Country music star Austin James’ career is slowly unraveling. When faced with an ultimatum, he seeks refuge in small town Alabama.
Maybe its singing river and legendary studio are exactly what he needs to find his way back to himself.
What he doesn’t expect is Penny Miller, the fiercely independent studio owner. She’s filled with a stubborn fire that threatens to burn down every wall he’s built around himself.
Penny is fighting to revive her family’s recording studio and carve out her place in a male dominated industry. A floundering country music star is the last thing she needs.
Penny’s determined to keep things just business with the lines of professionalism firmly in place, but Austin James’ flirty smile and undeniable charm is hard to resist.
Haunted by heartache, she finds her life hitting the same notes as his, their worlds slowly harmonizing in ways she never expected. Their chemistry is undeniable, but so are the risks. Will this be their undoing, or the first verse of something new?
Just Business was a beautiful story! I read somewhere that this was a debut novel from Jenny Cross, and I was quite impressed!
Both Austin and Penny are dealing with some major baggage, and I really liked how they were just *there* for one another. This story is not lighthearted and frilly, but deals with some heavy themes (familiar abuse, alcoholism/addiction, grief) — and Jenny Cross handles it wonderfully. The pacing is right, the chemistry between the two MCs leaps off the page, and the slow burn between Austin and Penny had me rooting for them every step of the way.
I am definitely keeping Just Business on my re-read list and look forward to more from this author! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
About Jenny Cross:
Jenny resides in small-town Alabama with her husband, daughters and veritable zoo of pets. When she’s not writing swoony love stories, you can find her with her nose stuck inside someone else’s love story.
Why have I not read anything by C.G. Blaine before now? To be honest, I’d never even heard of her until I signed up for this book because the blurb was intriguing. I am so glad that I took a chance on this book, because it was phenomenal!
Before Now is exactly the kind of angsty love story that I love to read. Foster and Remi’s story had me hooked from the start, and I loved, loved, loved the dual timelines of their relationship five years ago and their reunion in present day. There is angst, high emotions, hurt, regret, longing, and so much more packed into this book!
Blaine is author besties with Brit Benson, so there is a tie between Foster’s band, Of Men and Wolves, and the band in Benson’s series, The Hometown Heartless. I loved the cameos by Sav, Levi and Torren!
I was hoping that there would have been more of a resolution with Foster and his dad, but I’m surprisingly okay with not having that part tied up in a neat bow. There were teases at the end of this book about Foster/Adams’ bandmates, so I’m expecting that to be explored further in future books. And I look forward to that!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet C.G. Blaine:
C.G. Blaine writes unapologetically messy and emotional romance novels. She loves her characters complicated, the connections intense, and rip-your-heart-out feels.
When she’s not writing, she’s likely to be found guzzling iced coffee, buying too much seasonal decor, or begging for book recs to fit her current mood.
Carrie lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, vicious cat, and an adorably demanding bunny.
EVERYTHING I NEEDED by Evey Lyon is AVAILABLE NOW!
After one night with my older ex-husband at a wedding, I return to our small town with some unexpected news: My morning sickness is his fault.
My ex-husband—the town sheriff—pulled me over for speeding. Throwing up on him instead of getting a ticket? Definitely not my proudest moment. Neither was telling him the tiny little detail that I’m pregnant… from the one night we spent together at his brother’s wedding. It was supposed to be a one-time thing, for old times’ sake. But Carter insists on doing everything his way.
Including taking a chance—on us.
I refuse to get back together just for the sake of our baby. But Carter moves me into his home and stubbornly proves that maybe we gave up on each other too soon. As we grow close again and prepare to become parents, I start to wonder if maybe, just maybe, things could work out better this time around.
Because maybe now… I finally have everything I ever needed.
For lovers of books low on angst and a swoony hero who falls first. This is the third and final book in the Everhope Road series and can be read as a standalone.
Author’s Note: You may have met the characters before. Rosie Blisswood (The Blisswood Brothers, Something Right) and Sheriff Carter (Lake Spark Off-Season, Waiting to Score) find themselves in an accidental pregnancy with a second chance that has everyone on Everhope Road talking. You do not have to read these books to enjoy the story.
Sheriff Carter finally gets his HEA in Everything I Needed! I’ve been rooting for the guy ever since he went on a date with Violet, and I was so happy that he got his second chance with his ex-wife, Rosie!
