Category: Review

new release, Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: Devney Perry’s Merit, the final book of her Treasure State Wildcats series ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: A

Tropes: friends to enemies to lovers; fake relationship; football/sports romance; new adult; close proximity/neighbors growing up; miscommunication; virgin FMC

Devney Perry deftly crafts narratives that serve as decadent treats for romance readers. Her Treasure State Wildcats series, which began with Coach (one of my top ten reads of 2023), concludes with “Merit,” a satisfying finale to this four-book series.

From the outset, I found myself captivated by the emotional and chemical attraction between Maverick (a character readers approached with caution in book 3, Rally) and his childhood friend-turned-enemy, Stevie. Perry’s storytelling strengths shine in the enemies-to-lovers chemistry between these protagonists. Her methodical development of their growing acknowledgment of mutual attraction pulls readers through the occasionally emotional narrative.

The most compelling aspect of their relationship is the inherent understanding each possesses of the other, drawing them together despite initial resistance. While Perry carefully addresses past grievances (which, in my estimation, appeared somewhat minor—my primary critique being the difficulty in accepting their prolonged animosity), she creates a convincing path for Maverick and Stevie to forge a future together. Perry’s intentional development of their story, gradually building physical attraction until it reaches its inevitable culmination, demonstrates excellent pacing. Merit establishes an intimacy between the protagonists that functions as the proverbial cherry atop the Treasure State Wildcats sundae.

Furthermore, the individual struggles of Maverick and Stevie are constructed in a manner that provides the emotional core of their story. While their evolving relationship drives the narrative action, their personal challenges elicit genuine emotional responses from readers. These individual journeys create moments of recognition where readers might see reflections of their own experiences—though I refrain from sharing specific details to preserve the narrative’s impact.

The Treasure State Wildcats series stands admirably alongside Perry’s beloved Jamison Valley, Lark Cove, and The Edens series. For devoted fans of Devney Perry and enthusiasts of sports romances, Merit and its companion novels in this series are essential reading that will not disappoint.

In love and romance,

Professor A

new release, Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: Kristen Ashley’s Smooth Sailing, a Wild West MCs story ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: A

Tropes: MC romance; inter-connected worlds; forced proximity; romantic suspense; found family

Kristen Ashley’s storytelling magic continues to enchant readers in her latest novel, Smooth Sailing, part of the Wild West MC series. Her ability to captivate audiences across multiple genres—from fantasy to paranormal, MC to contemporary romance and romantic suspense—stems from two key strengths: her masterful use of the found family trope and her creation of emotionally intelligent heroines.

In Smooth Sailing, Ashley takes on the challenge of expanding her Wild West MC universe through Big Petey, Hugger, and Diana’s perspectives. The story follows Harlan “Hugger” McCain, a man haunted by his mother’s death who, despite being a member of Chaos, keeps himself emotionally distant from his brotherhood. It’s only when he meets Diana, the female protagonist, that he begins to understand the true meaning of family. Diana, like many of Ashley’s heroines, may not immediately recognize the dangers around her, but she serves as the catalyst for profound personal transformation. Through her own complicated relationship with her parents, she helps Harlan recognize and embrace the family he already has in his brotherhood. This emotional journey, particularly Harlan’s growing acceptance of his Chaos family, forms the heart of the narrative and elevates Smooth Sailing above Ashley’s recent works in terms of emotional depth and storytelling complexity.

However, the romance does present one challenge: its temporal distance from previous Wild West MC stories and Ashley’s broader universe makes it difficult to keep track of returning characters, even for devoted readers. While Ashley thoughtfully provides a character list for reference, readers might find themselves wanting to revisit earlier books to fully appreciate the interconnected nature of her world.

Despite this minor setback, Smooth Sailing reinforces why readers like myself remain devoted to Ashley’s universe: her unparalleled ability to demonstrate how a found family strengthens people and enriches romantic relationships. For those seeking stories with emotional resonance and powerful themes of belonging, Kristen Ashley’s universe continues to be an irresistible destination.

In love and romance,

Professor A

new release, Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: L.B. Dunbar’s Sterling Fight ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: A-/B+

Tropes: childhood friends; small town romance; crush revealed; fake engagement

In L.B. Dunbar’s latest addition to the beloved Sylver family series, Sterling Fight introduces us to Judd Sylver, a character who has lurked in the shadows of previous books but now takes center stage. Despite his minimal presence in earlier Sterling stories, Judd’s mysterious nature and carefully guarded private life have made him an intriguing figure among his siblings.

