Romance

Holidating

Holidating is out today, thank you to the author for the ARC.

This is a collection of three standalone holiday stories, two previously released and one brand new novella, bound into one edition. I’ve already previously read Boyfriend and Blonde date so I’ll just share quick reviews and focus on Crossroads here.

This is a new novella following Damien, the final Rossi sibling from the True North series. Though this can be read as a standalone, it sure was nice to see the Rossi family again. Damien is a taxi driver with a crush on one of his fares, Nicolette. This follows them over the course of 15 years as he gives her rides at Christmas.

They’re quite young when they meet and the plot takes them far apart from each other at times, but I loved following their journeys and how they were eventually brought together. There is a certain sadness to their stories which I love – not everyone is happy at Christmas and I think it’s good to recognize that. 

There could be some triggers for people in here so be careful but I really really enjoyed this story! It was so great to be back in Vermont and I just can’t get enough of this world.

Heat and Run

Heat and Run is out now! Thank you to the author for the ARC. This is a standalone novella, though it does tie into the author’s Toy Runners series. 

Whew this baby was spicy! Honestly all the Toy Runner novellas have been super spicy but I think this one wins for spiciest. It’s cover to cover spice, with a bit of plot thrown in. It was probably bordering on too much spice for me personally but it’s good to push ourselves out of our comfort zones sometimes. 

It’s a F/F/F omegaverse story and I have to say I think this was my first omegaverse but I was able to follow the lore with no problem. It was a good introduction for me because it was all easily understandable. 

If you are looking for a high heat sapphic holiday romance this one is out now!

Bull Moon Rising

What a fun new world from Ruby Dixon! Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. 

I’ve got to be honest, I thought this was just going to be minotaur romance and didn’t think too much deeper about it but it turns out it’s one part fantasy, one part romance, and one part adventure which adds up to a pretty exciting new series!

It’s a fantastical world, full of magical artifacts and those that hold them are like the aristocracy of the world. Aspeth is the sheltered daughter of a holder on the brink of ruin. She decides to join the Royal Artifact Guild to hunt down more artifacts to save her father and their land, but it’s not as easy as she assumed it would be and ends up marrying a minotaur teacher who will sponsor her going through Guild training.

I really enjoyed it! It took me a little bit to get into which is true of all fantasy (especially when I didn’t realize it was fantasy going into it) but I finally got into it and really enjoyed both Aspeth and Hawk. Aspeth was a bit chaotic, she had a lot of spunk and a can-do attitude without a lot of street smarts or practicality, while Hawk was starchy and buttoned up and super competent. 

I also really enjoyed the side characters and there was a real found family between them all that I loved. You get action, adventure, and a slow burn romance that leads to some heat so I was very pleased!

I look forward to more from this world!

2024 Holiday Romances

This is a big year for holiday romance, mostly Christmas but some Hannukah and New Years as well. I’ve been working on gathering these for a while, so here it is:

Aug 27 – Last Christmas – Clare Swatman

Sept 2 – Christmas Ever After – Jaimie Admans 

Sept 4 – This is Not A Holiday Romance – Camilla Isley 

Sept 13 – Snow is Falling – Sarah Bennett 

Sept 17 – I’ll Get Back to You – Becca Grischow

Sep 23 – Snowed In With A Scotsman – Amber Cooper

Sept 24 – The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year – Ally Carter

Sept 24 – The Christmas You Found Me – Sarah Morganthaler 

Sept 24 – Jingle Bell Mingle – Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Sept 24 – Kiss Me at Christmas – Jenny Bayliss

