If You Need Me by Helena Hunting

4 Stars

I should be the one taking her to our small-town high school reunion. The prom king finally gets his chance with the valedictorian.
Except she hates me.

To the world, I’m a pro hockey player with a million dollar smile.
To Hemi, I’m the menace who (accidentally) sank her bike to the bottom of the lake.

I never thought I’d be able to right my wrongs until she took the team’s PR job.
I’d hoped I was making progress, winning her over—one geriatric polka party at a time.

Until I got drunk one night and made a mistake. A very big mistake.
Now the world thinks we’re both very much in love—except Hemi is absolutely in loathe.

To save our jobs and reputations, we have to convince all our friends, family, and bosses that our fake relationship is the real deal.

I’ll do anything to protect her, especially if it means I get to be the best boyfriend Hemi never expected.

I loved this one so much. I loved the give and take between Hemi and Dallas. The lies that turned into reality. Dallas’ anxiety was written well and was a good addition to the story. The one part that did irritate me was the third act break up. It was just like really are we doing this now…fine. Definitely added to the series.

Book 3 The Toronto Terror

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Strictly the Worst by Carrie Elks

3 Stars

Linc Salinger and I have nothing in common. He’s a smooth PR executive; I’m his disciplined office rival.

And he’s just stolen the project I’ve been working on for months.

After tough negotiation I manage to bargain my way back on, but there’s a catch. We have to travel to a tropical island and present to the client together.

Sharing a beach cottage with only one bed, we plan to stay professional. But the island's magic starts to thaw our animosity, sparking unexpected chemistry. Every laugh and touch intensifies our connection.

It’s obvious there’s no future between us.

He’s a confirmed player. And I’m a single mom with a teenage daughter and a home that’s falling down around us.

So I make a bargain with myself. A few nights of pleasure in paradise and then we’ll head back to New York and pretend this never happened.

We can go back to being at each other's throats the way we always have.

The only problem is, Linc doesn’t seem to get the office memo…

 

This was my least favorite book by this author. It was cute and I liked Linc and Tessa. I just really struggled with the overall story. Linc deserved a better story.

Book 5 The Salinger Brothers

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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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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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The Librarian and her Alphas by Layla Sparks

2 Stars

Trapped in a library during a vicious storm is one thing. But to be trapped with three enormous alphas during my heat is another…

Lena

I’ve sworn off pack life forever- especially after my ex-wolf pack left me for dead years ago in the rain.

Living amongst the humans hiding my omega nature is peaceful. A life with books, taking my heat suppressant pill religiously everyday along with my scent blocker creams.

I love my quiet life as a librarian. Well until three giant wolf alpha shifters walk right into my library during a massive storm.

And my omega heat begins.

But when I find out I’m pregnant weeks later, the alphas have demands that I live with them. I’m not quite ready for pack life yet so I have to go into hiding.

I liked the idea of this story but the actual implementation was lacking. I wanted to know why there weren’t any big consequences for the alphas who hurt Lena. The pack she ends up with don’t really make up for how they acted after the heat ended. Also no one questions the amount of sex that she had in library. Yes it happened during a storm but you're telling me no one noticed afterwards. Overall, it was a meh read and I this was a second attempt at reading this author. This one wasn't better than the last one so I am done trying.

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Outlier by Susie Tate

4 Stars

Vicky is an outlier. An outlier in society, an outlier in the business world; she’s even an outlier in her own family. She knows that people find her weird and annoying, and she’s resigned to her loneliness until she sees him. Having never been attracted to any man before, her new obsession with burly, rough and ready Mike and the fact she can’t breathe when he’s close comes as a shock.

Unfortunately, Vicky’s cold beauty doesn’t appeal to Mike. The woman they call the Ice Princess is the opposite of his type, and her obvious crush irritates him. How many times does he have to make it clear he’s not interested before she gets the message? 

