My eX-Mas Emergency

Ms. Peel has crafted a fun romantic read for the holiday season. 

Lots of push and pull between the heroine and hero. They have different goals, but can't deny the past or the present. 
The love of Calista's niece is their driving bond. 

Lots of love and loss to work through with multiple layers. A complex emotional web to untangle. 

AMAZON

Very few in Aspen Lake expected that I, Calista Monroe, their most notorious wild child, would ever amount to anything besides being a model prisoner. So imagine their surprise when I returned as the hospital’s newest ER doctor. Believe me, no one is more surprised than I am. I had vowed to never return, even if it was the last safe haven during the zombie apocalypse. But when my niece, Quinn, begged me to come home, I couldn’t say no. My plan is to stay out of trouble this time, and above all, avoid Quinn’s uncle Tristan—the man I love to hate and the reason I left Aspen Lake.

But trouble starts to brew when my niece gets it into her pretty head that her uncle and I need to reconcile. The devious little thing insists we deck the halls together all season long. And since I’ll do anything to make Quinn happy, I agree, believing I’m completely immune to Tristan’s charm. Except the joke’s on me. Who knew that Tristan’s biggest regret was letting me go? And the infuriating man seems willing to do everything possible to win me back. Well, it’s going to take a Christmas miracle for me to give him a second chance. Unfortunately for my plan, our chemistry could set a blizzard on fire. Now I have a major ex emergency on my hands.

Do I give my niece her Christmas wish, or do I let the love between Tristan and me flatline once and for all?

USA Today best-selling author Jennifer Peel presents a sweet and swoony holiday rom-com that will leave you feeling oh so merry and bright. 

Twilight Bells & Wishes is HERE!

I'm so excited to announce that Twilight Bells & Wishes is HERE!

$0.99 on Amazon and a quick one hour read you can squeeze into the busy holiday season. 

Enjoy!

 

AMAZON

A fake relationship with mega-star Isla Martin is not what Tobi C. had in mind this holiday season.

Celebrity Isla Martin has conquered Hollywood and is about to take the music world by storm with her singing debut at the festival. To get her ex off her back, she kisses a handsome stranger to prove she’s moved on, which leads to more than she bargained for when the kiss is splashed all over the media.

How did helping a damsel in distress land Tobi as Isla’s fake boyfriend? Now he’s being chased by the paparazzi, when all he wants to do is perform for his fans and write songs in his hotel room. He’s a fish out of water as Isla’s arm candy.

As the days fly by, fake dates lead to real feelings. Can this opposites-attract couple see a future past the festival when they come from different worlds?

If you love fake relationships, celebrities, and rockstar romance mixed with holiday/Christmas cheer, then you’ll love this short story by award-winning author Lisa Swinton

A short story that can be read in an hour or less.

Sweethearts Music Festival Holiday Edition
Book1: Heart of Joy
Book 2: Under Snowflakes & Stars
Book 3: Holly & Mistletoe
Book 4: Starry Sleigh Ride
Book 5: Twilight Bells & Wishes

Sweethearts Music Festival
Book 1: Hart & Soul
Book 2: A Song in Every Kiss
Book 3: Electric Heartstrings

Isabelle & the Beast

This is a charming retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale by Ms. Rian. 

I liked the timless setting, the change ups on the classic, and the wonderful use of tropes to bring Isabelle and Andre together. 

It's well crafted, well told, and with emotional depth packed into its pages. 

It's a short and satisfying read, perfect for the holiday season. 

AMAZON

There are wolves all around, Belle, and they aren’t the only beasts.

He says this to her as if he should care. As if she could be his. But Lord Bentley is meant to inherit his estate and grand gardens of roses, and Isabelle is only meant to tend them.

As Isabelle contemplates her future, including a proposal from a tenant farmer her father is keen for her to accept, she cannot escape Lord Bentley’s friendly but determined kindness. Surely he must know that someday she will leave, and he will marry to secure his standing in society. Their childhood friendship will be as if it never existed. She will forever only be the girl who tended to the gardens.

