🩰 Best Friend’s Sister
🏈 Sneaking Around
🩰 Roommates
🏈 Sports Romance
🩰 ASL Rep
🏈 Chronic Illness Rep
🩰 Ballet Teacher
🏈 Broody, Tattooed Hero
Comeback is a football romance with lots of spice, swoon, and a happily ever after. It’s the third book in the Holland Brothers series and can be read as a standalone.
Read in Kindle Unlimited Here -> https://geni.us/Comeback
| ✨Let’s celebrate! It’s release day for STERLING FIGHT by LB Dunbar! Grab it in KU! #OneClickNowhttps://a.co/d/7KIiaqr Why you need to #ONECLICK this book… 💕Childhood Friends 🔥Crush Revealed 💕Fake Engagement 🔥More Secrets 💕Small Town Swoon 🔥All the steam! These former friends might be faking their engagement, but revealed crushes prove there might not be anything fictional about their arrangement. |
Blurb:
In college, I often saw Judd Sylver in the library. He was a cool, broody type of guy who reminded me of a deeply tortured soul who might write poetry.
He was very different from the boy I met in third grade on National Make a New Friend Day when I passed him a note, asking if he wanted to be my new friend: Check yes or no. (I’m a bit obsessed with calendar days.)
He was also vastly different from the young man who stood me up after I asked him to his prom.
Twenty years later, I can let bygones be bygones, especially when he rescues me from a bad date.
Then I witness him breaking up with his girlfriend which resulted in a sticky coffee drink on his chiseled cheeks and ice cubes on his fine-fitting jeans.
I offered him a napkin.
Hey, once a friend, always a friend, right? *insert sarcasm*
However, Judd takes us to the next level at my mother’s garden party, where a misunderstanding occurs with a teeny tiny slip of the tongue and a precious ring on my finger.
And suddenly, I’m Judd’s fiancée.
Fake or not, things are about to get a little too real with my old friend.
Overall Grade: A-
Tropes: hate to love; cinnamon roll MMC; grump/sunshine; forced proximity; workplace romance
Vi Keeland’s Indiscretion delivers a captivating romance that elevates the beloved enemies-to-lovers trope through exceptional character development and emotional depth. At its heart, this spicy contemporary romance succeeds by focusing on the compelling evolution of its main characters, Dawson and Naomi, whose journey from antagonism to love feels both authentic and deeply satisfying.
The story’s greatest strength lies in Dawson’s character arc. Keeland crafts a masterful transformation of a man initially closed off to love, peeling back his layers with deliberate care. His journey from emotional unavailability to vulnerability isn’t just convincing—it’s impossible not to invest in. The author takes her time developing his character, ensuring that each step toward opening his heart feels earned rather than rushed.
Naomi serves as the perfect catalyst for Dawson’s transformation. Keeland writes her as a force of nature who refuses to accept Dawson’s emotional walls at face value. What makes Naomi particularly compelling is how she challenges Dawson’s preconceptions about love and relationships without losing her own identity in the process. She’s written with a refreshing combination of strength and vulnerability that makes her feel real rather than just a plot device for Dawson’s growth.
The antagonistic chemistry between Dawson and Naomi crackles from their first interaction, but Keeland demonstrates her skill by building tension naturally through their evolving dynamic. The “hate” in this enemies-to-lovers story never feels contrived; instead, it stems from genuine conflict between two strong personalities with opposing views on love and life. This makes their eventual transition to romance all the more satisfying.
The spicy elements of the story are well-integrated, serving to enhance the emotional connection between the characters rather than overshadowing it. Keeland maintains a perfect balance between steamy scenes and character development, ensuring that each intimate moment advances the story and deepens the reader’s understanding of both characters.
What truly sets Indiscretion apart is how Keeland keeps readers invested in the outcome even when the happy ending feels inevitable. The journey to get there is so compelling, and the character growth is so well-executed that readers will find themselves turning pages not just to reach the conclusion but to savor each moment of Dawson and Naomi’s evolution both as individuals and as a couple.
Indiscretion proves that even familiar romance tropes can feel fresh and exciting in skilled hands. Through strong character work, emotional authenticity, and engaging storytelling, Keeland has created a romance that will satisfy readers looking for both heat and heart.
