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Ford may be grumpy (and sexy), but it’s because he took a lot on his shoulders at an early age. Add in a romance gone wrong and he’s got reasons to be the way he is. His sister’s bubbly, happy (and sexy) wedding planner has him feeling all sorts of feels, both good & bad.
I loved these two together. Cassie brings out the best in Theo, the kind of guy he could have been before life handed him a lot of responsibility and heartbreak. She makes him laugh and their connection is definitely unmistakable. But with different outlooks on life, can they find a compromise?
Was it a predictable story? Yes. Was it an enjoyable read? OMG yes! Fun, funny, and full of feelings, I found it hard to put it down. It’s light-hearted, but also not, and easily moves you to that HEA ending you crave in a romance.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
I loved these two together. Cassie brings out the best in Theo, the kind of guy he could have been before life handed him a lot of responsibility and heartbreak. She makes him laugh and their connection is definitely unmistakable. But with different outlooks on life, can they find a compromise?
Was it a predictable story? Yes. Was it an enjoyable read? OMG yes! Fun, funny, and full of feelings, I found it hard to put it down. It’s light-hearted, but also not, and easily moves you to that HEA ending you crave in a romance.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
New Hope
Slow burn, no angst, and sweet, with just the right amount of heat.
I enjoyed reading about these two getting to know each other and falling in love. (Oh, and their daughters were just the cutest.)
Slow burn, no angst, and sweet, with just the right amount of heat.
I enjoyed reading about these two getting to know each other and falling in love. (Oh, and their daughters were just the cutest.)
Trick Play
So emotional (and hawt). There's so much angst and communication/relationship issues but the feels outshines it all. I rooted for these two from the beginning and kept telling myself that the end would justify all the patience needed for these two to figure their crap out, to finally be willing to take a chance on getting hurt.
So emotional (and hawt). There's so much angst and communication/relationship issues but the feels outshines it all. I rooted for these two from the beginning and kept telling myself that the end would justify all the patience needed for these two to figure their crap out, to finally be willing to take a chance on getting hurt.
Deke
Not quite as full of angst and feels as the last book, but I do love the way Finley captures the trials these guys have to face. It's emotional and sweet (and hawt), with a good dose of fake boyfriend drama (and hilarity thanks to Ollie's family) and troubles from coming out in a world that really isn't as accepting as it could be. Highly recommend this series.
Not quite as full of angst and feels as the last book, but I do love the way Finley captures the trials these guys have to face. It's emotional and sweet (and hawt), with a good dose of fake boyfriend drama (and hilarity thanks to Ollie's family) and troubles from coming out in a world that really isn't as accepting as it could be. Highly recommend this series.
This one is a slow burn, low angst romance and while it’s a complete romance it’s also an introduction to a larger storyline that will go over a couple more books at least. I think knowing that helps because some of it feels unnecessary and other parts are kinda left hanging. Definitely a standalone-but-not kind of situation
(3.5, maybe 3.75*)
I’ll be honest, I really didn’t like what Fitz did to Rosie at the beginning. Maybe it would have helped if I’d read the rest of the books but to me Fitz just had a little bit of a self-confidence issue when it comes to women thanks bad reactions from them in his past. He’s not all that awkward, but definitely a bit shy because of it. But that definitely doesn’t excuse his actions and I pushed through it because the series is well liked on Goodreads & the mains were cute together. I’m glad I did because once they got past Fitz being ShootsAndScores it picked up. And showed that Fitz isn’t the only one coming into the relationship with some baggage.
I love how Fitz and Rosie complement each other so well. How Fitz praises and supports Rosie is a total relationship goal as is Rosie’s complete and effortless acceptance of some of Fritz’s preferences (which were not so well received by women in the past, leading to some of his issues). They make a great couple; I just wish that Fitz had taken one of the multitude of opportunities provided to him to tell Rosie who he was to her.
Readers have to be ok with a bit of lying, even by omission and out of fear for how it would be received, but if they stick it out they well be rewarded with a delightfully fun and well-suited couple.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
I’ll be honest, I really didn’t like what Fitz did to Rosie at the beginning. Maybe it would have helped if I’d read the rest of the books but to me Fitz just had a little bit of a self-confidence issue when it comes to women thanks bad reactions from them in his past. He’s not all that awkward, but definitely a bit shy because of it. But that definitely doesn’t excuse his actions and I pushed through it because the series is well liked on Goodreads & the mains were cute together. I’m glad I did because once they got past Fitz being ShootsAndScores it picked up. And showed that Fitz isn’t the only one coming into the relationship with some baggage.
I love how Fitz and Rosie complement each other so well. How Fitz praises and supports Rosie is a total relationship goal as is Rosie’s complete and effortless acceptance of some of Fritz’s preferences (which were not so well received by women in the past, leading to some of his issues). They make a great couple; I just wish that Fitz had taken one of the multitude of opportunities provided to him to tell Rosie who he was to her.
