Story Blurb Nora’s life is about to get a rewrite… Nora Hamilton knows the formula for love better than anyone. As a romance channel screenwriter, it’s her job. But when her too-good-to work husband leaves her and their two kids, Nora turns her marriage’s collapse into cash and writes the best script of her life. No one is more surprised than her when it’s picked up for the big screen and set to film on location at her 100-year-old-home. When former Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, is cast as her ne’er do well husband Nora’s life will never be the same. The morning after shooting wraps and the crew leaves, Nora finds Leo on her porch with a half-empty bottle of tequila and a proposition. He’ll pay a thousand dollars a day to stay for a week. The extra seven grand would give Nora breathing room, but it’s the need in his eyes that makes her say yes. Seven days: it’s the blink of an eye or an eternity depending on how you look at it. Enough time to fall in love. Enough time to break your heart. Filled with warmth, wit, and wisdom, Nora Goes Off Script is the best kind of love story—the real kind where love is complicated by work, kids, and the emotional baggage that comes with life. For Nora and Leo, this kind of love is bigger than the big screen. My Thoughts/Opinion Annabel Monaghan is a one-click author for me. If she writes it, I'm reading it. Which is funny because this is her debut novel and I only just now got to it. I loved every single thing about this book. I loved the characters and how hard and fast they fell for each other. I loved Nora's absolute devotion to her family. I even loved the broken season though I couldn't see how they would or could make their way back to each other. And the redemption was even better than I could have imagined. Do yourself an favor and read this book. Your heart will thank you. Favorite Quote: “And second, that the best things come back. Sometimes it’s right after the commercial, sometimes it takes longer. But time and sunshine bring growth, and life unfolds just the way it’s supposed to.”

Story Blurb She’s got his back. Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker. He’s got her heart. Jack Stapleton’s a household name—captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid. They’ve got a secret. When Jack’s mom gets sick, he goes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex says no one will believe it. What could possibly go wrong? Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done. My Thoughts/Opinion I think the thing I loved most about this book is that it delivered on its promise to be exactly what it was - a delightful romcom that touched on a few heavier themes but didn't take itself too seriously. It was such a fun and easy read and I think any self-respecting romance reader would jump at the chance to be Hannah. The other books I've read by this author were surprisingly a little heavier thematically but this one struck exactly the right tone for me. Favorite Quote: “You can't make people love you. But you can give the love you long for out to the world. You can be the love you wish you had. That's the way to be okay. Because giving love to other people is a way of giving it to yourself.”

Story Blurb She's known nothing but darkness for 413 days…but he'll burn down the world to save her. After a year in captivity, Nova Monroe is back in Starlight Grove―but she's not the same woman who vanished. She lives on the edge, chases adrenaline, and refuses to be caged again. Cliff diving. Mountain biking. Anything to feel alive and outrun the memories clawing at her. But the single dad with shadows of his own won't let her face it alone. Especially when she finds herself needing a place to stay. Kol Archer has made it his mission to protect her. As a Forest Service investigator, he's no stranger to rugged terrain or battling for control. But nothing prepared him for Nova―her fire, her fight, the way she makes him feel something he thought was lost. The closer they get, the more dangerous things become. Someone doesn't want Nova to move on. And Kol is determined to stop them―no matter the cost. Because for the first time in forever, Nova's not just surviving. She's learning how to live, how to trust, and reminding Kol he can, too. But as darkness looms, the truth could destroy them both… My Thoughts/Opinion I enjoyed book one in the series but it paled in comparison to this one. I think partly because we witnessed Nova's trauma in book one and partly because Kol is such an incredible protector. Their ability to only let the other in was healing trauma on both sides. Such a great story and of course, the suspense subplot was extremely well done. Can't wait for book three! Favorite Quote: Those silver eyes filled with unshed tears, and I knew they were tears of love. They still killed me—more lethal than any blade. I shoved the flashlight into my pocket and cupped her face. “I will always come back for you. Always.”

