Second Chance Romance

R E V I E W ➠ Surrender to Me by Kelly Elliott

(Boggy Creek Valley #4)
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Arabella Adams was the one woman I would have laid my life down for, no matter the circumstance, because that’s what you would do for your soulmate. But when she broke up with me our senior year of college—for no reason or explanation at all—my world as I knew it fell completely apart. My heart was instantly ripped from my chest…and it was a pain I felt in my very soul, and one I never truly recovered from.
Now, here I am, ten years later, and I’ve finally learned the real reason Bella pushed me away. So, I must prove to her that anything that happened in her past—our past—doesn’t change the way I feel about her. After all, soulmates never stop loving each other, and even a decade later, I will make her see that I will protect her until the day I die.
Because you see, we promised one another we wouldn’t keep secrets, wouldn’t hide parts of ourselves that the other wouldn’t understand. Except, well, I lied. Because the moment I find the person who took Bella from me all those years ago, I’m going to make him pay for every lost moment of the past ten years, and nothing—not even the fact I’m a cop—will stop me from inflicting the same level of pain on him that Arabella and me endured all this time.

RELEASE DATE: January 25, 2021

Not my first read by the author, she is a favorite and I also have read all the books in this series! Be ready for a EMOTIONAL ROAD with this one in the best ways possible! *sigh*

Kelly really sometimes gives us that heart-ache we crave for and love. This book has it all, the romance, the heart, all the emotions, sweetness, sizzling chemistry, memories and a pain that no one should ever endure. Really truly heartbreaking and just thinking back on it, even after weeks of reading it and now writing the review, my heart breaks. When the heroine breaks up with the Hero during their HS ages, he has no idea the pain, the embarrassment and the torture she endured. But just wait until the hero finds out the truth, his heart beats for both of them.

A love like this doesn’t come around often, but when it’s broken by a unforeseen horrible event, you just really never know how strong you have to be for the other until you’re at that moment. Watching these two come together was beautiful you still get the amazing side characters and previous series books, but this book really focuses on the issue and the H&H. I didn’t think I’d needed it as much until the end. A beautiful HEA for a tragic story is just what your heart will need, so I highly recommend this book as well as the others in this series. I don’t want to give out too much because you truly have to get all the effect of this story, even if it’s painful.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: (Boggy Creek Valley #4)
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

R E V I E W ➠ Caught by Love by Melissa Foster

(The Steeles at Silver Island #3)
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He’s set on pleasure, but she’s all business. Sizzling chemistry and a surprising connection set this sexy love story in motion. But is it enough to last forever? Find out and fall in love on the sandy shores of Silver Island, home to coffee shops, boat races, midnight rendezvous, and the sexy, sharp-witted Steeles.
Archer Steele is one of the leading vintners on the East Coast. He’s arrogant, aggressive, and has never been interested in settling down, which is what makes his hookups with his sister’s beautiful blond best friend, hair and makeup artist Indi Oliver, the perfect escape. But Indi’s toying with moving to the island, and when she ends their no-strings trysts to focus on her business, Archer isn’t ready to let her go…

RELEASE DATE: February 9, 2022

Not my first read by the author, she is a very top favorite author of mine and I have read almost all of her books! And there is a variety of them! That said, I was a little nervous about this one because the hero is played part of his twin-brother’s book and it was sad as well as frustrating for me. So, when this came along, I jumped on to read it right away. It was everything I expected it to be coming from a play-boy hero! Too bad he finally met his match, in our case THANK GOD he did, the heroine dishes it out equally. They both may be a lot alike than they think!

I honestly couldn’t think of a better song for this book. I could listen to it on repeat while I read this, GAH my heart! This book truly will frustrate you as much as make you fall in love. Now I have mentioned that the hero has a twin-brother who has his own book and they are sort of intertwined (you’ll see when you read it, I am not spoiling anything even the pain) he is very much the anti-hero with a big heart secretly under all that.

