Okay, THIS is what a hockey romance should be! I'm obsessed with Emerson Hartwell and Maverick Miller. Chelsea Curto never disappoints me, and I can still say that's true. I loved the concept of a female hockey player joining the NHL... as a woman on a historically all male team. Emmy is the first woman to ever break that barrier and it was just perfect. I love how Maverick mistook her for a fan upon their initial meeting and thought she was just trying to sleep with him, not knowing this was his new teammate. The way he came around to her immediately and defended her to the media was so awesome. I am a not huge fan of "reformed playboy" and Maverick was a bit woman crazy in the beginning but as soon as he met Emmy, he was all in. He literally wears HER jersey and is so proud of her! The spice in this was so steamy but also swoony and I really loved it. I loved getting to see Dallas, Maeven, and June too and Maverick being the fun but bighearted uncle was perfect. I truly enjoyed this start to a new series and I cannot wait for the next book! 

What to expect:
Hockey Romance
NHL Players
Reformed Playboy
Black Cat x Golden Retreiver
He Wears Her Jersey
He Falls First
Found Family
Secret Relationship
Frenemies with Benefits
Caretaking

Wow, this is such an incredible book! I read the indie version of this book last year, and heard it was being traditionally published. I couldn’t wait for it! I wanted to see what improvements had been made and what had changed, and I was blown away because it was even BETTER! This story is so cute, wholesome, and a cozy read, despite having some heavy themes. I think there was a lot of improvement within the sentences, paragraphs, and structure that were cleaned up and helped the flow of the story, and made it even more excellent than it was before. I was very happy to have more Lo and Maeve this time around. The extra Maeve scenes were exactly what I wanted them to be, and Lark and Calum were perfection. I think these add ons really helped the story and help Lark’s character. I also really enjoyed Reese being mentioned more. It added empathy and tugged on the heartstrings in all the right away. I loved the changes that were made to help structure it more and that we got to see more of some very important characters. I appreciate the representation of so many different things put into this story. From speech issues, anxiety, dealing with grief and self deprecation, to LGBT+ representation; this book truly has it all and something for everyone. This book is so well written and the plot and characters were just so well done. The cover is also really adorable! I loved the setting of this book as well. I think everyone will enjoy this newly refined release of this wodnerful book and will be happy with not only the changes and improvements, but the story and characters as a whole.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ivy Fairbanks, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the eARC of this book. 

I've been on a journey of health, and I know that some of the things we have been told over the years are either bad science, or just simply not true because we now know what is healthy for us and what isn't. It's refreshing to see a doctor own up to the fact that not only were they taught the wrong things, but they turned around and taught others the wrong things as well. It's a hard pill to swallow, to know you duped so many people, but when we know better, we do better, right? I admire Robert Lufkin for admitting this and trying to correct this via his book. Lufkin goes into detail regarding each "lie" he's ever told, all relating to chronic disease and health disorders that we have long believed were either untreatable or only fixed with medication, which is simply not true. Lufkin himself has reversed four chronic illnesses, and this gives great hope to the rest of us. He discusses what factors influence chronic diseases, such as stress, sleep, diet, exercise and so much more. The author provides illustrations and references, which debunks these outdated myths about our health that many people still believe. There are so many misconceptions about our health, and Lufkin does a great job setting the record straight while offering practical advice and guidance. This book reminded me a lot of <i>Lies My Doctor Told Me</i> by Ken Berry and Lufkin does recommend this book as well. Great minds think alike! This book was incredibly eye opening and empowering. We can take charge of our health and heal, and this book is the first step in doing so!

Thank you to NetGalley, Robert Lufkin, and BenBella Books for the ARC of this book. 

What a wonderful debut book! I love TTRPG and I absolutely love that someone wrote a book about it! This is a fast paced, nerdy romance with all the elements you could want. This book features a small town romance, fresh start, he falls first, hot librarian, nerdy games, and characters in their 30s who actually ACT LIKE characters in their 30s. So often, authors write characters who are in their 30s but act like they are so immature and childish. The author did such a great job with Felix and Jo and made me really love them and root for them as a couple. They have actual jobs and hobbies that you can relate to, and are very normal people just falling in love... and playing games! The spice in this book was PERFECTION; it felt right for the characters and was so hot, but also without being too much or overpowering the story. I can also totally relate to Jo's fears that her interests are too weird and people will find her off putting, particularly men and that a man will not want to be in a relationship with her. This part really resonated with me because I have felt that way before too. This is such a fun and sweet book and definitely worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Elle M. Stewart for the eARC of this book! 

I really wanted to like this one, being a big fan of game shows and the enemies to lovers trope, but it was a huge miss for me. When Lydia Smith signs up to be on a reality TV show, she has no idea Tom Dereborn will also be a contestant. Lydia and Tom had a one night stand almost a year ago and she had such a great time and thought the feeling might be mutual. Unfortunately, it didn't end well because Tom basically made her leave the next morning and never spoke to her again. She is shocked when she sees him at work, but unfortunately, things are still the same. Tom doesn't seem to want to talk to her, and whenever he does say something, it seems as though he doesn't like her and doesn't even want her in his presence. Now, they are paired together on a reality show called Fleeing For Your Life, with a prize of $100,000. They have to come together, compete, and make it all the way to the end in order to win the competition and the prize money. Honestly, the story felt very lacking and flat. The potential was there but it just was boring and didn't have any of the elements that I thought it would. It wasn't very funny, and the spice was just not there. Tom is an extremely unlikable character and actually seems mean and borderline cruel. He is actually quite rude to Lydia and does not treat her well. I understand trying to incorporate a grumpy/sunshine trope, as well as the enemies to lovers trope, but this just seemed over the top and makes you not even want to root for them as a couple. I was not a fan of Tom at all, and made me not enjoy the book at all. Also, Lydia's name debacle seemed like such a huge deal and then it just kind of faded away, which I didn't like. I just feel like this book could have been so much better, as the potential was truly there, but I didn't really care for it.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and Cassie Connor for the eARC of this book. 

