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Story Blurb Benefits of a summer romance: It’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken. Ali Morris is a professional organizer whose own life is a mess. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her...by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. He looks at her like she’s a younger, braver version of herself. The last thing newly single mom Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little summer romance. Is there? My Thoughts/Opinion I didn't expect to read this book in one day, but there I was at 10:30 last night finishing it. Poignant, great characters who I rooted for, and lots of life going on around the central romance of the story. Great internal conflict for Ali, and lots of growth as an individual which she had to have in order to turn this summer romance into something real and lasting. Most of the romances I read aren't about 30-something divorcees with kids, but the author did a great job of showing this full, messy life and making room for something new. I adored Ethan and even though his personal baggage wasn't nearly as heavy, he had to grow as well. I seem to be on trend lately with books that appear light and fluffy but pack a lot of emotional depth. I'm not sad about it! Favorite Quote: "When I’m quiet I can hear my heart yearning for impossible things. I want a perfectly pared-down home, and I want to hang on to every scrap of the past. I want a break from my kids without missing a single minute of their lives. I long for a partnership, and I long for freedom. I long to be enmeshed with someone without losing myself. I want all of it. Maybe”

Story Blurb A wedding planner and her grumpy ex must work together to plan a celebrity event in this deliciously spicy and funny novel from Ali Hazelwood's "favorite writer."  Ama Torres is an optimistic wedding planner who doesn’t believe in marriage. But weddings? They’re amazing. Elliot Bloom is a brooding florist who hates owning a flower shop…until a certain bright-eyed, donut-loving workaholic shows up at his door. Once upon a time, they collaborated on events by day, and by night, Ama traced the intricate flower tattoos etched along his body. Then Ama shattered his heart and never spoke to Elliot again.     Now they’re working on an event that could make or break both of their careers—except neither of them has gotten over what happened two years ago. Things are not helped by the two brides, who see the obvious chemistry between Ama and Elliot and are determined to set them up, not knowing their complicated history. But as the wedding takes on a life of its own, Ama and Elliot are about to discover that some things can survive a complete catastrophe . . .  My Thoughts/Opinion This book started a little slow for me and I'm not usually a fan of dual timelines, but overall I really, really enjoyed this book. The writing was phenomenal and (despite the dual timelines), the pacing worked well. I liked Elliot and his heart, I liked Ama too but between the two, I'm definitely team Elliot. I struggled a little bit to connect with Ama's backstory and reluctance to fall in love, but I like the twisty dichotomy at the end. All in all, a great read that I am happy to recommend to others. Favorite Quote: “You may think everything ends one day, but you haven’t had ‘everything’ with me.”

Story Blurb A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters. Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast. They’re polar opposites. In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer's block. Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really. My Thoughts/Opinion Why Oh Why did I wait this long to get on the Emily Henry bandwagon?? This book...wow...I don't know why but I did NOT expect the depth of emotion and characterization in this book. I am flabbergasted to say the least. January and Augustus both have a lot of baggage and a past together. And the vulnerability of each of them to fight for their future almost had me in tears. So so so so good. I can't wait to read all of her books!! Favorite Quote: “When I watch you sleep," he said shakily, "I feel overwhelmed that you exist.”

Story Blurb Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again... Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was…. Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf. My Thoughts/Opinion Ali Hazelwood is a gifted and talented writer, and her first foray into fantasy romance did not disappoint. Although the plot was a bit predictable, it didn't take away at all from the reading experience. I loved Misery and Lowe's love story (big fan of fated mates here). I loved how their trust grew until they were an unstoppable force together. I don't think this author could disappoint me if she tried. If you're looking for a break from standard contemporary romance fare, give this one a shot. Favorite Quote: “You think, but you don’t know. You don’t know anything about what it’s like to find your other half, I would take anything she chose to give me—the tiniest fraction or her entire world. I would take her for a single night knowing that I’ll lose her by morning, and I would hold on to her and never let go. I would take her healthy, or sick, or tired, or angry, or strong, and it would be my fucking privilege. I would take her problems, her gifts, her moods, her passions, her jokes, her body—I would take every last thing, if she chose to give it to me.”

Story Blurb Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her job, the kids, and her school family with passion and joy for living. But she wasn’t always that way. Duncan Carpenter is the new school principal who lives by rules and regulations, guided by the knowledge that bad things can happen. But he wasn’t always that way. And Sam knows it. Because she knew him before—at another school, in a different life. Back then, she loved him—but she was invisible. To him. To everyone. Even to herself. She escaped to a new school, a new job, a new chance at living. But when Duncan, of all people, gets hired as the new principal there, it feels like the best thing that could possibly happen to the school—and the worst thing that could possibly happen to Sam. Until the opposite turns out to be true. The lovable Duncan she’d known is now a suit-and-tie wearing, rule-enforcing tough guy so hell-bent on protecting the school that he’s willing to destroy it. As the school community spirals into chaos, and danger from all corners looms large, Sam and Duncan must find their way to who they really are, what it means to be brave, and how to take a chance on love—which is the riskiest move of all. My Thoughts/Opinion As my first Katherine Center novel, I was expecting rom-com fluffiness and there was plenty of fun banter and a great supporting cast. I liked the themes of the novel. Overall though, this book just went on way too long, and in several instances, I really had to suspend my disbelief hard. I'm looking forward to reading other books by this author because she weaves a good story, but I hope my next read by her is the five-star I was hoping for this one. Favorite Quote: I'm not happy because it comes easily to me. I bite and scratch and claw my way toward happiness every day...That it wasn't about finding one big thing—but about collecting as many tiny pieces as you could.

