MAKE YOU MINE by Jenna Hartley

Blurb:

When I needed a date for my sister’s wedding, my late husband’s best friend seemed like the perfect solution.

I’ve known Frasier since college, and he was my husband’s teammate on the Hollywood Hawks—LA’s pro hockey team. At least until eighteen months ago, when a tragic accident upended everything.

As my world crumbled around me, Frasier was there for me.

We’ve been through a lot together, so I suppose it isn’t surprising that Frasier has become my best friend. The person I always turn to.

Which is how I find myself asking him to be my fake date to my sister’s wedding.

But after a game of truth or dare goes too far, I realize that Frasier isn’t pretending…was never pretending.

And I’m not sure I am either.

Buy Link:

https://mybook.to/MakeYouMineHockey

Available in KU

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Make You Mine is phenomenal!

The book takes place about a year and a half after Bryn’s husband, pro hockey player Derek, tragically passed away. His best friend/teammate, Frasier, has been her rock as she pieced herself together again, and they leaned on one another in their grief. Now, Bryn’s sister is getting married at a destination wedding, and Frasier has agreed to go with her. Because Bryn told her sister she and Frasier are dating, they go into the wedding week as a faux couple — but Bryn has no idea that Frasier is madly in love with her…

My heart broke for both these characters and the grief they were carrying after Derek’s death. I really loved the complexities of how Bryn and Frasier were worried about how their romance would be perceived by the public, yet wanted to live their private lives in a way that made them happy. They complemented each other so well, and it was such an easy transition for them to go from friends to something more.

I really liked that they faced their feelings for one another while on vacation, but then explored what it meant to be in a relationship during his off-season behind closed doors; I really felt like we were shown the full evolution of their relationship. Yet despite how happy Frasier made her, Bryn still had some misgivings about putting her heart out there again. So when The Conflict happens, she needs to decide if she’s willing to risk her heart or live a life of loneliness.

This story was beautiful, and it is one I am keeping on my re-read list! Highly recommend!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Jenna Hartley:

Jenna Hartley is USA Today bestselling author who writes feel-good forbidden romance, much like her own real-life love story. She’s known for writing strong women and swoon-worthy men, as well as blending panty-melting and heart-warming moments.

When she’s not reading or writing romance, Jenna can be found tending to her growing indoor plant collection (pun intended), organizing, and hiking. She lives in Texas with her family and loves nothing more than a good book and good chocolate, except a dance party with her daughter.

Connect with Jenna Hartley:

https://www.authorjennahartley.com/links

Beneath The Frost by Lena Hendrix is NOW LIVE

Weston Vaughn has always been the most charming man in any room—until he saved my brother’s life and the accident took his leg. Now he’s a gruff recluse and my new roommate.

After my life goes up in flames on my wedding day, I become my small town’s favorite scandal. I want to lie low while the gossip dies down, but living with my parents feels impossible. Moving in with my brother’s best friend is my best option.

He won’t ask for help and I won’t be dismissed. Trouble is, I like this gruff side of Wes, and despite his rules, I enjoy showing up for him. He’s adjusting to his new life, and when he finally admits his confidence is shot, well . . . I know exactly what he needs.

I’m a hands-on kind of caretaker.

Tensions rise as our tentative arrangement melts into sexy, forbidden lessons aimed to rebuild the confidence he’s lost. He thinks he’s broken, but all I see is an irresistible man with a firm grip and a filthy mouth.

He’s walled off his heart, but all it takes is a woman who’s willing to see what lies beneath the frost.

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Frost…/dp/B0G1TXC6LW…

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

I absolutely loved Wes and Clara and everything about Beneath the Frost!

Even though life has knocked her down (a farce of a relationship with a gay friend that dumps you the day of your wedding will do that!), Clara had such an upbeat personality. Then there was Wes. Sweet, broken, depressed Wes. We’ve seen bits of him in the previous books, as he is Hayes’s best friend — and lost his leg in a car accident saving Hayes’s life. But now that I really got to know the grump… he is a 10/10 winner!

