgerton for only a mere thirty-six hours longer—the occasion of their meeting was, lamentably, a supper celebrating her imminent wedding to his cousin.

But that was then... Now Michael is the earl and Francesca is free, but still she thinks of him as nothing other than her dear friend and confidant. Michael dares not speak to her of his love... until one dangerous night, when she steps innocently into his arms, and passion proves stronger than even the most wicked of secrets...]]> 368 Julia Quinn 0060531231 Jenn 5 own 3.96 2004
author: Julia Quinn
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2004
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/02
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves: own
review:
So cute! I really wish I had read this one before season 3 of Bridgerton so I could have been better set up but it was adorable and meaningful and the second epilogue was truly perfect.
]]> 195967140 A mind-bending, psychological thriller from Freida McFadden, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Housemaid!

Lesson #1: trust no one

Eve has a good life. She gets up each day, gets a kiss from her husband Nate, and heads off to teach math at the local high school. All is as it should be. Except��

Last year, Caseham High was rocked by a scandal involving a student-teacher affair, with one student, Addie, at its center. But Eve knows there is far more to these ugly rumors than meets the eye.

Addie can't be trusted. She lies. She hurts people. She destroys lives. At least, that's what everyone says.

But nobody knows the real Addie. Nobody knows the secrets that could destroy her. And Addie will do anything to keep it quiet.

From the New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden comes a story of twisting secrets and long-awaited revenge.]]> 379 Freida McFadden 1728296218 Jenn 4 3.82 2024
author: Freida McFadden
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/02
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves:
review:
I liked this one better than The Housemaid, but I feel like I'm in the minority. I enjoyed watching the story unfold, though wow, do I hate the characyers in her stories. Found myself wanting to immediately go back and reread it knowing what I do at the end!
]]> 60621070 An intoxicating and sparkling new romance by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.

Margot Noble needs some relief from the stress of running the family winery with her brother. Enter Luke: sexy, charming, and best of all in the too-small world of Napa, a stranger. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and Margot is delighted that she lucked into the perfect one-night stand she'll never have to see again. That is, until the winery's newest hire, Luke, walks in the next morning. Margot is determined to keep things purely professional, but when their every interaction reminds her of the attraction still bubbling between them, it proves to be much more challenging than she expects.

Luke Williams had it all, but when he quits his high-salary tech job in Silicon Valley in a blaze of burnout and moves back to Napa to help a friend, he realizes he doesn't want to tell the world--or his mom--why he's now working at a winery. His mom loves bragging about her successful son--how can he admit that the job she's so proud of broke him? Luke has no idea what is next for him, but one thing is certain: he wants more from the incredibly smart and sexy woman he hooked up with--even after he learns she's his new boss. But even if they can find a way to be together that wouldn't be an ethical nightmare, would such a successful woman really want a tech-world dropout?

Set against a lush backdrop of Napa Valley wine country, nothing goes to your head as fast as a taste of love--even if it means changing all your plans.]]> 400 Jasmine Guillory 0593100883 Jenn 5 own 3.46 2022
author: Jasmine Guillory
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves: own
review:
This is up there with my favorite of Jasmine's books! I don't know if it was my own recent trip to wine country or just the completely adorable story but I loved this one! It just felt like a truly fun book to become a part of.
]]> 61913618
Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption—yet, �����’s still not cool enough for the popular kids�� table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that’s how Celine sees it.)

These days, there’s nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, �����’s surprised to find Brad right beside her.

Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?]]> 336 Talia Hibbert 0593482360 Jenn 5 own 3.80 2023
author: Talia Hibbert
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/30
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves: own
review:
This was so cute! I loved the Brown Sisters books and was excited to read Talia’s YA. And this was so adorable! Friends to enemies to more? Sign me up! And Bradley and Celine were just utterly perfect in the best ways. I loved the friendships that developed and the way they leaned on their families.
]]> 210204150
There's only one problem: Everly may have a tiny crush on the dashing businessman. But despite the way Hardy makes her stomach flutter, she's determined to prove herself, both as a bridesmaid and as a matchmaker. That is, until she finds her crush turning into real feelings. Not to mention, Hardy can't help but notice how well he clicks with Everly, and before he knows it, he's not looking for his ex's attention anymore.

But even after their simmering attraction finally rises to the surface, they will have to contend with meddling friends, poor timing, and professional boundaries—and the risk that no one might get a second chance after all.]]> 496 Meghan Quinn 1728294398 Jenn 5 own 3.96 2024
author: Meghan Quinn
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/28
date added: 2024/12/28
shelves: own
review:
Oh goodness this was so good! I loved Everly and Hardy’s friendship and watching them really evolve into a wonderful pairing. He did piss me off at the end, but I just thoroughly loved it and once again, Quinn had me laughing out loud. Can’t wait for Hudson’s story!
]]> 55145261 A deeply moving and mind-expanding collection of personal essays in the first ever work of non-fiction from #1 internationally bestselling author John Green

The Anthropocene is the current geological age, in which human activity has profoundly shaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays adapted and expanded from his ground-breaking, critically acclaimed podcast, John Green reviews different facets of the human-centered planet - from the QWERTY keyboard and Halley's Comet to Penguins of Madagascar - on a five-star scale.

Complex and rich with detail, the Anthropocene's reviews have been praised as 'observations that double as exercises in memoiristic empathy', with over 10 million lifetime downloads. John Green's gift for storytelling shines throughout this artfully curated collection about the shared human experience; it includes beloved essays along with six all-new pieces exclusive to the book.]]> 304 John Green 0525555218 Jenn 0 to-read 4.37 2021
author: John Green
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 36350401
Sophia knows how to keep secrets, and how dangerous those secrets can be. Her family’s power and position are why people call her the principessa, but that’s also why �����’s tasked with investigating a gruesome crime.
Unable to solve the riddles the killer left behind, Sophia reaches out to an expert. Dr. James Rathmann shows up, guarded by modern-day knight Tristan. Both men are devastatingly sexy, wickedly smart, and deliciously protective. Sophia doesn’t need their protection, but the safety she feels when �����’s with them is all too alluring.
When clues reveal that this murder may only be the first of many, they find themselves in a game of cat and mouse and passion is put to the test when the killer sets his sights on the three of them.]]> 338 Mari Carr 1941641539 Jenn 0 to-read 4.27 2017
author: Mari Carr
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 206673322 She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other. From the author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the highly anticipated next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance featuring enemies to lovers and forced proximity.

Teddy Andersen doesn't have a plan. She's never needed one before. She's always been more of a go with the flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn't seem to be going her way this time. Her favorite vintage suede jacket has a hole in it, her sewing machine is broken, and her best friend just got engaged. Suddenly, everything feels like it's starting to change. Teddy's used to being a leader, but now she feels like she's getting left behind, wondering if the life she lives in the small town she loves is enough for her anymore.

Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He doesn't know what's taking care of his family's 8,000 acre ranch, or parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter, who is staying with him for the summer. Gus has always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he slips up, and he has to admit that he can't manage everything on his own. He needs help. His little sister's best friend, the woman he can't stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy's the only option he's got. Teddy decides to use the summer to try and figure out what she wants out of life. Gus, on the other hand, starts to worry that he'll never find what he needs. Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether or not to act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned?]]> 368 Lyla Sage 1529436729 Jenn 0 to-read 4.19 2024
author: Lyla Sage
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 123179008
For the first time in her life, Clementine “Emmy�� Ryder has no idea what �����’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. ���’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 Jenn 0 to-read 3.82 2023
author: Lyla Sage
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211200239 MEET BOOKTOK'S LATEST OBSESSION . . . DARK, FUNNY AND SUPER SPICY, CAN YOU HANDLE THE RIDE?

I want someone with a soul as black as night. Someone who would burn the world down for me and not lose a single minute of sleep over it.

Trauma nurse Aly escapes her hard-working days by thirsting after masked men online. To her, nothing could top the fantasy of her favorite tattooed and masked man hunting her down. But she never could have guessed that one drunken text would turn those dreams into reality . . .

I want things most people don't, craving darkness and depravity instead of light and love.

Josh has spent his life avoiding the limelight, but his online persona is another story. At night, he posts masked thirst traps for his millions of fans, until one follower catches his Aly.

Together, Aly and Josh live out their darkest fantasies, unaware that Aly has captured the attention of someone with far more sinister intentions. As Josh turns from predator to protector, he must ask himself how far he'll go for the woman he can't live without.

Lights Out is a fast-paced dark romance with a morally grey male lead. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to listeners. Please check the content warning at the beginning of the book.

Lights Out, New York Times bestseller, November 2024.]]> 416 Navessa Allen 1638932239 Jenn 0 to-read 4.20 2024
author: Navessa Allen
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62029778
Ramanu’s entire existence is making bargains. They’re a bargainer demon, after all. They’ve had their eye on Lenora for some time now, so they’re pleased when she summons them to help with her little thief problem…especially because it means spending time in close proximity with her.

Lenora thought she could get away with a bargain that didn’t require seven years of service, but when Ramanu informs her those are the terms, she decides to go it alone…even though the demon wants to tag along to the market. But as the clock ticks down and all Lenora’s attempts to reclaim her amulet fail, making a deal with Ramanu might be the only option she has��

And they might take her heart right along with her soul.

Author's note: For all tropes, tags, and CWs, please check the author website.]]> 132 Katee Robert Jenn 5 own 3.76 2022
author: Katee Robert
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
shelves: own
review:
Another great Katee read. This one is a quick little addition to the Shadow Market and we get a quick touch of Azazel who we've seen in their other books. I liked that Lenora was tough and that Ramanu was equally tough, but sweet. And I loved the way that their powers were described - how they saw was fascinating. Also just that heat I've known to expect and love from Katee.
]]> 62029794
Stheno the Fierce is the most feared of slayers, a Gorgon assassin sent to hunt terrifying beasts, but when her sister is kidnapped, she's forced to hunt a monster even she fears in order to get her back. The Dark Druid is a mysterious and powerful recluse who demands a human sacrifice each year to perform a ritual that drops the veil between the realms for Samhain. Stheno volunteers to be his sacrifice to get close enough to slay him with her lethal curse, but finds he's harder to kill than she could've imagined.

***
The Death God's Sacrifice is a spicy standalone monster romance perfect for spooky season, set in the shared world of the Peculiar Tastes series. CWs can be found at the beginning of the book.

It's that time of year, friends. The moon is full and Samhain approaches. Your invitation to the Shadow Market is here. Three days of magic, drama, seduction, and maybe just a dash of human sacrifice! Come through the portal and meet witches, demons, gorgons, mermaids, the fae, and even the odd human who's gotten turned around and ended up somewhere they shouldn't.]]> 148 Jenny Nordbak Jenn 5 own 3.75 2022
author: Jenny Nordbak
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/21
date added: 2024/12/21
shelves: own
review:
Well this was just fun!! When Stheno has to do one more job to get her sister to safety, she does not expect the Druid...the man/god known for his 'talents'. I loved watching how hard she was and how much she had to do to protect herself and then seeing her finally allowed to relax with him.
]]> 78133383
Winnie Baker did everything right. She married her childhood sweetheart, avoided the downfalls of adolescent stardom, and transitioned into a stable adult acting career. Hell, she even waited until marriage to have sex. But after her perfect life falls apart, Winnie is ready to redefine herself - and what better way than a steamier-than-a-steaming-hot-mug-of-cider Christmas movie?

With decade old Hollywood history between them, Winnie and Kallum are both feeling hesitant about their new situation as costars…especially Winnie who can’t seem to fake on screen pleasure �����’s never experienced in real life. She’s willing to do the pleasure research - for science and artistic authenticity, of course. And there’s no better research partner than her bridesmaid sex tape hall of fame costar, Kallum. But suddenly, Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie is bubbling to the surface and Winnie might be catching feelings herself.

They say opposites attract, but is this holly jolly ever after really ready for its close-up?

EVERYBODY LOVED A MERRY LITTLE MEET CUTE ’Funny and saucy, this certainly puts the X-rated into Xmas�� Heat

‘The audacity of this magical author duo to sneak in and steal Christmas in the sexiest way possible . . . the charming holiday romp you absolutely need in your life!��
TESSA BAILEY

‘The holiday romcom of my dreams! Sexy, progressive, hilarious, and full of good cheer��
HELEN HOANG

’A merry little masterpiece . . . this is a read for those who want a winter romcom but with some X-rated antics�� Metro ‘The holiday rom-com of your dreams!�� Cosmopolitan]]> 432 Julie Murphy 0063222647 Jenn 4 own 3.46 2023
author: Julie Murphy
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/21
date added: 2024/12/21
shelves: own
review:
This was such a fun read! We get spicy - I mean of course we do...you have a woman who's been sheltered her whole life about to film a more mature film and she turns to her costar for help. What follows is just a festive romp that made me wish that the Hallmark Channel would take a turn for the dark side. And to see Kallum really grow up during during this was great - I'm excited for Isaac's book!
]]> 125085763 From a bestselling Canadian author comes a delightful enemies-to-lovers holiday rom-com set in the quaint town of Maple Falls, about a city girl and a small-town boy who compete in the town's annual holiday games in order to win the right price for a Christmas shop, perfect for fans of The Hating Game and One Day in December.

