Survival is Hard by Letty Frame

3 Stars

I tried to give up. To let the darkness swallow me whole. But my wolf refused—and now I’m left breathing when every part of me feels broken.

My mates don’t give up on me. They fight when I can’t. They hold me when I fall. And they spend their days teaching me how to believe in forever. To trust that I can be loved… wanted… whole.

But survival is never simple.

Hunters still circle me and my pride, determined to end my life—or the lives of those I love.

The return of my wolf couldn’t have come at a worse time. She’s restless, demanding, and desperate for the bonds I’m still too afraid to complete.

Because my first true heat is coming.

With it comes a terrifying choice: surrender to the mates who hold claim to my soul… or lose myself for good this time.

I’ve fought death. Now I have to fight for life.

And if I falter, I won’t be the only one who bleeds.

Not as good as the first book. It dragged more and there was a lot of regression with Nora. There was a lot going on and wasn’t written well to follow. Still enjoyed enough to read the last book.

Book 2 Second Chances

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Stealing Hearts by Lex Martin

3.5 Stars

A marriage of convenience might save his ranch, but will it break her heart?

I don’t remember a time when I didn’t love Rhett Walker, which is complicated since he’s ten years older and my brother’s best friend. After a falling out, we didn’t speak for years—until today, when he found me sleeping in my car, threw me over his shoulder, and dragged me “to safety.”

He’s grumpy and overprotective and even more handsome than I remembered. I’m shocked to learn he’s in trouble. Someone is sabotaging his ranch, which is thirty days from foreclosure. He needs a loan from a friend who won’t extend the funds unless he’s married. Only Rhett’s now a single dad with no plans to fall in love again.

When his brother suggests I marry Rhett for health insurance so I can rehab an injury, my first reaction is hell no. I can’t afford to catch feelings for someone who won’t see me that way.

But spending time at the ranch reminds me how much is at stake—the family business, the welfare of Rhett’s children, and the happiness of a man I’ve always longed for.

Rhett says we’ll keep things platonic in private, even though I’ll be sleeping in his bed. He refuses to mix business with pleasure.

Except when the lights go out in his bedroom, our chemistry is too explosive to contain.

Would it be so bad to fall for Rhett? Or will he steal my heart all over again?

One thing’s for sure—the clock is ticking on our divorce.

Rhett was just so freaking stubborn about Paige and caused all sorts of problems in their relationship. I loved Paige so much. She had so much working against her besides the injury. Having a crush on her husband was minor compared to everything else. The pacing in the book was spot on and it kept me reading. Pulled me out of a reading slump. The reason for knocking it down from a 4 was the will they/won’t they got old very quickly.

Book 1 Wild at Heart

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Always the One by Carrie Ann Ryan

3 Stars

It took two days for me to know Kendall was the one for me.

And it took two years for me to realize I had to leave in order to protect her.

When I walked away, I told myself it was for the best. But now we work together, and every time we’re in the same room, we end up fighting. If we didn’t, we’d end up naked. Or worse–spilling heartbreaking secrets.

If she knew the truth, she’d either walk away for good or convince me to take a second chance. The first thing would break me, and the second would break her. I can’t let either of those things happen…

I loved the narrators. They did an amazing job bringing this story to life. I struggled with the story a lot. The fighting between the couple was a lot and its was all choosing not to be honest with each other. Overall, I liked it but not my favorite

Book 2 The Wilder Brothers

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Rulebreaker by Elise Faber and Kat Mizera

3 Stars

She’s everything I shouldn’t want.

But that’s never stopped me before.

I didn’t become a billionaire before the age of thirty by playing it safe. I’m a risk-taker…except when it comes to matters of the heart.

Until Lily.

The pop phenom is all legs and curves, with a boisterous laugh and a wicked sense of humor—everything that drives me crazy. She drives me crazy.

But the more we butt heads, the more I crave the sound of her voice…the feel of her body against mine.

Except I’m positive she’s hiding something from me. Something big.

I let someone else keep secrets once—I won’t allow that again.

She’s mine.

And I won’t stop until she knows it.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. There was one point that I got incredibly angry with the Lily and had a rant about her for being ridiculous. I didn't think he owed her an apology at all for being angry with her over her lie of omission. Besides this I really enjoyed them coming together and getting their HEA.