In love and romance,
Professor A
Overall Grade: A-/B+
Tropes: second chance romance; high school sweethearts; small town; pro football; accidental pregnancy; soul mates; he falls first
I’ve recently fallen into the world of big “teddy bear” MMCs who fall hard for their FMCs. Tia Louise’s newest book, The Way We Score, is a lovely, engaging romance that reminds us that first loves are hard to get over. In this story, Olivia and Garrett, are high school sweethearts who lose each other to long distance in college. Years later, newly divorced Olivia returns home for her friend’s wedding, only to be met with Garret, her friend’s older brother and the one “who got away.” Attraction is re-kindled, and the two spend a passionate night on the night of the wedding. A couple of months later, Olivia, who has since left town out of a fear of her growing attraction to Garrett, realizes she is pregnant. She also misses the simplicity and ease of her hometown, so she returns to their small town to be near her mother. What she doesn’t expect is Garrett deciding he would end his football career so he can be close to her and the baby. Over time, they grow closer and realize they want to be together. When a couple of incidents threaten their happy lives, Olivia and Garrett work together to find solutions, landing squarely in their happy ending.
From the start, Tia Louise crafts Olivia and Garrett so that you cannot help but root for them as a couple. Garrett clearly adores Olivia, and Olivia has never moved past her feelings for Garrett, even though she works hard to ignore them. Their chemistry is off the charts. It is easy to love them throughout this story. In fact, there is no third-act break-up here; instead, they have to learn to navigate some challenges which Louise quickly resolves for her reader without much tension.
This new series from Tia Louise, The Bradford Boys, has become one of my favorites of hers. Louise writes them as realistic; they are characters you cannot help but swoon over. Adding to that realism is a small town filled with characters who add dimension to each of her stories in this series. One of my favorite parts is the Dare Dish challenges of the fictional Cooters & Scooters found in each of the series’ stories. It’s the moment when the characters come together with banter and sibling love. You cannot help but love the Bradford family and their community.
My only criticism relates to a slight plot point with Olivia’s husband. Creating that complication seemed unnecessary. It seemed tangential and out of focus. However, it’s a small moment in a larger enjoyable read.
If you’re looking for a story that grabs at your heart, steams up your glasses, and leaves you with all of the small town happily ever after feels, run and grab this book.
In love and romance,
Professor A
Overall Grade: A-
Tropes: small town; preacher’s kid FMC; age gap; close proximity/neighbors; single dad MMC
Expectations – the heavy suggestions that society lays on you based on some arbitrary set of standards. Many times, it’s impossible to live up to those expectations. When we try, we conscript ourselves to wear an identity far too big or small for our spirit. Some wear the heavy clothing of expectation with a facade of perfection. Don’t look too closely, though. You’ll see the tears in the fabric or the breaks in the musculoskeletal system from carrying that uncomfortable weight. Others will throw off the garment of expectation and make their way, but that way is often lonely and fraught with unease because making one’s own rules about life is a bumpy path away from society’s suggestions.
You may be curious why I began this review for Jewel E. Ann’s The Apple Tree with this reflection on expectations. Well, her first two stories in her Sunday Morning series underscore this idea of expectations. Yes, she shades around these ideas with the story of a “good girl” hate to love romance with a “bad boy,” her boyfriend’s brother in book 1, Sunday Morning. But the second book, The Apple Tree, provides a bit of the antithesis to the first book. Eve, the younger sister of Sarah, the FMC of Sunday Morning, isn’t afraid to “break the rules” of the household when she falls hard for the new next-door neighbor, single dad MMC, Kyle and his son, Josh.
Jewel E. Ann uses the idea of expectations to underscore how we might come to her story with a set of expectations mired in societal standards. Should Eve and Kyle have a successful romance if 1) they have a ten-year age difference, 2) she isn’t quite sure what career she wants, and 3) as a teacher and coach, their small community might have certain opinions about them? You can’t help but notice your awareness of their plight as you read their story. Ann deftly moves us through the complications of their burgeoning relationship, forcing readers to encounter and interrogate their expectations for Eve and Kyle. What she leaves you with, though, is a realization that it doesn’t matter. Love is love, after all, and Eve and Kyle have the qualities necessary for working through the difficult moments in a love relationship.