One rivalry. Eight days until Christmas. Let the holiday games begin.

When LA-based real estate developer Bella Ross arrives in the sleepy, mountain town of Maple Falls, she has one mission: to acquire the local failing Christmas shop, Always Noelle, securing the promotion of her dreams. Nothing can get in her way. Except the shop owner’s stubborn grandson, Jesse Harrison.

Both refuse to budge, until an unlikely wager is struck: Bella and Jesse will compete in the Maple Falls Holiday Games, an annual tradition of eccentric feats of strength and skills. Winner decides the selling price. They’ll give each other a run for their money, but as the competition heats up, Bella and Jesse’s icy feelings toward each other begin to thaw. It’ll take a Christmas miracle for them to admit there’s a spark, but what if it’s just another game?]]> 350 Holly Cassidy 0593544064 Jenn 4 arc-netgalley
This was cute! When Bella heads to a small mountain town as a way to get ahead in her job, the last thing she expects is to become a part of the community. But in order to sign the deal and walk away with the property, she has to participate the town's Christmas games and before you know it, she's remembering all the joys of Christmas. Though there is some shady business stuff going on, I enjoyed this read.

P.S. it is fade to black]]> 3.60 2023
author: Holly Cassidy
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/20
date added: 2024/12/20
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This was cute! When Bella heads to a small mountain town as a way to get ahead in her job, the last thing she expects is to become a part of the community. But in order to sign the deal and walk away with the property, she has to participate the town's Christmas games and before you know it, she's remembering all the joys of Christmas. Though there is some shady business stuff going on, I enjoyed this read.

P.S. it is fade to black
]]> 102189639 Jingle all the way to Silver Bells, Wyoming, for the coziest holiday read of the season!

Clumsy, earnest baker Sylvie West has worked at the Christmas Café in Silver Bells, Wyoming, ever since her boozy eggnog fruitcake won the town’s annual holiday bakeoff fifteen years ago. Her forever happy place, the café compliments her sweet, well-ordered life with her roommates: recently-widowed Gramps and her yappy chihuahua-pug Crumpet.

When Sylvie learns the café might be sold, �����’s determined to put the Christmas Café on the map in a big way. Good thing the Holiday Channel* is filming in Silver Bells. And how perfect of bra-snatching Crumpet to have forced an awkward encounter with the film’s charming lead actor, Royce. When Gramps and Sylvie make a pact to be brave this Christmas, Sylvie knows just how to stretch her wings and save the Christmas Café in the process: get the film team to set a scene at the café!

Between her newfound acting gig, a booth at the Christmas Festival, an appearance at the Christmas Parade, and a budding romance with Royce, Sylvie has a lot on her plate. Good thing her old friend, gruff yet reliable Abe has just come back home to manage his parents�� goat farm. That is, until she catches herself feeling all too merry and bright in his presence. With a little help from family, friends, Crumpet, and the goat farmer down the way, Sylvie just might make this Christmas the sweetest �����’s ever had…]]> 315 Eliza Evans 0593544579 Jenn 0 to-read 3.49 2023
author: Eliza Evans
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 112972173
Tamsyn Bligh is not a witch, but she makes her living off of them. As a procurer and seller of magical items, Tamsyn’s business is not always above board, but �����’s been trying to fix that (mostly.) Bowen is an occasional customer—as well as the star of several of Tamsyn’s dirtiest dreams—but �����’s been around enough witches to know that, as a human, getting involved with one is not the smartest idea. She’s finagled an invite to the Witchy Wedding of the Century in the hopes of finally making a score big enough to retire. Just one priceless magical artifact from Tywyll House would set her up for life.

But Tamsyn isn’t the only one sneaking about in Tywyll House, and the mix of a very strong spell combined with a wedding mishap transports Bowen and Tamsyn into Tywyll House’s past, to the Yuletide Celebration of 1957. As Bowen and Tamsyn work together to get back to the present, they must also face off with the origins of Tywyll House’s haunting, the suspicions of their fellow witches…oh, and the fact that somewhere between the mistletoe and the bonfire, they might be falling in love.]]> 352 Erin Sterling 1035405342 Jenn 4 own 3.63 2024
author: Erin Sterling
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/18
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: own
review:
A Christmas Witchy book with time travel?!? Sign me up. I've been waiting to get to Bowen's story after hearing about him from his brothers and I just loved the way that he and Tamsyn made sense...even if they didn't. Though I would have appreciated a touch more explanation, I truly loved that they were able to reveal their feelings for one another...and time travel was really just a lovely magical part to this story.
]]> 203913185 A Cocky Kingmans story!

A Curvy Girl and a Hot Football Player, Stuck in a Snowstorm

Levi’s been looking forward to the Kingman family game night holiday edition.

Instead of hanging out with his family, he’s stuck in a snowstorm, when the power goes out, with only a faux bearskin rug and the cutest ever rental cabin hostess dressed only in her holiday jammies to keep him warm.

Yeah, this Christmas there’s more than a little anticipation in this Santa’s pants.]]> 52 Amy Award Jenn 3 3.34 2023
author: Amy Award
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.34
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/06
date added: 2024/12/06
shelves:
review:
A Kingman cousin. This was a very quick teaser and it definitely made me want more of their story.
]]> 210532883 So why is the one woman who is completely off limits knocking on my door?
Someone (my meddling brothers) told her I'm the love guru.
And she wants lessons in falling in love. Just not with me.
]]> 374 Amy Award Jenn 5 3.90 2024
author: Amy Award
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/06
date added: 2024/12/06
shelves:
review:
I love that this one was running concurrently with Willa and Hayes's story because we were definitely getting hints that there was more going on with Everett and Penelope. From the 'dating coach' to realizing what love is...to some very interesting moments that seem to reflect pop cultures (I see you snake emojis), this was great. And tbh, I want some of the dresses that Amy describes in this book...
]]> 65214066
When her older, carefree sister, Eustace—a cannabis grower in Boulder, calls to inform her the great aunt they never met has died and they must travel to a small town in Connecticut to deal with the estate, she sees an opportunity to unload the house and save herself.

But once there, the sisters learn they are getting much more than they bargained for. The Victorian mansion they stand to inherit is bound in a dynasty trust controlled by their late aunt's aging attorney who insists they inhabit the house and retain it but keeps them in the dark about the peculiar rituals of their ancestors. Not to mention a sexy, tattooed groundskeeper with a shrouded past who refuses to leave the carriage house and a crypt full of dead relatives looming at the property line.

As both women grapple with their current predicament, they come face to face with a haunting family secret, the truth of what happened to their mother, and the enemy that's been stalking them from the shadows for generations. In a twisting torrent of terror and blood, the sisters must uncover the power within them to heal their fractured relationship, reverse their mysteriously declining health, and claim the lineage they wanted to escape but now must embrace if they are to survive at Bone Hill.]]> 416 Ava Morgyn 1250835437 Jenn 0 own, to-read 3.66 2023
author: Ava Morgyn
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/05
shelves: own, to-read
review:

]]> 61054804 On the wheel of fortune, who will emerge on top... and who will die?

When Ann Stilwell arrives in New York City, she hopes to spend her summer working as a curatorial associate at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Instead, she finds herself assigned to The Cloisters, a gothic museum and garden renowned for its collection of medieval and Renaissance art.

There she is drawn into a small circle of charismatic but enigmatic researchers, including Patrick Roland, the museum's mercurial curator who specializes in the history of tarot; Rachel Mondray, Patrick's beautiful curatorial associate and sometime muse; and Leo Bitburg, the gardener who nurtures the museum's precious collection of medicinal and poison plants.

Relieved to have left her troubled past in rural Washington behind her, Ann longs for the approbation of her colleagues and peers and is happy to indulge their more outlandish theories, only to find that their fascination with fortune-telling runs deeper than academic obsession. Patrick is determined to prove that ancient divination holds the key to the foretelling of the future. And when Ann stumbles across a breakthrough in the form of a mysterious and previously-believed lost deck of 15th-century Italian tarot cards, she finds herself at the centre of a dangerous game of power, toxic friendship and ambition.

Then there is an unexpected and devastating death, and suddenly everyone becomes a suspect. As the game being played within the Cloisters spirals out of control, Ann must decide if the tarot cards can not only teach her about the past, but also about her future.]]> 387 Katy Hays 1668004402 Jenn 0 own, to-read 3.35 2022
author: Katy Hays
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.35
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/05
shelves: own, to-read
review:

]]> 48814109
It's 1913, and on the surface, Laura Lyons couldn't ask for more out of life--her husband is the superintendent of the New York Public Library, allowing their family to live in an apartment within the grand building, and they are blessed with two children. But headstrong, passionate Laura wants more, and when she takes a leap of faith and applies to the Columbia Journalism School, her world is cracked wide open. As her studies take her all over the city, she finds herself drawn to Greenwich Village's new bohemia, where she discovers the Heterodoxy Club--a radical, all-female group in which women are encouraged to loudly share their opinions on suffrage, birth control, and women's rights. Soon, Laura finds herself questioning her traditional role as wife and mother. But when valuable books are stolen back at the library, threatening the home and institution she loves, she's forced to confront her shifting priorities head on . . . and may just lose everything in the process.

Eighty years later, in 1993, Sadie Donovan struggles with the legacy of her grandmother, the famous essayist Laura Lyons, especially after she's wrangled her dream job as a curator at the New York Public Library. But the job quickly becomes a nightmare when rare manuscripts, notes, and books for the exhibit Sadie's running begin disappearing from the library's famous Berg Collection. Determined to save both the exhibit and her career, the typically risk-adverse Sadie teams up with a private security expert to uncover the culprit. However, things unexpectedly become personal when the investigation leads Sadie to some unwelcome truths about her own family heritage--truths that shed new light on the biggest tragedy in the library's history.]]> 354 Fiona Davis 1524744611 Jenn 0 own, to-read 3.83 2020
author: Fiona Davis
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/05
shelves: own, to-read
review:

]]> 56783258 When everything is lost, it’s our stories that survive.

How do we weather the end of things? Cloud Cuckoo Land brings together an unforgettable cast of dreamers and outsiders from past, present and future to offer a vision of survival against all odds.

Constantinople, 1453:
An orphaned seamstress and a cursed boy with a love for animals risk everything on opposite sides of a city wall to protect the people they love.

Idaho, 2020:
An impoverished, idealistic kid seeks revenge on a world that’s crumbling around him. Can he go through with it when a gentle old man stands between him and his plans?

Unknown, Sometime in the Future:
With her tiny community in peril, Konstance is the last hope for the human race. To find a way forward, she must look to the oldest stories of all for guidance.

Bound together by a single ancient text, these tales interweave to form a tapestry of solace and resilience and a celebration of storytelling itself. Like its predecessor All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr’s new novel is a tale of hope and of profound human connection.]]> 626 Anthony Doerr 1982168439 Jenn 0 book-gaffigans, own, to-read 4.24 2021
author: Anthony Doerr
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/05
shelves: book-gaffigans, own, to-read
review:

]]> 211148021 A new holiday enemies-to-lovers romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn.

Every Kringle in Kringletown celebrated Christmas a lot.

But Cole Black on Whistler Lane, unfortunately, did not.

As his fellow citizens decorate their quaint town, brimming with carols and glad tidings, Cole wants nothing more than to hibernate the winter away. But his dreary plans are thwarted when his Christmas nemesis, Storee Taylor, moves in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Immediately, the new neighbor turns his life into a real nightmare before Christmas, especially when she decides to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest in honor of Cindy. And better yet, Storee is determined to win.

Over Cole's dead body, she will. With help from his friend Max, Cole decides to enter the competition as well, to beat Storee at her own game by pretending that this hometown grump's heart has grown three sizes this season and he's fallen for the girl next door. And unfortunately for Storee, she has to follow his lead to have a chance at the Christmas Kringle title.

