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Story Blurb Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. The world may know him as Aeneas, star of the biggest show on television, but fanfiction readers call him something else: Book!AeneasWouldNever. Marcus gets out his frustrations with the show through anonymous stories about the internet’s favorite couple, Aeneas and Lavinia. But if anyone discovered his online persona, he’d be finished in Hollywood. April Whittier has secrets of her own. A hardcore Lavinia fan, she’s long hidden her fanfic and cosplay hobbies from her “real life”—but not anymore. When she dares to post her latest costume creation on Twitter, her plus-size take goes viral. And when Marcus asks her out to spite her internet critics, truth officially becomes stranger than fanfiction. On their date, Marcus quickly realizes he wants more from April than a one-time publicity stunt. But when he discovers she’s Unapologetic Lavinia Stan, his closest fandom friend, he has one more huge secret to keep from her. With love and Marcus’s career on the line, can the two of them stop hiding once and for all, or will a match made in fandom end up prematurely cancelled? My Thoughts/Opinion I liked the premise of this story, and I started out really liking the main characters. I also liked the format of the story with inserts of the fanfic stories they'd written. April is a self-proclaimed fat girl and for the first part of the story, I could see the potential the author intended to a) build a great romance and b) build April's self worth. Unfortunately, her body size ended up defining her for the entire story, and was basically validation for her terrible behavior. Too many times she jumped to conclusions about others' motivations and it became almost untenable. I got to the point where I lost my motivation to care much about their HEA. Favorite Quote: “Black to disappear. Extra fabric to disguise. As always, fatness was a sin, most likely mortal rather than venial.”

Story Blurb After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come—the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable. While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere” ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people. Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his? My Thoughts/Opinion What an incredibly well-crafted and emotionally driven story this was! Just Wow!! I absolutely fell in love with the main characters and appreciated so much that the author never gave them easy outs for the issues they had to resolve. I can't remember the last time I rooted so hard for an HEA, and I love that this very inventive story teller found a fresh way to deliver. Fantastic cast of side characters as well. I fell in love with the entire town of Wakan. Kudos to the author for such a great read!! Favorite Quote: “Love follows you. It goes where you go. It doesn’t know about social divides or distance or common sense, it doesn’t even stop when the person you love does. It does what it wants. Even if what you want is to not be in love.”

Story Blurb How do you define yourself when others have already decided who you are? Six years ago, when Camden Daniels came back from war without his younger brother, no one in the small town of Alba, Colorado, would forgive him—especially his father. He left, swearing never to return. But a desperate message from his father brings it all back. The betrayal. The pain. And the need to go home again. But home is where the one person he still loves is waiting. Willow. The one woman he can never have, because there are secrets buried in Alba that are best left in the dark... Great and Precious Things is a heart-wrenching forbidden romance about family, betrayal, and ultimately how far we’re willing to go on behalf of those we love and who need us most. My Thoughts/Opinion As you might now, Rebecca Yarros is one of my all-time favorite authors. She has a gift of blending a solid romance with real-life issues and this story brimmed with all the quality I've come to expect from her writing. Camden's story, and the guilt he carried, was heart-breaking. Willow had her own secrets as well. I loved the undercurrents of harsh family dynamics, along with the sacrifices that sometimes must be made for the truth. I haven't found a book of hers yet that I wouldn't recommend - so enjoy! Favorite Quote: “Desperation and love make ordinary people do heroic things.”

Story Blurb When Tanner Stewart learns his crazy ex is returning for a summer in Skagway, he places a personal ad, looking for someone to pose as his fiancée for the summer. Enter McKenna Cabot, a commitment-phobic college professor from Seattle caring for her aging grandmother. The promise of seasonal money is too good to pass up, so she heads north for the summer only to fall head over heels for tall, blonde, and handsome Tanner. But are their feelings strong enough to last when the season is over? My Thoughts/Opinion The Stewarts of Skagway is a six-book series. The second book in the series (Harper) was recommended to me somewhere and I thought the premise was intriguing. Then I realized there was this one book ahead of it and so I started here first. The book was well written, if not a bit of a stretch in a few places. I liked the FMC's motivation, the Stewart family, and the solid glimpse into Skagway history and culture. I'm also a sucker for a golden retreiver hero. This book felt a little generic to me, but I liked it well enough to venture on to Harper's story (review coming soon.) Favorite Quote: "The only life I want is the one that includes you, Kenna."

