DEALBREAKER

Kat Mizera & Elise Faber

Release Date: June 23

She’s the biggest movie star in the world.

And she’s in danger.

My specialty is security for the rich and famous, so when legendary actress Willow St. Claire asks for my help protecting her, I can’t say no.

The only problem is that I’m in danger too.

Of losing my heart.

She’s smart and sweet, beautiful and kind, and despite my determination to never fall in love again I know I’m going to make her mine.

But when her past catches up with her, the future I’ve begun to plan is suddenly at risk.

I might lose her.

And everything I never knew I wanted.

Authors’ note: There are some difficult themes in this story. For CW information, please check out this book’s page on Elise’s website.

Grab Your Copy!

https://geni.us/DealbreakerEFKM

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

What a wonderful story! Hudson (aka Dash) and Willow meet in the most unconventional way, but this strangers-to-soulmates story has all the feels!

Bodyguard Dash is recovering in the hospital following a hip replacement after being injured on the job. While there, he becomes fascinated with Willow St. Claire, an actress who is in a coma, after hearing her boyfriend/fiance accuse her of faking her coma and threatening to kill her when she wakes up. Needing to be close to his Sleeping Beauty, Dash begins reading to the mysterious woman each night and becomes her knight in shining armor when Willow wakes up and is afraid for her life.

Ever the protector, Dash takes Willow back to his house to keep an eye on her… and it’s not long at all before these two are falling in love.

The connection between these two characters was so rich. Willow is dealing with some serious trauma, and Hudson immediately becomes a safe space for her. But because of the abuse she suffered in the past, there are some issues that they run into as they embark on a romantic relationship of their own. Giving her time and grace is the best gift Hudson can give to her, because Willow just blossoms into a different person. She believes in her strength, and channels her anger at her ex and her wicked mother to fight back brilliantly. Along the way, the Gamebreakers family adopts Willow as one of their own, and she fits right in.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Kat Mizera:

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Kat Mizera was born in Miami Beach with a healthy dose of Wanderlust. She’s lived from coast to coast, and everywhere in between, but home is wherever her family is. A devoted mom and wife to her wonderful and supportive husband (Kevin) and two amazing boys (Nick and Max), Kat loves to travel the globe with her adventurous, hockey loving family. Greece is at the top of that list. She hopes to one day retire there, spending her days writing books on the beach.

Kat is former freelance sports writer who now writes steamy hockey romance about her favorite fictional teams, the Las Vegas Sidewinders and the Lauderdale Knights. The library of novels she’s penned also include sexy contemporary stories about baseball stars, alpha sex club owners, bodyguards, rock stars, and royalty. Regardless of genre, her books about bad boys with hearts of gold will steal your breath, rock your world and melt your heart.

To find out about Kat Mizera’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here

For more information on Kat Mizera and her books visit: https://katmizera.com/

Connect with Kat Mizera:

https://katmizera.com/pages/contact-kat

Meet Elise Faber:

USA TODAY bestselling author, Elise Faber, loves chocolate, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team—the Sharks!—are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise changes her hair color more often than some people change their socks, loves sparkly things, and is the mom to two exuberant boys. She lives in Northern California. 

To find out about Elise Faber’s  upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here

For more information on Elise Faber and her books visit: https://www.elisefaber.com/

Connect with Elise Faber:

https://www.elisefaber.com/contact

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On the ice, he’s unstoppable. At home, he’s a devoted dad. And now… he’s falling for the one woman he shouldn’t touch – his kids’ nanny.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the next standalone hockey romance in her Love and Hockey series, THE OVERTIME KISS! This sexy, single dad/nanny, forced proximity, workplace hockey romance is filled with spicy lessons, love notes, and all the feels, spice, and heat! THE OVERTIME KISS is now available in all formats including the special edition hardcover and free to read in Kindle Unlimited! Check out the excerpt below and one-click your copy today!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/overtimekissAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/theovertimekissAUD
Teddy Hamilton & Brooke Bloomingdale narrate in duet!

About THE OVERTIME KISS:

Just what every bride dreams of—running straight from her cheating fiancé into the arms of a hot hockey star… and then getting hired as his kids’ nanny.

Tyler Falcon is protective, flirtatious…and frustratingly responsible. We almost did something reckless when he found me alone in my wedding dress, and I blurted out all the things I’d never truly experienced.