But the competition isn't the only thing that heats up. Cole and Storee's fake relationship becomes very real, and before they know it, they're attempting to hide it from Aunt Cindy. Things get complicated, the competition gets tough, and all it takes is one single night for someone to steal it all…]]> 480 Meghan Quinn 1464230153 Jenn 5 own 3.63 2024
author: Meghan Quinn
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/04
date added: 2024/12/04
shelves: own
review:
So sweet and festive and enemies to lovers and also second chance romance. I loved the premise of a Christmas town and a Grinch retelling and I always love a dual POV. I really appreciated that Max/Atlas was the sweet golden retriever and I really hope Quinn gives him his own story (maybe for next Christmas???). I will say I was a bit shocked at the ending and feel like maybe we could have used a touch more closure but another great read.
]]> 7487043 224 Johnny Saldaña 1847875491 Jenn 5 4.17 2009
author: Johnny Saldaña
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/02
date added: 2024/12/02
shelves:
review:
Very helpful while crafting my methodology section.
]]> 225078
Drawing on years of teaching and field research experience, the authors develop a series of guidelines, suggestions, and practical advice about how to write useful fieldnotes in a variety of settings, both cultural and institutional. Using actual unfinished, "working" notes as examples, they illustrate options for composing, reviewing, and working fieldnotes into finished texts. They discuss different organizational and descriptive strategies, including evocation of sensory detail, synthesis of complete scenes, the value of partial versus omniscient perspectives, and of first person versus third person accounts. Of particular interest is the author's discussion of notetaking as a mindset. They show how transforming direct observations into vivid descriptions results not simply from good memory but more crucially from learning to envision scenes as written. A good ethnographer, they demonstrate, must learn to remember dialogue and movement like an actor, to see colors and shapes like a painter, and to sense moods and rhythms like a poet.

The authors also emphasize the ethnographer's core interest in presenting the perceptions and meanings which the people studied attach to their own actions. They demonstrate the subtle ways that writers can make the voices of people heard in the texts they produce. Finally, they analyze the "processing" of fieldnotes--the practice of coding notes to identify themes and methods for selecting and weaving together fieldnote excerpts to write a polished ethnography.

This book, however, is more than a "how-to" manual. The authors examine writing fieldnotes as an interactive and interpretive process in which the researcher's own commitments and relationships with those in the field inevitably shape the character and content of those fieldnotes. They explore the conscious and unconscious writing choices that produce fieldnote accounts. And they show how the character and content of these fieldnotes inevitably influence the arguments and analyses the ethnographer can make in the final ethnographic tale.

This book shows that note-taking is a craft that can be taught. Along with Tales of the Field and George Marcus and Michael Fisher's Anthropology as Cultural Criticism , Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes is an essential tool for students and social scientists alike.]]> 272 Robert M. Emerson 0226206815 Jenn 4 3.81 1995
author: Robert M. Emerson
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1995
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/02
date added: 2024/12/02
shelves:
review:
Helpful while crafting my methodology section.
]]> 42938034 Completing Your Qualitative Dissertation offers comprehensive step-by-step guidance and practical tools for navigating the personal and professional challenges that can arise during the qualitative dissertation journey. Authors Linda Dale Bloomberg and Maria Volpe skillfully blend the conceptual, theoretical, and practical, empowering readers to successfully master both the content and the process of their qualitative dissertations.

The Fourth Edition has been thoroughly updated to respond to developments in the field, allowing the book to have wider application for dissertation work within the evolving world of qualitative inquiry. Included in this edition is a new chapter titled Achieving Alignment Throughout Your Dissertation, a greater focus on how all qualitative traditions can encompass activist research and social justice inquiry, and enhanced coverage on the role of the researcher, emphasizing the importance of reflexivity and approaching research critically.
]]> 456 Linda Dale Bloomberg 1544336500 Jenn 5 4.83
author: Linda Dale Bloomberg
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.83
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/02
date added: 2024/12/02
shelves:
review:
Very helpful while crafting my methodology section.
]]> 61152227 Sharan Elizabeth Jenn 5 3.97
author: Sharan Elizabeth
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/02
date added: 2024/12/02
shelves:
review:
Very helpful while crafting my methodology section.
]]> 178917522 312 Irving Seidman Jenn 5 4.50
author: Irving Seidman
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/02
date added: 2024/12/02
shelves:
review:
Very helpful while crafting my methodology section.
]]> 19262878 229 Maxwell Joseph A. 1452285837 Jenn 5 4.10 2012
author: Maxwell Joseph A.
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/02
date added: 2024/12/02
shelves:
review:
Very helpful while crafting my methodology section.
]]> 205878607 He knows how to score a touchdown.
But he's never scored... with a woman.

She knows nothing about football, but she does like his tight end.
So do her cats.
Her older brother (by two whole minutes) does not.

The next book in the Cocky Kingmans series will have you swooning and wishing you were a part of the Kingman family all over again.]]> 318 Amy Award Jenn 4 3.85
author: Amy Award
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.85
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/30
date added: 2024/11/30
shelves:
review:
It was interesting to jump down to one of the younger Kingman's but after hearing all about how 'perfect' Hayes was, I'm glad we got his story. There was a bit of insta-love going on so something to note there, but this was so so much hotter than the first two. Listening to the audio book, I just froze while cleaning...was NOT expecting it to go there but just another example of Award knowing how to write her characters. To get across how much I enjoy these books, my monthly alloted audio hours expired in the middle and I RACED to add more. I'm also very excited for the next Kingman story because this one has been building and it's been fun to see it build.
]]> 199217532
Kelsey Best is America's pop sweetheart and anyone who says they don't like her music is a liar and needs to be punched in the nads. And I'll do it too, because I'm the guy the NFL dubbed the 'meanest player in the league.' Great for my career on the field, not so much for my reputation off it.

So I'm shocked as hell when Kelsey's team sends my agent a wild idea �� they want a showmance between us. She's looking to dodge the media frenzy after her breakup with Hollywood's latest heartthrob, and I apparently fit the bill as her perfect distraction. My agent is convinced this fake dating stunt is the key to fixing my image.

But what happens when I fall for her? The whole world is going to hate me when we fake break up. But she's going to create a blank space in my heart and I don't think I'm going to be able to shake it off.

This plus-size curvy girl romance has a burnt cinnamon roll hero with a mean protective streak and a baddie plus-size pop star who is on the verge of burn out. But a Bridgertons-meets-American-Football family you'll wish you were a part of will make sure they get their happy ever after.]]> 420 Amy Award Jenn 5 3.81 2024
author: Amy Award
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/26
date added: 2024/11/26
shelves:
review:
Oh I loved this one even more! It was very obviously Tayvis fan fiction but I completely adored every moment. From their meeting to how protective Declan was, I loved every minute of it. It was Declan being 'mean' and knowing something bigger was going on with Kelsey. It was the way that they made us wait for more...IT WAS THAT EPILOGUE. Really really loving this series. I've already started book 3.
]]> 210239690 A free-spirited proposal planner and a grumpy professor form a hilarious and unexpected situationship that just might lead to more in this steamy romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.

Dog groomer and budding marriage-proposal planner Destiny Amor believes in true love and happily ever afters. Though it’s not in the stars for her yet—honestly, who can live up to the criteria on her Mr. Right Checklist?—she wants it for others. When Destiny’s first misguided attempt at romance concierge ends in disaster, �����’s ready to call it quits, until the supposed groom-to-be steps in with a proposal of his own.

Ryan “Fletch�� Fletcher, a divorced-and-never-going-there-again professor, needs to get his matchmaking family off his back, and the disorganized, too-in-love-with-love proposal planner is the perfect solution. He offers to help Destiny get her business on track, if she’ll play the part of his adoring girlfriend at his brother’s wedding.

A professional situationship with her grumpy dog-grooming client? Destiny adores his pup, and she could put up with him to get her business off the ground. With any luck, she might even get that chip about love off his shoulder.]]> 281 Melissa Foster 1662507968 Jenn 4 arc-netgalley
How freaking cute! It had been a minute since I read one of Melissa's books that wasn't part of the Whiskeys/Dark Knights series and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this one. A hopeless romantic who only wants to help people have the most romantic moments and someone who is romance averse? Sign me up. Watching Fletch and Destiny come together was so fun. Yes, they were the complete opposite of one another, but as Fletch worked to help Destiny's business thrive, the two became something more. I was getting annoyed by how sweet Fletch was being, especially given that this was all about fake dating, but I loved the choices he was making to support her.]]> 4.29 2024
author: Melissa Foster
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/24
date added: 2024/11/24
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

How freaking cute! It had been a minute since I read one of Melissa's books that wasn't part of the Whiskeys/Dark Knights series and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this one. A hopeless romantic who only wants to help people have the most romantic moments and someone who is romance averse? Sign me up. Watching Fletch and Destiny come together was so fun. Yes, they were the complete opposite of one another, but as Fletch worked to help Destiny's business thrive, the two became something more. I was getting annoyed by how sweet Fletch was being, especially given that this was all about fake dating, but I loved the choices he was making to support her.
]]> 62060274 absorvem o que os rodeia, e ela tem a capacidade de o sentir.
Quando encontra dois belos volumes que parecem nunca ter sido publicados, a descoberta rapidamente se transforma em obsessão.
Cada um deles contém uma acusação marcante, e os seus autores, Hemi e Belle, recontam lados opostos de um romance trágico.
Determinada a descobrir a verdade por trás desta infeliz história de amor, Ashlyn embarca num mistério literário feito de traições aparentemente imperdoáveis. Quanto mais descobre sobre os dois
amantes, mais perto chega de encerrar finalmente a dramática história de amor �� e os capítulos inacabados da sua própria vida.
Uma história dentro de outra história, e com um toque de realismo mágico, O eco dos livros antigos é um romance inesquecível e perfeito para todos os apaixonados pelos livros.]]> 431 Barbara Davis 1542038154 Jenn 0 to-read, book-gaffigans 4.27 2023
author: Barbara Davis
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/23
shelves: to-read, book-gaffigans
review:

]]> 63318188 Always the nerdy girl, never the girlfriend~
Until her cocky best friend and his *ahem* rooster take charge.

Look, I've had it bad for the girl with all the curves next door forever. She turned me down in high school and since I'm not a total douchecanoe, I lusted after her all by myself in my shower, and we stayed just friends for years.

Now she's the adorkable librarian next door and I'm the star quarterback of the best pro football team in the league.
So when she asks me to be her fake date to her all-girls school reunion I am totally down to show her off to the mean girls who bullied her back then so they can see just how incredible she is.
I'll be the best boyfriend they've ever seen. The best fake boyfriend that is.

Until I find out from her slightly-stalkery classmates that she still has her v-card. I don't see how that is even possible. Not with how sexy and sweet she is. Could it be because she knows she belongs with me?

This curvy girl and football quarterback sports romance has a baddie plus-size woman who knows her own worth and a Bridgertons-meets-American-Football family you'll wish you were a part of.]]> 296 Amy Award Jenn 4 3.72 2023
author: Amy Award
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/04
date added: 2024/11/04
shelves:
review:
Well that was fun! There were so many important messages in this one but watching Chris and Trixie realize they're perfect for each other was the best part. I loved that his family was so involved and that there were so many people supporting her and them as a couple. It's also always good to see a little comeuppance ;)
]]> 201145828
Talk Wicked to Me may be enjoyed as a standalone romance or as part of the larger series. No cliffhangers, no cheating, and a happily ever after that will leave you breathless.

Tropes: Pregnant heroine, single-parent, small-town romance, found family, biker family, close proximity, protective hero, he falls first, strangers to lovers, slow burn, chance meeting, golden-retriever hero, romance with animals.

**

Between expanding his veterinary practice, commitments with his motorcycle club, and international travel plans, Baz Wicked has little time for anything else. When a beautiful, frantic pregnant woman barges into his office for help with her dog, he senses something is off, and he’s drawn to her in ways he shouldn’t be. But now he can’t get Emerson Lockhart out of his head.

Having a baby wasn’t in Emerson’s plans, but neither was tragically losing her parents more than a decade ago, when she was only a teenager. After all �����’s been through, leaving the chaos of New York City and moving to the peaceful small town of Bayside while on the cusp of giving birth was a piece of cake. She’s used to handling things on her own, but when an unexpected emergency brings the charming vet—who makes her remember �����’s more than a mother-to-be—back into her life, �����’s grateful for his help but wary of his friendship.

Emerson knows how quickly the people she cares about can be stolen away, and she never wants to experience that devastation again. But the fiercely loyal, protective biker isn’t easily dissuaded. Passion ignites and affections run deep, but when their pasts collide and Baz’s demons are revealed, will it douse their flames, or can true love prevail?

