Tag: friends to lovers

new release

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: Jessica Peterson’s Duke ✍🏻

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Book cover of 'Duke' by Jessica Peterson featuring a cowboy lifting a woman inside a rustic cabin, highlighting a romantic connection.

Overall Grade: A

Tropes: surprise pregnancy; forced proximity; friends to lovers; insta-attraction; cowboy romance; small town romance; golden retriever MMC/black cat FMC

I think of myself as “not an easy woman.” As a Gen Xer raised by Boomer parents, I live with a constant internal dialogue—who I am versus who others see versus who I wish I could be. This overthinking creates protective barriers that, while shielding a vulnerable heart, can leave you profoundly alone.

When authors like Jessica Peterson write these complex women who find men willing to love them fiercely, I feel seen. It’s bittersweet but hopeful—knowing that somewhere in this vast world exist people who look past our carefully constructed walls to the tender hearts beneath.

This is why I adored Duke, Peterson’s latest Lucky River Ranch novel. Duke and Wheeler inspire genuine emotion. Duke’s gift for seeing and loving Wheeler’s truth makes this story exceptional. Wheeler has spent a lifetime hearing lies about herself from her father and brother, their words born from their own insecurities. She’s countered those lies through hard work and success, but that independence comes at a cost—those old wounds make her guard against anything threatening to derail her carefully planned life.

Duke represents everything that could upend Wheeler’s world. The tension between their undeniable attraction and Wheeler’s determination to stay single adds rich complexity to their story. Duke is patient, tenacious, and intentional—qualities that make him irresistibly attractive. He becomes Wheeler’s friend first, lover second, creating a bond that’s both hard-won and deeply satisfying. Their relationship evolves from friendship to something eternal.

Peterson excels at crafting compelling narratives that propel readers forward. Her prose captures attention and holds it, while her ability to reveal a character’s core essence keeps readers invested. Her talent for writing independent, headstrong women who find partners who love them as they are—not as they need them to be—continues to resonate with her growing fanbase.

If you’re seeking a cowboy romance with genuine heart and emotional depth, Duke should be your next read.

In love and romance,

Professor A

new release

✍🏻 What is not to love about a single dad movie star MMC with a HEAVY DOSE of rizz and a burgeoning “smut” writer/OB-GYN resident FMC who circle each other and FALL hard? There is nothing better. J. Saman’s Undeniably Unexpected is LIVE now, and it’s exactly the read you need! ✍🏻

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🎬🌅🔥UNDENIABLY UNEXPECTED IS LIVE + Gifty A Way🔥🌅🎬

What you get…

🎬British bad boy movie star hero

🩺Curvy doctor and secret romance author heroine

👨‍👦Single dad

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨Fake relationship

🫶Friends to lovers

🛏Forced proximity on an island off Key West

💘He falls first and harder

🔥STEAMY with a fun unexpected k!nk

😍All the LOL banter and intense feels

http://geni.us/UndeniablyUnexpected

Blurb:

Hollywood Bad Boy Loomis Powell Dating Heiress Keegan Fritz Amid Secret Baby Scandal.

That headline plus a broken wrist, my ex showing up, and it leaking that Loomis has a son no one knew about, and suddenly we’re in a fake relationship.

He needs help keeping his son and saving his career, and I need someone to stop me from going back to my ex after he broke my heart.

It seems like the perfect plan until we realize someone is following us a little too closely.

Now we’re stuck in a tiny cottage on an island off the Florida Keys.

It’s a recipe for disaster.

Between his charming smile, sexy British accent, and swoon-worthy moments with his son, he’s everything I need to stay away from. Loomis doesn’t do love or relationships, and I have a penchant for falling fast and hard for the wrong men.

But with every searing kiss and sheet-clutching encounter, I’m finding it harder and harder to remember that what we have is fake.

Especially when outside forces threaten to tear us apart.

Can we find a way to turn this undeniably unexpected situation into something real, or will our Hollywood romance end in disaster?