Now, the sexy single dad is saving me again with a job I desperately need—and a promise to never mention The Night of 1001 Confessions.

I live in his house. Take care of his kids. Pretend I don’t notice his heated gaze lingering on me after they fall asleep.

Until one night, the tension snaps.

Now we have a deal. Five lessons in seduction. No strings attached.

But he’s not just good in bed. He spoils me with thoughtful gifts and supports my dreams. For the first time, I feel like I belong. 

Except…this was never meant to last. I’m his employee. He has kids to protect. And neither of us can afford to make a mistake.

The more nights we spend tangled up together though, the harder it is to pretend it’s just physical. Because I’m not only falling for my boss—I’m falling for the man whose kids have stolen my heart.

Tropes: single dad/nanny, runaway bride, forced proximity, spicy lessons, she’s his daughter’s skating coach, confession of all secrets, love notes, found family

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/overtimekissAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/theovertimekissAUD
Teddy Hamilton & Brooke Bloomingdale narrate in duet!

READ THE EXCERPT:

Tyler

“Are you a troublemaker, Tyler?”

“Maybe I was. Back in the day,” I say.

Her lips shift in amusement. “Think you’ve still got it in you?”

“Those are fighting words.” I drum my fingers on the counter. “How about trouble in the form of a spicy margarita? Can you handle the heat?”

Her smile falters for just a second, as if I’d asked about more than a drink. “I don’t even know.”

Her blue eyes flicker with something deeper—with uncertainty, maybe, or a vulnerability she’s trying to hide. Or possibly…interest. Since for a moment her gaze lingers on me, roams over me, like she’s trying to figure something out.

Like what she wants me to do to her tonight?

What the f*&k?

That is not a thought I should be entertaining. Too bad my lust-struck mind is already running away with the image, imagining what could have been if she wasn’t wearing that damn ring. Not today, brain. Stand down.

“Let’s find out,” I say, as I resume the role of runaway-bride wingman. I change her order, and when the bartender returns with the margarita, we toast again, her with her cocktail, me with my lager, which—as Ike promised—is incredibly good.

“To the opposite of today.”

“The opposite,” she echoes, her gaze…curious. But I don’t want to read into it even though I want to read everything into it.

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/overtimekissAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/theovertimekissAUD
Teddy Hamilton & Brooke Bloomingdale narrate in duet!

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

It’s been a while since I’ve read something by Lauren Blakely, and I am so glad I got to read and listen to The Overtime Kiss! Tyler and Sabrina’s story was so charming, full of heart, and lots of big emotions.

After calling out her fiancé for cheating (at the altar! badass!) and walking out on her wedding, Sabrina ends up at a bar and runs into Tyler, the dad of one of her figure skating students. Although he’s long had a bit of a crush on Sabrina, he puts his feelings aside for her that night since her life pretty much imploded and just offers her comfort and friendship. A week later, Tyler is ready to ask her out, but a humiliated Sabrina asks if they can pretend The Night of 1001 Confessions never happened. Then, when Sabrina ends up moving into Tyler’s house to be his kids’ new nanny, it becomes harder and harder for both of them to ignore their chemistry… and they agree to cross off a few items from Sabrina’s sex bucket list.

This story gets really spicy at times, but there’s such a genuine connection between the characters that it did not feel like seggs just for the sake of having it on the page. Tyler and Sabrina really connect on a deep level; they both have complicated relationships with their fathers, and that comes into play later on when they break up because of miscommunication and assumptions. Tyler’s Grand Gesture to win Sabrina back was so sweet — and it came complete with going off on her jerk of an ex.

Teddy Hamilton is hands-down my favorite narrator, and I absolutely adored how he portrayed Tyler in this book. From the sexy growls to the vulnerable moments with Sabrina, he captured all the emotions. As well, Brooke Bloomingdale did a great job with playing Sabrina and all her neurotic perfectionism, and her hurt and anger over how poorly her father and ex-fiance treat her.

