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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Caught Up by Navessa Allen

3.5 Stars

I wanted this woman, and I was a man who always got what he wanted.

Nico “Junior” Trocci knows Lauren Marchetti is off limits. She is sweetness and laughter, whereas Junior exists in a world of violence and depravity. Men like him don’t get to have women like her. It’s why he pushed her away back in high school and kept his distance ever since.

But when Junior looks Lauren up online, he discovers the shy, bookish girl he remembers is gone. In her place is a strikingly beautiful woman whose social media is filled with scantily clad pictures of herself and a connection to a nearby play club. Junior’s innocent curiosity quickly turns into a dark obsession. Watching Lauren from a distance isn’t enough; he needs to make her his.

He’s ruthless; a walking red flag. Good thing red is my favorite color.

Lauren is intrigued by the mystery man who keeps showing up at her club, who tempts her white-hot desires. But as their flirty online messages stir up a deeper form of connection, Lauren worries she’s developing real feelings for this brooding stranger. As their combined desire ratchets up to a breaking point, who will seduce who?

I took a minute to get into the story. Once I was into it I loved it. Listening to the book vs reading the book made it easier to fall into it. It was a darker book than book 1 which is why the struggle happened. I loved Nico and Lauren together. There were a lot more darker moments with them then book one characters. There were just as many new spicy scenes with some interesting locations. Definitely read the trigger warnings to make sure you are comfortable with this book.

Book 2 Into the Darkness

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Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop

 

5 Stars

Words have power. Intentions matter.

Most people come to Destiny Park for entertainment. They come to have their cards read to tell them a bit about their future. They come to walk through a beautiful park and to eat at the hotel’s restaurant. They come in the hope of catching a glimpse of the Arcana, the paranormal beings who rule the Isle of Wyrd.

But some people come to make a bargain with the Arcana—to change their fate. And some people come for dark purposes.

When Detective Beth Fahey is sent to Destiny Park to inquire about a “ghost gun,” she will begin a strange journey on which she must learn to navigate the Arcana’s unforgiving laws and dangerous attractions. Her search will draw her into seemingly impossible cases and the secrets of her own past as tensions rise between the Arcana and their human neighbors across the river.

For the Isle of Wyrd is a place where the dead ride trains to their final destinations, predators literally become prey, and seekers’ true natures are revealed in the ripples of destiny unknowingly stirred in their wakes.

Who will live? Who will die? And who will be lost in between?

I loved this book so much. It was different and very much a fantasy book. I loved the world building and the character development. I feel like I understand the characters and can’t wait to see what happens with them in future books. Listening to the audio was also nice. Narrator did an excellent job bringing the story to life.

Book 1 Isle of Wyrd

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Fall with Me by Jennifer L Armentrout

3 Stars

Eleven months ago, bartender and weird-shirt-wearing extraordinaire

Roxy and Officer Reece Anders had a one night stand. Well, kind of.

She's been in love with him since she was fifteen, and he wishes that

night they shared never happened. She's sworn him off forever, but the

past and future collide, forcing her to rely on the one man who broke

her heart not once, but twice.

Her best friend since birth has been in a long-term care facility

since he became a victim of a hate crime years ago, and the person who

put him in there is out of prison and wanting to make amends with him

and Roxy. She's not sure she has room for forgiveness in her and when

she begins to receive frightening messages and is on the receiving end

of escalating violence, she thinks she knows who is to blame. The man

who already destroyed one life already.

But Reece isn't convinced. The threats are too personal, and even if

Roxy doesn't believe him, he's not willing to let anyone hurt her.

Including himself. He's already messed up more than once when it comes

to Roxy and he's not going to let history repeat itself.

It is a part of a series and it felt like you were dropped in the middle of the story so you do need to read the other books. I also struggled with Roxy being very bitchy even though she’s in danger. She was too stupid to live so many times. I also felt Reece let miscommunications go on too long between them which put her in more danger. Overall, it was an ok read.

Book 5 Wait for You

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Bookish Girl’s Guide to Mating with a Werewolf by Lola Glass

4 Stars

I ran into a werewolf at a grocery store. The moment our eyes met, he decided I was his mate.

Now he's trapped in his furry form, threatening every other guy who so much as looks in my direction.

His friends try to convince me that I need to stay in his house until he goes human again, but I refuse.

So he shifts back.

And the giant of a man—er, wolfman—basically carries me away himself.

This werewolf is hunting me, and honestly?

I'm a very willing victim.

