When a film crew descends on my flower farm to shoot a romcom, my stress levels shoot through the roof.  A secret fling with my hot, origami-loving bodyguard is exactly what I need to blow off steam… and exactly what I can’t have.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA, the first standalone small town romance in her upcoming Darling Springs rom com series! This sexy, only one bed, forced proximity, forbidden small town rom com answers the question: what happens when a lavender farmer gets a bodyguard who just happens to be the sexy grump from her one-night-stand who got away! IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA is now available in all formats and free to read in Kindle Unlimited! Check out the excerpt below, and one-click your copy today!

⛅Grumpy/Sunshine
🏡Small Town Shenanigans
💙He’s Her Bodyguard
💋Forced Proximity
🛏️Only One Bed in the Room
🏃‍One-Night-Stand Who Got Away
🚫Forbidden
😄Romantic Comedy
❤️‍🩹Hate to Love
💟Protective Hero
🪻She Owns a Lavender Farm
😜Banter for Days
🩵“You’re Mine” Swoon
😍DIY Toys
⛔“We Can’t Keep Doing This” Vibes

About IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA:

He ghosted me once, now he’s supposed to protect me?

I don’t need a bodyguard—I run a small-town lavender farm, for bee’s sake. But when my identical twin sister lands the movie role of a lifetime that’s being shot in my hometown I get one anyway.

And guess which broody, tattooed protector the studio sends to keep the paparazzi off my porch?

Last month’s almost one-night stand.

The guy with the wicked mouth and heated eyes who slipped out before the fun even started. But turns out the sexy jerk is excellent at rescuing me from sneaky photographers at the market. Then the coffee shop. I’m trying hard to stay mad after the third time my new bodyguard saves me.

To top it all off, he’s staying in the cottage at my farm. With me. And there’s only one bed.

Maybe if we finally give in and finish what we started, it’ll relieve the tension? But one night quickly turns into another. Then into late-night secrets and soft confessions we shouldn’t say out loud. Especially since he’s leaving and I’m staying, and there’s no way we can be more than a summer romance that ends far too soon.

Escape into a spicy and hilarious forbidden small town rom com from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely!

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

READ THE EXCERPT:

Ripley

He’s touching me in some kind of slo-mo seduction. His fingers move to my jawline, the pads grazing along my face, then coming to a stop at my chin where he holds me. Roams his thumb right under my lower lip. Breathes out hard, full of wanting.

I am done.

“Just kiss me,” I whisper, already begging.

His lips curve up in the pleased grin of a man who holds the cards. “Patience,” he says, voice deep and in charge.

“I’m not feeling very patient,” I murmur.

“Good,” he says, a lion toying with his prey.

Pounce on me.

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

I knew from the meet-cute/ghosted one-night-stand that I was going to love Ripley and Banks, and I certainly did! Lauren Blakely is a master of funny romcoms and she knocked it out of the park with It Seemed Like a Good Idea!

Right from the start, the banter between these characters was witty and kept me laughing. Moments before he’s about to have a ONS with Ripley, Banks gets hired for a bodyguard gig, and mistakenly believes his new client is Ripley’s identical twin sister, a famous actress. So he bails. It makes for an awkward second meeting between them when he shows up in Darling Springs, where her sister’s new movie is about to be filmed at Ripley’s lavender farm. Ripley is not thrilled to have a bodyguard assigned to her, and the story just gets better from there.

There is a ton of chemistry between these two characters, and narrators Erin Mallon and JF Harding were *chef’s kiss* in hitting all the right notes as Ripley and Banks’ story unfolded. Banks is reluctant to talk about his past, and I loved seeing how he opened up the more he got to know Ripley.

It Seemed Like A Good Idea is the first in the Darling Springs series, and LB perfectly set up a cast of quirky supporting characters (whom I imagine will be the focus of future books).

I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

ABOUT LAUREN BLAKELY:

A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Her books have been featured in US Weekly and People. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party. 