Hero and Heroine need to navigate not only their own guilt they are carrying heavy on their shoulders but also each other. It’s all fun and games until lines are crossed and feelings that are unfamiliar surface. I loved watching it unfold, even wanted to smack her her really hard a few times. What he lacks in relationship experiences he definitely makes up in physical. But that isn’t always enough. You also get great side characters from the previous books in series and the interconnected ones. I can’t wait to read more. This one is OFF THE CHARTS SEXY so don’t read this say at the gym like I tried!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

TOP 2022 MUST READ (first of the year)
Romance: ♡♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: (The Steeles at Silver Island #3)
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

R E V I E W ➠ Only One Mistake by Natasha Madison

(Only One #6)
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From the Something So Series comes
Michael Horton
Being traded after fighting with your coach on air isn’t exactly a good look.
With one mistake under my belt, I knew I needed to focus on the game, and nothing else.
But everything changed when I went to pick up my nieces and came face to face with my very pregnant one-night stand from six months ago.
Jillian
Two pink lines changed all my plans.
So did the guy I had a one-night stand with, a man who made me laugh and smile, a guy who I called to share my unexpected news with only to find out his number was no longer in service.
Once more let down by the opposite sex I figured I was doing this on my own.
Then one day I was staring into the eyes of the man I hated, the father of my baby.
All it took is only one mistake to change everything

RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 4, 2022

Just when I can say that the last one was my favorite in this series Natasha gives us this and now THIS is my favorite. Both the hero and heroine were out of the norm for me to love but because of their big hearts, I fell in love with both of them individually and together.
When Hero finds himself traded, moved to a new city & with no food in fridge in his new condo…he goes out to seek at least one thing he can control food. The heroine finally said yes to a blind date, after a very long time and in the end found herself dreaming of the man that recently walked in who is hotter than sin but NOT her blind date. The gods were in both their favor that day and night, after they spend the best and sexiest night of each of their lives together, fast forward to a few months. That’s where I am leaving the review because, the actions of one night will give you one of the sweetest with a lot of fun and most romantic story.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: (Only One #6)
Type: All Tags at bottom of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

R E V I E W ➠ She’s The One by Kelly Elliott

(Boggy Creek Valley #3)
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The day I first laid eyes on Abby Boyer, I knew she was the one. The girl I would marry and spend the rest of my life with, and I vowed to do everything I could to make her happy.
There was just one problem, I couldn’t make her happy during one of the darkest moments of our marriage. No matter how hard I tried, my love for her wasn’t enough to make her stay.
I’ve spent the last two years of my life trying to forget how much I still loved her.
Wouldn’t you know it, now that I finally managed to move on, Abby shows back up in Boggy Creek. Out of the blue. Here to stay.
They say time heals all wounds—well, two years wasn’t enough time to cover up the scars of our broken past because I still feel the pain like it was yesterday. My wounds are still healing, and not even my love for Abby can fix us…but will that love allow me to forgive her and finally move on?

RELEASE DATE: November 30, 2021

Not my first read by the author and I have read the previous series books too! This one I was thankfully pre-warned by Kelly because she knows me too well and knows my dislikes so I VERY MUCH appreciated that. That said I did truly wanted to straggle BISHOP.

This one took me by surprise to be honest, and in a good way that is. This second-chance romance really is truly about the Hero and Heroine and even thought I was expecting something at the turns, it was mainly a calmer story if you will. Still packed with action and the banter and chemistry, sneaky chemistry…but more calmer. What’s heartbreaking is the heroine, she puts herself back out there and wants to get back what she lost, she is older now, more smart and more in control….but yet she still can’t control one thing: fate. Once I got past when I wanted to kill Bishop that one time, I cried, laughed and swooned! I can truly say that this is one of my favorites in the series. Expect to have all your emotions brought out, the chemistry, the feel between H&H is unreal I don’t even know how to put it into words, but for all the heart break and hurt the after the storm was beautiful!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: Series Book #3
Type: All Tags at bottom of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

R E V I E W ➠ Snowy Ever After by Samantha Chase & Stefanie London

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What could be better than a holiday wedding?
How about two?
Join bestselling authors Samantha Chase and Stefanie London for a whole lot of love this holiday season with Snowy Ever After!

With some of your favorite Magnolia Sound and Patterson’s Bluff residents, we can guarantee you’ll get all those small town, holiday feels with guaranteed happily ever afters and I Do’s!