At every turn, the vile Mr. Godfrey encroaches on Belle and her confused heart, while Lord Bentley’s intentions are directed toward a young woman who should be his wife. Isabelle should accept Mr. Godfrey, but the cruelty of surrendering her heart to secure Lord Bentley’s societal standing eclipses even the ferocity of the beasts which lurk in the forest.

Isabelle and the Beast is a standalone Victorian-era romance inspired by the classic tale Beauty and the Beast. It is an enchanting tale of forbidden love and the struggle to find one’s place in the world. If you like historical romance and a captivating story set during the most wonderful time of the year, then you will love this story by Olivia Rian.

A Candlelight Courting

Whenever I open a book by Ms. di Pastena I'm confident that the time period is well researched and the romance will be clean and sweet. 

This is the perfect short holiday story as you only need an hour or two to read it.

We spend one important night with the characters as they overcome their barriers and agree to marry. Sounds impossible, not so. 

This is easy to make time for in the rush of the season. 

AMAZON

When Burthred comes courting on Christmas Eve, Meg rejects his advances. She has her heart set on becoming a nun and insists that he call her Christina, the spiritual name she has chosen for herself. She tries to make him swear on her box of holy relics that he will not pursue her, but he carefully words his oath to allow him to stay in her candlelit chamber and try to change her mind.

What Meg does not confess is that her reliquary box holds a secret.

Burthred needs a wife, and no one will satisfy him except Meg. He swore on his father’s deathbed that he would marry her. But Burthred has a secret, too. When they come together before the Yule fire, their shared revelations will either join their hearts together or tear them apart.

Her Mistletoe Cowboy

Ms. Isaacson weaves an excellent holiday romance. 

I'm always impressed how Ms. Isaacson creates relatable believable characters with real emotional issues and keeps a steady flow and pace that keeps the reader turning pages while soaking up the romance blooming off the pages book afer book. 

Great watching these two characters overcome the internal and external battles while enjoying swoony kisses. 

AMAZON

Logan Buttars has always been good-natured and happy-go-lucky. After watching two of his brothers settle down, he recognizes a void in his life he didn't know about. He tried to fill that void with canine service for special needs students, but it's not quite cutting it.

Veterinarian Layla Guyman has appreciated Logan's friendship and easy way with animals when he comes into the clinic to get the service dogs. When she attends his brother's wedding, she sees him through new eyes.

But with his future at Steeple Ridge in the balance, she's not sure a relationship with him is worth the risk. After all, she's got an established practice in her east-coast hometown and he's talking service dog training all the way across the country in California.

Can she rely on her faith and employ patience to tame Logan's wild heart?

Scrooge & the Girls Next Door

I'm a long time fan of Ms. Jacobson, and this story lives up to her high bar. 

Lots of feels, great romance, humor, and how did I not see the grandma thing coming?! 

Also, I can totally relate to the laughing issue. This is a real thing. 

If you like enemies to lovers, holiday, and characters that grow, then you're ready to pick up this book. Be prepared, you won't want to put it down. 

AMAZON

When the sunniest woman in Creekville buys the house next to the grumpiest man on the street, sparks fly . . . and not just because she keeps blowing his fuses...

Twenty-six-year-old Paige Redmond, single mom and go-getter, can’t wait to give her daughter, Evie, the Christmas of her dreams. Nothing can get in Paige’s way, not even her newly purchased fixer-upper cottage needing way more fixing than she planned.

Paige tackles the holiday with Clark Griswold spirit, amusing the entire town—except for her humbug next door neighbor, the grumpy but deliciously handsome Professor Henry Hill. With the help of colorful friends and found family—plus a feral cat and a pancake snowman—Paige and Evie wage a campaign to cure the cranky professor of his Christmas blues.

When Paige's feelings for Henry wind up as tangled as her Christmas lights, there's suddenly more than Christmas spirit on the line. Will Henry pull the plug on their first solo Christmas? Or can Paige and Evie convince the town's biggest scrooge to open his grinchy heart to the holiday . . . and to them?

Cowboy Billionaire Best Friend

Liz Isaacson always delivers a good holiday story. 