Connect w/ Lauren:

Website: laurenblakely.com 

NL Signup: http://laurenblakely.com/newsletter  

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks

Instagram: http://instagram.com/laurenblakelybooks

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@laurenblakelybooks

What happens when the youngest, most successful coach in the NHL comes face-to-face with the woman he never got over — only to find out she’s married to his new General Manager?

​

Everything I’ve spent my life building is suddenly at risk.

I loved Ariana Ridley long before the world knew my name. Before the NHL. Before the pressure of being one of the youngest coaches in the league. Before I learned how to survive by locking my heart down tight.

Leaving her was the hardest thing I’ve ever done — and the one choice I never made peace with.

Now she’s back.
And she belongs to another man.

My new General Manager.

I tell myself I can handle it. Discipline is my job. Control is my strength. I know how to keep my distance — how to respect the lines that should never be crossed.

But every glance drags the past to the surface. Every quiet moment reminds me the love I buried never died.

I see the cracks she tries to hide, the fear she’s learned to live with, and the way she still looks at me like I’m the one place she can breathe.

I want to protect her.
I want to fight for her.
And I want things I have no right to want.

Because if I cross that line, I don’t just risk my career — I risk shattering the woman I never stopped loving.

Some choices haunt us forever.
Some loves never let go.

And trying to right my wrongs might just ruin us both.

You can download in KU, grab your ebook copy, pick up the model or discreet paperback, or listen to the amazing DUET narrated audiobook.

https://geni.us/rightyourwrongs

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Wow, Right Your Wrongs was intense! This book definitely is a bit heavier than most of Kandi Steiner’s books, but it was such a beautiful second-chance story as Coach Shane reunites with the one who got away…. who is now married to the team’s new GM.

Shane and Ariana’s reconciliation was an emotional rollercoaster. The book is told in past and present chapters, so we get to see Shane and Ari in college two decades ago, what led to their breakup, and how they come to reunite. At the time, Shane thought he was doing the best thing for Ari by ending their relationship, but he had no idea what course that would set her on with the next man she met. When they cross paths again, Shane realizes he must keep his distance, but there are little red flags that he notices here and there about her marriage — and what kind of sleazeball Nathan really is — that eventually turn into huge warning signs. And that’s when Shane decides he’s going to right the wrongs he made in the past.

This was a great story of resilience and true love. Kandi did a great job in telling the delicate aspects of this story and what Ari was going through at home. The audio is told in duet by narrators Savannah Thomas and Devon Braithwaite. I am not very familiar with either one of them, but I thought they did a wonderful job in bringing this story to life.

I really hope that Kandi has a book in mind for Ari’s brother, Georgie, because I would love to get to know that newly minted doctor better!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

💫 𝗔𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗩𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗞𝗬 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 💫

𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐤𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞!

He spent a lifetime trying to escape his dark past…but to save her, he’ll wade back into the shadows.

Braedyn Winslow never expected to return to Starlight Grove―the town that took everything from her. Not after her best friend, the one who’d sacrificed so much for her, vanished without a trace. But with a young son to raise and a past that won’t stay buried, Brae is back…and determined to uncover the truth.

She just didn’t count on the brooding, reclusive mountain man living next door.

Dex Archer is the stuff of local legend―silent, rugged, and surrounded by whispers of his and his brothers’ violent father. But Brae sees through the scowl and his parentage to the man beneath: fiercely loyal, unexpectedly kind…and just dangerous enough to protect her when someone starts warning her off her search.

The closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to stay away from Dex. And as things get more perilous, Brae realizes the only person she can rely on is the one man who swore never to trust again.

Only someone isn’t happy that Brae has been digging, and they’ll do anything to stop her. But Dex? He’ll do anything to save her, even slip back into the dark…

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗯 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗸𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 → https://geni.us/VnshngAmzn

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗯 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗸𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 → https://geni.us/VnshngAudio

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗯 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗸𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 → https://geni.us/VnshngPaperback

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Catherine Cowles never disappoints with her small-town romantic suspense books! Having met Dex in the Sparrow Falls series, I was excited to get to know the reclusive hacker better, and Across the Vanishing Sky was great!

