What I Read Last Week

It's the start of a new week! So that means it's time to recap what I read last week.

Last week was decent. I mean reading wise it was top notch. It was life that threw a few hiccups into the mix. When it came to my books, I read five. That seems to be my usual, and I'm good with that. One thing I do want to say is that all five that I read were advanced copies. So I received these books to help promote. That doesn't affect my feelings toward the stories though. That is always 100% honest.

There was a 5 star read this week! If you've been around for a bit, you know I don't give out 5s very often. For me to give 5 stars it has to be as close to perfect as possible. That being said it's also a bit of a gut feeling. While I'm reading I pay attention to how I feel, how the story is flowing, how the characters (side and main) are written, and just how invested I am. Add those things to the gut feeling, and it all adds up to 5 stars.

How was your reading week? Any 5 star reads? Any new favorites? Tell me about them.

Thanks for reading,
Laura

Vow of Revenge by P Rayne

I never realized that I needed a college mafia romance series, but here we are. P Rayne's debut was absolutely riveting. Mira is a strong female lead who is determined to shake things up in the mafia world. She wants to be seen as an equal, not an accessory. Then there is her betrothed who was thought to be dead. Mira doesn't want to marry Marcelo, but she doesn't have a choice. The way that relationship built was perfection. I loved the friendships that were in this book. I loved the connection even though they were rivals. Could not put this book down. Then there was the suspense that kicked in! That was my absolute favorite. Every single thing that happened in that part of the storyline was irresistible. Kudos to P Rayne on this book, and I cannot wait to read more in the series.

Break the Girl by Rachel Jonas & Nikki Thorne

Break the Girl was my introduction to Rachel and Nikki's storytelling, and I will be reading more from them. The blurb intrigued me, as did the tropes. I will say that I wasn't prepared for Break the Girl to end with a cliffhanger. So I might have yelled a bit, and then quickly looked up a release date for book two. I loved this story, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next. Stevie immediately had my curiosity as I wondered what she had experienced before transferring to Bradwyn. That woman has been through a lot in her life, and is still healing from it all. Then there are the guys that are now in her life, whether she wants them to be or not. Vince, Ash, and Micah command attention, know what they want, and are not afraid to go for it. I fell hard for them.

When I Come Home by Maisie Myers

When I Come Home was my first book by Maisie Myers. With everything that was going on between Thea and Cole I was just fascinated. I found myself wanting to know more. Needing to see how this was all going to play out. What sort of drama was going to pop up in the third act to cause separation? Not only that, but what happened six years ago that had Thea not wanting to return home? Between the revelation of what happened six years ago, and then with the third act break up, my jaw dropped a few times. I can honestly say that this is the first time, in a while, where I haven't been able to ping the dramatic moments. This second chance romance is one that I will not soon forget. While it took me a bit to get fully invested in the story, once that did happen I didn't want to put my kindle down until the final moment was over. Looking forward to continuing with this series.

Iced Out by Veronica Eden

Hockey romances are an obsession of mine. While professional hockey is my preference, college can be enjoyable as well. Iced Out was definitely one that I could not get enough of. Maya and Easton were amazing. I loved the banter between these two. I loved the connection that they had. It really did start off quite well, and their meet-cute was memorable. I loved witnessing their relationship grow. What I was not expecting was for emotional moments to happen. Now I am an emotional person to begin with, so maybe it just hit different for me. Yet those scenes had me tearing up. My heart broke for Maya, as well as for Easton. I appreciated the hockey to romance ratio. Getting to see Easton and his team on ice, and the bond they had was fantastic. I was also glad to see Maya have a friend group in her corner, and see her apart from Easton. I cannot wait for more books in this series! I'm hooked on the Heston U Hotshots!

Lost to the Moon by Meg Anne & K Loraine

It's over. I don't want it to be over. Throughout the course of the, 5 books in this, series I have fallen head over heels for the characters. Pan is my favorite. Sorry not sorry. He's right up there with Alex from the War quartet. I refuse to choose between those two. I shan't. Lost to the Moon had so much happening, as it should since it's the finale. I can't really talk about anything that happened either because of spoilers. Just know that the questions you may have had get answered. Plus there is that epic battle between our group and Pestilence. What a time that was! I love the family that Rosie has found for herself, and how all of her mates are proud to be part of it. Now it's time for Death or Famine to show off what chaos they have in store. It's going to be a wild ride that much I know, and I look forward to every moment of it.

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

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

Thank you!

Also, thank you to the authors who provided me with advanced copies of their books.

