If you’re craving a steamy cowboy romance with grumpy x sunshine vibes, Paisley Hope’s Training the Heart delivers in spades! It’s the perfect follow up to Holding the Reigns, and I truly think that Paisley Hope’s writing just gets better and better. 🌾🤠

📖 Meet Wade, a broody ranch owner buried in responsibility and heartbreak. Enter Ivy, a fiery horse trainer with a love for animals and a determination to rebuild her life. Their chemistry? Off the charts and it’s clear they were meant to cross paths and show each other how to really live life.🔥

From fiery debates about horse training to stolen glances across the ranch, their dynamic is pure tension and slow burn goodness. Wade’s need for control clashes perfectly with Ivy’s free spirited approach, and the result is a beautifully written push and pull that will have you rooting for them.

What I loved:
🐴 Ivy’s unwavering passion for her work and her dream to make it to the Kentucky Derby
🤠 Wade’s quiet strength and the depth of his journey to let love back into his life
🔥 The moment their walls come down? SPICY and emotional
💔 Themes of healing, trust, and building a future despite a painful past

The small town ranch setting is so vivid, you’ll feel like you’re living at Silver Pines, surrounded by horses and heartbreak. And the romance? Equal parts sweet and scorching.

✨A must read for fans of slow burn, opposites attract love stories with ALL the cowboy feels. Add this to your TBR—you won’t regret it! 🐎❤️

Thank you to NetGalley, Paisley Hope, and Random House Publishing/Dell for the eARC of this book. 

If you’re craving a steamy cowboy romance with grumpy x sunshine vibes, Paisley Hope’s Training the Heart delivers in spades! It’s the perfect follow up to Holding the Reigns, and I truly think that Paisley Hope’s writing just gets better and better. 🌾🤠

📖 Meet Wade, a broody ranch owner buried in responsibility and heartbreak. Enter Ivy, a fiery horse trainer with a love for animals and a determination to rebuild her life. Their chemistry? Off the charts and it’s clear they were meant to cross paths and show each other how to really live life.🔥

From fiery debates about horse training to stolen glances across the ranch, their dynamic is pure tension and slow burn goodness. Wade’s need for control clashes perfectly with Ivy’s free spirited approach, and the result is a beautifully written push and pull that will have you rooting for them.

What I loved:
🐴 Ivy’s unwavering passion for her work and her dream to make it to the Kentucky Derby
🤠 Wade’s quiet strength and the depth of his journey to let love back into his life
🔥 The moment their walls come down? SPICY and emotional
💔 Themes of healing, trust, and building a future despite a painful past

The small town ranch setting is so vivid, you’ll feel like you’re living at Silver Pines, surrounded by horses and heartbreak. And the romance? Equal parts sweet and scorching.

✨A must read for fans of slow burn, opposites attract love stories with ALL the cowboy feels. Add this to your TBR—you won’t regret it! 🐎❤️

Thank you to NetGalley, Paisley Hope, and Random House Publishing/Dell for the eARC of this book. 

✨Fake fiancées. Age gap. Grumpy billionaire CEO. Daddy Dom vibes. Small town charm. CHECKLIST ADVENTURES.✨

Jere Anthony’s Don’t Call Me Daddy is EVERYTHING you didn’t know you needed in a romance.

📖 Picture this: He’s a workaholic billionaire whose dad doesn’t think he knows how to have fun (ouch), so in a total panic, he introduces the woman he met LAST NIGHT as his fiancée. Spoiler alert: she’s a ray of sunshine who lives to push his buttons—and call him "Daddy." 👀🔥

What you get:
❤️ A hilarious slow-burn that turns into a full-on inferno
🌄 Small-town Appalachian vibes with ALL the cozy feels
😂 Banter so good you’ll laugh out loud (and snort, probably)
🔥 Steamy, Daddy Dom/Brat moments that’ll make you blush AND swoon
💌 A hero who says “I can’t fall for her” while falling HARD

Ivy and Mr. Broody Billionaire Leo Kingsley are chaos in the best way. Their chemistry? Off. The. Charts. Prepare for a mix of laugh-until-you-cry moments, emotional depth, and spice that’s absolute perfection. 🌶️🌶️🌶️

If you love grumpy/sunshine vibes, fake relationships, and a side of kink with your romance, this book will RUIN you (in the best way).

While there are some inconsistencies and moments that aren't believable in the book, overall it was super fun and VERY spicy!

🏷️ Add it to your TBR NOW. You're welcome. 😉

🏈✨ Cleat Cute meets Friday Night Lights? Yes, please! Jodie Slaughter delivers a sapphic romance that’s equal parts fiery, heartfelt, and brimming with representation. This is the book you’ll want to devour in one sitting.

