Good Guy Gabe by CB Alice

2 Stars

I’m the responsible guy. The polite guy. The guy my teammates on the Wilmington Juggernauts, the NFL’s newest expansion team, rely on to keep things running smoothly.

When I’m sent to a local quilt shop to pick up a donation for an upcoming fundraiser, I realize I'm something else: the guy who's going to marry Joss Paige, the self-proclaimed but wildly successful quiltfluencer.

Joss is a hermit, hiding in her shop and online community, but I won’t let that stop me from taking her to the fundraiser. There, I learn she’s been shunned by Wilmington high society because of crimes committed by her ex-husband.

I don’t care about her past or her ex. I only care about keeping her by my side, no matter what it takes. White lies and gentle manipulations—they’re for our happiness. The greater good and all that.

But then I find out what her ex-husband did, what it did to her, and what my tiny white lie will do to her.

And it turns out I’m not the good guy after all.

The story was there and should have been good. It started nicely and I was digging it until the first time Joss and Gabe hook up. She isn’t on anything asked for a condom and he lied and said he can’t have kids. That was the minute I was done with the story. It is no longer consenting. I have no problem with breeding kink but this wasn’t that. Also the drama with Joss went on so long that I got I bored with the drama.

Book 1 Wilmington Juggernauts

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Craving the Obsession by Ava Selwyn

2.5 Stars

“I’m busy. Solve your matters on your own.”

Every time James Sinclair said those words, the light in Mia’s eyes dimmed a little more.

For five years she was his wife. Sweet. Obedient. Devoted. He believed she wanted his money and status. That was why she married him at nineteen. Why she would never leave.

Until one day, a call came…

“Miss Mia Bennett, your parents died in a car crash. Please come to collect their bodies.”

Shattered, she reached out to her billionaire husband. His only reply was, “I’m busy. Solve your matters on your own.”

“Okay,” she whispered. That night, she handed him divorce papers and walked out of his life, leaving all his wealth behind.

She never wanted money. She wanted love. He gave her nothing—so she took nothing.

James thought she wouldn’t survive without him. That she would crawl back. Instead, she vanished.

And when he found her again… she was living in luxuries far beyond his reach.

For some reason, Alexander Graves, one of the most powerful, cunning, and possessive billionaires in the country, was madly devoted to his ex-wife.

Now James is unraveling. Jealousy burns him alive.

But didn’t he already get exactly what he wanted?

This ends on a cliffhanger and waiting for the next part irritates me. It also seemed like it could have been one book vs the multiple it looks like it will be. There was a lot of repeated scenes that bogged the story down. It was an interesting concept and if you like some of the Asian shorts this probably will work for you. I will pick up the rest of the books cause I need to know how it ends but I am not happy about having to read two more books for the full story.

Book 4 Possessive Billionaires, Precious Sweethearts

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Cooking Up a Demon by Sabrina Cross

4 Stars

Bea thought all she had to worry about when she moved to Ghostlight Falls was the cold, wet weather and getting her Nonna’s bookstore up and running.

Instead she finds herself accidentally summoning a demon at every turn. An annoyingly sexy demon who insists on helping her, despite her protests.

Now, more than just soup is cooking up between Bea and the Demon. But summoning him puts more than just Bea’s heart at risk.

I loved this book and the characters. There were some plot holes but overall, I enjoyed the read so I am ignoring the holes.

Book Part of Ghostlight Falls

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Good Spirit by BK Borison

4 Stars

He’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s not exactly Scrooge.

Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.

Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.

With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?

 

Super cute holiday romance. I loved the characters and the premise of the book. I actually had some of the twists and turns figured out before they happened, but it was still worth reading.

Book 1 Ghosted

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Varsity Dad Dilemma by Lex Martin

3.5 Stars

That’s what I thought. Until someone drops off a baby with a note pinned to her blanket that says one of those jocks—either Rider or one of his roommates—is the father. The problem? Baby mama doesn’t mention which of these numbskulls is the sperm donor.

