Well all bets were off this week, as I stood a snowball in hells chance of reading more than I acquired. With two book events in 4 days and one of those guaranteed to include free books it was a lost cause.
My first event last Saturday was Stockport Noir, a new crime festival and it was fabulous. Very well planned and organised with great guests in excellently balanced panels. So, a shout out to Chris McDonald and Serenity Booksellers for doing a cracking job. I haven’t had time to do a write up but I read a very good review by @puzzledoctor that you can see here. It was that good, I’ve already bought my ticket for next year. On the book buying front, it was very good too. As my crime reading is actually at an all time low, I largely for my OH. As luck would have it, all of the books that he would have wanted he’s already read as I’ve previously bought them. I’m going to cheat here and not add the book from my goody bag as I won’t read it. I did however buy the latest in the Cesare Aldo series by DV Bishop as it’s a series I’d like to read. My OH does not normally read historical crime but he’s now read and enjoyed the first two, so that’s a massive recommendation.
My second event I’ve already talked about, the fabulous TeamBATC2025showcase, so you can go back and read about that should you want to. For those that have seen it, you know already how big the book pile was. What I probably forgot to mention was that all the authors present signed their books, so that means they’ll have a permanent place on a bookshelf. Slight problem at the minute though, I’ve run out of shelf space!! The day I travelled down to London coincided with drop day for Brynne Weaver’s Scythe and Sparrow. I listened to the previous book in the series, because it’s co-narrated by the wonderful Eric Nolan, happily so is this one so it had to be bought. Cheekily, last month I signed my OH up for an Audible offer of 3 months for 99p, so this was an absolute steal for 99p.
Needless, to say none of the above stopped me from acquiring more Kindle books so sit tight, it’s going to be a long post!
On the reading front, I’m still with brother’s (sort of). I finished the third in the Walsh Family series and moved back to ice hockey players, who were more a band of brothers, rather than literally being related. I’d already read the first two in Lulu Moore’s New York Players series and as I had the rest patiently waiting on my Kindle, I decided to finish it. The joy of binge reading a series is that you get involved in the little bubble of the character’s world and become invested in the side characters that will hopefully get their own story. As the last book was written in 2023, and Ms Moore has published other books outside this series, it looks like I might never see Brogan and Carter finding love. Never the less, a fun series featuring over-sexed, over-paid hockey gods, brought to their knees by falling in love. Word of warning, another spicy series if that’s not your thing.
Books Acquired
Books Read
Books Purchased
A Divine Fury by DV Bishop (£9.99)
A religious serial killer is haunting Florence and only Cesare Aldo can stop them. A Divine Fury is an atmospheric historical thriller by D. V. Bishop, set in Renaissance Italy.
‘Full of dash and atmosphere’ – The Times
Florence. Autumn, 1539.
Cesare Aldo was once an officer for the city’s most feared criminal court. Following a period of exile, he is back – but demoted to night patrol, when only the drunk and the dangerous roam the streets.
Chasing a suspect in the rain, Aldo discovers a horrifying scene beneath Michelangelo’s statue of David. Lifeless eyes gaze from the face of a man whose body has been posed as if crucified. It’s clear the killer had religious motives.
When more bodies appear, Aldo believes an unholy murderer is stalking the citizens of Florence. Watching. Hunting. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike again . . .
The Ivy House by Laura-Elise Bishop (free)
Kate Barton is a woman who gets what she wants. Fresh out of university, she’s secured her dream job as a jewellery designer. However, it involves returning to her imposing family home, The Ivy House and the chaos she left there. When she falls for a tall, dark, mysterious stranger, she’s shocked to learn that he’s linked to every part of her life.
Alex Compson is a man who never sits still. Clever, secretive, but vulnerable, he’s built a fortress around his heart. A chance encounter with a beautiful woman forces him out of his comfort zone and deeper into her life.
The Ivy House itself is forbidding and protective of its inhabitants, with the power to tear relationships apart, or secure them forever. With both Kate and Alex keeping secrets from each other, which threaten to collapse their relationship, will the house come to their rescue or force them apart?
Sinful Enemy by Vivian Wood (free)
Kate never meant to marry billionaire playboy Luca Leone. He wasn’t looking for love, but he had an offer she couldn’t refuse.