**

About The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside
Set on the sandy shores of Cape Cod, the Wickeds feature fiercely protective heroes, strong heroines, and unbreakable family bonds. If you think bikers are all the same, you haven’t met the Dark Knights. The Dark Knights are a motorcycle club, not a gang. Their members stick together like family and will stop at nothing to keep their communities safe. These men are wickedly alpha and intensely loyal, but they are not alphaholes.

**

Want more WICKED sexy love stories?A Little Bit WickedThe Wicked Aftermath
Crazy, Wicked Love
The Wicked Truth
His Wicked Ways

Meet the DARK KNIGHTS AT PEACEFUL HARBOR
Now available for your binge-reading pleasure!
Tru Blue
Truly, Madly, Whiskey
Driving Whiskey Wild
Wicked Whiskey Love
Mad About Moon
Taming My Whiskey
The Gritty Truth
In for a Penny
Running on Diesel

Find out more about these and many other steamy romance series in Melissa Foster’s big-family contemporary romance collection, Love in Bloom, featuring characters from all walks of life, from billionaires to blue-collar workers. You’ll love her fun, sexy, and relatable characters, and their real-life issues. Best of all, there is never any cheating or any cliffhangers, and you’re always guaranteed a happily ever after.

"Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely

"Melissa Foster writes worlds that draw you in, with strong heroes and brave heroines surrounded by a community that makes you want to crawl right on through the page and live there. - NYT bestseller Julia Kent

"When it comes to contemporary romances with realistic characters, an emotional love story and smokin' hot sex, author Melissa Foster always delivers!" The Romance Reviews"

I highly recommend the Snow Sisters all the Braden and Remington books....They remind me of the McCarthy of Gansett series and The Green Mountain series." - I Love NY, Reviewer

"Foster writes characters that are complex and loyal, and each new story brings further depth and development to a redefined concept of family." - RT Book Reviews
]]> 426 Melissa Foster Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
Oh this one tugged at my heart strings! And honestly, my only issue?...Baz is too perfect, Melissa! What are you doing to us!

Anyway when a very pregnant Emerson comes in to the vet clinic, there was no way to know that her and Baz's lives would come together as perfectly as they did. Watching them find each other, watching Emerson find her new found family, watching them raise that little boy. All beautiful moments. And I think what I like best is that Foster doesn't put her characters through breakups - yes, they have trials and tribulations, but in ways that make sense.

Can't wait for the next one after that cliffhanger (not about Baz/Emerson)!]]> 4.59 2024
author: Melissa Foster
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.59
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/10/30
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

Oh this one tugged at my heart strings! And honestly, my only issue?...Baz is too perfect, Melissa! What are you doing to us!

Anyway when a very pregnant Emerson comes in to the vet clinic, there was no way to know that her and Baz's lives would come together as perfectly as they did. Watching them find each other, watching Emerson find her new found family, watching them raise that little boy. All beautiful moments. And I think what I like best is that Foster doesn't put her characters through breakups - yes, they have trials and tribulations, but in ways that make sense.

Can't wait for the next one after that cliffhanger (not about Baz/Emerson)!
]]> 217108838
An enemies-to-lovers spicy romance set in the world of video gaming from the bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis—available only in audio!

Viola Bowen has the chance of a lifetime: to design a video game based on her all-time favorite book series. The only problem? Her co-lead is Jesse F-ing Andrews, a.k.a. her arch-nemesis. Jesse has made it abundantly clear over the years that he wants nothing to do with her–and Viola has no idea why.

When their bosses insist a wintery retreat is the perfect team-building exercise, Viola can’t think of anything worse. Being freezing cold in a remote mountain lodge knowing Jesse is right next door? No, thank you.

But as the snow piles on, Viola discovers there’s more to Jesse than she knew, and heat builds in more ways than one.]]> 5 Ali Hazelwood Jenn 5 3.55 2024
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/07
date added: 2024/10/07
shelves:
review:
This was my first audio back in a very long time and honestly? A great one to get back into things. It was short and quick, but with that nerdy heat that I've come to expect and love from Ali Hazelwood. I loved the premise of these two companies coming together and this sort of, enemies-to-lovers (if we could call it that), energy between Jesse and Viola. Definitely took some getting used to hearing the spicy stuff outloud, but I'm looking forward to more e-books.
]]> 40852256 308 Rachel Lacey 1641970553 Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
Well this was just a lot of fun. When Elle and her friends win the chance to be property managers for a real-live castle, they can't wait to see their vision come to life. The problem is that Theo, a real Earl and the new owner of the castle, wants to sell. What comes next is a fun read as Elle, Megan, and Ruby try to get their hotel on its feet, while also trying to prove that it's a viable business. Add in the fact that Elle and Theo have off-the-charts chemistry and it isn't long before the castle starts to feel a lot like home.

I really enjoyed the friendship that the three girls had, but I wish we had a bit more with them before we dove into their new adventure. I also wish we got more with Theo and his friends - having more background on our H/h always makes the read a bit more enjoyable. It did feel like there was a lot that Lacey was putting into this one - an Earl trying to earn his place while deciding how much of his family's troubled past to share, a girl who's never felt like she belonged, foster pets, etc. I'm not sure if all of this added to my enjoyment of the story or distracted me from the main event. Either way, I enjoyed this read a lot.

I'm looking forward to see what comes next, especially if that means that Ruby and Megan get a little loving of their own.

Merged review:

Received an ARC for an honest review.

Well this was just a lot of fun. When Elle and her friends win the chance to be property managers for a real-live castle, they can't wait to see their vision come to life. The problem is that Theo, a real Earl and the new owner of the castle, wants to sell. What comes next is a fun read as Elle, Megan, and Ruby try to get their hotel on its feet, while also trying to prove that it's a viable business. Add in the fact that Elle and Theo have off-the-charts chemistry and it isn't long before the castle starts to feel a lot like home.

I really enjoyed the friendship that the three girls had, but I wish we had a bit more with them before we dove into their new adventure. I also wish we got more with Theo and his friends - having more background on our H/h always makes the read a bit more enjoyable. It did feel like there was a lot that Lacey was putting into this one - an Earl trying to earn his place while deciding how much of his family's troubled past to share, a girl who's never felt like she belonged, foster pets, etc. I'm not sure if all of this added to my enjoyment of the story or distracted me from the main event. Either way, I enjoyed this read a lot.

I'm looking forward to see what comes next, especially if that means that Ruby and Megan get a little loving of their own.]]> 3.97 2018
author: Rachel Lacey
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/10/03
date added: 2024/09/30
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

Well this was just a lot of fun. When Elle and her friends win the chance to be property managers for a real-live castle, they can't wait to see their vision come to life. The problem is that Theo, a real Earl and the new owner of the castle, wants to sell. What comes next is a fun read as Elle, Megan, and Ruby try to get their hotel on its feet, while also trying to prove that it's a viable business. Add in the fact that Elle and Theo have off-the-charts chemistry and it isn't long before the castle starts to feel a lot like home.

I really enjoyed the friendship that the three girls had, but I wish we had a bit more with them before we dove into their new adventure. I also wish we got more with Theo and his friends - having more background on our H/h always makes the read a bit more enjoyable. It did feel like there was a lot that Lacey was putting into this one - an Earl trying to earn his place while deciding how much of his family's troubled past to share, a girl who's never felt like she belonged, foster pets, etc. I'm not sure if all of this added to my enjoyment of the story or distracted me from the main event. Either way, I enjoyed this read a lot.

I'm looking forward to see what comes next, especially if that means that Ruby and Megan get a little loving of their own.

Merged review:

Received an ARC for an honest review.

Well this was just a lot of fun. When Elle and her friends win the chance to be property managers for a real-live castle, they can't wait to see their vision come to life. The problem is that Theo, a real Earl and the new owner of the castle, wants to sell. What comes next is a fun read as Elle, Megan, and Ruby try to get their hotel on its feet, while also trying to prove that it's a viable business. Add in the fact that Elle and Theo have off-the-charts chemistry and it isn't long before the castle starts to feel a lot like home.

I really enjoyed the friendship that the three girls had, but I wish we had a bit more with them before we dove into their new adventure. I also wish we got more with Theo and his friends - having more background on our H/h always makes the read a bit more enjoyable. It did feel like there was a lot that Lacey was putting into this one - an Earl trying to earn his place while deciding how much of his family's troubled past to share, a girl who's never felt like she belonged, foster pets, etc. I'm not sure if all of this added to my enjoyment of the story or distracted me from the main event. Either way, I enjoyed this read a lot.

I'm looking forward to see what comes next, especially if that means that Ruby and Megan get a little loving of their own.
]]> 25813123 Once upon a time, Faith Sullivan dreamed of being a famous painter who lived in an apartment overlooking Central Park. Unfortunately, life had other ideas... At 26, Faith's still running, working and living at Sully’s, her family’s traditional Irish pub in Brooklyn with her stubborn, ailing father. And she was perfectly fine with her lot until suddenly her three best friends each found their prince, and her own happily ever after seemed like another dream lost. Until one day a long, tall Australian walks into her bar and her loved-up besties decided to play Fairy Godmothers. Ex pro-surfer turned beer baron, Rafael Quartermaine is in New York for a month on business. ���’s looking for a pub to launch Baron lager on the American market and Sully’s is perfect. All he has to do is convince Faith, the traditionalist, to say yes. And once he’s done that, maybe he can convince her that all work and no play makes Faith a dull girl. Faith’s connection to her family and Sully’s is absolute, and Raf’s business drive and itchy feet aren’t conducive to long term, so it should be an easy break when duty calls Faith back into the fold on the evening of the ball. But running out on the baron is harder than she ever imagined�� Will their fling sizzle out, or become something more? The Fairy Tales of New York series Book 1: Pursued by the Rogue by Kelly Hunter Book 2: Tempting the Knight by Heidi Rice Book 3: Taming of the Beast by Lucy King Book 4: Seduced by the Baron by Amy Andrews]]> 120 Amy Andrews 1942240813 Jenn 4 arc-netgalley
Adorable ending to the series and a hot Australian to boot. I'm glad Faith finally cut the apron strings and that her brothers stepped up after so many years. Also, I really want to see that wine label because I can picture it in my head and I would drink any wine in that bottle. And Raf? Sexy name, sexy guy. All around a good deal with a Cinderella-esque twist.

Merged review:

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Adorable ending to the series and a hot Australian to boot. I'm glad Faith finally cut the apron strings and that her brothers stepped up after so many years. Also, I really want to see that wine label because I can picture it in my head and I would drink any wine in that bottle. And Raf? Sexy name, sexy guy. All around a good deal with a Cinderella-esque twist.]]> 4.12 2015
author: Amy Andrews
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/11/23
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Adorable ending to the series and a hot Australian to boot. I'm glad Faith finally cut the apron strings and that her brothers stepped up after so many years. Also, I really want to see that wine label because I can picture it in my head and I would drink any wine in that bottle. And Raf? Sexy name, sexy guy. All around a good deal with a Cinderella-esque twist.

Merged review:

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Adorable ending to the series and a hot Australian to boot. I'm glad Faith finally cut the apron strings and that her brothers stepped up after so many years. Also, I really want to see that wine label because I can picture it in my head and I would drink any wine in that bottle. And Raf? Sexy name, sexy guy. All around a good deal with a Cinderella-esque twist.
]]> 50879673 A frosty television host, a bubbly bar owner, and a litter of abandoned kittens. The recipe for ratings gold...or heartbreak?

Eve Marlow has her eyes on the a third season of her popular business makeover show, Do Over. But when her ratings take an unexpected dive, Eve needs a blockbuster new client, or she can kiss season three goodbye. She has her work cut out for her, and that’s before she discovers a litter of newborn kittens in a trash can. Now �����’s desperate to find someone to take them so she can concentrate on reviving her career.

Josie Swanson had to put her kitten rescue on the back burner when she inherited her father’s bar two years ago. Since then, �����’s invested all her time and energy into keeping it afloat, but despite her best efforts, Swanson’s is going under. When she gets a phone call from Eve Marlow, host of the television show Josie applied to earlier that year, the woman �����’s convinced can save her bar, Josie hopes her luck has finally turned.

Eve knows what she needs to succeed, and it isn’t Josie—or her bar. There’s no denying the chemistry sizzling between them, though. Josie’s personality is as vibrant as her turquoise-tipped hair. She stirs things in Eve that haven’t been stirred in a long time, but there’s a reason she keeps her heart under lock and key. Eve stands to lose a lot more than her TV show if she lets her guard down, no matter how tempted she is to see if Josie’s love would be worth the risk.]]> 322 Rachel Lacey 1732151962 Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
This was a really enjoyable read. The chemistry between Eve and Josie was off the charts and the entire premise was just enjoyable. The two come together when Eve finds a litter of abandoned newborn kittens and a google search sends her to Josie. Before you know it, Eve is helping Josie renovate her bar, despite the fact that bars bring up the very worst kind of memories.