Sept 24 – Second Chance Christmas – Jahquel J

Sept 24 – A Novel Christmas – Charity Shane

Sept 24 – Christmas In Spite of You – K.C. Mills

Sept 24 – All I Want Is You – Falon Ballard

Sept 24 – The Holiday Cottage – Sarah Morgan  

Sept 24 – Evergreen Christmas – Janet Dailey 

Sept 24 – The Christmas Catch – Toni Shiloh 

Sept 26 – Look Up, Handsome – Jack Strange 

Oct 1 – Make the Season Bright – Ashley Herring Blake 

Oct 1 – The Merriest Misters – Timothy Janovsky

Oct 1 – Only for the Holidays – Abiola Bello

Oct 1 – Mistletoe Misses – Alexandra Grace 

Oct 1 – Make My Wish Come True – Rachael Lippincott

Oct 1 – The Merry Matchmaker – Sheila Roberts

Oct 1 – One Big Happy Family – Susan Mallery 

Oct 1 – Some Like It Cold – Elle McNicoll 

Oct 1 – That Time We Kissed Under the Mistletoe – Julie Christianson

Oct 3 – Zero – Mandy Muse 

Oct 3 – Faking The Book Boyfriend – AK Landow

Oct 8 – When In December – Kendra Mase 

Oct 8 – The Christmas Crush – Noelle Douglas

Oct 8 – Love You a Latke – Amanda Elliot 

Oct 8 – The Nightmare Before Kissmas – Sara Raasch 

Oct 8 – The Most Wonderful Time – Jayne Allen

Oct 8 – Christmas Sweater Weather – Jaqueline Snow

Oct 8 – I’ll Be Gone For Christmas – Georgia K Boone

Oct 8 – Christmas in Aspen – Anita Hughes 

Oct 8 – Christmas Eve Love Story – Ginny Baird 

Oct 3 – Faking The Book Boyfriend – AK Landow

Oct 8 – When In December – Kendra Mase 

Oct 9 – A Holiday Worth Fighting For – Donna JA Olson

Oct 8 – The Holiday Honeymoon Switch – Julia McKay

Oct 8-  The December Market – RaeAnne Thayne

Oct 8 – Snowy Mountain Christmas – Sharon Sala 

Oct 8 – Up to Snow Good – Dani Ryan

Oct 8 – Holiday In Handcuffs – Nicole Sanchez 

Oct 9 – A Holiday Worth Fighting For – Donna JA Olson

Oct 10 – Sprinkle All The Way – Kayla Martin

Oct 10 – The Christmas Tree Farm – Laurie Gilmore 

Oct 10 – Sprinkle All The Way – Kayla Martin

Oct 10 – Making the Book Boyfriend – Carolina Jax

Oct 14 – Decked In Red & Green – Alexandra Hale 

Oct 14 – We Three Kings – Kristen Bailey 

Oct 14 – Deck The Shelves – Joelle Cullen

Oct 15 – Just One More Mistletoe – Carly Phillips 

Oct 15 – Only Ever You – Emma Sewell

Oct 15 – Hung By The Fire – Shea Brighton 

Oct 15 – Maid At Christmas – Bell Renshaw

Oct 15 – How My Neighbor Stole Christmas – Meghan Quinn

Oct 15 – A Winter Wish – Emily Stone

Oct 15 – Most Wonderful – Georgia Clark

Oct 15 – Eight Nights to Win Her Heart – Miri White

Oct 15 – The Wedding Witch – Erin Sterling 

Oct 15 – All I want For Christmas – Karen Swan

Oct 15 – Holiday Tides – Laura Langa

Oct 16 – Miami Ice – Aven Ellis

Oct 16 – A Scottish Christmas – Emma Bennet 

Oct 17 – Last Christmas Crush – Mia Heintzelman  

Oct 17 – Axes and O’s – Kayla Grosse 

Oct 17- Rating the Book Boyfriend – Jade Dollston 

Oct 17 – Tangled With the Tight End – Alexia Chase