Waking up married to Luca after a wild, drunken night was the last thing she expected. He might have been the hottest guy she knew, but he was also insufferable. Once the haze wore off, Luca made her a proposition: stay married until his ex’s wedding. In return, he’d cover the cost of saving her home.
Sharing a home, stolen glances, and moments of undeniable chemistry made it harder and harder to resist him. It seemed simple… until the lines between fake and real began to blur.
Could Kate make it through two months of wedded “bliss” without falling for the man she swore she couldn’t stand? Or would their arrangement leave her with more than just a broken heart?
Tropes: Billionaire romance, accidental marriage, fake relationship, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, spicy.
Unromance by Erin Connor (99p)
Sawyer Greene is done with romance.
Once a bestselling author of the genre, she’s been left with nothing but heartbreak and bitterness.
Mason West is a hopeless romantic.
He has a habit of falling in love with all the wrong people. So when the two find themselves stuck in a lift together, Sawyer is determined this will not be their meet cute.
But the universe has other plans.
Sawyer and Mason make a plan to cure him of his hopeless romanticism, her of her writer’s block. It’s simple. Sawyer will become the romcom love interest of Mason’s dreams and ruin romance for him one trope at a time…
There’s just one rule: do not fall in love.
What could go wrong?
Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver. Audiobook narrated by Eric Nolan and Samantha Brentmoor (Audible offer – 99p)
Murder.
Mayhem.
And spice.
Doctor Fionn Kane is running from a broken heart, one he hopes to mend in small-town Nebraska, far away from his almost-fiance and his derailed surgical career. It’s a simpler life: head down, hard work, and absolutely no romantic relationships. He wants none of the circus he left behind in Boston.
But then the real circus finds him.
Motorcycle performer Rose Evans has spent a decade on the road with the Silveria Circus, and it suits her just fine, especially when she has the urge to indulge in a little murder when she’s not in the spotlight. But when a kill goes awry and she ends up with an injured leg, Rose finds herself stuck in Nebraska, at the home of the adorably nerdy town doctor.
The problem is, not every broken heart can be sewn back together.
. . . And the longer you stay in one place, the more likely your ghosts are to catch up.
Same Time Next Week by Milly Johnson (Showcase Hbck – due 27th February)
Welcome to Spring Hill, home to a square of independent shops and cafes, a thriving local community and nearby the newest venture, Ray’s Diner. Here a group of women meet once a week over a cup of something warming.
Amanda is primary carer to her elderly mother and one of the only women in a male-dominated company. Used to being second-best all her life, is this her time to finally break ranks and shine?
Sky works at the repair shop, patching up old teddy bears, and their owners’ hearts. But her heart beats for the one man who is strictly off-limits.
Mel has been a loyal and loving wife to Steve for thirty years. Then when he goes to his old school reunion, life as she knows it will never be the same again.
Erin is trying to get over a traumatic loss where her guilt weighs more than her grief. Can she find the first step to healing lies in sharing an hour with strangers once a week?
Astrid is feeling in need of a change and a challenge. But when a fantastic opportunity presents itself, who is around to convince her she is worthy enough to take the risk?
Can these women find the answers to their worries, acceptance, courage, support here? Join them at the same time next week to find out…
The Golden Hour by Kate Lord Brown (Showcase ARC – due Apl)
The Golden Hour is an epic dual timeline story which interweaves glory-seeking desert archaeologists, priceless treasures, Nefertiti’s tomb and the decadent cabarets of WW2 Cairo with restless expat lives in bohemian Beirut.
Archaeologist Lucie Fitzgerald’s mother is dying – she’s also been lying. As her home, the ‘Paris of the East’, Beirut, teeters on the brink of war in the ‘70s, Polly Fitzgerald has one last story to tell from her deathbed. It’s the story of her childhood best friend Juno and their life in 30s Cairo. Lucie travels home to be with her dying mother and discovers the truth about her family, Juno’s work and their shared search for the greatest undiscovered tomb of all – Nefertiti’s.
From the cities to the deserts, this transporting and moving story of a lost generation transformed by war is a study of great love and sacrifice in all its forms, the perfect novel for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Victoria Hislop.
Wild About You by Sophie Loxton (Showcase ARC – due May)
She’s had enough of saying yes. But what if someone drives her wild enough to change her mind…?
Anna Whitlock is done being nice. After a lifetime of saying yes to everything – work deadlines, sponsored runs, impromptu drinks and (especially) her fiancé Sean – everything Anna has worked so hard for falls apart in one terrible afternoon. With a broken heart she heads to the countryside to start again.
