Okay, so I love a good ex boyfriend's dad trope romance, and I did enjoy this for that. However, I feel like 1) it's just too short to really invest into (it's around 150 pages) and I felt like I couldn't connect to the characters or the story 2) I understand this is a Taylor Swift coded/inspired book, but it was a LOT; it seemed like it was more abut squeezing in as many Taylor Swift references and connections as possible instead of developing the actual plot and characters and 3) it was HEAVY on the spice, which is normally fine BUT because it was so short, it seemed like it was just ALL heavy spice and little to nothing else. 

I love Brittanee Nicole and love her books, but make sure to take this one for face value. It's short, it's mostly spice, and it's riddled with Taylor Swift, which might not be for everyone.

However, I am excited for the next books! 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Format: Audiobook (highly recommend!)
Narrators: Jason Clarke & Erin Mallon

A.L. Jackson does it again! At the Edge of Surrender might just be my favorite in the Moonlit Ridge series so far! This book is packed with everything I crave: suspense, emotion, steam, and a seriously swoony single dad who will do anything for the people he loves. And let’s talk about the audio… Jason Clarke and Erin Mallon absolutely crushed it. Their voices brought Kane and Emery to life in the best way. 

This one kicks off with a gut punch twist: Emery shows up on Kane’s doorstep with her four year old niece Maci, who just so happens to be his daughter. Yep. Total surprise single dad moment, and Kane melts. I swear, there’s nothing better than a morally gray alpha going soft for a tiny pigtail wearing cutie. Maci stole my heart instantly!

But this isn’t just a soft and sweet redemption arc. Oh no, there’s trauma, secrets, danger, and a whole lot of heat simmering between Kane and Emery. Their chemistry is undeniable, but what made this so powerful for me was watching both of them slowly open up, heal, and find something worth holding onto in each other.

Add in:
💥 Found family vibes with the Sovereign Sanctum crew (who I am OBSESSED with)
🛏️ Forced proximity (they become roommates!)
🔥 Roommates to lovers slow burn
🕵️‍♀️ Dark pasts + mystery twist I did not see coming
💔 Emotional flashbacks that hit hard
💞 Softness and safety amid all the chaos

This book had me grinning and kicking my feet one minute and clutching my chest the next. My only complaint is I wish the suspense/mystery plot was developed a little earlier because it felt slightly rushed near the end. But honestly? That didn’t stop me from devouring this story.

Kane, Emery, and little Maci are everything. I loved watching Kane fall not just for his daughter, but for the fierce, guarded woman determined to protect her. It’s a story of redemption, love, found family, and second chances in a world that doesn’t always give them. And that last twist? Whew. My jaw legit dropped.

If you haven’t started this series yet, what are you even doing? Read it. Listen to it. Fall in love with Moonlit Ridge like I did. I’m already counting down the days for Theo’s story next!

Thank you to A.L. Jackson and Valentine PR for the ALC/ARC of this book. 

Review: 4.5/5 — Meghan Quinn is BACK, baby!

This might be my favorite Meghan Quinn book in a long time! It seriously had everything I love about her writing: hilarious setups, chaotic banter, spicy scenes, and underneath it all… so much heart.

The premise alone was absolute gold. Scottie lies about being married to impress her very marriage happy boss, and one thing leads to another… and suddenly she’s at adult summer camp with her coworkers, stuck in a tiny cabin with her fake husband. Cue the hijinks. I was laughing out loud more than once (okay, a lot), especially thanks to Wilder, the improv loving, pierced billionaire who says yes to everything and somehow becomes the ultimate cinnamon roll love interest. His “always say yes” attitude totally backfires in the best ways.

And let’s talk about the tropes!
Fake Marriage ✅
Brother’s Best Friend ✅
Forced Proximity ✅
Billionaire MMC with piercings (🥵) ✅
One bed (because of course) ✅
Banter that could fuel a power grid ✅
Healing through love and vulnerability ✅

Scottie was such a fun, strong FMC who’s dealing with very real, very relatable issues. The emotional depth in this one really surprised me because it wasn’t just fluff. There was growth, there was healing, and there was so much heart packed in with all the laughs and spice.

Honestly, Till Summer Do Us Part is summer rom com perfection with just the right mix of absurd, spicy, and sincere. If you’ve been missing that classic Meghan Quinn magic, this one DELIVERS!

Rating: 4/5 ⭐

Okay, so Ride With Me by Simone Soltani? I loved it. I liked her debut Cross the Line well enough, but this one just hit so much harder in the best way possible. Maybe it's the F1 fan in me (hello, obsessed), or maybe it’s just the fact that this book is the perfect blend of sports romance, slow burn tension, and one amazing MMC. Either way, this book delivered.