This is a sweet small town, slow burn novel. It's part best friends to lovers, part second chance romance since one of them had romantic feelings toward the other long ago. And it's good in all the right ways a holiday romance should be. 

Settle in for good read. 

AMAZON

A cowboy returning to his hometown—and the best friend he left a dozen years before. This Christmas, can Graham and Laney build a family and find their happily-ever-after?

Graham Whittaker returns to Coral Canyon a few days after Christmas—after the death of his father. He's just found out his long-time girlfriend in Seattle has been cheating on him, and while Coral Canyon isn't his first choice of where to live, it's certainly the friendliest. He takes over the energy company his dad built from the ground up and buys a high-end lodge to live in—only a mile from the home of his once-best friend, Laney McAllister.

Laney returned to her family ranch after college, but her husband left Laney and their daughter, Bailey, to work the ranch themselves, which they've been trying to do. But with her furnace on the brink of failure and the snow falling faster than ever, Laney agrees to bring Bailey up to Graham's lodge for the holidays.

They were best friends once, but Laney's always entertained feelings for him, and spending so much time with him while they make Christmas memories puts her heart in danger of getting broken again.

Can they take their friendship to the next level and build a family? Or will Laney be risking her heart only to remain in the friend zone?

Man of My Dreams

It's challenging to write a review of Ms. Rabe's book without spoilers. 

Yes, there's a twist. And I struggled with it. Mostly because the genre of the romance wasn't accurately represented, and so I felt blindsided. 

Is there good chemistry between the characters? Yes. 

Does it follow the usual romance formula? No. 

Will you still like it? 

You'll have to read to decide. 

The writing is solid which is the most important part. 

I've enjoyed other books she's written better. 

AMAZON

On yet another pointless errand for her boss, Rory runs into the handsome, Dr. Camden. Despite knowing it might get her in trouble, Rory can’t resist falling for Cam’s refreshing honesty and easy-going attitude.

But Cam’s got a sticky past and before Rory falls for him, she has to find out the truth. Not only does she discover it, she uncovers a scary secret he’s been hiding that proves his life is not only in danger, but that also puts her heart in jeopardy of breaking.

The Fall of Lord Drayson

Ms. Anderson is a fabulous hitstorical romance writer. 

What an fun premise to base a romance on. The evictor gets amnesia and becomes the servant to the evictee. Brilliant. The characters are well thought out and their interactions are both fiery and charming. 

With more than one obstacle to overcome, cue the nosy neighbor, this book kept me interested from page one to the end. 

AMAZON

WHEN COLIN CAVENDISH, the new earl of Drayson, informs Lucy Beresford that she and her mother need to vacate the house they've called home for the past two years, Lucy is fit to be tied. They have no money, no relations they can turn to for help, and nowhere to go. How dare the earl break the promise his father had made to the Beresfords without so much as a twinge of conscience?

Fate plays her hand when Lucy discovers the earl unconscious and injured in the middle of the road. When he awakens with no recollection of who he is, Lucy seizes the opportunity to teach the earl a much-needed lesson in humility and tells him that he is nothing more than a mere servant. Her servant, in fact. And thus begins the charming tale of a pompous lord and an impetuous young woman, caught together in a web so tangled that it begs the question: Will they ever get out?

Kiss Me, Cowboy

Ms.McClone has crafted a story that won't disappoint. 

These two MCs had a lot of issues to work out. Sometimes I wanted to shake them and tell them to have a simple conversation. 

But that would've taken away the angst of the story. Things get interesting when Zack offers to help Charlie find the perfect man. 

If you're a fan of the cowboy tropes, including friends to lovers, you'll enjoy this one. 

AMAZON

It was one small kiss.
After all, a kiss is just a kiss.
Or is it?

After a passionate and empathetic kiss, dude ranch wranglers, Charlotte "Charlie" Randall and Zack Harris, are out of sorts as they pretend nothing happened. With too many demons to battle, Zack can't let Charlie get close. But it's too late, because she's fallen hat over spurs for the handsome military veteran turned cowboy. Taking a job in another state is the only way to protect her heart and finally move on.