WEDDING WONDERLAND by Samantha Chase:
SAVE THE DATE!
You are cordially invited to the wedding of Mia Kingsley and Austin Coleman.
Or you will be if a snowstorm doesn’t blanket the town with piles of fresh snow, making the trip to the chapel near impossible.
But the Coleman family is not about to let a measly little storm ruin Mia and Austin’s perfect day. After all, Magnolia Sound is just the place for a perfect wedding wonderland.


DESTINED FOR FOREVER by Stefanie London
Romantic comedy screenwriter, Lily Dunn, watches her life go from happily ever after to crappily ever after when she gets dumped on live television.
Facing her overprotective family at her cousin’s wedding is not ideal. They think she’s not cut out for cutthroat Hollywood. How can she prove she’s moved on? Pretend to have a new man, of course. The only rule is: keep it fake.
But the chemistry with her former high school crush burns hotter than an open fire. Can two bruised and battered hearts find the kind of love that only happens in the movies?

RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 16, 2021

NEW to me authors. I got to be honest as always and say that I do not remember why I requested for this ARC, I must have been in the mood but I am glad because I really enjoyed these two sweet short stories. The other things that I kind of messed up on is the fact that I did not read any of these author’s original books I THINK I am not sure though if these are on it’s own stories or from previous characters, so I was wondering the whole time about that.

4 STARS -> WEDDING WONDERLAND by Samantha Chase: This one was a very themed and super cute story about the Hero & Heroine and the time of the wedding. The groom has some strong words on waiting and the bride wants to make her groom happy but also is stressed about planning a wedding so soon. What follows is a fun adventure on two souls that are meant to be and all the obstacles they have to overcome to get their official happily every after.

5 STARS -> DESTINED FOR FOREVER by Stefanie London now this one took my attention from the start, I liked the author’s writing style and everything. The characters were fun to read and complex enough to keep my attention. The story line is a common one because the heroine just got broken up with and is going to her cousins wedding and the hero is her long time from childhood crush attending the same wedding, they make a pack during the flight and what follows is a sweet, snowy, Christmas feel romance filled with cute scenes, romance, laughter, heartache, realness and THE FIRST KISS *swoon*

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡
Steamy: 🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Type: All Tags at bottom of this page!

R E V I E W ➠ Until Mic by Evan Grace

(Happily Ever Alpha World)
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Michael “Mic” Griffin is feeling restless. He’s watched all of his brothers succumb to the BOOM, but it’s not for him, or is it? When the wives and girlfriends of his brothers decide to take him to Teasers for his birthday, that one night will change his life forever.
The moment he sees Quinn, he recognizes her immediately as the girl he spent an amazing weekend with while he was on leave eleven years ago. When they meet to talk, she throws him for a loop—they have a daughter, and she’s the identical twin of her beautiful mother, and it’s love at first sight.
As Mic spends time with Quinn and Maci, he begins to fall deeper in love with both of them but when a threat presents itself, he’ll stop at nothing to protect his girls—from anyone that tries to take them away from him.
Quinn Hughes has done everything in her life for her daughter. Being a single mother has been hard, but she’d do it all over again for her girl. The night she runs into Michael again she’s so happy to finally be able to tell him about their amazing daughter—to her pleasure he wants to know Maci and jumps headfirst into parenthood.
Until Mic, Quinn didn’t think happy endings existed for her, but as the three of them head toward theirs, a threat from her past tries to tear theirs apart—one thing they don’t know is that Quinn is a fighter, and that’s what she intends to do for her family.

Until Mic is part of the Aurora Rose Reynolds’s Happily Ever Alpha World. If you loved Until July, then you will want to read Until Mic.

RELEASE DATE: October 29, 2021

NEW to me author but not world. I think I have said to almost all the last 10 15 of these in the world that the new author’s are ruining the world for me because I am so familiar with it an unfort doesn’t service a purpose for me to read any of their other books. Some of them I am not sure how they end up with the orange amazon flag but to each it’s own. That said this is a first in a while of these I’ve read that I actually liked it because it fit the world well.

