forced proximity

In A Second

Happy Saturday! In A Second released this week, thank you to the author for the ARC. 

Ohhhhh boy did I love this. You may have heard my talk about my love of In A Jam (or not, I’ve been very subtle hehe) but this is a worthy successor and if you know me you know what high praise that is. 

Audrey and Jude had such a delicious second chance romance. It has so many elements I love- fake engagement, road trip, forced proximity, only one bed, devoted single dad. It’s more than a list of tropes though, it’s a deep and emotional story of these two love birds finding their way back together after her family drove them apart years ago.

I truly loved them both, together and separately. Their journey is not an easy one, they really have to work through their past and present-day troubles. They both make mistakes, especially Jude, but in a way that felt so realistic to me. The journey is also not a short one but I love a long book that keeps me invested in all 500ish pages. I would have gladly read another 500 pages of their love.

I also of course loved revisiting the other characters from this series and broader world. I love that the author’s books have me like Charlie Day in front of his serial killer board. I do think you could read this as a standalone, though I of course recommend reading In A Jam as well  😉

Single Dad Dilemma

Single Dad Dilemma is out today! Thank you to the author for the ALC. 

I really enjoyed this! Single dad, neighbors to lovers, and an emotional slow burn as only Karla can write.

Barrett and Lily were both super grumpy which I love, but in sort of different ways. Barrett’s job as head coach to a football team leaves him with very little free time so he lives a very regimented life and doesn’t appreciate disruption, while Lily is a free wheeling nomad who constantly disrupts him. They’re brought together by Barrett’s kids and slowly find themselves turning into more.

I really liked Lily – she’s introverted, doesn’t really like people, and just kept needling Barrett. I love that the author regularly gives us non-sunshine FMCs. 

It wouldn’t be a Karla book if it didn’t break my heart, so of course it did at times, but overall I love how they found the partner/love/home they both had been missing. 

I did the audio on this one and really enjoyed it, especially Aiden Snow. He had the perfect taciturn kind of voice for this. CJ Bloom also did a great job, if not a little cheerier than the character called for.  

Tis The Season For A Cowboy

Tis The Season For A Cowboy is out today! Thank you to the author for the ARC. 

I enjoyed this angsty and heartfelt second chance Christmas romance!

If there’s one thing I enjoy in a wintery romance it’s a snowed in/forced proximity trope, and add in a divorced couple stuck together in the cabin they once owned together at Christmas? Yes. Please. 

Hank had pined for his wife the whole time they were separated, so he was willing to do what it took to win her back during their Christmas together. I love a yearning MMC! 

There are definitely some triggers here as part of the angst so be careful to check trigger warnings, but overall if you are looking for an angsty second chance Christmas novella, definitely check this one out. 

I’d say if you loved Kandi Steiner’s The Christmas Blanket this would be right up your alley! 

Half-Light Harbor

Half-Light Harbor is out today! Thank you to the author for the ARC.

I always love (fictionally) spending time in Scotland with Samantha Young but this book feels extra special! It’s a great kickoff to a new series, with an amazing small town and great characters I already love. 

We’ve got a broody, grumpy Scottish MMC and an American FMC who moves to Scotland for a fresh start & to open a B&B (all while trying to solve the mystery of her parent’s death.) I loved them both separately and together. Tierney really dragged Ramsay out of his comfort zone and he could not resist her despite himself.

The location is perfection, the suspense engaging, and I just really enjoyed my time in Leth Sholas! What an excellent start to what is sure to be a phenomenal series!

Mate

I loved this book! If you read and loved Bride, you are sure to love Mate as well. 

The banter, the snark, the relatable heroine and the growly ‘touch her and die’ MMC, all combined into one fantastic book. 

It took me a few chapters to get into it because the timeline bounces around a bit and that’s not my fave in general but once we were mostly in the present I was absolutely hooked!

