Law Maker by Susie Tate

4 Stars

Invisibility has been Clara’s go-to survival skill since childhood. So she hides behind her thick glasses and heavy fringe, working as a teaching assistant at the exclusive Molton Prep, happy with her seven-year-old pupils and avoiding their posh parents. Her one secret indulgence? Watching the gorgeous but wildly intimidating Lord Rafe Sterling sweep into school to collect his son.

Her crush on him is ridiculous. Lord Sterling is way older than her, aristocratic, terrifying, and tipped to be one of the UK’s youngest judges. Even if she did stand a chance, a girl with a background like hers should avoid him at all costs.

Rafe can’t believe the school has the balls to tell him he can’t meet the Miss Clara who told his son his brain “works differently”. Nobody refuses a meeting with Lord Sterling. But when he bulldozes his way past the rules to confront her, he’s shocked by how much the shy, mousy woman affects him. She might be too scared to make eye contact, but when it comes to defending his son, she’s surprisingly fierce. And after he convinces her to work as his son’s tutor and she gradually stops flinching in his presence, his obsession with her only grows.

As a rule, he gets what he wants, and Rafe wants Clara very badly. But he should be careful what he wishes for, because Clara Morris is not who she says she is. In his arrogance, he pushes her away, not realising that her fear runs deeper than simple shyness, not seeing the danger she’s in until it’s too late…

I loved this book. Susie Tate’s books always have all the feels and this one didn’t disappoint. I knew MMC would do something to hurt FMC and he does and he regrets it after he does it. I love how all of the other characters gang up on him for his antics. Called him out for being an idiot. FMC oldest brother is one who I would love more with as I felt so bad for him by the end of the book.

Book 1 Aristocrats of London

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Not Mine to Love by Rosa 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 an idiot and ruined the book for me. I liked Georgie and was curious why she had the issues that she had. When she forgave him I felt it was too quickly and I still do believe that.

Book apart of Billionaire Brits

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The Brood by Devney Perry

4 Stars

The last thing Wilder Abbott needs is a houseguest. Solitude has been his stoic companion for nearly a decade. He prefers to brood over his mistakes in seclusion. Besides, he gets enough social interaction as a high school science teacher in Calamity, Montana.

But when his oldest friend calls, begging for a favor, Wilder begrudgingly agrees. For the next two months, he’ll give up his guest room to his friend’s little sister.

Iris Monroe isn’t the girl Wilder remembers. Gone is the shy, quiet mouse ten years his junior who always had her nose in a book. Grown-up Iris talks too much and asks too many questions, especially about his past. And her bright smile and clear blue eyes are hard to ignore.

Two months. He just has to survive two months. Except Iris is as nosy as she is beautiful. And his secrets prove hard to hide when she’s living under his roof.

I enjoyed this book. The age gap and friend’s little sister tropes were fun to read. They worked well together and the way they both wanted the other to be happy was perfection. The twist with MMC former wife was interesting.

Book 6 Calamity Montana

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The Wrong Husband by Maya Alden

3.5 Stars

Her Sister's Ex = Her New Husband = A Complete Disaster!

When Damian Archer finds out his girlfriend is cheating on him, he devises a cunning revenge plan: seduce and marry her unsuspecting sister, Emilia, the Invisible Miss Winters.

Emilia has always secretly liked Damian, so when he turns on the charm in Las Vegas, she's easily swept off her feet. By the end of the night, they are married and have spent the night together. She thinks Damian married her in a drunken haze and offers an annulment. But when their Vegas wedding hits the gossip sites, Damian suggests staying married for a while to avoid a PR mess.

At first, Damian ignores Emilia, but his sweet and artistic wife slowly works her way into his heart. Emilia starts to believe in fairy tales, only to find out Damian married her to hurt her sister.

Heartbroken, Emilia wants nothing to do with her wrong husband, regardless of the media fallout. But Damian has finally discovered what it means to be truly in love, and he's not going to lose his wife, not when she holds his heart

My god there were so many characters I hated in this book. So many were irredeemable and I wanted all of them to pay for being so horrid to Emelia. I did love that FMC made them all wait after she found out the truth. She deserved so much better than her husband and all of the family members.

Book 1 Marriage by Contract

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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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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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The Wrong Wife by Maya Alden

2 Stars

Sometimes the wrong choice leads to the right love…

Bound by duty, drawn by desire. Can love rewrite their story?

Even the wrong path can lead to the right love.

Declan Knight always knew he would have to marry a Hartley.

