Two former childhood friends get snowed in during a winter storm! She’s a pediatrician, he’s her best friend’s, tech-billionaire, brother. He’s massivTwo former childhood friends get snowed in during a winter storm! She’s a pediatrician, he’s her best friend’s, tech-billionaire, brother. He’s massively smitten and down bad. We get multiple moments throughout their history of knowing one another (which by the way is since he was born because she is besties with his older sister), and it all just felt so well developed and like a full-length story vs the novella it actually is.
A holiday novella part of the Under the Mistletoe collection, I binged all 5 of these holiday novellas since they’re all available on KU with read and listen and so so short! One of my favorites in the collection and the longest in this novella collection (but like just barely). ...more
3.5 stars! I reallllly expected to love this one more than I sadly did. I always have a fun time with this author’s writing, so this was definitely st3.5 stars! I reallllly expected to love this one more than I sadly did. I always have a fun time with this author’s writing, so this was definitely steamy and entertaining, but I really felt like the writing was more rushed than usual and just ended up wanting more from these character’s and their story in the end.
This is a spin-off from the Windsors series, which I’ve had a great time with. Basically in this, Serenity wants to lose her virginity and the guy she’s interested in is Archer, her older brother’s billionaire best friend…who also happens to be her boss! So this has a deal made with lessons and fun times. Some cute, sweet moments I liked: he loves surprising her and takes her on trips (keukenhof tulip fields), buys her treats she loves (heart shaped donuts) and starts cooking for her, gets her favorite flowers (pink tulips), buys her painting supplies, and helps mark things off her “bucket list”. He’s a billionaire and love spoiling her, so he gets to do fun things like buying her favorite ice cream chain and the coffee shop too (cause he wants her to have access to anything she wants, at any time)! I just wanted a little bit more with these characters and less of the plot around a certain someone who comes into play in the latter part of the story. Overall a decent read, but I’ve just loved so many more from this author more. The cover is a stunner though! ...more
Mr. Heartbreaker is the start of a new series by author duo Piper Rayne and this is a brother’s best friend (and teammate), secret relationship/hiddenMr. Heartbreaker is the start of a new series by author duo Piper Rayne and this is a brother’s best friend (and teammate), secret relationship/hidden identity, hockey romance!
Kylie and Rowan meet at a wedding and end up sharing a night together. It was supposed to be just one night but quickly they both kinda keep wanting more. It’s complicated because she has known who he is from the moment they ran into one another, he played hockey with her brother years ago, but he doesn’t realize who she is. Another layer to the deception complications is that she gives him a fake name and then her brother ends up transferred to the same team as the hero and she keeps it a secret from both of them! She doesn’t tell her brother she’s seeing his friend/teammate and she doesn’t tell Rowan she’s his friend/teammate’s sister. Of course we all know that’s going to blow up in her face and it does!
This one was okay, I wasn’t super drawn into the story or characters. I’ve tried a handful of books from this author duo now and I can definitely say I enjoy their P Rayne titles more. But this was an easy audiobook listen with a full cast! Duet narration of Erin Mallon and Sean Masters, featuring Connor Crais, Teddy Hamilton, JF Harding, CJ Bloom, and Troy Duran! I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own....more
Someone You Deserve is a small town, single mom, brother’s best friend, best friend’s widow, he falls first romance! This is the 2nd in a standalone sSomeone You Deserve is a small town, single mom, brother’s best friend, best friend’s widow, he falls first romance! This is the 2nd in a standalone series but it was my first read from this author and I wasn’t lost at all!
Astrid is a widowed, single mom of 2 kids who works at a bakery. And Penn is her late husband’s best friend who is still a part of her and her kids’ lives. Penn and Astrid have a friendship of their own as well and even though it’s 4 years after the loss of her late husband, Astrid still isn’t sure about moving on…especially with Penn, but she’s so pulled towards him.
I loved how he has been pining for her and crushing on her for years. They shared a moment a year after her husband’s loss and he hasn’t stopped thinking about it since, even though she said it was a mistake. They end up keeping their relationship a secret from some of their family and friends because they’re wary of others’ reactions. I really liked this setup and the tropes (a widowed, single parent romance always works for me)!