Jade Dunn is a badass assistant coach trying to smash through small-town football politics and snag her dream job. But just as she’s strategizing her way to the top, Francesca Lim—a sexy, sharp-witted art teacher with a Texas football past—shows up to challenge everything.

✨ Highlights that scored a touchdown:

Sapphic Sparks: The chemistry between Jade and Francesca is undeniable, with a perfect mix of slow-burn tension and spicy, high-stakes moments.
Authentic Representation: This book doesn’t just include representation—it embraces it. We have LGBTQIA+ characters, BIPOC characters, and women in sports. The cultural nuances and the dynamics of being queer in a football obsessed small town feel deeply resonant.
Strong Female Leads: Jade is fiercely ambitious and unapologetically driven, while Francesca’s blend of resilience and vulnerability makes her impossible not to love.
Enemies-to-Lovers Goodness: Their biting banter and fiery disagreements make the eventual romantic payoff SO satisfying.

📖 Favorite tropes:

Enemies to Lovers
Small-Town Secrets & Scandals
Strong, Independent Women with Big Dreams

Beyond the spice and banter, Ready to Score hits you right in the feels, exploring themes of second chances, personal ambition, and finding love in unexpected places. If you’re looking for a sapphic romance with heart and heat, Jodie Slaughter just dropped a must-read.

🏆 Verdict: This book doesn’t just score—it’s a championship win. Grab it and get ready to cheer for Jade and Francesca! 🎉

Thank you to NetGalley, Jodie Slaughter, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC of this book. 

🎄💉 Christmas meets Grey’s Anatomy vibes? Sign me up! This holiday novella delivers ALL the cozy drama and swoon worthy moments you could want from a small town winter romance. In true Lauren Asher fashion, there is the right amount of tension, drama, angst, romance, and spice. 

Catalina, our feisty and closed off nurse, is the maid of honor at her sister’s wedding—to her ex. Talk about awkward! Enter Luke Darling, the best man, who just so happens to be her ex’s charming and infuriatingly gorgeous best friend. The tension is instant, the banter is electric, and the forbidden romance? Chef’s kiss.

✨ Highlights you’ll love:

Luke Darling: Outgoing, determined, and so sweet he might melt all the snow in Lake Wisteria. He’s the perfect sunshine contrast to Catalina. Paging Dr. Darling, the hot but sweet doctor!
Catalina Martinez: Her sharp wit and guarded heart make you root for her as she navigates all the holiday chaos and the growing attraction to her ex's best friend while balancing being the maid of honor at her sister and ex's wedding (whew, that's a lot!).
Small town holiday magic: From twinkling lights to cozy fireplaces, Lake Wisteria feels like the perfect escape.
Drama with heart: The family dynamics, the history with her ex, and the moral dilemma of falling for Luke will keep you hooked.

📖 Favorite tropes:

Grumpy x Sunshine
Brother’s Best Friend (but make it her ex’s BFF)
Small Town Christmas Charm
Slow Burn with explosive chemistry
A LEGO nerd! 

With witty banter, heartfelt moments, and a swoon worthy romance that feels like opening the perfect gift on Christmas morning, My December Darling is a must read for fans of Lauren Asher and anyone looking for their next holiday romance obsession.

❄️ Warning: You may want to pack your bags for Lake Wisteria and accidentally bump into a Darling of your own. 😉

There were some aspects of this book that I really loved, and others that I feel missed the mark. Brittany Arreguin captures the charm of small-town life and the excitement of sports romance and the brother's best friend trope in Fielded Dreams. Set in Neptune Beach, California, the story blends the struggles of chasing dreams with the warmth of rekindled connections. Corey Ramirez's journey from disillusionment to rediscovering his passion, spurred on by Leanne Fairbanks' determination, makes for an engaging premise.

While the book offers a fun and heartfelt storyline, there are areas where it falls short. The pacing occasionally felt uneven, and the writing could have been more polished to truly elevate the emotional beats and character arcs. I felt the writing was underdeveloped and not as well done as it could have been. However, the core idea—a "hometown hero" grappling with self-doubt and a romance with his best friend's sister—is strong and carries the narrative.

Leanne's resilience and optimism contrast well with Corey's internal struggles, making their chemistry believable and heartwarming. The small-town atmosphere adds charm, but the plot could have benefited from deeper exploration of the characters' emotions and stakes.

Overall, Fielded Dreams delivers a feel good read with a solid premise. While not without flaws, it's an enjoyable story that captures the spirit of love, friendship, and finding your place.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5/5)

Thank you to NetGalley, Brittany Arreguin, and Good Fortune Books for the eARC of this book. 

🎬✨ On Screen & Off Again ✨🎬

I really wanted to love this book—it has such a cute cover and the Hollywood romance premise was everything I hoped for. Childhood sweethearts turned co-stars? Yes, please! But sadly, this one missed the mark for me.