I laughed so hard at the beginning of the book. She’s looking for a shifter, finds one, and then is shocked…just shocked when he wanted her. It was a short and spicy story. Very easy to read and I will be continuing the rest of the series. It did take a while to realize that shifters aren’t out and so her looking was weird and more amusing to me.

Book 1 Mate Hunt

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A Partridge and a Pregnancy by Devney Perry

3 Stars

There are a lot of places I’d rather spend Christmas Eve morning than on a cold, snowy sidewalk outside someone else’s home. I’d kill to be sitting beside a fireplace, drinking cocoa, wearing flannel pajamas, and reading a book.

Instead, I’m here, standing in front of my one-night stand’s house, working up the courage to ring the doorbell and tell him I’m pregnant.

I hate that term—one-night stand. It sounds so cheap and sleazy. Tobias Holiday is neither of those things. He’s handsome and caring. Witty and charismatic. And once, a long time ago, he was mine.

Our one-night reunion was only supposed to be a hookup. A fling with an old lover. A parting farewell before I moved to London and put my feelings for him an ocean away. How exactly am I supposed to explain that to Tobias that I’m having a baby? His baby? Maybe I could sing it. He always loved the silly songs I made up in the shower.

Three French hens, two turtle doves.

And a partridge and a pregnancy.

I wanted to love this like I did the first two but I hated Eva so much. She never gets better even when they finally got together. She was selfish throughout the book. She didn’t want to be stuck in one location. Ok no problem. Instead of having that talk with Tobias she decided they wouldn’t work and broke up with him. Then when they come together is mad that he dated others after they broke up. The fight over custody was another issue for me. Ma’am you have no support in London. Who do you think is watching the kid while you work. Tobias has his entire family but yeah you are the better choice. I wanted more for Tobias.

Book 3 Holiday Brothers

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Promo: Carrie Ann Ryan

 

Kiss Me Forever

Book 10 in the Montgomery Ink Legacy Series

Kiss Me Forever is an age gap, workplace, surprise single dad contemporary romance featuring Brooklyn and Reece. Each book can be read as a complete standalone. An HEA is guaranteed!

Falling for your enemy is bad. Falling for the man you only call your enemy is worse.

Reece Fox is a decade older than me but I’m his boss. And if the man growls at me one more time, he’s going to learn the true meaning of the Montgomery temper. Yet I can’t stop thinking of him.

After losing my fiancé, I’ve sworn off men, but when Reece does the one thing I never thought he’d do—ask for help—I can’t walk away.

Brooklyn Montgomery is too young for me. She’s not only my boss, but my friend’s family. The definition of forbidden. We both know this. But I can’t keep my hands off of her. When we finally give into the heat between us, there’s no going back.

Only when a little girl shows up at our work, she changes our world completely with one word: Dad.

Kiss Me Forever is an age gap, workplace, surprise single dad contemporary romance featuring Brooklyn and Reece. Each book can be read as a complete standalone. An HEA is guaranteed!

Buy Now: Amazon or Direct

Alpha of Grave Hills by Kathryn Moon

5 Stars

She's an omega in hiding.

Broken hearted and rejected by her beta, Brigid Grant has spent the last five years in self-imposed exile. When her former lover comes sniffing at her door, demanding she take her place back in his bed or lose her sanctuary, Brigid knows it would break more than her heart to agree.

There's only one person powerful enough to keep her out of another man's reach.

A new alpha has risen.

With the death of his father, it’s time for Torion to step into his rightful place, as Alpha of Grave Hills. Young, determined to do better for his home and his people, Torion needs to focus on the work ahead of him. What he should not do, is anger a respected beta by stealing away his omega.

It would be an even bigger mistake to fall in love with her, when his heart is the last thing she wants.

Gave this the Best book of the year for 2025. I loved Torion and Brigid. They had so much chemistry and the give and take between them was awesome. I don’t know how else to describe their relationship other than it was comfortable. It felt like they had been together for years and not just coming together. There were some miscommunications between them that is resolved pretty quickly. I love what happens to Brigid’s former mate. He definitely gets what he deserves.

Book 2 Dragonkin

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Three Bells, Two Bows, One Brother’s BFF by Devney Perry

4 Stars

I pride myself in being grounded. Sure, I’ve had my share of childhood fantasies. Winning an Oscar. Winning the lottery. Winning an Olympic medal for an athletic talent I have yet to discover. But the only fantasy I ever thought might actually happen was winning my brother’s best friend.

Heath Holiday.

My crush on him has ebbed and flowed over the years, but the day I started working for his construction company was the day I smothered it for good. Sort of. Mostly. It was on my to-do list. Making it a priority would have been easier had he not arrived at his family’s annual Christmas party looking ridiculously handsome in a suit.