The glorious Stonemore Estate in the wilderness of Northumberland holds more than enough distraction for a city girl. There’s Callum, the gorgeous estate manager, and an enthusiastic beagle called Hugo. And then there’s Jamie, Stonemore’s sexy but emotionally unavailable owner, who seems to be hell-bent on making Anna’s rewilding job as difficult as possible.
But when romance with Callum begins to flourish is her newfound resolve to stop people-pleasing about to falter? And why can’t she stop thinking about Jamie? Can she really start to put herself first and let herself say yes to the thing which will make her happiest, falling truly madly wildly in love…?
Book Boyfriend by Lucy Vine (Showcase ARC – due June)
Jemma has lived a thousand lives through books. The only life she isn’t living is her own.
That is, until the day she finds a note from a stranger in her favourite library book. When she replies, the pair begin a longhand conversation about their love of novels that sees Jemma finally coming out of her shell. Is she ready to fall in love for the first time – with someone she’s never met?
Clara has always run away from her problems, but this might finally be one she can’t escape.
Everyone wants to know what happened to Clara in America – but Clara isn’t talking. Instead she’s focusing all her energy obsessing over a hot new actor, starring in the TV adaptation of her twin Jemma’s favourite book. Soon, Clara is reading every interview, trawling his social media, and following him to showbiz parties in the hopes he’ll notice she’s The One.
As the sisters fall hard for two men they’ve never met, it’s time to ask the question: Can either relationship survive the real world?
Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood (Showcase ARC – due July)
Their story might be scripted, but the chemistry is real.
When Cynthie Taylor gets her first real acting job, starring in a small British movie, she is over the moon. There’s only one problem . . . Cynthie’s arrogant and annoyingly handsome co-star Jack hates her, and the feeling is definitely mutual. While they may be at war behind the scenes, their on-screen chemistry is palpable, and the studio sees an opportunity – have the two young stars fake a romance that will charm fans and draw crowds.
Thirteen years later, Cynthie and Jack have successfully kept their promise to stay far away from one another, until a surprising offer comes to make a sequel to the cult classic that launched their careers. But there’s a catch: they must also rekindle their pretend relationship . . . and this time there’s a documentary crew following their every move.
Cynthie and Jack both desperately need this film to work, but can two ex-rivals ever really trust each other? And what happens when the roles they’re playing start to feel all too real?
Them Girls by Eva Verde (Showcase Manuscript Copy –
Two sisters, a lifetime of secrets, and the chance to set the record straight…Meet Goldie and Vee: sisters, dreamers, grafters. In their forties, both appear to have it all…
Until Goldie finds the courage to leave Benedict. Once upon a time their faux marriage worked, but when the magnetic Wolfie comes on the scene, her world of pretending falls apart.
Vee’s neat world is spiraling, too. Since her ex-husband Jamie started dating Julia her cruel school bully, Vee’s long-buried insecurities are out of control. She needs to get away, and fast.
So when Goldie suggests a holiday in France, Vee leaps at the idea. A curiously well-timed invitation – just as speculations around Goldie’s brilliantly brief pop career back in the nineties are beginning to resurface. Escaping’s one thing, but nothing stays secret forever, and as Vee and Goldie’s unresolved pasts make surprise returns, the stories them girls once told themselves begin to look very different…
A raw and real portrayal of two sisters, the lives they left behind and the lives they want to lead, Them Girls is bold and immediate and deals with themes of identity, class and the corruption of power . . .
Bea’s Book Wagon by Julie Haworth (Showcase ARC – due Oct)
This next chapter is just the beginning of her story.
Set in the fictional Sussex village of Blossom Heath, and featuring characters you will know and love from Julie Haworth’s RNA Katie Fforde Debut of the Year Always By Your Side and follow up New Beginnings at The Cosy Cat Café, Bea’s Book Wagon is a cosy, uplifting and comforting romance that tells the story of two love-interest hero’s vying for Bea’s heart – her artisan-cheesemaking childhood sweetheart and a knock-you-off-your-feet property developer. After impulsively jacking in her dead-end temp job and investing her life savings in a ramshackle old horsebox, Bea sets about turning her dream of running a bookshop into a reality, and opens Bea’s Book Wagon. But it’s not all smooth sailing, and as Bea struggles with the challenges of running her own small business, she can only hope that her love of literature and the power of reading can help transform the lives of her friends, her community and herself in the process.