A year after her best friend vanished without a trace, single mom Braedyn returns to the mountain town, along with her small son, Owen, desperate to get answers. She never expects to find help from her grumpy next-door neighbor, Dex, and his family.

I loved the banter between Dex and Brae, and how this guy that I’d otherwise known as a grumpy recluse completely changes throughout the book. The bond that Dex forms with Owen was so special and sweet, and I especially loved the family dynamics between Dex and his brothers.

As always, Cowles did a fantastic job with the suspense element in this story.

I loved getting to know the Archer brothers, and the cameo appearances by characters from some of Cowles’ prior series were a pleasant surprise! Samantha Brentmoor and Jason Clarke did a fantastic job in this dual narration, and the cameos by other narrators Teddy Hamilton, Sebastian York, Connor Crais, Adam Gold as Dex’s brothers were an incredible tease for the future books. This was a fantastic start to this new series, and I can’t wait to see what comes next in Starlight Grove!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

TOP SHELF STUD by Kate Meader is NOW LIVE

Blurb:

The snail doc wants a baby. I volunteered to do the deed. But it isn’t long before I realize a “donation” will never be enough. I want to be a dad, but most of all, I want her.

Franky

When confronted with the cold, hard facts of her diminishing chances to be a mom, what’s a woman of science to do?

Make a spreadsheet of eligible donors, of course.

Finding a man for life is not in the cards, but one for this singular purpose? I can do that. As the daughter of a Chicago Rebels legend and an expert in the field of gastropods—more commonly known as snails and slugs—I have plenty of choices in the worlds of both hockey and academia. The selection process should be easy, especially as my methodology has already eliminated several options, including Jason Isner, childhood nemesis and recently acquired defenseman for the Rebels. I’ve always considered him arrogant, cruel, and to be honest, not the brightest bulb.

I’m rarely wrong. But I might have been mistaken about Jason . . .

Jason

I surprised even myself when I offered to be Franky St. James’s baby daddy, but fatherhood has been a dream of mine forever. If I can achieve my goal without the hassle of a relationship, even better. I won’t be one of those “pump and dump” donors, though. I want the whole package: nighttime feedings, shopping for cute onesies, teaching my kid to skate. I’m in it for life, and as Franky and I travel this road together, I start to imagine what that life might look like. Not just a baby, but a family of my own.

The thing is, the doc has all sorts of hypotheses about jocks and relationships, and it’s going to take a lot of persuasion—sexy and otherwise—to prove her wrong. She might think the mating rituals of her beloved snails are the only “coupling” worth studying, but I’m determined to show her that when it comes to seeking a mate, this player is as driven as any species in the animal kingdom.

Because making a baby is just the beginning . . .

Buy Link:

https://geni.us/top-shelf-stud

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

I adored this enemies-t0-lovers/baby pact story! Kate Meader is not an author I am very familiar with, so I was blown away by how well-done Jason and Franky’s romance was!

Jason and Franky are both next-gen characters from another Kate Meader series; like I said, I was not previously familiar with this author’s body of work, but I had zero issues trying to connect the dots when it came to their tangled history. They aren’t exactly childhood friends, but they have been a part of each other’s lives since they were teenagers because their families are connected — so these two have a long history of despising one another. Then, when they come to realize that both of their biological clocks are ticking and they agree to a mutual baby pact, Jason and Franky soon find that they are exactly what has been missing out of each other’s lives.

KM did a great job of making both these characters vulnerable and insecure. I expected “Snail Girl” Franky to have some issues, because she’s a bit of a geek, right? But I was not expecting Jason, a pro hockey player, to have as many hangups as he did. He was already a great golden retriever character, but getting to know him on a deeper level as his insecurities came to the surface made me fall for the guy even more.