The dynamic between hero and heroine is a little odd to me, the meeting of the daughter threw me back because it was just so ‘eh it’s happening’ I was expecting a more emotional way about it. Then we have the heroine who is a main job stripper and a hero who fits in the world well but the scene at the club house regarding the club bunnies, what he said (turn off). Very slow-burn with lots of teasing, not used to that in the world too but it was sweet and sexy. I think again what I keep missing is that insta-love, hot and steamy, danger and the romance-passion between the couples. *sad sigh* this had the greatest potential I just was not able to really get into it without trying hard not to overly-judge the whole book based off of the world. This will be my last one reading in the world unless it’s a not-new to me author. Best of luck to the world and this author.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥
Triggers: Just personal dislikes in books.
Standalone/Series: (Happily Ever Alpha World)
Type: All Tags at bottom of this page!

R E V I E W ➠ Vik by Belle Aurora

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Nastasia Leokov has loved her brother’s best friend since the very moment she met him. Understanding that she’ll never be anything more to Viktor Nikulin than a treasure to guard, Nas sensibly hides her feelings. But when she makes a brash decision to kiss him, everything changes.
That kiss. That hot, explosive, all-consuming kiss.
It haunts Vik. And suddenly, Nastasia Leokov isn’t just a teenage mob princess.
No.
She is his. Undeniably. Indisputably.
An unbreakable connection. A hidden relationship. A lifetime of firsts.
And yet, something is missing.
Nas desperately craves the one thing Vik has never offered her.
His heart.

RELEASE DATE: January 4, 2022

NEW to me author & books. I picked this sign-up just as a I saw it and the blurb sounded really good so I wanted to go for it. I don’t usually like to dive into NEW author’s but if the blurb really sounds great I give it a go. Unfortunately I was not able to really connect with the characters, especially the heroine and the writing style.

I did DNF this book due to a huge huge turn-off and dislike which is deception of cheating & characters who are a second-chance and sleep/kiss other characters. The mood was just black for me the whole time, I read as much as I could digest until I just got pissed off enough to want to throw away my kindle. Again some people love this, why, I will never understand if I wanted real life BS I wouldn’t be reading I can see enough of that in the world. I honestly haven’t read enough to get into the story because I have been so focus on trying to connect with the characters and get over the ‘cheating’ ordeal. Personal preference it is what it is. Best of luck to the author.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥
Triggers: Personal Dislikes (sleeping/kissing other characters)
Standalone/Series: Series Book #2
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R E V I E W ➠ Great Pretender by Khardine Gray

(Cocky Hero Club)
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He needs a wife so he can get his inheritance.
I’m up to my eyeballs in debt with a sick father who needs treatment.
When he offers me a million dollars to be his fake wife, am I supposed to say no?
Chad Holdsworth is one of the wealthiest football stars in the country.
We’ve been best friends since birth.
So his shenanigans are nothing new to me.
The idea of getting married should have been easy.
Until he kissed me.
We then forgot we were supposed to be pretending.
And broke all the rules.
I know better than to fall for a playboy.
Even if he is my friend.
But I’m so lost in him I can’t see my way back.
With that panty-melting smile and his bedroom baby blues, he could get a nun in trouble.
What chance do I have of resisting?
If you play with fire, you will get burned.
Loving this man might be a mistake I’m not prepared for.

RELEASE DATE: September 12, 2021

NEW to me author but not world. Now when this first came out the idea of the world I signed up for every single one for the first few rounds & then it just got to be too much. I held off and only chose the ones where the blurb really sounded like something I would enjoy. This is a NEW to me author so I had to also adjust to the writing style.

Piper and Chad were characters I liked automatically, and their story was a SWOON worthy and romantic one. These two have loved one another since forever but of course there was no way either one of them would tell the other, so they went on with their life as is. When a chance encounter occurs and Piper is in a bind and Chad is really being pushed by his father, these two come together. There is a lot of SWOON from the hero here I will give you that, the heroine I had a little bit of a harder time adjusting to but it’s also because this is a NEW to me author and heroine are hard to hit perfect for everyone of course. I did love these two together and enjoyed watching their story unfold.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: (Cocky Hero Club)
Type: All Tags at bottom of this page!
Recommended: ☑

R E V I E W ➠ Southern Sunshine by Natasha Madison

(Southern #8)
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Reed
I never wanted to be a cowboy, living in a small town was suffocating.
The military was my out.
I saw every place I ever wanted and everything that nightmares are made of.
Until I almost lost my life and then I ended up back home.
Hazel
Finding out that I was pregnant the night before I left for college changed everything.
I left that small town and vowed to never return.
When my grandfather died, I had no choice but to go back home.
The plan was just for two weeks.
I thought it would be quick and easy, until he was standing at the back door asking questions.
Secrets never stay secrets for long in this town. 

RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

Not my first read by the author and def never my last. Natasha is a INSTA-READ author for me and I have also read all of the other 7 books in the series. I must say this one broke my heart as well as made me happy. I was excited for Reed’s story because he was the youngest brother who went off to fight for his country. It is a quicker read.

Reed is a man who left town as soon as he turned 18, never to look back. Hazel is the woman who not only fled the same town but for more reasons than not. The heroine contained a lot more secrets than you would think, but this small town never let’s you keep them for too long. When Reed runs into Hazel again, he is all smiles but Hazel is boring daggers at him. He is confused but soon finds out the reason, when he tries to go over to mend things with Hazel thing’s don’t turn out as he hoped. When secrets get revealed, that’s when you’ll need the tissues handy!

It was so beautiful, sweet and swoony. Reed truly made my heart skip a beat and Hazel was the sweet feisty one, perfect combo. I really loved this HEA and most of all Olivia the little girl that stole MY heart!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: Series
Type: All Tags at bottom of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

R E V I E W ➠ Don’t Go Away Mad by Lacey Black

(Burgers and Brew Crue #2)
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Jasper
The kitchen: it’s my domain, where I create the best burgers in the Midwest. I’m the man behind the grill at Burgers and Brew, the restaurant and bar I co-own with my best friends. Every night, we’re packed, the demand has never been this high. It’s the only way I want it, thriving and pushing myself to be the very best.
Then she started her new business across the street from mine.
The one woman who always got under my skin, who pushed me to be better. Lyndee was my biggest rival in school and my biggest regret.
Now, she’s in town, and as much as I try, I just can’t stay away.
I want her.
Lyndee
A new start: that’s what Stewart Grove means for me and my brother. He’s the one who pushed me to take the chance on opening my own bakery. I am ready for the long hours, the grueling schedule, and the hard work it will take to be successful.
I wasn’t at all prepared to come face-to-face with the man across the street.
An almost kiss in college with the world’s most infuriating man has haunted me for the last decade. Now Jasper’s here, and I don’t think I can resist him.
Things are about to heat up in and out of the kitchen.
I just pray I don’t get burned.

RELEASE DATE: June 29, 2021

Not my first read by the author and I have read a lot of her books including Book 1 in this series. Now Jasper & Lyndee I was kind of prepared for. In book one I kind of got an idea about Jasper and I was nervous. I was right to be nervous a bit because even though Book 1 made it on my TOP 2021 must read list, this one would have had it not contained a personal dislike I absolutely dislike in a enemy-to hero being the play boy type. I really could have lived without Bimbo Barbie in the beginning, even thought thankfully that ended on a good note. It kind of made me cautious throughout the rest of the book. That’s about the only hang up I had with this book. And again this is just a personal dislike and feeling, I really loved Book 1 and was actually excited for more in the series. Now the rest of them, well that will be a question not going to lie because one is hung up on a woman that strings him along and no good for him and the other is a play boy with a capital P! So it will be interesting to see how the rest of the series plays out. I also want to thank GIVEMEBOOKS PR for being amazing and still handing me a ARC after signing up so late! (Yes, my stupid do-do head must have missed the sign up while I was away in Europe for almost a month.

Jasper is the typical play boy, broody, rough and an asshole. But for a reason, he is really working hard at keeping this business he built with his buddies the best it can be. He may be a rough Chef but an excellent one at that…eeeeven if his employees keep quitting at times and stay away from him because of his attitude. All in good conscious really, I thought he was just very hard working. His love life consists of sharing a night with a woman and that being it, like I said typical playboy. Never promises anything but also doesn’t lead on. Now the heroine Lyndee is really sweet and well just super sweet. She was dealt a bad hand in life but makes the best out of it. With a brother with special needs who isn’t such a little brother anymore at the age of 28 she moves with him to peruse her life dream. Owning a bakery, that happens to be right across from Jasper’s Bar. Not knowing who even owns is Jasper storms in to demand what her plan is, yes these two indeed know each other but it’s been a decade and from culinary school Jasper thinks Lyn hasn’t changed much just got more beautiful. But these two budded heads and I believe that was their foreplay haha the fun part was when Jasper kept getting more broody. When the dust settles if you will, they truly do have an amazing chemistry and it was so much fun to watch them come together. You get glimpses of Book 1 hero and heroine and the other characters that are getting their books.