Story Blurb He spent a lifetime trying to escape his dark past…but to save her, he'll wade back into the shadows. Braedyn Winslow never expected to return to Starlight Grove―the town that took everything from her. Not after her best friend, the one who'd sacrificed so much for her, vanished without a trace. But with a young son to raise and a past that won't stay buried, Brae is back…and determined to uncover the truth. She just didn't count on the brooding, reclusive mountain man living next door. Dex Archer is the stuff of local legend―silent, rugged, and surrounded by whispers of his and his brothers' violent father. But Brae sees through the scowl and his parentage to the man beneath: fiercely loyal, unexpectedly kind…and just dangerous enough to protect her when someone starts warning her off her search. The closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to stay away from Dex. And as things get more perilous, Brae realizes the only person she can rely on is the one man who swore never to trust again. Only someone isn't happy that Brae has been digging, and they'll do anything to stop her. But Dex? He'll do anything to save her, even slip back into the dark… My Thoughts/Opinion Catherine Cowles KNOWS how to do romantic suspense. She masterfully weaves both elements together seamlessly. This is the first book in the Starlight Grove series and you jump almost immediately into the action. Brae is an FMC I found myself instantly rooting for. And Dex (all the brothers) have some major family trauma to work through. These two have great chemistry and the banter is so good. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't guess the bad guy at all. Such a fun read! Favorite Quote: She’s like sunshine. No, it was more than that. She wasn’t just the sun. She was the sunrise. Even though darkness had claimed her for a time, she still rose. Every damn day.

Story Blurb STRIPPED OF POWER. FUELLED BY VENGEANCE. She lost everything because of his lie. Now the only way to save her sister is to win a deadly competition that could cost her the only thing she has left: her life. When Prince Kyor twisted the truth about his mother’s death, Rose paid the price. Her family was stripped of their magic, cast into the slums, and abandoned by the kingdom they once served. Now her parents are gone, and her younger sister’s future hangs in the balance. Rose’s only hope is the Tournament of the Gifting, a brutal competition held once a century, where the victor earns a blessing from the Goddess of Life. The catch? Every other contender wields the very power she was robbed of. And Prince Kyor is among them. Commander of the armies. Rider of a bonded dire wolf. Wielder of lightning. He doesn’t just want to win for vanity – he wants the gift for himself. But what could a man who has it all possibly want? Thrown into a world of magic, monsters, and merciless trials, Rose must fight not only for survival but for the chance to reclaim her future. Along the way, she’ll find unlikely allies, ruthless rivals, and a dangerous connection with her greatest enemy – one that could ruin or remake her. My Thoughts/Opinion I sometimes get sucked into Booktok favorites because I see them frequently enough that I think I have to read it if that many people enjoyed it. That's what happened with this book. The long and short of this book is that, for me, it's a well-written Fourth Wing knock-off. Soooo many things about this book are Fourth Wing coded, at times it felt like it was almost copy paste. I enjoyed the trials. They were fun and interesting. The book is fast paced, also a plus. I don't feel huge desire at this moment to continue the series, but that may also be because I didn't enjoy the end of book one. Favorite Quote: “one who cannot find happiness within the gifts they have already been given will struggle to be satisfied by more.”

Story Blurb Book One: Gold The fae abandoned this world to us. And the ones with power rule. Gold. Gold floors, gold walls, gold furniture, gold clothes. In Highbell, in the castle built into the frozen mountains, everything is made of gold. Even me. King Midas rescued me. Dug me out of the slums and placed me on a pedestal. I’m called his precious. His favored. I’m the woman he Gold-Touched to show everyone that I belong to him. To show how powerful he is. He gave me protection, and I gave him my heart. And even though I don’t leave the confines of the palace, I’m safe. Until war comes to the kingdom and a deal is struck. Suddenly, my trust is broken. My love is challenged, and I realize that everything I thought I knew about Midas might be wrong. Because these bars I’m kept in, no matter how gilded, are still just a cage. But the monsters on the other side might make me wish I’d never left. My Thoughts/Opinion I demolished the first three books in this series. The story was incredible and a fast read. I enjoyed it immensely. The second three books were like a second story. Also incredibly good but much more an epic saga. The fourth book was a bit of a slog as a set up for the second half of the story but then books five and six were highly bingeable. My biggest takeaways: I LOVE Slade Ravinger. He is a top 5 book boyfriend for me. Auren's character arc was really well done. The magic system and Fae realm were well designed and I loved the side characters. Favorite Quote: “You’re not the villain in my story.” “I am,” he says without remorse, his sharp jaw tight with tension. “But I’ll be the villain for you. Not to you.”

