Alpha’s Revival by Reece Barden

4 Stars

Rex is an Alpha without a pack. Rejected by his fated mate, he's not interested in second chances.
He just wants to be left in peace to lick his wounds and rebuild his life.
When he starts a new business, his sister-in-law comes to help, but Leah is exactly the kind of happy, bubbly woman he normally can't stand to be around. It doesn't matter how attractive she is.

And let's not forget she knows nothing about shifters.
Even if he wanted to keep her, he can't. Not without facing the one thing that has the power to strike fear in his heart and turn his world upside down all over again. His mate.

Leah knows what she wants and she won’t give up until she gets it.
The second she lays eyes on her handsome brother-in-law, she knows Rex is the one for her.
Even if he pretends to be irritated by her mere presence, she knows he feels it, too.
She's not sure what’s holding him back, but it won’t work, not with this stubborn human.
He can run, but he can’t hide.

When trouble comes to Grey Ridge, and Leah gets caught in the middle, will Rex be too stubborn to go after what he wants? Or will he be too late?

I loved this second chance at a fated mates. The ending makes me want to keep reading to find out more in this world. My biggest pet peeve with this book was trying to keep everything a secret as long as they did because she clearly saw something was going on. I know why it was a secret but Leah ended up being hurt by the lack of transparency. She had a vested interest in keeping it a secret as it would affect her sister so it just irritated me that it took so long to reveal to her. I loved the connection between Rex and Leah. The way they interacted showed the chemistry and made it such a good read.

Book 3 Shifter’s of Grey Ridge

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Fumbled by Alexa Martin

2 Stars

Single-mother Poppy Patterson moved across the country when she was sixteen and pregnant to find a new normal. After years of hard work, she's built a life she loves. It may include a job at a nightclub, weekend soccer games, and more stretch marks than she anticipated, but it's all hers, and nobody can take that away. Well, except for one person.
T.K. Moore, the starting wide receiver for the Denver Mustangs, dreamt his entire life about being in the NFL. His world is football, parties, and women. Maybe at one point he thought his future would play out with his high school sweetheart by his side, but Poppy is long gone and he's moved on.  
When Poppy and TK cross paths in the most unlikely of places, emotions they've suppressed for years come rushing back. But with all the secrets they never told each other lying between them, they'll need more than a dating playbook to help them navigate their relationship.

This book was fine until T.K. disappeared for weeks with no word to his kid. Like Poppy’s one request was to not hurt their kid and that’s exactly what he did.  When he comes back all is good with no mention of his disappearance. First missing out because you don’t know is fine but when you do know and you still leave you’re the dick.

Book 2 The Playbook

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Crossroads by Devney Perry

3.5 Stars

I met West Haven when I was eight years old. He taught me to play poker when I was nine, and we made paper airplanes together when I was eleven. He kissed me when I was sixteen. He was the best part about my family’s summer vacations to Montana. He was the boy who stole my heart. I was twenty-three when life ripped us apart.

Years later, I’m breaking my vow and returning to the ranch, not as a guest but its new owner. West might want me gone, but even he has to admit the only way to save his family’s legacy is with my help.

It’s not easy working side by side and facing those old memories. But this situation is only temporary. We’re at a crossroads. And as long as I don’t let myself fall in love with West Haven again, maybe this is our chance to put those ghosts to rest. Maybe this time we’ll finally be able to say goodbye.

I enjoyed this one a lot but Indy was a lot and West deserved better. The story flowed nicely and was well developed. I loved learning about their history when they are kids and what led to their separation. Once they met up as an adult it was interesting to see how they grew and worked so well.

Book 1 Haven River Ranch

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Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis

4 Stars

When Olive Porter’s off-the-grid parents go missing, she reluctantly seeks out Noah Turner, her ex and the only person she both trusts implicitly and not at all.

As a special investigative agent for the National Park Service, Noah’s used to living under intense pressure. Or he was until he got injured on the job. Now unhappily recuperating at home while being smothered by his loving but nosy family, he’d love nothing more than a good distraction.

So when Olive shows up looking like a million bucks, he has to do a gut and heart check. Because nope, no matter what, he can’t fall for her again, the woman who once blew up his entire life and never looked back. How ironic then that his own personal hell (Olive) is also his ticket out of town. The question is, will the risk be worth the reward?

I really enjoyed listening to this book. Olive has had an interesting life. I liked Olive with Noah. Loved that the his sister and mom and her grandma were trying to push them together. They both fought the valiant fight to their HEA. When you find out why Olive left that was heartbreaking and I still don’t know exactly why Noah’s dad did what he did. Overall, good listen.

Book 7 Sunrise Cove

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Oathbreaker by Elise Faber

4 Stars

She was never supposed to be mine.

Walking away was the only acceptable decision.

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

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

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

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

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

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

And I know…

There will be no coming back this time.

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

Book 5 Gamebreakers

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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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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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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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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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Shattered Truths by Evelyn Flood

4 Stars

We did this.