City Girls Forever by Patricia Scanlan (Showcase ARC – due March)
The City Girls are back! And as City Girl, Devlin Delaney’s iconic gym and spa, prepares to mark a big anniversary, Devlin and her best friends Caroline and Maggie are looking forward to a fabulous party where they can all put their problems behind them and celebrate. Devlin’s past has returned to haunt her, with a shocking revelation. But she’s strong and her beloved Luke has her back. Caroline is facing up to issues she’s long suppressed, with the help of a man who’s becoming more than a friend. Will happiness finally be hers? Maggie’s family is driving her mad. Her ex, Terry, and their daughter don’t get on, and she’s made an alarming discovery about her elderly mother’s financial affairs. She wants to run far, away. Sparks are going to fly, and some people are going to get a lot more than they bargained for!
Probably Nothing by Lauren Bravo (Showcase ARC – pbk due March)
Bryony doesn’t actually mind being single. So she doesn’t understand why she keeps seeing (ok, sleeping with) Ed, who is perfectly fine, but also only okay. After developing the ick on their fifth date, she resolves to end things – only to receive a call the next day telling her Ed has died.
Worse yet, he seems to have represented her to his family and friends as his great love. Obviously, it would be cruel to correct them. Then she’s invited to the funeral. It would be equally rude to refuse . . . right?
Before she knows it, Bryony has been drawn in by the charisma and chaos of Ed’s eccentric family and tangled in a web of her own lies. She’s been guilted into signing up to his sister’s pyramid scheme, she’s in far too deep with several of his nearest and dearest – and to make matters worse she’s experiencing a lot of physical symptoms that are becoming harder and harder to ignore . . .
The Secrets of Dragonfly Lodge by Rachel Hore (Showcase ARC – due July)
Secrets from the past, unravelling in the present…
Uncovering secrets that span generations, Rachel Hore delivers intriguing, involving and emotive narrative reading group fiction like few other writers can.
Nancy Foster has harboured a devastating secret that shattered her professional and personal life. On meeting her, journalist Stef Lansdown realizes that she has the power to restore Nancy’s reputation and to heal the wounds, if only Nancy will trust her. But someone else wants to get to the bottom of the story first, someone who doesn’t want it to be told.
Set in the beautiful environs of the Norfolk Broads in 2010, and in London in the ’40s and ‘50s, when life for career-driven women was so different, The Secrets of Dragonfly Lodge is Sunday Times multi-million copy bestselling author Rachel Hore’s utterly compelling new novel, interweaving the past and the present.
Unloved by Peyton Corinne (Showcase pbk)
The highly anticipated follow-up to the TikTok sensation Unsteady which follows hopeless romantic Ro and player – on and off the ice – Freddy as they form an unexpected bond.
Matt ‘Freddy’ Fredderic is all smiles – at least on the surface. On the ice, he’s the star left winger for the Waterfell Wolves with a stellar reputation in bed. But in the classroom, he’s retaking failed classes and struggling with dyslexia, dyscalculia and ADHD. Now tied to a National Hockey League contract upon graduation, Freddy needs help to pass biology.
Ro Shariff has a history of terrible luck in love – and now, she is Freddy’s tutor. Trying to convince herself that she’s very happy with her on-again/off-again boyfriend, Ro is desperate for real affection. As her tutoring sessions with Freddy lead to late-night phone calls and an understanding of each other’s pains, a friendship emerges between them. And, inevitably, a wistful secret pining hidden by them both.
Together, they will show each other how easy it is to love the right person, no matter their flaws.
Best Summer Ever by Heidi Swain (Showcase ARC – due Apl)
Summer is in full swing when Daisy drives back into Wynmouth in her almost-clapped-out car, having left both her most recent job and the man her parents thought she was going to marry. Coming home could be just what she needs to move her life on.
At Wynbrook Manor, things are in disarray. Owner Algy isn’t getting any younger, and Daisy’s mum Janet, housekeeper at the manor, spends her days running around after him, while Daisy’s dad Robin, the gardener, has been let down by the person he had lined up to take care of the new cut-flower garden.
