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Book reviews for the week of December 18th

 


This was a crazy-busy week with holidays, a quick, but unplanned, cross-country trip, and a full work week. I was able to read one ARC, listen to one audiobook, and read five novellas.  The prequel to Piper Rayne's new series is the perfect set up, and book one does an excellent job following through with a HEA while setting up future books.  Chelle Sloan's holiday novella was a fun read with a satirical twist.  Special Delivery was a reread via audiobook for me and a first time listen for the hubby as we drove across the country last week.  The duet narration was impeccable and really brought the story to life. I have had Her Wolf by Fiona Davenport on my kindle for ages and I finally got to read it.  Then I couldn't stop until I had read the next two books which detail the stories of her best friends.

I recommend all of these reads and I hope my reviews can help you determine if you need to add them to your list.  Until next time, happy reading.


False Start (Kingsmen Football Stars #0.5) by Piper Rayne

#SportsRomance #NewAdult #Prequel #Novella

5 STARS

This is the prequel to the Kingsmen Football Stars series.  It tells the back story of Lee and Shayna; the couple in book one.  It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.

This prequel begins when Shayna and lee in are college at the University of Michigan.  Shayna is a quiet and somewhat nerdy girl.  Lee is the star quarterback; very popular and very confident.  When Shayna is asked to tutor Lee in a shared class, he gets to know the girl behind the glasses.

I love the youthful first love they share.  I completely understood how youthful mistakes and poor communication lead to the downfall of their relationship.  This heartbreaking, steamy prequel to the series left me excited to see the couple get their HEA.


You Had Your Chance, Lee Burrows 

(Kingsmen Football Stars #1) by Piper Rayne

ARC: Release Date- 12/27/2022

#SportsRomance #EnemiesToLovers #SecondChance #Forbidden #Workplace #ARC

5 STARS

This book is the first in the series and sets the stage for more books to come.  It begins 8 years after the end of the prequel, False Start. Written in first person from an alternating dual POV, this interconnected stand alone ends with a HEA.

Lee is at the top of his game in the NFL when Shayna gets her dream job as an athletic trainer for his team.  He has matured a great deal and the way he handled things between them in college has been one of his biggest regrets. I liked that Lee is not perfect, even though he has grown a lot.  He still makes mistakes and is 100% human.

Shayna has rebuilt her confidence and is ready to take on the challenge of avoiding the QB as much as she can while pursuing her dream.  She is a little hard-headed at times and very sassy with Lee. 

I really like how they can move beyond the past and the misunderstandings they had.  I love the heat between them.  They have amazing chemistry leading to hot, emotional times together.  They each also have some personal baggage.  I love the growth their characters experience as they try to deal with the baggage that holds them back from each other.

With engaging writing, this emotional second chance was hard to put down.  I really enjoyed it and now I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.



Special Delivery (Always Satisfied #6) by Lauren Blakely

Narrated by Andi Arndt & Dan Bittner with Emma Wilder and Jason Clarke

#Holiday #ForcedProximity #SurprisePregnancy #Audiobook #Reread

4 STARS

Short and sweet with a side of steam, this novella delivers likable characters.  This brother's friend/accidental pregnancy story is low on angst and high on the feel good feelings.

Second time trough via audiobook.  I adored the duet narration on this sweet holiday read.  The characters were funny and likable brought to life perfectly by the fantastic narrators. 


Run Run Rudolph (The Naughty List) by Chelle Sloan

#Holiday #Celebrity #CinnamonRollHero #SmallTown #Novella

5 STARS

This was the last book published in The Naughty List series. (I have been naught though because I didn't get to read any of the others yet and jumped straight to this one.) It is a standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.

Hollie makes a run from it to small town Rolling Hills to get away from the paparazzi and falls for the best of all guys, Trent Rudolph. Trent has the opportunity to get to know the actress he has crushed on forever, only to learn that the woman is so much more than he ever dreamed.

I love the way the two characters form a friendship and bond together so quickly. They have some serious heat between them and I adored seeing that side of Trent. Hollie taking back her life was a blast to read. I was so excited for her to allow her true self the freedom to just be. I also adored the way Trent protects and supports her, even when it it hard for him to do.

This is a low angst holiday read with plenty of steam. It also has a side of sarcastic satire when poking at the Adored network and the way they treat Hollie. It was a really fun read that I can see reading again next holiday.


Her Wolf (Shifted Love #1) by Fiona Davenport

#Paranormal #Shifter #NewAdult #AlphaHero #FatedMates #InstaLove #Virgin #AgeGap #Novella #Holiday

4 STARS

Book one in the Shifted Love series can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.  It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.

This was a quick, steamy, holiday novella.  I love the way Zeke is so Alpha with Allegra.  I really enjoyed her easy acceptance of shifters and fated mates.  Hot and romantic: this was just the smutty read I was looking to devour.  Now, on to her friends' books.


Her Alpha (Shifted Love #2) by Fiona Davenport

#Paranormal #Shifter #NewAdult #AlphaHero #FatedMates #InstaLove #Virgin #AgeGap #Novella #Holiday

4 STARS

Book two in the Shifted Love series can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.  It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.

This was a quick, steamy, holiday novella.   I loved how feisty Larissa is.  Kace needed a warrior of a mate as the pack Alpha.  They are perfect for each other.  I adore the friendship between the girls and how they look out for each other. This was a wonderfully smutty novella that was quick to read.  It was just what I wanted.


Her Tiger (Shifted Love #3) by Fiona Davenport

#Paranormal #Shifter #NewAdult #AlphaHero #FatedMates #InstaLove #Virgin #AgeGap #Novella 

4 STARS

Book three in the Shifted Love series can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.  It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.

This was a quick, steamy that I really enjoyed.  I could appreciate how Calliope felt left out not finding her fated mate within the pack like her friends.  I loved how Tane was also a little jealous of his friends who had found love.  These tow were perfect for each other.  I love how Tane meets Calliopes's need for unconditional love and belonging.  His family is perfect when they accept and embrace her.  The chemistry between Tane and Calliope is hot and wonderful.  If not for a few minor inconsistencies with details between the books, these might have been five star reads for me.  As it is, I did really enjoy them and will be coming back to this series for more.

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