Story Blurb Six summers to fall in love. One moment to fall apart. A weekend to get it right. They say you can never go home again, and for Persephone Fraser, ever since she made the biggest mistake of her life a decade ago, that has felt too true. Instead of glittering summers on the lakeshore of her childhood, she spends them in a stylish apartment in the city, going out with friends, and keeping everyone a safe distance from her heart. Until she receives the call that sends her racing back to Barry’s Bay and into the orbit of Sam Florek—the man she never thought she’d have to live without. For six summers, through hazy afternoons on the water and warm summer nights working in his family’s restaurant and curling up together with books—medical textbooks for him and work-in-progress horror short stories for her—Percy and Sam had been inseparable. Eventually that friendship turned into something breathtakingly more, before it fell spectacularly apart. When Percy returns to the lake for Sam’s mother’s funeral, their connection is as undeniable as it had always been. But until Percy can confront the decisions she made and the years she’s spent punishing herself for them, they’ll never know whether their love might be bigger than the biggest mistakes of their past. Told over the course of six years and one weekend, Every Summer After is a big, sweeping nostalgic story of love and the people and choices that mark us forever. My Thoughts/Opinion I bumped this book to the top of my TBR because Prime just released the series and I wanted to make sure I had read the book ahead of watching it. This was my first Carley Fortune read though I have several friends who are big fans. She made it easy to stay in the story even with the dual timelines and I rooted for the young love that blossomed for Percy and Sam. I am not a huge fan of the twist though I saw it coming pretty early on. I also wish that a little more time was given to the present day story line at the end of the book. It felt a little rushed and could have been explored a little more deeply in my opinion. Looking forward to reading more from the author. Favorite Quote: “The way I felt about you was always so clear to me—even when we were young I knew you and I were meant for each other. Two halves of a whole. I loved you so much that the word ‘love’ didn’t seem big enough for how I felt.”

Story Blurb Book 1 - Mile High Zanders Chicago hockey isn’t complete without me—everyone’s favorite player to hate. I know my role, and I play it well. In fact, I thoroughly enjoy spending the majority of my game time in the penalty box before leaving the arena with a new girl on my arm each night. What I don’t like is the new flight attendant on our team’s private plane. She works for me, not the other way around. But I’ll be sure to remind her of that, and I can guarantee, by the end of the season, she’ll be begging to quit her job. But every road trip blurs the lines, and I can’t quite figure out if I keep pushing that flight attendant call button in order to push her buttons or if it’s more than that. Stevie I’ve been a flight attendant for years. I thought I’d see it all, but when my new job lands me onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL, I start to second guess everything. Including the promise I made to myself of never hooking up with an athlete again…no matter how annoyingly tempting he may be. Evan Zanders is unfiltered, unapologetic, and too attractive for his own good. He loves his image, but I hate everything about it. Everything but him. My Thoughts/Opinion This series was super entertaining and easy to digest quickly. Fun summer reads all. As with the Play With Me series by Becka Mack, the first book in the series was my least favorite of all of them. But I definitely enjoyed it enough to keep going and I'm glad I did. And I actually think that the "bonus" book in this series, In Her Own League, was probably my favorite of all. My favorite quote is from that one. I'm late to the Liz Tomforde bandwagon but I am so glad I'm finally on it! Looking forward to her next series which was softly introduced in this one. Highly recommend the series for anyone looking for great banter and excellent writing. Favorite Quote: “We were two people who were lonelier than we realized and only found each other because we had the same hiding place.”

Story Blurb Wed me. Bed me. Slit my throat. Born in dirt, raised in rot, I dig graves for the dead, While the living decay around me. When my brother coughs blood, He appears. A man too polished for the graveyard, With a bargain too cruel for the light: Seduce the King. Become the Queen. Die. And my brother lives. Kael is a nightmare of living ruin, The rotting ruler of a festering realm. And Vale is his shadow, The cold architect of my demise. One man needs my heart to beat. The other plans to stop it forever. They think I’m a pawn. But I’m the gravedigger's daughter. And I know exactly where to bury them. Welcome to the funeral. My Thoughts/Opinion When my daughter who rarely cries told me to read this completed duology I immediately downloaded it in KU. Excellent writing, quite poetic given that the first book is essentially a dark Beauty and the Best retelling (kind of.) But I have to tell you that I was most of the way through the second book before I got it. Let me be clear, the books were fantastic and I read them in two days. But I didn't understand why they were powerful enough to make her cry until I did. I totally did. And I am not a crier in my normal reading experience. I truly truly cannot recommend this duology enough. If you're up for it, I promise you will not be disappointed. Favorite Quote: “Because love and loss are on the same coin - one side warmth, one side ache - but the value never changes. And to carve out the grief would be to erase the love that made the memory worth living. A thousand times over.”