As Daisy tries to find her place at Wynbrook and in the village, she’s drawn to summer visitor Josh. But when he turns out to be not the person he appears to be, will the spark between them fizzle out? And with it, the chances of this turning into the best summer ever?
A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole (Showcase pbk)
Half vampire, half valkyrie, Emmaline spent her entire life hidden among the Lore in New Orleans surrounded by the loving, yet overbearing coven who raised her. All Emmaline wanted was a trip to Paris – a chance to investigate her parents’ mysterious deaths there all those years ago. But one crowded city night, she’s knocked off her feet by a striking werewolf. He’s towering, intimidating, and infuriatingly seductive. And he won’t let her go.
The Lykae King, Lachlain MacRieve, has been imprisoned in the catacombs beneath Paris for over 150 years by his sworn vampire enemies, but the scent of his Fated Mate on the streets above gives him the strength to finally escape from his subterranean prison. Lachlain has waited for her for centuries, and the last thing he expects is the bewitching vampire mix who seems to want only to escape his grasp. Yet he knows only she can soothe the fury within him and he’s determined to make her his by the next full moon.
As Lachlain convinces the hesitant but fiery Emma to accompany him to his ancestral home in Scotland, the pair will come up against ruthless creatures, ancient evil, and the irrevocable pull of Fate. Will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a warrior to his knees and turn Emma into the fighter she was born to be?
Title
Steamy meets sweet when the Campbell family and a romance book club collide! Join the club and get your Happy Ending. USA Today Bestselling Series!
The Happy Endings Book Club Boxed Set includes three full-length novels: Hidden Hollywood, Inviting Trouble, and So Revealing.
Hidden Hollywood
She’s on top…
When superstar actress Claire Jordan researched her role for the Fierce Trilogy movies, she never expected the bond she feels with the author and her romance book club aka The Happy Endings Book Club. Soon Claire finds herself confessing her secret longing for a regular guy—no more egocentric wealthy players—and the book club is all too ready to help. In disguise as a regular girl, she’s all set for a date with book-club-approved Josh Campbell.
He’s on top…
Billionaire tech CEO Jake Campbell is weary of gold-digging women, especially the glamorous superficial types. So when his identical twin, Josh, calls in a favor, asking Jake to step in as him on a date, Jake figures one of Josh’s cute girl-next-door types might be just what he needs. One night of passion with the sweet girl next door leaves Jake wanting more, except she seems to have vanished.
Sometimes a Happy Ending is just the beginning.
Inviting Trouble
Madison Campbell has worshipped her older brother’s best friend, Parker Shaw, for as long as she can remember. So the night before he leaves for the Air Force, she decides he’s leaving town with her virginity. All she has to do is transform her tomboy self into a sexy woman with a bit of borrowed makeup and some creative fashion choices. The results? One drunken kiss that Park doesn’t even remember.
Ten years later, no man has ever gotten close to her heart the way Park did. And now that he’s back, the very unfeminine Madison refuses to blow her second chance. But when her bold attempts to snag his attention (“Oops! Dropped my towel.”) fail miserably, she does something completely insane—she caves to a makeover from the meddling matchmaker in charge of The Happy Endings Book Club. Hey, Park, you want some of this? Madison is about to find out.
So Revealing
The last thing Charlotte Vega needs is a cocky HOT stuntman like Ty Campbell in her life. But when he pulls the ultimate stunt—a sexy romantic gesture that ends with a charming invitation to a sunset dinner cruise—she finds him impossible to resist. Cue disaster.
Their rocky first date goes from bad to worse when his yacht (okay, it’s actually borrowed) gets stranded in deep mud. Turns out there’s nothing Ty can do but wait hours and hours for high tide with no power, no way to cook dinner, and a hangry sexy-as-hell woman.
But Ty is determined to salvage the date so he starts a game to pass the time. Only what Ty learns makes him realize he may have just botched a date with the perfect woman. How will he ever win her now?
Slow Burn by Claire Ivy (free)
I’m Scott Ashley Madden and I’m a lot of things.
A son, a brother, a nephew, and an uncle.
I’m a hockey player. A goalie, a defender and a protector.
I’m a firefighter-stoic, loyal, brave-from the outside, I fear nothing.
I’m also a best friend.
A best friend to a smart, talented pastry chef, who also happens to be insanely beautiful.
Jenna Ashley McCall has been the keeper of my heart for as long as I can remember.