Everything flowed so well, and again minus my hang-up I really enjoyed the story and was so happy to get a happy ending for this broody AF hero that got taken down by a tiny pixy woman who bakes her heart out!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: Book 2 in Series
Type: All Tags at bottom of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

R E V I E W ➠ Tie Me Down by Melanie Harlow

(Bellamy Creek #4)
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Just friends.
That’s all Beckett Weaver and I have ever been.
Sure, he’s a hot cowboy who left Wall Street behind to take over his family’s ranch. Yes, I’ve had a secret crush on him since we were seventeen. And who wouldn’t appreciate those strong hands, that massive chest, and the way he fills out a pair of Levis?
He makes a girl sweat just looking at him . . . and I look. A lot.
But I’m a single mom trying to move on with my life, and he’s running that ranch single-handedly while taking care of his elderly father. We don’t even live in the same state. I only returned to my hometown of Bellamy Creek to sell my late mother’s house, and he just invited me and my son to stay with him because he’s got a big heart.
That’s not the only big thing he’s got–which I discover the night I finally sneak across the hall to his bedroom and shed my inhibitions right alongside my pajamas. And once we give into each other, we can’t stop.
The hayloft. The bed of his truck. The dock by the pond.
Nothing has ever felt so right, but his past has taught him not to believe in happily ever after, and every perfect night I spend in his arms brings us closer to goodbye.
Like any cowboy, he’s good with a rope and knows exactly how to tie me up.
But what if I want him to tie me down?

RELEASE DATE: May 24, 2021

Not my first read by the author and also I have read all the previous books in the series. I want to start off by saying that I absolutely dislike this cover because of the model (makes me cringe – long story on that one) anyways, luckily I imagined Beckett way differently anyways. Aside from that, I had no other issues with the book. I was a little nervous because I did not enjoy Book 2 & 3 because they were not for me, so I wasn’t sure what to expect and it turned out to be very beautiful. Heartbreakingly beautiful.

Beckett & Maddie are just soul deep meant to be. They share a history but parted ways when younger. Now Maddie is a single mom to the most adorable little boy and Beckett well he is back home to take care of his father for good. To me both characters were strong having gone through with their past and current. I enjoyed watching them together in the NOW and even glimpses of the past. It was a beautiful book to end the series!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: Book 4 in Series
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Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

R E V I E W ➠ Forever After All by Kaylee Ryan

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McKenna
I’ve always had a thing for my best friend’s older brother. In fact, I’ve been planning our wedding since elementary school. Then I grew up, moved away, and studying, and law school became my only focus.
Now that I’m back, the sexy cowboy is everywhere I turn. I shouldn’t mind so much as Rip Callahan is all levels of fine. My problem? His presence… his attention is sending me in a spin. And our reconnection? It’s fast and intense and everything I’ve ever dreamed of.
So why am I getting in my own way?
Rip
I didn’t know the first kiss I ever had would still play on my mind over ten years later. But with beauty and brains, McKenna Dawson is under my skin and very much off-limits.
Crushing on my sister’s best friend isn’t the worst part. That connection? I can’t ignore it. Should I fight it? Probably. Do I want to? Absolutely not.
A challenge among friends is all it takes for me to know she’s what I’ve been missing. That and one incredible trip with those same friends means there’s no going back. Not for me.
It was only supposed to be a weekend, but maybe we were meant to be forever after all. 

RELEASE DATE: June 22, 2021

Not my first read by the author and if you know me even a little YOU KNOW I love Kaylee’s books, so I was excited to devour this! One sitting, one day read!