But Zack can't let her leave, so he concocts a plan to find Charlie a boyfriend--a perfect match--to keep her in Montana. Until he realizes the only cowboy he wants her with is him. But it might be too late. Has Charlie made up her mind to put the kiss in the past and forget the cowboy who rode off with her heart?

 

Forgetting the Prince

Ms. Bastian brings her solid writing once again to craft a romance that keeps you turning pages. 

I really enjoyed the contrast of their worlds as the MCs came together to work for the greater good but struggled to bring their lives in alignment. 

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. 

AMAZON

She's a scientist with no time for romance, he's a prince afraid of making a mistake, do they dare follow their hearts and give each other a chance?

Jenna is content with her research and doesn’t need a man. When she’s injured while hiking and is rescued by a handsome stranger, she starts to have second thoughts. But nothing more than a few stolen kisses could come of it since he’s only in town for a short time.

Stefan is in the United States to convince a scientist to help him establish a lab that will benefit the people of Durham. The last thing he needs is any romantic entanglements. Especially after what his older brother, the crown prince of Durham, has gone through. But when he rescues Jenna from a hiking accident he wishes he could throw caution to the wind.

When he discovers Jenna is the top research assistant, he jumps at the chance to hire her to set up the lab back in Durham. The more time he spends with her, the more he wants to push all the royal protocol to the side and go after his heart. Can Jenna see past the royal duty and allow herself to fall in love, or would she be better off forgetting him completely and keeping her heart locked away where it’s safe?

Crimson Collar

Bring on more of Ms. Rosewood's writing. 

Talk about enemies to lovers to the extreme! The fighting both verbal and physical is emotionally brutal but creates amazing chemistry between the MCs. 

The world building was incredible. Such an original take on The Little Mermaid, which if you've read the OG is pretty ugly. There's no Disney vibe here. There's cruelty and sensuality and the tension is off the charts. 

The writing is solid. I picked up on little breadcrumbs here and there but for most of the novel, I couldn't predict the twists or how it would end. A page turner for sure. 

I wasn't put off by any of the content but Ms. Rosewood does have warnings on her page regarding the novel so you can make your own decision. 

I'd love to see this in film. 

 

AMAZON

Sirens are fierce, enthralling predators.

Leira’s objective is simple. Go to the “land above the sea,” siren a demon for the yearly harvest, and drag it back to the sea kingdom. As long as the demon's powers are useful, her offering will be acceptable to the Sea King.

Unfortunately, this siren makes a grave mistake.

Not only does Leira fail to capture a demon, and much to the Sea King’s disappointment, she also brings a vampire—a prince—into Lunaris instead.

The sea can be cruel, but so can a vampire prince.

Prince Draven wouldn’t mind taking the exiled Sea Witch down a peg. Her presence on his throne has become a bane for him and his people. He’d sink his fangs into her neck if she wasn’t holding the lives of his foster parents in the balance.

He’s not liking the sea one bit. Nor his fishie jailor.

Tossed out like jetsam, Draven seizes the advantage when Leira grudgingly comes to his rescue. By using her as leverage, the vampire prince figures he can turn the tide and rid himself of the Sea Witch once and for all.

★★★★★

Crimson Collar is a vampire romantic fantasy inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. If you like a scrappy heroine, a snarky vampire prince, and an enchanting, reimagined fairy tale, then you’ll love this book by Emerson Rosewood.

Billionaire Romance: Contemporary Romance Collection

This collection by Cami Checketts is no longer available in Amazon, at least not under this title.

That being said, any read by Ms. Checketts is well worth your time. 

Try one of her many books or collections here on Amazon. 

Diving for Love

Ms. Rabe is a fine writer. 

She knows how to hit all the right points of the story at the right time and has set up the love triangle well. 

It's hard to do YA romance well, and Ms. Rabe nails it. Solid writing of the characters and their emotions both pure and twisted. 

AMAZON

Mariana has three goals for the summer.

• Take care of Abuela
• Save money for college
• Forget what happened last night

Seventeen-year-old Mariana Rodriguez is devastated when her best friend and long-time crush, Dennis, chooses to date her tormentor over her. She plunges into work at her uncle’s dive shop, determined to sink her feelings for Dennis. When the new employee, Sam, shows interest in her, Mariana feels like she’s found the perfect springboard to moving on.