We’ve got:
❀ Sports romance (F1, baby!)
❀ Interracial romance
❀ Marriage of convenience
❀ “My wife” energy all over the place
❀ Obsession level MMC who is respectful, patient, and head over heels
❀ Bonus: Side characters I actually liked

Stella, freshly heartbroken and left at the altar, ends up in Las Vegas for a bachelorette party she really doesn’t want to attend, until she meets British F1 golden boy Thomas Maxwell-Brown. Their chemistry is palpable and after one wild night later, they’re accidentally married. (Honestly, how do people keep doing that? 😂)

Instead of immediately splitting, they agree to stay married temporarily. Stella needs credibility for her business and a little “look at me now” revenge. Thomas is dealing with a messy F1 scandal and needs some good PR. What starts as a fake setup slowly (and I mean painfully slow, like 70% in and I wanted to shake them) turns into something way deeper.

The banter, the tension, and the payoff are all PERFECTION!

I adored Thomas. Soft, respectful, and absolutely obsessed with Stella in the sweetest way. He's “I’ll warm your hands” level of soft, and I was here for every second of it. He just radiates quiet love and support, and it was perfect for her. Stella is strong, smart, and relatable, even when I wanted to scream at her for not letting herself be happy. Their dynamic felt real and earned, and their friendship foundation made the slow burn so satisfying.

My only wish was that there was a little more Formula 1 in the actual plot. The F1 bits we got were great, and as a fan, I appreciated the way they were woven in with accuracy and intention but I definitely wouldn’t have minded a bit more time on the grid. Still, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed their story.

If you're into slow burns, sports romance, and sweet MMCs who absolutely worship the FMC, Ride With Me is for you. I had a blast with this one and cannot wait to see what Simone Soltani writes next. Let’s hope she stays in her F1 era for a while. 🏁❤️

5 stars — Husbands with Benefits, Yes Please 💍🔥

Riley Hart, you’ve done it again. I am a SUCKER for a marriage of convenience romance, but make it MM, add in best friends since forever, a bi awakening, and a fake marriage for health insurance? Yeah… take my money. The Marriage Policy is equal parts adorable, spicy, and emotionally satisfying. AKA, everything I want in a queer romance.

Eric and Donovan are pure magic. Donovan is the soft hearted grump ER nurse who’s been guarding his feelings for his “straight best friend” forever, and Eric is the sunshine himbo who basically wakes up one day like, “Wait, being in love with my best friend is gay? Okay, cool.” Their dynamic is so sweet, so codependent (in the best way), and SO funny. I mean, Eric immediately starts calling Donovan “husband” and it is lowkey my favorite thing ever.

This book has:
✨ Friends to lovers
✨ Marriage of convenience
✨ Bi awakening
✨ Clueless mutual pining
✨ Chronic illness rep
✨ A very valid critique of the US healthcare system disguised as a romance plot

And don’t get me started on the tension. The forced proximity, the slow realization that they’re already everything to each other, the emotional growth... ugh, my heart. The spicy scenes? Top tier. The emotions? Even higher.

I also really appreciated the way Donovan’s chronic illness history was handled because it wasn’t just a throwaway detail. It shaped how he saw relationships, vulnerability, and trust. And Eric? Sweet, golden retriever energy with a side of “let’s experiment and see what happens.” Their growth as a couple felt authentic and well paced, even if I occasionally wanted to shake them for being so oblivious.

Also, their families KNOW. Like, “we’ve been waiting for you idiots to kiss for 15 years” energy. I live for that.

The Marriage Policy is the perfect low angst, high reward MM romance that delivers on every front. I laughed, I swooned, I yelled at them to just talk already, and now I’m impatiently counting down to book three.

Read if you love:
💗 Best friends to lovers
💗 Codependent softies
💗 Marriage for insurance (aka “thanks, America”)
💗 Riley Hart’s signature sweet and spicy style

Donovan and Eric are my favorite brand of idiots in love!

Thank you to Riley Hart and The Author Agency for the eARC of this book. 

Through the Dust by Amber Palmer
★★★★★ (infinite stars, actually)

Someone check on me because I live on Black Springs Ranch now. Amber Palmer, I don’t know how you do it, but this book was everything (everything) and then some.

Lennox and Bishop are perfection!
Grumpy/sunshine? ✔️
Rancher’s daughter x ranch foreman? ✔️
Age gap, childhood connection, forbidden sneaking around, bickering banter so sharp it could slice bread? ✔️✔️✔️

From the moment I got this ARC, I devoured it like a woman starved. Lennox is the definition of a badass. She is stubborn, fire mouthed, and deeply emotional in that quiet, heartbreaking way. And Bishop? Oh, Bishop. Grumpy and broody cowboy who’s secretly soft and down BAD for the spitfire he is not supposed to touch? Yeah, he had me giggling and kicking my feet!