But when the Hartley he loves leaves him the night before their wedding, he’s forced to marry the other sister. She’s not the Hartley he wanted but he can fake it for a year. Can’t he?

Growing up in the shadow of her glamourous sister, Esme Hartley learned to bury her own desires, including her secret crush on Declan Knight. Suddenly thrust into a marriage with him, a glimmer of possibility ignites within her. But can she ever truly capture his heart, or will he remain haunted by her sister’s memory?

Caught between family duty and past scars, can Declan and Esme overcome the ghosts of their pasts and find love in the unlikeliest of places or will their tangled emotions tear them apart?

There was not enough groveling done by Declan let alone Esme’s family. They were all so horrible to her and none of them made up for it. Declan is hot and cold with her because he wanted to be with Viv. When he finally figures out he didn’t love Viv but Esme for me it was too little too late. She is supposed to be a sweetheart with a heart of gold but she came across as a doormat and basically took him back immediately.

Book 1 Golden Knights

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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 really enjoyed listening to the audiobook. Wyatt was a bit of a grump and he never gets better but he is so sweet with Trista. Trista was a bit to sunshiny and it did grate. I also questioned if she really would have been ok walking away. The give and take between them and how it went from just a transaction to all in was fun to read.

Book 1 Mountain Man Matchmaker

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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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Bottles and Blades by Elise Faber

 

4 Stars

I fell in love with a billionaire. I just didn’t know it. Jean-Michel Dubois is the owner of the professional hockey team, the Oakland Eagles, and established the world-renowned Oak Ridge Vineyards.

And…he’s fallen for me.

Me. The boring woman who spends her time studying, baking cookies, and nannying for an adorable little girl.

A relationship between us makes no sense—I’ve tried to make him see that.

But he’s a successful businessman for a reason.

He's ruthless and goes after what he wants.

And he’s decided…That’s me.

I loved seeing how this book played out. The age gap between Jean-Michel and Tiffany was large but it worked. I loved how Tiffany got on with Jean-Michel’s daughter. One thing I wanted more on was what happened with the ex-wife. It was a big part of the book but seemed by the end it was swept under for the relationship.

Book 1 Eagles Hockey: Oak Ridge Vineyards

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Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

4 Stars

Maya Killgore is twenty-three and still in the process of figuring out her life.

Conor Harkness is thirty-eight, and Maya cannot stop thinking about him.

It’s such a cliché, it almost makes her heart implode: older man and younger woman; successful biotech guy and struggling grad student; brother’s best friend and the girl he never even knew existed. As Conor loves to remind her, the power dynamic is too imbalanced. Any relationship between them would be problematic in too many ways to count, and Maya should just get over him. After all, he has made it clear that he wants her gone from his life.

But not everything is as it seems—and clichés sometimes become plot twists.

When Maya’s brother decides to get married in Taormina, she and Conor end up stuck together in a romantic Sicilian villa for over a week. There, on the beautiful Ionian coast, between ancient ruins, delicious foods, and natural caves, Maya realizes that Conor might be hiding something from her. And as the destination wedding begins to erupt out of control, she decides that a summer fling might be just what she needs—even if it’s a problematic one.

I love the age gap drama in this book. Conor is so firm on not being with her because she is too young but she is all in. Even though he was all no we can’t be together he also didn’t want her to be with anyone else either. It brought for a drama filled book that kept me entertained.

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Mercy by Sara Cate

3 Stars

I don’t want to hurt him—I just want to punish him.

It’s bad enough being the only female owner of the Salacious Players’ Club, but I’m also the only one without a kink, or so I thought.

Imagine my surprise when the kink quiz suggests that I’m not so vanilla after all.

In fact, I’m a lot more like Emerson Grant than I thought.

Just one problem—I have no idea how to be a Domme.

That is, until the app matches me with someone willing to help me learn.

He’s too young for me.

Too stubborn. Too good looking.

And, oh yeah, my friend’s son.

Beau Grant is a brat. I’d hate that about him if I didn’t love punishing him so much.

Underneath all of that attitude is a man who is misunderstood, selfless, and in need of direction.

But if he wants mercy, he has to earn it.

There are a million reasons why I should stay away, but I’m tired of doing what everyone thinks I should do.

I finally know what I want, and I’m ready to take what’s mine.

 

If you like BDSM books this is a good read. I enjoyed the age gap with her being older. Beau's dad is a massive hypocritical asshole. I did love that Beau fought for Maggie and that he was willing to learn and change. Nice smutty book

Book 4 Salacious Player’s Club

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Sin Bin by Teagan Hunter

2 Stars

I should stay away.