I loved the pack dynamics and really enjoyed Serena finding her place in Koen’s pack, as someone who didn’t have a family other than her best friend it was just lovely to see her find a family in the pack. And of course I’d be remiss to not mention her bestie, I loved Serena and Misery’s friendship so much. 

I do recommend reading Bride first if you haven’t yet. I will admit some of the author’s academic books didn’t work as well for me but I love love love this world so much, so don’t be afraid to give this a try if you feel the same!

A top read of 2025 for sure. 

Secret Haven

Secret Haven is out now! Thank you to the author for the gorgeous trope ARC.

Oh, my heart. Love love loved this! Definitely my favorite of the series and a top all time fave from the author. 

This is book six in the series, and the clues have been laid out through the series for this couple. Man, did I love them! We’ve seen the connection between them but I loved getting to know their real backstory. The love, the sacrifice, the yearning, all chef’s kiss perfection.

I don’t want to say too much because some of the elements of the book surprised me and I want the same for you but I will say I just loved everything about how this story unfolded. And as always, I did not properly guess who the bad guy(s) was/were and especially not the why. 

I loved this whole series but Catherine really saved the best for last here! Love! 

Every Step She Takes

Every Step She Takes is out today! Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. 

I really enjoyed this tender sapphic romance!

It’s a coming of age story about a woman, Sadie, who is in her mid 30s and still discovering who she is and what she wants. When the opportunity to have an adventure in Portugal & Spain arises, she jumps at the chance to escape her everyday life.

I really enjoyed both the main characters – Sadie, who is still figuring out why she never hits it off with the men she dates, who feels trapped in a life she never asked for, who was brave enough to try something new and scary all by herself. Mal, who is much further along in her queer journey but who is just as unsettled and unsure in other ways. They were both very likeable & very easy to root for. I loved how they helped each other in different ways, and I enjoyed their journeys, both physical and emotional.

The setting of the Camino was so fun and interesting to read about, and I enjoyed how the queer tour group they’re with became a found family (even if I did struggle to keep all the secondary characters straight in my head).

It’s never too late to figure out who you really are, and coming of age can happen at any time. I definitely recommend this one! 

Bitten by Destiny

Bitten by Destiny is out today! Thank you to the author for the ARC.

This was a solid conclusion to the series! It brings closure to questions that have been lingering throughout the series, and also puts a new couple in the spotlight – a rockstar who happens to be Fae but doesn’t know it, and the vampire daughter of a man who wants to kill him. 

I’ve really enjoyed this world and how exciting each book has been. There are supernaturals, action, and chase scenes all alongside the swoony romances and spice. I definitely recommend this series if you are a PNR fan, or if you’re new to the genre but want a good, easy reading, compelling series to pull you in. 

All books available now in Kindle Unlimited! 

(I do recommend reading the series in order as there are overarching plotlines, and by book four it felt like the supernatural version of the avengers all coming together to stop evil so it’ll be easier to tell who’s who if you go in order)

Chasing The Sun

Chasing The Sun is out today! Thank you to the author for the ARC.

This is the first book in a charming new small town romance series by Lena Hendrix – you can totally read this as a standalone from her other series. 

This is a single dad, neighbors, rivals to lovers stories about two people who both want the property next door to our MMC. Callum is looking to expand his inn and add a farm to table restaurant, while Elodie is looking to transform the farm to a tourist destination. Lots of banter and bickering ensue which leads to a lot of chemistry and sexual tension!

I had a lot of fun reading this one! I loved the new town and its legends, and look forward to learning more about them as the series progresses. 

Wildflowers

Wildflowers is out today! Thank you to @theauthor.agency for the ARC. 

This was such a fun read! I just love apocalyptic romance and this one was great.

Astrid and Dean are opposites who find themselves thrown together when the world ends (and he kidnaps her to keep her safe) and have to figure out how to survive this new world. They had lots of banter and sparks between them.

It was lighthearted and fun, despite a global pandemic, some kidnapping, and a fair amount of violence. I read it one sitting, I just found it so entertaining and didn’t want to put it down!