Story Blurb Rowan I’m in the business of creating fairy tales. Theme parks. Production companies. Five-star hotels. Everything could be all mine if I renovated Dreamland. My initial idea of hiring Zahra was good in theory, but then I kissed her. Things spiraled out of control once I texted her using an alias. By the time I realized where I went wrong, it was too late. People like me don’t get happy endings. Not when we’re destined to ruin them. Zahra After submitting a drunk proposal criticizing Dreamland’s most expensive ride, I should have been fired. Instead, Rowan Kane offered me a dream job. The catch? I had to work for the most difficult boss I’d ever met. Rowan was rude and completely off-limits, but my heart didn’t care. At least not until I discovered his secret. It was time to teach the billionaire that money couldn’t fix everything. Especially not us. My Thoughts/Opinion There were lots of things to love about this story. The grumpy/sunshine trope I truly enjoy, the setting (who doesn't love a Disneyesque venue), the representation (loved Ani!). And I really loved Zahra and her sunshine. I had a harder time connecting with Rowan, and never did really understand the family angst. It just didn't feel totally fleshed out to me. Also, didn't love the repetitiveness of Rowan's screw-ups then immediate "I didn't really mean it. Give me another chance" vibes. The story is part one of a 3-part series, so maybe the family angst will come together for me in subsequent books. Favorite Quote: “If I had a heart to give, it would be all yours. Free of cost.”

Story Blurb Fate brings together a ballet teacher and a hockey player in this big-hearted novel about second chances and taking risks by the bestselling author Entertainment Weekly calls the “master of witty banter.” Once upon a time teenage Aurora Evans met a hockey player at the Mall of America. He was from Canada. And soon, he was the perfect fake boyfriend, a get-out-of-jail-free card for all kinds of sticky situations. I can't go to prom. I'm going to be visiting my boyfriend in Canada. He was just what she needed to cover her social awkwardness. He never had to know. It wasn't like she was ever going to see him again... Years later, Aurora is teaching kids’ dance classes and battling panic and eating disorders—souvenirs from her failed ballet career—when pro hockey player Mike Martin walks in with his daughter. Mike’s honesty about his struggles with widowhood helps Aurora confront some of her own demons, and the two forge an unlikely friendship. There’s just one problem: Mike is the boy she spent years pretending was her “Canadian boyfriend.” The longer she keeps her secret, the more she knows it will shatter the trust between them. But to have the life she wants, she needs to tackle the most important thing of all—believing in herself. My Thoughts/Opinion From the cover, I expected a totally cutesy, adorable rom-com. What I got was a deep, emotionally vulnerable, incredible book that dealt with all kinds of real-life issues from eating disorders to loss and grief to parenting. I absolutely loved this book and am so glad it was so much more than I expected. Both the main characters were flawed, and I really loved how they worked through their own issues and worked for each other's weaknesses. Lots of big sighs through this one. Highly recommend! Favorite Quote: “when you don’t know what to say, you usually can’t go wrong with the truth, even if it makes you or other people uncomfortable.”

Story Blurb The viral TikTok friends-to-lovers dark romantic comedy full of murder, chaos, and sizzling chemistry—unlike anything you’ve read before—now available in all bookstores When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, they find something elusive—the friendship of two like-minded, pitch-black souls who just happen to enjoy killing other serial killers. From small-town West Virginia to upscale California, and from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match? My Thoughts/Opinion I have heard mixed reviews on this book, but it was one I wanted to try because it was such a unique premise and sometimes I like to read for a different mood/vibe. If you have a squeamish stomach and the macabre is a deal-breaker for you, do NOT read this book. Fortunately for me, I don't so I got to read a really good romance with two troubled MCs. My absolutely favorite part of this book was banter between Rowan and Sloane. So so good. There's plenty of spice in this book, too, and a very satisfying HEA. There is a long long list of trigger warnings at the beginning of this book and the author hits them all, so don't take that list lightly. I enjoyed the book and will likely read on to the other two in this trilogy. Favorite Quote: “He’s Rowan,” Sloane says, gesturing at me again. Rose narrows her eyes as though this is insufficient information. “He’s my f-fr…boy. Guy. A man-guy. I’m…with. Here.” I snort a laugh as Rose’s face scrunches. “Man-guy,” I echo. “Real smooth, Blackbird.”