These two have a long history together, and even some firsts. But Rip is 2 years older than McKenna and when he finally waited to make his move, she was accepted into her school of choice and who was he to stand in her way of life and dreams. Rip is Laramie’s older brother who also happens to be McKenna’s best friend, so see where I ma going with this. It’s a beloved trope of mine, that can turn wrong for me but this one was beautiful and I ate up every page.

When McKenna makes it back to town, she is still harboring her crush on her best friend’s older brother. Little did she know, Rip has been caring around the same feelings. I loved watching these two come together, because of their history everything is just so smooth and comes together. Now I will say that maybe there were a couple moments where I wanted to smack both of their heads upside but luckily they both redeemed themselves right away. There was just something so sweet about all this, the hero RIP yes he was manly, handsome, smart, hardworking, loyal and sexy but his vulnerability at times for McKenna is what melted my heart. As always you get the full Kaylee effect of words and style which is why I insta-click on all her books without even reading about them!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Type: All Tags at bottom of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑

R E V I E W ➠ Perfect Night by Terri E. Laine

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Emma Hawkins is sure her life is set. She’s finally leaving Mason Creek behind, the small town she’s lived in her entire life.
That is until her former high school crush, Aiden Faulkner, strides back into town. The hot new Deputy Sheriff still gives her butterflies and is in a perfect position to help as she deals with the mystery surrounding tragedy that has struck her life.
When she asks for his help, she knows it’s a lot for him to keep her request a secret. Only, the time they spend together doesn’t go unnoticed. Rumors threaten everything, including their growing connection.
Undeniable attraction has never been their problem.
Timing is.
With her not so perfect fiancé in the rearview mirror, it becomes impossible for Aiden and her to remain just friends.
They say love is patient.
And Aiden’s been patiently waiting to give Emma that one perfect night.

RELEASE DATE: May 20, 2021

New to me author. I have so far read all of the books in the series and have been excited about this one, but only a few chapters in I realized that this is my least favorite, more like hate, trope: love triangle.

Without giving out too much the heroine and hero have history from young age but never were together. Neither knows each others feelings for one another. now the heroine is engaged to another man, happily so until circumstances but she never breaks it off with him before she kind of dies things with the hero even if they may be part innocent. and that alone makes me gag, it’s unattractive to me and a huge turn off. I wanted to DNF the book right then. 

I couldn’t enjoy any of the now happening because there was a mystery suspense theme which I love,  but when the H&H were getting  with one another, it wasn’t a good transition for me because of the 3rd party(s), so I ended up skipping a lot of pages to still read and then I gave up. It just is not sweet to me that a woman wears a engagement right even after “breaking things off” even though she had told him taking a break, but to wear the ring just because it’s easier than to answer questions from people, is unattractive to me. Then there is the hero’s ex problem, that also slept with the heroines’s ex fiancée. *cringe cringe cringe.* Then the final straw is when the hero came home after a shift that went wrong and the ex showed up at his house, the heroine and the ex did a oh he chose me shit, and the hero *gag* even had a thought of how it might have been fun to have both at the same time for that moment blah blah blah sorry but I just couldn’t finish it. For this being a small town sort of sweet with happy HEA this was not something I expected, and wouldn’t read any of the authors other books because that’s probably what most contain. It only got worse for me the longer I tried to read it, even writing this review made me cringe. Not for me and honestly I’m questioning the rest of the books in this series after this one. so disappointing because the first 3 were very amazing. 

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥
Triggers: Personal
Standalone/Series: (Mason Creek #4)
Type: All Tags at bottom of this page!

R E V I E W ➠ Keeping Happily Ever After by Elena Aitken

(Ever After, #6)
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Firefighter, Jeremy Davis loves his life in Glacier Falls and small town living has been good to him with great friends, a job he loves, a promotion on the horizon and now, a woman he is very quickly falling in love with.
Making a career out of her passion for music has always been Bella Burton’s dream. And now, against all odds it looks as if that dream is about to come true.
She’s falling hard for Jeremy, but his life is and always will be in Glacier Falls. It’s an impossible choice between two futures when chasing her dreams might mean leaving something—or someone—behind.

RELEASE DATE: May 17, 2021

BRAND NEW to me author. I actually saw this on one of the PR sign-ups and read the blurb and really wanted to have the chance to early review. So happy when I did receive it. Even thought his is book 6 in the series, I really was able to get the full feel OF the story and a little of the other characters. I am not sure if this can be read as a standalone because this is the ONLY book I’ve read in the series.