I received an advanced 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

At the Edge of Surrender by A.L. Jackson is now live! A surprise single dad, small town romantic suspense… I’m the last guy on the planet who should be a dad. My life is chaos. My sins written dark and deep. So, imagine my surprise when my doorbell rings and I open it to find the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen standing on the other side. And she’s holding the hand of a little girl who looks just like me. Emery tells me her sister, the child’s mother, is dead. I feel like dirt since she’s a woman I can hardly remember, and it’s no wonder Emery doesn’t trust that I’m worthy of caring for her niece. But I can’t turn my back, and I insist on raising Maci. So, we strike a deal—she’ll stay with me for one month to ensure the little girl is safe. Emery tries to hate me for who I am, but neither of us can resist the attraction that blazes between us. One brush of her hand, and she has me on my knees. One kiss, and I’m falling fast. Soon, we find ourselves tangled in my sheets. But when it’s discovered her sister’s death wasn’t accidental, the secret life I’ve been living collides with the past Emery has tried to keep hidden. And when the fiends come back to finish the job they started, I’m in a race against time to save the two people who I’ve come to love most… Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited Amazon: https://geni.us/ATEOSAmznOP Also available in audio! Listen today: https://geni.us/ATEOSAudioOP Enter the release day giveaway! https://geni.us/ATEOSRlsGvwy

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

At the Edge of Surrender is a great addition to the Moonlit Ridge series! From the very first meeting between Emery and Kane in his club, to him finding out her niece is his daughter, to how the most horrific part of her past aligned with Kane’s reasons for doing the good-but-illegal things that he does, I loved every bit of this story.

Kane started out as this gruff and rough character, but he just absolutely melted into a pile of goo when Maci and Emery entered his life. Emery had lost so, so much, and Kane was the last person she ever expected to become the safe space that her soul craved. These characters brought out so much in one another. Once Kane realized he’d fallen for Emery, he was ALL IN. She and Maci became his reason for getting up every morning…. but Kane feared what would happen when she learned *everything* about his past.

I read this book and listened to the audio in tandem, and Jason Clarke and Erin Mallon nailed these characters. They both brought such vulnerability to Kane and Emery, and Clarke really captured those dark, dark places that Kane goes to in this book.

The Moonlit Ridge series are all standalone books with interconnected characters, but I would recommend reading the other two books first in order to get the full backstory and feeling of Kane’s band of brothers and the family they’ve created for themselves. This series is also a spinoff of the Redemption Hills series, and I loved how At the Edge of Surrender tied into the motorcycle club, Iron Owls, from that series.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

EMBERS IN THE DARK by Stefanie Castro is NOW LIVE!

Blurb:

What should you do when you have no one but your old crush to turn to?

Baylee Rios has never known life without Tucker Malloy. From the moment she understood the concept of love, her heart belonged to the “boy next door.” As an adult, her feelings have only grown, and she’s fighting to ignore something that’s been smoldering under the guise of a friendship. But Baylee’s life is about to implode, and the only person she feels safe leaning on is her one true love. 

Baylee Rios isn’t only ten years younger than him, she’s his best friend’s little sister and she’s off-limits. Now that she’s all grown up, she’s taking over his thoughts… and his apartment.

Will they risk upsetting those they love to finally go after what they want? 

Embers in the Dark is an age-gap romance novel. It is the third book in the Embers series.

Buy Link:

https://a.co/d/9BdH4rS

Available in KU

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

I have been looking forward to Tucker and Baylee’s story since the last Boston Embers book, and Stefanie Castro understood the assignment!

This slow-burn story was everything I wanted in a brother’s best friend/roommates/secret crush/mutual pining romance! Having seen Tucker as a side character in the other books, I was so happy to see him shine as the MC in Embers in the Dark! He was such a good guy, and put his fractured friendship with Danny Rios above his own happiness for so long because Rios didn’t want Tucker to date his sister. Why?!?!? I really wanted to smack Rios at the beginning, because then Baylee wouldn’t have had to go through the awful situation with her ex-boyfriend… But then would the payoff have been the same once she and Tucker finally got together? Probably not, and it was so worth the wait.

I love the friendships between these characters. There’s a really nice (yet sad) subplot with Tucker’s mother, who is sick, and I thought that added depth to the more or less happy-go-lucky guy.

