What I Read Last Week

Hello April!

This last week I had a spectacular week. So many wonderful books read, characters met, settings visited. I swooned, I laughed, I cried, I wanted to throw my kindle, and I loved every single moment of it. There were also so many fantastic tropes: enemies to lovers, small town, sports, second chance, age gap, college, single dad, surprise pregnancy, plus so many others. LOVED IT!

Last week I read 9, yes I said 9, books. That's ridiculous I know. I will say that I read two on Saturday, and I regret nothing. Also I had started The Edge of Forgiveness last Sunday, and finished it on Monday, so I had a jump start. Of the nine books that I read, five of them were advanced copies. The other four were either recent purchases due to TikTok, or freebies from the stock your kindle event, or just ones that were already on my kindle. 

Tell me about your week. What did you read? Any favorites? Any that you just didn't vibe with? Any recommendations for me? Have you ever read a book that TikTok recommended? I read two this week, and one I absolutely loved, while the other was just so so.

Happy Reading,
Laura

 The Edge of Forgiveness by Kristin Turnage

I'm not going to say much here as I devoted an entire post to TEOF. Hunter and Courtney's story was wonderful. It was emotional. It was intense at times. There is so much pain and heartache. There is also healing and understanding. There is family found, and a forever beginning. Could not put this book down. *please note there is no preorder for this book yet. I have linked to the author's amazon page.

Guarding Georgia by Anna Brooks

I forgot how much I enjoy books by Anna Brooks. When I started reading Guarding Georgia it all came flooding back. Of course I think the fact that this book takes place in Warrensville plays a part. After all that is where I met, and fell, for the Ryder family. Guarding Georgia was full of romance, and I loved the second chance trope in this book. Now I will be honest I struggled with everything that happened with Georgia's Dad, as well as with Tad. I was not fully prepared for that. Yet I was able to get through that with the relationship between Beau and Georgia. Plus there was Beau's family that I also adored. Also, Georgia's mom and that storyline? YES! I will definitely be returning for more of the Small Town Saviors series.

Made for Us by Natasha Madison

Natasha Madison did it again. She wrote this story that pulled m in, had me falling for the characters, and has me wanting to live in this world. I need the Grant/Horton/Stone+ family to adopt me, or at least befriend me. PLEASE! Abigail and Tristan's story was good. I loved the bond that Abigail has with Penelope, aka Tristan's daughter. That  bond was formed years ago, and it continues to remain strong. The attraction between Tristan and Abigail was good also. It's been building, enhancing, and is difficult to ignore. All it takes is a vacation for things to ramp up, and act upon needs. Of course that one night together lead to so much more. Made For Us was filled with heartache, frustration, longing, desire, and so much reality mixed in. Tristan was replaying things in his past, while Abigail was trying to figure things out and protect herself. She had imagined one thing, while he was imagining forever. Made For Us was a really good story. I loved the family interaction, the family vacation, and the bond that is there. The Grant/Horton/Stone+ family takes their friends under their wings and adds them to the mix. They've essentially adopted those who mean the world to them. I also love how the family isn't afraid to call their other family members out for their behavior/actions. Every time I finish a book, by Natasha, I find myself getting even more excited for the next. Her storytelling and characters are amazing.

Rule Number Five by J Wilder

TikTok made me read it. Seriously. Rule Number Five popped up so many times on my FYP that I downloaded it. I read it that same day, and absolutely LOVED this book. I highlighted so many quotes/scenes, and I regret nothing. This has me wanting to read more from J Wilder. The premise is simple: 2 college students meet at a bar, things are going great until she reveals her rules and he says he's a hockey player, she declines any advances because he's a hockey player, the chase is on as rules are meant to be broken, attraction, proximity, forever. While the premise is simple and standard it is the scenes (and lines) in this book that had me hooked. “You don’t wear anyone’s number but mine.” “If I can’t have forever, please don’t take away right now.” I went into a little more detail over on Goodreads if you'd like to read more of my review.

Kellan by Anna Blakely

This book took me by surprise. It had been sitting on my kindle for a while now, and I decided to give it a go. First things first, this book should have had a trigger/content warning. The prologue, what happened between Mia and her husband, I wasn't ready for it. If I'm going to be reading a book that kicks off with violence against a spouse, I want to be notified of that first so that I can prepare myself for what is going to play out.  Now obviously I continued reading, and I worked through those tough scenes that occurred. When Mia met Kellan that was when things really picked up suspense/action wise. That suspenseful storyline was what kept me reading the book. The relationship between Mia and Kellan it was good, but it was way too insta-love. Them falling was at warp speed. I get that forced proximity might have played a part, but it was too quick (for me). I went back and forth on my rating. My initial thought was 4 stars because of the suspense/action. Then as I sat with it a bit more I realized that it's more of a 3. The rapid instalove and lack of content/trigger warning is what pushed me back. I do want to continue with this series though.

