Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Thoughts I Had While Reading Final Offer

If you haven't heard the final book in Lauren Asher's Dreamland Billionaires series is now available! Final Offer tells the story of Callahan (Cal) Kane, and takes us on the journey of Cal making his Grandpa's final wishes happen. Of course it takes Cal back to the small town he ran from years ago, and has him returning to Lana's life. This small town, hate to love, second chance romance is going to be interesting. I don't think this happily ever after is going to be easy to accomplish.

As I did with Princess of Hawthorne Prep, I figured I would jot down my thoughts as I read the book. So if you're curious, please keep on reading. I don't think I'm giving any spoilers, but if I did, I apologize. Also if you want to read my full review, it is posted over on Goodreads.

Thanks for reading,
Laura

Well that was an interesting start to the story!

Loved how Lana put him in his place right away, and kicked him out.

Wonder what Grandpa Kane is up to with having Cal return to the lake house? I also wonder what his letter to Cal said.

Ugh I was hoping that Cal was in recovery, but based on what went down at the hotel that isn't the case. It's only a matter of time before he gets into trouble, and/or someone gets hurt.

That meeting with the lawyer was kind of eye opening. I wonder why that clause was put in?

I wonder WHY Cal has to sell the lake house. That part isn't 100% clear, or at least not to me.

Oofta this small town has it out for Cal. I'm not liking that one bit. Why doesn't Lana tell them to knock it off?

Those words that Declan spoke clearly struck a cord. Which they definitely should have.

Cal showing interest during that board meeting caught my attention. He clearly is interested in the company! He just downplays it because that is what is expected. It's almost as though he wants to be underestimated by others.

Oooh Cal's dad is the worst. He is out to hurt his son with his words, and it shows. Yet at the same time it seems like Cal is taking after him a bit.

Loving the fact that Lana has a plan in place to push off the sale of the house.

Cal isn't making it easy on her one bit, and is determined to get the job done at all costs.

Ahhh! Cami's birthday party! So cute, and dang that's a large party!

That's quite the trip he's just offered! I wonder what other things he has up his sleeve.

OH THAT'S WHAT IT IS! Dang he spent a lot to make this happen.

Loving the family reunion! I am glad the brothers are able to all get together with their busy schedules. Plus the women are meshing perfectly together.

Also I am proud of Cal for setting up rehab for himself, and hoping this time is when it clicks for him.

I feel like drama/conflict is about to happen.

OH NO! She shouldn't have found out like that! Poor Lana!

Oooh that fight was a doozy. I don't blame Lana for saying what she did. At the same time she should have listened before reacting. (in my opinion of course)

Rehab is going to be good for Cal, I just know it.

Well I did not see THAT person walking into the AA meeting! Still an ass, and is clearly only thinking of himself.

Glad to see Rowan made the call with the offer that he did.

So how is Cal going to fix all this? It seems like the odds are stacked against him.

Okay I'm liking this solution. I see what's happening and I approve. Swoon!

That board meeting was interesting. I also enjoyed what Cal had been up to behind the scenes. Underestimated as always, until he shows people that he knows what he's doing.

That meeting with the lawyer!!! OH MY WORD! So that just happened. It feels good to see that outcome.

Now that the book is over, I'm not certain what to think. I'm conflicted. On one hand I enjoyed a good portion of it. On the other I'm not sold on this couple. There are so many issues that need to be worked out. I still don't like how the addiction storyline was handled. Plus Lana didn't always it right with me. She was combative and always throwing the past, as well as his addiction, in Cal's face. Then there's the fact that Cal threw money around like it was nothing. Which I get it he has $25 billion, but dang! My mind just cannot wrap around the fact that he just spent like he did.

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Tuesday, February 7, 2023

5 Football Romance Series You Should Read

With the "Big Game" quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to read some football romances!

If you know me at all, you know football isn't my first choice for sports romances. However I do still read them, and I have 5 series that I think you should read! You know, if you haven't already. I also want to mention that the majority of these recommendations do not have cliffhangers. I love a good standalone series where each book focuses on a different couple! That being said, the Vegas Aces series is full of cliffhangers! Prepare yourself for that because they leave you wanting. But also loving the characters.

The Playbook by Alexa Martin

Number of books: 4
Released: 2018-2020

Now I'm sure most people have read this series. If not though, I highly suggest you do! This series focuses on four different relationships. It's the meet cute, it's the adjusting to dating a professional athlete, it's the drama that ensues, the heartache, the reunion, and the ultimate fall. Each book gives you a happily ever after, and I loved all of them.

Raleigh Raptors by Samantha Whiskey

Number of Books: 3
Released: 2020

Samantha Whiskey writes some wonderful sports romances. I fell for her hockey romance series, and when the Raleigh Raptors came out, I immediately read them. Now full disclosure; Nixon wasn't my favorite. I struggled with the storyline big time. I didn't vibe with Liberty at all, so that played a big part in it all. Roman and Hendrix though, loved those two stories. I am holding out hope that Samantha Whiskey will return with another addition to the series. That being said it has been over 2 years since Hendrix released, so I'm a little doubtful.

Denver Mountain Lions by Emily Silver

Number of books: 5
Released: 2022

This series features so many different tropes! From friends to lovers, to forbidden, to second chance romance, to enemies to lovers, to age gap, there is something for everyone. I fell hard for some of these players, as well as Emily Silver's storytelling. I cannot wait to read more from her.

Kingsmen Football Stars by Piper Rayne

Number of books: 2.5
Released: 2022-present

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Piper Rayne's small town romances. So when I heard about them branching off into football, I knew I'd have to give it a read. So far I've read the prequel, as well as You Had Your Chance, Lee Burrows. I will be reading Brady's story yet this month, and I cannot wait to dive into that single dad and the nanny romance. With Piper Rayne's books, you'll get a wonderful story, a bit of drama, a good dose of steam, and a happily ever after. You may also find yourself hoping other characters will get their story told.

Vegas Aces by Lisa Suzanne

Number of seasons: 4
Number of books: 20 (5 per season)
Released: 2021-present

In 2021 I read the first two seasons of the Vegas Aces, and I was hooked. Now here's the thing, you're going to want to read these books in order. You learn things in season one that carry over to season two, and then onto season three. I will say season four is a bit different, but it still helps to have the knowledge of previous seasons in your head. Luke Dalton kicks things off with his story, and our introduction to Ellie is one you won't forget. Jack Dalton is up next, and I went from hating this man to falling for him. Ben Olson is featured in season 3, and that was by far my favorite season. Tristan Higgans is up in season 4, and a familiar face appears (and attempts to mess things up). One thing I love about these seasons is that there is always a villain you love to hate. Each season has at least one, and I'm here for it. I cannot wait to see who the villain is in season 5. (and yes, season 5 is happening later in 2023.) Prepare yourself to swoon, laugh, cry, and want to throw your kindle.

There was one other series that I wanted to recommend, but I really wanted to keep my list at 5. So instead I'll list it as a bonus recommendation. That series is The Lone Stars by Katie Graykowski. There are seven books in this series, and I enjoyed so many of them. I remember tearing up at a few, swooning over a couple, and falling hard for a few players. If you're looking for a lesser known series, then check that one out too. The first book was published in 2013, and the last in 2021. The first six are offered with Kindle Unlimited, so if you have a KU subscription consider downloading one of the titles.

Have you read any of these series? Do you have any recommendations for me? I'm always up for another sports romance to read.

Happy Reading,
Laura

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.
Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.
Thank you!

Monday, February 6, 2023

What I Read Last Week

I read 9 fabulous books this week! From paranormal to small town to bully to sports romance, it was a phenomenal reading week. Plus I squeezed in a couple short stories that I found on Prime Reading. I love browsing through Prime Reading to see if anything catches my eye.

How did I manage to read 9 books? Well it definitely helped that 3 of them were under 60 pages! Plus there was one novella that was only 94 pages. So having those added in helped me out a lot.

Did you see my anticipated reads post that went up last week? If so, then you'll notice that four of these books were listed there. If you're curious about the tropes for these books, they are mentioned in that post.

What did you read last week? Any favorites? Any misses? What's on tap for this week?

Happy Reading,
Laura

Promised to the Night by Meg Anne and K Loraine

Friday, February 3, 2023

Thoughts I had while reading Princess of Hawthorne Prep

I recently finished reading an advanced copy of Princess of Hawthorne Prep by Jennifer Sucevic. This is the second half of Austin and Delilah's duet, and I have been anticipating this release. The book officially releases on February 10, 2023.

Rather than doing a typical review, I thought I would write out the thoughts I had while reading the book. None of what I've shared is a spoiler, or at least not from my perspective.

If you choose to read Princess of Hawthorne Prep (remember to start with Prince of Hawthorne Prep), then maybe you'll have similar thoughts. You may also know what scene I'm talking about with each random thought.

I hope you like this little change up when it comes to sharing reviews/thoughts on books. It's new to me, but it seemed like a good idea. Even more so since I was saying some of these things out loud.