Emily

I am loving this romance binge that I am on right now and the fact that is was my 12th book this month just kind of blows my mind with the way my reading has been. Laura Pavlov can write a small town romance y'all, and I will read anything the woman writes! This may be my favorite of the series so far, and we finally get Coco's story— she's feisty but so so incredibly tender in this book. We also meet Roman, a single dad who is truly devoted to his son but doesn't allow himself a lot of time for dating. This story starts out with Coco randomly asking Roman to be her date to her sister's wedding, but it quickly evolves from there into something deep and beautiful. I absolutely devoured it today, and of course, I laughed and cried my way through so much of it. The tension and romance was so good as usual. I loved eventually seeing this softer side of Coco since we see her tougher side in the beginning and in the other books. Sealed is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content and themes

Laura freaking Pavlov! My heart! This series continues to give me the best warm fuzzy feelings! Charmed is the third installment in the Willow Springs Series, and it follows Maura, one of our Magic Willows who is a senior in college, and Crew, CEO of an advertising company who happens to also be from Willow Springs. The Benson and Carlisle families have been feuding for quite some time due to competing oil companies, and Crew has his own grievances with Arthur Benson, Maura's father. Imagine his surprise when Maura is chosen as his company's intern. This is the sweetest romance— enemies to lovers, office romance, healing wounds— all the good stuff. There's a fair bit of tension, and while I wouldn't say this book is necessarily spicy, there are some extremely sweet and sexy moments. This series continues to show the evolution of the Magic Willows and their journey into adulthood and I'm just such a sucker for it. Charmed is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content and themes.

Kandi Steiner what have you done to me?! I mean, Leo Hernandez— swoon! I loved this book so damn much! Hail Mary is the fourth installment in the Red Zone Rivals series, and it did not disappoint. This book follows Leo, a cocky football player, and Mary, a sexy and confident woman whose dream is to be a tattoo artist. Mary and Leo have history, but Leo doesn't realize that she's the girl from his past. After Mary's house turns into a mess and needs tons of repairs, Leo offers The Pit as a place for her to stay. This is forced proximity at its finest y'all! The tension is sublime, and don't get me started on the spice— it. Is. Hot. Leo is everything and honestly, so is Mary! I love a second chance romance, and this was no exception. I'm sad it's over, and I love the glimpses of the other characters from the series and their lives. Thankful for friends who peer pressure me to read amazing books! This is an new adult romance, 18+ for sexual content and themes

Another absolute win from Charissa Weaks! I absolutely devoured this book from start to finish, and loved everything about it! This is a Witch Walker novella, and it picks up where we left off in City of Ruin. However, it follows Neri and Nephele instead of our usual POVs. Neri is a wolf god who's made a bargain with Nephele, Raina's sister, to bring him back to his full being, and Nephele is desperate for answers about Raina after the events of City of Ruin. There is a ton of delicious tension with some incredible payoff toward the end. The author continues to deliver such good romance and spice, and the banter between Neri and Nephele is so so fun. We continue to see our amazing cast of characters including Alexus and Colden, and I really love how their friendship with Nephele was written. Their love for her was truly palpable. The imagery and descriptive writing style continue to be some of my favorite in romantasy right now, and I really can't wait for Kingdom of the Forgotten this fall! Even though this novella is packed with tension and spice and romantic bits, we still get so much information and details on the plot of the series. This is an adult fantasy novella, 18+ for sexual content

Laura Pavlov, what have you done to me? I am on a romance binge for sure, and all of these small town romances are hitting me right in the feels! Tangled is the second installment in the Willow Springs series, and it follows Gigi, one of our Magic Willow girls who craves the college experience and independence, and Gray, fraternity president and Gigi's brothers best friend with some family troubles. Gray starts out as an overprotective guardian over Gigi who he's known his whole life because of his friendship with her brother, Cade. Gigi tries to go out and date other guys, but Gray is always there to lay down the law and interfere. Eventually tensions heighten and they realize that they have feelings for each other. Gray and Gigi's romance is so sweet and continues along those coming of age/early adulthood moments for Gigi. There is lots of tension, but I wouldn't necessarily say it was spicy. I would say this is a slower burn, but worth it because Gray is so tender with Gigi! Tangled is a new adult romance, 18+ for sexual content and themes.

