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Story Blurb For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late. Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible. My Thoughts/Opinion Had someone told me that one of my favorite reads of the year would include a POV from a giant pacific octopus, I would have probably laughed at them. But Marcellus was amazing, and the story-telling in this book was superb. The depth of each character and the way in which their storylines became interwoven...just wow. Thankful for this recommendation from my local indie bookstore, and now I pass it along to you. Favorite Quote/Scene: “Tova has always felt more than a bit of empathy for the sharks, with their never-ending laps around the tank. She understands what it means to never be able to stop moving, lest you find yourself unable to breathe.”

Story Blurb Two high school enemies must reunite for a road trip inspired by their grandparents’ broken engagement in this electric debut romance. Noelle Shepard is unemployed, living with her parents, and grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother when she discovers decades-old photos of Gram and a smitten man, tucked alongside a love letter. She creates a TikTok to search for the mystery man, which goes viral, and she’s shocked when his grandson responds—a man who happens to be her high school nemesis, Theo Spencer. Noelle refuses to let Theo’s annoying accomplishments in adulthood—or his sexy smirk—stand in the way of meeting his grandfather and unlocking the secrets he knew about her gram as a young woman. When she learns that their plans to elope were thwarted, Noelle decides to take the honeymoon road trip they planned but never got to carry out. There’s a catch, though: Paul, Theo's grandfather, asks to come with her, and he insists that Theo join them. It’ll be a miracle if they make it through the trip without Noelle throwing Theo out of the moving car—or the bed they end up sharing. As the miles tick by, the tension simmers hotter between them...until she discovers that Theo’s hiding a secret that could cause their tenuous relationship to end before it can restart. My Thoughts/Opinion Hit the jackpot with this one! Holy cow, the feels!!! There are so many things I loved about this book. So many parallels and so much depth to these characters and the layers of the plot. Do NOT miss this book. If you love a strong-plot enemies-to-lovers, with so much depth of emotion, this is a fantastic choice. If you read it, let me know your thoughts! Favorite Quote/Scene: I don't think our truce included him running his hands up my thighs, his thumbs tracing the inside with the perfect pressure. "What's the game called?" he murmurs. "From last night?" "Tell me a secret," I manage, my heart in my throat. His jaw ticks. "So, tell me one." I don't want to admit it, but it's the elephant in the room. His thumbs are inches from the spot throbbing worse than my knee. "I wouldn't stop you if you kissed me right now." I say it quietly in case he changes his mind, but his eyes darken, pupils dilating. He doesn't move, though his mouth parts like he can already taste it. "Now you." His breath dances over my lips. "If I kissed you right now, I wouldn't stop."

Story Blurb From the instant New York Times bestselling author of Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros, comes a sweeping romance about the sustained power of chance encounters. When Izzy Astor gets on a plane to go home, she isn’t expecting much. It’s the usual holiday travel experience: busy, crowded, stressful. Then she spots her seatmate, who is anything but ordinary. Nate Phelan sports dark hair, blue eyes, and a deliciously rugged charm that Izzy can’t resist. Their connection is undeniable. Izzy never believed in destiny before, but she does now. Just ninety seconds after takeoff, their plane goes down in the Missouri River. Their lives change. They change. Nate goes on to a career in the military while Izzy finds her way into politics. Despite a few chance encounters over the years, the timing never feels right. Then comes a high-stakes reunion in Afghanistan, where Nate is tasked with protecting Izzy’s life. He’ll do anything to keep her safe. And everything to win her heart. My Thoughts/Opinion I am on a ROLL! I am picking some damn good books right now, y'all. The premise of this story was really interesting with years of the main characters' coming into and out of each others' orbits. The storytelling was amazing. I loved learning their backstory as their current story progressed. So well written. I love a well told true soulmates story. This is a WINNER, my friends! Favorite Quote/Scene: “Don’t, Izzy.” He shook his head. “I have one weakness on this entire planet, and you’re feet away when you’re supposed to be halfway round the globe.”