Lacey wrote real characters. They were fleshed out and I found myself feeling for them. I cheered for them to get together and my heart broke when they had trouble. And the kittens were the icing on the cake. I don't even like cats, yet they were adorable and the way Eve found herself so invested in them was perfect. A great read.

Merged review:

Received an ARC for an honest review.

This was a really enjoyable read. The chemistry between Eve and Josie was off the charts and the entire premise was just enjoyable. The two come together when Eve finds a litter of abandoned newborn kittens and a google search sends her to Josie. Before you know it, Eve is helping Josie renovate her bar, despite the fact that bars bring up the very worst kind of memories.

Lacey wrote real characters. They were fleshed out and I found myself feeling for them. I cheered for them to get together and my heart broke when they had trouble. And the kittens were the icing on the cake. I don't even like cats, yet they were adorable and the way Eve found herself so invested in them was perfect. A great read.]]> 4.31 2020
author: Rachel Lacey
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/04/17
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

This was a really enjoyable read. The chemistry between Eve and Josie was off the charts and the entire premise was just enjoyable. The two come together when Eve finds a litter of abandoned newborn kittens and a google search sends her to Josie. Before you know it, Eve is helping Josie renovate her bar, despite the fact that bars bring up the very worst kind of memories.

Lacey wrote real characters. They were fleshed out and I found myself feeling for them. I cheered for them to get together and my heart broke when they had trouble. And the kittens were the icing on the cake. I don't even like cats, yet they were adorable and the way Eve found herself so invested in them was perfect. A great read.

Merged review:

Received an ARC for an honest review.

This was a really enjoyable read. The chemistry between Eve and Josie was off the charts and the entire premise was just enjoyable. The two come together when Eve finds a litter of abandoned newborn kittens and a google search sends her to Josie. Before you know it, Eve is helping Josie renovate her bar, despite the fact that bars bring up the very worst kind of memories.

Lacey wrote real characters. They were fleshed out and I found myself feeling for them. I cheered for them to get together and my heart broke when they had trouble. And the kittens were the icing on the cake. I don't even like cats, yet they were adorable and the way Eve found herself so invested in them was perfect. A great read.
]]> 50173778 They couldn’t be more different. Or more perfect for each other.

New York Times bestselling author Shannon Stacey returns with a warm and cozy opposites-attract Christmas story.

Zoe Randall is busy living her life as she damn well pleases. She’s back in her favorite town, her divorce in her rearview mirror, and living out her childhood dream of running a bookstore with her cousin. She has no interest in the uptight nerd who opened his boring-ass business next to her shop…until he complains about one of her sexy window displays.

Then it’s game on.

Preston Wheeler knows he takes life a little too seriously. But when the saucy bookseller next door starts pushing his buttons, he can feel that changing. Beautiful, vivacious Zoe challenges him in all the best ways, and soon he’s pushing her buttons right back: teasing and flirting all the way through the holiday season.

As Preston loosens up and Zoe is treated to the man behind the suit (particularly his forearms), she realizes �����’s more interested than she cares to admit. And Preston comes to see the beauty—the absolute delight—in adding Zoe’s bright splashes of color to his once very black-and-white existence.]]> 118 Shannon Stacey 1488059764 Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
Zoe's story was soooo cute! After hearing about her in Carly's book, I was eager to know more about her, her divorce, and whatever guy was lucky enough to catch her eye. Shannon Stacey did not disappoint. Both Zoe and Preston are dealing with baggage about how they're perceived. She for being a little too "passionate" and he for being a little too predictable. What came next was a fun read that had heat, but it was the chemistry between these two that really made it special.

I really loved this one.

Merged review:

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Zoe's story was soooo cute! After hearing about her in Carly's book, I was eager to know more about her, her divorce, and whatever guy was lucky enough to catch her eye. Shannon Stacey did not disappoint. Both Zoe and Preston are dealing with baggage about how they're perceived. She for being a little too "passionate" and he for being a little too predictable. What came next was a fun read that had heat, but it was the chemistry between these two that really made it special.

I really loved this one.]]> 3.99 2019
author: Shannon Stacey
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/11/13
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Zoe's story was soooo cute! After hearing about her in Carly's book, I was eager to know more about her, her divorce, and whatever guy was lucky enough to catch her eye. Shannon Stacey did not disappoint. Both Zoe and Preston are dealing with baggage about how they're perceived. She for being a little too "passionate" and he for being a little too predictable. What came next was a fun read that had heat, but it was the chemistry between these two that really made it special.

I really loved this one.

Merged review:

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Zoe's story was soooo cute! After hearing about her in Carly's book, I was eager to know more about her, her divorce, and whatever guy was lucky enough to catch her eye. Shannon Stacey did not disappoint. Both Zoe and Preston are dealing with baggage about how they're perceived. She for being a little too "passionate" and he for being a little too predictable. What came next was a fun read that had heat, but it was the chemistry between these two that really made it special.

I really loved this one.
]]> 30231596 Ready to explore her fantasies . . .

When Lily Summers was left to raise her son alone, she threw herself into her work as a florist and secretly began writing erotic romance novels. Relying solely on fantasies about the impossibly sexy Carson Granger for material, the single mom has a long list of sexual scenarios she needs to research to make her stories catch fire. When Carson discovers the list and offers some hands-on help, Lily’s immediately aroused by his primal power and the elemental attraction that ignites between them, but �����’s terrified of surrendering control to a man �����’s wanted for so long, especially one who’s younger than she is.

Desperate to show her so much more . . .

Carson always knew that Lily had shut herself off from men after a bad marriage, but he also knew the quietly sensuous florist had a secret side, and he wanted to be the man to tap into that reserve of passion. When he discovers her hidden wish list, he knows it’s his chance to initiate her into a world of sexual abandon before revealing a secret of his own. As they indulge in each new item on Lily’s list, she can’t deny the burning desire and need beating inside her, and with tender patience and sexual finesse, Carson is breaking down her barriers and drawing one step closer to turning her short-term explorations into a lifetime of devoted pleasure.

This is a fully revised edition of a book originally published as Lily Blossoms.]]> 112 N.J. Walters 1940846889 Jenn 2 arc-netgalley
I was expecting it to be hotter than it was...but I liked the idea of the story. I needed more build up about Lily and Carson's relationship before they started working on her list. ]]> 3.71 2008
author: N.J. Walters
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2008
rating: 2
read at: 2019/07/09
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

I was expecting it to be hotter than it was...but I liked the idea of the story. I needed more build up about Lily and Carson's relationship before they started working on her list.
]]> 30270310 Riley Fisher doesn't have time to chase after men. As a single mother working two jobs, she barely has time to eat or sleep. But a girl has needs. So when handsome veteran Sam Brooks asks her out, she decides she deserves some R&R. She doesn’t expect anything else from him—after all, he’s hardly the type to get serious.

Sam came back from Afghanistan lucky to be alive, despite PTSD that hits whenever he lets down his guard. His therapist told him to forget about relationships. When he meets Riley, he’s not planning on breaking the rules. She’s cute, petite, and a total smartass—not even his type. But �����’s hard to forget. Especially once he runs into Riley and her toddler on a rustic mountain getaway and sees what he’s missing. Her kid makes him laugh all day. And Riley makes him burn all night.

Too bad a relationship is impossible. But they can enjoy the attraction. It’s not like they’re going to fall in love…]]> 204 Allison B. Hanson 1616509643 Jenn 4 arc-netgalley
Such a cute read! Sam thinks he'll never be able to have a real relationship thanks to a pretty terrible history with PTSD. Riley is trying to be supermom now that her husband has left her for another woman. What was supposed to be one night turns into more, even if neither of these two want more. Before long, Sam is helping out around the house, Riley is enjoying having someone in her life, and Luca (the son) has them both wrapped around his little finger.

I appreciate that Hanson put a lot of effort into creating a realistic story, especially with the way she handled Sam's past. Each of them was real and the things they went through were real. And I'm totally into a precious two-year-old acting as matchmaker.]]> 4.20 2016
author: Allison B. Hanson
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2019/08/07
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Such a cute read! Sam thinks he'll never be able to have a real relationship thanks to a pretty terrible history with PTSD. Riley is trying to be supermom now that her husband has left her for another woman. What was supposed to be one night turns into more, even if neither of these two want more. Before long, Sam is helping out around the house, Riley is enjoying having someone in her life, and Luca (the son) has them both wrapped around his little finger.

I appreciate that Hanson put a lot of effort into creating a realistic story, especially with the way she handled Sam's past. Each of them was real and the things they went through were real. And I'm totally into a precious two-year-old acting as matchmaker.
]]> 34308352 Don't trust lust at first sight. One woman chooses reality over fantasy in this friends-to-lovers romance, a steamy standalone by "an author to keep your eye on" (Katee Robert).

As an adult woman--and the vice president of a marketing firm--I shouldn't be waiting by my office window to ogle the mystery man who jogs by every morning at 11:45. Sure, he's a gorgeous, perfect specimen of the human race, but I can't bring myself to hit on a total stranger. However, my best friend-slash-colleague Vince Carson thinks I should do more than talk to the guy. In fact, he's borderline obsessive about "getting me laid." (His words.) But the more time we spend together, the more it's The one I'm falling for is Vince.

Jackie Butler's got it bad for some pompous, over-pumped A-hole who struts his stuff past her window. That doesn't bother me. I know she deserves nice things. What does bother me is that she friend-zoned me big-time last year, so I can't ask her out myself. But what if I set her up with Mr. Steroids? Then, when he breaks her heart, I can swoop in and save her like the nice guy I am. Everything's going according to plan . . . until we share a ridiculously epic kiss. And suddenly anything is possible.
]]> 229 Jessica Lemmon 1524796433 Jenn 4 arc-netgalley
Well that was adorable, albeit a little frustrating. Vince and Jackie are absolutely perfect for each other and are clearly in a relationship, even if they don't want to admit it. They're hiding under the guise of "best friendship." That is until Vince realizes that he's feeling some very non-friendly feelings for Jackie and decides to help her land the guy that she drools over when he runs past her office window every day.

While the whole "I'm going to coach you to get the guy" trope does come across a little forced, Lemmon quickly pushes that aside as Jackie and Vince actually realize that what they have is stronger than just a joke. Of course this scares them both. Having both survived divorces (Jackie with a cheater and Vince with a wife who just grew apart), they're both understandably worried about jumping into the deep end so quickly. And of course, they have to self-sabotage, otherwise where would the fun be?

I liked the cast of characters they assembled around the main couple. Kayla was adorable and Davis clearly has an epic love story coming his way. Even Riley was a hoot. All in all, a good read with just enough heat to keep things interesting (especially that stair scene, goodness). ]]> 3.64 2017
author: Jessica Lemmon
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2018/05/16
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Well that was adorable, albeit a little frustrating. Vince and Jackie are absolutely perfect for each other and are clearly in a relationship, even if they don't want to admit it. They're hiding under the guise of "best friendship." That is until Vince realizes that he's feeling some very non-friendly feelings for Jackie and decides to help her land the guy that she drools over when he runs past her office window every day.

While the whole "I'm going to coach you to get the guy" trope does come across a little forced, Lemmon quickly pushes that aside as Jackie and Vince actually realize that what they have is stronger than just a joke. Of course this scares them both. Having both survived divorces (Jackie with a cheater and Vince with a wife who just grew apart), they're both understandably worried about jumping into the deep end so quickly. And of course, they have to self-sabotage, otherwise where would the fun be?

I liked the cast of characters they assembled around the main couple. Kayla was adorable and Davis clearly has an epic love story coming his way. Even Riley was a hoot. All in all, a good read with just enough heat to keep things interesting (especially that stair scene, goodness).
]]> 23733605 Lost in Oblivion.

The five members of the rock band Oblivion—Deacon, Gray, Jazz, Simon and Nick—started from nothing and rose to heights higher than they ever dreamed. But who said having it all was easy?
��
On the band’s first tour, bassist Deacon discovers a desire for a lot more than tour chef Harper’s chocolate coconut popovers. But is the woman he craves a momentary way to satisfy his hunger or are they on their way to a lifetime love?