Book 4 Gamebreakers

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Just Drive by Devyn Sinclair

4 Stars

Being the first female Formula 1 driver in the sport’s history is like being struck by lightning. Powerful, electrifying, and dangerous. Don’t get me wrong, it’s incredible. Plenty of racing fans are celebrating. Plenty more are enraged, hoping I either quit or crash.

They can hope all they want. I’ll never quit.

But there’s more than Formula 1 fans to worry about. Like shaking hands with my Team Principal for the first time and his scent turning my entire world upside down. Like the rest of his pack—including the current Formula 1 champion—matching with me too. One breath, and we belong to each other, body and soul.

In their arms I’m more than just a racer. I’m an Omega. I’m safe with them. For the first time, I can be what my designation craves instead of what my sport demands. Soft, spoiled, pleasured, and loved. Their fierce desire to win is only matched by one thing—their passion for me.

But the rookie Omega in a pack with her boss, the champion, and her crew is a PR disaster of global proportions, and I won’t be the only one with a target on my back. If the five us want to make it through the racing season? No one can ever know.

I loved this book so much. Vanessa  was so strong and that made the book so good. I loved how the guys were all in and just wanted to support her and not stop her from living her best life. The story itself flowed nicely.

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Burning Skies by Lex Martin

 

4 Stars

Crossing a line has never felt this good.

I’m what you’d call a good girl—at least that’s what my family thinks. But I’m tired of living by everyone else’s rules. So when I sneak into a scandalous, masked costume party and spot Beau Walker—my longtime crush and my family’s sworn enemy—I do something bold: I cross the one line that's utterly forbidden.

Hidden by shadows and masks, we lose ourselves in the hottest night of my life. Until I accidentally moan his name, and everything comes crashing to a halt.

Beau says things I can’t forget, and my fantasy of him shatters along with my heart.

But when suspicious fires break out at the high school where I teach, I’m forced to see the one firefighter I wish I could forget.

And when our long-smoldering tension finally ignites, the heat between us lights up the sky—and reveals a danger neither of us saw coming.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was well written and I loved Beau and Honey. There give and take was a fun read. There were some issues. I felt there was too many tropes going on and it wasn’t necessary. It bogged down the story a bit. I loved how things resolved between Beau and Honey’s brothers. Overall, it was a good story and I enjoyed how Beau and Honey get their HEA.

Book 3 Wild at Heart

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Off Limits Rule by Sarah Adams

3 Stars

Rules are made to be broken—especially for love, right?

Lucy Marshall has hit rock bottom. After failing to succeed as a single mom in Atlanta, she’s back home and moving in with her older brother, Drew. Reconnecting with her support system is the right thing to do, but Lucy can’t help but feel like a failure. Her four-year-old son deserves the world, and all she can give him is a spare bedroom. But Drew is the sweetest uncle, and some quality time might be exactly what they both need to start fresh. That is until she meets Cooper, her brother’s incredibly hot best friend.

When Drew senses something between the two of them, he puts his foot down on any shenanigans. According to him, Cooper is everything Lucy should stay away from: flirtatious, adventurous, and especially noncommittal. But Lucy has been getting the opposite impression so far; Cooper is a genuinely great guy, and she’s starting to catch real feelings.

Her whole life, Lucy has tried to do everything right, and look where that’s gotten her—so what if she were to try something wrong?

This was an ok read. It was a straight romance, brother’s best friend with a single mom. I wanted more between the two and to see more progression of the relationship.

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Married to Number 22 by Elise Faber

3 Stars

I signed the contract. I just didn’t expect her to show up ten years later, ready to cash it in. Recently traded to the Grizzlies, I’m struggling to find my place on the team. I’ve changed coasts, moved away from my best friend, from the Breakers who became family, and…I’m alone. And it’s my birthday. A fact that everyone around me seems to have forgotten. Until a knock at the door proves differently. I was in love with Luna when I was a teenager, and now she’s on my doorstep, vivacious and beautiful and…holding a piece of paper I barely remember. One that says we’ll get married

This was more like 3.5 Stars. I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the characters but wanted more growth with them. I also really wanted to have the stuff with her family fleshed out a bit more.