The audiobook was so easy to get into, narrated by Aiden Snow and Vanessa Edwin. I received an ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own....more
I had seen this one around a lot and was wanting to give it and the author a try! Basically this is a romantic suspense, brother’s best friend, hockeyI had seen this one around a lot and was wanting to give it and the author a try! Basically this is a romantic suspense, brother’s best friend, hockey hero romance, with some twists.
I don’t know, this just wasn’t it. It started off interesting, the premise is the heroine finds out dark secrets about her past and life after the funeral of her adopted mother. From there her life takes a turn! The writing style wasn’t for me, lots of telling instead of showing, things move too quickly/are glossed over for what is actually happening in the heroine’s life. The steamy scenes felt like other spicy times, I skimmed past those scenes. The romance and plot just didn’t jive together very well, they felt very separate. I won’t be continuing on with this series. On to something else! ...more
She’s a baker and he’s a pro hockey player. Her baking show numbers are struggling and she comes up with an idea to pair with a hockey player to get tShe’s a baker and he’s a pro hockey player. Her baking show numbers are struggling and she comes up with an idea to pair with a hockey player to get the watches boosted for her show. The hockey team sends over their new player, Ian, who happens to be someone from her past!
Ian played hockey with Delilah’s brother and has been her brother’s best friend for years. Now Ian is back playing for their home team again and Delilah has always crushed on him. When watchers assume there is something brewing between Delilah and Ian, their PR people all think they should lean into it and hint at a possible relationship to help them both out. So they play along, but of course we get some real feelings happening as well!
I had high hopes for this one after loving and obsessing over both previous books by this author (The Nanny and The Fake Mate). I love that this author writes so many different subgenres in romance and this one I was highly anticipating as hockey romance is one of my favs. I did have a good time with this one overall, it just didn’t hit on quite the same level as the 2 previous from this author for me. Ian has a lot going on with his past, he is BFFs with his ex-wife and has a horrible father. Delilah has crushed on him for years and so seeing her finally get the guy was cute, even if I kinda wish he was the one into her first. Also lots of “brat” talk which just isn’t my jam. Fun overall, I just expected a bit more from this one and it didn’t live up to that. ...more
If You Give a Billionaire a Bride is a marriage of convenience, brother’s best friend, billionaire romance that starts off with a Vegas wedding!
Cash aIf You Give a Billionaire a Bride is a marriage of convenience, brother’s best friend, billionaire romance that starts off with a Vegas wedding!
Cash and Everly grew up around one another as he was her twin brother Theo’s best friend. Warned against making a move on her in highschool, they were always close instead and even had a marriage pact in highschool, that if they’re both single by the time they’re 30, they’ll get married to one another! Now it’s years later, they’ve haven’t seen one another since highschool, but end up running into each other in Las Vegas! Drinks are poured, the marriage pact is brought up, and they wake up married! Because of business deals between their families, they end up keeping the marriage even after Vegas when they return back home to London.
I adored these two together! They were so cute and I loved how he was so into her and wanting to spoil her and give her the world. His family is super cute and has been featured throughout the series as well. He is a billionaire, he has a facial scar, I loved how she calls him Stafford, and allllll the times he calls her wifey. “I’ve never had a wife, so hopefully you’ll cut me some slack if I do this all wrong.” Stopppp he’s precious! ...more
Tell Me How You Hate Me is an enemies to lovers, brother’s best friend, figure skater romance! This cover absolutely sold me, as soon as I saw it montTell Me How You Hate Me is an enemies to lovers, brother’s best friend, figure skater romance! This cover absolutely sold me, as soon as I saw it months ago I have thought of nothing else. So when it dropped on KU, I had to jump in! This was my first read from this author and sadly this didn’t quite live up to my expectations/hopes.
I was expecting a true enemies to lovers setup and really didn’t feel that at all. Sure the characters constantly say they hate one another, but like there is no proof of this supposed hate (besides their words). It was just never that believable to me and I still don’t know why they didn’t like one another to begin with. ...more
3.5 stars. All Too Well is book 1 in the Ember Falls series and the cover is just so pretty! This is a small town, brother’s best friend, single dad, 3.5 stars. All Too Well is book 1 in the Ember Falls series and the cover is just so pretty! This is a small town, brother’s best friend, single dad, grumpy x sunshine, “it’s always been you” romance.