This was a little different in my eyes, yes the H&H are in the same town, met and everything romance and magical but the heroine did end up leaving the town while the hero stayed behind because he was up for a promotion for the Fire Chief. So for a while when the heroine left I was thinking to myself what will happen, how will they work. Even though it wasn’t my favorite style, I still enjoyed it. This is where the previous book characters came in and of course since I didn’t read the other’s it was a little harder to fit in if you will. Very sweet story and glad I still gave it a chance. Best of luck in everything to the author.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Romance: ♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: Book 6 in Series
Type: All Tags at bottom of this page!
Recommended: ☑

R E V I E W ➠ Could Have Been Us by Corinne Michaels

(Willow Creek Valley #2)
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Stella Parkerson has been in love with Jack since she was sixteen. He’s older, broken, her brother’s best friend, and unwilling to betray his promise to never touch her again. Their past is riddled with secrets. Their heartache is too much to bear, but what happens when they can no longer keep apart and give in to their love?
New York Times Bestselling author Corinne Michaels returns to the Willow Creek Valley Series in this stunning small town, brother’s best friend romance.
Fifteen years ago, I fell for Jack O’Donnell.
I was just a girl, but I knew my brother’s best friend was the only man I’d ever love.
On my eighteenth birthday, when I asked him to kiss me, I never imagined it would change my life so completely.
I gave Jack everything that night.
In order to move on, we had to go our separate ways and pretend like nothing happened… as though it wasn’t the greatest moment of my life.
But even that wasn’t as heartbreaking as the secret we were forced to keep.
I’ve tried not to think about how much I still love him. How I long to be back in his strong arms or the way his hazel eyes make my heart race.
Until he kisses me again. And this time there’s no turning back. This time I know what it means.
We belong together and there’s no use denying it any longer.
But our feelings aren’t the only thing that won’t stay buried, our past resurfaces and threatens to destroy our second chance at happiness.
When our love is tested once again, will we be strong enough to stand together?

RELEASE DATE: April 27, 2021

Not my first read by Corinne and not my last, and yes I have read almost all of her books including the first book in this series, THAT KILLED ME and this one woke me up and then killed me again. That’s where I would like to start, Corinne WHY why do this to a woman who is a hopeless romantic with a weak heart?! You explain yourself right now! When I say this is a tear jerker HAVE TISSUE handy for sure. The sad part about all this is that it’s so beautifully broken you can’t help but be happy with tears! Corinne you SHOOK MY WORLD with this book and now I have a major #bookhangover!

A little about the book: I will not be giving out any spoiler not even a little because let me tell you when I say this needs to be experienced THIS NEEDS to be experienced. If you’ve read book 1 you know that this is the hero’s little sister and his best friend. Yes, this heroine was young and crazy in love with the hero (no matter how much the hero was her brothers older best friend) one night changed it all. Fast forward over a decade and Stella is still living a lie, day by day just to get by. Is she dead inside, absolutely, but she will not ruin anything for her family. They are have had a rough years with their father who is a horrible person, controlling them like little puppets. When Stella and her brothers form a plan, it’s going to be sweet! The hero Jack is *tearing up* he is not only broken but so just deep down in pain. His soul, I would never wish the pain he endured and endures with Stella to anyone. When one wedding day just SNAPS and part of the truth comes out…nothing is as it seems. Years of pent up emotions, feelings and pain all come to the surface. The only question is if Stella and Jack can face it together!

This story was heart-rending, I mean I cried my eyes out the entire time. I felt every pain, every sad smile, every sad laugh, the emotions I can’t even explain! I can’t wait to read more and get a little more glimpses of them two! Will forever be my favorite CORINNE book to day! If you want your heart to be ripped out and slowly put together one tragedy at a time, if you want to feel the love between two people who are meant to be in every sense, if you want a beautiful relationship not just between H&H but the siblings and side characters, if you want to FEEL THE MOVE this is a book for you!!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

TOP 2021 MUST READ!
Romance: ♡♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: NA
Standalone/Series: Book 2 in Series
Type: All Tags at bottom of this page!
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY ☑