Wes and Clara begin as roommates when she wants to get out of her parents’ house and he needs someone to help him out now and then. (I know she was supposed to be a home aid/caretaker, but Wes was pretty independent.) They grew closer as friends, as did their mutual attraction, which led to Clara offering to give Wes “love lessons” to figure out what worked and what didn’t work in his new normal as an amputee.

It didn’t take long at all for the “lessons” to have bona fide feelings behind them. But then something happens that causes Wes to lose all that newfound confidence, and he doesn’t want to be someone else in Clara’s life that she has to take care of and prevent her from living her best life. But will Wes ever realize that she sees him as a partner and not as a project?

I love a book with a Grand Gesture, and this one was great! The gum wrapper killed me! I loved how strong Clara was as she faced the potential end of their relationship, and then the work Wes put into himself to win her back. Narrators CJ Bloom and Sebastian York were phenomenal in voicing these characters!

This book delivered, 10/10. There was also some progression in the story of the mysterious lady of Star Harbor, and I can’t wait to see what the ancestral connection is to Hayes as the rest of this series unfolds!

I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

CALEB by Cora Rose

Blurb:

I don’t let anyone in… I can’t afford to. But he’s the first person who makes me want to try.

My new roommate, Caleb, breezes into my life like unexpected sunshine lighting up the darkness. My secrets and sharp edges are built to keep people out.

But when he wraps his warm body around mine—needy and trusting—something in me cracks open and unfurls.

And the deeper Caleb sinks into my chest, the more I know I should push him away before he sees too much.

Before it’s too late. Because in the end, I know the truth will break us both.

Buy Link:

https://books2read.com/u/4En91A

Available in KU

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 3.5 Stars

Caleb was definitely a story full of yearning between a black cat, Type A, control freak, tortured hero and his messy, chaotic, golden retriever roommate.

Told from Whit’s POV, this story delves into the relationship between the roommates, Caleb’s awakening, and Whit’s family issues (as a result of a horrible childhood). I found Caleb to be so sweet and supportive as Whit worked through all of that. The contrast between the families of these two characters was so jarring (Caleb having lost his mom, but having a large extended family, and Whit having been abused and neglected by his), so my heart broke for both of them, each for different reasons.

Caleb is the companion story to the first book in this series, Whit (which was told from Caleb’s POV). I jumped into this series without having read any of the others, and I suppose this book is meant to be a standalone, but I definitely felt like I was missing pieces of the story. I enjoyed it, but I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read Whit first, so that’s why I’m ranking this at 3.5 Stars.

Overall, this book was a gem. I just wish I had known to have read Whit first, because then I’m sure this would have been a 5-Star read for me.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Cora Rose:

Cora Rose loves any kind of romance and consumes way too many books each year. She currently lives in the U.S. and spends her days daydreaming about the characters inside her head.

You can email her at CoraRoseRomance@gmail.com or visit her website at coraroseromance.com

Connect with Cora Rose:

https://www.instagram.com/coraroseauthor/

FLOW by Tia Louise is NOW LIVE

Blurb:

He’s loved her since childhood; one fake date might finally make it real.

I was 15 years old when I stood on a hill in a peach orchard with the girl of my dreams, contemplating marriage. 

Now I’m a hockey star, The Maverick Murphy.

I have flow on the ice and on my head, but I still have trouble forming sentences when she’s around.

And she’s all around—living in my house, sharing my space, so close, I can smell her perfume on my clothes.

I’m all grown up, and I’d still do anything for her.

I was 15 when I stood on a hill in my family’s peach orchard with the cutest boy I knew and said I’d marry him on the spot.

Now that boy is a grown man, a hockey star with muscles and dimples and smoldering hazel eyes.

He’s also my new roommate, but I’m not here to fall in love.