Oct 18 – When the Snow Settles – Rachel Leberge

Oct 18 – Trouble – Brittanee Nicole

Oct 19 – Meet Me Under The Mistletoe – Danielle Baker

Oct 22 – The Christmas Countdown – Holly Cassidy 

Oct 22 – The Anti-Social Season – Adele Buck

Oct 22 – Hero for the Holidays – Maisey Yates

Oct 22 – The Christmas Cookie Wars – Eliza Evans

Oct 22 – Christmas Is All Around – Martha Waters

Oct 22- Merry Little Hate Notes – Jennifer Peel

Oct 22 – A Very Merry Hitman – Katie Reus

Oct 22 – Let’s Get Naughty – anthology

Oct 22 – Sleigh Me If You Can – Cheryl Terra 

Oct 22 – Winter Falls -Shana Gray

Oct 24 – Santa’s Coming – Serena Pier

Oct 24 – Merry With A Brewmaster – Alexandra Hale

Oct 24 – Mistlefoe – Mari Loyal 

Oct 24 – The Christmas Ornament – DL Gallie 

Oct 24 – Hating the Book Boyfriend – L.A. Farrow

Oct 24 – Tis The Season for Secrets – Kate Callaghan

Oct 24 – The Christmas Ornament – DL Gallie

Oct 25 – Single All the Way – Amy Knupp

Oct 25 – If This Was A Movie – Morgan Elizabeth 

Oct 25 – Filthy Rich Santa’s – Eve Ashwood 

Oct 25 – Mistle Ho – Josie Watts 

Oct 26 – Mistletoe Ever After – Nana Malone 

Oct 29 – Ghosts of Ex-Mas Past – Liz Alden

Oct 29 – Stuck Together – Lily Joseph

Oct 29 – The Christmas Fake – Rachel Kaye 

Oct 29 – Snow Struck – Elle Rivers 

Oct 29 – Sugar Nookie – Marika Ray 

Oct 29 – Heat and Run – Adriana Herrera 

Oct 29 – Catering to Christmas – Roxie Clarke

Nov 1 – Holiday Hire – Maggie Grace 

Nov 1 – Cookies, Candles, & Cute Butts – Dylan James 

Nov 1 – Merry Mishap – Vivian Mae 

Nov 1 – One Hundred Lights – Chrissy Hopewell 

Nov 1 – Yachts and Yuletide – Maude Winters

Nov 1 – From Santa With Love – Samantha Gail

Nov 1 – O Goalie Night – KM Gillis 

Nov 1 – Christmas Criminal – Ally Williams 

Nov 1 – One Little Chance – Rebecca Jo Jackson

Nov 1 – Falling In Love – Maddie Ellis 

Nov 1 – Christmas Delivery – Natalie Wish

Nov 1 – Saved By Noel – Tracy Baack 

Nov 1 – One Christmas With You – Mari Suggs

Nov 1 – The Spite Before Christmas – Jessica Booth

Nov 2 – Wrapped Up In Holly – Sophie Andrews 

Nov 4 – Christmas Off Script – Evie Alexander

Nov 4 – One Foggy Christmas – Kortney Keisel 

Nov 5 – The Remains of Christmas – Megan Montgomery

Nov 5 – Keep Me Warm – E.A. Brady 

Nov 5 – Mistletoe Mischief – Codi Hall

Nov 7 – Snowflake Kisses – Alane Middleton

Nov 7 – The Write Before Christmas – Lynessa Layne

Nov 7 – My Secret Santa Axton – Blaire Wild 

Nov 7 – See You Next Winter – Holly June Smith 

Nov 7 – Snowflakes In Seattle – Eve Kasey 

Nov 7 – Home For The Hockey Days – L McMaster

Nov 8 – The Naughty or Nice Clause – Kate Callaghan

Nov 8 – Tied Together – Baleigh Jayne 

Nov 8 – In the Money With You – Edie Cay

Nov 8 – Christmas Lights and Fights – Jatia Eley 

Nov 8 – Save A Horse – Irene Bahrd 

Nov 8 – All Wrapped Up – CF White

