Happy Weekend! This week I read two ARCs, one series prequel, one new release, one book for a reading challenge, and the hubby and I finished an audiobook we started on our last road trip. Both of my ARCs are book one of brand new series and I am super excited about both of the. I read both Ashley Cade and Maya Nicole for the first time and they bring the heat to their books. I really enjoyed both of them. On a week where I worked way too much at my job, I am thrilled that i got to read as much as I did. Check out my reviews and add some books to your TBR. You won't regret it.
On The Defense (Chicago Grizzlies #0.5) by Piper Rayne
#Prequel
5 STARS
Written in first person from multiple POV, this prequel sets
up the new series. I am so excited to
get Miles and Bryce’s story. Readers meet all the major players of the series. I am excited for Cooper and Bell’s friends-to-lovers
story. I am super excited to see playboy
Damian settle down and get domestic. I am loving this series already.
Something Like Hate (Chicago Grizzlies #1) by Piper Rayne
ARC: Release Date-09/26/2023
#EnemiesToLovers #Sports #Fling #Forbidden #CinnamonRollHero
#ARC
5 STARS
Book one in a new series spins off from the Kingsmen series.
It can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. Readers might enjoy getting to know Bryce and
Miles in the Kingsmen series, though. This
book is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.
After meeting Miles and Bryce in the previous series, I was
super excited for them to get their happy ending. They have always fought and bantered with
each other. At the same time, I could always
feel the sizzle of their chemistry. In
her attempts to report fairly and without bias, she has also reported some things
that Miles found hurtful. Bryce is driven
to succeed in a field dominated my men.
She loves sports, especially football.
I adored her genuine love of the sport and her understanding of it. She has a lot of layers. She comes with baggage that she has to
address before she can get her forever.
Miles is an intellectual jock. I adored him!
He is sweet and sensitive hot all rolled up into a nice cinnamon roll hero. He is no pushover though. He pushes Bryce to open up and to trust
him. He tries his best to cherish her
despite the secrecy surrounding their romance.
He really was all that and a bag of chips to me.
This had hot times, tender moments, funny banter, and
football. They did a wonderful job here
and I am excited about the whole series.
Take Me To Church (Sinners and Saints #1)
by Janice Whiteaker
ARC: Release Date- 09/29/2023
#AgeGap #RomanticSuspense #MorallyGrayHero #Virgin #ARC
5 STARS
Book one in a new series can be read as a standalone and
ends with a HEA. This series is a spin-off
of the author’s Lost Boys series. Though
I have not read that series (yet), I had no problem reading and loving this book.
It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.
Lydia escaped the religious cult she was raised in a year
ago. She has had a lot to learn about
the real world and still maintains some of her innocence and naivety from her
sheltered upbringing. She will do
anything to get her sister out too. I
loved this character. She was incredibly
brave so many times. I love how she was
able to push through her fears, her determination to succeed, and her
willingness to do anything to save her sister.
I understood her and the struggle to break free from so many of the
oppressive things she had known.
Christian is an impressive hero. I love his fierce desire to right
wrongs. I love that he has his friends
and that they have their mission. He
does his best to protect Lydia from the world and from himself. I appreciated that she was able to bring a
softer side of him to the surface. I
loved the passion he had for her along with some very tender feelings.
This was a steamy, low-angst, suspense romance that I
struggled to put down. I loved the found
family aspect of the book. I loved the teamwork
between the men. I love how Lydia grows
and blossoms with Christian. This book
handles some heavy topics, and I thought it did it well. Readers will want to pay attention to the
author’s trigger warnings prior to reading.
CW/TW: “This book contains topics some readers might find
difficult to read or hear about. These
include spousal abuse, religious abuse, discussions of in-marriage rape,
violence, and murder. Please consider
skipping this story if you are sensitive to any of these subjects.”
#OppositesAttract #BestFriendsBrother #SmallTown
#ForcedProximity #Reread #Audiobook
5 STARS
This standalone is not tied to any other books by this author. It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV and ends with a HEA.
An island resort is the setting for the wedding of Laney’s best friend, Emma. As a bridesmaid, she is tasked with the job of keeping the bride’s brother away from the groom as they are not getting along well at the moment. Theo tries to stay out of trouble, yet it always seems to find him anyway.
I LOVED Theo. He has such a positive outlook despite the negative things that go on around him. I love how he works with his self-talk. I adore his feelings for Laney. Laney is at a turning point in her life. I appreciated that she is finding herself and that Theo helps her do that. Her character experiences so much growth and becomes stronger throughout this book. Theo has a lot to do with that. Her feelings for Theo have even more to do with that. They have some steamy moments that are explicit, yet this book is really all about the feelings they each have.
Though there are certainly funny moments, and even moments that are little crazy, this book reads differently that the author’s other books (and I have read them all at least once). There are deeper layers to this story. There are layers of friendship, the history of growing up together in a small town where nothing is a secret, and some secrets that have been kept. (Until they are not.) A large piece of both MCs growth revolves around meeting or breaking the expectations set for them by those around them. Laney’s relationship with her parents is complex at the beginning, yet only becomes more layered and complex by the end of the book. Theo has built a successful life with a side hustle that defies general approval on the surface despite being a very good thing overall. As a result, his side hustle is a secret only known by a few at the beginning.
Secrets, small town nosiness, love, friendship, and one-bed forced proximity make this book a read you won’t want to miss. Blame the author when you fall for Theo. He is impossible to resist.
Six Nights in Paradise by Ashley Cade
4.5 STARS
This super steamy contemporary why choose romance is written in first person from alternating multiple POV and ends with a HEA. This was my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it.
I was intrigued when I saw the blurb for this one, and I was excited I could squeeze it in between arc reads. It had many funny moments, lots of seriously hot times, and characters that were easy to love. Sometimes in this type of book I feel like the characters don't really get a chance to be developed. There are so many and you have to have the physical relationship evolve too. It makes it tough to make the characters more than a caricature. That is not the case with this book. I felt like each of the men and Paige were thoughtfully developed. I was able to get to know what drives each of them and what their baggage entailed. I love that each character has moments of vulnerability. I love that they struggle in the beginning and have to develop communication in order for the relationship to survive.
Paige is a force of a woman. I love how she pushes past her heartbreak and her vulnerabilities to go after what she really wants. I love how she supports each man in a different way and how she helps each of them grow while they help her do the same. Her sticky note obsession was something I really identified with too. I couldn't put this one down. If you haven't read the why choose trope before this is an excellent place to start.
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