Our beloved peach trees are dying, and I’m here to find a cure.

When the town’s rich bully threatens to own our land and me along with it, I kind of snap. I kind of say Maverick’s mine for real.

It’s a lie. We’re only faking, but with every kiss, every touch, every stolen moment, reality starts to blur.

Still, as much as we want to pretend, he’s LA’s hockey champion, and when the semester ends, I’ll have to leave.

That’s reality.

(Flow is a hockey romance with a golden retriever hero, a STEM FMC, childhood friends to lovers, he falls first [and so hard], fake dating, close proximity, roommates to lovers, it’s always been you, hilariously meddling family, and loads of spicy fun. No cheating, no cliffhanger, and no third-act breakup.)

Pre-Order Link:

https://mybook.to/FlowAmz

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Flow was such a charming story.

Maverick and Dove are childhood family friends who first developed crushes as teenagers when he spent summers visiting her family farm in Louisiana. While the long distance was too much for them to pursue a real relationship at the time, they’ve never been able to forget each other.

In the present day, Mav is a pro hockey player, and Dove is a STEM student who desperately wants to find a cure to save the root rot that is destroying the peach orchard. Dove is spending a semester living with Mav in Los Angeles while she does the research, and the forced proximity brings all those buried feelings up to the surface. Add in a fake relationship when another guy proposes marriage in exchange for saving the farm, and all the lines Dove and Mav have been straddling begin to blur. At the end of the semester, Dove has a decision to make.

I really loved these characters and the slow burn between Dove and Mav. The relationship was tender and sweet, and grounded in the long history between them. Flow is a next-gen spinoff, so the supporting characters are characters from the OG series and the other books. I had not read anything else in this world, but I had no issues keeping up.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Tia Louise:

Tia Louise is the USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of super-hot and sexy contemporary romance.

From former military alpha-rolls, to arrogant bosses needing to be taken down a notch (or two!), to cocky playboys with hearts of gold, she’ll steal your heart, make you laugh, and melt your kindle.

If you like spicy romances that will make you laugh and cry, pull up a chair and enjoy!

Connect with Tia Louise:

https://linkin.bio/ig-authortlouise

TROUBLEMAKER: The Big Picture Edition by Kayley Loring is AVAILABLE NOW

Blurb:

TO: Alex Vega

FROM: Emilia Stiles

SUBJECT: Hello

Dear Mr. Vega, I felt it necessary to follow up on today’s meeting, since we weren’t able to speak candidly in front of your son. I was shocked to discover that you are Ryder’s dad. Given that your ex-wife will be out of the country for a while and you are currently his primary caregiver, I’m sure you understand why we need to establish boundaries and etiquette. I think it would be best if we just pretend that we met in person for the first time today. Your son is a very bright (flirtatious and talkative) student and since his education is a top priority for both of us, I hope I can count on you to respectfully refrain from grinning at me, using that sexy tone of voice, and undressing me with your annoyingly beautiful brown eyes if we should happen to interact with each other again in the future.

Thanks so much, Miss Stiles

TO: Emilia Stiles

FROM: Alex Vega

SUBJECT: Re: Well, hello again…

Dear Miss Stiles, Great to hear from you. My son’s education is indeed a top priority. As such, I respectfully agree to refrain from doing all of the aforementioned things. However, I can’t promise to stop thinking about that kiss at the bar this summer. I’ve been thinking about it for the past month. It’s interesting how humorless and uptight you are about my son’s totally awesome personality, given that I have personally witnessed just how flirtatious and talkative you yourself can be when mildly intoxicated.

You’re so welcome, Alex

P.S. I volunteered to be a chaperone for your next field trip. See you then.

Buy Link:

https://tinyurl.com/troublemakeraudible

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

I read Troublemaker when it first came out in 2020, so I was thrilled to get the chance to listen to the new special edition audio with a full multicast narration by Erin Mallon and JF Harding as Emilia and Alex, and Emma Wilder, Teddy Hamilton, and Jason Clarke voicing the secondary characters. What a treat!