The characters? Immature. The writing? Just not it. 😔 The pacing felt totally off, and while I was rooting for Wil and Dax to have their moment, their storylines weren’t fleshed out enough to pull me in. It’s a second chance romance with so much potential, but it needed deeper character development and stronger execution to really shine.

That said, if you’re into light, fast reads with a Hollywood vibe and don’t mind a bit of chaos, it might still be worth a shot. Not every book lands perfectly, but hey, sometimes we stay for the drama, right? 🎥💔

⭐ 2.5/5 (rounded up to 3 stars)

👀📚

Thank you to NetGalley, Caitlin Cross, and 8th Note Press for the eARC of this book. 

Wild West Village by Lola Kirke 🎸✨

In this memoir that's not exactly a memoir, Lola Kirke’s features sharp, darkly funny, and deeply personal essays that’ll have you laughing one minute and reflecting the next. From growing up in the bohemian chaos of a West Village brownstone to finding her way as a “big city girl gone country,” Kirke lays it all bare with wit and a touch of irreverence.

Her stories are rich with eccentric characters—rock star dads, fashion-forward moms, and a house filled with artists, exiles, and more drama than an HBO series. The wild backdrop of her upbringing collides with her quest for identity, making for a rollercoaster read that’s equal parts heartfelt and hilariously self-deprecating. Additionally, there are pseudonyms and code names for celebrities in her circle or those she crossed paths with, but it's easy to deduce who each person is if you're a fan of celebrity culture, which I most certainly am. 

Kirke’s voice is unapologetically authentic, whether she’s musing on family dysfunction, awkward adolescence, or her unexpected pivot to country music. This book captures the messy, beautiful process of growing up—and growing into yourself.

If you love memoirs that balance humor with raw honesty (think Bossypants meets a Wes Anderson film), Wild West Village deserves a spot on your shelf. It's a quirky, poignant gem that leaves you rooting for Lola all the way. 💫

Thank you to NetGalley, Lola Kirke, and Simon & Schuster for the eARC of this book. 

Wild West Village by Lola Kirke 🎸✨

In this memoir that's not exactly a memoir, Lola Kirke’s features sharp, darkly funny, and deeply personal essays that’ll have you laughing one minute and reflecting the next. From growing up in the bohemian chaos of a West Village brownstone to finding her way as a “big city girl gone country,” Kirke lays it all bare with wit and a touch of irreverence.

Her stories are rich with eccentric characters—rock star dads, fashion-forward moms, and a house filled with artists, exiles, and more drama than an HBO series. The wild backdrop of her upbringing collides with her quest for identity, making for a rollercoaster read that’s equal parts heartfelt and hilariously self-deprecating. Additionally, there are pseudonyms and code names for celebrities in her circle or those she crossed paths with, but it's easy to deduce who each person is if you're a fan of celebrity culture, which I most certainly am. 

Kirke’s voice is unapologetically authentic, whether she’s musing on family dysfunction, awkward adolescence, or her unexpected pivot to country music. This book captures the messy, beautiful process of growing up—and growing into yourself.

If you love memoirs that balance humor with raw honesty (think Bossypants meets a Wes Anderson film), Wild West Village deserves a spot on your shelf. It's a quirky, poignant gem that leaves you rooting for Lola all the way. 💫

Thank you to NetGalley, Lola Kirke, and Simon & Schuster for the eARC of this book. 

Broken Harbor 🏒💔

I swear, Catherine Cowles NEVER misses. This was SO GOOD! Nobody does romantic suspense like Catherine Cowles, and Broken Harbor is proof she’s at the top of her game! This time, she brings us a perfect hockey romance (I'm so happy she has written a sports romance) that hits all the right notes: heart-pounding tension, sizzling chemistry, and enough emotional depth to keep you hooked.

Cope Colson isn’t just your average hockey star. Sure, he’s fierce on the ice and a little reckless off it, but his tender care for a single mom and her son is what will melt your heart. The way he steps in as their protector (and low key their personal chef 👨‍🍳🍝) is EVERYTHING. His vulnerability and the way he brings her walls crumbling down? Chef’s kiss.

And let’s not forget the steam 🔥🔥🔥—every glance, every touch, every stolen moment between these two had me blushing and fanning myself. Those desk scenes? OMG YES. But it’s not just about the romance. Cowles weaves in suspense that’ll have you on edge, rooting for them to overcome their pasts and fight for their future. As usual, just when I think I know who did it, she surprises us with another twist! 

If you love stories with protective heroes, strong heroines, an adorable kid (Luca has my whole heart), and hockey, Broken Harbor is a must read. Just prepare for an emotional rollercoaster—you’ll laugh, cry, swoon, and maybe scream (in the best way). 🚨💓

All hail the queen, Catherine Cowles! No one does small town suspense and romance better than her, and I absolutely LOVE the Sparrow Falls series. 📚✨