Book 1 Grizzlies Hockey

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Death is Easy by Letty Frame

4 Stars

“It’s nothing against you,” my fated mate said. “But you’re not good enough.”

On the night that should have been the start of my mated life, I was rejected. Betrayed. Banished.

Cast aside not because I’d done anything wrong—but because I wasn’t enough for him. For my pack. For anyone.

Six years later, I’ve built a quiet life in the shadows of the city. No family. No wolf. No pack.

But fate doesn’t let broken things stay hidden.

Atticus Phoenix. Alpha lion. Ruthless billionaire. The most powerful shifter in the country.

He declares I’m his.

And his inner circle of possessive, unyielding men agree.

They offer me safety. Vengeance. A future I never believed I could have.

But with hunters closing in, my sister flaunting the mate who destroyed me, and a heart that refuses to trust again… nothing comes easy.

Because no matter what they see in me—

I’m still not good enough.

Pretty solid start to a new series. Rejected mates is one of my favorite tropes and this one hit all the notes nicely. FMC was both strong and weak. She had a lot of trauma to work through. I liked the men she ends up with as they help elevate her. However, adding new mates was a bit weird. Overall, it was good enough to read the next book.

Book 1 Second Chances

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Omega Swipe Right by Alexis B Osbourne

3 Stars

Gwen

Gwen doesn’t date Alphas.

They’re rude, entitled jerks, and she doesn’t want to deal with it. She just wants a nice, sweet boyfriend who doesn’t like her omega dynamic more than her. That’s why she exclusively dates betas, but when her best friend snags her datapad and matches her with a new super-cute guy on Swiper Gwen doesn’t know that she’s in for a shock.

Because Piotr is smart, cute, and caring . . . but he’s an Alpha.

Piotr

Dr. Piotr Wyse is married to his job and the aliens just can’t seem to quit invading New York.

He doesn’t have time to date even though he’d like to have someone special in his life and maybe even start a family one day. Then his coworker makes a Swiper account for him and sets him up on a date. Gwen is sweet, charming, and gorgeous.

The problem? She keeps running away from him . . . and Piotr is getting desperate to chase her.

This book was ok. There was no world building at all so everything needs more explanation. It’s the same with characters. Things are thrown in as needed but left so many questions. The ending felt rushed.

Book .5 Omegas of OAN

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The Fake Out by Stephanie Archer

4 Stars

The best way to get back at my horrible ex? Fake date Rory Miller--my ex's rival, the top scorer in pro hockey, and the arrogant, flirtatious hockey player I tutored in high school.

Faking it is fun and addictive, though, and beneath the bad boy swagger, Rory’s sweet, funny, and protective.

He teaches me to skate and spends way too much money on me.

He sleeps in my bed and convinces me to break my just-one-time hookup rule.

He kisses me like it’s real.

And now I wonder if Rory was ever faking it to begin with.

I really enjoyed this hockey romance. I liked the development between Hazel and Rory. Rory was just amazing throughout the books. There was some repetitiveness in the book but it wasn’t too bad. It was a sweet story with minimum conflict.

Book 2 Vancouver Storm

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He Falls First by Jill Shalvis

4 Stars

No one is going to convince her to fall in love again...

Ryder Colburn has his hands full running the family business and caring for the ailing father who’s a virtual stranger from the cold, heavy-handed man he used to be. He’s got zero free time for hobbies or women. Or so he thinks until one walks into his life… and the path of an oncoming car.

Ryder doesn’t mind playing the hero for the skittish, scarred chef Penny. Maybe it’s the secrets in her eyes or the scar on her chin. Whatever the reason, he’s compelled to get closer.

Penny’s learned her lesson and now she’s paying the price. That’s why she’s sharing a dilapidated house in a tiny California town with her feisty grandmother and tween brother living off the leftovers from her catering job. It’s a far cry from her dream life. But who needs dreams… or love… or sex when there’s amateur plumbing projects to tackle and breakfast casseroles to bake?

One thing’s for sure, she’s never falling in love again. Not even with the sexy, snarky contractor who keeps testing the walls she’s built.

I loved this audiobook. The narrators did a good job bringing the characters to life. I liked the characters and the drama the Penny and Ryder are working through. It was interesting to read the prolog and then see how the father is after a stroke. There are still some plot points that need to be fleshed out but this is book one in the series so they might be resolved in future books.