After both the shop and her abuela's house are vandalized, Mariana can't help but suspect that the two events are connected. She reluctantly calls on the one person who can help her, but allowing Dennis back into her life only makes her feelings for Sam murky.

To protect her family from financial ruin, Mariana must decide who to trust. And with any luck, she'll get her chance at true love along the way.

Mail Order Bride Holly

Ms. Holt writes a lovely narrative of Holly and Kurt working to overcome their past baggage to forge a brave new life together. One full of surprises. 

My only wish for this book was that there was a little more once Holly and Kurt develop deep feelings for one another. I wanted to see their marriage flourish before The End. 

Clean and wholesome. 

AMAZON

Orphaned as a girl, and now a widow with five children to feed, Holly leans on her sister and brother-in-law for support. But when her sister’s husband turns them out, she’s overcome by despair. With nowhere to turn and no one to help them, she discovers an advertisement for a Mail Order Bride in the local newspaper. After suffering an injury while working on his ranch, Kurt Sawyer decides to advertise for a Mail Order Bride. Unsure of what to expect, when Kurt meets her on the train platform, he's overwhelmed by the responsibility he now faces. Can Holly overcome the pain of her past to give love a chance? Or will Kurt send her home before she even has a chance to open her heart? This book is a sweet, clean, western, historical romance. It is a complete story, but it is also part of the Orphan Brides Go West series. Be sure to read them all - in any order!

Her Husband's Forbidden Kiss

Ms. McConnell is a masterful storyteller. 

She creates true to life characters with relatable conflicts. 

This was a interesting take as the characters were married, but every marriage could use a little more romance. 

A satisfying clean romance. 

AMAZON

Natalie is at a crossroads…

Career or marriage…

She wants them both but there are factors she can’t control.

And the heart isn't always rational.

When tragedy strikes, Natalie and Eli are thrown together. She’ll have to figure out how to romance her husband or lose everything she’s ever wanted.

You’ll love this marriage romance because everyone wants to believe that love triumphs over all.

Autumn's Embrace

Ms. Bastian is a wonderful storyteller. 

I always know I'm getting a good, clean romance when I open one of her books. 

I enjoyed the push and pull of Abby and Luke's relationship. 

Satisfactory ending. 

AMAZON

She's in town to remodel the house she inherited. He's the real estate agent who'd like something more between them. Can they put their differences aside?

The last thing Abby wants to do is clean out her great-aunt’s house that she just inherited, but she needs to get it ready to sell. It doesn’t help that the arrogant man she met in town happens to be her new neighbor.

Luke can’t believe the little girl who’d followed him around when she’d stayed with his mother’s old neighbor has grown up to be such a beautiful and feisty woman.

As Luke helps Abby remodel the old home to get it ready to sell, he comes to realize she might just be what he was missing from his life. Can the two of them give up their dreams to build something better together?

Bittersweet

Krista Noorman will have you craving coffee, baked goods, and sweet kisses that linger long after you closed the book. 

There are great tropes weaved through with an unexpected twist. Great second chance, enemies to lovers romance. 

Plenty of emotional turmoil makes for a satisfying read. 

AMAZON

His coffee food truck + her bakery = a perfect combination. Or could exes working together be a recipe for disaster?

Harper Hensley’s greatest joy is baking. She’s co-owner of a cute little bake shop, creating delicious treats to her heart’s content, and happily dating a successful lawyer. Life seems perfect. Until Logan Riggs, the man who walked out on her without a word four years ago, rolls into town in his new coffee food truck, living the dream they were supposed to share together.

The last thing Logan ever wanted was to leave Harper, but unforeseen circumstances forced him to make that choice. He never meant to hurt her or ruin their plans of starting a food truck. Now he’s back to make things right, hoping to convince her to work with him, and longing for a second chance with the woman he loved from the start.

Coffee and cupcakes belong together. But is the truth about Logan’s disappearing act too much to forgive? Can Harper move past the bitter to get to the sweet? 