Everything I Needed hits all the right notes for a second-chance, accidental pregnancy, small-town romance. The night of his brother Oliver’s wedding, Carter and Rosie have a drunken one-night stand. When she comes back to town a few weeks later to tell him that she’s pregnant, Carter takes his shot at winning his ex-wife back. Free-spirited Rosie is hesitant to make the same mistakes she made in their relationship the first time, and worries that Carter resents her for breaking up their marriage the first time. With lots of love and patience, Carter proves to Rosie that he’s not afraid of being hurt by him again because they belong together.
This was such a charming story. I love the greater community in Lake Spark, and the crossover of characters from the other books.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
I’m pretty in pink dipped in sunshine and sweet Southern smiles.
He’s blue collar wrapped up in a gruff summer storm with a scowl.
He also happens to be my ex-boyfriend’s dad.
Not only is Conway Levine grumpy, arrogant, and entirely too handsome for his own good, with the salt and pepper scruff lining his sharp jawline and his thick, corded arms, but he also had a front row seat fourteen years ago to a drunken night so mortifying I can’t look him in the eye without feeling the shame all over again.
Living in a small town makes avoiding him impossible, even more when you add in the fact that his daughter is friends with mine.
When a little tardiness and a whole lot of bad luck lands me partnering with him at our children’s school, I’m certain I won’t survive.
Before I know it, the dread from having to work with him turns into a burning desire impossible to ignore when his once stone cold demeanor shifts into longing, heated stares, and somehow, he knows all the right things to whisper in my ear to get under my skin… and my dress.
Between his filthy mouth and stifling need to devour me any chance he gets, the chemistry we share between the sheets quickly becomes something out of my wildest dreams.
Except Conway doesn’t do relationships, and I’m not built for casual.
But I couldn’t quit him even if I tried.
When all is said and done, will I be able to protect my already tattered heart or will it end up shattered into a million beautiful, messy pieces?
As main characters, Conway and Grace aren’t the kind of couple I would normally read, but I read the first book in the Blossom Beach series and was intrigued by Grace’s preview at the end… so I was quick to sign up for Beautiful Mess and I ended up really liking these two!
I knew what I was getting as far as the ex’s dad, forbidden, single-parents’ romance. But what I was not expecting was how swoon-worthy this story was. Conway is a helluva dirty talker, but beyond the daddy kink and once Grace gets past her humiliation over the night she hit on him 14 years ago, this is actually a very sweet story about letting yourself fall in love again.
Both Grace and Conway have been burned in the past (and for her, not just by his son). Neither one of them is happy to be paired with the other on the PTA fundraising committee, but underneath all that griping and bickering are two hurting people, closed off to love, who end up finding comfort, healing, and love in the other.
CJ Bloom and Alex Kydd did a fantastic job narrating this story. I loved the vulnerability that Bloom brought to Grace, and Kydd was a pleasure to listen to with his Southern drawl and filthy mouth.
I am really glad that I took a chance on this! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet Ashley James:
Ashley James is a romance author who enjoys writing (and reading) LGBTQIA+ books. She is from Washington State—and no, not Seattle—and currently resides in South Carolina with her two kids and hairless kitties, Goose, Maverick, and Houston. Ashley is introverted and slightly (okay, majorly) awkward. She refuses to make this section sound like a tacky dating app profile, so she won’t be telling you how much she enjoys music, how she thoroughly enjoys dancing and singing in her kitchen, despite not being able to carry a tune, and she won’t be telling you about her love of toxic and broken fictional men.
Another great book from Natasha Madison in the Dreams series. Emmett and Lilah’s story was a wonderful secret crush, grumpy single dad romance.
I always enjoy it when a broken hero who thinks he has nothing to offer turns out to be super swoony and considerate, surprising himself… and that is exactly what happened with Emmett. Through Lilah’s bond with his daughter Lucy, both Emmett and Lucy bloomed. The progression from mutual pining to something so much deeper developed naturally, and I enjoyed seeing these characters come together.
There’s an element of suspense with Lilah’s stalker, which leads Emmett to finally get out of his own way and realize that his desire to be with her outweighs his fears that he could never be enough for her. The healing that these two broken souls find in one another was lovely.