READ FREE WITH KINDLE UNLIMITED: http://geni.us/UndeniablyUnexpected

✨ For a chance at a signed paperback of Undeniably Unexpected, copy and click the link and enter on the pinned post: https://bit.ly/33HoJSi

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

new release

✍🏻 When friends-to-lovers, fake dating goes so, so right…Don’t miss on grabbing Jessica Peterson’s next Lucky River Ranch romance, Wyatt! It’s out NOW! ✍🏻

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Jessica Peterson’s Wyatt is HERE!

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!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zok89I

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/WyattJP

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3MPC3cw

new release, Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward’s The Rules of Dating a Younger Man, the final book of The Law of Opposites Attract series ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: B-

Tropes: age gap; close proximity; cinnamon roll MMC; “forbidden” relationship; he falls first; friends to lovers

Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward’s The Law of Opposites Attract series has come to a close with their final book, The Rules of Dating a Younger Man. Throughout this series, their readers have been gifted with the found family/band of brothers trope that tends to be popular. From Colby to Holden to Owen to Brayden, Keeland and Ward have ingratiated their lives into our lives. Here’s the thing about this series, though. This series started strong with Colby/Billie and Holden/Lala’s stories, but the magic of those books feels lost in Owen and now Brayden’s book. With The Rules of Dating a Younger Man, for me, the highlight is Brayden. In their friend group, Owen and Brayden seem the most level-headed and secure of the bunch, but Brayden, especially, is one of the quietest of the stories going into his book. Keeland and Ward draw him as a wildly handsome, thoughtful, humble, kind man. You have no heart if you leave TRODAYM and don’t love Brayden. It’s impossible to dislike him because he cares so much for his friends, the kids he develops prostheses for, and the project of Ryan’s House. Alex, the FMC, cannot help but fall in love with someone like Brayden. 

The issue with this book is two-fold: Alex’s journey can be challenging to understand. She is not readily likable because she spurns Brayden at every turn. I found it tiring as it continues for 80 percent-ish of the book. The second issue is their chemistry. Keeland and Ward create more tension between Brayden and Alex than they create their love. Yet, these two fall in love after three weeks (weekends only). I struggled with this inconsistency, making it difficult to believe they were indeed in love. As situations play out, Alex readily denies Brayden for much of the book, even though she allegedly loves him. Again, the credibility of their relationship created issues for me. 

Did I love the camaraderie of the friends? Yes.

Did I enjoy their antics and the way they loved each other? Absolutely!

Did I love Alex and Brayden when they finally got where they needed to go? Yep. However, this takes up most of the book and adds a huge helping of frustration. 

Do I think The Rules of Dating a Younger Man a fitting end to this series? I’m not sure. I believe this series began strong and lost its magic in the two later books. 

As always, however, I adore Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward’s storytelling prowess, and I will continue to read their works. I’m just not sure I loved The Rules of Dating a Younger Man as much as I wanted to.

In love and romance,

Professor A

new release

✍🏻 Nora and Jamie’s story is FINALLY here, and Kristen Ashley does not disappoint with Embracing the Change. I couldn’t put it down. KA’s River Rain series makes me want to live with its found family of characters. ✍🏻

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He decided never again, and then he met her.

Embracing the Change, an all-new emotional River Rain novel from New York Times bestselling Kristen Ashley & Blue Box Press is now live!

That Kiss…

Gorgeous New York socialite, Nora Ellington has been waiting a very long time for her happily ever after.

So long, she’s given up on it and has decided, even though she’s the plus-one friend without benefits to a man she’s head over heels in love with, an HEA will forever be out of her reach.

Handsome billionaire Jamie Oakley thought he’d had two happily ever afters in his life. However, neither lasted long, and both ended in tragedy. He’s not about to try it again or put his children through the trauma Jamie has learned from experience undoubtedly will come their way.

And he’s made this decision even if the woman who’s become his constant companion is a woman he loves straight to his soul….and wants with everything that is him.

But then, one night, Jamie loses control and kisses Nora.

He can’t go there.

She can’t go on without it.

They’ll never be the same.

Or will they?