There's something about a coming of age story that I love so much. I think maybe it's because it makes me nostalgic of that time in my life or maybe reflect on that time is a better way to say it. A friend has been begging me to read this series for months, and I absolutely binged this book in less than 12 hrs

Spoiler-Free Review:

Holden. Freaking. Moore. I have had such a soft spot for Holden since book 1, Fair Catch, and his book did not disappoint. I'm not sure how I'll ever be able to decide on a favorite at this point. Not me wondering how Kandi Steiner functions with these amazing characters in her head! Quarterback Sneak is the third installment in the Red Zone Rivals series, and it follows Holden, quarterback and captain of the football team, and Julep, the new head coach's daughter. Can you say forbidden romance? Because, yes please! Both Holden and Julep have pretty traumatic pasts, but they process their grief differently. Julep has an extremely hard exterior, and only when she begins working with Holden on shoulder rehab do we see her tough shell crack a bit. Julep's character arc is one of my favorites I've read in this series. This book definitely pulled at my heartstrings a bit more than the others, and I cried quite a few times. The romance between Julep and Holden is so sweet but also so spicy! This is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content and themes.

Spoiler-Free Review:

Oh Boy! What an amazing follow up to Fair Catch! I loved this book so much! Clay Johnson is a man on a whole other level, and I was here for every bit of it! Blind Side is the second installment in the Red Zone Rivals series, and it follows Clay and Giana (both who we meet in Fair Catch). Giana is a quirky PR assistant who doesn't quite fit her family's mold, and Clay is a confident football player who is trying his best to do right by his mom and make it big in the industry. After an extremely bad break up, and a terrible interview with a reporter, Clay suggests that he and Giana pretend to date to make his ex jealous and make Giana be seen by the guy she has her eye on. This really is fake dating at its finest! The tension and development of feelings are all chef's kiss. And don't get me started on Clay's lessons... I still haven't recovered. I found this book to be a little more quick paced both in plot and in the burn than Fair Catch, although I would probably still consider it medium burn. The romance that Clay and Giana have is so hot and sweet. The way Clay brings out her confidence and makes her feel sexy is absolutely swoon worthy. This is a New Adult Romance, 18+ for sexual content

Spoiler-Free Review:

It has been months of a bit of a reading slump for me. Not reading at my usual pace and just the chaos of life— but this book has just sparked a binge that I can't wait to continue! I've been seeing Kandi Steiner around Instagram for a while now, and I'm mad at myself that it took me this long to get to this series! Fair Catch follows Riley, a female college football player, and Zeke, Riley's brother's best friend and Riley's teammate. A tragic accident when they were in high school has caused a rift between Riley and Zeke, but when the two are forced to be roommates in the athletic dorms, Riley must look beyond her bitterness toward Zeke for the good of the team. Tensions rise— like a lot— between them, and the payoff is absolutely satisfying. I would call this like a medium-burn but with lots of tension. Fair Catch is a brother's best friend, forced proximity romance with a little bit of friends with benefits vibes sprinkled in. This is a new adult romance, 18+ for sexual content.

Another absolutely amazing novel from Jack Whitney! Finding You is a follow up novel to the Valentine's Day novella, Sweet Girl. It takes place 5 years after Gavin and Chloe's Valentine's night together. One of the first notes I made about this book was how much I loved Lana, Chloe's friend, and I love the show of female friendship and unconditional love her and Chloe have in this story. Chloe is the co-owner of a marketing company. One day her business partner is excited to announce that they've been hired by a dating app— Cupid's Arrow. Enter Gavin: so dumbfounded that after searching for five years, he's found Chloe in a completely different place than he left her, both physically and emotionally. Immediately drawn to each other, Chloe and Gavin try and ultimately fail to keep their distance from each other and their relationship strictly professional. This book is a second chance romance with a medium burn and tons of tension. The tension breaks, and y'all it is hot! Gavin and Chloe are absolutely electric! Finding You is well paced and has some elements of Greek mythology with a modern twist. This is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content and themes, check the authors trigger warning page at the front of the book before reading. Finding You releases April 13, 2023