Emilia Anderson is the team’s social media manager, and there are strict rules about not fraternizing with the staff. It doesn’t matter that we already accidentally broke them—we can’t let it happen again.

Besides, my time in the league is winding down, and this is my last shot at winning the Cup. I need to focus on the game, not some girl I have no business chasing.

She’s ten years younger than me.

She’s the assistant coach’s niece.

And she works for the team.

She’s off-limits…and too hard to resist.

I know better than to play this game...

But it looks like I’m heading to the sin bin.

 

I hated Emilia in this book. She wasn't willing to see alternatives to stay with Owen. She was ten years younger than him, and it showed in her actions. I don't mind age gaps but this one just made me feel icky, because of how they acted. The writing style was fine so I will probably give her another chance. 

Book 4 Carolina Comets

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That Feeling by Alexis Winter

3 Stars

I've broken wild horses that were easier to tame than Brooklyn Dyer.
The moment she conquered my mechanical bull in those tight jeans and that ridiculous tourist cowboy hat, I knew she was trouble.

The kind of trouble you spend all night praying never ends and a decade trying to forget.

But Monday morning brings a punch to the gut I never saw coming—she's sitting across from me at our family brewery's board meeting. Not just as some new hire, but as our social media director with plans to make me the damn poster boy for Slade Brewing.

I've spent 37 years mastering this ranch and my emotions—I don't need some city girl with marketing schemes and dangerous curves dismantling both.

Yet here I am, shirtless on my horse while she snaps photos, thinking about how badly I want to bend her over my saddle.

I told myself not to give in, but those full hips and that attitude of hers make me want to misbehave.
She's a defiant little thing that needs to learn a lesson about teasing a man like me.

She’s one of those girls alright—Mysterious, driven, all kinds of sexy.

Just when I let my guard down, her ex appears with a ring, I discover she's carrying my child, and a bullet meant for someone else nearly ends it all.

They say a cowboy's greatest strength is knowing when to hold on tight and when to let go. But with Brooklyn, I'm beginning to think some feelings are worth fighting for—even if it might destroy us both.

This is a generous 3 stars because it was an interesting take on age gap. I skimmed some as there is a huge pacing issue. They were all in within the first half of the book and Brooklyn does end up pregnant almost immediately after they hook up. I also was not a huge fan of Brooklyn. She was too … brass is the best word I can come up with. She was almost bratty in her attitude but not in a good way. She goes in planning on manipulating Tyler to get what she wants, and it rubs me the wrong way. The rest of the book is about other dramas in the community. I did like the writing style so I will probably pick up something else and see if they are better.

Book 1 Slade Brothers

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Stone by Anna Hackett

4 Stars

He’s the new silver fox recruit at Sentinel Security.

The hot, tough former Marine Raider.

And he won’t touch her because he works with her brother.

Real estate agent Magnolia “Nola” Newhouse has it all. Okay, not quite all. She loves her work, has a growing collection of designer heels, and is about to become an aunt…she’s just missing the love of her life. She’s watched her brother and her best friend fall in love, and Nola wants that too.

When she first sees the big, rugged silver fox across the bar, she feels an instant connection, and knows he does too. They share a passionate kiss, then he discovers who her brother is…

A short and sweet short story. I loved seeing Nola and Stone get their HEA. Plus seeing all the original characters was amazing to read up on what they are up to. The only downside was it was too short. I wanted more of the story and the characters.

Book 6.5     Sentinel Security

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Echo by Seven Rue

1 Star

No one would be looking for me.

Or so I thought.

I ran away from the vile man my mother left me with, hoping to start over again in a different town.

But deep in the Alaskan wilderness, where I chose to run off to, there wasn’t a place I could settle down.

After days of walking and getting lost, I found shelter in a cabin, far away from civilization.

Until one day, they arrived.

Three brothers, one stronger and more complex than the other. They let me stay, and the more time that past, the closer I got to each of them. I soon realized that all three had an effect on me, and I couldn’t deny the feelings I felt when I was around them.

Our bond grew strong, and before leaving the cabin to go home with them, they promised me to keep me safe forever. But when the two people I wanted to leave behind came looking for me, promising me to be a family again, I had to decide if I wanted to spend the rest of my life with them, or the three men who took care of me.

I struggled with this book. Between her and the guys ages plus how sheltered she was it was a whole lot of ick. Add in how FMC was tracked it all made 0 sense. It is a skip for me.

