I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
SYNOPSIS
In this heartwarming second-chance romance, a woman returns home and discovers that, when it comes to finding love, there’s no place like home.
When a romance gone wrong lands reporter Dakota Jones in the pages of the tabloids, her rising star crashes and burns. Instead of getting the weekend anchor job she’d been promised, she’s promptly shown the door. Which leaves her one option: return home to lick her wounds, eat lemon meringue pie, and plot her comeback while actively avoiding the man who once broke her heart.
Dexter Roberts made a huge mistake when he walked away from Dakota, and he’s regretted it ever since. So when Dakota returns to Holly Grove Island to regroup and decide what’s next, Dex can’t pass up the opportunity to win back the love of his life. Now he just needs to convince Dakota to give him a second chance.
REVIEW
Reporter Dakota Johnson has recently returned to her childhood home in Cypress Lane. She was caught up in a scandal, which has led her to lose her job. Not quite sure what to do next, she decides to spend some quality time with her father. Dakota and her father are still coming to terms with the loss of her mother a few years ago.
Dakota has generally avoided Cypress Lane and one of the main reasons is Dexter Roberts. Dexter and Dakota were high school sweethearts and Dakota thought they would be together forever, but Dexter ended up breaking her heart. Now they’re both constantly running into each other. How long can they stay away from one another?
I enjoyed getting to know the secondary characters and the small town vibe. While I did enjoy Second Chance on Cypress Lane, I do wish that I felt more of a connection between Dakota and Dexter. I wanted to feel a bit more angst between these two, especially given their history.
Second Chance on Cypress Lane was a sweet romance with a charming small town setting. I wish that I there was a similar town near me! If you’re looking for a sweet small town romance – grab your copy of Second Chance on Cypress Lane!
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey Coming July 13, 2021
Tessa Bailey is back with a Schittâs Creek-inspired rom-com about a Hollywood âIt Girlâ whoâs cut off from her wealthy family and exiled to a small Pacific Northwest beach town… where she butts heads with a surly, sexy local who thinks she doesnât belong.
Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late fatherâs dive bar… in Washington.
Piper hasnât even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she wonât last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper canât do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? Sheâs determined to show her stepfatherâand the hot, grumpy localâthat sheâs more than a pretty face.
Except itâs a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but thereâs an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesnât want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time. Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendanâand this town full of memoriesâmay have already caught her heart.Â
I am so excited to get another romance from the queen of stem Tessa Bailey! I fell in love with Tessa’s work after reading Fix Her Up last year and recommend it all the time. Can next summer just hurry up and get here already?!
I realize that I didn’t even update the blog for the books I read in September (whoops!). Probably because I hardly read in September. It was a really hard reading month for me and I know that a lot of us are feeling the same way!
October was really great though and I tried to read a lot of ARC’s for #ARCtober – a bookstagram challenge. I still haven’t gotten to two of my ARC’s, but they’re holiday romances and I figure I’ll get to them in November!
I ended up listening to quite a bit of audiobooks this month and I think that’s really helped me get me out of my slump. I listened to the first four books in the Billionaire’s of Manhattan series by Annika Martin and I would highly recommend the audiobooks!
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Rating: 5 out of 5.
Little Lies by H Hunting
The Billionaire’s Wake-up-call Girl by Annika Martin
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
Lady Beatrice Bentley wants nothing more than to have some peace and quiet while she writes her dictionary. She is an etymologist and has decided to leave London to her country estate – Thornhill House to write her book. While trying to work peacefully, she happens to cross paths with Samford Wright – the carpenter working on Thornhill House. Beatrice can’t stand Samford – he’s too loud, crass and all the lovely ladies at Thornhill House love him. Beatrice soon returns to London, never expecting to run into Wright again.
Beatrice and Samford’s paths cross once again when Beatrice finds that she is the owner of a bookshop her aunt left her and Samford comes on as her carpenter. Can these two keep their relationship strictly professional or will they end up mixing in some pleasure?
Love Is a Rogue had all of the things I am looking for in a romance – enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity and great friendships among the leads. While I truly enjoyed the friendship between Lady Beatrice and her girlfriends and Lady Beatrice’s love of books (hello bookworms everywhere), the chemistry between Beatrice and Samford was lacking for me. I wanted to root for them as a couple, but sadly I didn’t feel the spark between the two.