Nov 9 – Snowed In With Mr Heartbreaker – Pippa Grant 

Nov 11 – Holidating – Sarina Bowen

Nov 11 – Snow Storm – EM Lindsey 

Nov 11 – Inherited Holiday – M Robinson 

Nov 11 – Five Stolen Rings – Gracie Ruth Mitchell

Nov 11 – Havoc for the Holidays – Jay Leigh

Nov 12 – Flopping In A Winter Wonderland – Jason June

Nov 12 – The Twelve Days of Christian – Caroline Corvin 

Nov 12 – Somewhere For Your Loneliness – Jeri Marie

Nov 12 – Merrily Yours – Rachel Lewis 

Nov 12 – Christmas Alibi – Dani Elias

Nov 12 – If Only In Our Dreams – Fae Quinn 

Nov 12 – Holiday Hoax – Nichole Green 

Nov 12 – Christmas with a Crank – Courtney Walsh

Nov 12 – Cruel Winter With You – Ali Hazelwood 

Nov 12 – Merry Ever After – Tessa Bailey

Nov 12 – All By My Elf – Olivia Dade

Nov 12 – Merriment and Mayhem – Alexandra Bellefleur

Nov 12 – Only Santa’s In The Building – Alexis Daria 

Nov 12 – Frosted By The Girl Next Door – Aurora Rey

Nov 12 – This Christmas – Georgia Beers 

Nov 12 – Unwrapped – D Jackson Leigh

Nov 12 – Festive Faking – Siena Trap 

Nov 12 – Elf Against The Wall – Alina Jacobs

Nov 12  Mistletoe Magic – Rebecca Barber

Nov 12- Second Chances with St Nick – Vicki Hilton

Nov 12 – The Santa’s Who Stole Me – Heather Nicks 

Nov 13 – I’ll Be Boned For Christmas – Katherine McIntyre 

Nov 13 – All You Want for the Holidays – Quinton Li

Nov 14 – Gnome One Like You – Tobie Carter 

Nov 14 – My Favorite Holidate – Lauren Blakely 

Nov 14 – Dancing In Lake Mistletoe – Amber Kelly 

Nov 14 – Gold Frankincense & Her – Louise Hudson

Nov 14 – 12 Days of Mistletoe – Jen Atkinson 

Nov 14 – Christmas At Fox Ridge – Bailey Hannah

Nov 14 – Dancing In Lake Mistletoe – Amber Kelly

Nov 14 – Everything I Wish For – J Hutchison

Nov 14 – Christmas Promises – Mia Elliot 

Nov 14 – The Thief Who Saved Christmas – Angela Casella 

Nov 14 – Jingle Balls – Rhian Cahill 

Nov 14 – A Baby For Christmas – Keira Andrews 

Nov 14 – Sin & Sleigh Rides – Eliza Black

Nov 14 – Seduction & Snowflakes – Meg Becker

Nov 14 – Sinning for Santa – Sarah J.D.

Nov 14 – Real Tree/Fake Boyfriend – Ree Thomas

Nov 14 – The Duke Who Despised Christmas – Scarlett Scott

Nov 14 – This Christmas – Kimolisa Mings

Nov 15 – Once Upon A Christmas Tree – Lulu Moore

Nov 15 – Mistletoe & Mine – JR Jenner

Nov 15 – Elfemies to Lovers – Jennifer Chipman

Nov 15 – Wrapped Up – Marlyn Love

Nov 15 – At Home With You This Christmas – Marie Landry 

Nov 15 – Meeting Mr Christmas – Ali Ryecart 

Nov 15 – When The Fake Snow Falls – Heather Garvin

Nov 15 – Holly’s Jolly Christmas – Stephanie Alves

Nov 15 – Slay All the Way – Nova Kane

Nov 15 – Christmas Kisses – Fiona Clarke

Nov 15-  The Christmas Pic – Rena Sapon White 

Nov 17 – Shining Star – Rasida Martin 

Nov 17 – Death’s Christmas Present – Hazel Rockwood

Nov 18 – Snowed In – Anthology (Cora Rose, EM Lindsey)