But there are things about Vicky, Mike doesn’t know. Reasons she behaves the way she does. Loneliness, vulnerability and kindness, that she keeps hidden. And information her family should have shared with him. So when the fireworks start, and she screams, he acts on instinct, pulling her body into his. And when she buries into his chest, shaking in fear, for some reason he’s not so annoyed by her anymore…

All the emotions in this book. I loved reading it. It was interesting to see how the author handled FMC issues. Watching FMC overcome and deal with things that happened to her as a child made it a difficult read. Your heart will go out to her when truths are revealed. MMC was an idiot so many times with her but eventually makes it up but FMC pulls off the best surprise for him.

Book 3 Daydreamer

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Her Pucking Stepbrother by RJ Sterling

2.5 Stars

Being shamed out of college and forced to move back home is bad enough.
Having nothing but a thin wall separating my bedroom from my stepbrother's is even worse.
But the cherry on top?
The reminder that, before my dad and his mom ever thought to make us "family"... he was my first.
And now he hates me.
Puck my life.

Book was so freaking slow. Add in the cliffhanger ending with no next book. This is a book I would skip. MMC was an ass to FMC through most of the book and he never really makes up for it. Then the ending happened and I was so mad.

Book 1 Royal Icehole

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Too Little Too Late by Sarina Bowen

3 Stars

How to behave when the guy who broke your heart two thousand miles away turns up in your office:

One: Don’t drop your lucky coffee cup in shock, even though it’s been ten years.

Two: Don’t get defensive when he asks how you ended up working his family’s ski mountain… and why you kept it a secret.

Three: Give him the worst room in the resort. He deserves it for suddenly waltzing back in like he owns the place. (Which he kind of does.)

Four, five, six, seven, eight and nine: Do not kiss him in the hot tub.

Ten: Try to keep your heart intact after you break all of your rules.

Because Reed is leaving again. Hate can't turn back into love. And it’s a little too late…

I made the mistake of reading book 2 first and so I struggled with this one. Not that it was written bad just I hated Reed so much. I loved Ava and she deserved better than what she got with Reed. Other than my hate of Reed the book was good and I loved the setting.

Book 1 Madigan Mountain

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Runaways by Devney Perry

4 Stars

Londyn McCormack didn’t have a typical childhood. She ran away at sixteen and spent her youth searching for a place to call home. She’s built a good life for herself through hard work and a little luck, but after a devastating divorce, she’s running away again. Her life collides with Brooks Cohen, a small-town mechanic who gives her a reason to stop driving on that runaway road.

Gemma Lane built an empire. Not a small feat, considering her home as a teenager was a makeshift tent in a California junkyard. She’s dedicated her life to turning pennies into millions. And she’s leaving it all behind. She’s headed across the country in her best friend’s Cadillac when a detour in Montana reunites her with Easton Greer, a man who hasn’t changed. A man who still owns her heart.

Katherine Gates has been in love with Cash Greer since the moment he saved her life from a runaway goat. But she’s learned to shove her feelings for Cash down deep. They’re friends—best friends. Until the day they take an impulsive road trip to the Oregon coast. And she learns that Cash has some secrets of his own.

Aria Saint-James went to Arizona for a vacation with her sister. Instead, she’s stuck at a wedding with her nemesis, Brody Carmichael. She blames the champagne for falling into bed with him that night. Enemy or no, the billionaire is irresistible in a tux. Except Aria gets a surprise a few weeks later—she’s pregnant. When he learns that she’s carrying his child, Brody offers Aria the chance of a lifetime. The catch? She has to live under his roof until the baby is born.

Clara Saint-James is completing a journey. She’s returning a Cadillac to California, a place she’s avoided for more than a decade. It’s time for closure and to put ghosts to rest. And it’s time to find out if there’s still a spark to an old flame. She fell in love with Karson Avery when they lived as runaway teens in a junkyard. That love stayed with her for more than a decade. Either it’s finally their time to be together. Or it’s time to let him go and surrender to the dotted lines that have always kept them apart.

