I really need to stop reading books that make me cry while on lunch at work! I also wasn't expecting the tears from this super sweet story of two women who fall in love as young girls, are told they are abominations for their love, torn apart, but reconnect many years later as grandmothers.

I adored the bright and engaging illustrations but found the font to sometimes be just a *bit* too large. The dialog was also a little clunky and a little "tell-y" which is explained by the format of one of the character's telling someone her love story, but overall what a delight. Just have some tissues ready.

Re-read with the But Do They Bang 2022 Take a (Second) Chance on Me Discord, and my rating/review stands. When will we get a tv show of this delicious series!? I need it. Also Nico being such an inside softie but such a demanding and delicious lover? Holy moley, yes. I miss this Alisha Rai SO MUCH.

Livvy and Nicholas meet for an illicit night of sex once a year. There are two rules - one night only, no one can know. Childhood sweethearts, they broke up after a terrible accident and a terrible deal broke their two families apart.

After a decade of one nights, Livvy doesn't text Nicholas. When he finds out she has returned to their hometown, passion, temper, and family drama threaten to either finally bring them together or forever end everything.

SO GOOD. Ugh. I need to process and will write a better review later.

Second Read - ALL THE STARS.

I'm so into the Romeo and Juliet, star-crossed lovers, enemies to lovers tropes. Thank you Baz Luhrmann for forever marking adolescent Beth.

Alisha Rai grips you from the first pages of this splendid romance. It is highly emotionally charged, erotic yet tender, and so full of a cast of wonderful characters. I re-read this to prepare for [b:Hurts to Love You|35068637|Hurts to Love You (Forbidden Hearts, #3)|Alisha Rai|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1504987659l/35068637._SY75_.jpg|56364085] and I am so happy I did.

Spoiler

I love that while both Livvie and Nicholas obviously had other lovers, they both had special things they kept sacred to their relationship. I love that Nicholas denied himself BJs because they were too personal, to connected to his feelings for Livvie. I also loved how Livvie used her love of tattooing to put a permanent tribute to every one of her birthdays spent with Nicholas on her body. When they both discover these things, I die.

Be-still my heart, Rai truly ends her Forbidden Heart trilogy with a slow-burn that is satisfying and wonderful on so many levels. We finally get to see "Baby Chandler" Eve come into her own. We get Gabe's backstory. There's a wedding! There's family drama and bonding, and a happily ever after for pretty much everyone. Huzzah!

Be warned, I would definitely recommend reading this series in order. The pay-off will be so much better.

Also, I have to commend Rai, Avon, and the designers on having covers that are dead on representations of the book and the characters. LOVE them. Maybe next time a step back??? I love a good step back.

"Wren" is a "fixer" who turned childhood trauma into a lucrative career. Pretending to be Wren's second in command instead of the man himself helps get the jobs done. But, when intrepid cold-case investigator Emery starts honing in on his true identity, trying to expose him to help find answers to a case she's been desperate to solve since she was a teenager, Wren finds himself losing both his secret and his heart.

I enjoyed this tale of romantic suspense (the mystery itself was pretty easy to guess, but who cares) and enjoyed the cat and mouse game between Wren and Emery.

I loved Emery's backstory and her career. She was a cool heroine, but made me a bit mad at the end. The final drama at the end of the story came suddenly and resolved too quickly for my personal taste.

Wren is an unusual hero who is quite awkward in social situations, but also killer in bed. He takes things very literally. He is very blunt, but in a way that seems more like he doesn't understand sarcasm or word play. I think the author was using characteristics of Asperger's or Autism but without really labeling it, which I didn't quite pick up on until I read a negative review about the book written by a person who self-identified as autistic. Once I had that in my brain, it was a little easier to see, but also a bit problematic? I can't really comment much more than that, but wish the author had done a bit more to address this head on.

There is also a problematic scene where Wren knocks Emery out to "protect her" and basically kidnaps her to an airplane. It was a scene that was really ridiculous and out of place with the rest of the book which was basically consensual and sexy.

That said I found a lot to enjoy in the story and will be reading more HelenKay Dimon!

Alaska can kill you in so many ways so Maddie still isn't quite sure why her father made them move to the harsh wilderness. Sure, his job as a Secret Service agent meant he was almost killed protecting her, the President's wife, and her best friend and first kid Logan, but bears are just as dangerous as Russian kidnappers right?

Now sixteen and a wilderness bad-ass, Maddie has come to terms with her life even though she's so bored she's bedazzled her favorite throwing axe and she hasn't heard one word from Logan for over six years. Not one letter.

So, when Logan is suddenly air-dropped back into her life as a punishment, Maddie is determined to keep him frozen out. But Logan is now kind of hot. And kind of really happy to see her. And also, kind of kidnapped, again.

Super fun and tight YA thriller that was a true delight to read. I loved all of the details about making it in the wild and loved Maddie's sparky, hard core character. While the romance was a *bit* insta love (I wish Logan would have had a week or two with Maddie before being kidnapped), I still found it believable and sweet.

Remember kids, control top pantyhose can save your life!

A juicy character-driven tale about the consequences of one secret on the lives of three women.