Then he kissed me. We stepped into an alternate universe and he kissed me. I assumed the next day I’d just be Guy’s little sister again. The office newbie. Our kiss forgotten. Except he keeps showing up at my house. With gifts.

A gold bracelet carrying three jingling bells. Two dainty jeweled earrings, each shaped as a bow. And finally, he brought himself.

One brother’s best friend, asking if I can keep a secret.

Heath was such an idiot but I enjoyed his idiocy. Stella deserved to not be his dirty little secret for most of the book and when she has enough and he gets smacked down I laughed so hard. He deserved it but Heath does make up for it later, it just took a while.

Book 2 Holiday Brothers

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Beautiful Nightmare by Katee Roberts

4 Stars

For one awkward sleep paralysis demon, scaring humans should be simple—except Gemma’s first solo haunting goes hilariously wrong in this tantalizing dream of a short story by New York Times bestselling author Katee Robert.

When Gemma’s supposed to terrify her appointed victim, she ends up captivated instead. Caleb, a romantic who believes in all things supernatural, finds her adorably pink-skinned, horned form more alluring than alarming. But as their steamy night unfolds and unexpected feelings bloom, Gemma must choose between her demonic duties and the human who makes her feel anything but monstrous.

I loved this monster romance so much. It was short and spicy. Loved it was like Monsters Inc with finding other ways to boost energy and the twist at the end was awesome. Would love more books in this world.

Book 5 Scared Sexy

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The Naughty, The Nice, The Nanny by Devney Perry

4 Stars

One week with one little girl—an angel, according to my staffing agency. Acting as the short-term nanny for a single dad should have been an easy way to make some extra cash. Until I show up for my first day and face off with a demon disguised as a seven-year-old girl wearing a red tutu and matching glitter slippers.

Oh, and her father? My temporary boss? Maddox Holiday. The same Maddox Holiday I crushed on in high school. The same Maddox Holiday who didn’t even know I existed. And the same Maddox Holiday who hasn’t set foot in Montana for years because he’s been too busy running his billionaire empire.

Enduring seven days is going to feel like scaling the Himalayas in six-inch heels. Toss in the Holiday family’s annual soiree, and Christmas Eve nightmares really do come true. But I can do anything for a week, especially for this paycheck, even if it means wrangling the naughty, impressing the nice, and playing the nanny.

I loved this audiobook so much. I enjoyed the characters. One big complaint was there needed to be more world building and character development. I get that it was a short story but it still needed more. I liked the relationship between Maddox and his family and daughter. Natalie was a bit wishy washy which is understandable since she didn’t want to start something with Maddox while he was her boss.

Book 1 Holiday Brothers

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To Kill Badger by Shelly Laurenston

4 Stars

Nelle Zhao is a loner, born and bred. Her own company is plenty, and her thoughts are certainly way more interesting than the tedium of reality. But she's also fiercely loyal—to her honey badger teammates and their mission, and now to the three gorgeous big tiger shifters known as the Malone brothers. Especially Keane, who doesn't know how to accept a friendly paw. But Nelle excels at helping! And at ignoring other people's irrational demands, such as doing it all alone. Keane, poor pretty kitty, doesn't understand the kind of assistance a shit-starting honey badger like Nelle can truly offer....

Keane knows two things—he doesn't like other people, and he is going to take down the de Medicis' human trafficking ring. Alone, as in by himself. It's safer that way. But the truth is the de Medicis are a seriously evil coalition of male lion shifters who are not only snatching innocent humans for fun and profit, but who also killed his father. And their combined power means that Keane's going to have to let long-legged, jet-setting Nelle join the fight. And getting close to Nelle is suddenly bringing out his roar....

I liked Nelle and Keane a lot. I wish more of the book was with them verse everyone else. There were some characters that had their personality changed from previous books and I don’t understand why. Nelle was managing Charlie which never happened previously. The entire team was terrified of her in previous books. The book still had a lot of humor and I enjoyed that.

Book 6 Badger Chronicles

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Burn the World Down by Anna Hackett

4 Stars

Nash

I left my hometown behind. I joined the military, disappeared into black ops, and became a weapon for my country. I have no regrets.

Except one with pretty hazel eyes.

Now I’m retired, living a quiet life hiding in plain sight in Las Vegas. I still think of her. The prettiest girl I ever knew. My best friend’s little sister.

But I swore to leave her alone to live a normal life. That I wouldn’t drag her into the darkness.

Then I find out her life isn’t golden.

She’s in danger and I have the right set of skills to save her.