Story Blurb One night—a single moment—cost me everything. My body, broken beyond repair. The boy I’d thought was my forever. The life I’d always dreamt of. Now, Holt’s back. And he’s no longer a boy, but a man with shadows in his eyes and demons haunting him. He says he’s here to make things right. To get back a little bit of all we’ve lost. And he doesn’t show any signs of leaving the small town that has been my refuge. As stolen moments turn to days, Holt’s around every corner. With his burning stare and lingering touches. Before long, my walls come crashing down and I’m just hoping that taking this second chance isn’t as reckless as it feels. But not everyone is happy that Holt has returned. As tragedy strikes again, I’m the one left in the crosshairs. And Holt might not be able to save me this time… My Thoughts/Opinion Ahhh...this was the romantic suspense I needed. It was a fantastic blend of both. Holt and Wren were star-crossed lovers who get their second chance. I love that it took enough time but not too much time for them to figure out they deserved that chance. The underlying suspense was masterfully woven throughout the story and I loved that I had no clue until the big reveal who the bad guy was. Bravo! Can't want to read another title by this author! Favorite Quote: "...sooner or later, she would believe that forever was just a lifetime of a little whiles."

Story Blurb As the only Beckett cousin who is still unattached, I'm a shoo-in to win the bet with my cousins to be the last man blissfully not in love by Christmas. Of course, I know they're still going to make me follow the rules of our bet and go on six dates with the same woman—but I've figured out a way out of that too. I'm getting married. Is it love? Not even close. Chelle Finch needs a temporary husband and I need to win this bet. We agree to put a ring on it knowing that this marriage of convenience will end in divorce. Except, somehow dating my wife has me realizing that I don't ever want to take this ring off if it means losing her. What does the guy who can talk his way out of anything have to do to sweet talk his temporary wife into forever? My Thoughts/Opinion I didn't realize this book was third in series when I picked it up, but I was completely able to be read as a standalone. No problem. I really liked the premise, but I was prepared to be annoyed by a mansplainer hero. However, it didn't take long to understand how Nash came to be the way he was and his character arc was really good. Conversely, Chell was quite immature for a 42 year old woman. I had to get past some of her more childish behaviors and lines because I did enjoy the chemistry between them. This was my first book by this author, but she's a great writer and I look forward to reading more from her. Favorite Quote:

Story Blurb Rosie Belmont has been driving me wild for years. The good kind of wild. The bad kind of wild. But mostly the kind of wild that comes with wanting your best friend’s little sister and knowing you can’t have her. After living in the city, she comes blasting back into Rose Hill like a storm. Beautiful, messy, and chaotic. And one wide-eyed desperate plea for a job is all it takes for me to hire her. Forbes may have labeled me the World’s Hottest Billionaire but all I care about is opening my new recording studio. Something that comes to a screeching halt when I end up face-to-face with a young girl who claims I’m her biological father. Now I spend my days balancing business with parenting a sullen twelve-year-old all while trying desperately to keep my hands the hell off my best friend’s little sister. I vow to keep Rosie at arm’s length. I try to stick to scowls and grumpy one-liners. But with her verbal sparring is merely foreplay—friction that turns to blistering heat. I know damn well I shouldn’t cross that line. But shouldn’t and can’t are two very different things. And the only thing I truly can’t do is resist her. My Thoughts/Opinion Oh, Elsie Silver. I first met her writing with the Chestnut Springs series and fell in love. We met Ford briefly, as Willa's brother, in that series but I wish I could go back and get a little more insight into him from the previous books. I really loved his character and Rosie's too for that matter. Their forbidden, brothers-best-friend romance was so sweet and I loved his protective instincts toward her. But I think my favorite part of their story is how they both bonded over his previously unknown 12-year-old daughter, Cora. She quite literally stole the show. And her bonus epilogue (as a parent of grown kids) made me want to cry. Another great read by Elsie Silver. First in series, and I can't wait for book two! Favorite Quote: “She’s the sun, the rest of us are just dumb rocks orbiting her.”

