From USA Today Bestselling Author Claudia Burgoa comes a fake-dating holiday romance filled with slow-burn tension, awkward family dinners, and one grumpy man who might just ruin Christmas for anyone else.

All I agreed to was a fake relationship.

A weekend of pretending I’m in love with my grumpy, emotionally constipated, private-jet-commuting neighbor.

Easy, right?

Except nothing about Soren Thorn is easy.

He doesn’t believe in horoscopes, hates throw pillows, and treats feelings like they’re contagious.

He’s all sighs, black coffee, and unreadable expressions—and for reasons I still don’t understand, he needs me to be his girlfriend for one very public, very awkward family event.

I thought I could handle it.

Play the part. Make it cute.

But then he started trusting me—with real pieces of himself.

Now I know his favorite coffee, some of his secrets, and the exact look he gives when he’s about to self-destruct but pretends he’s fine.

And I’m starting to realize this whole fake dating thing might be getting too . . . well, not fake.

Because I don’t just want to survive the weekend.

I want to know what it would feel like if none of it were pretend.

What to expect:

Grumpy / Sunshine

Neighbors to Lovers

Fake Relationship Shenanigans

Holiday Mayhem (yes, it starts at Halloween )

Frenemies to Lovers

Opposites Attract

Small Town Shenanigans

Rival Families à la Romeo & Juliet (but with way more kissing)

If you love holiday stories that are a little spicy, a little swoony, and a lot dysfunctional… this one’s for you.

Ready to binge? One-click on Amazon or start reading free in Kindle Unlimited:

Universal Link ➺ https://geni.us/fitxmaszon

Audio lovers, you’re gonna love this one. Narrated by @msgracegrant and @jasonclarkereads: https://geni.us/FiTCAudio

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

This book was so cute! Grumpy/sunshine, quirky/straight-laced, fake-dating, frenemies, neighbors whose families have a complicated history back home in their small town, all wrapped up in a holiday package.

When Soren, who is a bit allergic to his family, needs to return home for his sister’s engagement party, he proposes a fake relationship to his next-door neighbor Winnifred, who, as it happens, needs a new boyfriend to get her mom off her back. There is a sizzle between these two from the very start, and I enjoyed how they developed real feelings through their fake relationship.

It bugged me a bit when Soren freaked out and disappeared, but the text messages between them and how that furthered their getting to know one another better made up for it.

I loved Soren and Winnifred’s road to a real romance (ah, that he called her “Win” and not “Fred” like everyone else was my favorite!), and Jason Clarke and Grace Grant did a fantastic job in portraying all the nuances of this enemies-to-lovers story.

I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

A gruff, divorced NFL coach meets his match in an equally grumpy, commitment-phobic neighbor in this warm-hearted and witty romance about family, second chances, and overcoming the past.

You’d think it was the perfect living next door to the grumpy single dad who needs my help with his troublemaking kids—just until football season is over. Swoony stuff, right?

You know who’s not swooning? Me.

I’m as grumpy as he is, and I’m fairly certain that for NFL Coach Barrett King, it was hate at first sight. It’s nothing I’ll lose sleep over because 1) the feeling is mutual, and 2) I’m not a people person. Just me and my dog, Larry, moving around when the mood strikes, is what I prefer.

Except I start getting attached. First to the kids. Then to their father. I don’t know why. He’s overbearing. His attempts at flirting are just growls and glares. But if I ever see that man smile…well, I might tear all his clothes off.

I don’t do forever. And Barrett—serious, thoughtful, sexier than he has any right to be—doesn’t do short term. We’re headed straight for disaster.

But it we’re willing to take a risk, maybe this story won’t end in heartbreak. Maybe what started as the perfect setup for two imperfect people just might end in love.

Grumpy NFL coach

Football Romance

Grumpy commitment-phobic neighbor

Snowed in

Enemies to lovers

Banter as foreplay

bit.ly/SingleDadDilemma

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

As soon as I met Barrett in Lessons In Heartbreak, I wanted to see what kind of woman was going to get through to the grumpy single dad and make the NFL coach into a puddle, twist him inside out to the point that he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. Never did I imagine that the woman who would steal Barrett’s heart would be a grumpy loner herself with an aversion to staying in one place for too long.