There was one thing that left me a bit disappointed however and unsettled by the time I got to the end of the book. I felt like the reasons behind Lilah’s accident all those years ago weren’t fully explained. There were a few toss-away mentions, but the *why* of it all could have used a better explanation, in my opinion.
Overall, this did not disappoint as a grumpy single dad romance! 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…
From USA Today bestselling author Claudia Burgoa comes a small-town, forced-proximity romance with a grumpy, single dad, a woman on the run, and a stalker who won’t let her go…
After witnessing a crime, I ran. For three years, I’ve hid from everyone. I abandoned Birchwoods Spring, my home, my plans, and the life I planned to build. I told myself it was the only way to stay safe.
But when my grandmother falls ill, I have no choice but to come back—even if it means confronting the past I tried to escape.
The moment I step onto my land, I feel it. The unease creeping in. The prickle at the back of my neck.
Someone’s been here. Watching. Waiting. They know I’m back. And they want me to know it, too. I should leave. Pack up. Disappear—again.
Then I see him.
Hopper Timberbridge, my high school crush.
He’s no longer a gangly teenager. Now, he’s gruff, guarded, and fiercely protective of the life he’s built with his daughter. He doesn’t pry, doesn’t push—just takes everything in with knowing eyes that see too much. And when the threats escalate, he offers me a place to stay, a refuge I know better than to trust.
Because whatever’s lurking in the dark?
It isn’t just watching anymore. It’s coming for me.
After witnessing a crime three years ago, Nysa left home and has been on the run ever since. But with her grandmother ill, she heads back home… and walks right into danger. Her savior comes from the hot grumpy single dad next door, Hopper — who also happened to be the older guy she crushed on back in high school.
When mysterious things begin happening on their properties, Nysa and Hopper decide it is best to stay together (with his daughter, Maddie) and not be alone. Along with the sizzling sexual chemistry between them, there is the element of suspense woven throughout the story. Who is trying to take over the town, and why? The identity of the villains kept me guessing right up to the moment of the reveal.
I really enjoyed the slow-burn romance between Nysa and Hopper in this story. It built naturally, and I found it easy to relate to the characters, therefore rooting for them to get together. The story is narrated in duet by Connor Crais and Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, two phenomenal voice actors who always bring such charisma to whatever story they are telling.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Alder Duke was my high school sweetheart turned husband, then he became a stranger who wanted his freedom. I gave it to him.
Fifteen years later, I’m a single mom who desperately needs a place to live. He’s a powerful CEO who needs a wife in order to get the house he grew up in, thanks to a trust his grandma left behind.
He makes a deal with me: get married to him—again—and live with him for a year. Once the house is in his name, we can divorce—again—and he’ll rent the place to me.
Just one year. No strings. No feelings. Simple.
But nothing about my ex-husband is simple. Gone is the man who wanted to stay out all night drinking with his buddies. This Alder cooks and cleans and unclogs sinks in gray sweatpants. He gets my stubborn daughter to like him. And with me? He looks at me like I’m the only woman in the world.
I can’t fall for his sweet daisy whispers. I know how it ends. This time we planned it. My life was already derailed by him once, and I barely came out intact. He’s had my heart forever, but he only gets one year.
I absolutely loved Alder and Daisy’s story in Daisy Whispers! This was a lovely second-chance romance with a twist between a divorced couple: Duke needs a wife to inherit the house his grandmother left him, and Daisy needs a new place to live ASAP with her young daughter. For a year, they’ll pretend to be married, and he’ll let Daisy rent the house after their time is up.
My favorite parts of the book were seeing Alder and Daisy fall in love with the *new* versions of one another. He knew how much he’d messed up, throwing away their marriage 15 years ago because he didn’t want to grow up. Since then, he’s spent every day making something of himself, and he never got over his wife. Daisy is hesitant to trust Alder, and rightfully so, but he wears her down little by little and shows her what their new life could be. There’s another layer for her with her ex, Jason, her daughter’s father, and her guilt over their romance and how she wasn’t as invested in it as he was. There is a lot for Daisy to unpack, and Alder puts in the work every step of the way, taking care of her, providing for her, and just showing her that he’s now a different man.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet Marie Johnston:
Marie Johnston is a RITA® Finalist, and a best-selling and award-winning writer of paranormal and contemporary romance – and an avid reader of them both.