Our mate is broken. Trapped behind glass walls where we can't reach her, and our pack is trying to hold together the shattered pieces of what might have been in the midst of the wreckage Brett Rivers left behind.

She's coming back. We won't stop fighting.

But if we're ever going to have a chance of saving Kenny, we need to step up and be the alphas we should have been from the start.

Even if these small parts of her are all we ever get.

I was still so angry while reading this book. Not so much with the pack but with the people who refused to let things play out and see if Kennedy would get better. I knew someone was making it difficult for them but when it came out I was surprised. I liked how their HEA came about.

Book 2 All These Broken Parts

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Jagged Lies by Evelyn Flood

4 Stars

Six months ago, I had my life all figured out.

I was going to be free of this horrible town, away from the small-minded, perfect people who judged me at first glance without bothering to look again.

Nothing has changed.

And yet everything has changed.

The alphas that once acted as my shield now look at me with hatred in their eyes.

They say it’s my fault.

All of it is my fault.

But when fate decides I haven’t suffered enough, she slaps me across the face with a mating bond none of us wanted.

All of us are drowning in our pain. If we’re not careful, none of us will survive.

Not that I care.

I’m dying anyway.

I can’t believe it took me so long to read this duology. I loved the heartbreak in book one. I questioned so many things about the alphas and why they didn’t make an effort to talk with Kennedy. They just decided she was horrid and walked away. When they do finally start to realize something wasn’t right and started question I might have been super mad at all of them. When she reveals to them everything she went through my heart broke for her. She went through it and then lost them, her only family. The ending was just so much and I was glad book 2 was out and I could jump into it immediately.

Book 1 All These Broken Parts

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Best of Me by Maya Aiden

3 Stars

She’s the love I never saw coming, but can I give her the best of me?

My family’s roots run deep, and my responsibilities are etched into every part of my life—my daughter, my family, and the Rhodes family business.

As a father, I’ve always put my daughter above everything. I built my world around her, living next door to my ex-wife, keeping the peace for the sake of our child.

I never expected to fall in love again. But then Aurora came into my life, and suddenly I felt something I hadn’t felt in years. I thought it would be simple—until I introduced her to my daughter.

My ex-wife's manipulation of our daughter, shatters the fragile balance I’d worked so hard to maintain, and now I’m faced with choices I never wanted to make. I hurt the only woman I’ve ever truly loved, and I don’t know if I can put the pieces back together.

This guy was lucky she was so understanding. I understand why she stuck it out with him for as long as she did. I loved that when she hit her limit and was done she was done. I wish there was more that was done to the ex-wife. The redemption arc when he realizes how much he screwed up was ok but he didn’t do enough to make up for everything. The writing was fine but it wasn’t one of favorite reads.

Book 1 Savannah’s Best

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Whispers of Redemption by Elle Carr

1 Star

Seven years ago, I left the only man I ever loved.

I found out I wasn't able to have children, and I couldn't watch him give up the family he deserved.

I never told him the truth, and I never stopped wondering if I made the biggest mistake of my life.

Now I'm working as a children's doctor, when suddenly the ER doors flew open, and a little girl was carried in unconscious.

Immediately, I checked her airway and started compressions, I pressed the stethoscope to her chest, praying to hear a heartbeat.

Thirty seconds later, her chest finally rose, and air rushed back into her lungs.

She looked right at me, dazed and confused, and whispered, "Are you my mommy?"

I smiled, thinking she had confused me with her mother, until I heard the doors swing open. A deep familiar voice sounded behind me and I turned to see the man I left 7 years ago, standing in the doorway with a photograph in his hand.

I was very confused by the timeline in this book. Add in the covert Christian rhetoric later in the book this book was a hard pass for me. I liked the idea of the book. She finds out she can’t have kids, leaves him, only to come back later is an interesting book. Throw in God hates her and everything else it was a just no for me.

Book 1 Of Grace and Glory

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Seven Year Itch by Amy Daws

3.5 Stars

All I wanted was a casual plus-one to my brother's destination wedding, but those idiots on my family tree hacked my dating profile and sabotaged my quest for the perfect weekend fling. Now I'm stuck on a tropical vacation with only my hand to keep me company.

Until I’m forced to share a room with the bane of my existence: my sister-in-law’s best friend.

Dakota has hated me for the past seven years. I wasn’t losing much sleep over her screaming rants because she was some other guy’s problem. Or she was, until she got divorced.

Being stuck in paradise with a woman who loathes your very existence doesn't sound hot, but after an unexpected moment in our shared palapa, she starts screaming at me in a different way.

What happens in paradise stays in paradise. That is, until Dakota shows up on my mountain with a proposition: be her wingman to help her regain her pre-divorce confidence.

Suddenly, Dakota’s not just the person I love to fight with. She’s the woman I want everything with.

Dakota frustrated me so much in this book. She was very much like a Karen and was a dick to Calder. She does get better the more you get to know her but I never got passed it. I just never liked her. Loved his tinder profile and how he was with his family and cats.