What I Read Last Week

Happy Monday! 

Last week went by in a flash. Honestly my nose was in my kindle for the majority of it. Or at least it seems that way. Also, I can say with confidence that my minor reading slump is officially over. HOORAY!

Why do I say that? Well I read 8 books last week. Four of them were read in 2 days. I know. Trust me. I know. I also ignored all daytime responsibilities, okay after dinner responsibilities as well, to accomplish that. I regret nothing.

What did you read last week? Any standouts? Any duds? Have you read any of the books I've mentioned below?

Hope you have a great reading week!
Laura

The Wolf Hotel by KA Tucker {a review}

I did it again.

I binged an entire series in a matter of days. 

Two days to be exact.

I regret nothing.

For a while now I've been hearing people recommend The Wolf Hotel series by KA Tucker. They've said it's a good story, and quite steamy. So I cashed in some of my Ibotta balance, and downloaded the series. Since I had just finished reading a book, it was the perfect time to start The Wolf Hotel. Also, did you know that this series was originally called Wolf Cove, and was published under KA Tucker's pen name of Nina West? I did not know that until I went to review on Goodreads, and I was confused by my "current read" title. Thankfully a quick look at the reviews had me certain I was in the right place.

Before we jump into my review, allow me to share the tropes that are featured in this series. 

Virgin Heroine

Age Gap

Billionaire

Workplace
Forbidden
Love Triangle
Opposites Attract
Proximity

I'm sure there are others, but those were the first that came to mind.

Now, onto my thoughts...

The first book in the series is called Tempt Me. It is here that we meet Abbi, and find out why she is applying for a job that would take her to Alaska. We also find out that she has very little experience outside of the jobs/volunteer positions that she held in her small town. Flash forward and Abbi's arriving at the hotel, only to find out that the position she interviewed for, and accepted the job for, had been changed. It was going to be looked into though. Later that night Abbi hangs out with her coworkers, and gets drunk. It is after that little party that she finds herself on the dock, where she is "saved" by a man. He pulls her back from the edge, and helps her back to her cabin. Turns out it's the owner of the hotel, except she doesn't find that out right away. It was quite the meet cute. Oh and she word vomited all over him that night, sharing some of her deepest thoughts and feelings, as well as that pesky little detail about being unexperienced in the bedroom. 

Okay so my thoughts...This was an interesting book. There was a lot of build up, scene setting, and introducing of characters. Once that was out of the way though I found myself a bit intrigued. Abbi had my curiosity, and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Obviously she was going to get into  a relationship with Henry Wolf, but how was that going to happen? Then there's that little friend group that Abbi stumbled into, and they had my curiosity as well. Abbi was finding a new community of friends, and they were introducing her to a variety of topics and situations. Tempt Me ends with things unfinished. I don't want to call it a cliffhanger because it isn't this big to do, but you are left hanging. So have Break Me ready to go.

Speaking of Break Me, this book had me screaming. I was so invested in everything that was happening. Abbi's new job was perfection. Favoritism? Absolutely. Still though I could not get enough. There's so much that I want to say, but it would be spoiling things. While reading I was getting frustrated with Abbi's lack of confidence. She jumped to conclusions very easily when it came to Henry. Now Henry also irritated me a bit, and his actions didn't always sit the best with me. Also the things that Abbi did in this book seemed very out of character. However she's learning things. Is she going about it the right way? Difficult to say. What happened after the party was VERY steamy, and I found myself yelling at Abbi to NOT DO THAT! While I was yelling at Abbi, I was also thinking "get it girl". Then there was Ronan and Connor, um, was not expecting that. Not at all. But again, she's experiencing "things" and discovering preferences. I experienced such a variety of emotions while reading Break Me. From being happy for the relationship building, to irritation and frustration with our main characters, to being crushed because of what happened, to my jaw dropping from certain scenes, it was a gamut of emotions. That ending though. was not prepared. Not at all. It's what had me picking up Teach Me immediately after.

I'll be honest, Teach Me was my least favorite of the series. Something shifted after Break Me, and I'm having mixed feelings about it. The first half of this book was just meh. It was anything special if you will. Abbi's mom is not my favorite. Neither is Jed. That being said, the way that KA Tucker wrote Abbi's mom did not sit well with me. The words used to describe this woman are distasteful. While she isn't a lovable character, she still could have been described in a more favorable way. The fat shaming was just unacceptable. Abbi continued to frustrate me in this book. She's 21 years old, but is still willingly under her mom's control. She's under her ex's family's control. She doesn't push back, and is just a doormat. It's ridiculous. Not to mention how insecure she is. Now the second half of this book was much better. The storyline became more engaging, more captivating, and pulled me back in. Then there's everything that happened with Margo. Damn. I think one of my favorite parts of this book was how Henry would make time for Abbi. He went out of his way to show his dedication to her, and how important she was in his life. 