Everything standard in a Jewel E. Ann romance is found in The Apple Tree. Obviously, the ongoing tension that underpins the angst of her romance both drives the story forward while also slowing the read (some of us have to read the ending to remember the promise of romance’s HEAs). Her prose is some of my favorite in romancelandia. It isn’t like a Kennedy Ryan or Sierra Simone’s almost academic elegant prose, but she writes sentences that grab at you with their candor and reflection. Even more, Eve and Kyle are likable, even when they make choices that pull the happiness out of the story. You understand their choices because they feel like choices the reader would make. Jewel E. Ann’s characters, even when set in unreal plots, are relatable because they live in worlds (most of the time) like our own.
If I have one criticism of The Apple Tree, it’s the same as I had for Sunday Morning. I don’t understand the need to set it in the ‘80s. Honestly, the ‘80s references are sprinkled throughout the book in such a way that she could have removed them, and we wouldn’t miss out on them. I know it allows her to remove cell phones and technology of the 21st century, but I don’t believe it would have changed the story. Again, this is my curiosity. I’m sure there are ’70s and ’80s babies who love the allusion to one of their favorite time periods.
Jewel E. Ann’s The Apple Tree continues her Sunday Morning series beautifully. I prefer Eve and Kyle’s story to the story of her first book. Kyle and Eve fall hard for each other. Their love for each other, at its core, is never the problem of this book. They find “their person” in the other. It’s the expectations of everyone around them that muddies their love (well, except for Grandma Bonnie – my favorite character in the book). Thankfully, Jewel E. Ann aptly walks us through their story carefully and gifts us with a beautiful happily ever after to revel in.
In love and romance,
Professor A
He’s a single dad starting over in a new town. She’s a relentless flirt with a penchant for trouble, ten years younger than him, and the babysitter. What could go wrong?
Eve has just graduated from high school, but she doesn’t know what’s next aside from working at the local motel, spying on Kyle, her neighbor, and stealing apples from his orchard. If she doesn’t figure things out soon, she’ll be stuck at home and treated like a child forever.
Kyle is a single dad and the new football coach who needs a babysitter for his adorable son. When he meets Eve, there’s an instant connection because she reminds him of someone—himself. But Eve is the preacher’s daughter, off-limits, and Kyle has already had his heart trampled by his ex.
After earning his son’s affection with her homemade apple sauce and youthful spirit, Eve asks Kyle to teach her things like driving his fishing boat and shooting his hunting bow. Despite his better judgment, he agrees, but swears Eve to secrecy so no one gets the wrong idea about them.
Their playful banter and innocent flirting crosses a line, and Kyle misses the heartbreaking secret Eve’s hidden in plain sight.
When tragedy strikes, can they find their way back to each other?
The Apple Tree is a standalone in the Sunday Morning series by USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Jewel E. Ann.
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Meet Jewel E. Ann
Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she’s not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.
Connect with Jewel
Website: https://www.jeweleann.com
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From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a new forced proximity, single dad romantic comedy. This steamy, laugh out loud, enemies-to-lovers, small town standalone romance is now available in all formats and delivers the perfect happily ever after. One-click your copy today!
https://mybook.to/ThePathToLovingHim
About THE PATH TO LOVING HIM:
What does one do when they completely blow an interview?
If you’re me, you pick up a one-night stand with the most gorgeous man you’ve ever seen…
That’s right, after a lousy interview that could have changed everything for me, I headed over to the local small town bar to sulk when the one man I shouldn’t want walked in. And when my friend convinced me to take him back to my hotel room, I didn’t think about it, I just did it . . . well, I did him.
It was an unforgettable night, but I didn’t stay for breakfast. Instead, I got out of there and tried not to think about him again.
Everything was fine until I received a call from the interviewer saying I got the job as the assistant baseball coach at Almond Bay High. I’d be working directly under the one and only Ryland Rowley–my one-night stand.