Story Blurb He barely has time to catch his breath... Army veteran Cameron Pope arrives back in Jubilee, Kentucky, for the first time in years. He barely has time to catch his breath when he becomes embroiled in a race of life or death for his little niece and a deadly hunt for the human traffickers who are destroying the peace of his mountain town. When he's reunited with Rusty Caldwell—a woman from his past he's never stopped thinking about—he wants to believe they can finally be together. But Rusty belongs to one of the rich families in Jubilee—the same rich folks who scorn the rural families living on the surrounding mountainside. Cameron and Rusty will have to find a way to end the feuding and take down the human trafficking ring if they're to have any chance at happiness. My Thoughts/Opinion I hadn't read in my romantic suspense genre for a while so I sought out a popular RS author who I hadn't read before and came across Sharon Sala. She's extremely popular and her books are highly rated so I was excited to jump in. For me, insta-love is a bit hard to swallow sometimes and that was definitely the case in this book. I really liked both Cameron and Rusty, but I wish the story had leaned a little more into a realistic romance for them. I was surprised that this story had so many points of view as well. I've gotten used to usually just the two main characters but there were easily 10-12 POVs in this story. But I think the thing that was missing the most for me in this story was that the entire suspense plot line just flowed from one clue to the next, no red herrings, no failures. Just win after win after win until the mystery was solved. The author is a good writer. A really good writer. Enough so, that despite my drawbacks, I wanted to finish the book and find out the bad guy. Maybe next time I'll look for a romantic suspense that leads more with the romance. This was a miss for me, but super highly rated so you might consider it if you're in the mood for an easy RS read. Favorite Quote:

Story Blurb Take one hard-driving sports agent… Throw in a failed chocolatier… And her superstar football player brother… Add a quirky pink and purple food truck… Then, to really screw things up, mix in a very unfortunate murder. Brett Rivers is the hottest sports agent in the business—fast and furious, swift and deadly. Failure? Not an option. Rory Garrett is—let’s be honest—a disaster. She has a big heart, an empty bank account, a passion for making exquisite chocolate, and a huge inferiority complex from living in the shadow of Brett’s most important client, her football legend brother. Brett and Rory should never have met, and they absolutely, positively should never have had to deal with the consequences of one stupid, drunken night…one disastrous lie…one career in jeopardy…one missing football player…and a very dead body. It’s going to get messy…and dangerous…and heartbreaking…and sexy. To Rory, Brett represents skewed values and a devious mind. To Brett, Rory is forbidden fruit, off limits, do not disturb, and no entry—definitely no entry. A woman who has succeeded at nothing and a man who’s succeeded at everything confront the challenge of their lives as they struggle with themselves and each other. When it comes to love—what price are any of us willing to pay to be simply the best? My Thoughts/Opinion I have long adored Susan Elizabeth Phillips' writing, especially the Chicago Stars series so I highly anticipated this recent release. The chemistry between Brett and Rory was strong, but I struggled to get behind Brett's only-business-matters arc. There was never really an explanation as to how he got there. Rory reminded me of Piper from First Star I See Tonight (one of my fave's), but a little less...everything. The underlying murder mystery was a little thin but I definitely want to read Clint's story down the road! Favorite Quote: "Everything's a competition to you. It's in your DNA. But I'm not like that. And be honest with yourself. If you had me locked in, you know you'd get bored. The fun for you is the blitz, the scramble, the trick play. That's what your life is about. What your relationships are about." "You're not a competition," he exclaimed. "Than what am I?"

Story Blurb Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter. And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse. My Thoughts/Opinion Oh, Abby Jimenez did it to me again. There was so much in this story to love. Not only did she write an incredibly swoony romance, she dealt with some hard real-world issues in a sensitive and deep way that made me love these two characters so so much. This might be the first romance I've read that the male main character had high anxiety, and it was so easy to root for him. These two were PERFECT for each other and this was another five-star read for me. Favorite Quote: "I always think that when we're quiet, we're agreeing to be harmless to each other. That we're just sharing the same space and letting each other exist exactly as we are, and neither of us would hurt or upset the other one."

Story Blurb I was not meant to be a queen. But to save my sister, I had to make a bargain with the devil, and that deal comes with a real crown. I always thought Mr. Tall, Dark, and Grumpy was one more pompous, arrogant man who loved to use his fancy accent and posh manners to remind me just how many stations above me he is in life. But he’s secret royalty, the new heir to a kingdom, in need of an immediate wife to claim his throne. I need a husband to get custody of my sister. We’re both in a bad spot, with an even worse solution. But the biggest problem? Bigger than living halfway around the world from my home, bigger than being away from my best friend, and bigger than having to put my own career on hold? The biggest problem might be that once I get to know what makes his heart beat, he might not be such a devil after all. And when he’s changed the laws of his country so that I don’t have to stay, he’ll have no reason to keep me. My Thoughts/Opinion I listened to the audio book for this story which, admittedly, allows me to get distracted much easier than an ebook or paper book. I loved the hook in the first chapter and enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers chemistry. Pippa Grant is also hilariously good with dialogue and banter. I thought the story was good overall but tbh, it was probably a little longer than it needed to be. That being said, this is mid-way through a series, so there is a lot to love if you've read the previous stories about the other characters. Favorite Quote: “There is nothing in the world as good for a man’s soul as listening to the love of his life laugh."