Several years ago, when kids started outnumbering adults in the house, Marie Johnston left her job as a public health microbiologist to stay at home. Settling into working part-time and shuttling kids around gave Marie the opportunity to think about what she wanted to be when she grew up. A die-hard science geek, she explored her previously thought to be non-existent creative side after much time spent making snowman crafts and coloring princesses. Having entertained thoughts of writing a book one day then subsequently deciding it would be too hard, she finally put the figurative pen to paper and began to type – and fell in love with story telling.
The Sigma Menace is the first series by Marie with Fever Claim being her first book EVER. She is humbled by the fact that people are willing to read to her books and looks forward to keeping readers entertained for many years.
Marie lives with her husband and four kids in North Dakota where the summers are gorgeous, the winters are brutal, and spring and fall are luxuries.
THE SINGLE DAD DILEMMA by Kat Savage is AVAILABLE NOW
Blurb:
From USA Today Bestselling Author Kat Savage, comes a brand-new spinoff series: Family of Misfits! If you fell in love with the found family in the Men of Bird’s Eye series, travel south to Nashville, where the second studio location is up and running under the ownership of a familiar face with a new crew of artists!
Ridge Jessup is many things—an award-winning tattoo artist with celebrity clientele, the manager of the Bird’s Eye Tattoo Studio Nashville location… oh, and a thirty-five-year-old single father to a rowdy little girl.
With work getting busier, convention season coming up, and his daughter booted from her third daycare this month, he’s in desperate need of summer help. Forget about having a personal life or dating—he’s just trying to survive.
Darcy Anderson is a handful of credits short of her degree and broke. The college fund her grandmother left her didn’t withstand the test of time or inflation.
When she sees an ad for a summer nannying job, it seems perfect—one kid, weekdays only, and compensation well above average. It almost seems too good to be true.
The moment Ridge lays eyes on Darcy, he really doesn’t want to give her the job. She’s hot, smart, and funny—a dangerous combination that feels disastrous—especially with the ten-year age gap between them. But of all the candidates interviewed, his daughter only likes her. It’s a real dilemma.
Despite his best efforts to keep their relationship professional, things get hot and heavy as complications continue to mount. Darcy finds herself torn—her practical brain still preparing for the perfectly planned future she envisioned for herself while her fairytale-loving heart is looking to override everything for a single dad and his little girl she doesn’t want to walk away from.
The Single Dad Dilemma is a super sweet single dad/nanny romance. Reading Darcy and Ridge’s romance was a great way to spend a rainy weekend day.
Ridge desperately needs a new nanny thanks to his rather spirited 4-year-old daughter, Louise (aka Lou), being kicked out of every daycare in the city. Darcy needs a good-paying summer job to bank tuition money and finish up her master’s degree in early childhood education. It’s a win/win for them both — especially since Darcy and Lou hit it off right away. There’s an instant attraction between Darcy and Ridge that they try to fight off — he’s 10 years older than her, and she’s got some baggage thanks to a bad prior relationship — but they give in to their feelings one night while they are stuck together in a hotel room.
There is some drama with Darcy’s ex-boyfriend that Ridge handles relatively swiftly in a hot scene where he plays her knight in shining armour. However, I wish there was more explanation given about her past with Tyler; what seems like what should have been an important conversation happened off-page and was referenced briefly, and I felt like it deserved more to propel Darcy and Ridge forward together.
But overall, The Single Dad Dilemma was a great start to a new series. It’s a spinoff from the Men of Birds Eye series, featuring a new cast of characters working at the tattoo shop’s Nashville location, and I look forward to getting to know the other guys better!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet Kat Savage:
Kat Savage resides in Louisville, Kentucky with her three beautiful children, her hunky spouse, and two spoiled dogs. She secretly has hopes of getting chickens one day.
By day, she’s an office manager, pushing paperwork and dreaming. When she’s not at her nine-to-five, she’s writing. Or thinking about writing. Or preparing books and book stuff to procrastinate writing. Or quite possibly, designing stuff for other people’s books.
She was driven to write out of a need for distraction and self-preservation after the death of her sister in 2013. Since then, it’s snowballed into a full blown passion she can’t escape. Even on the toughest days, she wouldn’t want to.
She writes poetry packed with real, raw, and sometimes ugly truths. She won’t lie. Her goal is to make you ache, in that perfect delicious way we often secretly crave.