I wouldn’t care about their paternity problems—not the slightest bit—except my brother lives there too. Which means that adorable squawking bundle might be my niece, and there’s no way I’m leaving her unattended with those bumbling football players.

They need my help, even if they don’t know it yet. Once we solve this dilemma and figure out who’s the daddy, I’m out.

I’ll just ignore Rider and those soul-searing looks he gives me every time I reach for the baby. He broke my heart three years ago. He won’t get a second chance.

This book had a pacing issue. The beginning quarter and the last quarter made sense and flowed nicely. It was the middle part that slowed the book down. Characters needed to be developed better. Rider was an idiot multiple times, but I did like his grand gesture to win Gabby over.

Book 1 Varsity Dad

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Against All Odds by Maya Alden

3 Stars

Will he fight against all odds to win her back?

Sable Nees has spent her whole married life being a doormat and blending into the background. When her husband leaves her for a younger woman, she reclaims her confidence. She buys a local bar, ditches her mundane job, and starts living her life on her terms.

Heath Falkner, freshly divorced, is still navigating his new normal. His ex-wife may have orchestrated his move to her hometown of Aspen, hoping for a second chance, but it’s Sable who unexpectedly captures his heart.

When their romance ignites, the town erupts in scandal, and Sable is unfairly branded a homewrecker.

Heath tries to keep the peace with his ex for the sake of his fifteen-year-old daughter, and Sable struggles to keep her business afloat. Their worlds collide.

When Heath hesitates to put her first and insults her in front of all of Aspen, Sable has had enough. She walks away.

Heath has to deal with the empty space Sable leaves behind as he learns too late that she is his second chance at love and happiness.

I still think Sable should have told Heath to Fuck Off and for her to leave town. He reprimands her in public without finding out what happened. Then when he finds out he is in the wrong doesn’t understand why she doesn’t immediately forgive him. I loved his daughter and she was my favorite.

Book A Part of A Modern Vintage Romance

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Druid Cursed by CJ Burright

4 Stars

One week of freedom. One cursed druid. One woman who could break the spell or doom them both.

Every fifty years, Kellen Ravenwood escapes his magical prison for seven days. This Samhain is his last chance to break the curse, or he’ll be bound forever. All he needs is a sacrifice: the blood of Maggie O’Malley, the last living descendant of the witch who cursed him.

Maggie, desperate for cash after a brutal divorce, jumps at the chance to win a $500,000 prize at a mysterious Irish estate. She never expected ancient rituals, strange magic, or Kellen, the dangerously charming man who claims she’s the key to his freedom.

But Maggie won’t be anyone’s sacrifice. And if there’s another way to break the curse, she’ll find it.

Because some destinies are meant to be rewritten.

And some love stories are worth defying fate for.

Pacing was good. I loved the switch between modern English and Old English. I loved the characters and felt they were developed well. Maggie is learning about her ancestors while trying to get enough money to save her family home. Kellen was given a rough life. There are reveals that are big. The biggest issue I had was the ending felt rushed.

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Tempting the Orc by LV Lane

3 Stars

He’s my brother’s best friend.

He’s also an orc.

I’m a shifter and should be with one of my kind.

What I want is green, fierce, and savage with everyone but me.

He’s determined to resist.

I’m determined that he won’t.

This was a short and spicy romance. No world building or character development. It was a fine read but don’t go in expecting much.

Book 1 Coveted by the Orc

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Oathbreaker by Elise Faber

4 Stars

She was never supposed to be mine.

Walking away was the only acceptable decision.

It was just one night. Two lonely souls finding solace in the one place we shouldn’t have—my bed.

I thought once would be enough, but leaving her is my biggest—maybe my only—regret.

Now, I’m back and seeing the results of that night is killing me.

I’ll make it up to her. I have to. Because I’ve never loved anyone else.

Because I’d rather die than break her heart a second time.

But when duty calls, I swore an oath to listen.

And I know…

There will be no coming back this time.

This book was interesting. On the one hand I knew who Frankie's daddy was from book one so not surprised. Was surprised he was still alive and was sad to see how things played out with West. I don't know if I would have been as forgiving as Briar was towards Colt but it made for an interesting read.