Overall, this was a great book that checked all the boxes! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review

Meet Stefanie Castro:

Prior to becoming an author, Stefanie had written for years on blogging platforms. She is a registered nurse with years of experience working with families starting their journey into the parenting world. She started writing as a way to connect with families. After releasing her first memoir in May 2023, she felt a pull towards writing romance. Her love of the genre is something she is highly invested in as a reviewer and cheerleader for authors all around. Stefanie debuts her romance this fall with If Only You Knew. She is shining a light on romance characters that are in their forties, something she feels is not easy to find in the genre. Stefanie resides in Southern California, with her husband, two kids, and their Cavalier King Charles dog.

Connect with Stefanie Castro:

https://linktr.ee/authorstefcastro

From USA Today bestselling author Claudia Burgoa comes a deeply emotional small-town romance about a runaway heiress, a tattooed protector, and the marriage that was never supposed to be real—until love found them anyway.

He was never supposed to love her—especially not her baby.

I didn’t plan on ending up in Birchwood Springs.

But after escaping a brutal marriage and discovering I’m pregnant, this town—and the broody tattoo artist who swore to protect me—might be the only shot I have at starting over.Atlas Timberbridge is nothing like the world I left behind.

He’s all inked arms, gruff silence, and an unexpected gentleness that makes my heart ache.

Pretending we were married was for my protection.

A temporary arrangement meant to keep me hidden from my vicious husband.

We agree to keep it strictly business. No feelings. No future.

But the longer I stay, the more this small town—and this man—start to feel like home.

Now I’m falling for my fake husband… and terrified he’ll never be able to love me back.

Because small towns have long memories.

And secrets don’t stay buried forever.

Just be ready to feel everything.

 Audiobook also available on all audio retailers ➝ https://geni.us/WLFUAudio

 Grab it now ➝  https://geni.us/WLFUzon

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

When Love Found Us ended up being a much more emotional story than I expected it to be!

Although I did not start this series from the beginning, I’d listened to Timberbridge Bros. #2 so I had some idea of the strained family relationship between the brothers. I thought that CB did a great job exploring those dynamics from Atlas’ POV; there is one chapter in particular where several of the boys lay it all out there, and I loved how impacted they all were by their father’s behavior.

The slow-burn love story between Atlas and Blythe was so well-written. There was amazing growth fron Atlas, going from a guy who wants no ties at the start of the book to one who was completely obsessed with a baby girl who wasn’t biologically his by the end. Despite his gruff, grumpy exterior, Atlas was such a softie when it came to Blythe and taking care of her, providing for her. (Especially in how things go down with her ex-husband!!!!) And ultimately, not wanting their fake marriage to end. And Blythe… she’d been through so much, and was so much stronger than she thought she was. It was wonderful to see her bloom in the safe space that Atlas provided for her and through her friendships she makes with the other wives/girlfriends.

There are still some unanswered questions about Atlas and the organization targeting the town that I hoped would have been answered in When Love Found Us, but were not. I guess we still have a few books to go in this series to tie up those loose ends.

Vanessa Edwin and Sean Masters delivered standout performances with the audio on this book!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

WISTFUL WHISPERS by Kaylene Winter is AVAILABLE NOW

Wistful Whispers is an irresistible battle of the wills where surrendering to forbidden temptation could cost them everything.
 
I never promised forever.
A good time? Absolutely.
Heartbreak? Only if they got too attached.
 
My reputation as a quiet playboy precedes me—women talk, and my ‘talents’ follow me wherever I go. But I’ve always been upfront. No commitments. No expectations. No complications.
 
Marcella Delgado is nothing but complications. Brilliant. Fierce. Eight years older. And the attorney trying to take down my boss in a malpractice case. She should hate me on sight—hell, she does. But that doesn’t stop the heat between us from igniting the moment we meet.
 
She’s heard the stories about me firsthand, right there in the depositions. She knows exactly what I’m good at, and even though she fights it, I can see the temptation in her eyes.
 
One night. One line crossed.
Now my future’s unraveling—and she might be the only thing I don’t want to let go.
 
For the first time, I want it all.

And I’ll fight like hell to be the man she can’t leave behind.

Grab Your Copy!

https://getbook.at/Charming_WW

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Seamus and Marcella’s story is the third in the Charming Irish series, and I think this may be my favorite book so far! I thought these two characters were totally relatable, not afraid to be vulnerable with each other, far from perfect, and just fit each other so well!