Alex is friends with Shane (Sleeper) and Nico (Charmer), having been on the same Disney Channel series with Shanico when they were teens. Now in his 30s, Alex is a divorced single dad, one of Hollywood’s hottest directors — and totally smitten with his son’s 2nd-grade teacher. “Emmy” and “Alejandro” had a hot makeout session in a club a few weeks before school started, but it never went anywhere else because of something that will be forever referred to as Vomit Night. So weeks later, both are shocked when Alex walks into Miss Stiles’ classroom for a parent/teacher conference for his son, Ryder, and sees the sexy librarian that he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about.

Of course, it’s not so easy for them to act on their feelings. The school frowns upon teachers dating parents of current students, and even though Alex is someone she can’t stop thinking about, Emilia is still kinda hung up on her jerk of an ex. Alex is soooo patient in waiting for her to feel like the time is right. The guy deserves an award for that! Their interactions are sweet and sexy, the pushing from Ryder as he tries to play matchmaker, and the sexy flirty texting just add so much to this story and the build-up to Emilia and Alex finally — finally! — getting together. SLOOOOW BURN!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Kayley Loring:

Amazon Top 25 and USA Today bestselling author Kayley Loring spent many years as a screenwriter (under a different name) in Los Angeles before moving to the Pacific Northwest to live out her childhood dream of being a Disney heroine who talks and sings to woodland creatures. When not trying to keep animals alive, she’s writing steamy romantic comedy novels, obviously. She’s breathing cleaner air, writing dirtier words, and staring at her computer screen until her eyeballs dry out instead of prancing around Southern California in miniskirts and going to the hair salon. Still waiting for the woodland creatures to clean her house, though.

Read or listen to Kayley’s books when you want humor, heat, and heart. You’ll enjoy top-notch banter, strong heroines, lovable characters you’d want to know in real life and you’ll swoon over perfectly imperfect book boyfriends. All Kayley Loring books are steamy open door romance. Be sure to check out her next-level audiobooks!

Listen to Kayley talk to the wildly talented narrators who narrate her audiobooks and her wildly talented author friends on the Multiple Eargasms with Kayley Loring podcast!

Connect with Kayley Loring:

https://www.instagram.com/kayleyloring/

RED-EYE RENDEVOUS by Kaylene Winter

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

Zachary Bennett is the mistake I never regretted.

Yale Law. Duffy’s. One night neither of us ever named.

Fifteen years later, I make a living untangling love when it goes wrong.

He lives in airports and boardrooms and never lets anyone get too close.

Whenever he’s in Seattle, we meet for dinner.

Always platonic. Too much eye contact. Not enough honesty.

Then a wedding invitation lands in our inboxes.

Prague. A castle. Our oldest friends finally saying yes.

He offers his private jet. Obnoxious. Excessive.

Exactly what I should refuse.

Of course, I say yes.

Skylar Morgan is the one thing I never closed.

Brilliant. Controlled. Fiercely independent.

The only woman who ever walked away from me.

I’ve respected her boundaries for far too long.

For once, I’m not letting distance decide for us.

Prague is waiting.

So is the past.

And a red-eye flight with nowhere to hide.

Red-Eye Rendezvous is a fast, addictive second-chance romance packed with heat, history, private jets, destination weddings, and a connection too powerful to keep in the friend zone.

Grab your copy!

https://viewbook.at/Hearts_RER

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

I really enjoy the Hearts Without Borders series — the stories are bingable novellas that don’t take long to read and pack quite an emotional punch! Red Eye Rendezvous is the story of Skylar and Zachary, who had a one-night stand 15 years ago while at Yale Law, and then never spoke about it again. They remained in the same circle of friends (I really liked the dynamics of the friend group!) over the years, and now that they are going to Prague for a member of the group’s wedding, Zach has decided that the time has come to tell Sky how he really feels.