Book 1 Colburn Brothers

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Horde King of Shadow by Zoey Draven

4 Stars

The fearsome creature came from across Drukkar’s Sea…and there was a rider on its back.

As a scholar in Dothik’s library, Klara has spent her life trying to understand the strange dreams that have plagued her since she was a child—visions of dragons and a world with no written record. Rejected by her royal bloodline after her mother’s death, Klara hides her chilling secret, knowing her rare magic could get her killed.

But when a dragon suddenly appears in Dothik, those dreams become a monstrous reality.

Sarkin Dirak’zar, king of the Sarrothian horde, cares only about finding heartstones—the dwindling power source for their revered dragons. Ice-cold and merciless, the last thing Sarkin wants is a wife, especially a weak and unwanted princess who likely won’t last one night on dragonback. Yet the key to acquiring heartstones lies in Klara’s visions, and so he gives her a cruel choice: marry him to save her people…or let Dothik burn.

Her first duty as queen? Claim a dragon of her own. What’s even more alarming is that unexpected desire begins to simmer with her beguiling but guarded husband...even though his barbed cage of a heart is only meant to keep her away.

You should have read the other books in the original series before reading this one. There are things you will not understand if you haven’t read them. Otherwise it will feel like you are dumped in the middle of a story. Other than this the story flowed nicely and was engaging. The build up between MMC and FMC was amazing to read and I liked how it all played out.

Book 1 Hordes of the Elthika

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Dealbreaker by Elise Faber and Kat Mizera

3 Stars

She’s the biggest movie star in the world.

And she’s in danger.

My specialty is security for the rich and famous, so when legendary actress Willow St. Claire asks for my help protecting her, I can’t say no.

The only problem is that I’m in danger too.

Of losing my heart.

She’s smart and sweet, beautiful and kind, and despite my determination to never fall in love again I know I’m going to make her mine.

But when her past catches up with her, the future I’ve begun to plan is suddenly at risk.

I might lose her.

And everything I never knew I wanted.

Of all the books I this series, this was my least favorite. I liked the couple, but it felt too insta love considering what Willow went through. I also felt like Dash's medical stuff went to the wayside once Willow entered the picture.

Overall, it was a fine read I just had some issues that are all me. the writing was good seeing Willow come into her own was awesome.

Book 3 Gamebreakers

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Ashes to Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan

3 Stars

Back in Denver, Abby lost everything she ever loved, except for her daughter, the one memory she has left of the man she loved and lost. Now, she’s moved next to the Montgomerys in Colorado Springs, leaving her past behind to start her new life.

One step at a time.

Ryan is the newest tattoo artist at Montgomery Ink Too and knows the others are curious about his secrets. But he’s not ready to tell them. Not yet. That is…until he meets Abby.

Abby and Ryan thought they had their own paths, ones that had nothing to do with one another. Then…they took a chance.

On each other.

One night at a time.

Abbie and Ryan had so much to overcome with their pasts. I loved how Ryan was all in with Abbie and Max. He never judged her for her past. Even though it was a short story it didn’t feel like a short story.

Book 4 Mongomery Ink: Colorado Springs

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Ruined Wings by Annie Anderson

4 Stars

A Luxa will wake the Beast…

A Luxa will unbind him…

A Luxa will destroy us all…

Vale Tenebris has a big problem–she needs to get her and her sister out of the Perder Lucem like yesterday. Living with a bunch of cave-dwelling magic hunters wouldn’t be so bad if she wasn’t hiding what she is from the very people sworn to kill her.

Her escape plans crumble to dust when she has to choose between the freedom she longs for and saving her sister from the clan leader’s son. Forced to use the unruly magic, she exposes the one thing that would mean her execution.

Being put to death isn’t the worst part, either. No, that comes in the form of two dragon shifters who come to her rescue, claiming that she is the key to unbinding their king and saving the realm from extinction.

Betrothed to the Beast and thrust into an unknown world filled with daggers at every turn, Vale needs to learn how to use her magic–and fast. Because that ring on her finger won’t save her if she can’t figure out how to help the king, nor will it stop her attraction to the shifters who pulled her from the brink of death.

And the magic brewing under her skin could very well be the end to them all.