What’s included in The Opening Act boxed set:
- Book 0.5: Seduced prequel
- Book 1.0: Rocked
- Book 1.5: Rock, Rattle and Roll

ALSO includes TWO brand new bonus Christmas scenes featuring Deacon and Harper and the rest of the Oblivion gang, as well as a bonus scene from Jazz’s point-of-view of a certain *ahem* event in Seduced!
]]> 868 Taryn Elliott 1940346126 Jenn 3 arc-netgalley
So I had already read Rocked and was looking forward to seeing where they started and where Deacon and Harper went from there. To be honest, I didn't think the prequel novella added much to the story, so I'm going to jump to my review for Rocked.

I have to say, if there are any Deacon's floating around, please send them my way. The man is ideal for sure and what he felt for Harper was tangible, even through the pages. I loved the band dynamic and Harper and Deacon's little trysts. That being said, the book was a little long for me. There were a few too many love scenes (and for me to say that, you know it's a lot) and the entire part with Snake probably could have been cut - it didn't add to the story. Instead, his appearance only made Nick and Simon look like bad guys, something that was already happening with the whole contract.

I loved Jazz, but I needed way more Gray, especially since it's obvious that they are the next pair to get joint up. We hardly even saw the guitarist except on the fringes.

I loved that we got an "epilogue" novella after the wedding. While there were a ton of love scenes - enough that I was actually a little bored - there was also a lot of heart. I saw what was coming, but I loved the way that the author kept true to their characters. I loved that Deacon was there to support Harper, but still had his own feelings about the matter and I loved being able to read what each of them were feeling.

But seriously...anyone know of a Deacon-type walking around???? ]]> 4.07 2014
author: Taryn Elliott
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2015/02/06
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

So I had already read Rocked and was looking forward to seeing where they started and where Deacon and Harper went from there. To be honest, I didn't think the prequel novella added much to the story, so I'm going to jump to my review for Rocked.

I have to say, if there are any Deacon's floating around, please send them my way. The man is ideal for sure and what he felt for Harper was tangible, even through the pages. I loved the band dynamic and Harper and Deacon's little trysts. That being said, the book was a little long for me. There were a few too many love scenes (and for me to say that, you know it's a lot) and the entire part with Snake probably could have been cut - it didn't add to the story. Instead, his appearance only made Nick and Simon look like bad guys, something that was already happening with the whole contract.

I loved Jazz, but I needed way more Gray, especially since it's obvious that they are the next pair to get joint up. We hardly even saw the guitarist except on the fringes.

I loved that we got an "epilogue" novella after the wedding. While there were a ton of love scenes - enough that I was actually a little bored - there was also a lot of heart. I saw what was coming, but I loved the way that the author kept true to their characters. I loved that Deacon was there to support Harper, but still had his own feelings about the matter and I loved being able to read what each of them were feeling.

But seriously...anyone know of a Deacon-type walking around????
]]> 19008029 ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU

Sometimes fate needs a little hand...

Santa Claus is going to have a rough season... Lauren Alexander is raising her daughter alone. Abandoned by her family for her decision to keep her daughter Kristen, she has done a pretty good job for the last six years. Or she thought she had. That's why she is crushed when little Kristen gives up her wish for a toy or goodie and instead asks Santa for a present for her mother. She wants Santa to bring a Daddy. Delivering Daddies isn't Santa's bag.

But this Santa has a plan...

Kyle Preston knows what it is like to be abandoned too. Luckily he found the support of loving adoptive parents and has turned himself into one of the most successful Real Estate developers in town.

Building a house is easy. Building someone's trust is a whole other story. But with a little helping hand, a little Christmas magic can make all the difference in the world.

Book 2
THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT

"Hilariously funny!" "Delightful!" 4 STARS Romantic Times Magazine

What would you do to get a second chance at love? Sometimes fate needs a little helping hand...

When Ruthie Carvalho finds an old birthday card with a marriage proposal scribbled on the back, she figures she's hit pay dirt and is destined to get her 35 year old daughter married.

The trouble is, Ruthie can't stand Cara's boyfriend and Cara is just stubborn enough to push in the opposite direction of what her mother wants.

When Devin Michaels gets a phone call from his old friend's mom, he knows Ruthie is up to something. But he's at a crossroad. It's been 17 years since he's seen Cara and memories of their soulful talks and walks on the beach make him long to reconnect.

Going back to the seaside town of Westport Massachusetts to reconnect with Cara seems like just the thing to do. One look at Cara and the years seem to melt away. With a little help and "creative" planning from Ruthie, can these old friends become lovers and have a second chance at happiness?

Book 3

THE KNIGHT AND MAGGIE'S BABY

Jonah Wallace knows what it's like to grow up without love. Despite having more money than the Queen of England, his childhood was cold and stale as he grew up in boarding schools. He's dedicated his life to helping homeless and displaced children find the love and support they need by creating the Haven House Foundation, work that resulted in him being Knighted by the Queen.

Now that he's living in America, his work is going along just fine...until his grandfather gives fate a little nudge by insisting he take a wife before he can inherit.]]> 680 Lisa Mondello 1301180491 Jenn 0 to-read 4.07 2012
author: Lisa Mondello
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 30901276
It was only supposed to be a forbidden one night stand with the bad boy she’d never forgotten, but Piper Thomas soon discovers it takes more than sizzling sex to scorch her teenage fantasies. The more he gives, the more she needs��

It’s been five years since Mason Hunter’s brother died, and he’s tried to put the guilt behind him. But when Piper, the girl his brother should’ve married, reappears in his life and offers him the one thing he’s always craved �� one steamy night in her arms �� he can’t resist.

Piper’s the only woman he’s ever wanted, but how can they have a future together when the past haunts every breath they take?]]> 117 Christina Phillips 1943963975 Jenn 4 arc-netgalley
This was simultaneously super sweet and very hot and I enjoyed it immensely! To be honest, I would have liked a little more about them coming together in their every day lives and maybe a little more of the after, but over all a really enjoyable read. I wonder if the author ever wrote Peyton's story...

Merged review:

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This was simultaneously super sweet and very hot and I enjoyed it immensely! To be honest, I would have liked a little more about them coming together in their every day lives and maybe a little more of the after, but over all a really enjoyable read. I wonder if the author ever wrote Peyton's story...]]> 3.77 2016
author: Christina Phillips
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/07
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This was simultaneously super sweet and very hot and I enjoyed it immensely! To be honest, I would have liked a little more about them coming together in their every day lives and maybe a little more of the after, but over all a really enjoyable read. I wonder if the author ever wrote Peyton's story...

Merged review:

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This was simultaneously super sweet and very hot and I enjoyed it immensely! To be honest, I would have liked a little more about them coming together in their every day lives and maybe a little more of the after, but over all a really enjoyable read. I wonder if the author ever wrote Peyton's story...
]]> 33547657 . . . to be a waitress at her hometown café. That’s what Clarkston’s high school yearbook said about Poppy Springer ten years ago and that’s where the beauty queen is today. But that’s about to change now that Poppy has been offered a position as a lady sommelier at a cutting-edge new restaurant. Only Poppy has an embarrassing secret that could keep her from landing her dream job. A secret her high school crush seems determined to help her with . . .

The Man Most Wanted
In high school, Heath Sinclair may have been voted most likely to blow something up, but these days the sexy science prodigy is a self-made success story with his popular microbrewery and chiseled good looks. So why is Clarkston’s most-eligible man so hell-bent on helping Poppy prove that she is more than her reputation? Could it be the enigmatic bachelor has a hankering for the girl who got away?]]> 208 Heather Heyford 1601838271 Jenn 0 to-read, arc-netgalley 4.12
author: Heather Heyford
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.12
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves: to-read, arc-netgalley
review:

]]> 31751644 ���’s the boss. But �����’s ready to take charge.

In this provocative and sexy* office romance, a cheeky new hire tempts a hotshot sports agent to mix business with pleasure.

Jenny: Job interviews are a bitch under the best of circumstances, but when your potential boss is the world’s biggest prick, that’s when you should simply walk away. It’s just that I need this job so badly—and I’m mesmerized by Ethan Mason’s piercing gaze. Men like him aren’t supposed to exist in real life. But under the tailored suits and GQ looks, Ethan simmers with barely restrained ambition. And no matter how hard I work to fight the attraction, I’m going to get burned.

Ethan: You don’t become a top agent without learning how to close a deal. I always get what—or who—I want, by staying cool and in command. Then Jenny Jackson walks into my office with her lush curves and “screw you�� attitude and blows away my intentions of keeping things professional. All I can think about is exploring the perfect body hidden beneath those conservative clothes or shutting her saucy mouth with one hot kiss. Jenny’s worth breaking the rules over—if I can convince her to break the rules for me.


*By sexy, we mean sexy. Like, 18+ sexy.]]> 203 Sloane Howell 0399179119 Jenn 3 arc-netgalley
I loved the sparring between Ethan and Jenny, especially at the beginning. You could tell their chemistry was going to be off-the-charts and it was. That said, it felt like things moved very quickly and it felt like the author was trying to fit in "mistakes" that were really misunderstandings to drum up conflict. I would have preferred just one because it definitely makes this book seem more like a 'happily for now' than a 'happily ever after'. That said, it was hot and enjoyable and I'm intrigued for more from this author.]]> 3.88 2017
author: Sloane Howell
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/25
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

I loved the sparring between Ethan and Jenny, especially at the beginning. You could tell their chemistry was going to be off-the-charts and it was. That said, it felt like things moved very quickly and it felt like the author was trying to fit in "mistakes" that were really misunderstandings to drum up conflict. I would have preferred just one because it definitely makes this book seem more like a 'happily for now' than a 'happily ever after'. That said, it was hot and enjoyable and I'm intrigued for more from this author.
]]> 26195558 ����������������������
Hamilton vividly captures the parenting approaches of mothers and fathers from all walks of life—from a CFO for a Fortune 500 company to a waitress at a roadside diner. As she shows, parents are guided by different visions of the ideal college experience, built around classed notions of women’s work/family plans and the ideal age to “grow up.�� Some are intensively involved and hold adulthood at bay to cultivate specific professional helicopters, for instance, help develop the skills and credentials that will advance their daughters�� careers, while pink helicopters emphasize appearance, charm, and social ties in the hopes that women will secure a wealthy mate. In sharp contrast, bystander parents—whose influence is often limited by economic concerns—are relegated to the sidelines of their daughter’s lives. Finally, paramedic parents—who can come from a wide range of class backgrounds—sit in the middle, intervening in emergencies but otherwise valuing self-sufficiency above all.
����������������������
Analyzing the effects of each of these approaches with clarity and depth, Hamilton ultimately argues that successfully navigating many colleges and universities without involved parents is nearly impossible, and that schools themselves are increasingly dependent on active parents for a wide array of tasks, with intended and unintended consequences. Altogether, Parenting to a Degree offers an incisive look into the new—and sometimes problematic—relationship between students, parents, and universities.��]]> 224 Laura T. Hamilton 022618336X Jenn 0 to-read 4.12 2016
author: Laura T. Hamilton
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 36519058 This is one bad boy who’s fit to print. A notorious jock tackles life—and love—after football with a type-A journalist in this sexy standalone from the author of Eye Candy.
��
Barrett: As a former pro football star, I’m used to playing the field. After injuries cut my NFL career short, my second act as a broadcaster ended on live television when a hot mic picked up a little verbal . . . indiscretion. But this latest publicity stunt might just land me back on top—much to the chagrin of Catarina Everhart, the prissy, beautiful journalist who’s been assigned to date a bad boy (i.e., me) and write about it. Catarina swears I’ll never touch her, let alone kiss those full lips of hers. Based on our chemistry, I’m not buying it. . . .
��
Catarina: Barrett Fox seems to be doing everything in his power to make me hate him. The cocky egomaniac is infamous for his bad behavior, and now, thanks to my boss’s harebrained schemes, he’s apparently my problem. As one fake date leads to another, I start to see a different side of Barrett. ���’s close with his family. He does volunteer work. And, okay, he kisses like a dream. Am I really dating Barrett Fox? Or is he playing me? Because suddenly I’m risking my reputation—and my heart.
��
Look for Jessica Lemmon’s standalone romances with heartfelt HEAs:
FIGHTING FOR DEVLIN | FORGOTTEN PROMISES | SHUT UP AND KISS ME | EYE CANDY | ARM CANDY | MAN CANDY | RUMOR HAS IT
��
“The banter made me grin, the sexual tension had me breathless, and the perfect happy ending left me smiling long after the book was done.����New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne, on Eye Candy
��
“This book had a very Christina Lauren feel to it. Very witty, sexy, and kept me wanting more with every page. I absolutely loved it.����USA Today bestselling author Sidney Halston, on Eye Candy
��
This standalone novel includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.]]> 212 Jessica Lemmon 1101969474 Jenn 4 arc-netgalley
Aw! Barrett finally got his HEA! After a very bad PR scandal (honestly, I was worried if that was going to color the way I saw his story in a negative light), he's been tapped to "date" a local columnist. He and Catarina couldn't be any more different, so the articles being written from each of their POVs are a great read.