The tension between them was UNREAL. The kind of tension that makes your chest ache and your Kindle steam up. The nicknames (Killer & Daddy 😏), the sneaky glances, the barn scenes (you KNOW), the emotional moments... I was laughing one second and sobbing the next. And that kitchen dance scene? Amber, you ripped my heart out and handed it back with a bow. Beautiful, tender, unforgettable.

And can we talk about the Hayes family? I am obsessed. The chaos, the loyalty, and the banter make this book just so goo. It’s all so real and warm and hilarious. I felt like I was sitting at the table with them. Doug Hayes deserves a spinoff just to keep being iconic, and Lincoln the golden retriever? 10/10, best boy, protect him at all costs.

Amber’s writing is underrated, full stop. She gives you heat, heart, and humor in equal measure. She gets tension, she gets pacing, and she definitely gets spice. I really think she is the next big author and deserves so much more recognition because her books are just that good. I LOVE her writing!

Book 3 can’t come fast enough. I am feral for Cleo’s story already. Until then, I’ll be rereading Through the Dust and dreaming of cowboys with emotional depth and six pack stamina.

Thank you to Amber Palmer for the eARC of this book. 

OMG that cover?! STUNNING. It’s what originally pulled me in and made me dive headfirst into this book completely blind. And let me tell you, opening with drunk vehicular manslaughter? I was shook. 😳 Definitely not what I was expecting from a small town western romance, but I was intrigued enough to stick with it.

One of the biggest highlights for me? The MMC is the virgin, and not the FMC for once 🙌. That twist on the trope felt fresh and honestly made Jack super compelling at the beginning. His shy, awkward, cinnamon roll energy had me rooting for him… at least initially. As the story went on, he kind of lost that spark. His personality shifted into this cocky, overconfident vibe that didn’t feel true to how he was introduced. He went from “quiet and unsure” to “mysterious macho man” in like… 0.2 seconds. Confusing, and I just wanted more depth to him, especially after everything he had been through his life. 

Katarina, our FMC, was fine but pretty forgettable. 🤷🏼‍♀️ She’s your typical strong ranch girl carrying the world on her shoulders, which I usually love, but nothing about her really stood out to me here.

The romance had potential, but I feel like it left a lot to be desired. A lot of emotional baggage, a lot of space for healing and growth. But unfortunately, that depth was never really explored. Instead, we jumped straight into the lust and the spicy scenes, which got repetitive fast. I wanted more vulnerability, more hard conversations, more groveling, especially because of their circumstances and the obstacles. Instead, I got “ripe and ready” and… yeah, I cringed. 😬

Also, why was “the breath I didn’t realize I was holding” used SO MANY TIMES?! Once is too many, but that many? Girl, no. 😩

Despite all of this, I did enjoy being in this world. The writing wasn’t super polished, but it was easy to read and fast paced. I liked the family ranch setting, and even though the plot was kind of meh, I found myself entertained enough to finish it.

✨ Trope-y breakdown:
Enemies to lovers
Ranch owner FMC
Ex convict MMC
Western romance
Forbidden
Virgin MMC (!!!)
She watches him 👀
Found family

Overall, I wanted to love this one, but it just didn’t click for me. Three stars for a hot cowboy, a gorgeous cover, and a few fun moments, but the execution wasn’t there. Hoping the next in the series gives me more of what I was looking for!

Bourbon Sunset is the perfect final pour. 🥃🔥

Okay, WOW. I will miss this family and this series so much, and they absolutely have a piece of my heart now. Teller’s story was an absolute banger! 

Enemies to lovers? Check.
That fierce softness that is Madison Townsend? Check.
The last Bailey bachelor falling hard for the girl from the wrong side of the tracks? Big, bold, emotional CHECK.

Walker Rose already had my respect as a phenomenal storyteller, but Bourbon Sunset honestly takes the crown for me. Maybe it’s the sentimentality of closing out one of the best small town romance series I’ve ever read, but this book hit differently. It was intimate, raw, and beautifully done. I am both sad and happy that it is over and I got to experience it.

Reading Madison and Teller’s story felt like sipping the perfect glass of good bourbon. It was warm, smooth, and impossible to put down. I devoured this in one sitting. Every chapter got better, and their internal monologues were just so good. (Yes, I cried. No regrets.)

Madison’s journey was one that was haunted by her past, judged by her town, fighting to rebuild her life and it was heartbreaking and inspiring. Watching Teller not only see through her armor but respect it, and earn his way in was really special. THAT is how you write growth and vulnerability without losing the edge. And let’s not even talk about that last POV chapter… just read it. You’ll see.

Maddy’s sass paired with Teller’s cocky charm and dirty mouth was so good too. I loved how she never gave him an inch, and he never backed down, unless it meant stepping up. That mutual respect and fiery tension is perfect.