The youngest brother, Seamus is a neurosurgery resident (with a bit of a playboy reputation around the hospital) caught up in a malpractice suit filed against his mentor; Marcella is the attorney hired by the patient’s family. I loved her spunk and sass, and loved how the character was written as this strong, empowered executive who struggled with insecurities over her curvier size. There was an instant attraction between them, and it was a delicious slow burn as they fought their feelings throughout the court case. Once they finally gave in to their attraction, during a moment of grief and heightened feelings, all bets were off. Nothing about the two of them made sense on paper, but Seamus and Marcella just fell into this easy relationship and complemented each other perfectly.

However, their bubble bursts when Seamus’ past threatens to destroy his future. It’s a rough patch for the couple, and they are tested in ways neither one of them imagined. But they come out of it on the other side stronger than before.

I loved the connection between Seamus and Marcella, the romance, the steam, the conversations, and the communication. How they both just got each other, created a safe landing space, and let the other feel seen.

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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That awkward moment when the matchmaker becomes the match…

Meet Cute or Your Money Back, an all-new grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, matchmaker romcom  from USA Today bestselling author Katana Collins is now available!

I know what women want in a man and they pay me a lot of money to find it for them.

With the help of my fellow ex-special forces brothers, I opened up a matchmaking business where we use our military skills to help our clients find The One. And it turns out a little military strategy goes a long way.

I treat each new client in my matchmaking business like its own mission. And I’m proud to say that I have a one hundred percent success rate.

Or at least I did. Before Allie Larsen entered the picture.

She’s smart. She’s beautiful. She’s charming…

… and she’s impossible to please.

But when it turns out Allie has secrets she’s been keeping, she not only jeopardizes her own matchmaking mission, but she puts both our lives in danger.

Except this time, it’s not only my life at risk… it’s my heart.

When they said, “All’s fair in love and war,” I’m not sure this is what they meant.

Start reading today!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/4khFW9E

Add Meet Cute or Your Money Back to Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/mcoymbgr 

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Meet Cute or Your Money Back was such a cute romcom. I loved the reverse twist of Thatcher, a former Navy SEAL, being the one running a matchmaking service who falls for the client. He and Allie were such a perfect match.

After his wife died, leaving him as a single parent with an infant son to raise, Thatcher founded his matchmaking service. He and his partners use their military training to run their clients’ dates like they are running secret ops missions. I loved it! Allie enters his life like a hurricane, and for the first time in years, Thatcher doesn’t quite know what to do with big feelings for a woman that he never expected to feel again as a widower.

Allie, meanwhile, is a newspaper food critic with dreams of being an investigative reporter. She gets her shot at writing an investigative piece on the matchmaking service, trying to write about her dating experiences without breaking her NDA. It’s soon evident that Allie and Thatcher have far better chemistry than any of the guys she’s set up with. And as the attraction between them grows, Allie stumbles upon something in her digging that ends up putting both of their lives in danger.

This book had it all. It was funny, heartfelt, a sizzling slow burn, adorable rescue dogs, a cute kid, a sexy, grumpy military vet, and a clumsy, spirited heroine. I really enjoyed this story and hope that there’s more to come for Thatcher’s buddies!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Keep reading for a look inside Meet Cute or Your Money Back!

I knew someone was following me from the moment I stepped out into the brisk city air. When you’re in my line of work, you learn not to ignore that prickling sensation on the back of your neck. I’ve had eyes on me enough times to know the difference between paranoia and the real deal. One surreptitious glance over my shoulder confirms that I’m right. Only it doesn’t appear to be some insidious threat lurking in the shadows; it’s a pair of round hazel, curious eyes that are trained on me.

“Okay,” I mutter under my breath, tightening my grip on my to-go paper coffee cup, “time to face the music.”

I make a sharp turn down an alleyway, my boots echoing off the graffiti-stained walls. There’s a method to this madness—alleyways are good for confrontations, fewer prying eyes. I position myself around the corner behind a dumpster and wait, counting the seconds. Sure enough, the soft patter of footsteps crescendos as she rounds the bend, almost on cue.

I pull my gun from my waistband, ensuring the safety is still on and raise it chest height as I step out from the shadows. “Why are you following me?”