It isn't long before their "fake" relationship turns into a whole lot more. Catarina starts relaxing a little with her super work-obsessed personality and at the same time, Barrett stabilizes, calming down a little from the "Bad Boy of the NFL" persona he's got going on.

I loved their dates and how different they were, but mostly I appreciated how much chemistry they had. My lord, were those scenes hot. I was surprised by how invested I got in their relationship and how much I was pulling for them. The secondary characters were a little annoying for my liking and pushy, to say the least, but they didn't stop me from enjoying the story.]]> 3.91 2018
author: Jessica Lemmon
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2018/05/22
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Aw! Barrett finally got his HEA! After a very bad PR scandal (honestly, I was worried if that was going to color the way I saw his story in a negative light), he's been tapped to "date" a local columnist. He and Catarina couldn't be any more different, so the articles being written from each of their POVs are a great read.

It isn't long before their "fake" relationship turns into a whole lot more. Catarina starts relaxing a little with her super work-obsessed personality and at the same time, Barrett stabilizes, calming down a little from the "Bad Boy of the NFL" persona he's got going on.

I loved their dates and how different they were, but mostly I appreciated how much chemistry they had. My lord, were those scenes hot. I was surprised by how invested I got in their relationship and how much I was pulling for them. The secondary characters were a little annoying for my liking and pushy, to say the least, but they didn't stop me from enjoying the story.
]]> 31130744
But Emma’s real life is about to heat up when her mother books the entire inn to a professional snowboarder, hoping the publicity will put them on the map. In a karmic twist of fate, that guest is Wyatt Lawson, the man with whom Emma had shared the secret one-night stand that became the inspiration for her novel and its dreamy hero. Worse, a film crew is documenting his comeback just as her debut is about to hit the shelves. Emma’s only saving grace is that Wyatt doesn’t remember her—and hopefully he never will.

When Wyatt arrives in Sterling Canyon for several weeks of intense training, the last tumble he expects to take is falling for a girl, especially one as shy as Emma. Unlike groupies with their hidden agendas, she isn’t using him—or so he believes…until the film crew uncovers Emma’s pen name and steamy novel.

Wyatt’s comeback run can withstand a fall or two, but can his heart recover from this crash and burn?]]> 282 Jamie Beck 1503997235 Jenn 3 arc-netgalley
A cute read! Watching Emma deal with her private life as an author and her chemistry with the guest at her inn, all while dodging cameras and a very conservative mother was fun. There were certain scenes I would have liked to see in place of others, but a fun time all around.]]> 4.23 2017
author: Jamie Beck
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/23
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

A cute read! Watching Emma deal with her private life as an author and her chemistry with the guest at her inn, all while dodging cameras and a very conservative mother was fun. There were certain scenes I would have liked to see in place of others, but a fun time all around.
]]> 11049379
Just when Azalea should feel that everything is before her—beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing—it's taken away. All of it. And Azalea is trapped. The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. So he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest, but there is a cost. The Keeper likes to keep things. Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late. "Readers who enjoy stories of royalty, romance, and magic will delight in Dixon's first novel."—Publishers Weekly

Supports the Common Core State Standards]]> 485 Heather Dixon Wallwork 0062077031 Jenn 0 to-read 3.79 2011
author: Heather Dixon Wallwork
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60650991
So when my lesser half invites me to Harvard to help him get into the most exclusive club on campus, I’m happy to help.

In fact, I’m willing to do anything to get him into this club.

Even if it means taking my top off during a scavenger hunt.

Or slipping away during a fancy dinner to use my best persuasion skills on one of his future brothers.

I might even have to tame a three-headed monster…whatever that means. Spoiler alert - it’s a sex thing.

Single Girl Rules #ThreeHeadedMonster is a novella filled with love, laughs, and SO. MUCH. STEAM.]]> 189 Ivy Smoak Jenn 4 arc-netgalley
Having not read the first two, it took me a little to figure out what was going on, but once I did? Boy, did I enjoy it. Chastity is wild and watching her and her friends get her boyfriend into their super secret club was fun and sexy. Very raunchy and I'm feeling invested now...I want to know what comes next.]]> 4.26
author: Ivy Smoak
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.26
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2022/04/18
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

Having not read the first two, it took me a little to figure out what was going on, but once I did? Boy, did I enjoy it. Chastity is wild and watching her and her friends get her boyfriend into their super secret club was fun and sexy. Very raunchy and I'm feeling invested now...I want to know what comes next.
]]> 35965582 It’s a Wonderful Life, one man must face his past to find his future this Christmas.

In the last year, George's life has drastically changed. The formerly homeless veteran now has a job he likes, a family in the residents of Darling, VT, and for the first time in years, a home. But while his present is good, he's still haunted by the past, a past that appears shortly before Christmas when the older sister of his brother-in-arms hunts him down and finds him in Darling, working at the Ladybug Garden Center.

Amy’s looking for closure for her family after her brother's death in the Middle East, but the serious man she finds working in Vermont doesn’t resemble the soldier she remembers from years before. This man is hardened and yet somehow fragile, too, and in her desire to find out what really happened to her brother, she learns more about George than she ever expected.

With a little Christmas magic and the whole town supporting them, can these two bruised hearts make a future together?]]> 117 Donna Alward 1250179335 Jenn 3 arc-netgalley
A cute, quick read that's perfect to get you in the holiday spirit. My heart broke for both George and Amy as they found a way to navigate around each other again, but I loved that they were patient with one another and truly invested in slowly building something together. ]]> 4.19 2017
author: Donna Alward
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2022/12/21
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

A cute, quick read that's perfect to get you in the holiday spirit. My heart broke for both George and Amy as they found a way to navigate around each other again, but I loved that they were patient with one another and truly invested in slowly building something together.
]]> 57482128 ���’s the tattooed bad boy her mama warned her about.
She’s his hot mess �� but mostly hot �� next door neighbor.
Until a two-night-stand gives them the surprise of a lifetime...

Jillian Morris is a workaholic who forgets to watch the time. And to eat. And to change her shoes. And to keep even a house-plant alive. And to have any kind of a personal life.

Now an eccentric millionaire has left her eight million dollars. And eight penguins. Yes, real live penguins. She’s a wildlife vet who specializes in penguins, so that makes sense. Kind of. She can, and does, keep penguins alive and well. She now just has to move them cross-country to her friend’s new animal park.

So if anyone deserves a one-night (or two) stand with a hot, younger, tattooed bad boy on a motorcycle, it’s her. Or so Jill tells herself when Zeke Landry flips his bike in front of her motel and she stitches him up.

If only she’d known who he really was.
And that he was the fall-hard-and-fast type.
And the protective type.
And that one night would turn into more like nine-months of being... sigh... very personal.]]> 319 Erin Nicholas 195228015X Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
I love Autre...I really do. And when Jill brings her penguins down there to get them to have babies, Autre starts to rub off on her...by way of Zeke. What starts as a very hot encounter turns into more when they realize just how close they'll be with her living right next door and him being her contractor. What follows is what we've come to learn from these Boys...heat, shenanigans, heart, and a big ol' family of meddlers.

I can't wait to see what comes of Donovan and Naomi...and goodness gracious Erin, please give us Fiona and Knox!

Merged review:

Received an ARC for an honest review.

I love Autre...I really do. And when Jill brings her penguins down there to get them to have babies, Autre starts to rub off on her...by way of Zeke. What starts as a very hot encounter turns into more when they realize just how close they'll be with her living right next door and him being her contractor. What follows is what we've come to learn from these Boys...heat, shenanigans, heart, and a big ol' family of meddlers.

I can't wait to see what comes of Donovan and Naomi...and goodness gracious Erin, please give us Fiona and Knox!]]> 4.49 2021
author: Erin Nicholas
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/07/22
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

I love Autre...I really do. And when Jill brings her penguins down there to get them to have babies, Autre starts to rub off on her...by way of Zeke. What starts as a very hot encounter turns into more when they realize just how close they'll be with her living right next door and him being her contractor. What follows is what we've come to learn from these Boys...heat, shenanigans, heart, and a big ol' family of meddlers.

I can't wait to see what comes of Donovan and Naomi...and goodness gracious Erin, please give us Fiona and Knox!

Merged review:

Received an ARC for an honest review.

I love Autre...I really do. And when Jill brings her penguins down there to get them to have babies, Autre starts to rub off on her...by way of Zeke. What starts as a very hot encounter turns into more when they realize just how close they'll be with her living right next door and him being her contractor. What follows is what we've come to learn from these Boys...heat, shenanigans, heart, and a big ol' family of meddlers.

I can't wait to see what comes of Donovan and Naomi...and goodness gracious Erin, please give us Fiona and Knox!
]]> 43343753 In Alaska, it’s always a white Christmas—but the sparks flying between two reunited friends could turn it red-hot��

If there’s one gift Erika Sheraton does not want for Christmas, it’s a vacation. Ordered to take time off, the workaholic surgeon reluctantly trades in her scrubs for a ski suit and heads to Wild River, Alaska. Her friend Cassie owns a tour company that offers adventures to fit every visitor. But nothing compares to the adrenaline rush Erika feels on being reunited with Cassie’s brother, Reed Reynolds.

Gone is the buttoned-up girl Reed remembers. His sister’s best friend has blossomed into a strong, skilled, confident woman. She’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs—and everything he didn’t know he craved. The gulf between his life in Wild River and her big-city career is wide. But it’s no match for a desire powerful enough to melt two stubborn hearts…]]> 358 Jennifer Snow 148805424X Jenn 4 arc-netgalley
This was a fun holiday read without being over-the-top Christmas-y. Erika is a workaholic. There's no other word for her. When she's forced to take time off, she decides to reconnect with her childhood best friend...and her older brother. Reed remembers Erika, but clearly puberty and adulthood have done them both wonders. Attraction heats up and when the sister leaves for a few days, it boils over into some very hot love scenes. But can this last?

I really enjoyed this one. It had a lot of heart that had me rooting for all of the characters, not just Reed and Erika and it gave me enough to want to read the next one. Although all of the description of all those search and rescues made me cold :).
]]> 4.01 2019
author: Jennifer Snow
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/12/06
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

This was a fun holiday read without being over-the-top Christmas-y. Erika is a workaholic. There's no other word for her. When she's forced to take time off, she decides to reconnect with her childhood best friend...and her older brother. Reed remembers Erika, but clearly puberty and adulthood have done them both wonders. Attraction heats up and when the sister leaves for a few days, it boils over into some very hot love scenes. But can this last?

I really enjoyed this one. It had a lot of heart that had me rooting for all of the characters, not just Reed and Erika and it gave me enough to want to read the next one. Although all of the description of all those search and rescues made me cold :).

]]> 59441717 Mariel Spark knows not to trust a demon, especially one that wants her soul, but what’s a witch to do when he won’t leave her side—and she kind of doesn’t want him to?

Mariel Spark is prophesied to be the most powerful witch seen in centuries of the famed Spark family, but to the displeasure of her mother, she prefers baking to brewing potions and gardening to casting hexes. When a spell to summon flour goes very wrong, Mariel finds herself staring down a demon—one she inadvertently summoned for a soul bargain.

Ozroth the Ruthless is a legend among demons. Powerful and merciless, he drives hard bargains to collect mortal souls. But his reputation has suffered ever since a bargain went awry—if he can strike a bargain with Mariel, he will earn back his deadly reputation. Ozroth can’t leave Mariel’s side until they complete a bargain, which she refuses to do (turns out some humans are attached to their souls).

But the witch is funny. And curvy. And disgustingly yet endearingly cheerful. Becoming awkward roommates quickly escalates when Mariel, terrified to confess the inadvertent summoning to her mother, blurts out that �����’s dating Ozroth. As Ozroth and Mariel struggle with their opposing goals and maintaining a fake relationship, real attraction blooms between them. But Ozroth has a limited amount of time to strike the deal, and if Mariel gives up her soul, she’ll lose all her emotions—including love—which will only spell disaster for them both.]]> 367 Sarah Hawley 0593547926 Jenn 0 to-read 3.64 2023
author: Sarah Hawley
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 123201433 Calladia Cunnington curses the day she met Astaroth the demon, but when he shows up memoryless, why does she find him so helpless . . . and sort of hot?