Sky is a character from Hushed Harmony, so I liked seeing her as a fleshed-out character. I enjoyed the friendship between her and Zach, how the story played on their history, and the “one that got away” vibe to their relationship.

Although Red Eye Rendezvous is short and sweet, it really packed an emotional punch! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Kaylene Winter:

Kaylene Winter is an Amazon best-selling author of steamy, contemporary romance.

Each character-driven novel is filled with snappy dialogue, pop-culture references and enough steam to make you fan yourself. Kaylene weaves authenticity, emotion and angst into a turbulent rollercoaster ride of love, passion and soul-searing romance always ending with a delicious HEA.

Kaylene lives in Seattle with her amazing Irish husband and gorgeous Siberian Husky. She loves creating art of all kinds.

Keep up with Kaylene and subscribe to her newsletter: https://kaylenewinter.com/newsletter/

To learn more about Kaylene Winter & her books, visit here!

Connect with Kaylene Winter:

https://kaylenewinter.com/contact/

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Love Overboard by Kandi Steiner is available now

From USA Today, #1 Amazon, and BookTok bestselling author Kandi Steiner comes a sizzling, second-chance romance set on the high seas—perfect for fans of Below Deck and readers who crave angsty, high-stakes love stories.

Ember Reed is finally living her dream: chief stew on a Mediterranean superyacht, sun-kissed days at sea, and the star of Close Quarters, the hottest new reality TV show. But just as she finds her stride, the producers throw her a curveball—by hiring the one man who nearly sank her.

Finn Pearson was the one that got away. The boy who kissed her like they had forever, then left without a word. But now he’s the chef in her new crew, and the cameras are watching their every move, innocent, or not.

Even on a superyacht, there’s nowhere to hide from the past. Every stolen glance, every whispered argument, every lingering memory threatens to ignite what never fully burned out. And as the tension spills into their day jobs, even the dinner service is spiralling into disaster.

They’ve crashed before… but could eight weeks at sea be their second chance to get it right? Or will it be the storm that finally sinks them for good?

Grab the eBook or read in Kindle Unlimited: https://geni.us/loveoverboard

Grab the paperback: https://www.simonandschuster.com/…/Kandi…/9781923232105

Grab the DUET audiobook:

https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Love…/dp/B0G2N16L3K…

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 3.5 Stars

I have been a Kandi Steiner fan and reader for a long time, and while I have absolutely loved the majority of her books that I’ve read (looking at you, A Love Letter To Whiskey), Love Overboard just fell a little flat for me.

It is definitely an entertaining story, and I loved the Below Deck vibe, as it is set in a reality show taping aboard a luxury yacht. Kandi always does an amazing job with her writing, and I completely immersed myself in the visuals she created in my head. Ember and Finn’s second-chance romance is a forced proximity, slow-burn… but I just wasn’t feeling it. But the book is also messy and chaotic and full of tension and drama and yearning, which are all on my Pros Checklist.

Once we finally got to the reason why Ember and Finn broke up several years ago, I was left with some mixed feelings, because I was expecting something… bigger, maybe? There were also some complications with Finn’s relationship with another crew member, Gisella, which was borderline cheating, and unsettled me. If he was still in love with Ember, why? The book is told through Ember’s POV, and I would have really liked to get Finn’s POV as well to see where he was coming from.