🔥 Tropes & Vibes:
💜 Enemies to Lovers
💜 Grumpy/Sunshine
💜 Bachelor Auction
💜 Rich Boy x Poor Girl
💜 Opposites Attract
💜 Underdog FMC
💜 Forced Proximity/Bar Renovation
💜 Bearded MMC with a Soft Heart
💜 Redemption Arc
💜 Slow Burn with All the Feels
💜 Montana Small Town Drama

Even if this is your first visit to Bourbon Canyon, it reads well as a standalone. But honestly? Treat yourself and start from the beginning. The Bailey family will own your heart before you know it.

Walker Rose, thank you for this stunning, heartfelt sendoff. Teller and Madison’s love story is the kind that stays with you. And if Sedona is next… I’m already packing my bags. 💜

Thank you to Walker Rose and The Author Agency for the eARC of this book. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (in all caps because this book DESERVES IT)

I devoured Ride the Sky like it was the last glass of sweet tea on a scorching Montana day. I’ve been WAITING (impatiently) for Fallon and Wyatt’s story since the very beginning of the Runaway Ranch series and let me tell you, Ava Hunter did NOT miss. This book? It was everything I wanted and so much more.

From page one, this story takes you on a wild ride (pun intended) of raw emotion, sweet moments, and explosive chemistry. Fallon is the epitome of a badass. She is fierce, independent, untamed and Wyatt? Whew. He’s the protective, obsessed cowboy of my dreams. He doesn’t just love Fallon; he knows her, sees her pain, her fire, and her fear... and he stays anyway.

There’s a trope in this book (not telling you what it is 👀) that had my jaw on. the. FLOOR. Executed flawlessly. I screamed. It made the story even more unforgettable.

This romance is loathing turned longing, secrets and scars, and second chances soaked in angst. The tension between Fallon and Wyatt is so thick you could lasso it. The way he shows up for her, both physically and emotionally, gutted me in the best way. Their caregiving scenes? They were so perfect. Fallon doesn’t give in easily, but when she does, it’s everything.

And can we talk about the cameos?! Seeing all the other couples again had me in my feels. Runaway Ranch feels like coming home. I’m genuinely not ready to say goodbye to this world. 😭

Tropes I lived for:
💙 Cowboy x Cowgirl
💙 Forced Proximity
💙 Enemies to Lovers
💙 Hurt/Comfort
💙 Found Family
💙 Romantic Suspense
💙 Second Chance

Fallon and Wyatt’s story is unique, their HEA perfectly them, and every twist, memory, and kiss adds another layer to their beautiful, messy love. The flashback chapters gave so much depth and made the “hate” between them hurt just right. Add in the stunning mental health rep, some seriously spicy moments, and a few bar fights for good measure and you’ve got a book that will stick with you long after the final page.

Some personal highlights:
-The nickname “Trouble” (I MELTED)
-The super secret trope twist (IYKYK 😱)
-A letter that wrecked me in the best way
-Watching Fallon be vulnerable without losing an ounce of her strength
-Wyatt. Just... Wyatt. 🥵

This book is raw, hot, heartfelt chaos in the best possible way. Fallon and Wyatt are oil and fire, thunder and lightning, chaos and calm, and I couldn’t love them more.

If you haven’t read the Runaway Ranch series yet, what are you doing?? Saddle up and ride into your next favorite romance. Ride the Sky is the perfect finale to a series that has my whole heart.

Thank you to Ava Hunter and her team for the eARC of this book! 

Okay, sapphic vampires was not something I knew I needed, BUT I DID. I had so much fun with this one! The concept immediately hooked me: a vampire hunter going undercover at a vampire university? Sounds like a good time to me. 

It’s the first year humans are allowed in, and Rebecca, our hunter turned student, is on a mission to track down a deadly book that could wipe out vampires. What follows is an entertaining, well paced mix of dark academia, forbidden romance, and political vampire drama.

The world building was super compelling without ever feeling overwhelming, and I flew through the book in just a couple sittings. It’s bingeable in the best way. I loved how sharp and cinematic everything felt, from the ancient school halls to the magical societies hiding secrets behind every turn. I could see this turning into a movie or a show because it reminded me of like a queer version of Twilight and I think it would do really well on screen. 

And the tension between Rebecca and Aliz? Whew. I could feel it leap off the page. You get that classic enemies to something much more dynamic, and it’s executed so well. Their chemistry is undeniable, and watching their relationship shift was easily one of my favorite parts of the story.

Whether you’re a dark academia fan, a lover of queer vampire romances, or just in the mood for a story with teeth (literally and figuratively), this is definitely worth checking out. I’m already impatient for book two.

Thanks to NetGalley, Annie Summerlee, and Del Rey for the eARC of this book.