Story Blurb Jordan Buchanan is thrilled that her brother and best friend are tying the knot. The wedding is a lavish affair–for the marriage of Dylan Buchanan and Kate MacKenna is no ordinary occasion. It represents the joining of two family dynasties. The ceremony and reception proceed without a hitch–until a crasher appears claiming to be a MacKenna guest. The disheveled and eccentric professor of medieval history warns that there’s “bad blood” between the couple’s clans, stemming from an ancient feud that originated in Scotland, and involving the Buchanan theft of a coveted MacKenna treasure. Jordan has always led a cautious life and has used her intelligence and reason to become a successful businesswoman. So she is intrigued but skeptical of the professor’s claims that the feud has been kept alive by the grave injustices the Buchanans have perpetrated over the centuries. But when Noah Clayborne, a close family friend and a man who has never let a good time or a pretty girl pass him by, accuses Jordan of being trapped in her comfort zone, she determines to prove him wrong and sets out on a spontaneous adventure to the small, dusty town of Serenity, Texas, to judge the professor’s research for herself. Maneuvering through a close-knit community in which everyone knows everyone else’s business, Jordan never anticipates the danger and intrigue that lie in her path, nor the threat that will shadow her back to Boston, where even in familiar surroundings, her life is at risk. A powerful thug who rules by fear, a man who harbors a simmering secret, and an unexpected romance that pierces all defenses–beloved author Julie Garwood weaves these dazzling elements into a brilliant novel of romantic suspense. Shadow Dance is a searing tango of passion and peril. My Thoughts/Opinion I was in the mood last week to kick it back old school and return to one of my all-time favorite authors. I love every member of the McKenna/Buchanan/Clayborne family from every generation. What I love most about this author's books is the incredible romantic tension and the GREAT banter. If I had all the time in the world I would immerse myself fully in Julie's entire backlist, but it was nice to take a little break back into their world. Favorite Quote: "Noah, if we were to get married, you couldn't date anymore."

Story Blurb ABBY: I’m falling for the father of the baby I’m carrying. The problem is: it’s not my baby. And the broody widower is not looking for a long-term partner. As a surrogate, the deal was that I’d only be in England long enough to give birth. At first, the man seemed as pretentious as his name: Sigmund Benedictus. He and I butted heads. Sig challenged my intentions, accused me of just wanting to do this for the money. Gradually, he learned to trust me. He even became protective. Over time, our heated animosity turned into fiery chemistry. I was falling in love with him. But my time here had a limit. I needed to protect my heart from the devastatingly gorgeous older man who’d end up breaking it. SIG: When my in-laws told me they wanted to use my dead wife’s eggs to conceive a grandchild, I wasn’t immediately on board. They swore that on her deathbed Britney told them it was what she wanted—but only if I fathered the baby. Her parents insisted they would be the ones to raise it. Against my better judgment, I agreed. I vowed to keep my heart out of it, though. I’d continue to pretend it wasn’t happening and live the empty, single life I’d become accustomed to the past five years since Britney died. And despite the fact that a certain younger American named Abby Knickerbocker had awakened things inside me that I thought were long dead… I most certainly wouldn’t fall in love with the surrogate. My Thoughts/Opinion I had trouble liking Sig as the obnoxious best friend in The Aristocrat, but the end of that book broke my heart for him and I knew I had to read his story. I liked the trope idea of falling for the surrogate but I worried about it being well done. I shouldn't have worried. Once again, the writing was strong, the plot line solid, and the chemistry between Sig and Abby quit believable. This is my second read by this author but it won't be my last. Favorite Quote: We try to hide from the memories because it hurts. But sometimes what we really need is to remember.