Nov 18 – Snowflakes, Cakes, and Royal Mistakes – Elizabeth Heathly 

Nov 18 – Santa of the Creek – Sue Brown

Nov 18 – A Quarterback for Christmas – Ana Shay

Nov 18 – The Christmas Cookie Crush – Jerica Macmillan 

Nov 19 – Merry Kissmas – Piper Rayne

Nov 19 – Naughty or Nice – Sophie Snow

Nov 19 – Wreck My Halls – Kate McWilliams & more

Nov 19 – Grouch-ish – LB Dunbar

Nov 19 – The Best You’ve Ever Had – Amelia Chasen

Nov 19 – Meet Me In Wonderland – Angel Anders 

Nov 19 – Santa Monica Baby – Kelly Reynolds

Nov 19 – Santa Maybe – Carla Luna

Nov 19 – Baking It Merry – Samantha Chase 

Nov 19 – Go Puck Yourself – Ariana St Claire

Nov 19 – His For Christmas – Lea Rose

Nov 19 – 12 Days to Christmas – Rebecca Alexandru

Nov 19 – Catching Up To Christmas – Roxie Clarke 

Nov 19 – The Best You’ve Ever Had – Amelia Chasen

Nov 19 – Chilled and Thrilled – Cleo White 

Nov 19 – Better Not Pout- Kat Savage

Nov 19 – Santa Daddy, I’m Not the One – Gianni Holmes

Nov 19 – Tangled Up In You – Shannon O’Connor 

Nov 20 – Silver Linings – Nic Starr

Nov 20 – Mistletoe Misconduct – Giuliana Victoria 

Nov 20 – My Greatest Joy – Brook Fox

Nov 20 – Christmas Cancelation – Evie James 

Nov 20 – A Handyman for the Holidays – Valerie Gomez

Nov 21 – My December Darling – Lauren Asher 

Nov 21 – The Christmas You Crash – Piper Hale

Nov 21 – Her Knotty List – Ari Wright 

Nov 21 – Silent Night – CR Riley 

Nov 21 – Merry In Moose Falls – Emily Silver 

Nov 21 – A Wish On Willow Way – Caroline Laine

Nov 21 – The Christmas You Crash – Piper Hale

Nov 21 – Kiss Me – Tiffany Patterson

Nov 21 – Gifted to His Dad – J Wilder 

Nov 21 – A Very Merry Nanny – Lyra Parrish

Nov 21 – A Minotaur Tale – Kass O’Shire

Nov 22 – Deck the Fire Halls – N.R. Walker 

Nov 22 – Holiday Hostilities – Katie Bailey

Nov 22 – Tastes Like Sugar – Becca Seymour 

Nov 22 – Knot Me For The Holidays anthology 

Nov 22 – A Naughty List for Christmas – Kat Summers

Nov 22 – Holly’s Grizzly – Leigh Miller 

Nov 22 – The Professor’s Holiday Surprise – Chloe Maine

Nov 22 – A Surprise for the Holidays – Anna Sparrows

Nov 23 – Snowed Under – Juliana Smith 

Nov 23 – Dear Santa, Send Me A Cowboy – Remi Rose

Nov 23 – Christmas Sins – H.N. Defore 

Nov 25 – Dance, Sugarplum – Amy Oliveira 

Nov 25 – The Cowboy Christmas Glow Up – Suzy Langevin

Nov 25 – Wrecked for the Holidays – Kerry Kilpatric

Nov 26 – Merry With Me – Kaylee Ryan 

Nov 26 – The Map Home – Elle Keaton

Nov 26 – He Sees You When You’re Sleeping – Alta Hensley 

Nov 26 – His Taste of Christmas – PS Black 

Nov 26 – The Goalie and Santa’s Little Helper – Ginger Scott

Nov 27 – All I Want For Christmas is The Hot Fireman Next Door – Rebecca Caudill

Nov 27 – Hostile Holidays – Erin Hawkins 

Nov 27 – Just for the Holidays – Micah Carver

Nov 28 – Dancing Through the Snow – Laura Rush 

Nov 29 – The Christmas List – Maren Moore

Nov 29 – Christmas by Design – Allie Samberts

Nov 29 – The Perfect Gift – Clio Evans 

Nov 29 – My Ex For Christmas – Bobbi Maclaren 

Nov 29 – The Christmas Rebound – Cali Mellep

Nov 29 – Hating You For Christmas – Liz Zerkle 

Nov 30 – A Storm is Coming – Orion Azure

Dec 1 – Screw’egd – Trilina Pucci 

Dec 1 – Finding Out – Jenni Bara 

Dec 1 – It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas – Julianna Keyes