Story Blurb Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life-working hard all day and partying all night-until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She'll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths. Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss's enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he's offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach. As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City's underbelly, they're plunged into the fight of a lifetime, making them question everything they thought they knew. My Thoughts/Opinion Was this series so good that I read all 2400 pages in a week? Yes. Do I wish I could read the story all over again? Yes. I don't know what it is about this author that she is able to write such sweeping sagas, involve so many characters and make you care about every single one of them. Bryce and Hunt are perfect for each other and just what this magical world needs. I'm also so grateful that there is purported to be a CC4 coming at some point because my only complaint is that there were several threads left open at the end of book three that I really want to have resolved. Favorite Quote: “You're the person I don't need to explain myself to - not when it matters. You see everything I am, and you don't run away from it.”

Story Blurb Love is a lie. Laughter is the only truth. Jane Jackson spent her adolescence as "Poor Janey Jakes," the barbecue-sauce-in-her-braces punch line on America's fifth-favorite sitcom. Now she’s trying to be taken seriously as a Hollywood studio executive by embracing a new mantra: Fake it till you make it. Except she might have faked it too far. Desperate to get her first project greenlit and riled up by pompous cinematographer and one-time crush Dan Finnegan, she claimed that she could get mega popstar Jack Quinlan to write a song for the movie. Jack may have been her first kiss—and greatest source of shame—but she hasn’t spoken to him in twenty years. Now Jane must turn to the last man she’d ever want to owe: Dan Finnegan. Because Jack is playing a festival in Dan’s hometown, and Dan has an in. A week in close quarters with Dan as she faces down her past is Jane's idea of hell, but he just might surprise her. While covering up her lie, can they find something true? My Thoughts/Opinion I don't even know where to start with all the things I loved about this story. I loved the author's inspiration for the book. I loved Jane and Dan's torturous path to love. My goodness, the yearning. Done SOOOOO well! I loved Dan's boisterous Irish family. I loved the hurting parts. The funny parts. The poignant parts. This was a fantastic read that will leave you thinking about it long after the end. Favorite Quote: “I’d like to be the person who could take all of your sad things and make them happy. Like I’d hunt down each one and turn it over.” “I don’t think anyone is that person for anyone,” I say. “I don’t think so either. But I’d like to be that person for you.”

Story Blurb As a professional cleaner, Abi Mariano never thought her apartment would have any sort of infestation, but because of a building-wide outbreak, she now needs somewhere to stay for a week. As a part-time student with two jobs, she doesn’t have many options. Then the solution presents itself: the owner of the penthouse she cleans is out of town for the week. She normally wouldn’t consider it, but he’s literally never around (she hasn’t even met him). It goes great…until one morning she finds two strangers in the kitchen. They’re the parents of the penthouse owner and they seem to think they’ve heard all about Abi—not as their son’s maid, but as his girlfriend. Declan Powell has always put his career first, working his way up to become an executive at his company, but he still has his sights set on the next level. When his parents mention that they met his girlfriend, “Abby,” he all but chokes on his escargot. As wonderful as it sounds that she was just darling, he doesn’t actually have a girlfriend—he made her up to get everyone off his back. When Dex finds out who Abi really is, he makes her a proposition: pretend to date him, and he’ll provide everything she needs during their little arrangement. What harm would it do? It’s purely business, no pleasure…right? My Thoughts/Opinion The premise of this story was just too good to pass up. I loved that both characters had skin in the game for this fake dating scam. I also loved how natural their chemistry was. The story was pretty predictable, but no complaints here. It was exactly the palate cleanser I was looking for. And the banter was top tier. Favorite Quote: “I kissed you because I wanted to. You look beautiful, I like your mouth, you kiss like a goddess—and we both liked it. That’s it. So maybe let’s not overthink it…?”