WHO THE HEART CHOOSES by Harlow James

Blurb:

He’s my former best friend and my husband of convenience, but he’s not the man that got me pregnant.

One year into my nursing program, two little pink lines alter my reality.

Add on that the baby’s father wants nothing to do with us and I no longer have healthcare coverage, and well?

I start to panic.

Enter Easton Buckley—Mr. Dependable, lineman with great health benefits, and a stubborn streak that pays off when he convinces me to marry him so my baby and I can be taken care of.

The problem is, Easton and I haven’t been on good terms for years, and neither of us has attempted to fix it.

Yet now I’m living with him, forced to see him shirtless, and wondering why hearing him call me his wife is making my hormones even more wild.

Then I figure out his secret.

And there’s no stopping the flood of emotions and unresolved feelings that come up.

I’m scared to fall for Easton. I don’t want him to be a mistake like every other love interest in my life.

But what if the reality is, you can’t help who your heart chooses to love? Even if they could be the one to break it once and for all?

Buy Link:

https://mybook.to/whotheheartchooses

Available in KU 

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Well, call me a fan of Garnet Valley, because after Lennon and Easton’s story, I am in love with this little town and its residents!

Who the Heart Chooses is the first book in Harlow James’s new series (a spinoff from her last one), and tells the lovely always-been-you/friends-to-lovers tale of Easton and Lennon. They had a falling out after prom night, and aside from one other tension-filled run-in, have pretty much not spoken since. But then Lennon learns she’s pregnant and her boyfriend wants nothing to do with the baby, and Easton needs a relationship to secure a job based closer to home, so he suggests a marriage of convenience. Forget about the fact that he’s been in love with her for as long as he can remember!

This book was absolutely charming. I loved the push and pull between the characters, and I was especially a sucker for Easton stepping up when it wasn’t even his baby. There is so much history between Lennon and Easton, and that played perfectly into their present relationship. My favorite scenes were when the truth about prom night came out and how they navigated moving forward after that. And of course, once they finally gave it, it was electric!

Connor Crais and Andi Eloise were so great at telling this story! I can’t wait to see what else the Garnet Valley series holds!

I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Harlow James:

Steamy Romance Author

Harlow James is a pen name I use to protect my identity as a high school teacher. Keeping those two roles in my life separate is necessary, but also fun! It’s like a live two lives, and anonymity gives me the opportunity to be bold and take risks in my stories.

I stumbled upon romance novels in 2018 when I picked up Driven by Kristy Bromberg, and I was obsessed. I had just lost my grandmother too, so reading offered me an escape from reality and a chance to grieve on my own terms.

About a year later, I got an idea for my own book and started writing. I researched self-publishing and jumped in with both feet. I had no idea what I was doing!

But now I’ve built a business and hobby that I LOVE! I have an outlet that’s just for me. When I write, I’m not a mom, a wife, or a teacher…I’m a woman who gets to tell stories that no one else can.

My books are the perfect blend of heartwarming moments, full-bellied laughs, and PLENTY of steam to melt your Kindles 😉 And there are always elements of me sprinkled in to every character and story that I write.

When I’m not writing you can find me reading or spending time in my kitchen. I love to cook and feed my family and friends. Otherwise, you can find me watching comedy specials with my husband, camping with our kids, or taking naps. I live for naps 😉

Connect with Harlow James:

https://linktr.ee/harlowjamesauthor

Christmas Staycation is AVAILABLE NOW!

An all new laugh-out-loud, spicy Christmas romance from New York Times bestselling author Meghan Quinn.

Nothing says Merry Christmas like fake fiancés, family pressure, and accidentally falling for your ex’s brother.

Nolan never met a spotlight he didn’t like. As a major league baseball player with a filthy mouth, an ego the size of the North Pole, and zero interest in behaving, he’s perfectly happy breezing into Christmas in Kringletown like the charming disaster everyone expects him to be.

Taran, on the other hand, has made an art form out of keeping the peace. She’s polished, careful, and so committed to making everyone else happy that she’s somehow agreed to a fake wedding with her ex just to keep her family’s holiday from imploding.

There’s only one problem: the ex in question is Nolan’s brother, and Nolan sees right through her. He knows Taran deserves better than pretending her way through life.

And he’d really like “better” to be him.

Now Taran is juggling family expectations, holiday chaos, and a man who is far too cocky, far too funny, and far too determined to bulldoze every wall she’s ever built.

But with Christmas closing in, secrets snowballing, and one very fake engagement threatening to blow up in spectacular fashion, this holiday season is about to get messy. And someone’s sure to end up on the naughty list.

Christmas Staycation is available now in paperback, KU, and audio.

https://a.co/d/05UvH9Da

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Christmas Staycation is another hilarious addition to Meghan Quinn’s Kringletown series of holiday romcoms. And holy crap, was it funny! I mean, Queen Quinn is always funny. But this one just went into overdrive and I found myself snorting so many times!

Readers know Taran as Storee’s sister from How My Neighbor Stole Christmas, and we met Nolan as a side character in her most recent novel, Just for the Plot. Did any of us have any idea that fratbro Nolan was the brother of buttoned-up Guy (Guystopher?!? Bwahahaha). Nope, I had no idea. And that was a treat!

This whole book was a treat! Like the others in this series, the plot is inspired by a classic holiday film; this time, it is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, complete with Nolan rolling into town in his RV, wearing a short bathrobe, going sledding, and so much more, all leading up to an epic Clark Griswold meltdown by Taran as the stress of faking a Christmas wedding catches up with her.

Nolan was so amazing with Taran; who knew? Sure he’s all jokes and smiles, but he saw Taran in a way that Guy never had. And he let himself be vulnerable with Taran in a way that was absolutely charming.

If you have the chance to listen to this audiobook, I highly recommend it! There is a full cast narration with Shane East, Brandon Francis, Kelsey Navarro Foster, Vanessa Edwin, JF Harding, Teddy Hamilton, but Brandon Francis and Kelsey Navarro Foster absolutely SLAY it as Nolan and Taran.

Don’t risk getting on the Naughty List! Read Christmas Staycation today!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

The Forbidden One by Marni Mann is now live!

An emotionally gripping, angsty, he-falls-first, billionaire romance from USA Today best-selling author Marni Mann …

I don’t believe in love. He’s willing to burn down the world to win my heart. I never expected him to succeed.

They used to call me the sassy one.
Unafraid. Uninhibited. Unstoppable.

Until the night everything changed.
The evening that scarred me and altered my life’s path.
I was left shattered and haunted by who I’d never be and what I’d never have.

Now, they call me the forbidden one.
Closed off. Guarded. Surrounded by affection, but unwilling to love anyone besides my family.

And then, out of nowhere, comes a man I least expect. Impressive on paper, even more so in person, and after each encounter, he leaves me craving …

More than I’ve wanted with any other man.
Moments that will overshadow the darkest ones.

Troy Wolf is everything I’m not looking for.
Everything I don’t want.
And yet he’s everything I need.

There’s just one problem …

My heart is locked.

Can I open it enough to let Troy in? Or will the ghosts from my past stand between us and our forever?

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Audiobook Narrated by: Connor Crais & Samantha Brentmoor

Ebook: https://geni.us/TheForbiddenOne

Audiobook: https://geni.us/TheForbiddenOneAudio

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4nbnPEl

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Holy crap, what did I read? And I mean that in the best way possible! The Forbidden One closes out Marni Mann’s Weston Group series, and Eden’s long-awaited story was phenomenal! This book is a bit darker than the rest, and Marni handled the heroine’s traumatic past as an SA survivor wonderfully!

From the start of this series, Eden had a mysterious air surrounding her. Now we know why she is so closed-off and guarded. My heart broke for the girl she was and what happened to her that night that changed everything. The Eden of Before was so full of life, optimistic and outgoing. And the Eden of After was jaded (rightfully so!), guarded, and hesitant to let anyone in.

Then along came Troy. Oh, how I loved these two together! He had no idea what he was getting into, but the man had the patience of a saint. And as a product of the foster system, Troy had his own demons and baggage to overcome. These two characters together were absolutely brilliant, and Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais perfectly played every nuance in bringing this story to life.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Carved in the Shadows by A.L. Jackson is now live! It was a terrible idea to agree to move in with my best friend’s little sister…She is everything I’ve ever wanted and the one thing I can’t have. As our motorcycle club’s Vice President, I’m charged with her protection. Touching her would be a penalty subject to death.When she demands the chance to spread her wings, it’s my duty to go with her. I knew staying at her new apartment would be excruciating. Listening to her in her room and imagining her under the fall of the shower. But when she asks me to crawl into bed with her so she won’t feel so alone, there’s nothing I can do.One brush of her hand and I’m crumbling. One crook of those fingers and I’m trapped. One reckless night and there’s no going back. Only with the lives we lead, our enemies are never far away, and as she begins to receive threats, I’m in a race to end the threat before it’s too late. Soon, our secrets unravel, and I’m faced with the consequence of loving her. But I promised her everything, and I’m willing to offer the greatest sacrifice. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited Audiobook Narrated by: Austin Stone & Andi Arndt Visit A.L. Jackson’s website for buy links, or search Carved in the Shadows by A.L. Jackson on Amazon, Audible, and your retailer of choice for paperbacks. Don’t forget to add Carved in the Shadows by A.L. Jackson to your Goodreads TBR! Amazon: https://bit.ly/4ryLDCo Deluxe Edition Paperback: https://geni.us/CITSDlxEdtn Audible: https://geni.us/CITSAudioOP Goodreads: https://geni.us/CITSGoodreads A.L. Jackson’s Release Giveaway: https://geni.us/CITSRlsGvwy The deluxe print edition features sprayed edges with stenciled artwork, custom endpapers and interior artwork.

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

In Carved In the Shadows, AL Jackson takes the brother’s best friend/forbidden romance trope and places it in her MC world as Crimson Crows VP Trevan falls hard and fast for Elena, the younger sister of his MC brother/president, Silas.

Elena is looking for some independence outside of the Crimson Crows family. She’s desperate to spread her wings, but Silas isn’t too keen on letting his little sister go out on her own and leave the Crows compound. So Trevan is tasked with looking out for Elena and making sure she stays safe. But what happens when Elena becomes roommates with the guy she’s been harboring a secret crush on and Trevan finds himself sharing space with the one woman he isn’t supposed to want?

This story was a delicious slow burn. AL Jackson did a great job of writing the push/pull between Trevan and Elena. On top of the angst and pining and will-they-or-won’t-they, there is an element of suspense woven through the story as well as a great use of Past chapters to highlight the long history between these two characters and show the feelings that developed between them long before they ever crossed the line once they became roommates.

Andi Arndt and Austin Stone did a great job with the duet narration in telling Carved in the Shadows. And I was so happy to see Trevan and Elena finally love one another in the light!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

CHASING SMOKE by PIPER RAYNE is AVAILABLE NOW

I’ve been running toward burning buildings for a decade. Then my best friend’s widow smiled at me for the first time in two years, and I knew right then I was in trouble.

After Caleb died, I made a promise—I’d take care of his wife. Keep an eye on her. Check in on her. Make sure she kept on living.

Collins insists she’s fine. She’s not.

So when she finally agrees to let me help pull her out of her grief, I vow to stand beside her however long she needs me, no matter how much it costs me.

Collins isn’t supposed to smile at me like she does. She’s not supposed to let me in. And she definitely isn’t supposed to be the best part of my day.

She was Caleb’s. I know that.

The problem is, I can’t stop wondering what it would be like if Collins wasn’t just someone I was meant to protect.

But mine.

CHASING SMOKE is now live in Kindle Unlimited & in Audio (FULL CAST!!!)

https://books2read.com/chasings

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Chasing Smoke was the loveliest story about finding love after loss. I absolutely adored Ansel and Collins and their journey from friends to lovers. Their story is a bit heavier than some of Piper Rayne’s other books, as Collins is a fire widow and Ansel is her late husband’s best friend/partner,

Collins has been stuck since her husband died, so Ansel gives her a push to start experiencing life again by accompanying her to yoga class, cooking class, etc. Along the way, his feelings for her shift from just a friend to something more. And Collins is equally as surprised when she realizes that she’s looking at Ansel in a way that she never expected.

There are so many layers to this relationship, and PR did a great job of writing the sensitivities that go along with grieving a spouse and the complexities of dating your best friend’s widow. On top of that, Collins discovers something about her husband that absolutely wrecks her and everything she believed she had with him.

Watching these two fall in love with one another was wonderful, and Conner Crais and Maxine Mitchell did a lovely job of hitting all of the emotional highs and lows! This series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

FALLING FOR HER by Natasha Madison

Blurb:

A divorced detective who is all about order gets more than he bargained for when his new nanny sends his life—and his heart—spinning out of control in the latest spicy romance by USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Natasha Madison.

Finley Westbook’s life just blew up. Now, the only thing she wants is for her husband to sign their divorce papers. Just one problem: He wants half of her, and her family’s, fortune. When her best friend tells her a man in her hometown needs a short-term, live-in nanny for his eight-year-old son, it sounds like the perfect escape from the mess her life has become. Sure, Finley has never had a job, but how hard can it be to take care of an adorable kid?

Single dad and small-town detective Lincoln Burke doesn’t have time for chaos. But just as his ex-wife is about to leave for her honeymoon, a major case hits his desk. He’s desperate to find a nanny, and it seems Finley is his only option. She’s a walking disaster in his kitchen, can never follow a schedule—and is a dangerous temptation in his home.

The chemistry between them is impossible to ignore, but Lincoln won’t risk his heart again—especially not with his employee. Yet, the more Finley pushes his buttons, the harder she is to resist. When danger closes in, what started as a temporary arrangement may cost them far more than they ever expected.

Buy Link:

https://www.natashamadisonauthor.com/falling-for-her

Available in KU

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Natasha Madison takes readers back to Montgavin with Finley and Lincoln’s story in Falling For Her. This book was an absolute delight, performed in duet by Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor.

Finley is a socialite who has never worked a day in her life and has no idea how to toast a piece of bread. When her estranged husband won’t sign the divorce papers, she packs up and heads to small-town Montgavin to spend some time with her friend Collins (aka Falling For You). A friend of Collins and Theo, Lincoln is in desperate need of a nanny to watch his son, Asa, for a month. After their disastrous meet-cute, Finley ends up being the last person Lincoln wants to hire, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Sure, Finley has no idea what she’s doing, but she manages to wing it with grit and determination (and a few mishaps along the way!) and develops the sweetest bond with Asa. It’s a delicious slow burn as Finley and Lincoln go from snapping each other’s heads off to tearing each other’s clothes off! But Finley’s time in Montgavin always had an expiration date….

Once she goes back to her real life, Finley discovers how empty days of shopping and lunching are compared to how she lived — and really *lived* — with Lincoln and Asa. And when Finley’s atrocious ex makes things more difficult for her…. well, Lincoln rides in like a white knight and saves the day.

This story was such a feel-good romance. Teddy and Samantha are two of my favorite narrators, so listening to them made it even more enjoyable!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Natasha Madison:

When her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…

Connect with Natasha Madison:

https://linktr.ee/natashamauthor

I will not fall for my fake boyfriend.

Famous last words.

Dr. Ares Pierce may be new in town, but it only took one encounter to know he’s trouble. Sexy. Broody. Older. A broken look in his eyes.

The kind that says he’s carrying something heavy… and I should run.

But when my cheating ex-fiancé has the audacity to ask me to be in his wedding, panic takes over. A small lie to save face spirals out of control when I claim the sexy stranger beside me is my boyfriend.

And Ares plays along.

Soon we strike a deal: we keep up the relationship to help him win patients at the struggling clinic he’s trying to save, and I get a shield from the humiliation of my ex’s happily-ever-after.

Simple. Temporary. No feelings involved.

Except nothing about Ares Pierce is simple.

The more time we spend together, the harder it is to ignore the man behind the broody exterior… The one who makes me laugh when I least expect it and reminds me what it feels like to be wanted after the worst betrayal of my life.

But our arrangement comes with an expiration date.

Ares isn’t planning to stay in Infinity Ridge. And when he’s forced to choose between the career he built and the woman he never meant to love…

I’m terrified I’ll be the one left behind.

Again.

NOW AVAILABLE in all formats

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Corinne Michaels returns to the Heartstone Ranch with Never Been Tamed, the second book in the series. This time, sister Harper is the heroine of the story, and new-to-town Dr. Ares Pierce is the hero.

With his career as a Chicago cardiologist in limbo due to a patient issue, Ares retreats to Infinity Ridge, where his grandmother lives. He’s inherited his late grandfather’s medical practice, but Ares has no desire to run a small-town clinic. He plans to get the work there for a few months while things settle down in Chicago, then sell it. But the residents who live in town are not exactly welcoming, and Ares is fighting an uphill battle in getting them to trust him as a doctor.

Meanwhile, Harper has always put everyone in her family ahead of her own needs, and is now the primary caretaker for her ailing father. She and Ares definitely get off on the wrong foot when they first meet, but when her former best friend asks Harper to be a bridesmaid in her wedding to Harper’s ex-fiancé, Ares steps up to be Harper’s new boyfriend in exchange for getting a reputation boost around town. It’s a wild ride as Harper and Ares go from enemies to fake dating to more. But Ares never planned to stay in Infinity Ridge for more than a few months, and Harper is terrified of being left behind when he leaves.

I really enjoyed these two characters and how they changed and grew together. There is great chemistry between the main characters, combined with playful banter, vulnerable moments, and lighthearted ones. I love Harper’s family (especially her dad!) and look forward to seeing more from them in the rest of this series!

I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

ROGUE WAVE by Allison Bettes is AVAILABLE NOW

Blurb:

The sexy but grumpy sheriff next door is the last man Hazel ever wanted to ask for help—but when her backyard turns into a crime scene… Hank is her only option.

Hazel:

I’m a marine biologist by day, chaos magnet by night. I get paid to study beach life—not to find evidence from a crime that washed up after a storm. When I accidentally uncovered something that was meant to stay buried, I found myself tangled up in mystery and danger – and increasingly tangled with Hank McAllister, the divorced, decade-older, infuriatingly hot sheriff next door.

Hank:

Hazel O’Hara is my infuriatingly hot neighbor that always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. We shouldn’t work—but when a sudden storm rolls in and things turn dangerous, we’re forced to rely on each other, and my resolve to not get involved with her quickly fades away.

Buy Link:

https://a.co/d/01RdLDxv

Available in KU

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Rogue Wave was really cute and fun story from an author who is new to me. Hazel and Hank had great chemistry, and the snarky banter-foreplay between them was off the charts. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments between grumpy sheriff Hank and sunshiney Hazel.

It was a nice touch the way the author wove in tidbits about sea life through Hazel’s work as a marine biologist, and I enjoyed the suspense angle in this story. In the beginning, Hazel was a major thorn in Hank’s side, but it’s one of my favorite things to see a gruff hero completely melt as he tries to protect a woman.

I tend to read books by the same group of authors, but every now and then I venture out to a new author, and I quite enjoyed Allison Bettes’ story here!

I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Allison Bettes:

Welcome to My World of Romance and Suspense!

I weave stories of mystery, romance, and suspense. Dive in and join me on this heart-pounding journey, where every twist and turn brings new surprises and adventure. If you enjoy characters who are brave, sassy, and beautifully flawed, you’re in the right place.

I’m a meteorologist/science writer by day, but a romantic suspense author at heart. My journey into the world of romance and suspense started when my grandma handed me her well-worn copies of Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts novels—I was hooked.

During Covid times, with time on my hands and a need for catharsis, I dove into writing my own romantic suspense novels. Fast forward several years and four novels later, I’m ready to share my stories with the world. My books are a thrilling blend of romance, mystery, and suspense — think Cupid Meets Crime Scene.

Connect with Allison Bettes:

https://linktr.ee/allisonbettes