This book took me a little while to get through I started it maybe a little over a week ago, but I think that was more just life getting in the way than the actual book because I did enjoy it. I do feel like it was a little more lengthy than the romances I've read previously, but overall it was still a really good read. Fans of Disney World will enjoy this setting as it is extremely similar. The story follows Rowan Kane, one of the owners of Dreamland who is given a task by his late grandfather. In order to help him with this task, he asks employees to submit ideas on ways to improve the park. Enter Zahra: an employee who works at the salon with big ideas and an even bigger heart. After working out some kinks and revealing his true identity, the two begin seeing each other. The burn is slow in my opinion but the tension is definitely there, and once the fire sparks it is hot! This book made me so emotional toward the end, and it just really tugged on my heart strings. I enjoyed the grumpy/sunshine trope in this book and how it was written. I loved how she wrote Zahra chipping away at Rowan's tough exterior. The pacing felt a little slow for me which is why I took off 1 star. This is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content

Another great read from Elle Kennedy that I devoured in like 24hrs! This is book picks up where Misfit left off, but this time the main storyline revolves around Casey. We still get glimpses of RJ and Sloane with I enjoyed because I love them. Casey is Sloane's younger sister, and she was involved in an accident that's left her with some memory loss and ptsd. The mystery of what happened that night still haunts her but she eventually finds friendship and solace in Fenn. I really like Fenn and I guess I sort of have a soft spot for him. The book is written in multi POV so there are some subplots happening in the background, but the main focus is Casey and Fenn's navigation of turning from friends to lovers. It also centers on Casey coping with her trauma and feeling like her father and Sloane have put her in a bubble with their overprotective tendencies. I wouldn't say this is a spicy book. There are definitely a few scenes but they're not frequent. There's mystery, there's secrets, a twist at the end, an amazing cast of characters, and so many things I love, and as usual the writing was great! I took off one star because I found Casey hard to connect with. Maybe that's because she is an older teenager and I'm 31– I'm not sure, but I enjoyed it over all. This is a new adult series, 18+ for sexual content, language, situations.

I started this book back in December, and I for the life of me can't remember why I stopped. Regardless, I finally picked it back up a few days ago to finish, and it was so damn good! I cannot wait to read the other books that the author writes for this series, especially after meeting all of the amazing side characters. Icebreaker is a new adult romance that follows Anastasia, a collegiate figure skater with an Olympic dream, and Nate, a collegiate hockey team captain who would do anything for his team. After one of the practice rinks is taken out of commission, the figure skating and hockey teams are forced to share their time on the ice. Anastasia has extremely negative feelings about this at first, but quickly changes her mind when she gets to know Nate a little better. The banter in this book is some of the best I've ever read—like ever! We get some spicy bits pretty quickly into the story, but there is still amazing tension and payoff

This book has me so deep in my feels— I loved it so much! I questioned whether or not I would jump into this book after not caring for Garnet Flats so much, but I am so glad I did! Jasper Vale is the fourth installment in The Edens series and it follows Eloise and Jasper. Eloise is an Eden who manages the hotel, The Eloise, and we got to meet Jasper, Foster's trainer, in Garnet Flats. Eloise is a tender hearted woman whose main goal is to prove to her family that she is worthy of owning the hotel. Jasper is a man with a hard exterior after the way he was raised and his life experiences. After a drunken night in Vegas leads to their marriage, the two agree to pretend to make it work for a while for different reasons. This book kind of gave “fake marriage” vibes even though they were really married. Romance sparks and feelings develop and y'all the romance is so sweet and so sexy. Jasper is so tender with Eloise but hard with everyone else, and he just makes me melt. I think this book is more spicy than the others both in frequency and explicitness, and I definitely didn't mind it. If you haven't started The Edens yet, do not pass go do not collect 200 dollars, just go start it right now! Jasper Vale is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content

This was the most pleasant surprise to ever end up in my inbox! I'd like to start off by thanking the author for sending me an ARC of this book. The Forward Line was such a fun story, and it will make the perfect addition to your Valentine's TBR. This story follows FMC Tatum Kelly, a female hockey player with a strong will but a tender heart, and three male hockey players: Jace, Callum, and Shawn. After the female hockey team is disbanded at their school, Tatum is forced to look for a way to maintain her scholarship and continue school. Enter male hockey team! The players and coach were hesitant at first, but they soon began to see that Tatum was just as talented, if not more so, than their male counterparts. A connection builds between our three guys and Tatum, and the tension between these characters is chef's kiss. The break in tension y'all is