Hardball by Lisa Suzanne

It's over. Cooper and Gabby's story is complete. I don't know how to move on quite yet. There was so much that happened in this book, and I adored the majority of it. I wanted to smack Troy. I wanted to shake Cooper. I wanted to hug Gabby. I found myself wanting to yell. There was so much pain and heartache in this final installment. UGH! Yet at the end of the day the right thing was done, a forever was put into the works, and the family was growing. I was proud of Cooper when he said what he said. Loved this entire series. I do still have questions though as I feel like a couple of storylines were not wrapped up, but it is what it is. I did like the setup for the next season though! Also I would love it if we could get a separate book about Troy and Joanie.

Playboy Playmaker by Maren Moore

It's the final book in the Totally Pucked series! I'm not okay with this. Not at all. Hudson's story just felt full circle in a way. Especially with Chaney being, well, Chaney. Plus all the guys being around. It was a good way to wrap things up. I fully admit that I binge read this book. The moment it arrived on my kindle, I was fully invested. I've been tortured with teasers for a bit now, and so to finally be able to dive into the book was just needed. I'm all for this secret, forbidden, age gap romance. Caroline could not be a better partner for Hudson. Add in that bit of proximity, and it just gave their relationship (that wasn't a relationship) that much more room to build. Playboy Playmaker is HOT. Hudson has a mouth on him, and oofta! I may have blushed once or twice. When their relationship (that wasn't a relationship) became public I was worried for them both. I wasn't certain how other parties would handle this news. Heck I wasn't certain how our characters would handle the news. Thankfully it all worked out in the end.  There was another relationship starting in this book though too. With the volunteer position that Hudson took on, he met Wren. This young man needed someone in his corner, and Hudson stepped up. Hudson stepped into that parent role easily, and let Wren know that this was a safe space to land. That he would be there for him any time. Wren found a family like atmosphere with Hudson and Caroline (and I'm sure with the entire Avalanche team). While I'm not ready to say goodbye to this cast of characters, I am ready to see what Maren has planned. Maren has a way with words, characters, and always brings the steam. I love escaping into her books, and look forward to the future.

Flawless by Elsie Silver

I wanted to love this book. Especially since I adored the Gold Rush Ranch series. Yet something was missing from Flawless. That same spark wasn't there. I found myself annoyed by Kip, and did not like any scene that he appeared in. I loved the protectiveness that Rhett offered. Sidney I didn't really "bond" with. She was a missed opportunity in a way. I did like the relationship and how that built. Honestly there were times that I was more interested in the bull riding scenes than the rest of the book. I am ready to return to Chestnut Springs though, especially since the other brothers have caught my attention.

That One Night by Emily Rath

I had recently purchased Pucking Around by Emily Rath, and I noticed it said to read That One Night first. So I did. There is very little plot to this story. It's mostly steam. Plus it ends on a cliffhanger. You had better believe I'm jumping into Pucking Around asap! TikTok has been recommending this book constantly, and I need to see what happens after this novella. I'll be honest, the female main character isn't my favorite, but I'm still intrigued.

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

Thank you to the authors who provided me with advanced copies of their books.
(Kristin Turnage, Maren Moore, Anna Brooks, Natasha Madison, Lisa Suzanne)

Brother's Best Friend Hockey Romance Recommendations

I feel like a broken record when it comes to the brother's best friend trope, but it truly is one of my top 3 favorite tropes. I can't help it. It's just so good. Plus I think a lot of people have their favorite tropes, so why not lean into it a bit.

Now when I posted my Brother's Best Friend Romance recommendations post the other day, I had mentioned that I could probably do an entire post just based on hockey. So here I am. 

I went through all of the hockey romances that I have read, with the exception of a few where tropes weren't crystal clear (ahem: Aven Ellis), and compiled a list. Turns out I have read 12 that feature the brother's best friend, or best friend's sibling, trope. Three of these I mentioned in my other post, therefore I won't repeat what I said about those. I will however still list them. 