Book 2 Mountain Men Matchmaker

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Packs Request: The Omega Accords by Tea Ravine

2 Stars

They walked away from me five years ago with one request- stay away

I’ve had five years to change my life, five years to discover who I am, and who I want to be. To grow strong in the agony of their rejection. Still, when I see them, I come alive and no matter how much we promise to stay away, fate’s not done with us yet. When I’m delivered into their arms after I become the target of a crazed serial killer, I am forced to face the truth.

They don’t want me here.

But now, my pack is all that stands between me and the killer who wants me dead.

Five years ago we made a decision and walked away from Hazel Waters. She is the one person none of us wanted to hurt. But now she’s here and we could lose her forever. We can’t let that happen.

We won’t lose her again. As the past and present collide, threatening everything we’ve built and everything we could have; we find there are only two truths that really matter...

We need her more than air and…

We don’t have an omega. We’ve always had two.

I hated the MMCs so much. They blamed everything on FMC and took no accountability for any issues. The guys regularly put the male omega before her. It was as if she didn’t matter and wasn’t a priority. They justified everything because Soren needed them more because of his trauma not realizing they caused so much trauma to FMC.

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War by Brittanee Nicole

 

3.75 Stars

I’ve never been a good bet.
I wear my emotions on my tattoo-covered sleeve, I say all the wrong things and I revel in pissing off a certain redhead far more than I should. In other words, I’m the last person the court would choose to parent any child, let alone three of them.

Yet being their father is all I want.

So when the woman I love to hate offers to help make all my dreams come true, I jump at the chance. Marrying Ava is a convenient solution: she's my kids favorite person and the court will absolutely approve of the woman who runs the biggest charity in Boston.

But there is nothing convenient about the way I feel when she fights with me, or when we kiss. And I'm not sure which I enjoy more.

This marriage may have a time limit but I'm beginning to think I'd like to keep my wife. She’ll probably fight me on it, but as they say, all’s fair in love and war.

Tyler needed a wife to adopt his foster kids and Ava was their favorite person so of course he talks her into a fake marriage. They both have drama with their ex’s they are dealing with but overall the story was good.

Book 3 Boston Bolts Hockey

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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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Jagged Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan

2 Stars

Roxie Montgomery met her soul mate when she least expected it. When he asked her to marry him, she thought her happily ever after was only just beginning. Then, she found that walking into the sunset was much harder than her favorite books made it out to be.

After a crushing loss, she feels as though she doesn’t know her husband anymore, or rather…she doesn’t know herself.

Carter Marshall has loved Roxie since the first time he saw her. But as the days pass between them, so does the distance. He doesn’t know how to show her that he’s all in, and honestly doesn’t know if she’s in at all.

When an accident changes everything, they’ll have to decide if what they have can be salvaged, or if starting over is the answer. Or even possible.

I think this was my least liked book by Carrie Ann Ryan. I liked Roxie and Carter but the story was just meh. They suffer a loss and drift apart. This is normal. They refuse to talk to each other. It was more Roxie than Carter that was refusing to talk and that led to all the problems.

Book 11 Montgomery Ink

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An Unexpected Everything by Carrie Ann Ryan

4 Stars

He left me with a note.

Weston Caldwell and I had two months together. Two months of intense heat and plans for our future. Then one day he left me sleeping with a note and never turned back. I closed off my heart and my dreams after he left and promised to take care of my family, never trusting love again.

So when I am forced to head to my family’s small town for protection, I never expect to turn around and see the man I loved.

I want to walk away and never look back, but when I find out he left for a heartbreaking reason, I’m not sure what to think. The chemistry between us hasn’t gone away—if anything it burns even brighter.

But my life is in the city and his is in this small town that draws me. Between his siblings, the town itself, and my new found family, walking away might break me.

Only Weston isn’t the only secret from my past. And it turns out, if Weston and I aren’t careful, we could lose everything before we find our second chance.

I enjoyed this one but Weston was an idiot when they were younger. I get the stress and everything but he made a decision that changed the course of both his and Isabella’s life. Now that they are older and they are both at a crossroads of life it was interesting to see them figuring things out. I did have issues with Phoebe’s name being misspelled a couple of times. Other than that it was a good book.

Book 2 The Cage Family

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Long Time Crush by Carrie Ann Ryan

4 Stars

When my best friend and I fell for the same guy in middle school, I stepped back.
I'd always expected to dance at their wedding.
Not sit in the back pew of her funeral.
I left town for my own reasons, but now that I'm back, it’s clear Sebastian Montgomery isn't the same man I left.
He's hard. Broken.
And a single father to an adorable little girl.
When it turns out he’s my new neighbor, I can’t stay away.
But I know I’m playing with fire and the heat between us burns enough to scorch.
I thought I was over my crush.
But now it might crush me.

I loved this book so much. I loved Sebastion, Raven, and Nora. Nora was so cute throughout this book. Seb and Raven have issues they have to work through and I loved the process. I don’t think the book needed the stalker but it was fine. I loved all of it and the narrators did an excellent job.

Book 3 Montgomery Ink Legacy

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