Story Blurb With a famous NHL player for a stepbrother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation of many a hockey star. So of course she isn’t interested in legendary team captain Alex Waters or his pretty, beat-up face and rock-hard six-pack abs. When Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet’s misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes much more than just a hot body with the face to match. Suffering from a complete lapse in judgment, Violet discovers just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants. Violet believes her night of orgasmic magic with Alex is just that: one night. But Alex starts to call. And text. And email and send extravagant—and quirky—gifts. Suddenly, he's too difficult to ignore, and nearly impossible not to like. The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn’t want to be part of the game. My Thoughts/Opinion I realize I'm probably not the target market for hockey romance. There were several DNF-able moments early on in this one for me. I had zero connection to the main characters and had no reason to root for their HEA. But I stuck with the story and was happy that it moved from DNF to finished. While I probably won't be picking up the next in series, the romance did have some redeeming moments. Favorite Quote/Scene: Cockblockers are everywhere tonight, thwarting my attempts at poor decision making.

Story Blurb It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation in sweet, sunny Cape Cod—just Taylor and her beloved brother—but discovering a corpse in their rental house has really thrown a wrench into their tanning schedule. Now a rude, crude bounty hunter has arrived on the back of his motorcycle to catch the killer and refuses to believe Taylor can be helpful, despite the countless hours she's spent listening to true crime podcasts. Not to mention her fulfilling teaching career of wrangling second graders. A brash bounty hunter and an energetic elementary school teacher: the murder-solving team no one asked for, but thanks to these pesky attempts on Taylor's life, they're stuck together, come hell or high tide. Myles is just there to do a job, not babysit an amateur sleuth. Although…it is becoming less and less of a hardship to have Taylor around. Sure, she’s stubborn, distracting and can’t stay out of harm’s way. She’s also brave and beautiful and reminds him of the home he left behind three years ago. In other words, the insatiable hunger and protectiveness she is awakening is a threat to his peace of mind. Before Myles sinks any deeper into this dangerous attraction, he needs to solve this murder and get back on the road. But will fate take her from him before Myles realize the road has been leading to her all along? My Thoughts/Opinion I'm a big Tessa Bailey fan so it's no surprise that I enjoyed this story. I liked Taylor's sunshine and especially liked Myles' grump. He was a very entertaining bad boy. I loved that both characters were able to bring out the hidden best parts of the other. The plot and mystery were also both compelling. I read this fun, quick read in just a couple of sessions. Favorite Quote/Scene: “You want that pretty little mouth kissed?” “Y-yes.” “Now say it again without stuttering, baby.” “Yes.”

Story Blurb When my grandmother found out she didn’t have long to live, she embarked on a crazy trip—jumping out of airplanes and scuba diving with sharks. After I repeatedly voiced my concern, Gram blocked me—her own grandson—on text and social media, leaving me only her travel companion Eleanor’s number. Eleanor started sending me pictures of Gram’s adventures. At first she seemed nice, but when I attempted to persuade her to talk some sense into her friend, she told me where I could stick my advice. After that, photos arrived with snarky comments, and Eleanor and I got into it on more than one occasion. When I heard Gram’s upcoming plans were more dangerous than ever, I hopped on a plane. Since I arrived late, I headed to the bar for a drink, figuring I’d surprise her in the morning. To my delight, I met a gorgeous woman looking for a no-strings-attached night. Nora was just what I needed. She invited me back to her room, telling me to give her a ten-minute head start. But when I went to pay her bar tab, I realized how much she’d had to drink. As much as I wanted to ignore it, I couldn’t. So I stood Nora up. I knew she’d be pissed, but I also knew I’d never see her again. Except never came a little early. Namely, the next morning when I went to meet my grandmother and her evil-spinster friend. Because old Eleanor turned out to be young Nora from last night. And if I thought the woman disliked me before, that was nothing compared to how ticked-off she was now. Or how unhappy she was going to be that their party of two was about to become a party of three. My Thoughts/Opinion I had a lot of interesting feelings about this book. I'm not super into hate-sex so I struggled with the first part of the book. The second part of the book threw me for a loop. I won't spoil it but I will say that I've never read a romance with that story line. All in all, I liked the characters and the story line was compelling. I think my favorite character, though, was probably Beck's Gram, Louise. Favorite Quote/Scene: "Sometimes we find the right person at the wrong time. And we just have to trust fate."

Story Blurb Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon. Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride. Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order. Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of. There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life. At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger. My Thoughts/Opinion I hadn't read a good grumpy alpha in a while, and this one fit the bill. I loved how Knox always ended up exactly where he needed to be to keep Naomi out of trouble, despite his desire to stay away from her. This book had all the feels for me. And the side plots and characters were all wonderful. I enjoyed the story a lot and was glad it lived up to the hype. Favorite Quote/Scene: "You're the one who has to live your life. Don't apologize to other people for the decisions you make for yourself."