Ainsley and Lachlan have been in one another’s lives for years. He was her brother’s best friend and they shared a moment in the past that neither has forgotten about. Now they’re back in each other’s lives and have an actual chance at more. They both had a lot going on with their lives: their fathers were both in the military and that shaped a lot of their choices and lives, his relationship with his father has been complicated/strained since the passing of his mother, he stepped away from his football career to become a firefighter and raise his daughter Rose.
This is the start of a new small town series and I’m excited to see where the series goes. This story and couple I didn’t connect to quite as much as I thought I would. But if you want that “angsty, unrequited love, they’re finally getting their chance in years” type of book…this is it. The audiobook is narrated by Connor Crais and Vanessa Edwin, always sooo good, and the audio was honestly the perfect way to consume this book! Such a stunning cover!
I received an ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own....more
Puck Block is a brother’s best friend (they’ve all grown up together), college hockey romance, and the 3rd book in the Bexley U standalone series! ThiPuck Block is a brother’s best friend (they’ve all grown up together), college hockey romance, and the 3rd book in the Bexley U standalone series! This also has dating lessons and the heroine has recently found out she has type 1 diabetes.
Taytum is on a ballet scholarship at Bexley U and she’s so tired of her brother Emory and his best friend Ford getting in the way of her dating. Ford became her brother’s best friend in elementary school and has always remained a staple in her life. Now with Taytum’s recent type 1 diabetes diagnosis, her family and Ford are even more on top of her life and choices than she’d like. After a recent health scare, she breaks down and asks Ford for his help in her dating life as she just wants to be able to have fun and have one-night stands too…without him and her brother getting in her way.
Soooo, the first book Weak Side, still remains my favorite in this series. I love a brother’s best friend setup, but this one just let me feeling meh about the book. The book mostly focuses on Taytum’s diagnosis and her ups-and-downs (mostly downs) and struggles of trying to get that under control. She is in denial and messes with her own dosages often. She’s 22 and her character, his character too actually, just felt immature and their choices weren’t it. I also didn’t get why her brother and parents are soooo involved in her healthcare and life choices, like I get it to a degree but also ma’am you are 22. Anyways, Ford is cute and he calls her “Heartbreaker”. They do have a lot of back and forth with teasing one another and kissing/flirting with others in front of each other to make the other jealous. Idk, it was just okay and it’s my least fav in the series so far, I wanted more from the characters/couple. ...more
Delicate Escape is the 2nd book in Sparrow Falls and I’m just so obsessed with this series! This has it all: he falls first, roommates to lovers, goldDelicate Escape is the 2nd book in Sparrow Falls and I’m just so obsessed with this series! This has it all: he falls first, roommates to lovers, golden retriever + black cat, she’s in hiding + on the run, found family, small town, best friend’s brother, touch her and ☠️, cinnamon roll hero, slow burn, romantic suspense!
“If I wasn’t careful, I could fall for a man like Shepard Colson. I just wasn’t sure if he’d do the same with me. Not if he knew everything.”
Thea + Shep, ugh I love them so much! I swear Catherine Cowles just gets better and better and the way I’m obsessed with the Colson family and this series! In the prologue we find out about Thea’s past and why she’s on the run and hiding out in Sparrow Falls. We then cut to a couple years later when the story picks up. Thea knows Shep because he’s constantly a customer at the bakery she works at, plus he’s her friend’s brother! He’s totally into her but can tell she’s a little wary of others and does keep his distance too. But when pipes burst at her house, he not only shows up at the perfect time—but also owns a construction company—he helps out and they start spending time together.
I loved so much about this book! The way he calls her “Thorn” because of her “prickly personality”, her cat Moose—omg I want Moose in my life immediately, all the foster kittens, the way he’s so slow and careful with her, “Get. Your. Hands. Off. Her.”, Lolli and Walter had me rolling with laughter, how he’s so protective, her friendships with Rhodes and Sutton, the entire Colson family and their chats.