Start reading today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3GcK4Fa
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/embracingthechange
B&N: https://bit.ly/4cmiRxK
Apple Books: https://apple.co/4b1ifg8
Kobo: https://bit.ly/4ekHpsR
Google Play: https://bit.ly/4b2dcMb

Add Embracing the Change to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3VkUOsl

Keep reading for a look inside Embracing the Change!

His fork clattered on his plate, the sudden sound surprising me so much, I gave a slight jump as Jamie turned fully to me.
“Right, we’re here.”
Oh dear.
I wasn’t sure what “here” meant.
But I was sure I didn’t want to be there.
He carried on. “I know you don’t want to talk about it, and I’ll give you more time, but I do want to talk about it. However, for now I’ll just say, I can have you as I’ll allow myself to have you.”
As he’ll allow himself to have me?
What on earth did that mean?
“And in so doing, I have you,” Jamie continued. “You mean something to me. You’re mine. You’re a part of my life. You’re a member of my family. And I think you know I take care of those I love, Nora. That being the man I am, I cannot countenance this jackass annoying you or taking your time or infiltrating your life in any way that does not involve the children you share. Am I being clear?”
You’re mine.
I take care of those I love.
You’re…
Mine.
Those…
I…
Love.
“Nora,” he called. “Am I being clear?”

For more information about Kristen Ashley, visit:
https://www.kristenashley.net/

For more information about Blue Box Press, visit:
Website: https://theblueboxpress.com/
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Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rTZdo3
TikTok: https://bit.ly/3G98oYh

new release

✍🏻 Who’s ready for Hardy Hopper? Are you sure? This GORGEOUS plaid/flannel-wearing man will steal your heart. Run and download/buy Meghan Quinn’s Bridesmaid Undercover TODAY! ✍🏻

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From USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a witty, friends-to-lovers… turns… enemies-to-lovers romance. BRIDESMAID UNDERCOVER is now available in all formats! Check out the excerpt below and one-click your copy of this steamy, hilarious romance today!

https://a.co/d/i4k8nSE

About BRIDESMAID UNDERCOVER:

Everly Plum is delighted to be heading up the Bridesmaid for Hire program at Magical Moments by Maggie. And when Hardy Hopper, one of their billionaire investors, approaches Everly for help with his friends’ wedding, she’s more than happy to step in. But Hardy has an extra assignment for her: his ex-girlfriend will be the maid of honor opposite his role as best man, and he wants Everly’s help getting her back.

There’s only one problem: Everly may have a tiny crush on the dashing businessman. But despite the way Hardy makes her stomach flutter, she’s determined to prove herself, both as a bridesmaid and as a matchmaker. That is, until she finds her crush turning into real feelings. Not to mention, Hardy can’t help but notice how well he clicks with Everly, and before he knows it, he’s not looking for his ex’s attention anymore.

But even after their simmering attraction finally rises to the surface, they will have to contend with meddling friends, poor timing, and professional boundaries—and the risk that no one might get a second chance after all.

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

https://a.co/d/i4k8nSE

Read the Excerpt:

“When I say no one ever wants to share pizza with me, I’m not kidding,” Hardy says as he picks up a piece from our shared pie. The Uber dropped us off at a hole-in-the wall Italian place downtown, and we may as well be in Lady and the Tramp, just minus the spaghetti. “They always say pineapple isn’t supposed to be on pizza, but I don’t agree.”

“I’ve never had just pineapple, it’s always accompanied by ham or pepperoni, but I’m not opposed to this. It’s sweet, and the side of barbeque sauce is a nice surprise.” 

“Good, right?” Hardy asks, waggling his brows.

“I would say more along the lines of interesting.”

“Hey, I’ll take it,” he says with a smile. “Maple never liked pineapple on pizza.”

Which makes me a better fit for Hardy than she is, but we’re not going to mention that or make this a competition because Maple is actually really sweet. 

But just for my own personal record and satisfaction…ha, Maple, I can share a pizza with Hardy, and you can’t. 

Okay, pettiness is over.

“Shame,” I say. “Because it’s good. The dipping sauce I’m still adjusting to.” 

“Hang out with me some more and I’ll win you over.” He winks. 