Story Blurb My new boss is a former fighter pilot -- and it should be illegal to be that hot. But this city-boy condo builder doesn't know the first thing about construction in a place like Kasper Ridge. Will hired me to oversee the renovation at the old Kasper Ridge Resort - a job that will make my company and guarantee that Papa can live comfortably to a very old age. I just need to keep my eyes on the prize. And the prize is not Will Cruz's ocean blue eyes or those rock-hard abs. Besides, all those muscles and that killer smile are temporary. I've lived in the mountains long enough to know that slick city boys don't stick around for the long run. So I tell myself the things I need to hear to stay strong, hold firm, maintain my distance. Until Will kisses me one night and I forget pretty much everything I'd been telling myself about protecting my heart. I know it's only a fling, but what if there's a chance Will Cruz is the one? What if I give him my heart, and he doesn't stay? My Thoughts/Opinion It took me a little while to get into this book and connect with the characters, but it was worth sticking with it. I liked the characters' battle of wills to begin with and how they had each other's backs when it counted. Fun cast of side characters as well that will lead easily into the next book in the series. Favorite Quote/Scene: "Sometimes, it turns out that your paths don't just cross, they intertwine. Because you decide it should be that way...Your life isn't pre-destined. You decide. And you get to change your decisions based on new information."

Story Blurb Rival physicists collide in a vortex of academic feuds and fake dating shenanigans in this delightfully STEMinist romcom from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain. The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people-pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs. Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and arrogant older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And he’s the same Jack Smith who rules over the physics department at MIT, standing right between Elsie and her dream job. Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice? My Thoughts/Opinion I read this book in less than 24 hours. It was that good. Charming, quirkly, extraordinarily loveable characters with depth and great intelligence. Great plot and sub-plots, and so much chemistry (even though they're physicists). You know a book is good when you keep thinking about the characters long after you've closed the last chapter. Highly recommend this read! Favorite Quote/Scene: "In my fantasies, you allow me to keep an eye on you.” I feel his lips at my temple. “And when I really let go, I imagine that you let me take care of you, too. Bold of you to assume that the real me is my best hand.”

Story Blurb I fell for Cameron Connolly at the wrong time. And when he left, I thought my life was over. But then, after the worst happened, I truly understood what that phrase meant. Now, he’s not ready for a second chance, and I’m not offering one. Though given that our families have been forced together after losing one of our own, I know there’s no turning back. Not this time. Not again. Not when it comes to Cameron. My Thoughts/Opinion I was supportive of the main character's loss of her best friend to suicide, and the side drama in her life of her ex-husband/co-worker but I struggled with being all in on the romance plot. I failed to really connect enough with either of them to be super invested in their HEA. This book did have a good cast of supporting characters.

Story Blurb Lieutenant Magdalena Cruz is home, but her return hasn’t turned out the way she envisioned. And though all she wants is to be alone, infuriatingly handsome Dr. Jake Dalton—of the enemy Daltons—won’t cooperate. And she needs him to, because the walls around her heart are dangerously close to crumbling every time he comes near.... Jake has spent most of his life trying to get closer to Maggie, with little to show for it. But she’s the woman he's always wanted, and no injury in the world could change that. Now if only he could convince her that the woman before him is beautiful, desirable, and meant to be his.... My Thoughts/Opinion I enjoyed Maggie and Jake's story. I think I'm always a sucker for a story where the hero flat-out KNOWS he wants this girl as his forever and has to win over the heroine. I also enjoyed Maggie's journey to self-discovery as she deals with the fate life has handed her. This is a good, easy read.

Story Blurb I'm a walking contradiction. School principal who liberally drops the F bomb. Fiercely independent yet willing to auction myself off for charity. Serial monogamist who's down for a no-strings one-night stand. Except now I've gone from one-working-ovary to co-parent in the time it took a stick to turn blue. F. Bomb. Ian Donovan may be a richer-than-hell venture capitalist, but he's no Prince Charming ready to sweep me off my feet. Good thing I don't need him. I've been doing fine on my own for forty years, and I'm not about to start changing that now. Ultrasounds, swollen feet, midnight cravings? Bring. It. On. But why is it when you finally swear off men, you meet one who's too sexy--and determined we can make it work? My Thoughts/Opinion Full disclosure, I listened to this book on audio as opposed to reading it and I think it affected my perception of the story. The narrators distracted me with a negative vibe which inhibited me from embracing the characters. There was only one major conflict which dragged through the entire story. I should probably go back and read the book to see if I feel differently. Favorite Quote/Scene: