Tag: romance

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

Cover Reveal
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Tia Louise has revealed the covers for The Way We Collide!

Releasing April 10, 2025

Football is my life. I’m not interested in marriage or babies or poopy diapers. Yet here I am, standing in front of a judge saying “I do,” with a six-month-old on my hip and an aspiring storm-chaser on my arm.

From the time I was a little boy, sleeping with my head on a football, I’ve had one goal: carrying on the Bradford-family legacy.

Our famous father trained all my older brothers and me to be star athletes just like him, but seven years later, I’m the only one still focused on the game.

Until Raven Gale storms into my life.

She’s smart, sassy, curves for days, and lightning in the sack. When I met her at my little sister’s wedding we bonded immediately over our dedication to our dreams, our determination to let nothing stop us, and our insatiable, all-night, barrier-busting chemistry.

A baby girl is a surprise neither of us expected, but Raven has a plan. We’ll have a quickie marriage to secure her trust fund, be together three months tops, then shake hands and walk away.

The only problem is with every late night I spend chatting with my wife or consummating our marriage (which we agreed was a bad idea) or rocking my baby girl to sleep or yes, even changing poopy diapers, the stronger our bond grows.

It never rains in California, there’s no football (for me) in south Alabama, but when you collide with a cyclone, everything changes, including what you thought were your plans.

(THE WAY WE COLLIDE is a small-town, surprise baby, sports romance with a marriage of convenience, close proximity, an over-protective alpha daddy, a feisty plus-sized FMC, and a few twisters. No cheating. No cliffhanger. No third-act breakup.)

Photographer: Wander Aguiar
Cover Designer: Lori Jackson Design
Cover Illustrator: Laura Moore
“LCM Designs “
Cover Designer: Kari March Designs  

Preorder your copy today!

Amazon US: https://mybook.to/Collideamz       

Audible: Coming Soon

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4hB4s3X 

Meet Tia Louise


Tia Louise is the USA TODAY best-selling, award-winning author of super-hot and sexy romances. All her heroes are alphas with hearts of gold, and all her heroines are the smart, sassy ladies who love them.

NEVER miss a New Release or Sale–get her newsletter now: http://smarturl.it/TLMnews
OR Get New Release Text Alerts: Text “TiaLouise” to 64600 (U.S. only)

Keep up with her at TiaLouise.com or Instagram (@AuthorTLouise) or Facebook (@AuthorTiaLouise).

Connect with Tia

Website | www.TiaLouise.com   

Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/Tia_Louise   

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Newsletter |  http://smarturl.it/TLMnews     Text Updates |  64600

new release

✍🏻 You are not ready for Roman…not. at. all. He is one of Helena Hunting’s swooniest, dommiest MMCs. Today’s the day to grab If You Love Me, the next book of her Toronto Terror series. ✍🏻

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If You Love Me

by Helena Hunting
Toronto Terror #4

Release date: March 13th


Cover Designer: Hang Le

https://www.instagram.com/byhangle/

Illustrations by Rosie’s Fables

https://www.instagram.com/rosiesfables/


Narrators: Stephen Dexter & Stella Bloom

Two nights with her ruined me for all other women, but I never got the chance to make her mine. 

I’m the pinnacle of control. I protect the net, my team, and my daughter.

It’s my final season and I can’t afford any distractions. 

Except our new assistant coach just walked in. 

And I would know her face anywhere.

She’s the one I dream about. 

That weekend, I was just a man—not the legend, the dad, the mentor.

I didn’t care that I was a decade older. 

For the first time in my life, I was ready to risk everything if it meant having her.

Until I woke up to an empty bed and no note.

Three years of wishing I knew how to find her, now she’s my new boss. 

I can be patient.

But for her—I want to break all the rules. 

AVAILABLE NOW

Amazon World → https://geni.us/IfYouLoveMeAmazon

Audio US → https://amzn.to/41dYijc

Audio World → https://geni.us/IYLMAudio

Amazon World Paperback → https://geni.us/IfYouLoveMePBZon

Goodreads → https://geni.us/IfYouLoveMeGoodReads

About Helena Hunting: 

NYT and USA Today bestselling author, Helena Hunting lives outside of Toronto with her amazing family and her adorable, emotional cat, who thinks the best place to sleep is her keyboard. Helena writes everything from emotional contemporary romance to romantic comedies that will have you laughing until you cry.

Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1y6OBB7

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/helena-hunting 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helena.hunting69/ 

Instagram: http://instagram.com/helenahunting

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@helenahunting 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/helenahunting

NEWSLETTER:  https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/f4p1t7

Cover Reveal

✍🏻 Louise Bay is taking us into the Colorado Mountains. Check out the cover for Love Fast, the first book of Bay’s Colorado Club Billionaires. ✍🏻

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LOVE FAST by Louise Bay

Release Date: May 16, 2025

Discreet Cover Designer: Enchanting Romance Designs

Model Cover Designer: Qamber Designs

Photographer: Michelle Lancaster

Model: Chad Hurst

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭 by USA Today Bestselling Author Louise Bay is coming on May 16th! A runaway bride finds unexpected love with a billionaire in this sizzling standalone romance.

𝓟𝒓𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 + add it your 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒛𝒐𝒏 𝑾𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒕: https://geni.us/LoveFast

Add to 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔: https://geni.us/lovefastgr

𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒊𝒈𝒏 𝑼𝒑: https://forms.gle/RvpR7wY6Yp1QrCNZ9

What to expect:

💙Runaway Bride

🏔️Western Romance

💙Small Town

🏔️Workplace Romance

💙Billionaire Romance

🏔️He falls first

Blurb:
𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐲

I never thought I’d be a runaway bride. But when it came down to it, I just couldn’t marry the wrong man.

So, I ran.

And somehow, I ended up in Star Falls, Colorado—stranded, no luggage, no plan—in a wedding dress with a past I’d rather forget.

Fate lands me in the only available rental in town, a cozy little cabin… right next door to Byron Miller, the brooding billionaire who wants nothing to do with me. Or this town.

𝐁𝐲𝐫𝐨𝐧

I left Star Falls years ago, along with every mistake. Now I’m back, determined to build a luxury resort that might just rewrite my past.

The last thing I need is a distraction—especially not one like the runaway bride that moved in next door. She has too many secrets and a smile so wide, I just can’t look away.

But no matter how hard I try to keep my distance, there’s something about her, that refuses to be ignored.

Snow falls. Sparks fly. Late-night porch talks turn into something more, something neither of us expected. But Rosey’s past isn’t far behind, and my future here is hanging by a thread.

She’s just passing through. I’m trying not to put down roots. But Star Falls, Colorado has its own plan.

𝘼 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡-𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙨𝙞𝙯𝙯𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨.

Discreet Cover Designer: Enchanting Romance Designs

Model Cover Designer: Qamber Designs

Photographer: Michelle Lancaster

Model: Chad Hurst

Find more books by Louise Bay here: https://louisebay.com/

new release

✍🏻 Devney Perry’s final Treasure State Wildcats romance is LIVE! Merit is the perfect, emotional ending to one of my favorite series from DP! ✍🏻

professorromance

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞!

Grab it HERE ⬇️
https://geni.us/cE4iZU

The world loves Maverick Houston. Me? I’ve hated him since we were ten.

It’s not exactly easy to escape your childhood nemesis when your parents are best friends who live on the same block. Through countless vacations, parties and holidays, Maverick and I have spent the past decade trading insults.

Until that family dinner when his mother tells us she’s dying. When she asks us to forget the past and start fresh. That’s how I found myself on a date with the
Treasure State Wildcats football star. The campus playboy. The boy I kissed when I was three. The man who is the bane of my existence.

He’s arrogant. He’s blunt. He’s too handsome for his own good. But if he has a single, redeeming merit, the guy sure does love his mom. And that’s why I started fake dating Maverick Houston. That’s why I made him a proposition of my own.

That’s how this sham of a relationship ruined my life.

The world loves Maverick Houston. Me? I hate that he made me love him too.

Cover Reveal

✍🏻 I’m a little late to post this cover, but I didn’t want to miss it. Who’s ready for L.B. Dunbar’s next Chicago Anchors’ story? Check out the cover for Catch The Kiss! ✍🏻

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A picture containing font, typography, text, graphics Description automatically generated

CATCH THE KISS

L.B. Dunbar

Release Date: April 17 

Blurb:

Meeting Bolan Adler, professional baseball catcher and single dad, is a complicated story.

One involving a one-time kiss when I was young and silly. And a two-time tryst as some kind of midlife breakdown moment. 

Anyway, in the game of baseball, three strikes mean: you’re out. 

I thought my third one might happen when Bolan Adler is the newest client of the sports management agency I work for. 

The same business that just promoted me to agent status when I haven’t asked for the position. 

Also, the ridiculous company that wrote up a reputation repair report for the newest member of the Chicago Anchors which includes:

Bolan Adler needs a wife.

He’s decided I’m it. Only this isn’t a game of tag.

Hearts are on the line when I meet Bolan’s sweet sixteen-month-old, and my role goes from babysitting the bad boy of baseball to bonus-mom for his precious daughter.

Complicated, like I said. 

Add in when my fake husband starts tossing out real emotions about love, marriage, and a baby, and I’m just hoping to stay out of the strike zone. Because the obvious opponent on the field is love.

Will it win or lose at the end of the season?

Pre-Order Link:https://a.co/d/dE2syhG

Meet L.B. Dunbar:

L.B. Dunbar loves sexy silver foxes, second chances, and small towns. If you enjoy older characters in your romance reads, including a hero with a little silver in his scruff and a heroine rediscovering her worth, then welcome to romance for those over 40. L.B. Dunbar’s signature works include women and men in their prime taking another turn at love and happily ever after. She’s a USA TODAY Bestseller as well as #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Later in Life Romance with her Lakeside Cottage and Road Trips & Romance series. L.B. lives in Chicago with her own sexy silver fox.

To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her monthly newsletter, Love Notes.

Connect with L.B. Dunbar:

https://linktr.ee/lbdunbarwrites

new release

✍🏻 Who’s ready for the second book in Penelope Ward’s duology? Grab The Drummer’s Heart TODAY! ✍🏻

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Title: The Drummer’s Heart
Author: Penelope Ward
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Rockstar Hero/”My Wife”/Small Town
Close Proximity/Slow Burn/One Bed
Release Date: February 23, 2025
BLURB
From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new, STANDALONE novel…
Don’t say her name.
That was the one rule my bandmates followed, because they knew how much it messed me up to think about her, especially on tour.
My ex, Nicole.
The one who got away and the woman who still owned every piece of my heart.
After our divorce, I threw myself into the rock scene, trying to forget my heartbreak.
Three years after we split, a phone call from Nicole changed everything.
She told me her grandmother wasn’t doing well.
Mimi was still family to me, and she apparently had one wish before dying: to spend time with us—Nicole and me.
With Mimi’s caretaker away on vacation, it would be the ideal time for us to move in with her for a couple of weeks.
Of course, I couldn’t refuse.
But there was a catch.
Nicole apparently never told her that we’d gotten a divorce.
She hadn’t believed Mimi could handle it, because her grandmother loved me so much.
So, not only would I have to see Nicole again, but I’d be pretending to still be her husband.
Two weeks in a tiny house in a small town with the woman who broke my heart. Or was it me who broke hers?
It was complicated.
And it was about to be a heck of a lot more complicated sharing one bed in the guest room with a woman who wasn’t mine anymore.
BOOKBUB
PURCHASE LINKS
Only $3.99 for a limited time and 
FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Model Paperback and Hardcovers also available!
Read the first standalone in this series, The Rocker’s Muse FREE in KU and binge this complete duology!
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
ROCKSTAR HERO
“MY WIFE”
SMALL TOWN
CLOSE PROXIMITY
SLOW BURN
ONE BED
AUTHOR BIO
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.

AUTHOR LINKS
OTHER BOOKS BY PENELOPE WARD
NOW ALL AVAILABLE TO READ IN KINDLE UNLIMITED
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
SEE ALL BOOKS HERE
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 ✍🏻

professorromance

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