Surrender to Me is the final book in Abbi and Henry's story, and it was a wild ride. I loved the relationship that continued to build with our main characters. I loved how Henry continued to show his dedication to Abbi. I also loved how she was dropping everything to be by his side when he needed her the most. I was so glad that we were finally back in Alaska. It felt good to return to where this all began. There was emotional scenes in this book as well. I found my jaw dropping when those happened just because of the disbelief. Those emotional and dramatic scenes definitely helped this book. The return to Alaska also helped. Getting to see Abbi reconnect with her work friends was needed. Getting to see her interact with Ronan and Connor again was very much needed. Abbi wasn't as insecure in this book, and I appreciated that. It was as though she was finally getting confident, and comfortable with who she is. Oh there's so much I want to say, and I don't know how to properly convey it. From the family dramas to the return to Alaska, to the scene in the shed, to the situation at the Mine, to the hot tub scene (and what happened after), there was a lot that happened. I can't even begin to talk about it all. That hot tub scene, and the scene after that, had me blushing. oh. The ending of Surrender to Me though? WHAT WAS THAT? Where is my epilogue? I have questions that need answers. Seriously. I know I'm not alone with missing the epilogue as many people said that on Goodreads.

Let's talk about this series as a whole.

I understand why it has the hype that it does. It is definitely a steamy series. While there is a relationship between Henry and Abbi, this entire series really focuses more on Abbi's awakening than anything else. It's why there are so many watching scenes, and getting turned on because of it. She's learning about her body, her preferences, and having experiences as well. Some of those are with Henry, while others are without him. The steam was hot and heavy while not completely overpowering the story. However, I feel like there could have been a slightly better balance. 

The relationship between Abbi and Henry was an interesting one to witness. From their funny meet cute, to the forced proximity, to the heartbreak, to the fight to be together and that reunion, to how forever happened, it was good. Do I wish things were a bit different? Yes. I feel like there was a lot of unnecessary happenings. Abbi's insecurity was just over the top in the first three books. I liked how Henry was able to read Abbi so easily. He knew when she was in her head, and having those thoughts. He was able to pull her out of it, remind her that he was here with her, and this is how it is. He was consistent.

Let's talk about Jed for a moment. Everything to do with this character did not sit well with me. Why was it perfectly fine for him to cheat on Abbi? Why was it looked at as a sign of weakness for him? Why was she supposed to wait for him? That was no okay with me. Then the constant pushing of him back into her life by her parents, his parents, and himself? NO! Abbi is old enough to know what she wants versus what she doesn't. She found someone new, she's moved on, accept it! The religious undertones here did not sit well with me either. Ugh.

Did I enjoy the series? Yes, to an extent. Part of me would have preferred that we were in Alaska the entire time, another part wishes the happenings in Abbi's small town were never included, and then part of me wished for more together time for our couple.

Did I like Abbi and Henry? Yes I did, but they frustrated me from time to time.

Do I recommend the series? Kind of. What I mean is that this is going to be out of the comfort zone for some people, and for others it might be a bit tame. So read the description for all the books, and see if it fits with your preferences.

Will I be reading other KA Tucker/Nina West books? Absolutely. I have my eyes on the Empire Nightclub series.

Have you read The Wolf Hotel series? If so, what were your thoughts on it? Did you feel that Abbi and Henry should have ended up together? Or were you feeling that Ronan was a better fit for her? I'm curious. (oh, and I think that she and Ronan had a good connection, but I see that more as a fling than happily ever after.)

Thanks for reading my thoughts!
Laura

 

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

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

Thank you!

What I Read 2 Weeks Ago

Hi. 

This post was supposed to be up on April 10, but a reading slump, as well as writers block hit. So that put a damper on things.

Thankfully the reading slump has been broken, and I'm hopeful that the writer's block will resolve itself soon.

The week of April 3, I only read three books. Only isn't the word I should use, and I know that. However when you're used to reading 6+ books a week, three just doesn't seem like a lot.