A Fresh Start in Holly Blue Bay

Lots of good fun between the characters and setting up the town. 

I couldn've use more chemistry between the characters. 

I also got lost with the passage of time. Did this take place over a few days? A week?

Loved the dog. 

AMAZON
Welcome to the picturesque seaside town of Holly Blue Bay, where love blossoms in the most unusual of places.

Daisy Clarke arrives in Holly Blue Bay at the request of the town’s mayor. The mayor wants Daisy to perform a marketing miracle on the town, and to increase the visitor numbers too. The town holds a special place in Daisy’s heart as something magical happened to her when she visited this place as a child. She’s determined to show the rest of the world how wonderful the town is, and will use all her marketing skills to do so.

Jacob Smythe is a grumpy handyman who turns up at Daisy’s new office. She immediately mistakes him for someone else, which certainly breaks the ice between them. Just as Jacob is warming to Daisy, the mayor turns up and tells him why Daisy is in Holly Blue Bay. Jacob is furious and refuses to admit the town needs help, especially from an outsider.

But things change over the next few days as Jacob and Daisy spend more time together. They find themselves drawn to each other, and love begins to grow. But then something terrible happens which results in Daisy deciding to leave Holly Blue Bay, and Jacob, behind. Can Jacob convince her to stay?

Sheltered Hearts

I liked the characters and the premise, but I nearly set the book down several times because the storyline was all over the place. What I though the next scene would be was a time jump, and this happened more than once. 

Also, there were several editing errors. Not sure if the wrong copy of the manuscript was uploaded or if it was just an early book in the author's career. 

The research on canine rescue is impeccable. 

AMAZON

Is it possible to fall in love with a social media profile?

Jessica Walters goaded her best friend into posting a profile on Brains-R-Sexy, an online dating service. Even though she wasn't the one looking for love, Jessica can't seem to forget one spectacular profile.

Between his job as an accountant, his search and rescue work and volunteering at an animal shelter, Mitch Campbell is one busy man. Busy is all right with him because it gives him less time to think about his romantic life. Or lack thereof.

When Jessica rescues an injured dog, she never expects to come face-to-face with the man from her past. After the dating profile buildup, Mitch seems a little lost. Is he as good as he looks on paper? Jessica needs to get to the heart of the matter and discover who the real Mitch Campbell is.

When a family crisis hits, Mitch and Jessica find shelter in each other's hearts. Will it be enough to overcome tragedy and keep them together?

Sheltered Hearts is the second standalone novel in the Hidden Hearts Series.

Kansas Crossroads Boxed Set 1

Ms. Adams has done a wonderful job of creating a world in the midwest and getting the reader invested in each character. 

I loved seeing each of these couples come together by overcoming real problems. Each story introduced characters that came through in the series. 

I wasn't concerned with the historical details being accurate but enjoyed how the stories were framed in the time period. 

AMAZON

The first five volumes of the bestselling Kansas Crossroads series are now available in one set! 

Chance Encounter

Overall, I enjoyed this read by Ms. Kersey, 

The characters were well formed with real problems to overcome. Plenty of emotional baggage to work through. 

I could've used a little less harping on why they couldn't be together from each of them. 

I thought the whole bit with the car was great and got me smiling. 

AMAZON

This standalone romance is the third book in the clean, small-town Emerald Falls Romance series. Chance Encounter is also a follow-up to the Over You series, but it can be read without reading the other series first.

After a string of bad luck with men, Melanie Hopkins has sworn off dating to focus on her job and her three-year-old daughter. Moving to Emerald Falls to live with her sister, she's ready to make a fresh start.

Gage Bennett has never had much luck with women. As a teenager he wasn't exactly a Romeo, but now that he's all grown up, he's worked hard to transform himself. Now a successful business owner, when the car he accidentally hits in the grocery store parking lot turns out to belong to Melanie Hopkins, the dream girl from his youth, he decides to parlay this chance encounter into an opportunity to finally get to know her.

Too bad she's not interested. But he hasn't gotten where he is by being timid. Will his persistence pay off, or will it put him in the friend-zone for good?