Book 5 Gamebreakers

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Death Rides the Desert by Sara Bourgeris

4 Stars

A haunted ranch. A clever fox. Ghosts who won't shut up.

Claire Caldwell came to Arizona to sell her great aunt’s ranch, lick her wounds, and escape back to Chicago.

Then the ranch decided it wanted a new owner.

A copper furred fox starts leaving gifts on her doorstep. Translucent cowboys appear in the barn. A woman who died in 1985 cooks tamales in Claire’s kitchen like she never left. And somehow, the dead all seem to know one thing Claire does not.

She can see them.

When the most hated man in Perdido Springs turns up dead on Claire’s property and the sheriff waves it off as an accident, the ghosts make it clear. Someone in town is lying. Someone is dangerous. And everyone had a reason to want the victim gone.

With a mystical fox at her side, a house full of chatty spirits, and a too handsome veterinarian who keeps showing up just when she needs him, Claire has to solve a murder nobody wants solved.

Before she becomes the next ghost haunting Whispering Saguaro Ranch.

Welcome to the desert, where the dead do not rest and the living keep secrets.

I loved this book. It was cute in so many ways. It was cozy paranormal romance. I figured out the killer from the beginning but getting all the information was interesting. If moved nicely but could have used some character development. I will be reading more in the series.

Book 1 The Haunted Ranch

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Knocked Up by my Fated Alpha by Jennifer Eve

2.5 Stars

Getting cheated on the night before my wedding?

Fine. I just slept with a ridiculously hot stranger.

Too bad he turned out to be my ex-fiancé’s uncle...And my new boss.

After losing my parents and my wolf, being forced into a political marriage was the last straw.

So, I ran.

Finding a job to make ends meet should be easy enough, right?

Unless my boss is Damien Blackwell—

Sharp, ruthless, my one-night stand and my ex’s uncle.

I’m his new assistant—faking smiles while hiding the way my body betrays me every time he’s near.

We’re supposed to keep things strictly professional.

Until he corners me behind closed doors, and every line between us starts to blur.

Then—his long-lost mate returns, with no memory of their breakup.

Perfect timing.

Except I’m already pregnant.

With his pup.

The writing in this book was so bad. At one point I swear Damien kills another character but than later talks about banishing him. I went back and reread to make sure I wasn’t confusing characters. There were also grammatical issues and it read like a high schooler wrote it. Besides the writing issues I also didn’t like how Damien treated Raven and she just takes it. I struggled to finish the book.

Book 1 Knocked up & Claimed

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One Night Hand Stand by Julia Kent

3 Stars

Who accidentally has a one-night stand with her yoga instructor?

Yep. Me.

How did I accidentally sleep with someone, right? I know what you’re thinking. Whoops! I slipped and inadvertently inserted Tab A into Slot B.

That’s not quite how it went.

But my yoga instructor is really, really skilled with Tab A, if you know what I mean.

Slot B never had it so good.

What am I supposed to do now, as I walk into my yoga class and find the guy I ghosted this morning… there, in front of the class, perfectly aligned and grinning at me like he remembers touching all my chakras.

He's perfect. Too perfect. He's so perfect he's ruining my job.

I'm an investigative reporter, working on spec for an article for a national magazine, and my job is to find all the ways this yoga chain is corrupt.

The only thing criminal here is that I can't have him in Slot B ever again. And I would. I'd turn myself into a paper doll book if that's what it took for more of that action.

I want him. He wants me. Nothing I do will make him back off because the chemistry is off the charts.

Except for one pesky little thing:

We’re at cross-purposes.

I need my exposé to get the job of my dreams. He needs to sell his stake in the yoga chain before I expose the corrupt current owner.

That makes him my enemy. My nemesis. The guy I have to get around to get ahead.

And now we’re supposed to hate each other.

But who ever let that get in the way of love?

I struggled so hard with this audiobook. I don’t know if it was the narrators or the story but I wasn’t a huge fan of this book. Both Case and Sarah irritated me and I didn’t really care if they got their HEA. I also felt the book was so slow to get anywhere. It might have been a better book to read then to listen too.