Wanted: One roommate to share a 3-bedroom house, split the rent, and ideally not be the guy I canât stop thinking about.
Iâm a man with too many secrets, so the last thing I need is a new roommate with a sexy smile and blue eyes that see right through me. Eight years ago, Roderick left town after high school. Weâre not friends. I owe him nothing. But back then, I let one of my secrets slip, and heâs the only one who noticed.
Part of me knows I should run far, far away. But the other part wants him to come upstairs and spend the night. But if I let him in, I could lose everything.
Seeking: a room to rent in town. Iâm tidy, have no pets, and I will feed you homemade bread.
I should probably add: Gay AF, and has no filter. Itâs no wonder my new landlord is so wary of me.
A smarter man would ignore those hot glances from Kieran Shipley. The broody lumberjack wants more from me than another fresh-baked pretzel. But if I push my luck, Iâll end up back on the street.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
SYNOPSIS
Things Emelia Anderson would rather do than share a house with Benjamin Crawford:
1) Get strapped to a chair in a restaurant full of loud-chewers.
2) Parachute into the Australian Outback armed with only a blowdart.
3) Live her best life as an ice road trucker in the Alaskan Tundra.
Benjamin Crawford thinks Emelia conned his dying grandmother into leaving her half of an estate worth millions, so let’s just say he’s not her biggest fan either. Not even close.
Now they have to live together for the next thirty days while renovating the family home. Or the estate will transfer to the one person Ben hates more than Emelia, and she’ll have to move back to the one place she wants to forget more than Ben.
Did I mention Ben look likes man-candy and smells like testosterone? Not that Emelia notices. She spends a lot of time not noticing things about Ben.
REVIEW
Emilia’s life hasn’t always been easy. She’s a nurse by trade, but had been caregiver to Rose Crawford for the past few months. When Rose passes away, Emilia isn’t quite sure how to move on. Her relationship with Rose was special to Emmy and she treasures these past few months with her. When Emmy finds out that Rose left her half of her property – she can’t quite believe it. But there’s a stipulation – Emmy has to stay at the estate with Rose’s grandson Ben for a month while they renovate the house.
Emilia knew of sweet “Benny” through letters that she read to Rose. She doesn’t think this testosterone spewing, motorcycle riding alphahole is the same person who would write sweet letters to Rose. How will Emmy survive a month living with HIM?
I loved loved loved Shortcake so much! The chemistry between Ben and Emmy was off the charts and so so sexy! Shortcake had the slowest of slow burns filled with plenty of humor and angst, but for me it was all in the perfect doses. I do love me a grumpy + sunshine romance and Lucy Watson definitely delivered with Shortcake! Her writing skills are amazing and I was either constantly laughing or had a smile on my face.
If you’re looking for a slow-burn/enemies-to-lovers/fake relationship/forced proximity romance, please grab your copy of Shortcake! I hope that Lucy never stops writing and I can’t wait for Nicks’s book next (and hopefully Winston and Jesse after that)!!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
SYNOPSIS
I donât want you. You mean nothing to me. I never loved you.
I turned my words into swords. And I cut her down. Shoved the blade in and watched her fall.
I said Iâd never hurt her, and I did.
Years later, Iâm faced with all the little lies, the untruths, the false realities, the damage I inflicted, when all I wanted was to indulge my obsession.
Lavender Waters is the princess in the tower. Even her name is the thing fairy tales are made of.
I used to be the one who saved her. Over and over again.
But I donât want to save her anymore. I just want to pretend the lies are still the truth.
A standalone angsty new adult romance.
Heroine: Lavender Waters (Alex and Violet Watersâ youngest daughter, PUCKED and FOREVER PUCKED couple origin, Pucked Series )
Hero: Kodiak (Kody) Bowman (Rook and Lainey Bowmanâs son, A LIE FOR A LIE couple origin, All In Series )
REVIEW
Little Lies follows the relationship between Kodiak (if you remember he’s Rook and Lainey’s son from A Lie for a Lie) and Lavendar (Alex and Violet’s daughter from Pucked). Lavendar and Kodiak have always been close from a young age, but as they got older they started relying on each other a little too much and their families decided it was best to put some space between the two.