What is your favorite trope? Or are you like me and have a top 3? Also, have you read any of these hockey romances? Any books that I should read? I'd love to know all the things.

Happy Reading,
Laura

Let's start with the three books I had previously mentioned. They were:

The Risk Taker by Gina Azzi

Something So Irresistible by Natasha Madison

Maxim by Samantha Whiskey

Now for the new recommendations!

Wheeler by Samantha Whiskey

I loved the Seattle Sharks series from Samantha Whiskey! I cannot think of a single book that I didn't enjoy. So many various tropes, and the characters were all amazing. Lukas and Faith's story was no different. Lukas hired Faith as his personal assistant after her brother suggested it. Well Lukas has had a thing for Faith for a while now, and this is going to make working in such close proximity interesting.  The goal is to keep things platonic and maintain that friendship. Well that is until the sparks fly.

Change on the Fly by Maren Moore

Change on the Fly was an emotional read. Not necessarily because of the relationship between Reed and Holland, but because of the situation with Reed's nephew. That storyline gutted me. But witnessing Holland assist Reed with caring for Evan was everything. Then Reed stepping up and taking care of the issues Holland was having as well? Yep, so good. Reed is a protector through and through, and this story just solidified that. These two characters pulled me, and I loved getting to know them, as well as all of the friends and family.

Sneaking Around with #34 by Piper Rayne

Oh Warner! This man has quite the past, and he tried to keep his upbringing a secret. Part of his past has to do with Imogen. Who is Imogen you ask? Ford's sister. Yes the same Ford who Warner is now teamed up with. This second chance romance was my favorite of the Hockey Hotties series. I loved how we learned about the past, how it was affecting the present (relationship/teamwork with Ford & Warner), and then witnessing the happily ever after in progress. This book had it's emotional moments, it's tense moments, and some passionate ones as well. 

Scoring to Win Duet by Maren Moore
The Scorecard & The Final Score

Oh what to say about this duet. Graham and Emery's story will take you through the wringer. Graham and Reed are good friends, and Reed is Emery's big brother. So things are tense in that situation. But when a night together leads to a pregnancy, their lives are about to flip upside down. Not only that, but they are now in a fake relationship. The problem with that is they don't get along. They are constantly butting heads. Yet somehow they end up falling. The Scorecard does end on a cliffhanger of sorts, so make sure to have The Final Score ready to go. Their story is going to take you on a ride. It will be emotional. You will want to smack one or both of them upside their fictional heads. Yet at the same time you may just fall for this couple, and find yourself cheering them on as they get their happily ever after.

Cross Checked Hearts by Cali Melle

Cross Checked Hearts is the very first book in the Wyncote Wolves series from Cali Melle. What better way to kick off a series than with the brother's best friend trope! Or maybe that's just my opinion. Anyway, Logan and Isla have known each other for years. That goes to show how far back Logan and August go. Now though Isla is starting college, and her brother is having her move into the apartment he shares with Logan. Surely nothing will happen with these two living in the same space. No way will they act on any feelings. Yeah right, of course they will. 

Splintered Ice by Cali Melle

Splintered Ice is the sixth book in the Wyncote Wolves series, and we are revisiting the trope! Except this time it is Sterling falling for his sister's best friend. Olivia just transferred to Wyncote, and she knows no one. So her bestie contacted Sterling, and told him to make sure Olivia has a good time, and finds some friends. Olivia's had a crush on Sterling for a while now, and all this time together might just cause the friendship to blur a bit. Even if Sterling thinks he should avoid at all costs. After all that crush might not be so one-sided. 

Covered by Elise Faber

If you know me at all you know that I am OBSESSED with the Gold Hockey team. It is seriously one of my favorite hockey series, and I will devour every book that is released. I will also devour every spin off (see: Rush Hockey). Ben is falling for his best friend's sister. Jordyn is a recently single mom, and Ben is stepping in to help her out. After all that single mom aspect is something he's familiar with, since it's how he grew up. I loved their relationship. I loved how the team surrounded Jordyn with love and community. Then there is Jordyn's kids who were adorable. One of my favorites from the series.

Bad Crush by Rebecca Jenshak

Oh look it's another college romance! This was my introduction to Rebecca Jenshak's storytelling, and it hooked me. Adam and Reagan's story tugged at my heartstrings. I went through a variety of emotions. I loved the setting, I loved the characters, and everything that happened in the book. Reagan falling for Ginny's big brother was so good.