Readers have to be ok with a bit of lying, even by omission and out of fear for how it would be received, but if they stick it out they well be rewarded with a delightfully fun and well-suited couple.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
So either I was reading the wrong NA books or they’ve come a LONG way since I last read any because I enjoyed the heck out of this one. I remember looking at the characters from the POV of someone well beyond their college years and just finding them too naive or inexperienced. Not so with Jenshak’s newest.
Felix and Dahlia are adorable together. I liked the fact that Felix had a thing for her before the video hit, that they’d been kinda dancing around each other at parties, so it wasn’t so weird that he’d want to help her. Not that a caring person wouldn’t feel for her in that situation, but it helps to provide a little more connection between the two.
Dahlia is adorably awkward, especially around Felix, but she’s willing to put herself out there in her fake relationship, embracing Felix’s ideas, getting to know his friends, and trying new things. Felix is still a little burned from his last relationship, which he’s fine with since he’s super focused on getting into the NFL. It does lead to some complications when his connection to Dahlia becomes a little more real that their fake relationship was meant to be.
As a series about Dahlia’s friends, they are guaranteed to play a big part of the story and they support Dahlia beautifully. It makes me interested in reading the other books to see a little more about each of them. I also liked Felix’s friends. They may be a little more childish than her’s, but they are fun.
**spoilerish** There were a couple of things that stretched believability, most especially Dahlia’s thing with the rockstar. Maybe the connection came from a previous book that I hadn’t read, but it seems strange that he would contract with a college student to make him a pair of pants, fly her to LA, go all out for her while she’s there, and then let her use his plane … it was one outfit out of a wardrobe of clothes. I think there was something else but this one was the one that made me go “really?” while reading it. I still really enjoyed the book but just thought I’d throw that out there.
Jenshak helps to remind me that maybe I’m not giving NA romances the attention they deserve, and I’ll be keeping my eye on her & adding some of her books to my TBR pile. With enjoyable characters, a sweet love story, and an ending that left me happy, Scoring the Player will appeal to romance readers of all ages.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
Felix and Dahlia are adorable together. I liked the fact that Felix had a thing for her before the video hit, that they’d been kinda dancing around each other at parties, so it wasn’t so weird that he’d want to help her. Not that a caring person wouldn’t feel for her in that situation, but it helps to provide a little more connection between the two.
Dahlia is adorably awkward, especially around Felix, but she’s willing to put herself out there in her fake relationship, embracing Felix’s ideas, getting to know his friends, and trying new things. Felix is still a little burned from his last relationship, which he’s fine with since he’s super focused on getting into the NFL. It does lead to some complications when his connection to Dahlia becomes a little more real that their fake relationship was meant to be.
As a series about Dahlia’s friends, they are guaranteed to play a big part of the story and they support Dahlia beautifully. It makes me interested in reading the other books to see a little more about each of them. I also liked Felix’s friends. They may be a little more childish than her’s, but they are fun.
**spoilerish** There were a couple of things that stretched believability, most especially Dahlia’s thing with the rockstar. Maybe the connection came from a previous book that I hadn’t read, but it seems strange that he would contract with a college student to make him a pair of pants, fly her to LA, go all out for her while she’s there, and then let her use his plane … it was one outfit out of a wardrobe of clothes. I think there was something else but this one was the one that made me go “really?” while reading it. I still really enjoyed the book but just thought I’d throw that out there.
Jenshak helps to remind me that maybe I’m not giving NA romances the attention they deserve, and I’ll be keeping my eye on her & adding some of her books to my TBR pile. With enjoyable characters, a sweet love story, and an ending that left me happy, Scoring the Player will appeal to romance readers of all ages.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
Against the Rush is a slow burn romance between two guys who have a instant and strong connection but who have to figure out how they can make it work. Both are extremely busy with professional and family commitments that take up quite a bit of their time. But when you meet someone that you are drawn to so completely, you’ll just have to figure things out.
I liked both Jalen and Leif – they are sensible, giving, and loving. They approach life and relationships with careful thought and hard work. Are there bumps along the way, sure, but that’s pretty much life. Plus, they wear their hearts on their sleeves and it’s just the sweetest.
I will say my only complaint is that some of the writing is a little …. flowery? The similes and metaphors got just a bit out there for me. It only happened in a handful of places but if a reader is anything like my husband that’s going to be a big nope right out of the gate so I wanted to throw it out there.
Overall, though, readers who likes a slower paced, realistic love story will enjoy Leif & Jalen’s story. It’s full of real-life moments, relationships, and issues. There’s hardly any drama or angst, just a couple slowly getting to know each other and falling in love.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
I liked both Jalen and Leif – they are sensible, giving, and loving. They approach life and relationships with careful thought and hard work. Are there bumps along the way, sure, but that’s pretty much life. Plus, they wear their hearts on their sleeves and it’s just the sweetest.