Lavendar and Kodiak haven’t seen other for a few years now and they’re both going to school at the same college in Chicago. Not only are they going to the same school, but they’re also neighbors. This puts them in close proximity often. Both Lavendar and Kodiak have to keep their guard up around each other because there’s been so much history between the two. They don’t exactly have a great relationship with a lot of pent up anger on both sides. Will they eventually be able to reconcile their friendship or are they bound to be at odds?
I absolutely loved the Pucked and All In series by Helena Hunting, so when I found out she was writing a new adult book surrounding Lavendar and Kodiak I was ecstatic!! Little Lies was so so good and I ended up binge reading 60% of Little Lies in one sitting. I love an angsty romance and Little Lies definitely delivered. I also really loved the way Helena was able to incorporate the flashback scenes in the book – letting the reader know why Kodiak and Lavendar’s relationship is so tumultuous. And at the same time this book was pulling on my heartstrings and I was rooting for Lavendar and Kodiak to get together!
Little Lies can be read as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading the Pucked/All In series! I hope that Helena continues with this universe and we get the stories for Lavendar’s siblings as well as cousins (I definitely want a book for BJ & Maverick!).
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her public radio station for years and although she’s always wanted to be a host of her own show, she’s good at her job.
Dominic Yun is a recent graduate and colleague at the station and Shay really really doesn’t like him. Not only is he younger than her, but he’s constantly telling everyone how he went to grad school (yawn) and is going to be a great reporter. He’s already guest starred on her own show (!) and the boss seems to really like him.
When a turn of events has Dominic and Shay hosting their own show – The Ex Talk – about exes and them playing the exes (even though they’ve never actually dated) they start to spend more time with other. Both of them soon realize that maybe they didn’t hate each other as much as they thought they did.
I really enjoyed the concept behind The Ex Talk. I loved how bits of the show were incorporated into the book and a lot of those scenes had me laughing out loud. The slow burn between Dominic and Shay had me feeling all the butterflies. Dominic is such a sweet and likable cinnamon roll hero. I loved how Shay and Dominic seemed to understand one another’s idiosyncrasies. Both of them were going through some big changes in life and I really felt their vulnerabilities.
I learned a lot about public radio while reading The Ex Talk, which was actually quite fascinating! I don’t think I ever thought to think there’s producers running a talk show or that there are a lot of behind the scene individuals making a radio show run so smoothly.
Another aspect of this book I really liked was the diversity in this romance! I honestly haven’t read too many romances with Jewish representation and I loved how Rachel Lynn Solomon incorporated so many cultures (Korean, Nigerian, Indian) as well as LGBTQ representation in The Ex Talk. I love to see that happening more and more in romances.
If you’re looking for an enemies-to-lovers, fake (ex) relationship, office romance then grab The Ex Talk when it releases January 26, 2021!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
SYNOPSIS
Will this quarterback score the girl or make the biggest fumble of his life?
I Promise You, an all-new unforgettable, new adult, sports romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is available now!
Dillon McQueen: Babe. I promise. You want me.
Serena Jensen: Um, who are you?
Thereâs a legend at Waylon University: the first girl you kiss freshman year at the bonfire party is the one youâll never forget. Sheâll crawl under your skin and never leave. Sheâll spark a passion so fierce youâll burn the world down to possess her.
You might even put a ring on it.
As in all things with fate, timing is everything. That kiss can go horribly wrong. She might run in the opposite direction. And boy, did Serena run.
Dillon is Waylonâs hotshot quarterback with something to prove. All he wants is to graduate and make it to the NFL. What he doesnât need is to finally meet the mystery girl he kissed at the bonfire freshman year. Isnât it enough that sheâs haunted his dreams for more than a thousand nights?
Fate laughs in his face when he runs into the quirky girl at the Piggly Wiggly. Surrounded by his entourage, heâs got all the Oreos in his cart; she gets revenge by buying every six-pack of his favorite beer.
Obviously, that legend is a curse. Sheâs not his type and hates him. Worst of all, how can she not remember him when she left a Serena-shaped hole in his heart for the past three years?
So why canât he stop trying to win her?