Dec 1 – Merry Switch-mas – Elise Eliot  

Dec 2 – Slaying the Holidays – Beatrix Hollow 

Dec 2 – All That Glitters – Courtney Clark Michaels 

Dec 2 – Santa’s Baby – Jade West

Dec 2 – A Kiss for the Holidays – C.S. Autumn

Dec 3 – Second Down Scrooge – Lisa Suzanne 

Dec 3  – Ice & Sweet – Charlie Novak 

Dec 3 – Looks Real Good Now – Sophie Thomas

Dec 3 – Crushes & Christmas – KE Monteith 

Dec 3 – Worth the Rush – Bea Borges 

Dec 4 – The Holiday Party Pretense – Skye Kilaen 

Dec 4 – Matchmaking Under The Mistletoe – Hollie Luckie 

Dec 4 – Brewing Up Christmas – Emily Campbell

Dec 4 – Deck the Palms – Annabeth Albert 

Dec 5 – The Night Before Grumpmas – Kendall Hale

Dec 5 – The Dreidl Disaster – Stacey Agdern 

Dec 5 – Sin & Snowflakes – anthology

Dec 5 – The Knotty Claus – Honey Phillips

Dec 5 – Our First Noel – Heather Camacho 

Dec 5 – Sweet Boys Love Christmas – Micalea Smeltzer

Dec 5 – Snow Harm No Foul – Hannah Cowen

Dec 5 – Married With Malice – Cora Brent

Dec 6 – The Holiday Claus – Anne Einerson 

Dec 6 – The Holiday Fix – Nicole Banks 

Dec 6 – Whisked Til Peaked – Zea Kayleigh Galan 

Dec 6 – The Holiday Claus – Ann Einerson

Dec 6 – A Nightclub for the Holidays – Ardem Coutts

Dec 6 – Surviving the Holly Days – Echo Grayce

Dec 9 – A Crush for the Holidays  – E.L. Ough

Dec 10 – The Mistletoe Mix Up – Codi Hall

Dec 10 – Merry Little Mix Up – Lacey Black 

Dec 10 – Since We’ve No Place to Go – Kate Watson

Dec 10 – Baby Cakes – SJ Tilly

Dec 10 – Sparkle On the Ice – Hayley James

Dec 11 – An Alpha For the Holidays – Emily Axon

Dec 12 – Tinsel in Telluride – Hayden Locke

Dec 13 – A Christmas Mystery – Noelle Adams 

Dec 13 – A Pack For Winter – Eliana Lee 

Dec 13 – A Pack for the Holidays – Dallas Smith

Dec 15 – The Kiss Class – Ellie Hall

Dec 28 – Tis The Season of Wicked Deeds – Simran 

Just Between Us

Happy Monday! Just Between Us releases tomorrow. Thank you to the author for the ARC. 

I’ve been looking forward to Royal’s story since the Sullivans (I’ve included the quote that won me over)  and it did not disappoint! Our tattooed golden retriever King finally meets his match in Veda, the black cat consultant his brother hires to dig deeper into their father’s business holdings.

I loved their opposites attract relationship, they played off each other perfectly and I loved the exploration of their soft dom/sub relationship. Royal just wants to make her feel good and I loved that she finally got to relax a little with him. It was a bit forbidden considering Veda was working for his brother and I loved the secret element to their relationship. 

The subplot of taking down Russell King has been building throughout the series and there are definitely major developments here so I do recommend reading this in order, this won’t work as well as a standalone. In fact, go ahead and start with the Sullivans because I love them too.

I loved being back in Outtatowner, back with the Kings and the Sullivans, and I just love this world so much! I’m dying for JP’s story next, which is not something I thought I would have said earlier in this series. 

Beacon – Claire Kent

Beacon is out today! I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’m one part sad this series is over, one part glad we finally get Mack and Anna’s story!

We’ve seen these two as excellent side characters throughout the series, and it’s finally their turn to shine. A decade after impact, Mack has reached his breaking point. He’s been the strong one, the one everyone can depend on, the one who helps everyone, but now he just needs some time to himself. Anna gets tired of waiting for him and seeks him out in the Wild.

It’s a forced proximity romance and it’s also a second chance romance, they’ve got some hurt and past traumas that are explored. They’ve also got a lot of passion between them and boy did they get passionate all over that cabin. I’m not sure I’ve ever read such a high banging to plot ratio! The whole series has been spicy so this is not a shock but dang.

I really enjoyed returning to this world.and getting to visit with past couples as well! Overall it was a very enjoyable and very spicy apocalyptic romance! 

The Player + The Pact = I Do

Happy Thursday! The Player + The Pact = I Do is out today. Thank you to the author for the ARC. 

Any billionaire romance lovers out there?? I admit it’s not my fave trope but I found this enjoyable. 