But, MAN, were Barrett and Lily perfect together!

I absolutely loved the connection Lily made with Barrett’s kids, Maggie and Bryce, at first. Having met the kids as Griffin’s niece and nephew in the first book, I was so glad to spend more time with these two troublemakers. And Lily just got them, and they got her, and that made my heart happy. Because as much as Barrett loves his kids, the guy is a workaholic, and Lily filled a void in their life. Especially for precocious Maggie.

This book was such a delicious slooooow burn, but then Barrett and Lily get snowed in together and BAM! It. Is. On.

Their love is messy and kind of all over the place, and for every step forward these two took, it was three steps back. Barrett was so sweet with Lily when she went through a difficult situation with her a-hole dog, and neither one of them knew what to do with that sweetness, which I found so endearing. I also really enjoyed how Lily brought Barrett and Griffin back together again, and the twins began to repair their relationship as Griffin gave his brother relationship advice.

This book was perfect! I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

BEAUTIFULLY SURPRISE by ASHLEY JAMES is AVAILABLE NOW

Blurb:

When I wake up next to my best friend’s brother after a night of bottom shelf tequila and a sizzling one night stand, I do my best to pretend the whole thing never happened.

Until six weeks later, when two pink lines derail my every plan.

Not only is Graham Astor the brother to my three closest friends and the boy I secretly crushed on for years as a teenager, but he’s also a single dad and a grieving widower.

With a new career on my horizon, I don’t have time for complicated or messy—everything Graham and this news brings—and yet, when he expresses how much he wants this, I can’t deny how much I do too.

Even if that means I might wind up heartbroken later.

Navigating this new reality and everything that comes along with it quickly becomes a test of my willpower and self-control as he continues to say all the right things and shows up for me, even when I don’t ask him to. The more time we spend together, the harder it is to keep my feelings out of it.

Especially when I move in with him, and the memory of his hot breath on my neck and the weight of his body on mine haunts me, reminding me of the blazing chemistry we shared.

I tell myself I won’t fall in love with Graham—not again—I swear, I won’t.

But then he looks at me the way he does, or he talks to my belly, telling our growing baby how lucky he is to be their dad, or I watch how incredible he is with his daughter, and it’s impossible not to.

It’s impossible not to picture what our life could be like together, in love and as a family.

But then I think about how the truth of our beautiful little surprise, and all the history we share, will come out eventually.

What if the fantasy in my head is as close as I’ll ever get to being loved by him?

Buy Link:

https://geni.us/beautifulsurprise

Available in KU

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

I loved this final book in the Blossom Beach series! Ashley James isn’t an author I was very familiar with before I read this series, and I was absolutely hooked. (I even branched out to other books in her catalog after starting the Blossom Beach books). I really enjoyed spending time with these siblings, and Graham and Charley’s story was everything!

This second-chance romance hit all the right notes with the mutual pining between Graham and Charley. They had a short-lived, secret relationship the summer before Charley went off to college, and this book played that history beautifully against their present-day pregnancy that came after a one-night stand when both characters were up in their feelings and dealing with bad news regarding their respective exes.

I wasn’t sure at first why Charley thought her best friends/Graham’s sisters would be so against the relationship, but as the story delved deeper into her background (explaining why she was kind of emotionally stunted as a result of her parents’ relationship), I got it. So I was so happy to see Graham be an absolute rock for her every step of the way.

Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin were fantastic with this duet audio. I loved the vulnerability they both showed in voicing these characters, as well as the spicier, sexy moments.

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.

Connect with Ashley James:

https://authorashleyjames.com/links/

There’s an unspoken rule in hockey: don’t date your teammates’ little sister.

Dating the coach’s little sister might be even worse. Not to mention bro code, which clearly states a best friend’s little sister is off limits.  

And I’m definitely prohibited from dating the owner of the team. 

But what if before she was any of those things, she was the woman who turned my world upside down? What if she’s the woman I shared the three best days of my life with, then spent years searching for? 

Sienna Langfield is all of those things, and now that I’ve figured out who she is, I can’t walk away. 

Problem is, I’m not the same man I was all those years ago. I’m now a single dad and my son and I are a package deal. On top of that, I’m in the midst of contract negotiations with the team she owns.

With four older brothers and a roster of reasons working against us, dating her would be dangerous. But serendipity has a way of reminding us both that I belong with that beauty.

What you will find inside this book:

• Brother’s Best Friend
• Right Person, Wrong Time
• Second Chance
• Girl Boss
• Single Dad
• He Wears Glasses 😉
• Professional Hockey
• Langfield Group Chats

AMAZON: LINK HERE
GOODREADS: LINK HERE

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Beauty wraps up the Boston Bolts series by Brittanee Nicole, and while I didn’t read all of the books in this universe, Noah and Sienna’s story was by far my favorite.

The first 12 chapters or so take place six years in the past, when Sierra and Noah meet while on solo vacations in the Bahamas. Their lives are each on the cusp of major changes — he’s about to become a dad thanks to a one-night stand, and she’s about to take off for Paris to explore being a fashion designer. They never exchange last names, so they have no idea how closely entwined their lives are. But their past gets very complicated when, years later, Sienna becomes the CEO of the Bolts and Noah’s new boss.

Despite all the odds stacked against him, Noah is so determined to win Sienna over. I absolutely loved how BN brought the movie Serendipity into this story. During all their years apart, Noah searched every single dollar bill he came across, hoping he’d find the one that Sienna wrote her number on. And Sienna never stopped searching, every time she found one of Hannah’s books, for the inscription Noah had written to her with his number. That was so swoony, especially the reveal of just how far Noah had gone to try to reach Sienna over the years.

Noah was the bookiest boyfriends of all book boyfriends. Total golden retriever, green flag energy, and with the dirtiest mouth I’ve seen in a BN hero. I loved how dedicated he was to Sienna during their time apart, and how he just knew there would never be anyone else for him. Meanwhile, Sienna had gotten caught up in a bit of a scandal (involving War’s stepbrother — I loved that connection), and she’s very wary. Noah was so patient and such a steady presence for Sienna.

And the secret matching tattoos!

This book was so wonderfully written. Not just the story arcs of the main characters, but their relationships with her brothers, as well. That chapter with Sienna’s brothers’ POV was a sweet treat! And I couldn’t get enough of the Langfield family group chats.

What a great conclusion to this series, and the epilogue gave a fantastic teaser for the spinoff coming next, starting out with Camden Snow!

I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

YULE BE MINE by Piper Rayne is AVAILABLE NOW

When workaholic best man Carter arrives in Mistletoe Falls for his best friends’ Christmas wedding, a town-wide Santa Festival and a misplaced motel reservation leave him with one option—beg the woman he once rejected for a room at her bed-and-breakfast. Unfortunately, that woman also happens to be the bride’s sister…and the maid of honor.

To make matters worse, the bride and groom are delayed, turning Ashley and Carter into last-minute wedding planners, forced into a truce neither of them wants. But late-night checklists, a blizzard of holiday activities, and a charming small town turn their snark into sparks.

When they get snowed in and every near-kiss feels dangerously close to something real, Carter realizes there’s more to December than year-end deadlines.

As their truce melts, one question remains—is this a holiday fling, or the start of forever?

YULE BE MINE is available now in KU & Audio!

https://books2read.com/YBM

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

I have loved Piper Rayne’s holiday books over the last couple of years, and I adored Carter and Ashley’s story!

Several months before the book takes place, Carter and Ashley had a date that seemed to go well… until it didn’t. Which makes it awkward when he heads to help plan the wedding of his best friend and her twin sister and ends up having to crash at Ashley’s B&B. Thanks to a bunch of Santas and a freak blizzard, Carter and Ashley face their past and jump into a future together.

The book is fast-paced, and kind of instalove, as it takes place over the course of a week or two. Christine Lakin and Sean Masters were perfect as Ashley and Carter. (Gah, her name was buzzing around in my head, so I looked her up, and it is the same actress from that 1990s TV show Step By Step!) They were both fun and flirty with these characters, and I enjoyed listening to them narrate the story!