 

Saved by the Rockstar

I'm a long time fan of Ms. Pennington and this read doesn't disappoint. 

Great theme, conflict, pacing, and the burn between Julie and Ryland...you'll need some ice cream for that. ;) 

I saw the twist coming but that didn't take away from it. 

A solid read that will have you wanting to ignore bits of your life to sneak in a few more pages. 

AMAZON

One man won't let her fall.
Another won't let her go.

Julie is a famous author who avoids the limelight. Her only interaction with the outside world is her weekly vlog where she connects with her fans. When she raves about the rock star who has inspired her writing, he actually responds. For the first time, she considers stepping out of the safe world she’s created for herself.

Ryland loves his music and performing, but not the fake women who come along with it. When his little sister shows him the vlog of her favorite author, he’s intrigued by how genuine and warm she is. As he pursues Julie, he’s forced to evaluate the direction of his life.

Ryland wants to meet in person, but as much as Julie wants to, it forces her to face the anxiety that has held her back all these years. With as much courage as she can muster, Julie steps into the world she’s been hiding from. Unfortunately, her anxiety isn’t the only threat to their happily-ever-after. 

Make Believe Husband

Ms. Holt does an excellent job of setting up the conflicts. 

Crushes. Brothers. Fake relationship. 

Great fun to watch these two fall for each other while trying to not let anyone know they've developed real feelings. 

AMAZON
The marriage is fake, but the feelings are real.

In the aftermath of his father's passing, Atlanta Falcons star running back Jax Green finds himself back in his hometown. He's attracting the attention from all the single women in town, but the only one he wants is Stacey Murphy. Stacey was just his best friend's annoying little sister when they were growing up, but now he sees her through new eyes and can't help but be smitten.

Stacey always had big dreams, but if she's honest, her life has been pretty boring lately. When her high school crush returns home, even dreamier than she remembered, her feelings quickly resurface. She thinks she'll never be more than the kid sister to him, but they start spending time together and she hatches a plan to help him get the space he needs: fake marriage. She's surpised when Jax takes her up on it.

Is this a crazy plan... or a perfect one?

Go Set a Watchman

If possible, listen to the audiobook narration with Reese Witherspoon. I did, and she really made the book come alive, especially considering this book was written in a different time and words are used that aren't used in present day. 

Helped me to see a different side of grown up Scout, and how the events of To Kill a Mockingbird shaped her and her family. 

Be aware that there are offensive words in here but keep them in context of the time period. 

Worth a listen/read. 

AMAZON

A landmark novel by Harper Lee, set two decades after her beloved Pulitzer Prize–winning masterpiece, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch—“Scout”—returns home to Maycomb, Alabama from New York City to visit her aging father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise’s homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town, and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill a Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past—a journey that can only be guided by one’s own conscience.

Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of the late Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humor, and effortless precision—a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill a Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context, and new meaning to an American classic. 

Love Songs Suck

I believe this is my first read by Becky Monson, and I'll be adding her to my trusted authors list. 

We have a bit of a love triangle here as our girl, Lou, is engaged. But her groom-to-be is kind of a jerk/wet blanket so really I was rooting for Finn the whole time. The one who treats her right. 

Great slow burn with respect to our engaged girl, and a fake relationship to boot. 

Prep the midnight read munchies. You'll be up late to finish this one. 

AMAZON

“Louella,” he says my name and . . . yep. A tingle just went down my spine. It’s just the way he says it, the way it rolls off his tongue, like his lips are meant to say it.

After growing up in Nashville with two musician parents, I promised myself one thing—I would never, ever fall in love with anyone who had anything to do with the music scene. I will take my stable, albeit boring, accountant boyfriend, thank you very much, and live securely ever after. At least that was the plan. Who knew one ridiculous party where boy band sensation Finn Thatcher showed up would turn my life completely upside down.

How dare he write a song about me. A song that went straight to number one. A song that messes everything up with his band. And who gets the blame for that? That’s right, me. I’m the new Yoko Ono. The only way to fix it is to, well . . . give the world what it wants—a love story. We are talking the whole freaking fairy tale. Nothing says true love like a fake relationship. But what if it’s not so fake? What if I want the happily ever after? Or am I just another love song to Finn?