On top of that, the dialogue between the characters was top-notch, and their family circle was fullof lovely and supportive secondary characters. Top Shelf Stud was absolutely charming, and I was so happy to see these two develop a genuine friendship throughout her pregnancy. And then FINALLY get on the same page by the end!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Kate Meader:

Originally from Ireland, USA Today bestselling author Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron, a fire hose, or a hockey stick, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with big-hearted guys and strong heroines – and heroes – who can match their men quip for quip..

Connect with Kate Meader:

https://www.katemeader.com/links

Caleb Kelly has been my secret weakness since the day I moved to Sugar Brush, Wyoming.

I spend my days among the stacks as the town’s librarian and my nights serving drinks at Joy’s Elbow Room. It’s safe, predictable, and a little boring. The only thing that makes my pulse kick is when Caleb Kelly walks through the door and takes a seat at one of my tables.

Four years of stolen glances, watching him laugh with his family, listening to him talk about his son, and pretending he doesn’t unravel me just by saying my name. Alice.

Then one reckless night, I steal a kiss. And for one perfect, heart-stopping second, he kisses me back.

But the thing is, Caleb doesn’t date. He has his son, his ranch, and no room for anything—or anyone—else.

So I finally stop waiting, stop hoping, stop hiding. It’s way past time to begin living my life on my own terms.

Just as I start to move forward, trouble knocks me back. And when I need someone the most, Caleb is the one by my side again and again, standing between me and the worst of it. His steady, fierce presence is impossible to ignore.

I should know better than to keep falling for a man who told me he can’t give me more. I should walk away before I get hurt again.

It’s just that every time he shows up, every time he really sees me, every time he stays, my heart refuses to listen.

But letting him in might be the one thing I can’t come back from.

Narrated by: Emma Wilder & Sean Masters

Listen today!

Audible: https://bit.ly/4qPaEtM

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3Z9ai4W

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3NJF0PE

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Oh my goodness, this story was absolutely charming. Julia Wolf isn’t an author I’m very familiar with, but I absolutely adored Alice and Caleb’s slow-burn romance.

Alice is the local librarian, with a side gig at the town diner, and Caleb is the eldest brother of the Kelly family, dedicated to his teenage son and the family ranch. She’s had a crush on Caleb for a few years, while he has been oblivious to her pining. Alice finally gets the courage to make a move (thinking her feelings would be reciprocated), only for Caleb to turn her down. So of course, after she’s attempted to move on is when he realizes he’s interested in her.

Their relationship is a slow-burning, friends-to-lovers, and I loved the progression of their romance. I loved how Alice stood up to Caleb, and more or less put him in his place as he tried to make amends. Both of these characters have overcome some difficulties (she’s got a bit of a complicated family background, and he has sworn off relationships), and I thought they complemented one another well, once they finally got on the same page. I also thought the author did a lovely job of weaving in Alice’s relationship with Caleb’s son, Jesse, and how the two of them developed a friendship of their own.

Even though Hit The Ground has a touch of suspense (Alice finds herself in a bit of trouble), it’s a relatively low-angst story that still managed to hit check off all the emotional boxes for me. Narrators Emma Wilder and Sean Masters were a joy to listen to.

I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

THE HOTSHOT by Piper Rayne is NOW LIVE

Raising my cousin’s three kids wasn’t in my five-year plan.
Actually, it wasn’t in any plan.

One minute I’m a single labor and delivery nurse living a quiet life and the next, I’m navigating guardianship hearings, meltdowns, and homework I’m pretty sure requires a math degree.

Enter Hayes Carlisle.

My best friend’s older brother.
Chicago Colts newest catcher.
And the man I once kissed and immediately pretended I didn’t.

So, when the custody battle I’ve been dreading becomes a reality, I shouldn’t be surprised that Hayes swoops in with a wild idea—a fake relationship. According to him, pretending we’re together will polish his image and prove to the court I’m not taking on an instant family alone.