This is must read for your summer romance list! Christina Lauren have written another winner and I really enjoyed this book. Anna and Liam get married to gain access to cheaper student housing while in college. A few years go by and they get divorced, with both going their own separate ways. Three years later, out of the blue, West shows back up, where he breaks some bad news to Anna: not only did the divorce never get finalized but now he needs a favor: a date to his sister's wedding. As his <i>wife</i>. The wife he must have in order to claim his stake of the family fortune and to keep up appearances with his rich family. Anna has a sick father who she will do anything for, as well as a dwindling bank account due to being a struggling artist, so she's all in. But what starts as a rouse quickly becomes so much more. This book was so fun, with hilarious moments, and I really felt the chemistry between Anna and Liam. I really liked the family dynamics (as crazy as they were) and I felt the plot was non-stop with so much going on (in a good way) and I was so invested throughout the entire book. I really enjoyed this book! I kind of hope we might get a book for Jake? Is that too much to ask?

-Fake dating
-Marriage of convenience
-Complex family dynamics
-Opposites attract
-Second chance at love
-Slow burn
-Summer read set in a tropical location
-Dual POV
-Laugh out loud funny
-Spicy moments

I love this series so much! This book is beautifully written, and will have your heart in pieces, then put back together with all the healing, laughs, and love. Brewer and Nash's story was so well done! Nash was a POW and has now returned home, but his life is irrevocably changed and he is struggling to adapt back to society. He is also haunted by the death of his best friend, who was a POW with him. He meets Brewer, who is a veteran himself with a lot of demons to overcome as well, but Brewer has dedicated his life to being a therapist who helps other veterans with their PTS, addiction, and mental health struggles. Nash is initially resistant to any form of help or care, but when his neighbor Mandy basically blackmails him into attending their support group, he meets Brewer and eventually realizes he is worthy of being alive, can be loved again, and can move forward with his life. I absolutely LOVED the healing journey that Nash went on, with the help of Brewer. There was so much beauty in Nash overcoming all of his obstacles and realizing that he deserves to be alive and have a good life. There is also so much humor in this book, but it pairs so nicely with the heaviness of the themes of the book and I think the author did such a great job. I said it on my last review for <i>Proof of Life</i> but Raquel Riley is doing a wonderful job in really understanding and showcasing how it feels to be a veteran, especially one who has had these things happen to them. As a veteran myself, I really feel like the author has done such great justice for these characters and their journey of being in the military and what can happen to them. I cannot WAIT for the next book in the series! 

Wow, this was a ride from start to finish! I really liked some elements of this book, but there were other things I really didn't like. I liked that this was romantic suspense, because that's my favorite genre. Ethan and Tiffany were cute together after that initial amount of time where they struggled to get along. Sometimes, though, I felt like it was forced. Ethan was truly a sweetheart and had major Golden Retriever energy. I feel like some of the plot, both past and present, was just not realistic or believable. Everything just seemed so far fetched. The cover is a little misleading because we get more of Tiffany's post and how that led to the present, than we do the actual present chapters. The spicy scenes between Tiffany and Ethan were really awkward and disjointed. I do like that the author is able to provide either a spicy or clean version for readers. Overall, I think this book had a lot of potential but missed the mark a bit, but I look forward to seeing the author grow and develop. 

Thank you to Melissa Dymond for an eARC of this book!

I feel like this was boring at times and the dreaded miscommunication trope (or in this case, no communication whatsoever) was quite predictable and I just had higher expectations for this but it wasn't the best. I didn't feel enough heat or chemistry between Felix and Lucy, and it felt like more of a "she's just here so I want her/I want what I can only get once a year" sort of situation. I also think Bridget's whole dilemma and her refusing to talk to anyone about it and running away from her life and her fiance seemed so childish and ridiculous and then when she finally reveals what it is, I literally said out loud, "That's it?!" That really did not warrant her running away and refusing to talk to anyone. All that buildup just for a stupid reason of doing that felt like a waste of my time. I felt like Lucy or anyone else in this book just didn't have depth and there were too many descriptors trying to make them all quirky and unique but it was just cringe and boring. This really did have a lot of potential but fell flat for me. 

I've long been interested in bacteriophages and their beneficial properties, and this book is such a fascinating look into not only their history but how they can really help us. This is especially true when it comes to antibiotic resistance, which is a growing problem that threatens our world as we know it. There is a lot to learn about the history of bacteriophages and exactly how they came to be, and their discovery of use, and this book does a great job of telling their story while also stressing the importance of them for our future. This scientific discovery, while not well known yet to the general public, is something we really need to focus to help combat the problem of antibiotic resistance. I think those interested in science and history and what the implications are for our future will enjoy this book and it is a must read!

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