Judd’s character development is at the heart of this romance, centered around the compelling “misunderstood person” trope. While his oldest brother Stone recognizes Judd’s core motivations—his determination to avoid becoming like their father, his drive for financial security, and his tendency to make safe choices in relationships—the rest of his siblings remain unaware of how deeply these worries run.

Enter Genie, “the one who got away,” though she never fully grasped her significance in Judd’s life. The revelation of Judd’s long-standing feelings for her emerges as the story’s greatest strength. Dunbar expertly handles the “he falls first” trope, crafting Judd’s pining with remarkable skill and sensitivity. The narrative tension stems from Genie’s complicated history with both Judd and her ex-partner, which Dunbar resolves with careful pacing that keeps the story moving forward.

Among all the Sterling stories, Sterling Fight stands out as my personal favorite. The chemistry between Judd and Genie is absolutely captivating, though I suspect Stone Sylver’s upcoming story might give this one a run for its money. As a particular fan of the strong, silent type, I found Judd to be the most compelling Sylver brother yet, making him my favorite character in the series to date.

In love and romance,

Professor A

new release, Review, Uncategorized

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: Karla Sorensen’s This Wild Heart, the final book of her Wilder Family series ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: A

Tropes: sports romance; Vegas marriage; fake relationship; hurt/comfort

Karla Sorensen’s This Wild Heart serves as the poignant finale to her Wilder Family series, masterfully weaving together themes of grief, love, and healing. As Brittainy Cherry writes in The Problem with Falling, “[d]eath was the only life guarantee that humans had. We weren’t promised riches and fortune, or fame, love, or success, yet we were all promised a final chapter.” This sentiment echoes throughout Sorensen’s series, which is shadowed by the impending death of the Wilder family patriarch, Tim.

While each of Sorensen’s books explores how different siblings process their father’s terminal cancer, This Wild Heart focuses on Parker, the second-youngest Wilder child, who copes through avoidance. His struggle with grief forms the emotional core of this story, demonstrating Sorensen’s skill in portraying the varied ways people confront loss and how it shapes their journey toward love.

The novel gains additional depth through its connection to Sorensen’s Washington Wolves series. The female lead, Anya Hennessey, is the daughter of Aiden Hennessey and Isabel Ward from Forbidden in the Ward Sisters series. Anya proves to be the perfect match for Parker, possessing the emotional intelligence needed to help him confront his grief. Their story unfolds through compelling plot elements—a public breakup, an unexpected fake marriage, and the challenge of breaking through Parker’s emotional walls.

This Wild Heart showcases Sorensen’s greatest strengths as a writer: her nuanced understanding of human nature and her ability to craft emotionally resonant stories. As the final installment in the Wilder Family series, it delivers a satisfying conclusion while promising readers that Sorensen’s gift for creating impeccably written romances will continue in future works. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

new release, Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: Rebecca Jenshak’s Comeback, book 3 of her Holland Brothers series ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: A-

Tropes: best friend’s sister; brother’s best friend; forced proximity/roommates; sports romance; pro football; cinnamon roll MMC; dancer, sunshiney FMC

“He cares deeply for the people in his life and he makes sure they know it.”

Rebecca Jenshak’s Comeback stands as the pinnacle of her Holland Brothers series. Having tracked Archer’s character development from his peripheral appearances in both this series and Jenshak’s Campus Wallflowers series (notably in Tempting the Player), I found his emergence as a protagonist particularly compelling. Archer’s character distinction lies not only in his hearing impairment but in how this aspect of his identity interweaves with the series’ broader themes of familial loss and resilience.

The Holland brothers’ shared trauma – their mother’s death and father’s absence – creates a profound foundation for their relationships. While Archer’s disability could have dominated the narrative, Jenshak masterfully positions it as both integral to his character and seamlessly integrated into the larger story. Her nuanced portrayal reveals how Archer has learned to minimize himself to accommodate others, a pattern that makes his relationship with Sabrina particularly transformative.

Notable strengths:

* Jenshak subverts traditional romance tensions by focusing on individual growth rather than relationship conflict. The narrative tension emerges organically from Archer’s professional challenges and Sabrina’s complex relationship with her brother, Brogan, rather than artificial obstacles between the protagonists. This structural choice allows for a refreshingly authentic romance arc.