Leo, our billionaire, has been hurt before and is afraid to love again, but he is in need of a fake finance to show the woman who broke his heart that he’s totally fine without her. His assistant, Jules, steps into the role with the agreement that she can get a promotion in exchange for the ruse. This of course leads to real feelings as it tends to do!

I found it fast paced and entertaining, exactly what I want in a billionaire romance. Definitely check it out if you’re looking for these tropes:

-Billionaire MMC

-Strong FMC 

-Boss/Employee

-Fake Engagement

-Forced Proximity

-Second chance (ish)

The Merriest Misters

The Merriest Misters released yesterday! Thank you to the publisher for the ARC

This was a super cute ‘marriage in trouble’ romance mashed with a queer version of The Santa Clause, and I loved how unique it felt.

After accidentally injuring Santa on Christmas Eve, Patrick becomes the new Santa, along with his husband Quinn who becomes the Merriest Mister. They travel to the North Pole are are immersed in elf and Christmas culture and it was so fun to read the world building. 

If you are looking for something fluffy (complementary) and fun and full of Christmas cheer, definitely check this out! 

Personally, I like a little more emotion – if you’re telling me it’s marriage in crisis I want to FEEL the crisis, which I didn’t at all here. It really skimmed the surface and focused more on the becoming Santa/The Merriest Mister instead of focusing on the romance which is not my fave. I honestly never felt like the couple had any romantic connection or felt any emotion between them.

I did enjoy their individual journeys – Patrick becoming Santa and finally feeling like he’s good enough, Quinn exploring what being The Merriest Mister (as opposed to Mrs Claus) means, learning to express himself, and deciding what he wants out of life.

I don’t really read romance for individual journeys, though. Overall it was cute, just not a new fave for me. Maybe it will be for you though! 

Slap Shot Surprise

Happy Tuesday! Slapshot Surprise is out today, thank you to the author for the ARC. 

I loved this!

Mabel Buckley, who we’ve seen as a side character in her brother’s books, finally has her chance to shine. She’s flying home to Cherry Tree Harbor when her plane his a lot of turbulence and she thinks she’s going to die so she blurts out all her regrets in life to the super hot guy sitting next to her – including how she’s only ever had bad sex. When they end up at the same wedding a few days later her former seatmate, hockey star Joe Lupo, offers to help her out and cross good sex off her bucket list. She agrees, and oops. She ends up pregnant.

I really loved that a lot of the book focused on the progression of the pregnancy and also the progression of their relationship. They had geographical hurdles, sure, but also Joe had never planned on settling down and starting a family so his journey into accepting his new reality was a good one and I loved that it wasn’t immediately sunshine and roses. 

Though becoming a father took some time to get used to, Joe was immediately taking care of his baby mama and I loved how protective and considerate he was. Mabel was also a great character, she knew what she wanted and was willing to go at it alone if necessary.Both characters were very family oriented and I loved spending time with the Buckleys and the Lupos. 

The romance between them was sweet and spicy and I loved them together. Overall this was a pretty lighthearted romance that I thoroughly enjoyed! 

Lights Out

I’m not usually one for stalker romance (or so I thought) but I’ve seen so much hype for this that I just had to give it and try. And honestly, it was so fun!

It was laugh out loud funny, completely unhinged, and just thoroughly entertaining. 

It’s about Aly, a nurse who enjoys watching masked man content on social media when she has a free moment, and her number one social media crush who stalks her when he realizes she’s into him. 

Our masked MMC was one part morally grey and one part golden retriever and I thought that was such a fun combination. I just really loved him and wanted to give him a hug. 

There are some darker tones and trauma both characters have been through and I loved how that juxtaposed with all the hilarious moments. 

There’s also a long list of kinks explored, some I didn’t know much about and this felt like a safe way to read about them for me since they existed in a romcom. I love learning something new!

The plot did fall apart for me a little about midway and I lost a little interest but it was still entertaining and I look forward to more in this world!

I did the audio for this one and the duet narration by Elena Wolfe and Jacob Morgan was 🤌🏻chef’s kiss🤌🏻 amazing. I’m not sure I would have enjoyed the book as much as I did if I had eyeball read it. 

(Check trigger warnings, there are a lot!!)