This book is a standalone connected to the other four holiday books, so there are some appearances by Carter’s siblings. It’s not as girthy as some of PR’s other books, but Yule Be Mine definitely packs a punch and is totally bingeable for some festive feel-good reading.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

EMBERS IN OUR SOUL by Stefanie Castro is AVAILABLE NOW

Blurb:

What should you do when you fall in love with the person you are only married to out of  convenience?

Growing up, studious Indiana Ranton and rebellious Tyler Hunter slowly built a friendship that  her parents forbade.

When they got married so she could be free to choose her own path, they thought it was simply  a means to an end. Through years of letter writing, they realized that they both wanted more.  But, Tyler shatters Indy’s heart before they ever have a chance to share their true feelings.

Years later, after life took them on completely different paths, Indy is determined to finally  dissolve their marriage—but it’s not going to be as easy as she hoped.

Can Tyler win Indy back, or will his betrayal prove to be too much for her to forgive?

Embers in Our Souls is a marriage-of-convenience romance novel. It is the fourth book of the  Boston Embers series, and an interconnected standalone.

Buy Link:

https://a.co/d/8voz0b4

Available in KU

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

The Boston Embers series closes with Embers In Our Souls, and I think that Indy and Tyler’s second-chance, marriage-of-convenience story was my favorite of the bunch!

The story begins when they have just graduated from high school. They had been secret friends years earlier until her parents put the kibosh on that because Tyler is from the wrong side of town. Now, Indy, who is in the midst of some health issues, found out that her parents have lied to her for her entire life. Tyler is about to ship out for boot camp, and suggests they get married so she can have access to his health insurance and gain some independence from her parents. Years later, Indy is raising her brother’s son as a single mom when they run into each other when her son has an allergic reaction at school. Neither had any idea that they were both in Boston, but now that Indy is back in his orbit, Tyler isn’t about to give up on trying to win her back. But as their story unfolds through letters they’d written to each other in the past, we learn that Tyler broke Indy’s heart, and it’s not going to be an easy road to get her to forgive him.

I so enjoyed this story. There is so much hurt between Ty and Indy. But he never leaves her side in his quest to win her back. Tyler hadn’t been in a good headspace several years ago, but he’d put in the work to fix himself and was ready to be the guy Indy deserved.

Their reunion was worth the wait, and so was the HEA for this couple! 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 Claire Kingsley, the stand-alone small-town/romcom/romantic suspense/Christmas romance you didn’t know you needed.

Handsome, charismatic, and charming, Jensen Lakes is an enigma in a designer suit. But his playboy reputation is a persona—one of many—that he uses in his unique line of work.

A priceless heirloom goes missing right before the holidays, and Jensen is hired to find it. Tracking down the perpetrator will be simple. He’ll be in and out before Santa hits chimneys.

Natalie Thatcher needs a break. She’s a dedicated sister, aunt, and nurse, but her life is no Christmas carol. Between bills, mounting home repairs, and holiday shopping still to be done, most days she feels like a tangled strand of lights.

Jensen follows his quarry to Tilikum, and the Christmas-clad town throws him for a loop. As does Natalie. He enlists her aid—who better to help him navigate the local quirks than the captivating woman next door? Despite their chemistry and sizzling banter, love isn’t on his Christmas list. Or hers.

But as danger mounts, Jensen finds himself in an unexpected position—falling in love with his partner. And when her life is on the line, he’ll risk everything to keep her safe.

And get her home for Christmas.

Author’s Note: A handsome charmer falls hard for a sassy small-town girl. Adventure, witty banter, Christmas coziness, and a holiday happily ever after that will leave your heart full.

Sleigh Bells and Snowstorms can be read as a stand-alone romance.

Now available on Amazon with KU → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXBR5C96/

Audible duet audio → https://www.audible.com/pd/B0FXN128CK

and paperback → https://www.amazon.com/dp/1959809237/

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Sleigh Bells and Snowstorms really packed quite a punch, and it’s the kind of story that would make a great Christmas movie! We have British playboy Jensen — whose job it is to recover high-profile, expensive stolen artifacts — and ER nurse Natalie, who lives a quiet life and is scraping by just to make it day to day. These two characters could not be any more opposite, and I loved it!