* The fraternal dynamics continue to illuminate why this series resonates with readers. Their group communications and collective support of their youngest member’s MLB career provide both emotional depth and moments of levity that enrich the narrative.

* The pacing demonstrates remarkable precision, maintaining momentum without sacrificing character development or emotional resonance.

In Comeback, Jenshak demonstrates her mastery of contemporary romance, crafting a narrative that balances emotional depth with compelling characterization. Through her deft handling of disability representation, family dynamics, and personal growth, she elevates what could have been a conventional sports romance into a nuanced exploration of self-acceptance and unconditional love. The result is an emotional addition to the genre that both satisfies series fans and stands confidently on its own merits.

In love and romance,

Professor A

new release, Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: Vi Keeland’s Indiscretion ✍🏻

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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

new release, Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: Tia Louise’s The Way We Score, book 3 of her Bradford Boys series ✍🏻

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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

new release, Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: Jewel E. Ann’s The Apple Tree, book 2 of her Sunday Morning series

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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

new release, Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: J. Saman’s Undeniably Married, book 4 of her Boston’s Irresistibly Billionaires series ✍🏻

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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?

  1. I’m an absolute sucker for a man who adores a woman from afar and falls deep. Mason Reyes pines for Sorel, a woman who is seven years his senior. He has reconciled a friendship with her, but, given the chance, he goes hard for her. Saman utilizes this reality by forgoing the third-act breakup. Because Mason adores Sorel and fights hard for her love, Saman gifts her reader with plot tension through other ways, ways that are easier on your heart. 
  2. While Mason’s love for Sorel is my favorite part of Undeniably Married, the plot twists are the book’s driving forces. In looking at the trope list for this book, you’d assume a lot, but Saman has crafted a story rife with complications that her characters must delicately work through. 
  3. The extended cast continues to excite Saman’s readers because she has many characters to work with for later stories. Honestly, this series could encompass SEVERAL books. I love how the characters from several of her series are entwined in this series. It feels as though you’re gifted Easter eggs of a sort throughout it. 

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

new release, Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: Jessica Peterson’s Wyatt, book 2 of the Lucky River Ranch series ✍🏻

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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. 

  • Sally and Wyatt have loved each other from afar for a long time. This is pretend unrequited love: two people avoiding their feelings to protect their friendship. Peterson is strategic in how she maps out their journey. When Wyatt (yes, this is a “he falls first” trope story) recognizes his love for Sally, he decides to keep it to himself so she can succeed in her educational journey. That sacrifice is the heart of this book and one of its pieces that incites her readers’ feelings. In any other book, the intentionality of this choice might have culled feelings of irritation. In Wyatt, it helps you fall in love with Wyatt, the player. The way that Peterson handles their friends-to-lovers relationship is done so well with only a small amount of strife that you leave this book more in love with her characters than you start, and the last ten percent of the book becomes a holiday gift, sown in sweetness. 
  • Wyatt is pure perfection. While he falls first for Sally (but not by much), Peterson still drafts him into pure masculinity, not one that oozes toxicity. Instead, he’s masculine while still able to love Sally hard. When he finally admits his feelings, he becomes the PERFECT book boyfriend, and I imagine there will be fights over him in her fan group because of it. 
  • While Wyatt’s journey is defined by admitting and encouraging his feelings for Sally, Sally’s journey is about self-discovery. As an only child, she’s lived her life people-pleasing, namely her father, a man who, we find, is living vicariously through her. As the story progresses, she recognizes the key to her happiness: being surrounded by a loving community and, in turn, returning love to that community. Quite frankly, Peterson could have mired herself in a plot hole had she allowed Sally to define herself solely in her “boyfriend’s” love, trading her identity as a skillful veterinarian surgeon for one of Wyatt’s girlfriend. However, what is always special about Peterson’s romances is her insistence on her MMC and FMC aligning themselves equitably. When Wyatt asks his brothers if it is okay for him to follow Sally to New York, his brother responds with the idea that Wyatt could be the one to stay home and watch their children. Each person has a place in Peterson’s romances, and it never seems aligned with gender norms. It isn’t that she does this overtly; instead, it is simply the nature of the worlds she creates. 

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