I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own. ...more
The Show is the 3rd and final book in The Tuesday Club series and recently the audiobook came out. I have had the best time with the audios for this sThe Show is the 3rd and final book in The Tuesday Club series and recently the audiobook came out. I have had the best time with the audios for this series and had to jump in immediately! This is a billionaire, best friend’s brother romance, where the hero has been pining for yearssssss.
Penn has been in love with Lowe, his sister’s best friend for decades but he never thought he stood a chance with her! Now he ends up with a new baseball team (thanks grandpa!) and Lowe starts helping him. Penn’s grandfather bought the New York Lions, a failing baseball team and tells Penn he wants him to turn the team around and give him a World Series win before he dies. No big ask or anything for the diehard Yankees fan!
I feel like the books in this series just got better and I loved the fact that the heroine was the hero’s childhood crush! It was also so much fun seeing Jupiter Reeves and the entire setup for his romance and book in this read having already read his book, The Third Baseman. ...more
“Home is wherever you are,” he whispered. “You’re my sanctuary. Where I feel peace. Where I feel seen. Don’t want anything more.”
Ahhh! We have the sta“Home is wherever you are,” he whispered. “You’re my sanctuary. Where I feel peace. Where I feel seen. Don’t want anything more.”
Ahhh! We have the start of a new Catherine Cowles series and I couldn’t be happier. Fragile Sanctuary gave me everything I wanted and then some. This is the start of a new small town series and it has forced proximity, brother’s best friend, grumpy x sunshine, age gap, touch her and d!e, found family (w/ adopted + foster siblings too), a serial unaliver, a broken hero, and a cute dog and hilarious grandma as well!
Rhodes and Anson are absolutely perfect together and they’re instantly a new favorite Catherine Cowles couple. The way these two have both been through so much, have lost loved ones, and find comfort and safety with one another was just so beautiful to see. This is an emotional read that will pull on your heartstrings right from the prologue in classic Catherine style and then just never lets you go as it takes you on their journey!
Anson is an ex profiler who is working construction now in Sparrow Falls with Rho’s brother. They first meet when he’s surveying the house project he’s about to begin and thinks she’s sneaking around on the property, not realizing she’s the owner. They don’t get off on the right track, plus his grumpy attitude and closed off-self doesn’t really help when she tries to get to know him. But soon they realize they have a lot in common and when her safety is put in danger, he jumps right in. The healing journey these two go on together was honestly everything, and then the steam, the side characters, Lolli the diamond art grandma who isn’t afraid to let everyone know how comfortable with sex she is (much to her grandchildren’s chagrin), Biscuit the rescue doggie, Anson’s profiler mindset, the protectiveness, the way he calls her “Reckless”, please this book was perfect. I loved this book so much and cannot wait for the rest of the books in the series, my mind is already spinning with some future couplings and I can’t wait to see more of these characters and this new small town again soon!
I had an audio ALC and absolutely ate up this narration by Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber! They instantly brought Anson and Rho to life for me! Fragile Sanctuary is out May 16th, all thoughts in this review are my own....more
Forbidden King is a small town, slow burn, childhood friends to lovers, found family, brother’s best friend romance and the 3rd standalone in the MagnForbidden King is a small town, slow burn, childhood friends to lovers, found family, brother’s best friend romance and the 3rd standalone in the Magnolia Falls series by Laura Pavlov! I loved this one so much!
Saylor and King have been friends for years. He’s best friends with her brother Hayes and Saylor even ended up moving in with King and his grandparents when they were both younger teens. They’ve been in each other’s lives for years and now Saylor is opening her own romance bookstore, Love Ever After, in their small town and King and his construction company (with his friend Nash) are helping her with the build! They both confess their feelings as being more for one another around the same time and it’s just so sweet and fun! They sneak around for a bit while they figure out their feelings (per her request) and the slow burn is so worth it!
I loved their friendship and how well they know one another already, he’s so flirty and cute with her (even before they get together), I loved their “pillow talks”, his tattoo for her, calling her Dandelion, the mentions of reading the Willow Aster Landmark series, the crossover Honey Mountain and Cottonwood Cove characters, his relationship with his granny (his grandparents raised him), the guys friend text convo, Beefcake, all the romance book chatting (when King describes the hype of single dad romances to the guys ...more
Forever After All is a standalone, marriage of convenience, billionaire, age gap romance (she’s 23, he’s 32), with allll the drama and angst!