I cringe as she spins to face me, her pouty, berry-shaded lips parted in a gasp. “Oh my lord! That’s a gun!” she cries with the timbre of a kindergarten teacher.

“Wow, look at you, Detective Sunshine. So tell me…are you lost or just really into following people?” My tone’s casual, but my stance is anything but. I hold firm with the gun raised, waiting for her to stumble over some lie. But she stops short, blinking up at me with an expression that’s part surprise, part chagrin.

“Following you?” Her voice has that high-pitched quality of someone caught red-handed. She laughs—a nervous kind of laugh—and then looks away, searching for an escape route that isn’t there. “No, no, I…I was…”

“Let’s cut to the chase.” I step closer and see her swallow hard. Good. Keep her on her toes. “You’ve been tailing me since we both exited the coffee shop. What’s your game?”

She tugs at the strap of her bag, clearly buying time, and I can tell she’s not used to being cornered. Most folks aren’t. Then again, I’ve learned not to trust anyone. Especially some cute brunette playing innocent. I’ve seen firsthand how the doe-eyed Bambi can be trained to lie through their teeth and turn into the deadliest assassin in the room in a blink of those mascara-laden eyes.

I’m absolutely not falling for that act.

“Who are you?” I demand, not unkindly, but firmly enough to show I mean business. I can see the wheels turning behind those wide eyes, the cogs of her brain grinding as she sizes up whether to run or spill as she stares down the barrel of my gun.

“Okay, okay…” She exhales sharply, a half-defeated chuckle escaping her lips. “This is going to sound strange, but⁠—”

She shifts her weight from one foot to the other, and I notice for the first time how the setting sunlight catches in her wavy hair, turning it into liquid amber. There’s this playful glint in her hazel eyes that makes them shimmer like two drops of top-shelf whiskey. The sundress she’s wearing clings to her petite frame in a way that’s casual but deliberate, like a flag staked on the territory of her curves.

“I’m waiting.”

“Look,” she starts, tipping her head back to meet my gaze with a confidence that’s almost disarming. “I saw you back there, in the café. You were like some kind of cabernet Cupid, helping that girl with the spilled wine connect with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome.”

For more information about Katana Collins and her books, visit her website:

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SUMMER PEOPLE by Brittanée Nicole & Jenni Bara is AVAILABLE NOW

Blurb:

𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙝𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙣, 𝙈𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚: 𝙖 𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙞𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙.

Population: sixty eight.

Well, sixty nine if you count me, Elizabeth Sweet, Monhegan’s newest resident and retired child star.

When I first step off the boat, I’m ready to be charmed by the island that holds the sweetest memories from my childhood. A place so remote that even the pesky media won’t bother to look for me here.

What I get instead is exasperation.

“Summer people.” It’s grumbled like a curse, a growl of sorts. No one seems to want me here, least of all the grumpy sheriff who seems affronted by my mere existence.

He’s stupidly handsome, goes nowhere without his beloved golden retriever Bing, and speaks in nothing but grunts.

Unfortunately for Fisher Jones, I’m not going anywhere. In fact we’re neighbors. And his niece Sutton, like every other eight year old in America, is obsessed with me.

Summer in Monhegan isn’t at all what I expect, but neither is Fisher. I haven’t quite figured out why he’s so miserable, but I’m also not volunteering what I’m running from.

All I know is the Islanders aren’t the only ones worming their way into my heart. Though, I suppose it won’t matter how I feel, if my past catches up to me. Maybe I’m destined to be nothing more than 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚.

Buy Link:

https://a.co/d/116lwkg

Available in KU

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Summer People is a great collab from Brittanee Nicole and Jenni Bara. Fisher and Libby’s It is the perfect beach read for the summer of 2025!

Following a PR scandal, Hollywood starlet Elizabeth Sweet escapes to a small island town to hide out and encounters the town’s resident grump, Fisher, and his adorable niece, Sutton, who live next door to the house she’s staying in. But when Libby’s past catches up to her on the island, will Fisher be able to protect her?

This story gave me all the feels. The connection between the two characters was electric, and I was rooting for Fisher and Libby right from the start. I eccentric little town and all of its charm, Fisher’s sweet bond with Sutton, and the funny, heartfelt moments in Summer People.

I hope this book isn’t a one-off from Nicole and Bara because I would love to see more stories from them! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Brittanée Nicole:

Brittanee is an author who lives in Rhode Island with her husband and two children. Her town is a character in itself in all of her books. 