Holy smokes, Elsie! How is it that each book gets better and better?! I don't know how I will ever pick a favorite, but so many moments from Powerless will be living rent-free in my head for a while! This book is the third installment in the Chestnut Springs Series, and it follows Jasper, the Eaton's “adopted” brother with a tough exterior, and Sloane, their cousin, a ballerina with a tender heart. Jasper and Sloane have always been friends and kept in touch, but after discovering some things about the man she is due to marry, she decides she needs an escape. Both of them have been carrying a torch for each other for a long time but haven't acted on their feelings for different reasons. Once they finally express these feelings, things really take off! And y'all, I mean they really take off! This book was so hot, and Jasper and Sloane could not be more perfect for each other. Powerless is a childhood friends to lovers story with spicy romance and a few heavier themes. The banter between the characters, including the side characters, is always one of my favorite things that Elsie writes. I know I won't be able to stop thinking about Powerless for a while so definitely preorder this book releasing February 10! This is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content and themes.

Spoiler-Free Review:

I've had this book for what feels like forever. In fact, I feel like it was one of the first books I bought after starting this page, and it was definitely a “cover buy”. Over the last few months I've been seeing it floating around Instagram, and I finally decided to dive in! Is this yet another book I wish I'd read sooner? Absolutely yes! This is the first work I've read by Brigid Kemmerer, and I absolutely will be continuing this series! I went in completely blind, and like usual, it really was beneficial here. There's a twist that I didn't see coming that literally had me picking up my jaw from the floor! This book is dual POV and follows Tessa, a poor young woman who's only goal is to help her people survive the fever that has plagued their lands, and Corrick, the royal prince and the King's Justice in charge of enforcing the laws of a land on verge of revolution. There's great world building, awesome storytelling, and amazing character arcs. This is a slow burn enemies to (almost) lovers fantasy that sits pretty firmly in the YA category in my opinion. I cannot wait to read Defend the Dawn and see where the story is headed for these two characters. This is a YA fantasy, 16+ for violence

Garnet Flats is the third installment in The Eden's series, and I really wanted to love it as much as the other books in the series. This story follows Talia, a doctor trying to prove herself, and Foster, an MMA fighter with some secrets. Their story is a second-chance romance which I loved, and I loved that there was no third act break up. Foster and Talia had amazing tension and that first break in tension

Another absolutely amazing story from Devney Perry and the Eden family! I loved Knox and Memphis's story so so much. Juniper Hill follows Knox, a grumpy Eden brother and restaurant owner and chef, and Memphis, a single mother trying to escape a toxic life and family in New York and start give her and her son a fresh start. As a parent, I could relate to Memphis's depth of love of and devotion to her son, Drake. Knox's story and his history absolutely broke my heart and his healing was just so heartwarming. I loved seeing him step into the role that he did with such love even though he was so scared because of his past. Another thought provoking mysterious subplot, and while I predicted a bit of the twist, the author still got me with other parts of it. This is a forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine romance with tension that I absolutely ate up. In my opinion this book was spicier than Indigo Ridge as far as the explicitness of the scenes. I don't do a pepper rating because I feel like it's so subjective and everyone is so different. Juniper Hill is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content

Spoiler-Free Review:

Y'all this book had me by the throat yesterday while I was reading. If I'm not kid-free it's very hard for me to finish a book in one sitting/day, but I did it today because I couldn't stop! The tension between the main characters from the first chapter had me absolutely needing to see their resolution and outcome. Indigo Ridge follows Winslow Covington, the new girl in town and the town's new police chief (love a bad ass FMC) and Griffin, the oldest of the Eden siblings and the owner of the Eden ranch. On Winslow's first night in town she has a one night stand with a handsome man from a bar who swears he's not a local. Come to find out, it was Griffin, and their one night stand quickly turns into something more even though they don't acknowledge it until later. The romance is very sweet and very hot, although, I'm not sure I would call this a spicy book. There are definitely spicy moments and on page scenes, but it's not the main theme or goal of the book (in my opinion). Very quickly into the story we get an added mystery/crime solving subplot which I actually really enjoyed. It definitely kept me turning the pages as much as the romance did because I had to know who committed the crime! The twist at the end I definitely didn't see coming, and I loved that we got two epilogues! Im a closure girly what can I say