Book 1 Runaway Road – I loved this one so much. Londyn was so strong and just wanted to find her HEA with or without a man in her life. Brooks just wants to take care of her and they were so sweet together.

Book 2 Wild Highway – This one builds on book 1 and is just as good. I loved Gemma and Easton. The issues they have to overcome to get their HEA is amazing to read.

Book 3 Quarter Mile – I think this was my least favorite book in the series. It was mostly because Cash was such an ass throughout this book. He never redeems himself but Katherine ends up with him.

Book 4 Forsaken Trail – I loved the fights between Aria and Brody so much. The give and take between them was fire. I loved seeing them get to their HEA in the end.

Book 5 Dotted Lines – Also one I wasn’t a huge fan of. Karson was dating someone when Clara came to town. Yes he broke up with her before starting something with Clara but it was just an ick for me.

Books 1-5 Runaways

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Accidentally Forever by Carrie Ann Ryan

4 Stars

In the world of romance, Aria Montgomery knows two things for sure:

She’s not in love with the man everyone thinks she is.

And she refuses to let herself love Crew McTavish.

Her former best friend is spiraling, and her photography career seems to be standing in her father’s shadow. Aria knows she needs to find her way out of the darkness. Yet she’s afraid if she allows Crew inside, he’ll not only take over—but he’ll get hurt in the process.

Crew McTavish enjoys being the mysterious friend of the Montgomery’s. They may joke that he’s dating his way into their family one-by-one, but in the end, it’s only one Montgomery he wants: Aria.

Their pull to one another is inevitable and once a line is crossed, the heat between them ignites.

Only his family’s dark secrets threaten to pull him down and when Aria is threatened, Crew will stop at nothing to protect her.

Even if it means watching the world he’s built burn.

I loved Crew and Lex so much. They work so well together and I wanted them to get their HEA. You want to knock some sense into Lex with how much she doubts herself and her art and her constantly comparing it to what her dad. Knock both of their heads together with all the secrets they keep from each other under the guise of keeping the other one safe. The book just worked for me.

Book 8 Montgomery Ink Legacy

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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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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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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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Book Lover by Emily Henry

4 Stars

Nora Stephens' life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

I was surprised by this book. The description didn’t really move me but once I started it I blew through the book so fast. I hated the sister so much for her antics. She is allowed to want what she wants but to guilt her sister because her sister wanted something different crossed the line. I loved MMC and FMC. The banter between them was amazing and made the book so enjoyable to me. Watching them find ways to make it work when they needed to be in different locations was amazing.

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Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon

4 Stars

He is a hulking winged beast, complete with claws and fangs, and she is trapped alone with him in a dark tower. She should be terrified of him, so why does he turn her on?

Princess Candra must remain locked inside a tower for seven long years in order to protect her people from their goddess’s wrath. Seven years without a friend—or a lover—by her side. And locked inside the tower with her? A fearsome winged Fellian warrior, Nemeth.

He’s terrifying, cruel, and disturbingly magnetic . . . and the only other living being in the tower. Candra is torn between wanting to kill him for his supplies or having her way with him.
After all, seven years is a long time to be alone.

 

I really enjoyed this enemy to lovers story. Candra was a bit of a dick through half ish of the book until she started to fall for her enemy. Nemeth was awesome and even though she was his enemy he was willing to help her. I loved the interaction between the two of them and the ending was amazing.

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Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson

3 Stars

Keyanna “Key” MacKay is used to secrets. Raised by a single father who never divulged his past, it’s only after his death that she finds herself thrust into the world he’d always refused to speak of. With just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father’s life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, Key has no idea what she’ll find in Scotland. But repeating her father’s mistakes and being rescued by a gorgeous, angry Scotsman—who thinks she’s an idiot—is definitely the last thing she expects.