The jewelry heist angle was not one I was expecting from Claire Kingsley; Jensen’s profession is markedly different from the heroes in CK’s other books, and I think it gave Sleigh Bells a unique edge. Jensen and Natalie brought something out in the other that was so unexpected, and they each showed real vulnerability with the other. Jensen opened Natalie’s eyes to a world she quite literally had no idea existed, giving her a rush of excitement she had never felt before and a desire to do something more than work the overnight shift at the Tilikum hospital. Meanwhile, Jensen’s feelings for Natalie completely took him by surprise, making him think about settling down for the first time ever. Narrators Shane East and CJ Bloom were fantastic with the way they brought this holiday caper and all of its craziness to life.

Having read the Dirty Martini Running Club years ago, I enjoyed Jensen’s phone calls with his sister, and I was so happy that the subplot with Natalie’s sister and the hot single dad from her kid’s school got wrapped up in a nice bow at the end, too!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

OATHBREAKER

Kat Mizera & Elise Faber

Release Date: October 27

She was never supposed to be mine.
Walking away was the only acceptable decision.

It was just one night. Two lonely souls finding solace in the one place we shouldn’t have—my bed.
I thought once would be enough, but leaving her is my biggest—maybe my only—regret.

Now, I’m back and seeing the results of that night is killing me.

I’ll make it up to her. I have to. Because I’ve never loved anyone else.

Because I’d rather die than break her heart a second time.

But when duty calls, I swore an oath to listen.

And I know…

There will be no coming back this time.

Grab Your Copy!

https://geni.us/OathbreakerEFKM

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Oathbreaker marks the end of the Gamebreakers series, and I was so excited at the end of #4 when I realized that not only was Colt actually alive, but he was the guy Briar had never gotten over, and little Frankie’s father!

This book hit a lot differently than the other ones. It is a wonderful second-chance romance, but it’s more intense in the way that Colt is back, having spent the past five years with his friends believing he was dead. There’s a delicate balance here as he tries to reclaim his life, reclaim the love he lost with Briar, who has since been raising their daughter on her own. And just as she begins dating for the first time since Frankie was born (poor West!), that’s when Colt reappears in her life, and totally upends it!

I really liked the struggle that both Briar and Colt went through in trying to reconcile their past with their present, and then navigating how to be together in the present. The authors did a great job with that, as well as how they scripted the reactions of the other guys when Colt resurfaced. Their belief that he was dead was out of his control, and all the guys had varying reactions that fit their personalities perfectly.

While I was sad to say goodbye to the Gamebreaker family, I loved that preview for Kat Mizera & Elise Faber’s next collab, knowing that West will be rewarded with his own book after backing out gracefully so Briar and Colt could figure their stuff out!

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

Hosted By:

HOLIDAY UNSCRIPTED by Natasha Madison is AVAILABLE NOW

Blurb:

Elizabeth

My brother was getting married.

At Christmas no less.

The holiday I hated the most.

Let me list all the reasons why this will be the worst season yet:

One would be my luggage not arriving.

Two would be being told I had to find somewhere else to sleep since my room was occupied by family members.

Oh, and now I am forced to stay with my brother’s best friend.

The man who broke my heart seven years ago.

Nate

My best friend was getting married.

I was happy for him.

Until I had to offer his sister my spare bedroom.

It’d be fine, two weeks and she’d be out of my hair.

But the thing with Elizabeth was that she pushed every single button I have.

She gets under my skin in the best ways.

All we have to do is survive the wedding and the holiday.

Then she’ll be gone yet again.

Unless maybe, just maybe, my wish of having her comes true.

Buy Link:

https://books2read.com/NMUnscriptedHolidayKU

Available in KU

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Holiday Unscripted needs to be a Netflix movie! This story was so fun!