Georgie

Your life can change in an instant. One second, you have a happy family and a crush on your brother’s best friend.

The next, you’ve lost everyone you ever loved.

My family is dead and my sister fell prey to a predator. A rich, connected man who promised her the world.

And gave her hell instead.

Now, I have nothing left but a burning need for vengeance.

Until I collide with the boy who left me behind. A boy who’s now a tough, dangerous man.

He says he’ll protect me. He says he’ll help me take down my sister’s killer.

I might survive my revenge, but will I survive when he walks away from me again?

This book was darker than any of her other books. I enjoyed the new characters and blew through reading this book. Nash and Georgie worked well together and the revenge aspect was fun to read. I loved reading the struggle each character had with the relationship but different reasons for the struggles. There were times I thought Georgie was too stupid to live but it wasn’t too bad. Definitely interested in the other characters getting their HEA.

Book 1 Unsanctioned

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Unbreakable by Dani Galliaro

3 Stars

Eight years, three kids, and one cross-country move. Can love alone bring their marriage back from the brink?

Dylan Sorrento fell in love with Jeanine Wendlock the moment he saw her singing karaoke in a dive bar in Santa Monica. An unplanned pregnancy, a quick wedding, and three babies later, Dylan was content as the captain of L.A. Princes hockey team, with Jeanine thriving as the leader of the team’s wives and girlfriends.

When Dylan gets traded across the country to the Ohio Rusties, all the little cracks previously covered by California sunshine begin to show. Jeanine drowns in the demands of a move, motherhood, and making new friends, and Dylan’s got troubles of his own with his new team. Jeanine reaches her breaking point and leaves Ohio for her parents’ winery.

Dylan’s not losing Jeanine without a fight. He chases her across the country and launches a five-point plan to win her back.

But is the plan too little, too late, or just the thing to make their bond unbreakable?

This was a squeak into a 3 star book. I enjoyed the writing style but had issues with Dylan. He was an ass and never got better. He made decisions and couldn’t understand why Jeanine would be upset about them. He was traded to a new team and she went from having friends around for support to a new team and trying to find her footing while dealing with their kids. He seemed checked out throughout most of this as a dad. He got mad when she left for a break. Yes they have kids but they were supervised by his mother who hated Jeanine. I wanted someone to ask him if someone else talked to his wife like his mother did would he allow them around his family. I get that he wasn’t happy about the trade but acted like he was the only one affected by it and just wanted his wife to deal with his mom. Sir that is a firm pass.

Book 1 Ohio Rusties

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Promo: Carrie Ann Ryan

 

Kiss Me Forever

Book 10 in the Montgomery Ink Legacy Series

Kiss Me Forever is an age gap, workplace, surprise single dad contemporary romance featuring Brooklyn and Reece. Each book can be read as a complete standalone. An HEA is guaranteed!

Falling for your enemy is bad. Falling for the man you only call your enemy is worse.

Reece Fox is a decade older than me but I’m his boss. And if the man growls at me one more time, he’s going to learn the true meaning of the Montgomery temper. Yet I can’t stop thinking of him.

After losing my fiancé, I’ve sworn off men, but when Reece does the one thing I never thought he’d do—ask for help—I can’t walk away.

Brooklyn Montgomery is too young for me. She’s not only my boss, but my friend’s family. The definition of forbidden. We both know this. But I can’t keep my hands off of her. When we finally give into the heat between us, there’s no going back.

Only when a little girl shows up at our work, she changes our world completely with one word: Dad.

Kiss Me Forever is an age gap, workplace, surprise single dad contemporary romance featuring Brooklyn and Reece. Each book can be read as a complete standalone. An HEA is guaranteed!

Buy Now: Amazon or Direct

My Deal with the Cowboy by Lainey Winters

3 Stars

HATTIE

I’ve been second choice my entire life. To my own mother, and even to my best friend, who chose my witch of a step-sister over me a decade ago. When I left Willow Ridge, I never thought I’d return. But my mother wants me back to see her golden child get married, and I can’t help but be a little curious about the best friend I left behind…especially when he offers me a deal I can’t refuse.

CASPER

I’ve been in limbo for the last ten years after doing something that should have protected the girl I love…instead, it sent her packing, and I haven’t seen her since. But she’s back, and her family is still as horrible as ever. So, I fake being her boyfriend to give her a break. But neither of us plan for what happens next…

I wanted more with this book. Hattie’s family was just horrid but I needed more info to better understand everything. It might have been included in a previous book but I have only read this book. I did like how Casper and Hattie came together and got their HEA.

Book 5 Sterling Brothers Ranch

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