Happy weekend! It is Friday and I am in Philadelphia to attend the Indies Invade Philly signing tomorrow. I am so excited to see old book friends, meet new book friends, and spend time with so many fantastic authors.
This week I read four more ARCS. I am a lucky lady because they were all fantastic! All four of these books released yesterday and today. Trust me, you want to read them.
This introvert has some sights to see, and some socializing to do, so I am going to run and do that while I can. Have an amazing week filled with books and stories that feed your soul and deliver the escape from reality we all need from time to time.
Happy reading!
ARC: Release Date- 10/12/2023
#SmallTown #FamilySeries #GrumpySunshine #ARC
5 STARS
Book one in a brand-new series that focuses on the Haven
brothers gives Josiah his HEA with Audrey.
It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV and can be
read as a standalone. Readers who have
not previously read the Bailey Brothers series will be introduced to the small
town of Tilikum, Washington. Located in the Cascade mountains of central
Washington, the town is full of interesting characters, organized squirrels,
and family relationships. If you haven’t
already been introduced, I am betting readers will want to explore the Bailey
series next after this book.
Audrey has hit a low point in her life after becoming
unemployed and finding a job near her hometown.
She returns home to a place she swore she would avoid, only to discover
that it was exactly where she needed to be.
I fell hard for Josiah by the end of the prologue, and I will be shocked
if I am the only one. Josiah is the stoic, sometimes grumpy, Haven
brother. He is a man of few words. This ultimately makes him perfect for
Audrey. She tends to ramble when excited
or nervous, and he easily brings her back to focus. Their path is forged by
trust, friendship, a desire to protect and understand, and ultimately love. They are challenged by forces beyond their
control but manage to thwart them and come out stronger for it. They have so many tender and romantic
moments! Their meet cute had me laughing. Their first date had me swooning. Their mishaps with her loveable dog, Max, had
me giggling. The friendship and peace
between the Havens and the Baileys brought a tear to my eye. This is especially true of the friendship
between Josiah and Asher. Happy is not a
big enough word to describe all the feelings I felt while reading this book.
While lower on the spice scale than some of the other books by this author, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. There are open door scenes between Josiah and Audrey. They are just not as explicitly detailed. What was gained, however, was a greater depth of emotional connection between them. There are certainly comedic moments in this book. Tilikum is a town ripe for picking these. There is also an underlying plot with light romantic suspense. I love a mystery and I was fully engaged trying to figure it out before it was revealed. I also loved getting to know more about the Haven family. I am intrigued. To say I am excited to read more of this series is a huge understatement. I will put on my best flannel and celebrate this series. Bring on the next Haven brother.
Fumbled Beginning (Atlanta Arrows #2) by S. Jones
ARC: Release Date- 10/12/2023
#Sports #BrothersBestFriend #ARC
5 STARS
Book two in the series can be read as a standalone and ends
with a HEA. It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.
Rylee and JP have had mutual secret crushes on each other
for a while. Since JP is also Rylee’s
brother, Maverick’s, best friend they have both resisted pursuing action related
to their feelings. Until they can’t
resist anymore. I liked Rylee and her
ability to be feisty and unintimidated by JP and his fame. I liked that under his playboy exterior, JP
was really a soft heart. Rylee’s
strength is exactly what JP needs. His
youth was marked with tragedy and loss, and it shaped him into a man who feels
incomplete and unable to commit to a relationship. Rylee is willing to fight for the future she
knows they can have. Their path is not without difficulty, but they make it to a
heartwarming HEA.
Witty banter, some hot times, a little angst, and a bit of heartbreak along the way: I didn’t want to put this down. I was fully engaged in the couple and their happy ending.
#SingleDad #FriendsToLovers #SmallTown #ARC
5 STARS
Book five is the final book in the series. Though it can be read as a standalone, it
wraps the series that begins with the prequel in a way that readers will
seriously want to read the whole series to get the maximum impact. It is written in third person from an
alternating dual POV and ends with a HEA.
Since Afton ran away in the prequel, readers and villagers
have been in the dark about what she has been doing and where she has been. I adored her story arc. She has come to terms with her sacrifice for
her freedom and set herself on a path to a fulfilling future. She returns to Glenlaig to tie up some loose
ends only to discover that things are now very different to what they were when
she left. The biggest surprise was
learning that Hamish is now back in Glenlaig after his recent divorce. I love Afton’s faith, her perseverance, and
the love she has for Hamish and Freya.
Hamish is struggling with all the recent changes in his
life. When Afton returns, he is
terrified that he doesn’t have it together enough to be what she needs. Afton has a very mature outlook on their
possible future. When Hamish messes up,
she lets him know it, but is ready to forgive him too. On of my favorite things is how his daughter
Freya and Afton bond in the most beautiful way.
It touched me deeply. Hamish is a good guy that I have liked from the
beginning. I love how perfect he and
Afton are for each other, their foundation of friendship, and the chemistry
they share.
This was medium heat with some explicit scenes, humor, a
little angst, and a very happy ending. I
loved this series and felt like this final book brought all the stories full
circle. At the same time, the author
sets up the new series in Scotland to come in 2024. I am super excited about this, and I cannot
wait.
#ForcedProximity #RomanticSuspense #ARC
5 STARS
This is book 10 in the Alaskan Security-Team Rogue
series. Yet it is the first book I am
reading in the series, which is a shame because now I need to make time to fit
in the first nine books. Though there is
a large found family that has obviously developed over the course of the
series, this was still easily read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in third person from an
alternating dual POV.
Eloise and Nate are both good at hiding their true selves
from the world. They have masks they have
developed over time. I love that
underneath the masks, when they are forced to show their true selves, they are
even more perfect for each other than either could have imagined.
Initially, Nate resists Eloise. His back story broke my heart and helped me
understand why he resisted her even though they are meant to be. Once they are stuck together and are on the
run, they each shine as their true personalities and vulnerabilities are
revealed. There is an undeniable chemistry between them, and it is a little bit
of a slow burn to get to the culmination of that.
Action, suspense, and some very funny moments along the way,
this book is filled with likeable characters that I fell in love with. As an Alaskan, I find it is often easy to
critique books set in Alaska. This is
not one of those books. Westbrook nailed
the small town feel that is the large state/small population of Alaska. The characters who live in isolation felt
true and accurate to my experience.
Reggie, in particular, was a revelation that reminded me in many ways of
my late mother-in-law. This was such a
fun read. I definitely need to find the
time to go back and read the other books in the series.
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