Charming As Puck by Pippa Grant

This is the fourth book in the Copper Valley Thrusters series from Pippa Grant. If you're unfamiliar with Pippa's writing style, it is pure rom-com. The male characters are always an interesting group, and the females are typically smart, strong, and independent. It's a unique mix to say the least. Now it's been a few years since I've read this book so I can't remember much about it. What i do remember is that it was funny, it had a good storyline, and I put on Goodreads that it was my favorite of the series. Also when it comes to the trope, it's actually a version of that trope. Our heroine is falling for her best friend's brother. I always love how the best friend reacts, and the majority of the time I feel that they are all for it. 

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

The Mistletoe Bet by Maren Moore {a review}

I hate the holidays. Actually,  I loathe them. Call me Scrooge. The Grinch. The Girl who hates Christmas.

Maren Moore just released an adorable, yet steamy, holiday novella! The Mistletoe Bet proves that a lot can happen in a week, and Quinn is about to find that out firsthand. Especially since she just agreed to a bet with Parker. Who wins the bet? You'll have to read the story to find out.

My rating for The Mistletoe Bet:

It should be known that I have absolutely enjoyed every book that I have read from Maren Moore. So I went into The Mistletoe Bet with high expectations. Maren did not disappoint. I enjoyed every single minute of this novella, and have found myself wishing it was a full length book.

Not only did it feature one of my favorite tropes, but I just loved how the heroine was this grinchy grump who suddenly despised Christmas. Then there was the bet that was made, and I just fell hard. I wanted to see how Parker would have her rediscovering her Christmas spirit, and of course what it would take for these two to fall head over heals in love. 

I loved every single date/adventure that they went on. Those moments together definitely set the stage for a relationship. Oh, and that night at the Parker's office?

Then there was that moment when I literally gasped because two characters from the Totally Pucked series made an appearance. I may have been a little giddy about that, as I love when previous characters make appearances in other books. It's like a little easter egg.

The Mistletoe Bet is an adorable story that is filled with our heroine returning home for a week with the family, our hero trying to change the heroine's mind, plenty of dates, and not to mention, a lot of steamy moments. I don't know how Maren squeezed all of this into a novella, but she did. 

This book is one to read this holiday season. I highly suggest either downloading a copy immediately, or at least adding it to your TBR. If you've set a reading goal for 2022, and are a bit behind, grab some novellas to catch up!

Happy Reading,
Laura

 

Amazon | Goodreads

Everyone says “there’s no place like home”… well not for me.

When I’m forced to spend the holidays at home with my family in Strawberry Hollow, I have no idea how I’m even going to survive the week, let alone make it through my least favorite holiday… Christmas.

That is until I run into my childhood crush, and my brother’s best friend, Parker Grant.

Now, he’s the sexy, off-limits doctor in our small town, and nothing like the man I left behind six years ago.

While I hate the holidays, there is nothing that he loves more.

Well, other than a good bet...

Which is exactly what happens when we end up together under the mistletoe.

A bet that changes everything.

He asks for the next seven days to change my mind about Christmas.

But seven days alone with Parker is more than either of us bargained for.

He gives the season of giving a whole new meaning…

Maybe home really is where the heart is.  

Thank you Maren Moore for providing me with an advanced copy of The Mistletoe Bet!

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

The Scorecard by Maren Moore {a review}

The Scorecard by Maren Moore is officially available! Friends, this book is quite possibly my favorite in the Totally Pucked series. Or really I should say of all the hockey romances that I've read from Maren Moore. Graham and Emery have captured my attention. I cannot wait for you to all pick up this book and give it a read. Just know that it does end in a cliffhanger, so you're not going to get your HEA right away. Rumor has it that The Final Score will be out at the end of May, but that's not concrete right now.

The Scorecard started off with Emery having a girls night at her brother's house. As the girls were talking, the conversation naturally turned toward hockey players. This had the girls creating a list, a scorecard if you will, of a few players. That list was supposed to be thrown away, after all it was just made in fun. Yet when Graham showed up to the house, he happened to find it. He saw his name in 5th place, and that didn't sit right with him. Graham also doesn't understand why Emery seems to hate him so much. It's been bugging him for a while now. Especially as his attraction to her grows. Not that he can do anything about that though, it's his best friend's little sister after all. Things quickly take a turn after a night out. This hate to love relationship has just entered a new phase. Lives are about to change. Feelings are about to shift. A future together is a definite possibility. But it could be all thrown out the window with the news that is about to drop. 

Let's dive into my thoughts...