Will this quarterback score the girl or make the biggest fumble of his life?
REVIEW
Dillon McQueen – rookie quarterback spots a beautiful girl dancing around the bonfire one evening. He wants to go talk to her but his teammates stop him. Legend is – if he goes and kisses this girl or hooks up with her, he won’t be able to get her out of his mind. But like a moth to a flame, Dillon can’t get away and ends up kissing this mysterious girl and ends up never seeing her again.
Flash forward to three years later and Dillon ends up meeting his mysterious girl – Serena again at the grocery store. Is it a sign? He’s been looking for her for years and does she even feel the same way about him?
I loved the witty banter and sexual tension between Serena and Dillon. There were so many times that I Promise You had me laughing out loud because of the funny dialogue! I would definitely classify I Promise You as a delicious slow burn.
Serena and Dillon both come across as carefree, but both of them have deep vulnerabilities. They’re both a little broken and I love how they understand those parts of each other.
Overall I really enjoyed I Promise You! It was a quick and fun read. I enjoyed Serena and Dillons story, but also the secondary characters like Dillon’s teammates and Serena’s Theta sisters. I’m looking forward to reading more from Ilsa Madden-Mills!
The kiss burns a hole right through me and blood rushes to my groin. Iâm in over my headâWho cares?âand I groan, deepening our connection. My hands slide down her cheeks, her throat, then to her arms at her sides. Our joined breaths mingling, I trace my thumbs over the rapid pulse in her wrists. My head swims with images of her body draped on top of meâ
A cry comes from her as she breaks away from our kiss. âJerk! Donât do that. I donât know you!â
âYou liked it, babe.â
âWhat? No.â
âIâm Dillon.â
âUm, I donât care. Step away.â
âWhatâs your name? You got a number?â Dillon McQueen does not give up easily. When he sees what he wants, he goes after it. He also sometimes talks about himself in the third person. âAre you a freshman? I play football. Quarterback.â Usually thatâs enough to catch a girlâs interest.
She shakes her head, looking almost surprised as she touches her lips briefly. I think she mutters pigskin-toting Casanova. Then, she flips around.
âNo, wait! Donât go!â I say, reaching out for her, but sheâs gone, daring one look over her shoulder as she disappears into the crowd of people.
I take off after her, navigating through the throng, jostling into dancers. One of them, a big barrel-chested guy, shoves at me when I bump into him. I fall on my ass. Heart pounding, I scramble back up, dirt and grass on me as I dart through the crowd and look around. My height gives me a decent vantage point, but sheâs vanished.
Off in the distance, the football guys hoot my name, then chant Venus over and over.
Well, hell. The bonfire got me good. Sheâs gone.
Legend 1, Dillon 0.Â
About Ilsa Madden-Mills
Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
Nikki DiMarco has seen better days. She’s dishing up Filipino food in a food truck in Maui with her mom – but they’re barely making ends meet. Her food truck is beat up, her mom is working herself non-stop and they’re still grieving the loss of her father who passed away less than two years ago. But at least she has a steady customer base at her usual beach spot – that is until one day there’s another food truck parked in her same area!
Callum James and his brother don’t care about food truck etiquette and decide the beach spot is a great location so showcase their British food. Nikki and Callum immediately start off on the wrong foot and fans love their hate for one another. Soon they’ve decided to compete in a food truck competition with the winner getting the prime beach location! Will these rivals continue to try to best one another or will they eventually start to get to know one another better?
I loved the banter between Callum and Nikki! I’m a huge fan of enemies-to-lovers and right from the beginning I could feel the tension between these two! I do think that the beginning of Simmer Down was a tad slow and I was always wanting more interaction between Nikki and Callum. I absolutely loved their text messages back and forth. There were certain parts of the book that had a grin on my face the whole time while I was reading!
I really enjoyed Nikki’s relationship with her mother. Their relationship felt real and it wasn’t always an easy relationship. I absolutely loved that they bonded over their love of Filipino food. Don’t even try to read Simmer Down if you’re feeling hungry. You will be craving all the food that Nikki makes in the book.
If you’re looking for a heartfelt enemies-to-lovers romance that will definitely make you hungry while you’re reading it – pick up your copy of Simmer Down!
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