Another great instalment in the series. 

Anders does what he needs to do to protect his younger brother from their addiction riddled father. He meets Luca and even though their steamy encounter ends up differently for Luca than expected it doesn’t negate any of the sparks that fly between them. They really do perfectly compliment each other and Luca is determined to be with Anders again. 

Anders is wonderfully salty with a side of sweetness but also full of venom when needed whilst Luca is another Moretti family member who is really just a cinnamon roll. Together these two wonderful men work together to ease the burdens Anders carries and in doing so find their true selves and a swoon worth HEA. There’s plenty of steam, a dash of angst that’s balanced by humorous moments that made me smile and a HEA that warmed my heart. 

The crew from the hotel find themselves once again in the midst of some not so nice entities. Morgan and the still full of sunshine Ellis have to not only wrangle the in house ghosts, a professional ghost hunting team plus the usual assortment of quirky guests, there’s also the problem of three possibly malevolent spirits looking for some payback. Morgan’s sceptic brother Warren shows up unexpectedly and there’s definitely some tension between and the very handsome ghost hunter Thad which leads to some interesting moments. Meanwhile Ellis and Morgan are still basking in their newfound love (unicorn slippers are involved) and doing their best to keep the place afloat. 

This instalment introduces some wonderful new characters and I love the adorably clumsy Wally who John The Maid takes under his wing. I also loved the well timed unexpected cameo from a favourite Dead Serious character. 

This book was an absolute blast to read. It made me laugh, gave me some feels and the ending left me wanting more. 

This is an absolutely delicious and delightful charity anthology with so many different stories involving food that are “chef’s kiss”💋 that it’s impossible to pick a favourite. I enjoyed them all so decided to just give you a tasting plate of what to expect. Yes, this is a very food oriented review intro! 

This is beautifully sweet friends to lovers story featuring two wonderful men. Ste needs help rescuing a celebration meal he tried to cook for his parents so best friend and chef Kiefer comes to the rescue. Ste has carried a torch for Kiefer for 5 years and after a boating date which includes some delicious and iconic Australian foods their friendship finally turns into more. 

Set in the sheep grazing Canterbury region of New Zealand this wonderful story has an ongoing food exchange between two neighbours who always have some point of friction between them. David (the grump) and Benji also get to experience a quite unique experience being stuck in a hedge together. A picturesque riverbank picnic is where everything clicks into place for David as he realises what’s really being going on with all the bickering between him and Benji over the past years. 

What fun it is to be back in Heather Bay. Cookie works his cupcake magic at the bakery where he literally runs u to Quinn who is back home after finishing University. Cookie is an upbeat guy full of sass and sunshine and develops a yearning for Quinn, who is struggling with and delaying as much as possible a much needed conversation with his family. After some drinks these two wonderful men find themselves having a moonlit dip in the ocean where the water may be cool but the atmosphere soon heats up! 

Riley and Jace’s story had me craving all things bread! It was bound to happen as this is set in Riley’s bakery and he loves experimenting with all things bread. He also makes very good pastries. Combine the two together, thrown in the hot handsome baker and sweet Jace doesn’t really stand a chance. Fortunately these two men can work around sleep schedules to find the perfect balance of bakery items, friendship and love. 

Food truck owner Bas is crushing on his shy customer Dylan, veterinarian technician Dylan has been crushing on Bas. Dylan’s bestie sets him up on a blind date who happens to be the brother of Bas. Said brother gets sick so Bas goes to tell blind date and voila - the start of something steamy and real. 

Hot Dish by Annabeth Albert 

Art teacher Stu and First Responder Perry are neighbours. Stu knocks on Perry’s door with a casserole in hand as a thank you gift and they both discover that the casserole isn’t the only thing that’s hot. Both have been through a divorce so there are no expectations attached but sometimes life doesn’t go as planned and through the power of gift giving (food) these two men soon find themselves dating and more. 

Maverick had a difficult childhood on his family’s ranch but his bestie Colt was always there for him and helped him see him through some rough times. Maverick has to leave Lovelorn and all the pain it represents behind and doesn’t return until 20 years have gone by. These two wonderful men have both been scarred by what life has thrown them but the spark between them never went out. Being back in each other’s orbit not only rekindles their passion for each other but also their insecurities. Fortunately being older and wiser they communicate much better than they did as teens. It’s not always easy and straightforward but the harder parts are traversed together as they head towards a longed for HEA. An HEA that left me with the biggest smile on my face and a warm feeling in my heart. 

I loved Colt’s daughter Willow and Maverick’s niece Hannah who both play a major roles. There’s also some other intriguing side characters in this very enjoyable and engaging read and I can’t wait for their stories to be told. 

Wow, just wow! The story telling ability of these two authors and me fully invested from start to finish. From the fantastic two main characters Wyatt (Wy) and Mattias (Matt) and his very interesting and intriguing siblings. The story of Wy and Matt covers some of my favourite tropes - forced proximity, childhood friends who become enemies and then lovers, fake marriage - so plenty of hurdles for them to overcome on the way to their longed for and hard earned HEA. This is a romance that has twists and turns, some unexpected and some not and plenty of morally greyish moments. It’s a perfect balance of romance between complex characters with flaws, an engaging plot and on point pacing. It gave me some feels along the way as Wy and Matt fought to be together but I was left with a full and happy heart at the end. There’s also a sneak peak at the next in the series and I’m very excited for it. 