Love Songs Suck is a slow burn rock star romance, with a dash of fake dating, some forced proximity, and late night song writing sessions.

Insta Kiss

This is my first read by Jen Atkinson, and I'll be back for more. 

Poor Beth. She really gets the wrong end of the stick and then seeks revenge, all the while falling for her new pen pal and boss. 

Great chemistry. Great kisses. Great new book boyfriend. 

Nicely paced and crafted. You'll set aside important repsonsibilities to read it. 

AMAZON

I’ve kissed a few guys. Okay, many, many guys. But on my terms. One kiss, that’s all they get. That’s the rule. And then I set them loose.

Bethany Barns has one goal—to hate Tate Wilhelm. It should be easy, considering he stole her job, and she now has to answer to him as the boss. Her plan to make his life utterly miserable is on track. Except for that little mistletoe incident at their work Christmas party, mission ruin Tate Wilhelm is in full swing. Besides, you can’t blame that kiss on Beth. She was stressed and sad, and there was mistletoe for heaven’s sake!

Tate may be new to Seattle but he isn’t new to the newspaper game. Sure, his last paper was a smaller one, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that he is a killer editor and an ideal boss. His employees love him. He knows them, their lives and circumstances; and they all love him for it. Well, all of his employees with one exception. Beth Barns cannot stand the sight of him. She kisses him—one magnificent kiss, by the way—and then she shows nothing but disdain for him. None of it makes sense.

Tate just needs to prove to Beth that they can be friends. She doesn’t need to be embarrassed about that mistletoe kiss, and he’ll be the best boss she’s ever had. That’s the plan. However, the plan doesn’t involve falling for the woman. But Tate can’t deny his attraction to Beth's witty humor. She's a beautiful, red-headed, ball of fire. Sure, he's going to get burned, but he still wants to try kissing those lips again.

Convincing Beth that they should be friends—let alone more—is proving difficult. But Tate isn’t giving up. She’ll see. It’ll all work out. That is if Beth will stop seething every time she looks his way.

 

The Night Gardener

My book club chose this novel and I'm happy with the selection. I wouldn't have discovered this book otherwise. 

This is a quick read with lots of twists that will keep you guessing until the end. Lots of imagination threaded through reality. Love seeing the story unfold through the character's Irish eyes. Good voice and pacing. 

I would read more by Mr. Auxier after this introduction. Great for middle grade and up.

AMAZON

A New York Times bestseller, The Night Gardener is a Victorian ghost story with shades of Washington Irving and Henry James. More than just a spooky tale, it’s also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling.
The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. With Auxier’s exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making.

I'm Not Charlotte Lucas

Kasey Stockton does a masterful job of tying in all the P&P references to this novel. 

Love the parallels and nuances. The super hunky hero. The flaws they each have and the differences to overcome and the super chemistry between them is off the charts. 

All the feels. Intoxicating kisses. Satisfying ending. 

AMAZON

"Stockton’s fans will delight in this." -Publishers Weekly

Northern California girl Charlotte “Charlie” Lucas has two great loves: Diet Coke and Pride and Prejudice. But her passion for Regency classics is tempered by a very real fear: Charlie is terrified of having to endure the fate of her namesake—spinsterhood. Despite her best attempts to maintain a modern sensibility, she can’t say no when an elderly neighbor asks Charlie to attend a charity ball with her grandson. Blind date or not, Charlie is powerless to resist the allure of a real-life ball. Soon it’s clear that she will struggle to resist the charms of her blind date too.

Liam Connell is every bit the swoon-worthy leading man, straight out of Charlie’s daydreams. But he’s completely unattainable—his last girlfriend was a gorgeous actress and a far cry from Charlie’s world. So after a magical evening with Liam, Charlie is ready to get back to reality, even if her best option right now is a former boyfriend who wants to give it another shot. Unfortunately, despite imagining she’ll never see Liam again, he seems to be everywhere. How is a lady to move past a fantasy when life suddenly seems to be imitating fiction to an alarming degree?