Story Blurb The one that got away. Every girl has one, right? Mine was a charming, British aristocrat who turned my world upside down one summer. From the moment I first spotted Leo in the distance through my binoculars, I’d been captivated. I certainly never expected to find a man showering outside of the property across the bay in his birthday suit. Then I noticed his housemate staring back at me with binoculars of his own—watching me watching Leo. That made for an interesting conversation starter when I inevitably ran into them. Turned out, the handsome Brits were only renting that house for the summer in my seaside town. Leo and I formed an instant connection, even though we were technically opposites by all appearances. I taught him how to dig for clams, and he taught me that not all wealthy and powerful guys are pretentious. Despite knowing he was totally wrong for me, I couldn’t seem to stay away. It was a wild and crazy few months. And before I knew it, we’d fallen in love. We both had one wish: more time together. But Leo had obligations back home. He lived a life I’d never fit into. And I was going to law school. So, we decided to end it and never look back. A part of me always felt like I’d let my soulmate walk away. I believed our story was over. Until five years later when he sent me a letter that shook me to my core. I’d thought my world was turned upside down that first summer? Well, I knew nothing yet. My Thoughts/Opinion I expected a simple yet sweet love story from this book. I expected enjoyment yet a typical story line. However, this book surprised me. So much so that I immediately went and grabbed the recently released second book. I liked the characters and their romantic antics, but what I think I loved more than anything (and this is going to sound bad) was that good people got emotionally hurt. It's not often that you read a contemporary romance where there's a morally gray situation, but I liked stretching that way just a bit. I recommend both books in this series. Favorite Quote: There are times in life when we simply choose to jump into the fire, even if we know we're going to get burned.

Story Blurb Telling her the truth could mean losing her forever. Ashlee As a journalist investigating my own unsolved kidnapping, I’m willing to risk anything to find the perpetrators. When I nearly blow my cover, a mysterious man rescues me, then warns me away from the story. I know I should be terrified of the dark forces at play, but something tells me I can trust this man. Soon, I only feel safe when I’m by his side. TJ Russo knows more about my kidnapping than he’s admitting, and I’m determined to drag the whole story out of him. The only problem is I’m falling for my sexy protector. And now I have to choose between learning the truth and staying in his life. TJ Six months ago, my covert agency, HEAT, rescued Ashlee Armand from the crime syndicate The Carbonados. When the intrepid reporter shows up in the middle of another operation targeting the dangerous organization, I realize she’s in harm’s way again. To keep her out of a HEAT versus Carbonados showdown, I take her under my protection. When that ill-advised move puts her at more risk, it’s clear I have to send her away for her safety. But she isn’t the kind of woman to go quietly. And I don’t know how to let go of the smart, sexy woman who has captured my heart. My Thoughts/Opinion Romantic suspense is such a fun genre to read when it's done well, and Harper Cross does it well. This book felt short to me but that's only because it read so smoothly. There wasn't a single wasted word and every scene mattered. The premise was solid and the entire story was seamless and so good. She nailed the chemistry between the main characters, and was able to weave in a bit of backstory without it feeling intrusive (this was book 5 in a series). I'll absolutely read more from this author. So good!! Favorite Quote: This was a game, and I wanted to play it. I wanted to know what he would demand of me next. i wanted to find out how he would reward me for obeying. I gripped the hem of my tee shirt, pulled it off over my head, and dropped it to the floor.

Story Blurb She's a feisty workaholic that hates his guts.He's an arrogant MMA fighter that can't afford any distractions. This isn't the kind of fight they're used to... When Remy is suddenly evicted from her apartment, her best friend offers to let her crash at his house while he's traveling for work. The only problem is, she can't stand his arrogant, self-centered roommate, Tristan. Now, she has to figure out how to live in the same house with him for ten days while dealing with all the temptation that comes with… including punching Tristan’s smug face in. But when one night strips them of their masks and exposes the truth, they’re forced to reexamine how they really feel about each other. While Remy struggles with her attraction to this notorious womanizer, Tristan has to decide if his feelings for Remy are worth it, or if they'll just distract him from his longtime goal of becoming a world champion. Can Tristan and Remy drop their guards long enough to fall in love? Or will old prejudices deliver the final blow? My Thoughts/Opinion One of the best parts of reading is getting to step into new worlds and lifestyles that you otherwise would never experience. Such was the case with this enemies to lovers MMA world story. Remy and Tristan have big energy and they're both badasses in their own right, but it was fun to see them have to grow and reevaluate their preconceptions of the other. High heat warning - the spice between these two hyper fit athletes was also off the charts. This was a good beach read with some secondary characters who I'm looking forward to reading about in future novels in this series. Favorite Quote: “I would pick her every second of every day and every week. Because I'm completely, desperately in love with her.”