Now, I’m not only working with him but renting the apartment above his garage. And I have to deal with the fact that he’s the man I dream about and can’t have while not letting my attraction get in the way of keeping the harmony between us. Sounds easy, doesn’t it?
It should have been, except the plan falls apart when my shower breaks, and night after night I have to slip into his house to use the bathroom only to find him in the kitchen, staring me down with those hungry, single dad eyes.
ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!
https://mybook.to/ThePathToLovingHim
ABOUT MEGHAN QUINN:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.
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Connect w/ Meghan:
Website: https://authormeghanquinn.com/
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Overall Grade: B+
Tropes: friends to lovers; runaway bride; unrequited love; he falls first; Vegas wedding; fake relationship; surprise baby; age gap
J. Saman’s Undeniably Married illustrates an upgrade for her next-gen couples. The couple of this fourth story in her Boston’s Irresistibly Billionaires series, Sorel and Mason, are downright feral in their physicality. Saman has “next-leveled” this next-gen. She’s forgone a more profound development of story and characterization — like she had with her earlier stories — for a smuttier romance. I don’t dislike that; it’s an observation of her evolution as an author.
What did I love about this story?
Besides the imbalance of smut to story for Saman, one other aspect of this book and the other books in this series is how much the older generation has taken a back seat. They are mentioned, and we encounter the parents, but nothing is usually deeper than a quick scene. We see this in this book when Mason seeks out the advice of his parents, but it’s brief, and they play little part in the rest of the story. Even the lack of Sorel’s parents in the face of a broken engagement is a lacking plot point.
Mason and Sorel’s Undeniably Married holds a balance between teeth-achingly sweet and romance spice. I absolutely love this series, and I cannot wait for more stories from this crew of next-gen J. Saman characters.
In love and romance,
Professor A
Overall Grade: A-
Tropes: cowboy; he falls first; friends to lovers; fake dating; small town
I’ve been a member of romancelandia long enough to know that friends-to-lovers is a bit of a fraught trope. Some people absolutely love it, while others detest it. That particular group struggles with the shift in feelings for the main characters, and the credibility of their love is called into question. I’ve read some problematic friends-to-lovers stories, but Jessica Peterson’s Wyatt, the second book of her Lucky River Ranch series, is not one of them.
Peterson has done well in many aspects of this story.
It is also why I prefer her romances over many. Jessica Peterson’s Wyatt absolutely put a smile on my face. This isn’t high drama like the first book, Cash. Instead, Sally and Wyatt’s journey is one of acceptance: recognizing their love for each other and leaning into it. Honestly, while it does not have holiday overtones, it feels right for this holiday season. It’s a special gift of love wrapped in a shiny bow of sweetness and spice.
In love and romance.
Professor A
Roping horses leads to riding cowboys in this sexy friends-to-lovers, fake-dating, lessons-in-seduction romance by Jessica Peterson.
Wyatt Rivers is the perfect no-strings hookup—a cowboy Casanova who rocks a Stetson, looks smokin’ hot in his Wranglers, and never rests his head on the same pillow twice.
He’s exactly what I’m looking for. If only Wyatt wasn’t also my best friend…
I’m back in my hometown of Harstville, Texas, for a few months while I wait for my dream job to start thousands of miles away. While I’m here, I hope to end an epic dry spell in the bedroom, preferably with a local cowboy. If the rumors are true, they really do ride harder and stay on longer.
Wyatt and I have been best friends since second grade, and I’ve been in love with him for almost as long. But he’s as wild and untamed as a colt that can’t be broken—not to mention, totally out of my league with his good looks and heartbreaker reputation.
Then I get to thinking: since Wyatt is such an expert, why doesn’t he teach me the ropes of how to find a hookup? He begrudgingly agrees, and a little fake flirting suddenly leads to fake dating, which leads to real kissing, which leads to real…well, everything else.
And let me just say, the rumors are absolutely true.
Now, I want so badly to be Wyatt’s last rodeo. But I’m leaving town, and even if I wasn’t, I’m not sure Wyatt would ever change his playboy ways.
I know cowboys can’t be tamed. Apparently, neither can hearts…
Grab your copy today!
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