Elizabeth is a Christmas-hating doctor, living in Australia, who comes home to the US for her brother’s Christmas Eve wedding. But after a series of disasters on her travel day, Elizabeth finally gets home to discover that she can’t even stay at her parents’ house and has to stay with her brother’s best friend, Nate, aka the guy who broke her heart seven years ago. Nate isn’t happy about it either, since Elizabeth blew him off….

Ah, but there was a bit of miscommunication after Elizabeth and Nate spent one night together, and as it turns out, there is a very fine line between love and hate.

This story was so fun. I really loved seeing how Nate and Elizabeth went from enemies to lovers and how the sexual tension grew between them as she bunked at his house. There are so many steamy moments between them, and some absolute zingers because the banter between them is *fire*. The dual narration from Samantha Cook and Jason Clarke was perfection.

Holiday Unscripted is set in NM’s hockey universe — Elizabeth is the youngest child of Denise and Zach from Something So Unscripted — so we get all the chaos that we know and love from the extended family. Max and Matthew are always a hoot!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Natasha Madison:

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

Connect with Natasha Madison:

https://linktr.ee/natashamauthor

Stand Your Ground by Kandi Steiner is now live! I wrote up the contract myself. Legally binding. Crystal clear. No strings. No feelings. Just sex — and two million dollars in exchange for my time and expertise. Carter Fabri may be Tampa Bay’s newest rising star, but off the ice, he’s all Bambi eyes and inexperience. He’s a virgin in desperate need of lessons in dominance, seduction, and everything in between. And I happen to be just the woman to teach him. I don’t need his money. But I do need what it can give me. I’m thirty-two, cut off from my family, and one bill away from drowning in student debt. The fantasy I’ve built around my lifestyle is getting harder to maintain. This pay day would secure the lifestyle I’ve worked too hard to let slip through my fingers and finally give me the chance to save for something I’ve always wanted — something I’ve never told anyone about. So, I take Carter on as my student. I lay out every rule, every boundary, every carefully controlled term of our arrangement. What I don’t plan for is how quickly he’d catch on — or how much I’d enjoy letting him take the reins. This was supposed to be a lesson in power. But somewhere along the way, I stopped being the one in charge. I thought I could keep my heart out of it. I thought I’d accounted for every risk. But some consequences you can’t predict — no matter how carefully you draft the terms. Download today or read for FREE with #kindleunlimited! Amazon: https://bit.ly/3Ti6lYF Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/PBCxP Amazon Model Paperback: http://bit.ly/491ADYH Barnes & Noble Model Paperback: https://bit.ly/4nhJIjS Amazon Special Edition Paperback: http://bit.ly/4hclkyk Barnes & Noble Special Edition Paperback: https://bit.ly/3KPjoQu Listen to the Kings of Ice series in audio!https://bit.ly/3QZWiX1 Goodreads: https://bit.ly/45iSWXz

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Stand Your Ground is the latest book in Kandi Steiner’s Kings of the Ice series. I thought popsicles were hot with Will and Chloe, but they have nothing on the sexy love lessons between jokester Cartera and Domme Livia in this book!

Carter has always had a bit of a crush on Livia, the team dentist, but she’s always written him off as a harmless flirt. Now, virgin Carter is looking for some help in the bedroom, and hopes that Domme Liv can be the one to help him get over the mental block he has when it comes to dealing with the ladies. This story ends up being so much more than spicy love lessons, however.

Both Carter and Livia have some emotional baggage. By giving himself over to her, Carter discovers how to build himself up again, restore his self-esteem, which was crushed by a previous coach and left him constantly second-guessing himself. Meanwhile, Livia has some trauma of her own, thus the reason why she likes to take control in the bedroom. But somehow, during her “lessons” with Carter, she learned how to trust and rely on him to take care of her in a way she had never before. KS wrote two beautiful characters and their vulnerability with one another was endearing. Both Carter and Liv grew so much from the start of this story to the end, and their opposite personalities balanced each other out.

I love this group of friends and how they show up for one another. The way the guys stepped up to help Carter woo Liv and make a grand gesture was so cute, and I was so happy that Liv had the support of her girlfriends after learning what she’d gone through with her parents.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.