So what had the reading slump happen? It was two things. First I came off of a 5 star read that caused post book depression. The book was so fantastic, I loved the characters, and I did not want it to end. Yet it did, and I find myself wanting to read it again. I don't re-read books, but this one has me wanting to. You better believe a physical copy is coming to my house. The second thing was a slow moving book. I forced myself through it when I know better. It's not that I wanted to DNF the book, because I didn't. This was a book that I was looking forward to, but I didn't bond with the characters. Add in the slow burn aspect, and yeah. Those two things combined lead to the reading issues. I'm thankful that it only lasted a week.

The tropes I read this week include: Poly Romance, Sports Romance, Workplace, Why Choose, Friends to Lovers, Royal, Brother's Best Friend, Small Town Romance, Suspense, and Billionaire. There are more that I'm forgetting, but those are the basics.

What books did you read April 3-9? Also, have you read a book that TikTok has recommended? Because I did this week, and I freaking LOVED IT. 

Happy Reading,
Laura

Pucking Around by Emily Rath

TikTok made me do it. Seriously this book kept appearing on my For You Page, as did the author, and I couldn't not read it. The premise intrigued me. The why choose aspect intrigued me. Just everything that Emily Rath was sharing, had me curious, and then running to Amazon to download. This book is 700+ pages. That length seemed daunting, and it scared me a bit. HOWEVER once I was reading the story, I had met the characters, and everything was going on, it did not feel like a 700+ page book. I actually found myself wanting more. Ilmari is my favorite, and Caleb is a very close second. Jake is great too, but those other two men just speak to me. There were times that Rachel annoyed me, but those were few and far between. I am #TeamPrice. I am going to buy a physical copy of this book, and I just might read it again. You better believe that I have the next book on preorder already. Also did you see my favorite quotes from this book?

Ravishing Reign by Aleatha Romig

This freaking series....ugh! I didn't know when I started it that it was going to be a quartet. I was thinking trilogy, but obviously didn't know the author's intention. So when I got to the end of this book, and all that shit was going down, I wanted to throw my kindle. I thought I was going to get answers. I thought Roman and Lucille were going to get their happily ever after. But no. I have to wait for one more book. Aleatha Romig is torturing me. I am so invested. Yes this book moves a bit slow, but Roman and Lucille have a hold on me. I need to know what happens next, and how everything ends. 

Make You Mine by JH Croix

I have enjoyed JH Croix's writing and storytelling for a while now. Yes, I've had my ups and downs with some of the books, but I always get pulled back in and find myself remembering what I love. I went into Make You Mine with the best of intentions. I was excited about the book. I was curious about the setting and the characters. After reading their prequel, I needed to know how their happily ever after was going to happen. The story was decent. I loved the setting. I feel like there was room for improvement. The characters were just okay, but I didn't have a strong bond with either of them. I found myself more curious about side characters than the two that I was supposed to be focusing on. I don't know if this is just a first book in the series type issue, or if it something else. Time will tell. Yes I will be returning to Fireweed Harbor for at least the second book, maybe more. My curiosity is still there for the town, and the characters, so that's a good thing. Yeah. 

Thank you Aleatha Romig and JH Croix for providing me with advanced copies of your books.

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

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

Thank you!

What I Read Last Week

Happy Monday!

You may have noticed that there were NO posts last week. That wasn't intentional. Not at all. I had hit a reading slump, and a writing slump. Therefore it was difficult to do anything book related. It's bad enough when one hits, but when they both hit at the same time it's some how worse. Thankfully my minor reading slump has passed. I credit the Salacious Players Club for that. More about that later though.

Tomorrow I am going to share the books I read the week of April 3rd. I thought about combining it all here, but I really want them to be separate. I'm weird I know, and I'm perfectly okay with that. It's only 3 books, but doesn't matter.

Let's talk about the books I read last week though. I started off by starting Beautiful Lies by Paula Dombrowiak. Yet I was struggling to get invested in the story. My reading slump had started around April 6, so every book I was picking up just didn't sound good. I seriously tried 4 books, and was about to call it a lot cause. Yet I knew that I would love Beautiful Lies so I chose to put it aside and try something else. I knew that "something else" couldn't be already on my kindle. I had to find something new, maybe something popular. Prime Reading suggested Give Me More by Sara Cate, and I figured why not. Give Me More was just what I needed to snap out of the slump.

Tell me about the books you read last week! Do you have any suggestions for books similar to the Salacious Players Club? What is your solution to snapping out of a reading slump? Now let's jump into my reviews for the books I read last week.