Everyone needs Perry in their life. He has the adorable puppy Golden Retriever thing going on, he gets squirmies in his tummy, is cutely entertaining, eternally optimistic, an absolute disaster and so sweet. He struggles to find his place in the world and is a perfect soul who always sees the best in people. He’s definitely not cut out for his latest job which has him crossing paths with St. Clare and it’s safe to say it’s not the best “meet cute”. St. Clare has just opened a nightclub with his now missing brother and feels unbalanced without him there and is desperate to find out what’s happened to him. 

Circumstances lead to them teaming up with some nefarious folk to unravel the mystery of St. Clare’s missing brother. 

Along the way they discover who is a friend and who is a foe as well as exploring the chemistry that bubbles between them. I love how Perry didn’t get full of angst as he discovered this new side of himself and just went with it - as is his nature. As for the missing brother mystery there’s the odd twist or two along the way that keeps things moving and the bunch of baddie side characters also keep things very interesting. This is a wonderfully entertaining and enjoyable read and I cheered Perry and St. Clare along every step of the way to the well deserved HEA. 

Delaney and Brewer’s story had me giggling, laughing and smiling from start to finish. Delaney can be a bit prickly and cranky but also sweet and tender hearted whilst Brewer is pretty calm and steady but closed off  somewhat. Together these two very likeable characters certainly have some interesting moments as Brewer renovates Delaney’s home. He also has to take up residence there after an unfortunate incident involving Delaney, a grill burning and Brewer watching his camper burn down. They start out clashing constantly regarding the renovations but before too long the chemistry between them burns bright and leads to more. It does take longer for them to verbally define their relationship (yay for timely communication) as they make the way to their heartwarming HEA. Once again the local Copper County identities have a role to play as this enjoyable story unfolds. There’s minimal angst, renovation double entendres and a mystery involving located artworks to solve. I once again loved being immersed in the Copper County community where John Ruffian, charcuterie boards, and nosey but well meaning locals are the norm. 

Wonderful small town romance 🥰 

Ana Ashley excels at writing small town romance and this book is no exception. Caspian and Nate’s story was such a pleasure to read. They are very likeable characters who are just perfect for for each other. They become neighbours when Caspian, from Arizona, arrives in Maplewood and  Nate helps him navigate the intricacies of a Vermont winter. With plenty of chemistry sizzling between them it’s not long before steamy times balanced with plenty of sweet are occurring. Visitors from Chester Falls visit Maplewood with an unexpected announcement which does cause a bit of angst for Caspian and Nate but nothing that will derail their relationship and HEA. 

I loved this very enjoyable low angst small town romance with not only the wonderful Caspian and Nate but also its delightful town characters who add so much colour and vibrancy to the narrative. And not to forget the “magic” of the Wishing Tree which turned the very sceptical and jaded Nate into a believer of wish making. 

I smiled so much reading this and was left with a very happy heart at the end. I’m looking forward to more in this multi author series. 

Great start to a new series. 

Conman Gabriel finds himself in a precarious position and has to leave town immediately for safeties sake. He arrives on Heartstone Island with a few belongings in his car and nowhere to stay which brings him to the immediate attention of Park Ranger Casey. It’s not a very good first meeting and sets the tone for their interactions throughout this very engaging mystery. Elle Keaton’s story telling ability held my attention from start to finish. Not only with Gabriel and Casey but also the very interesting secondary characters, an intriguing plot with twist and turns and the slowest of slow burns. There’s no spice whatsoever but the potential is certainly there if and when Gabriel and Casey sort themselves out. It’s a very faint possibility at the end of the book but I can tell it’s going to happen and I can’t wait to see what happens when it does! We’re left with a teaser of what’s coming in the next instalment in the series - Gabriel still has issues plaguing him from the mess he left behind and there’s the continuing mystery of what’s happening on Heartstone Island as well as that teeny tiny possibility of romance. So much to look forward to! 

Everyone needs a Fluffy! 

I was so excited when this book landed on my Kindle and it exceeded all my expectations. 

Yes, the Hellhounds are still pretty clueless when it comes to humans and human behaviour. Yes, Atlas/Fluffy is endearingly clueless but oh so thoughtful and sweet when it comes to Aiden. My heart broke for Aiden and the trauma he has faced and is doing the best he can to overcome. Atlas/Fluffy also had a difficult beginning and is so understanding of Aiden and his needs. These two are really so perfect for each other. Whether it’s the sweet daily walks they take, or the slow introduction to more physically, the chemistry is there bubbling away between them as their bond to each other strengthens. These two wonderful characters deserved their HEA and my smile couldn’t have got any bigger when it all came together for them. 

Of course there’s villains to contend with but the pack have their backs and although the villains are thwarted in this instance, there will be more on the horizon. There’s some more hints in regard to the remaining character’s stories and I can’t wait for more in this wonderful series.