Overall, Love Overboard is a fun read, and I can see it being one popping up all over the beach this summer.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

No, Don’t Ever Stop by Marni Mann is now live!A guarded billionaire single dad meets the one woman who could heal his heart in this emotional and blisteringly hot romance by USA Today bestselling author Marni Mann. One look at former NFL player Gavin Worthington has Emily craving things she shouldn’t. Yet his scorching-hot body and dangerously perfect smile are everything she wants. At the same time, a single glance at the breathtakingly sexy Emily Wren and her unforgettable blue eyes has Gavin desiring things he hasn’t in years. Their agreement is simple: one night of uninhibited pleasure. No strings, no complications. But one taste isn’t enough, and he can’t get Emily out of his head. Gavin never lets women get close—his seven-year-old son, Ben, is his entire world. But there’s something about the gorgeous nurse that breaks through every wall he’s built. She’s incredible with his boy, lights up his darkest places, and makes him hunger in ways he’d forgotten were possible. The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to deny their growing feelings. Except the pull of Gavin’s past is stronger than they imagined. For this grumpy single dad to move forward and hold on to the only woman who’s made him feel alive in years, he’ll have to convince Emily that their connection is more powerful than the emotional barriers between them. They’ll need to trust that sometimes the most unexpected love stories lead to the happiest endings. All they have to do is take the chance. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited https://geni.us/NoDontEverStop Audible: https://geni.us/NoDontEverStopAudio Narrated by: Savannah Peachwood & Teddy Hamilton Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4nlNaup

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

No, Don’t Ever Stop is another wonderful, sexy billionaire romance from Marni Mann. A complementary story to A Million Times, Yes, it takes place at the same time as Maya and Jordan’s story and tells the romance of Maya’s bestie/roommate Emily and her secret romance with Jordan’s brother, single dad Gavin.

I loved how easy Emily and Gavin’s relationship was. Ever since his late partner passed when Ben was a newborn, Gavin has been dedicated to his son. That all changed when he met Emily, and all the rules he had in place for not wanting anything more than a one-night stand went out the window. I adored cutie patootie Ben when Uncle J spent time with him in the first book, so I was delighted to see how he interacted with his dad (and eventually, Emily), in this book. When the twist in this book came… my heart broke for Gavin, Emily, and Ben, and the connection they didn’t even know they had!

While No, Don’t Ever Stop takes place concurrently with A Million Times, Yes, both books are standalones. Should you read AMTY? Yes! But you don’t need to in order to enjoy NDES.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

A bad-boy NFL star meets his match in a feisty single mom with this sweet, steamy, and emotional novel about second chances and breaking the rules of romance.

Raising my ten-year-old son, running an animal rescue, and caring for my grandfather leaves zero time for complications, let alone cocky athletes who get under my skin. Too bad the universe didn’t get the memo.

Because a big complication just crashed into my life—literally—in the form of towering NFL quarterback Archer Evans, sentenced to community service at my shelter after a scandal. Despite his mistakes, I try not to judge. He’s got demons of his own, and even though he’s made it perfectly clear he wants me, the last thing he needs is a wary single mom seeing the vulnerable man beneath the muscles and the attitude.

Though I’ll admit, I’m tempted to look.

Not that I’d cave. With his notoriety, Archer would never make it past date two of my eight-date rule. I want simple. Safe. He’s too successful. Too arrogant. Too everything. The definition of complicated.

But as the walls around Archer start to crumble, so do mine. And this complication feels suspiciously like love.

I made the rules. Maybe it’s time I broke them.

How Not to Fall in Love is LIVE now in e-book, paperback, and audio in KU! Stephen Dexter and CJ Bloom brought Archer and Remi to life and you can listen for FREE with your Kindle Unlimited subscription 

https://a.co/d/03DKbvKC

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

How Not To Fall In Love was a wonderfully angsty, emotional, and heartwarming story. After seeing Archer a little bit in Single Dad Dilemma (as one of Coach Barrett’s players), I was really looking forward to getting into his story. I always know Karla Sorensen is going to deliver an emotional story, and Remi & Archer’s journey did not disappoint!

Remi and Archer first meet and hook up at a club, and she doesn’t know who he is. But she pulls away before things get into one-night-stand territory. Several weeks later, their paths cross again when Archer is sentenced to do community service after a DUI and crashing his car into the pet shelter that Remi runs. Needless to say, she is not happy to see the playboy pro athlete, and is determined to make his volunteer time miserable by giving him the worst jobs around the shelter. Of course, Archer is attracted to her sass and attitude, and is determined to win Remi over. They slowly develop a friendship, and that turns into something so much deeper.