Happy Reading,
Laura

Beautiful Lies by Paula Dombrowiak

Paula's writing always pulls me in. From the very first book to this one, I am just invested in the stories. The characters are almost always likable, or at least they grow on you. (I'm looking at you Jack.) Beautiful Lies was no different. Lake and Adrian pulled me in, and although it was a slow start I did find myself wondering how this was going to work. I see bits and pieces of myself in Lake, so she was relatable. That whole keeping things close to your chest, and not opening up. Oh, and the independence. Yeah. Adrian was good for her. Yes it was younger. It didn't bother him though. He just wanted to be in her life, and he knew he'd have to wait on her to realize things. I want to call this a slow burn, but considering it starts with a one night stand, can I really say that? This book does have a bit slower of a pace. It felt right though. For everything Lake was having to go through the pace was just right. So if you struggle at the beginning, just keep pushing on. You will get invested, and find yourself wanting to know how their happily ever after occurs.

Salacious Players Club by Sara Cate

Ratings: 4, 4.5, 4.5, 4, 3.5

Yes I'm lumping these all together. Should I do that? Eh, probably not. These books all take place at the same place though, and considering I binged the series it just feels right. Now I didn't read these in order. I started with Give Me More, which is book 3. The books can, thankfully, be read as standalones, so I wasn't overly concerned about reading out of order.

Give Me More features Isabel, Hunter, and Drake. Hunter and Drake are best friends, while Hunter and Isabel are married. They are on a road trip checking out other clubs, and Hunter comes to a realization. He's inviting his best friend into the relationship. That is if he wants to. I could not get enough of Give Me More, or the characters. Their story was good, the steam was intense, and I was rooting for them. 

Praise was my next read (well after reading Beautiful Lies by Paula Dombrowiak), and I could not put this book down. That was actually the case with all the books in the series. I regret nothing. Praise is an age gap relationship where Charlotte falls for Emerson. The thing is Emerson happens to be the dad of Charlotte's ex boyfriend. Emerson and Charlotte captivated me. From the way their relationship started, to how it built, to Charlotte's relationship with her sister, to how they finally arrived at their happily ever after. It was such a good story. The steam was amazing as well.

Eyes On Me might be my favorite. I feel like I shouldn't have been as intrigued by this book as I was. That goes with the forbidden aspect though. Not only is this book a forbidden romance, but it's age gap as well. Mia and Garrett have some steamy times together, but it is more than that. Garrett is finally opening up about his struggles, his desires, his wants and needs, and he's finding that Mia is the person most important to him. There is so much I want to say, but spoilers and all that. 

When I started reading Mercy I wasn't certain what to expect. I knew it was Maggie's story, but I didn't know what her preferences were, or who her love interest was going to be. Well when Beau appeared I was shocked, but then I could see how those two would fit together. Even more so after they had both taken that quiz. I really liked Maggie, and you could see that she was struggling with things from her past that were still affecting her today. Or at least in regards to the business that she runs, and the lifestyle it promotes. Yet when her results were revealed, I wasn't surprised at all. I was a bit more surprised by Beau's, or at least pieces of it. I liked watching these two grow individually, and as a couple. The scene when they were leaving Salacious, OH MY WORD. I was not expecting that. Not at all. My jaw dropped, and my heart broke a bit. Trope wise, this book is reverse age gap, friend's son, and proximity. It is so good, and so steamy. That seems to be the theme for this entire series. Also, I really wish that Maggie had been on the cover instead of Beau. It would have fit more with the owners of the company being on the cover.

Highest Bidder is book 5, and it's all about Ronan. Well Ronan and Daisy. This, large, age gap romance has history to it. Daisy doesn't know the full history, she just knows she found paperwork with Ronan's name on it, and wanted to investigate. Falling for him was not in the plans, but it's what happened. Ronan is still struggling a bit with the tragedy that happened 28 years ago, and so he guards himself a bit. Yet there was something about Daisy that pulled him in, and he just had to pursue this relationship. Now I'll be honest, this one wasn't my favorite. The storyline was still decent, and I enjoyed pieces of it, but there was room for improvement. My biggest struggle with this book was Daisy. Not her age, or the "secret" she was keeping, but just her as a character in general. I didn't feel that connection to her. Ronan was far more intriguing and captivating. Ronan just pulls you into his orbit. My other issue, no that's not the right word- but anyway, was not having the previous characters involved in this story as much. It seemed like they would pop up in the previous books, offer advice or humor, and just have that familiarity.

Thank you Paula Dombrowiak for providing me with an advanced copy of Beautiful Lies.

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

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

Thank you!

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.

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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)