I really found the narration of this book captivating and adored the Australian accent. The secret is revealed about midway through the book, so the first part is the buildup of the three main characters followed by the consequences of the secret in the latter half. I liked that this wasn't a twisty "gotcha" book. You weren't meant to be kept guessing, you were meant to have all sorts of feelings about questions about what you would do, if you knew. Or didn't know.

I've watched Big Little Lies and I was worried this would be too similar, but it wasn't in the most important ways. I could definitely see this as a mini-series or movie, for sure.

I listened to this for my upcoming Book to Art Club, and we'll be crafting "exploded flowers" while discussing.

SPOILERS AHEAD.

I was SO glad the secret wasn't a sexual one, or a secret paternity. That's what I was thinking, and then I was like oh. Nope. So good. I think Cecilia was my favorite character. I connected most with her and really enjoyed her moral struggles once she figures out her husband John Paul's secret. Tho, girl, I totes would have read that letter immediately. I'm bad at not knowing things. I also almost puked when Rachel hits little Poppy Fitzpatrick with her car. I hit a kid once, totally on accident, and she lived too, but you never ever ever forget it. Terrible. I wanted to punch stupid Felicity in her stupid face, but also understood why Tess didn't. But I still wanted her too. I'm glad Tess got to have some sexy times with Colin. Go girl.

Macy, a pediatric surgeon resident, is finally setting in to her adult life. Engaged to an older, stable man who makes her happy yet doesn't require much of her time, she thinks she is ready to be a wife and automatic mother to his six-year old daughter. Then she runs into Elliot.

Elliot was her everything person. Elliot who broke her heart ten years ago. Elliot who ruined every relationship she ever had after him, until now. Elliot who she still loves.

Told in Now and Then chapters, this is a great step into Women's Fiction for this dynamic duo of writers whose every written word I devour. Put this one on your 2018 Must Read List!

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC!

Zorie reluctantly agrees to a "glamping" trip at the urging of her mom, but regrets her decision when she realizes Lennon, the boy who broke her heart, is also on the trip. All Zorie really wants to do is live life by her many lists, try and reconnect with her friends, maybe flirt with her current crush, and attend a star-gazing party during the annual Perseid meteor shower. Any and all surprises need not apply.

But, the stars have something else in mind for Zorie as she and Lennon end up sort of lost in the wilderness. Alone. Don't forget the bears though. Despite the bears, the mosquitoes and some other mishaps, these two star-crossed lovers may find roughing it in the wild the perfect time to realign.

Bennett makes my heart sing. I adore her YA romances as they are full of relate-able, quirky and adorable characters, and just enough angst and drama to make you hold your breath, but nothing ridiculous and eye-rolling.

I especially enjoyed the parents in this book, as instead of being "invisible" or off page, they were fully fleshed out and integral to the story. I loved that Lennon's moms owned a sex-toy shop (part of the conflict between the two characters families), and that Zorie had such a great relationship with her step-mom.

Lennon is super sweet and dreamy - he can take me camping anytime, especially if there is sexlaxation included!! ;)

My only *wee* quibble is a huge spoiler so stop here if you don't want to know:

Spoiler

I found it a bit hard to believe that Zorie was not aware of Lennon's dad's suicide being the reason why he stood her up at homecoming. While I realize her shitty dad wouldn't bother to tell her, I can't fathom Lennon's moms would not have spoken to Zorie's step-mom, or someone else at school not knowing either. Just a bit far-fetched for me.

Well, I think my face is still on fire despite having finished this audio book a couple of days ago. I do believe Follow by Tessa Bailey is the sexiest book I've ever listened to in my entire life. *Fans self*

Theresa, aspiring film maker and protective sister, makes a deal with a devil to save her brother Nicky from a life of crime. Her job? Convince mob boss Silas's sexy son Will to return to New York.

After learning the father he barely knew is a criminal and that his beloved Great Dane Southpaw is dying all on the same day, Will ditched everything to take Southpaw and his Chevelle on the road trip of a lifetime.

When Will finds a topless Theresa in his hotel room, he is immediately suspicious something isn't quite right about the story she's telling him. But, both Theresa and Will find they are dangerously attracted to each other, secrets be damned.

Theresa refuses to sleep with Will, but agrees to join his adventure. Theresa needs to get him to NYC, Will wants Theresa to be his, and Theresa's starting to slowly but surely fall under his spell. But Theresa knows, the longer she lies to Will, the more likely it is she'll wreck not just him, but her when she turns him over to Silas.

The dance between these two is so utterly delicious. Phew. I hesitate to call this a slow-burn because there is a lot of sexy times, but you are made to wait a long time for many things and there are some quite creative intimate moments. Will and Theresa are into a certain type of role play which isn't necessarily for me, but hey whatever. I also appreciated Will being an absolute alpha, but also one who seeks consent, constantly. He is never gross like many other tortured alpha's I've read.

There is enough angst here to make you squirm, and the HEA is hard won, but this is an epic road trip I urge you to take on.

I did find some of the lines to be super cheesy and groan-inducing and the ultimate wrap up of the secrets being revealed is a bit hasty, but overall I'd definitely read this again.

I've been eagerly awaiting this book ever since I started reading Hawkin's Sexy History Tweet threads, and wow this does not disappoint! Congrats to the author on both a rolickin' fun, sassy story and its very timely publication!

I had such a blast reading this delightful treasure, and I can't wait for you all to read it too!

Full review to come closer to the publication date.

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC!!