BasicallForever After All is a standalone, marriage of convenience, billionaire, age gap romance (she’s 23, he’s 32), with allll the drama and angst!
Basically this starts off like a Cinderella story, if Cinderella was out of options and tried to sell her body but ends up in a marriage of convenience. ...more
Lost and Lassoed is the third book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, they’re all interconnected standalones and can be read on their own but I’ve enjoyeLost and Lassoed is the third book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, they’re all interconnected standalones and can be read on their own but I’ve enjoyed the whole series! This one delivers on small town, best friend’s brother, single dad x nanny, grumpy x sunshine, hate to love, age gap-ish (8 years)!
I have really enjoyed this series and feel like each book continues to get stronger. This one has so many of my favorite tropes and just really worked for me, I loved Teddy and Gus together! She’s best friends with his sister (Emmy from Done and Dusted) and so they’ve been in each other’s lives for forever so there is a lot of history and they hate one another when the story kicks off (for reasons).
Teddy ends up losing her job at the beginning of the story and she’s so sad. She had a job that she loved and her boss was amazing, but her boss wants to retire and move closer to family and sold her clothing boutique. Right after finding out about her lost job, Teddy gets a phone call that same day from Emmy, her best friend and Gus’ sister, who needs help picking up Gus’ daughter Riley from soccer practice. Teddy helps out and ends up being the lifesaver that Gus needs in his life right now. He’s a busy single dad and works his family’s ranch but he’s struggling balancing it all and his family calls him out on it. They talk him into hiring Teddy as the nanny for his 6-year old daughter.
I love a single dad x nanny romance and the history these two already have together and in the town just made it really work for me. Teddy is feeling kind of lost and struggling with feeling like all of her friends, and even her dad, have found their person and is coupling up around her and she’s left on her own. So it was really sweet seeing her find her own HEA. We do get a slight mention/dyslexia rep for the hero in this one. I liked how fast-paced and just quick this book was, in the times of romances getting longer and longer nowadays this was like a delightful “just the right size” one.
I received an audio ALC from LibroFm, as soon as I saw the narrators were Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor…like say less, always a win and a delight to the ears!...more
Boo Thang is a Halloween novella that had been on my TBR since last fall! I have enjoyed quite a few from this author in the past and this was a fun eBoo Thang is a Halloween novella that had been on my TBR since last fall! I have enjoyed quite a few from this author in the past and this was a fun enough one. This is a best friend’s brother, she’s older, friends to lovers, he fell first/pining for years, vacation romance novella!
“I intend to give you all the things you deserve on this trip.”
We follow Piper and Zeke. Piper’s best friend can’t make a trip to Mexico they had planned over Halloween weekend. But her best friend’s brother, Zeke, is able to come in her place and make the trip! Zeke has crushed on Piper for years since he was a teen and it’s finally his chance to woo her. He’s determined to prove to her they’re more than just a weekend, vacation fling. Cute, steamy, and fun, but I’ve just enjoyed other books more from this author. ...more
Stay with Me is the second book in the Sugarland Creek series and this is a small town, best friend’s brother romance. It was described as having “a gStay with Me is the second book in the Sugarland Creek series and this is a small town, best friend’s brother romance. It was described as having “a girl who falls pregnant by the wrong man and the cowboy who takes her in.” So I definitely went into this with expectations and it just didn’t meet any of them sadly.
The surprise pregnancy part doesn’t even come into play until 65-70% into the story. Legit the whole time I was reading this I was waiting for her to find out and wondering if I was reading the right book. There was just a lot going on in this story and it felt so disjointed and I never got behind the couple.
Basically he’s the youngest of the Hollis family, his family owns the Sugarland Creek Ranch and he works there too. We start off with him losing his best friend in a car accident in the prologue, then jump forward in time a couple times to showcase him and Magnolia over the years. She is best friends with his sister (the heroine of the first book in this series). one of his brothers crushed on her for a while but when they didn’t work out they became friends instead.