4.5 stars my friends. That is what I rated The Scorecard over on Goodreads. Freaking obsessed with this couple!

The Scorecard grabbed my attention immediately partly because it's Graham's story, but also because it's the brother's best friend trope. Which if you know me at all, you know I absolutely love that trope. This is also a hate to love story (some could consider it enemies to lovers, but I don't), a forced proximity romance, a fake relationship relationship, and it also has a surprise pregnancy! Oof that's a lot.

We find out early on why Emery has issues with Graham, and it makes complete sense. I don't blame her one bit, I would be irritated with him as well. But all it takes is that one night to change it all. Yes the "hate" is still there, but it's starting to lessen. As Emery gets to know Graham though, that hate is definitely turning toward love. 

Loved getting to meet Graham's mom and sister. The Tennessee scenes were some of my favorites. Being in Tennessee allowed us to get to know Graham a lot more, and see him be a bit vulnerable. This also affected Emery's way of viewing Graham. She was able to see this side of him that he doesn't show to others. It shows what a family man he is, and where his passions off the ice lay. He's sharing what he sees as a piece of his future with the woman he loves.

For those who are not familiar with Emery, she's a new lawyer. It's taken a lot of hard work and dedication to get where she is. At her job, her boss tapped her to work on an extremely important case. I found myself a bit confused about all of this as we had no information about it. We knew the client name, and we were able to briefly meet them, but that was it. I have questions regarding that. I'm not sure how that is going to tie into the storyline between Emery and Graham. I'm guessing that will be revealed in part 2.

Then there is the fact that the "scorecard" from the beginning was not really referenced much throughout the book. To be honest, this is part of what held me back from giving the full 5 stars. I thought we would see Graham working his magic to move up the list, and him showing Emery why he deserves that top spot vs one of his teammates. So that was a bit of a let down.

Oh, and I want to mention the pregnancy because this is the second thing that affected my rating. Now it's not the fact that Emery is pregnant. That doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It's the timeline of her pregnancy. We know that Graham is the dad. We know that. I trust that. But knowing what else we know about OTHER characters who are also pregnant, Emery had to deliver prematurely. Yet that was not mentioned. That pregnancy timeline for Emery, Graham, and the other characters just wasn't flushed out properly. There was info that didn't line up. Am I looking too deeply into this? Quite possibly. But as someone who has given birth four times, I know a few things. So that just irritated me. Sorry.

I'm able to look past those couple of "issues", and I still feel 100% confident in my 4.5 star rating. I loved the book. I loved the characters. I am now counting down the days to The Final Score so that I can find out what happens next in their story. Because the tidbit at the end had my jaw dropping.

Cannot wait to see how Maren wraps up Emery and Graham's story, and to see what happens next for our characters from the Totally Pucked world.

Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts on The Scorecard. I hope you'll pick this one up, and fall for the characters the way I have. Truly this is my favorite of the series.

Happy Reading,
Laura

Pretending to be married to my brother’s best friend and my biggest enemy is the last thing I imagined I’d be doing.

But there was a thin line between lust and hate, and when I fell into bed with the NHL’s rookie playboy, I found out just how easy that line got blurred.

We were enemies with benefits, but then two pink lines changed it all.

Now he was bringing me back home to his family’s farm and faking it became real… in more ways than one.

He was meant to be the enemy but falling for him meant letting him win.

The Scorecard
Graham: 1
Me: 0

**The Scorecard is book 1 of the duet and is approximately 60,000 words. This book does end on a cliffhanger.

One Click Now!

Add to your Goodreads TBR!

Where to find Maren Moore

Facebook | Reader Group | Instagram | Goodreads |Amazon

Hosted by

Thank you to Maren Moore, and Wildfire Marketing Solutions, for providing me with an advanced review copy of  The Scorecard.

The Scorecard by Maren Moore {cover reveal}

 

🔥🔥COVER REVEAL🔥🔥

THE SCORECARD by Maren Moore is coming April 8!

#PreOrderHere:

https://geni.us/scorecard

Pretending to be married to my brother’s best friend and my biggest enemy is the last thing I imagined I’d be doing.

But there was a thin line between lust and hate, and when I fell into bed with the NHL’s rookie playboy, I found out just how easy that line got blurred.

We were enemies with benefits, but then two pink lines changed it all.

Now he was bringing me back home to his family’s farm and faking it became real… in more ways than one.

He was meant to be the enemy but falling for him meant letting him win.

The Scorecard

Graham: 1

Me: 0