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Kiss from a Rose by Maya Alden

2 Stars

He built an empire, but forgot to cherish his queen.

So, she found herself by leaving him. Can he find her by following?

Because when is a kiss from his Rose not just a kiss—but a second chance?

Gray Rutherford had it all—a thriving business, a luxurious home, and a family he adored. Yet, when his wife Rose leaves him after twenty years of marriage, he's forced to face the bitter truth: he's taken her devotion for granted.

Confronted with his failings, Gray embarks on a desperate journey to reclaim the love of his life and prove that she is indispensable to him.

On the cusp of forty, Rose Rutherford stands at a life-altering crossroads. Tired of feeling invisible and undervalued in her marriage, she leaves her affluent Atlanta life for Angel Island to manage a friend's B&B as her friend faces the end of her life.

When Gray arrives, intent on reconciliation, Rose is torn between her newfound independence and the past she left behind.

They do nothing to make up for being dicks to Rose. Gray claims to love Rose so much and can’t imagine his life without her but allows his secretary to be a bitch to her. Their kids treat her horribly because of how he treats her. Then they are shocked she wants a divorce. She moves in to help her friend and the family still thinks she will come running back. When she doesn’t come back they track her down and beg for her forgiveness by saying they will change. She just forgives them the minute they start making an effort.

Book Apart of A Modern Vintage Romance

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Blood Sweeter Than Honey by Chiara Forestieri

2 Stars

Gideon

After leaving the military and an all-too-violent past behind, I craved nothing more than solitude—a peaceful life carved out under open skies and green pastures. So, when the local sheriff asks me to take in a mysterious woman, I’m far from thrilled. I’ve spent the last five years celibate and untouched by romance, surrounded only by honest work and the gentle souls of the animals on my ranch. Yet with every moment I spend in Winnow’s presence, some unseen cord winds tighter inside me, drawing me toward her. Soon enough, the urge to protect her—truly care for her—settles deep in my bones, impossible to ignore. I’m starting to believe I was made for this woman—and she, for me.

Winnow

After surviving a war and a traumatic past, I was endowed with the Duchy of Cerulia—thrust into a life I never wanted, bound by a duty I never chose. I’ve been shackled between the urge to walk away and the aching need to give my people the peace they’ve long been denied. It doesn’t take long for the weight of responsibility to wither my soul. So when a rare chance for a vacation appears, I seize it—only for everything to go horrifically awry.

Just when I think all hope is lost, the universe rewrites my path in the most unexpected way, and I find myself with nowhere to go but into the arms of a gruff cowboy—my soulbound.

There were so many tropes in this book. It was too many and made it hard to read. The SA and torture scenes were talked about but not really addressed or resolved. I almost DNF so many times reading this book because it didn’t make sense.

Part of Fated to the Cowboy

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Not Mine to Love by Rose Lucas

3 Stars

Patrick McLaren: CEO of McLaren Hotels. Helicopter pilot. Part-time adrenaline junkie who treats frostbite like a mild inconvenience. The kind of man who can silence a boardroom with one raised brow.

Which is deeply unfortunate, because I, Georgie Fitzgerald, have been sent to his remote Scottish hotel to overhaul their IT systems. That means weeks of working in close proximity to him and his lethal combination of jawline, arrogance, and disdain.

And I know exactly what he thinks of me, because the man doesn’t bother hiding it.

I’m his best friend’s little sister—the pity hire who tanked her interview and only got the job because my big brother pulled strings. The tech gremlin occasionally allowed out of her cupboard to reset the router before being shoved back in again.

He climbs mountains for fun. I break into a sweat ordering coffee. He’s brooding intensity in a bespoke suit. I’m anxious energy and catastrophic overthinking in a cardigan.

It doesn’t matter how hard I work to prove myself at his company. He doesn’t notice. He doesn’t notice much about me at all.

Which is fine. It’s not that I want his attention. It’s just… I can’t help being shy. I can’t help that I’m still rebuilding myself after someone else tore me down.