I loved this fantasy book. It is different from other books. I like the world building and character development. It ends on a cliffhanger ending and I am curious to see how the story plays out.

Book 1 Severed Flames

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Entranced by Tracie Delaney

3 Stars

Have you ever loved anyone so much that you’d give them up at the expense of your own happiness?

No? Well, I did.

Okay, that’s not the first lie I’ve ever told myself. I fought tooth and nail for the only man I’ll ever love, but in the end, I had to concede defeat. Even now, seven years later, the cruel words my brother’s best friend uttered the morning after he took my virginity still wield the power to shatter the remains of my heart.

Yet fate has a way of shaping our lives—no matter how hard we fight for a different outcome.

This is a generous 3 stars. I still don’t understand why Athena was so enthralled with Ryker. Ryker was a controlling ass and he never changed. Beyond the character issues I had I also never got an explanation for why Athena was doing what she was doing in Japan. The book was just meh and dragged on.

Book 1 ROGUES Billionaire

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Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

5 Stars

 

REVIEW HAS SPOILERS BE WARNED

 

The gods sent monsters to the five kingdoms to remind mortals they must kneel.

I’ve spent my life kneeling—to their will and to my father's. As a princess, my only duty is to wear the crown and obey the king.

I was never meant to rule. Never meant to fight. And I was never supposed to be the daughter who sealed an ancient treaty with her own blood.

But that changed the fateful day I stepped into my father’s throne room. The day a legendary monster hunter sailed to our shores. The day a prince ruined my life.

Now I’m crossing treacherous lands beside a warrior who despises me as much as I despise him—bound to a future I didn’t choose and a husband I barely know.

Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice.

But what if I refused the role chosen for me? What if I made my own rules? What if there’s power in being underestimated?

And what if—for the first time—I reached for it?

I loved this book so much. It was the best slow burn ever. I loved Ransom and Odessa’s banter. I figured out the secret very quickly but still enjoyed the journey to get to the reveal and that reveal was AMAZING. The characters felt fleshed out but still more to learn. Even though the book ends on a cliffhanger it didn’t feel like we were left hanging on everything.

Book 1 Shield of Sparrows

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Undeniably Corrupt by J Shamen

3.5 Stars

When my ex leaves me and my little girl penniless, the last person I expect to step in is my childhood sweetheart, Vander Moore.

It's been years since he walked out of my life, and now he's barreling back into it, seeking redemption, and making me an offer I can't refuse--to become his new assistant.

But everything has changed, including him. The broody, sinfully hot bad boy CEO doesn't trust anyone. Especially me.

It isn't long before we're butting heads and fighting at every turn.

He’s a walking red flag. One I need to stay far away from.

Except when life throws me yet another curveball and my daughter and I are forced to move in with him, I start to see the man behind the mask.

And all the tension and heat we've been resisting ignites, consuming us both.

But with each forbidden touch and toe-curling encounter, I give him another piece of my heart.

He says he'll do whatever it takes to keep me and my daughter safe. Even if it costs him everything.

But there are some things even this undeniably corrupt man can't hack his way out of. And it's coming for all of us.

The ending was so rushed. Beyond that I enjoyed the story. Cander was a marshmallow with Liora and her daughter. The interactions between them were fire. They both wanted to protect the other one from all the bad in the world.

Book 7 Boston's Irresistible Billionaires

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Beauty and the Boardroom by Elise Faber

3 Stars

I’m not looking for forever.

My gorgeous, billionaire neighbor has decided otherwise.

I’ve been burned by enough bad ex-boyfriends to know that love isn’t in the cards for me. I work hard, keep my head down, and avoid all romantic attachments like the plague.

The only trouble? The infuriating man who lives just down the hall doesn’t seem to understand that.

Jace Henderson is beautiful, rich, and his veneer of perpetual, carefree bachelor is hiding a soft heart.

A possessive heart.

Because he’s decided he wants me.

Not just for one night.

But forever.

And the worst part is…the more time I spend with him, the more I think I want forever too

This one was fine read but a bit too much inst relationship and not enough building. I still enjoyed it a lot. Just wanted a bit more particularly after seeing the FMC in the last book.

Book 2 Eagles Hockey: Oak Ridge Vineyards

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