Calladia Cunnington knows she's rough around the edges, despite being the heir to one of small-town Glimmer Falls' founding witch families. While her gym obsession is a great outlet for her anxieties and anger, her hot temper still gets the best of her and manifests in bar brawls. When Calladia saves someone from a demon attack one night, though, she's happy to put her magic and rage to good use . . . until she realizes the man she saved is none other than Astaroth, the ruthless demon who orchestrated a soul bargain on her best friend.

Astaroth is a legendary soul bargainer and one of the nine members of the demon high council--except he can't remember any of this. Suffering from amnesia after being banished to the mortal plane, Astaroth doesn't know why a demon named Moloch is after him, nor why the muscular, angry, hot-in-a-terrifying-way witch who saved him hates him so much.

Unable to leave anyone in such a vulnerable state--even the most despicable demon--Calladia grudgingly decides to help him. (Besides, punching an amnesiac would be in poor taste.) The two set out on an uneasy road trip to find the witch who might be able to restore Astaroth's memory so they can learn how to defeat Moloch. Calladia vows that once Astaroth is cured, she'll kick his ass, but the more time she spends with the snarky yet utterly charming demon, the more she realizes she likes this new, improved Astaroth . . . and maybe she doesn't want him to recover his memories, after all.]]> 394 Sarah Hawley 0593547942 Jenn 0 to-read, ebook 3.74 2023
author: Sarah Hawley
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves: to-read, ebook
review:

]]> 29875942 Intense Pleasure is the story of hidden desires and illicit romance. When danger threatens a woman, the two men who crave her, cannot live without her, will stop at nothing to protect her life�� and satisfy every burning desire she has. They must stay bound together to be stronger than what hunts her, and let passion consume them��

TOO HOT TO HANDLE

Her name is Summer, as beautiful and occasionally fierce as her name suggests. Her past has just come back to haunt her, and suddenly �����’s not sure who she can trust. Her longtime confidantes Falcone and Raeg seem to have Summer’s best interests at heart. . .but it’s clear that their desire for her still burns between them. Can they find a way to keep Summer safe—or will a bitter rivalry stand in their way?

Falcone and Raeg need to work together, now more than ever, if they intend to protect Summer from an old enemy who knows her dangerous secret. When Summer’s identity as a sweet, Southern socialite gets out, the two men must find a way to draw out the ruthless assassin on her trail. . .and keep their illicit romance with her under wraps. But some passions are so intense they can’t remain hidden.

What are Falcone and Raeg willing to risk for the woman they both crave like no other, in Intense Pleasure, the next Bound Hearts novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh.]]> 310 Lora Leigh 1250105412 Jenn 3 arc-netgalley
Overall 3.5 and I think that's only because I haven't read the other books in this series. While I absolutely enjoyed the storyline and was able to (pretty quickly) follow along, I definitely think my enjoyment of the book would have been greater had I read more. That said, I enjoyed the story and watching these three figure out what was going on. I was a bit confused by Summer going back and forth and sometimes feeling/speaking like a southern belle and other times like an agent and it felt like a lot of back and forth and talking...but then plenty of spicy time, which was nice. Would be interested in reading more from this series!]]> 3.85 2017
author: Lora Leigh
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/17
date added: 2024/09/17
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Overall 3.5 and I think that's only because I haven't read the other books in this series. While I absolutely enjoyed the storyline and was able to (pretty quickly) follow along, I definitely think my enjoyment of the book would have been greater had I read more. That said, I enjoyed the story and watching these three figure out what was going on. I was a bit confused by Summer going back and forth and sometimes feeling/speaking like a southern belle and other times like an agent and it felt like a lot of back and forth and talking...but then plenty of spicy time, which was nice. Would be interested in reading more from this series!
]]> 59432169 What happens when a hellraiser turned hot cop is stuck with a headstrong heiress he’s determined to protect...and resist?

A run-away bride, wearing a freakin�� tiara, and carrying a stolen lion cub, of all things. This was not how rowdy, bad-boy-turned-small-town-cop, Zander Landry expected his day to go.

He really didn’t expect his night to end with her sleeping in his bed after her near-kidnapping.

But his intense attraction to her and the feelings of protectiveness she stirs up? Oh, yeah, he knew those were coming.

She’s stunning, whip-smart, and trouble with a capital T.

Which means, he needs her to head right back the way she came. ASAP.

His town is exactly the way he wants it . . . crazy and trouble free.

Well, the crazy trouble he’s not related to anyway.



Stranded in a tiny town in her half-million-dollar wedding gown with no money and no place to go . . . today is going pretty much exactly the way Caroline Holland expected it to.

But the grumpy, tattooed, oh-my-god hot cop being the answer to all her problems isn’t at all what she expected.

Now that �����’s turned all the criminal (and obnoxious) info about her exotic-animal-dealing ex-fiance over to Zander, she can kick back in a hammock with some sweet tea and relax.

Or not.



Turns out Caroline’s not the spoiled heiress Zander thinks she is. The gorgeous hellion wants in on the action and soon discovers just how dirty things can get in the bayou. And the bedroom.

More and more, Zander just wants her safe on the sidelines. But Caroline isn’t going anywhere until justice is done.

It’s a clash of wills that’s gonna get hotter than a crawfish boil in July. And the most fun the Landry family has had watching sparks fly since . . . well, the last book.]]> 391 Erin Nicholas 1952280249 Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
YAY! I've been waiting for Zander to meet his match after caring for all of the others in Autre and I was not disappointed. When Caroline walks in with a lion cub and then they get to know one another, the chemistry was almost too much to bear. She was so smart and caring and completely perfect in the way she fit right in with the others. Watching Zander finally give in had me squealing in delight. I also appreciate how they realized they were meant to be together in the end and I loved getting a little more Ellie and Leo (as always).

But we all know that the story I'm dying for is next...you've teased us long enough Erin Nicholas! Hand over Knox and Fiona!!!!

Merged review:

Received an ARC for an honest review.

YAY! I've been waiting for Zander to meet his match after caring for all of the others in Autre and I was not disappointed. When Caroline walks in with a lion cub and then they get to know one another, the chemistry was almost too much to bear. She was so smart and caring and completely perfect in the way she fit right in with the others. Watching Zander finally give in had me squealing in delight. I also appreciate how they realized they were meant to be together in the end and I loved getting a little more Ellie and Leo (as always).

But we all know that the story I'm dying for is next...you've teased us long enough Erin Nicholas! Hand over Knox and Fiona!!!!]]> 4.50
author: Erin Nicholas
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2022/02/01
date added: 2024/09/16
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

YAY! I've been waiting for Zander to meet his match after caring for all of the others in Autre and I was not disappointed. When Caroline walks in with a lion cub and then they get to know one another, the chemistry was almost too much to bear. She was so smart and caring and completely perfect in the way she fit right in with the others. Watching Zander finally give in had me squealing in delight. I also appreciate how they realized they were meant to be together in the end and I loved getting a little more Ellie and Leo (as always).

But we all know that the story I'm dying for is next...you've teased us long enough Erin Nicholas! Hand over Knox and Fiona!!!!

Merged review:

Received an ARC for an honest review.

YAY! I've been waiting for Zander to meet his match after caring for all of the others in Autre and I was not disappointed. When Caroline walks in with a lion cub and then they get to know one another, the chemistry was almost too much to bear. She was so smart and caring and completely perfect in the way she fit right in with the others. Watching Zander finally give in had me squealing in delight. I also appreciate how they realized they were meant to be together in the end and I loved getting a little more Ellie and Leo (as always).

But we all know that the story I'm dying for is next...you've teased us long enough Erin Nicholas! Hand over Knox and Fiona!!!!
]]> 18888187
Katie always knew she’d marry Cole one day—until he broke her dreams and her heart. But now that Katie’s father is sick, �����’s back home, older, wiser and nowhere near the love-sick fool she once was.

Cole knows Katie doesn’t want anything to do with him. But after so many years, he can’t pretend �����’s no more than a neighbor. Not when thinking about her cherry lip gloss and hell-for-leather passion is keeping him up all night. Holding his ground was hard enough when she was seventeen. Now that �����’s her own woman, Cole’s heart doesn’t stand a chance��

“Passionate, gritty and fast paced…with a hot blooded, honorable hero to make every woman's knees go weak.”—Diane Whiteside]]> 223 K.C. Klein 1601830211 Jenn 0 3.90 2011
author: K.C. Klein
name: Jenn
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/16
shelves: to-read, need-to-get-earlier-later-books
review:

]]> 205565509 She’s in need of a fake, friendly boyfriend to charm her family.
���’s the last bachelor up for auction and a grumpy, last-minute stand-in.
Neither satisfies the other’s requirements but they might just be what each of them needs.

With Lauren Connelly’s ex marrying her sister, the last thing she wants is to show up at the wedding without a date. Which means finding a fake boyfriend ASAP. The charity bachelor auction provides a solution to her problem, except the man she bids on turns out to be a gorgeous but grumpy executive who scowls more than he smiles.

Chase Gossard wants nothing to do with Lauren’s plan to make him her plus-one at a destination wedding and pretend that he’s in love. He doesn’t do relationships, fake or otherwise—but she paid a lot of money for the privilege. So why does their touching, kissing, and sharing one bed feel all too real?

Lauren is smart and witty and sexy as hell. A down to earth combination that somehow softens his hard edges, and somewhere along the way, he’s falling hard for his fake date. But when the truth comes out and it’s time to part ways, can the confirmed bachelor convince his pretend girlfriend to make things real?
]]> 232 Carly Phillips 1685593143 Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
What a delightful morsel of a story! Lauren needs someone to stand in as her boyfriend to her sister's wedding and she used the bachelor auction to secure that. Though Chase is extremely anti-love, anti-relationship, he agrees to go with Lauren and before you know it... "no strings" sparks are flying. Watching these two together was such fun and seeing them starting to fall (despite their best efforts) just made the whole thing special.

There was spice, there were sweet family moments, and ultimately, this one just made me feel good.]]> 4.32 2024
author: Carly Phillips
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/16
date added: 2024/09/16
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

What a delightful morsel of a story! Lauren needs someone to stand in as her boyfriend to her sister's wedding and she used the bachelor auction to secure that. Though Chase is extremely anti-love, anti-relationship, he agrees to go with Lauren and before you know it... "no strings" sparks are flying. Watching these two together was such fun and seeing them starting to fall (despite their best efforts) just made the whole thing special.

There was spice, there were sweet family moments, and ultimately, this one just made me feel good.
]]> 209264662
Then he’d seen her at the airport bar and instead of walking away, he’d bought her a drink. Then another. And when a storm grounded their flights, he’d made a mistake and tried to take her to bed. That’s when she’d bolted.

For years, Bree has hidden the truth of those nightmarish days when she’d been held captive, forced into despicable acts that, once rescued, she’d believed were in the past. Until the tapes.

Now, �����’s being blackmailed, and if those tapes go public, it won’t be just her life that’s in tatters, but that of an innocent child caught in the crossfire.

Desperate, she goes to the only man who can help her pay the blackmailer and keep the secret—Ashton Stone. Now, her future is in his hands—but the price he demands is one �����’s not certain she can pay��Her.]]> 359 J. Kenner Jenn 5 arc-netgalley
I've been thinking about Bree ever since her kidnapping and I'm so glad that Kenner is giving her a story! The most traumatic event of her life should be past her, but someone knows and is threatening to put it all out there for the world to see. Insistent on stopping that from happening, Bree turns to Ash (Damien's son and the man she stood up months ago) and makes a deal....she gets the money...but he gets her. What follows is these two realizing how right for each other they are - along with plenty of steamy scenes thanks to their bargain. As they work to figure out who's behind the blackmail, there are a few tidbits along the way that give you hints, but I have to say I found myself a bit surprised at the end. Another great Kenner read!]]> 4.30 2024
author: J. Kenner
name: Jenn
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/13
date added: 2024/09/13
shelves: arc-netgalley
review:
Received an ARC for an honest review.

I've been thinking about Bree ever since her kidnapping and I'm so glad that Kenner is giving her a story! The most traumatic event of her life should be past her, but someone knows and is threatening to put it all out there for the world to see. Insistent on stopping that from happening, Bree turns to Ash (Damien's son and the man she stood up months ago) and makes a deal....she gets the money...but he gets her. What follows is these two realizing how right for each other they are - along with plenty of steamy scenes thanks to their bargain. As they work to figure out who's behind the blackmail, there are a few tidbits along the way that give you hints, but I have to say I found myself a bit surprised at the end. Another great Kenner read!
]]>