Boy, you have already won me over.

You won me over months ago.

After he swallows and takes a sip of his drink, he says, “So, tell me about your day.”

“Pretty sure you know about my day,” I say.

“Yeah, but you’re not eating dinner alone tonight, so act like I don’t know anything about what happened today.”

Well…that makes my heart nearly beat out of my chest as I look into his perfectly blue eyes. With comments like that, he’s making it next to impossible for me to even think about anyone else but him. 

Samantha Brentmoor and Jason Clarke narrate in duet this steamy, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy. BRIDESMAID UNDERCOVER is now available on Audible!

https://adbl.co/4dmZaGC

ABOUT MEGHAN QUINN:

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.

Never miss another NEW RELEASE, text READ to 474747.

Connect w/ Meghan:

Website: https://authormeghanquinn.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meghanquinnauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meghanquinnbooks/  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMegQuinn

Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Reviews: Adriana Locke’s This Much Is True, the next Marshall Family series romance ✍🏻

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Overall Grade: A-/B+

There are two things I know: Adriana Locke can continue to write small-town romance and second-chance romance, and this reader will be content. Her latest book, This Much Is True, showcases her strengths in crafting these types of stories. She invests us in Laina and Luke’s enduring love, fraught with misunderstandings, misgivings, and feelings of inadequacy. At the core, though, Locke has written two characters who mutually respect and love each other. What this gifts her readers is a story to get lost in. As Laina stands in her authority, making choices that benefit her, you cannot help but cheer her on. She is loveable, albeit naive to her father’s management of her life. And Luke is fun-loving, but also serious. He becomes her protector and confidante, drawing them together. Locke sprinkles spice throughout their story, but it never borders on smut or detracts from their evolution. The tension of This Much Is True is mild, never devolving into anything too angsty. 

Adriana Locke’s version of romance feels like a warm blanket on a cold day. This Much Is True is a promise, a reminder that romance can be so many different things, but in the end, it leaves us filled with hope. That’s the gift Adriana Locke offers her readers with each of her stories.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Cover Reveal

✍🏻 I am in LOVE with the cover for Karla Sorensen’s Promise Me This, Ian Wilder’s story. This couple is GORGEOUS!!! ✍🏻

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PROMISE ME THIS

Karla Sorensen

Release Date: May 9

WILL BE AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

Imagine this: an author with a raging case of writer’s block finds an unexpected source of inspiration in her grumpy, gorgeous new roommate. Sounds amazing, right? Except that new roommate is my childhood best friend. And Ian Wilder has been off-limits since I was five.

It’s been over a decade since I’ve seen him, but when I return to my hometown after years away, Ian’s exactly the man I remembered. The same guy who gave me his coat on a playground when we were kids and promised he’d take care of me forever. I need a quiet place to work with this deadline looming. I need a place where my daughter can unwind. Enter Ian with an offer I can’t refuse: his spare bedroom.

It’s an easy yes. Except now the problem is I can’t stop thinking about him, and these thoughts? They’re wandering out of the friend zone. I keep imagining very creative ways to rip off his clothes. And Ian starts giving me looks of his own, the kind that make my heart race.

One night, we cross a line we can’t uncross. The lines have blurred, and our friendship is hanging by a thread.

Imagine this: a woman falling for her best friend. And she has no idea if he feels the same.

Pre-Order Link:

https://amzn.to/3PtoAcj

Meet Karla Sorensen:

 Karla Sorensen is an Amazon top 20 bestselling author who refuses to read or write anything without a happily ever after. When she’s not devouring historical romance or avoiding the laundry, you can find her watching football (British AND American), HGTV or listening to Enneagram podcasts so she can psychoanalyze everyone in her life, in no particular order of importance. With a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Grand Valley State University, she made her living in senior healthcare prior to writing full-time. Karla lives in Michigan with her husband, two boys and a big, shaggy rescue dog named Bear.

Keep up with Karla Sorensen and subscribe to her newsletter: http://www.karlasorensen.com/newsletter

To learn more about Karla Sorensen & her books, visit here!

Connect with Karla Sorensen:

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