Shortly after putting her poetry and prose out into the world, she turned to novel writing. Savage is a natural storyteller, getting better with each book. She tries to give the characters in her novels depth, whether they’re serious or comical, she builds them in layers with the hope that you see a little of yourself in some of them.
As a firefighter and former Navy SEAL, rescuing civilians is part of the job, but when I helped a soaking wet slip of a woman in short shorts and cowboy boots with her broken down Jeep, I didn’t think I was getting a sneak peek at my new nanny.
I’m a single dad who thrives on keeping a structured routine for my kids. Yet Andi Halton blows all of that out of the water, armed with a sticker-covered guitar and wild ideas about relaxing that schedule.
What’s worse is I can’t stop thinking about how good she looks doing yoga in my living room. Or how plump her lips are and how they might feel pressed against mine. Keeping my hands off of her is harder than surviving Hell Week—because every moment spent with her ignites a yearning I didn’t think I could feel again.
Under One Roof is the first book in a steamy new family saga romance series with a grumpy single dad and the woman he never saw coming
Under One Roof is the first book I’ve read by Sophie Andrews, and Andi and Griffin’s romance was super cute.
Andi is totally adrift when she first meets Griffin in her broken-down Jeep on the side of the road. Because he’s a natural protector, Griffin jumps into rescue mode, sets Andi up at his sister’s B&B ad goes on his way. A few days later, Griffin is shocked when Andi shows up to interview for the nanny position to care for his 10-year-old twins. What will happen when they are under one roof?
These two characters are complete opposites, and the insta-attraction between them is strong. There’s a big age gap between them (his 42 to her 28), but I found them relatable and likable both together and as individual characters.
Andi’s family life is kind of a mess; she has a complicated relationship with her parents, and some baggage from her past relationship. I love that she found a new family in the Stones, and how seamlessly she fit into Griffin’s everyday life.
I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for Griffin’s siblings in this series! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet Sophie Andrews:
Sophie Andrews is a contemporary romance. She writes fluffy and spicy books for readers who love simps and cinnamon rolls. As a millennial, she’s obsessed with boybands, late 90s and early aughts rom-coms, and will always be team Pacey. When she’s not writing, she’s most likely trying to wrangle her children or drinking red wine. Or both at the same time.
It didn’t take long for news to spread that Tagger Grange was back in Peachtree Pass. I found out even faster when I fell right into his arms—not by choice.
The barstool wobbled under me when reaching for a cheddar biscuit. They’re my weakness. Much like he used to be.
Rolled up sleeves and tailored pants have replaced the boots and jeans my brother’s best friend once wore. But it’s not just the clothes that have changed. His shoulders are broader and he’s broodier. Somehow, he’s even more handsome than ever.
And seeing the little boy smiling at his side? My heart instantly melts. I can’t handle Tagger as a hot single dad.
Since he has no plans to stay, I know it’s best to avoid him. But daily run-ins at Rollingwood Ranch make him hard to ignore, and even harder to walk away.
His heated glances warm my insides, his smile awakens my dormant heart, and one stormy night leads to crossing lines we vowed we wouldn’t.
But when falling in the hay turns into falling in love, I start to wonder if our happy ending is a long time coming. Or will he return to the city leaving me with a broken heart?
What a wonderful start to a new series! SL Scott knows how to craft a magically emotional story, and Christine (aka Pris) and Tagger are a wonderful slow-burning, brother’s best friend, forbidden, single-dad romance.
Long Time Coming definitely gives off Hallmark vibes. Tag comes back to town after several years away and is shocked to see that his best friend’s little sister is all grown up and no longer the annoying little girl he remembers Pris as being. The moment she sees him again (serious meet-cute moment!), Pris realizes that she never got over her crush. And now, Tagger is a hot single dad with the cutest little boy as his sidekick.
This story is full of heartfelt emotion, a hint of forbidden, and all the feels. It’s the perfect springtime read, and I look forward to seeing what comes next in the Peachtree Pass series! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
AUTHOR BIO
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, S.L. Scott, writes character driven, heart-racing suspense, and swoony romances that will leave you glued to the page. With stories ranging from witty beach reads to heart wrenching and heart healing, her stories are highly regarded as emotional, relatable, and captivating.
Her books are more than escapes for the voracious readers of today. They are journeys of the heart that always come with a happily ever after reward at the end.
Sunny Shelly Reads 