 

Lachlan Greer has his own secrets to keep, especially from the bonnie lass he pulls to safety from the slippery shore—a lass with captivating eyes and the last name he’s been taught not to trust. He’s looking for answers as well, and Key’s presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. It’s even more troublesome when he gets a front row seat to the lukewarm welcome Key receives from her family; the strange powers she begins to develop; and the fierce determination she brings to every obstacle in her path. Things he shouldn’t care about, and someone he definitely doesn’t find wildly attractive.

 

When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after—and that she might also be the key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they’ll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairy tales, and that love can be a real loch-mess.

Writing was fine and so was the story. The secret dragged on way too long and it irritated me. I wanted more back story for both Lach and Key. There is so much left out that I wanted to know more about.

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Art of Marrying Your Enemy by Alina Jacobs

 

3 Stars

Forget the summer I turned pretty…that was the summer I got hips, acne, and utterly humiliated by Aaron Richmond.

This summer? This is the summer I had to marry the bastard.

When I walk down the aisle towards my enemy, all to save the Coleman family fortune, I shouldn’t give in to my wounded inner 14-year old-self. I should smile, blink up at him prettily, and declare to have and to hate…

Err...hold.

Too bad I’m Granny Madge’s namesake.

As soon as I begrudgingly say, I do, I toss three tiers of wedding cake on my new husband, kick him in the balls, and down a whole bottle of champagne.

He retaliates by dropping me face-first in his foyer after carrying me over the marital threshold.

I respond in a mature manner by eating a bag of chips in his bed and letting my cat puke on his pillow.

Yeah, this is totally how I’d always fantasized about becoming Mrs. Richmond during my teenage infatuation.

That obsession? Gone.

Never to return.

Not even when he takes off his shirt and his hair is slightly messy over his forehead…

In fact, I loudly declare that I am dryer than my mom’s spelt muffins.

Suddenly that six-five muscular body is hovering over me—the deep voice purring in my ear…

“This will go easier for you if you aren’t.”

Gulp.

We’re not married like that.

There’s a dangerous glint in his eye when he drops the 530 page marriage contract on the table, turns to page 280 and informs me that we have to consummate the marriage or the whole thing is null and void.

“You should have read the contract, Coleman.”

Damn him he’s right.

Because if I’d known I’d have to sleep with my husband, I never would have married him.

Daisy was a doormat throughout the story and she never grew a backbone. She was never a priority even after Aaron realized his feelings. This type of book needs to have a redemption and a strong character development and these were missing. It also missed on being labeled a romantic comedy when there was so much trauma and discord between characters.

Book 2 The Richmond Brothers

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Dewey Belong Together by Ann Whynot

2 Stars

Librarian Maxine Peters lives her life behind the scenes. By day, she's a buttoned-up cataloguing whiz in the basement of the Green Valley Public Library. By night, she's secretly dominating in an online role playing game as the legendary Maximus_Damage. Her in-game persona has the skills to back up the hype. But every hero has an enemy; every saga,a villain. And by her own invitation, Maximus’ arch nemesis, Wrath, has just landed in Green Valley.

Jonathan Owen is not at all who Maxine expects when she meets Wrath face to face. Eager to leave the past in the game, Jonathan takes this golden opportunity to win Maxine's heart. There's just one wrench in that plan: he may have, on a few occasions, acted like a bit of a jerk online. And to his puzzlement, she has taken their fun rivalry to the level of epic dislike. When Jonathan and Maxine are unexpectedly alone for a weekend, secrets are revealed that make love hard and hatred even harder. Jonathan quickly learns fighting his own demons will take more than one elite gamer. And Maxine, who is busy rebooting her life in Green Valley, might not be up to the task.

When real life starts to override the game, can Maxine and Jonathan find a way to make it work? Or will it be game over for this player versus player adventure?

I really wanted to like this book but I just didn’t like it. There was anxiety about the long distance between Max and Jonathan. I also struggled with Jonathan being all in with Max well before meeting her AND believing she was actually a man. There was just pacing issue with the book and it was just a meh kind of read.

Book 3 Green Valley Library

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