But maybe I’m tired of being anxious, apologetic, router-resetting Georgie who lives in the background, worrying about what everyone thinks. About what he thinks.

Maybe it’s time to reclaim my narrative.

And maybe that includes claiming him.

Patrick was a fucking idiot. He ruined the book. I liked Georgie and wanted more for her. I was curious why she had the issues she did. She did forgive him too quickly. He screwed around with her life from beginning to end and she just took it. Her brother doesn’t want them together so he dumps her. Someone at work says she did something wrong and he believes them without investigating. It wasn’t until the entire team came together and threatened to quit for him to finally believe her.

Book 3 Billionaire Brits

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No Ordinary Love by Maya Alden

3 Stars

I broke her heart, but I will win her back.

Because mine is...No Ordinary Love.

Lucas Covington had everything: Charleston's old money, a successful family business, and Amara—the strong, brilliant professor who turned his world upside down.

One careless conversation destroys it all.

When Amara overhears Lucas admitting he's still torn about his recently single ex and not sure if he loves her, she walks out, leaving behind the life they were building and the man too blind to see what he had.

As Lucas tumbles back into a toxic relationship with his high school sweetheart, he realizes just how badly he screwed up. Amara was the woman he needed, the one who made him feel alive. The one he loves.

Unable to heal her broken heart, Amara decides to leave Charleston. When Lucas finds out, he pulls every string he can, forcing her to stay in the city under the guise of a high-profile consultancy gig.

Now, with Amara back in his orbit but not in his arms, Lucas has to fight harder than ever to win her back. But with his ex-girlfriend digging her claws in and his own mother backing her, it's a battle he might not survive.

It's going to take a hell of a lot of groveling and facing his darkest truths to prove to Amara that his love is no ordinary thing.

I don’t know why I read this book. It was from an ad and it made it look so good. But it was just ok. Lucas was an ass but does make up for it. She should have left and stayed gone.

Book A Part of A Modern Vintage Romance

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More Than a Feeling by Maya Alden

3 Stars

He chose the wrong sister. And now, the right one doesn't want him anymore.

I never expected to fall for Fleur. She’s sunshine and joy, where my world was previously gray. What I don’t understand is how her family means so little to her. They warned me she was immature and selfish; and that we’ll never work out.

They were right. She's jealous of my friendship with her sister, my brother's widow.

But being there for Sabine is a promise I won’t break. When Sabine suggests that we take care of each other; I feel like I owe it to her and my brother. So, I let Fleur go. I believed it was the right thing to do. I just never expected to find out that my feelings for Fleur ran deep, that I was, in fact, in love with her.

Fleur deserved so much better than Callum. Callum doesn’t make up for his behavior but she forgives him. I am curious about what ends up happening to her parents and sister, they were all horrible.

Book A Part of A Modern Vintage Romance

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Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws

3.5 Stars

Help Wanted: Grumpy mountain man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only. Surrogate must be impervious to grunting as the form of communication and nosy brotherly neighbors. Rustic mountain range housing available upon request.

I wanted to pummel my irritating brothers when they posted their own version of a wanted ad to help me with my life.

But I can’t fault the results once the right woman lands in my lap.

Becoming a single father is not a decision I made lightly. In fact, it’s the biggest decision of my entire life.

Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect.

She’s wild, she’s opinionated, she wears cowboy boots. Even my pet goat loves her…

She’s the exact type of person I was holding out for.

And to my great horror, I realize on our first night of attempting this baby-making dance—when the lights are low, the cheap wine is flowing and the home-insemination supplies are laid out on the kitchen counter—I want to do a lot more than just make her my surrogate.

I want to make her mine.

I enjoyed the audiobook. It was a slowish story to get to the HEA but it was worth the wait. It was different as Wyatt’s niece picks Trista to have her uncle’s baby. Trista had every intention on walking away once the kid is born as she doesn’t feel she would be a good mom. The way they make the kid is interesting… Once they finally admit they don’t want to end their relationship it was so cute and I loved it.

Book 1 Mountain Men Matchmaker

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