There was just so much in here: on her 21st birthday her on-again-off-again boyfriend at the time drugs her (and accidentally her best friend) just to try and have some fun later in the night and “loosen her up” to a certain activity she has previously said no to. Major ick! While she does get rescued from that, I was surprised it didn’t become more of a thing. Instead, a couple years later, that is the guy she ends up hooking up with again (like what ma’am?!) when she’s wasted and that is how she gets knocked up. In the weeks following the hookup with her ex, her and the hero finally admit their feels for one another even though every one around them knows and they’ve been dancing around one another for years. They’re instantly in love and have a breeding kink immediately, and then of course she realizes she’s pregnant with the other guy’s baby. The hero is instantly down for raising the baby as his, even suggests she just say the baby is his and never tell anyone. There was also a point where one of his brothers crushes on her in the past, they even tried to date but realized they’re better as friends. She is so close with him now that she even sends him pics in her lingerie to ask his opinion on which are good options….oh and the lingerie her best friend’s husband-to-be pays for (like he gave her his credit card to use in exchange for her helping him pick out her friends lingerie, but still). Like whaaaat?! Also the over-describing of multiple popular movies/tv shows (Ghost, My Girl, Hart of Dixie), didn’t need the time spent on any of that (and I love those movies and shows)! Once we get to the pregnancy part it’s 70% in and just rushed, their only connection seems to be having the hots for one another all the time. And omg I forgot about how the baby’s father was handled in the end, yikes. I don’t know what happened with this book. I loved the first one in the series and this just felt so different, and not in a good way.
I did receive an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
CW (majority provided by author): drunk driving and death (in the prologue), loss of a loved one/grief, mention of drugs, anxiety attacks, animal death, accidental pregnancy...more
Orchids and Mistletoe is a holiday, historical romance novella from Kate Bateman. This one has a botanist heroine, an ex-spy hero who is her late brotOrchids and Mistletoe is a holiday, historical romance novella from Kate Bateman. This one has a botanist heroine, an ex-spy hero who is her late brother’s friend, and was described as giving beauty and the beast vibes!
Kit Carlisle is an ex-spy, during the war he was held as a POW with the heroine’s brother, who asked for Kit to look after his sister Emma and return her locket right before he passed away in their shared cell. After escaping and a physical recovery after that, Kit is now able to return Emma the locket.
Emma is a botanist who just returned home from Brazil with an orchid. When Kit tracks her down she sees it as the perfect chance to ask a favor of him as well. Even though they haven’t seen one another in 3 years, she’s hoping he’ll let her use his hothouse for her orchids over Christmas. His country home, Ashford Court, was famous in horticultural circles for its unusual greenhouse, heated entirely by naturally-occurring geothermal springs and it would be the best possible place for her orchids to bloom.
This was so charming and cute and I could have read even more about this couple! We get kissing-only which I didn’t mind for this short read. We get a mistletoe kiss, ice skating, and a hothouse bathing scene (with him accidentally spying on her). I just thought these two were so adorable and perfect together and they had me excited for their future adventures together! ...more
Same Time Next Year is a short novella from Tessa Bailey. I had kind of written off this author a while back, but this read was free recently (amazon Same Time Next Year is a short novella from Tessa Bailey. I had kind of written off this author a while back, but this read was free recently (amazon first read plus the audio came with it) and I was reading it for a specific video, sooo here we are! Since this was a super short read, I decided to just give it a try.
Britta is a beloved waitress at Sluggers, a popular bar and local hangout for the local hockey club, the Bridgeport Bandits. Her half-brother Bryce plays for the team as well. It’s New Year’s Eve and she finds out that Sumner, a defenseman for the team who is close to breaking into the NHL, has to return back to Canada since his work visa is ending. Her brother and the whole team have the bright idea for Britta and Sumner to marry for a green card instead!
Britta and Sumner decide to get married and fake the relationship for a year so he can get a green card and stay in the U.S. to attract the attention of the NHL. This story spends the year of their marriage together. He’s been into her for a year and has even fantasized about marrying her for a while, so it’s a dream come true for him. This moved quickly and was a typical Tessa Bailey kind of read. I just wasn’t sold by these characters and I feel like you can’t take the setup too seriously or question it too much. ...more
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