And this little baker is more tempting than the treats she creates. But I can’t allow myself to have her, even though I know she’s the love of my life.
My family thinks I’m dumb for not seeing what’s right there in front of me, what they don’t know is, l’ve been staring the whole damn time.
After I make a huge mistake, though, it’s now or never.
I just hope I still have a chance.
Slow burn is a full length friends to lovers firefighter romance that includes some on page hockey play and some on page spice. So no matter if you’re into your men in uniform, are a sports romance fan, or just here for the friends to lovers trope; there’s something for everyone.
Heart to Heart by Nora Everly (80p)
Just friends.
That’s all Liam Carter and I can ever be.
Sure, we’ve shared a kiss or two and our chemistry is off the charts.
And yeah, he’s too hot to be real and he looks at me like I’m the only woman in the world…
Pretending I don’t want to date him when he’s the sweetest man I’ve ever met is almost impossible.
But I can’t have him.
After what he went through, he deserves a fairytale. And I’m bad at love, with the reputation to match.
Add those to the rest of the reasons why I should keep my distance.
But here’s the big one:
Did I mention we work together now?
I’m the hot mess trying to start up a new business and he’s the got-it-all-together contractor in charge of the renovation.
The more time we spend together, the more I want—until I want it all.
How am I supposed to resist him now?
The Baby Plan by Emma Bennet (Free)
Sometimes life doesn’t go exactly to plan . . .
London accountant Sophie unexpectedly becomes the stand-in mum for her estranged sister’s eight-month-old baby, Alana. She didn’t even know she had a niece! She’s wildly out of her depth.
Then her life is turned upside down all over again by the appearance of a Thor lookalike on her doorstep. Apparently, six-foot surfer Samson is Alana’s father. And he also just discovered the existence of this adorable baby.
Sophie is not prepared to hand over her niece to an equally clueless stranger, so they come up with a plan: Sophie and Alana will move into Samson’s spare bedroom in Brighton until they work out what to do.
As they settle into changing nappies and nighttime feeds, Sophie finds it hard to ignore the way her heart somersaults whenever Samson looks at her. But he already has a girlfriend, who’s made it very clear that Sophie and Alana are in the way.
The more Samson and Sophie bond with little Alana, they can’t ignore the obvious attraction between them. But can they put their feelings aside and stick to the plan?
Please note this is a completely revised edition of Her Sister’s Baby.
Never Mine to Hold by Jennifer Sucevic (free)
Wolf Westerville.
There was a time when my world revolved around him, and I’d foolishly thought he’d be the one to claim all my firsts. Those dreams shattered into a million jagged pieces when the unthinkable happened.
Five years later and we both attend the same college. He’s a superstar goaltender for the Western Wildcats with a ticket to the NHL. I’m just trying to make it through the last year and a half of college all the while doing my best to avoid him.
Wolf has decided that it’s time for us to get reacquainted. As far as I’m concerned, he can shove that idea where the sun doesn’t shine.
Better yet, he can bend over, and I’ll happily do it for him.
He might not realize it, but my life is splintering apart at the seams. My parents have lost everything and can’t pay my tuition for the second semester, which means I need to figure something out.
Fast.
Or I’ll be forced to drop out and move back home.
Unwilling to allow that to happen, I decide to sell the only thing I have of value.
My V-card.
Playing to Score by Sasha Lace (99p)
He’s wanted her for years…but they’re professionals now. Who will cross the line first?
Skylar
I’ve fought my way to the captaincy of Calderdale Ladies, and it means everything to me. So when my toxic boyfriend breaks my heart, I bottle it up. The team comes first.
Dr Reece Forster is supposed to be getting the team in the right head space for victory, not counselling me through heartache, but I can’t help opening up to him.
The hot doc is off limits, but the chemistry between us is off the charts…
Reece
I’ve longed for Skylar Marshall since we were in school, when she was prom queen and I was eating lunch with the librarian. She never even knew I existed.
And now? I’m good at my job because I’m in control. The professional boundaries are there for a reason.
But when Skylar confides in me, it’s all I can do not to abandon my principles completely. If I tell her how I feel, I could lose everything. But, how can something that feels this right be wrong…?
Heart & Hope by Alexandra Banks (free)
Ruby Robbins has exactly six rules.
The first one, no dating, no distractions.
Second, no hoping and praying, just long hours and hard work.