When she is not writing she enjoys spending time outdoors by the water with her children, reading at the beach or by the pool (or really anywhere), dancing with her friends, singing Karaoke, spinning, bike riding and boating. 

Some of her favorite authors are Sophia Kinsella, Elin Hilderbrand, Liane Moriarty, Mary Higgins Clark, Meghan Quinn, Daphne Elliott, Amy Alves, Claire Kingsley, Melanie Harlow, Christina Lauren, Sally Thorne and Sarah Adams. (Clearly, she has a problem and can’t pick favorites.)

Connect with Brittanée Nicole:

https://linktr.ee/brittaneenicoleauthor/

Meet Jenni Bara:

Even as a young child Jenni Bara would conjure up all kinds of tales with her endless imagination. She’s improved her skills since the days of scaring her younger cousins with ghost stories, but her love for books and stories has never changed. 

In her everyday life, she is a paralegal for family law writing unhappily ever afters for people every day. So in turn she spends her free time with anything that keeps her laughing including life with her kids!

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All joking aside she is blessed to have not only very amazing kids but super supportive parents as well as a loving extended family always happy to share their opinions! 

Her favorite spots all have the best views of the sunsets and she loves to share the views through photos. 

She just began her career as a romance author writing books full of life, love, and laughter. 

Connect with Jenni Bara:

https://linktr.ee/Jennibarabooks

From New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a new laugh-out-loud summer rom-com.

“I got what I wanted. I became buddy-buddy with my boss in an instant. But the cost will be hefty…finding a husband by tomorrow.”

Scottie Price just started a new job, and it’s a real sausage fest. She’s the only woman on a team filled with Brads and Chads. Expecting a bachelor pad atmosphere, she is quickly corrected when she finds out everyone is happily married.

In an effort to impress her boss, Scottie mentions her nonexistent husband in a company meeting. But eagle-eyed Chad points out her lack of wedding ring. Panicked, Scottie creates a story about her unhappy marriage. Unfortunately for Scottie, her boss has a solution―a one-on-one session with the best marriage counselor in the Northeast, who happens to be her boss’s husband.

With no way out of her lie, Scottie agrees to see him. Frantic, she calls in help from her best friend who sets her up with his brother, an improv-obsessed millionaire.

Enter Wilder Wells. More than happy to take on the job, he teaches Scottie the main rule of improv: always say yes. But the rule backfires during the session when Wilder signs them up for an eight-day summer marriage camp with all of Scottie’s co-workers where she’ll have to share a cabin with her way-too-handsome fake husband.

NOW LIVE: https://mybook.to/TillSummerDoUsPart

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Every time I think Meghan Quinn can’t possibly outdo herself, outdo herself she does! Till Summer Do Us Part is a must-read book for the summertime. Do yourself one better, and listen to it on audio, because Teddy Hamilton and Erin Mallon were PHENOMENAL in their duet narration as Wilder and Scottie.

Forced proximity, blind-ish date, best friend’s brother, fake marriage — all tropes that I love, and that MQ writes like a champ. But this time around, she has Scottie and Wilder pretending to be a married couple at a relationship summer camp for adults. It. Is. Hilarious. (I thought the etiquette scene in Bridesmaid by Chance was hilarious, and so many scenes in this book run a very close second.)

On top of the hilarity, awkwardness, and everything else that made Wilder and “Pips” so endearing were the deep conversations between the two. Scottie was hurt so badly (emotionally) when her marriage broke up. Her ex took her for granted, didn’t consider her feelings, and treated her like a roommate and not his wife. In just a few short days of knowing one another, Wilder far surpassed Scottie’s ex-husband. He is kind and considerate and does all the little things for a woman who is essentially a stranger (even if she is his brother’s best friend). And Scottie pushes Wilder to want to be better. He’s kind of afloat after selling an app and making a crapton of money, but his feelings for Scottie make Wilder want to confront the demons in his past and become a better, more emotionally available partner. There is such growth from the character from the start to the end of this book, but he never lost his charm or sense of humor.

And Stephen Dexter as the unorthodox therapist who runs the camp? I couldn’t get enough!

Don’t miss this audio. Seriously.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.