This book has been on my TBR for quite some time and I finally read it/listened to it. I have overall positive thoughts about the story. However, I think it is promoted as a book about true friendship, and while there is a theme centered around friendship, I don't necessarily think it is the main focus. I think the main theme of this book, for me, was the deconstruction of this time centered lifestyle that the FMC was living. Everything on a timeline and if things didn't happen on that timeline something was wrong. There were moments where the FMC was grieving and it was palpable in the way it was written. I'm not sure if there is a trigger warning page because I did this on audio, but I would definitely look up triggers or DM me if you have questions. I don't know this was a hard one to review because it was just kind of weird for me. I liked the writing and the audio narration was great, but definitely not a top read for me and not one I'm likely to read again. People say this is a book about friendship and there is a friendship in this book and all of the things that come with that, but I wouldn't say it was the main focus. This is an adult women's fiction (according to amazon) 18+ for themes.

This story was just so so sweet! Friends to lovers is not a trope I normally reach for, but I really loved it in this story! We met Hannah and Fox in It Happened One Summer, and I loved the glimpse we got of them there. Seeing it all play out in their book was an absolute delight. I really love all of the back story we get about Fox and his upbringing. It helped me really connect to his character and just root for him that much stronger. Hannah is such a unique FMC. She is strong and independent, but she also has insecurities that hold her back from reaching for what she really wants. This book was a much slower burn than It Happened One Summer, so fans of tension will love! There was so much tension and I both loved and hated it (IYKYK). The payoff was worth it, but seeing Fox discover his worth was probably my favorite part of this story. This is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content.

Possible Spoilers for the Magnolia Parks Universe:

I'm not sure when I will recover from this book. This series in general! I feel like I've grown so attached to these characters and their stories, and now I am in pain that I have to wait for another book to be released. Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home gave us Magnolia and BJ's POVs for most of the events in this book, but seeing it from Daisy, Julian, and Christian's POV added so much more depth to the plot and character development. Jessa Hastings does a phenomenal job at making sure we know the story from multiple sides. One second I love one character for someone and the next I'm rooting for another because of the details their POVs add. I can't deny that this series is an emotional roller coaster, but seriously in the best way! I've developed such a soft spot for Julian and Christian, and I honestly don't know when I will get over the emotional ride that was the last 20% of this book. Each book in this series gets better and better, and I don't know if I can pick of favorite at this moment. I cannot recommend this series enough for lovers of found family, scandal, Gossip Girl type of vibes but better and more toxic (in a good way). I cannot thank Teresa enough for peer pressuring me into starting this series and always being available in DMs for support. And also Ashley for dealing with my Tuesday afternoon emotional turmoil as I was finishing this book today. This book and series is New Adult, 18+ for sexual content and themes.

Every now and then you have those books that make you so mad that you didn't read them sooner, and this book is one of those. Please don't ask me why I waited so long to read it, because I honestly don't know. I ate this book up— absolutely devoured it! It Happened One Summer follows the story of Piper, a spoiled, rich party girl from LA, and Brendan, a grumpy fisherman from a small town. After some trouble lands Piper in Westport, she is forced to be without all the finer things that her step-father's money could buy. With the help of Brendan, her sister, and the town, Piper discovers that there is more to life than money and riches. Brendan— my goodness— the man. The. Freaking. Man. I loved him so much. He had moments where he was an absolute grump, but also moments of tenderness that made me melt a bit. The tension between he and Piper was so thick, but the payoff was very much worth it and very HOT. I cannot wait to get to Hannah and Fox's book soon because the glimpses we got of them throughout this story were so cute. This is an adult romance, 18+ sexual content.

Tis the Season for Revenge by Morgan Elizabeth was such a fun read! I binged it all in one night and ate up every bit of what she was serving in this seasonal novel. I say seasonal, but it very mildly holiday and I think it could be enjoyed any time of year. This book follows Abigail and Damien. Y'all— Damien