She has her entire career trajectory mapped out and a point to prove to her overachieving, emotionally unavailable, Manhattan family. But when her boss throws her a curve ball and an assignment in who knows where Montana, she grits her teeth and gets on with the job.
There’s only one problem, her new client is an old-fashioned woman set in her ways, who believes a woman Ruby’s age should be married with kids by now. And when she assumes her new event planner is married, Ruby can’t bring herself to correct her.
She can’t let her boss down.
But how the hell is she supposed to find a fake husband out in hicksville?
Reed Rawlins is the youngest of four brothers, and the one nobody takes seriously.
Being a total goof probably doesn’t help.
The ladies man as his oldest brother Hudson calls him.
Direction or focus is something he’s never had. Unless you count his love for his truck… And when Harry hands him millions in ranch and machinery, and most of all high expectations, he is backed into a corner. One he has no idea how to break free from without letting down the entire family.
Not without giving up a secret he has held close to his chest his whole life.
Harry’s plans for him and the ranch he never wanted are many, and the thought of disappointing his Ma . . . devastating.
Books Read
Necessary Restorations by Kate Canterbary
Sam Walsh is hanging on by a thread.
He works hard at concealing his chronic illnesses and represses the lingering pains of childhood, but he’s running out of vices to distract him from his wounds.
Nothing feels good anymore. Not his prize-winning work preserving historic homes, not the family that refuses to give up on him even when he’s at his most self-destructive. The only thing he wants is the conservatory-trained chaos he meets in a stalled elevator car.
She’s the friend he never asked for and can’t imagine living without. Then, she’s more than a friend. She’s everything.
Tiel Desai is not the same person she used to be.
She’s finally found a place for herself in Boston, leaving the rejection and disappointment of her past behind. She keeps herself too busy to think about any of it, her days spent in grad school and with neurodivergent children in her music therapy practice, her nights devoted to the city’s underground music scene.
She’s learned how to get by—until Sam Walsh crashes into her world. He up-ends everything and takes spaces in her life she didn’t know she had to give.
They find more in each other than they ever realized they were missing.
But finding it might not be enough to keep it—or each other.
Drew by Lulu Moore
Let me ask you a question.
Have you met your soulmate?
I did, then promptly lost her. Because what happens in Vegas stays there, right?
Wrong.
I’d never been the relationship type, but I’ve spent every spare second of the past twelve months wondering what if. What if I hadn’t slept through my alarm? What if I hadn’t lost her number? What if I’d known her name?
But I came up blank.
That was until I found her. Emerson Reeves. My forever. Giving me the answers to all my questions.
What happened in Vegas isn’t staying there this time.
This time, I’m not letting go.
And all bets are off.
Felix by Lulu Moore
I have a secret.
Twelve years ago I crushed on my teammate’s little sister, before firmly putting her in the friend zone. Which then became the best friend zone.
And my teammate became more of a brother.
But now we have two problems.
One. I just found out she’s been crushing on me too, and my feelings have come hurtling back like a puck heading for the net.
Two. She’s my doctor and I’m her patient.
So we have some hurdles to get through. And I need to convince Doctor Molly Marks that we’re worth the fight.
That love is enough.
Because this isn’t a game I plan on losing.
Huck by Lulu Moore
You don’t date the Coach’s daughter. It’s the first thing you learn in Hockey 101.
Except whoever made that rule had never met Nora Campbell.
She came into my life like the blondest ray of sunshine, and I thought all my dreams had come true.
Then I found out who she was.
For two excruciating years I’ve crushed on her from afar, keeping my distance while she’s been working her magic rehabbing my injured teammates.
For two years I’ve been concentrating on my game; honing my skills, my speed and my strength to become the best defenceman in the league.
It all pays off the day I’m made Captain.
Unfortunately for me, it’s the same day an injury forces me to seek help from the one person who definitely shouldn’t be putting their hands on me, and the only person I want.
The more time we spend together, the harder it becomes to resist her. And the harder it becomes to remember the one rule I’m supposed to follow above all else.
Because it’s the one rule that was made to be broken.
The Verdict
| Books Acquired | 25 |
| Books Read | 04 |
| Imbalance | -21 |
| Balance brought forward | 33.96 |
| Weekly budget | 10.00 |
| Total Spent | 13.76 |
| Balance carried forward | 30.20 |
– Kelly Lacey & Love Books Tours