Book 1 Echo

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Never Fall for the Bride’s Father by Julia Kent

3 Stars

Power outages. Runaway brides. Collapsed wedding cakes. Tainted caviar. Handsy grooms. And the always classic: jealous MILs who wear white. No wedding catastrophe can faze Katie Gallagher, because when you plan for the worst, you deliver the best.

The best wedding ever.

Her company, Wedding Protectors, Inc., promises happily ever afters. Guaranteed. Whatever it takes. But always-prepared Katie? She’s steering clear of her own HEA. Years of dating older, wealthy, alpha businessmen who treat her like an ornament has left a bad taste in her mouth.

And some bruises on her ego. Love is her job. Not her destiny. So when she falls for silver fox and self-made millionaire Patrick Cooper, she breaks a rule so taboo, it doesn’t technically exist: Never fall for the bride’s father.

Enter Patrick, a widowed art dealer with salt-and-pepper charm. He can't resist trying to share an Uber with the captivating, enticingly stubborn blonde. Their encounter? Classic enemies-to-lovers. Sparks fly, but not the good kind... at first.

Starting off on the wrong foot left a terrible impression, but when a series of coincidences pushes them together, the more time they spend with each other, the more the lines blur.

Chance favors the risk-takers, so when he takes a leap of faith and gets a passionate kiss that rocks his world, Katie opens closed doors in his heart.

Can he really have a new soulmate — Or is this just a May-December fling?

 

I loved how the books started with the conflict between Katie and Patrick. Patrick was a major dick and stole her uber. He tries to make it up to her but it’s too little to late for Katie. They eventually find out who the other is which leads to Patrick really trying to make it up to her. It was a fine book after this conflict, but I felt it missed the mark for a really good book. I never felt like there was a big connection between them as there is such a jump in the timeline. You don’t see them spending a ton of time together and that led me to feel like it was mostly lust and not love. The first book could get away with this style as they were a second chance at love with a past. Katie and Patrick don’t have that and needed more screen time to get that connection. Still love Julia Kent and will look forward to her next one.

Book 2 Whatever It Takes

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Knotty New Year by Merri Bright

4 Stars

Candy just wants to live her life to the best, but her designation means other people get to tell her what to do and when to do it. When she and her friends start a business to be betasitters she feels like she’s finally taking her life into her own hands. Her first job is for a billionaire who happens to be her fated mate and they end up snowed in. He’s grumpy and wants nothing to do with her until her heat hits. When it’s done Nicholas walks away thinking he’s giving her the choices she wants but instead hurts her. When he finally realizes his error can he fix things with her without more problems?

Spicy Snowed in, age, gap, omegaverse book that’s worth reading. Nicholas is an ass through most of the book but he pulls out a super sweet move to win her over just to royally fuck it all up. He sort of makes up for the later mess but not really for the issues he caused. I loved Candy and all her friends. I also loved Nicholas’ siblings. The siblings are all so welcoming to her and want to take care of her all while bashing their brother. I kind of want more books with all of them. Can’t wait for the next book.

Book 2 Billionaire’s Betasitter

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Nothing Feels Better by Brit Benson

3 Stars

Joss is just trying to survive her abusive ex. He wants to ruin her for daring to leave. She has to worry about her kids and doesn’t have time for romance. When she meets Jesse he’s younger than her and definitely not going to be forever as he’s going to med school out of state. When things get serious between them can they find away to get their HEA?

This was a cute age gap single mom story. Joss was in a lose/lose situation and was trying to do the best she could while divorcing her abusive ex. She was not expecting to find and fall for Jesse. There was a lot of drama with this one was fun to read. Jesse and Joss had to decide what was most important to them and that would change everything for both of them. The ending was just perfect.

Part of Better Love

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Heliacle Rising by C.C. Davie

2.5 Stars

Amylia has been raised to be the wife of Lord Drakon’s son. She and her brother have been his ward since their family was slaughtered. She knows she once had magic but doesn’t now. When some magical people show up to make a deal with the lord her life is thrown for a loop. Secrets are revealed and Amylia will never be the same again.

This was an interesting read. There were parts of the book that I enjoyed but more that were just no for me. One of my biggest issues was how the sexual assault was handled. There was no warning that it was going to happen and then it was just brushed aside after her rescue. They acted like it never happened. That was the biggest issue but there were others. FMC was weak and also very stupid. I didn’t like her love interested either as it was an older established couple. It came across as grooming. It would be a skip for future books for me.

Book 1 The Wytchling Chronicles

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