I will say my only complaint is that some of the writing is a little …. flowery? The similes and metaphors got just a bit out there for me. It only happened in a handful of places but if a reader is anything like my husband that’s going to be a big nope right out of the gate so I wanted to throw it out there.
Overall, though, readers who likes a slower paced, realistic love story will enjoy Leif & Jalen’s story. It’s full of real-life moments, relationships, and issues. There’s hardly any drama or angst, just a couple slowly getting to know each other and falling in love.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Harper has been hurt in the past, let down by those who were supposed to love her, so she decides to go back to the last place she was truly happy. To open a bakery and live a life that her mother could be proud of her for. She’s a little prickly, a lot wounded, but she craves the love that the people of Sunrise Cove can give her.
Ivy has been let down by her own mother more times than she can count so she runs away. A pitstop in Sunrise Cove has her reevaluating her plan … and, with the help of Harper, Bodie, and all their friends & family, maybe making choices that she didn’t plan on.
I really enjoyed getting to know the big, boisterous, oh-so-loving Campbell clan. They can be loud and pushy but also have big hearts and only want the best for those they care about, family or not. I kinda wish there’d been a series about all the brothers because I’d love to see more of this group.
With her newest, I think Shalvis straddles a line between women’s fiction and romance. While I really enjoyed Harper and Bodie getting to know each other and learning to open up, to take a chance on giving away their hearts, The Sweetheart List is really a family story at its heart. There’s a lot here about finding the place you belong and the people who will support you.
(Part of a series but … not really? I think these are more like unconnected books set in the same place.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Ivy has been let down by her own mother more times than she can count so she runs away. A pitstop in Sunrise Cove has her reevaluating her plan … and, with the help of Harper, Bodie, and all their friends & family, maybe making choices that she didn’t plan on.
I really enjoyed getting to know the big, boisterous, oh-so-loving Campbell clan. They can be loud and pushy but also have big hearts and only want the best for those they care about, family or not. I kinda wish there’d been a series about all the brothers because I’d love to see more of this group.
With her newest, I think Shalvis straddles a line between women’s fiction and romance. While I really enjoyed Harper and Bodie getting to know each other and learning to open up, to take a chance on giving away their hearts, The Sweetheart List is really a family story at its heart. There’s a lot here about finding the place you belong and the people who will support you.
(Part of a series but … not really? I think these are more like unconnected books set in the same place.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
I am NOT a fan of books that end on cliffhangers. Well, at least not if I have to wait for more books to be released before I can get to the end :) I picked up Game Changer without knowing that it was a part of a trilogy, and I almost didn’t give it a shot but by the time I put it down I was so glad I did. Shot Taker picks up basically where the last book left off and we get to see what happens when Nova comes back to Denver & into Clay’s orbit.
While this is definitely the middle part of the story, without the excitement of the introduction or the satisfaction of a HEA, I enjoyed getting to know both Clay and Nova better. Nova is still that mix of sunshine & vulnerability, but she’s also developed a bit more grit. The implosion of her relationship with Clay really hurt her and she’s using that to her advantage. She’s going after what she wants with her art and she’s also going to make Clay work for another chance if he wants one.
Clay’s connection to Nova has changed him as well. It has him looking at more than just his goal to get to LA and has him evaluating the man, friend, & teammate he has been up to this point and whether that’s who he wants to be going forward. I’m really enjoying seeing him grow into a bit more than the grumpy (as$) baller that Nova first met.
Being the middle of the story there is a cliffhanger leading us to the last book, but I was really pleased with the lack of serious angst in this one. While there is some work that has to be done to get Clay & Nova back together, it wasn’t drama for drama’s sake and instead moved us forward to what will hopefully be a HEA. I’ll be interested to see where Lawson goes from here because I feel like, to get a full third book, there is going to have to be more drama to come. I have faith though that she can make it work.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
While this is definitely the middle part of the story, without the excitement of the introduction or the satisfaction of a HEA, I enjoyed getting to know both Clay and Nova better. Nova is still that mix of sunshine & vulnerability, but she’s also developed a bit more grit. The implosion of her relationship with Clay really hurt her and she’s using that to her advantage. She’s going after what she wants with her art and she’s also going to make Clay work for another chance if he wants one.
Clay’s connection to Nova has changed him as well. It has him looking at more than just his goal to get to LA and has him evaluating the man, friend, & teammate he has been up to this point and whether that’s who he wants to be going forward. I’m really enjoying seeing him grow into a bit more than the grumpy (as$) baller that Nova first met.
Being the middle of the story there is a cliffhanger leading us to the last book, but I was really pleased with the lack of serious angst in this one. While there is some work that has to be done to get Clay & Nova back together, it wasn’t drama for drama’s sake and instead moved us forward to what will hopefully be a HEA. I’ll be interested to see where Lawson goes from here because I feel like, to get a full third book, there is going to have to be more drama to come. I have faith though that she can make it work.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**