But pretending to be Hayes’ girlfriend is a terrible idea.

Because he remembers how to make me laugh.
Because he looks at me like our kiss wasn’t a one-time mistake.
Because the kids start asking him to read bedtime stories.
Because my heart starts wanting things my life doesn’t have room for.

I can manage the chaos. I can fight for these kids.
But pretending not to fall for Hayes Carlisle?

That might be the one thing I can’t do.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://books2read.com/thshot

Duet Narration by: JF Harding & CJ Bloom

Also Featuring: Teddy Hamilton, Sean Masters, Connor Crais, Erin Mallon, Willa Jaymes, Meg Sylvan & Austin Stone

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/41QEV0V

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Piper Rayne kicks off their new The Dugout series with The Hotshot, and Hayes and Leighton’s story was a fun, best friend’s brother/secret crush/slow burn story with a healthy dose of pining, mutual crushing and family drama mixed in.

When Leighton’s cousin and husband are tragically killed in an accident, she is named the guardian of their three young children. But when the guardianship is called into question by other family members, Leighton is facing a custody battle… and Hayes steps up to be her fake boyfriend to help her keep the kids. Their “pretending” to date soon turns into a real relationship, which is not at all a hardship for either of these characters, who have secretly been pining for one another since they shared a kiss years ago.

I really loved how the history between Leighton and Hayes, as well as her friendship with his sister Callie, was brought into play as they entered a relationship. He connected so easily with all three kids, and really became an integral part of their lives. Hayes is also struggling with his career, trying to rebuild his reputation after a tumultuous previous season, so the book covers his struggles there as well.

I read this book in tandem with listening to the audio, and JF Harding and CJ Bloom did a wonderful job.

Piper Rayne always does a great job of creating friend groups, and I loved the banter between Hayes and his teammates Easton (Bailey!) and Decker. I am really looking forward to the rest of this series!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

When Callan Hunt arrived at Ryemont High senior year, I couldn’t have predicted the hot Irish football player would become my everything … and end up breaking my heart.

College and dreams of a career in interior design were my sole focus until my new neighbor bulldozed his way into my life.

Callan had ambitions too. He planned to leave Vermont after graduation to pursue his dream of playing for an English Premier League club.

We weren’t looking for love, but fate had other plans.

When Callan was scouted during our freshman year of college, I couldn’t have been prouder.

Until everything came crashing down in one crippling blow.

I was devastated, and it took years to recover.

After finally moving on from the heartache of my past, I now have a successful career and a billionaire CEO fiancé.

Then my first love reappears.

Callan says it’s time I learned the truth about that night.

He claims he’s never stopped loving me and vows to fight for me in a way he couldn’t before.

He seems determined to keep every promise he ever made me, but how is it possible after everything that’s happened?

𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝: 

eBook: https://bit.ly/NSLYEBA

Amazon model paperback: https://bit.ly/NSLYMPBU

Amazon alternate paperback: https://bit.ly/NSLYAPBU

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

I know I can count on Siobhan Davis to deliver an angsty, emotional romance, and Never Stopped Loving You delivered exactly what I was hoping for!

This story is told in two parts: Part 1 is when Astrid and Callan meet and begin “fake dating” when he moves to town in high school, and it carries into their college years as their fake relationship becomes something so very real and sacred for the two of them. But then, just as Callan gets his big break to become a professional football player, they are torn apart in a gut-wrenching way. After an eight-year time jump, the book picks up with Part 2 when Astrid returns to her hometown, engaged to someone else, and comes face-to-face with the guy who demolished her heart. And with nothing left to lose, Callan comes clean about what happened all those years ago.

Callan and Astrid’s second-chance romance was full of emotion as these two had to overcome past secrets, lies, and heartbreak. This story has some rather dark themes, so it is not an easy road for Callan and Astrid to reunite. As what happened in the past unfolded, my heart broke for both of these characters.

Never Stopped Loving You is the kind of book that sticks with you long after you are done reading it!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.