There are so many layers to Archer, and he grew so much from the start of the book to the end. I also loved how Archer built a relationship with Remi’s son, Gavin, and earned the little boy’s trust after the DUI incident. Archer has a great relationship with his sister, Analiese, and I loved how Remi, Gavin, and her grandpa became Archer and Analiese’s found family.

CJ Bloom and Stephen Dexter did a great job in bringing Remi and Archer to life!

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Montlake and voluntarily left a review.

What Lasts by J. Bengtsson is now live!

Falling in love is the easy part.

It’s the late 80s when wealthy East Coast socialite Michelle Carver meets Scott McKallister, sun-crusted California local and frontman of an underground heavy metal band who flirts like he’s got nothing to lose. It’s instant chemistry. And when Scott promises a night she’ll have to lie about later, Michelle can’t resist. 

“From the day I met Scott, life asked me to choose.”

Michelle’s status-obsessed family has plans for her that don’t include marrying down. When the secret romance is discovered, Michelle must decide between the future she was raised for and the man she’d risk everything to keep. Their story ends the way every romance promises: with a happily ever after.

But that was only the beginning.

Told across multiple eras, What Lasts is a story about love that survives beyond the honeymoon phase: when kids arrive, money gets tight, and real life moves in. Marriage isn’t about finding “the one,” or even learning to pee with the door wide open. It’s about choosing the same person, again and again. Scott and Michelle think they’ve figured that part out…

…until the day one of their children doesn’t come home. 

 Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://bit.ly/4aLSJOX     

Audio: https://bit.ly/4chkVbX  

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4b0Hr8x 

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Having been a fan of the Cake series since book 1 (Casey & Jake’s story, aka Cake), and having read the subsequent books about the other McKallister siblings, I was so excited when I heard that J. Benttsson was writing a prequel book about the parents, Scott and Michelle.

Told over the course of several decades, What Lasts really gave an in-depth look into the backbone of the family. I’d known the general story of Michelle and Scott, how he was a single dad (raising the oldest brother, Mitchell) when they’d first met, and Scott was not the kind of guy her well-to-do parents deemed appropriate for their socialite daughter to date. So I really enjoyed getting deeper into all of that in this book, and what led to Michelle’s estrangement from her family. (Man, her mom is a piece of work!)

As the story unfolds, the reader goes on a rollercoaster of ups and downs as Michelle and Scott struggle in the early days of their marriage. And then, in later years, the horrible event surrounding their son, Jake, and how they dealt with that horrible tragedy that seemed to define the McKallister family.

As much as What Lasts is the origin story of Scott and Michelle’s romance, it is also a lovely testament to the bonds of the McKallister family. The nostalgia of the 1980s and 1990s was a bonus! While What Lasts is a prequel to the Cake series, I would definitely recommend reading it *after* the other books in the series. And now that I have read them all, I will most definitely be coming back to What Lasts and reading the whole series in order!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet J. Bengtsson

J. (Jill) Bengtsson is the bestselling author of the Cake Series. She writes contemporary novels focused on love, humor, passion, and family. Her heroines are strong, nurturing, and quirky while her heroes are what dreams are made of – gorgeous, committed, and in need of a little saving. A native Californian, Jill’s novels are set under the glittering lights of the West Coast entertainment industry. They are for the dreamer in all of us.  

Connect with J.

Website | jbengtssonbooks.com   

Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15258209.J_Bengtsson   

Amazon | https://www.amazon.com/J-Bengtsson/e/B01GTFTM8K    

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/jbengtssonauthor     

Facebook Group |  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebananabinder     

Instagram |  https://www.instagram.com/j._bengtsson/    

Bookbub |  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-bengtsson        

Newsletter |  https://jbengtssonbooks.com/newsletter