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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Written in the Scars by Adriana Locke

🎧 NOW IN AUDIO 🎧

WRITTEN IN THE SCARS by Adriana Locke

🎀 Narrated by Emma Wilder & Lance Greenfield

Listen Now:

https://www.audible.com/pd/B0CRRXSFMW

Falling in love is easy.

Falling out of love is the hardest thing in the world.

And Elin and Ty Whitt are terrible at it.

Life’s not always easy. Love’s not for the faint of heart. But with life comes lessons and Ty and Elin have the scars to prove it. But it’s their love written in those scars that will hold them together … or break them apart.

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

This book was a doozy! Ty and Elin’s story was a rollercoaster of epic proportions. It was emotional, raw, and hauntingly beautiful as Adriana Locke explores how this couple grew apart and then repaired their relationship.

If you are looking for a light and fluffy read, Written in the Scars is not it. If you want a story that is going to elicit some big emotions, have you crying and yearning for the main characters to just work things out… then this is it. Ty and Elin have so much love for each other, but something was broken in their marriage. And it is a long, hard road that they travel in trying to repair it.

Narrators Emma Wilder and Lance Greenfield did a beautiful job in bringing this story to life.

I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Promise Me This by Hannah Bird

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π™Ώπšπ™Ύπ™Όπ™Έπš‚π™΄ 𝙼𝙴 πšƒπ™·π™Έπš‚ by Hannah Bird is NOW LIVE! Don’t miss this all new emotional, second chance love story!!!   

ONE-CLICK TODAY! 

FREE IN KU! 

➜https://books2read.com/PromiseMeThis-HB

What to expect from 

Promise Me This:

πŸ€ Broody single dad

πŸ€β€It’s always been you”

πŸ€ Small town setting in Ireland

πŸ€ ”I want you to beg”

πŸ€ Second chance at love

πŸ€ Healing from grief over pregnancy loss

BLURB

“Promise Me This brims with beautiful emotion and depth… This is a poignant story that will stay with you long after it’s done.” -Jessica Joyce, USA Today Bestselling author of You, With a View

Forever wasn’t supposed to look like this.

When Leona Granger studied abroad in Ireland, she spent a lot more time falling in love with Callum Walsh than she did in the classroom. On the eve of her return to the States, she promised to come back for him when she finished college. They said goodbye under the stars, sealing their promise with more than just a kiss.

Callum has spent the last twelve years trying not to wonder why Leona, and everyone else for that matter, finds it so easy to leave him behind. Now a single father, all he wants is to give his beautiful daughter the best life he can. Nothing, not even Leona showing up after a decade of radio silence, will get in the way of that.

But Leona had her reasons for not returning. When the just-good-enough life she built in the wake of losing the baby she never told Callum about falls apart, she realizes it’s time to come clean. It might be too late to keep her promise to Callum, but for the child they lost, she has to try.

Faced with feelings they long thought buried, Callum and Leona have to decide if it’s worth exposing all their hidden scars for a second chance at the promise of forever with the one that never should’ve gotten away.

Add to your TBR: https://bit.ly/PromiseMeThisGR

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Somehow, I totally missed the fact that this second-chance romance was built around a lost baby. Miscarriage is my trigger, and by the time I realized it, I was far too invested in Callum and Leona’s story to give up. And I am so glad I pushed past my own issues and the pain of my own pregnancy loss, because this story was beautifully written.

This is the first book I’ve read by Hannah Bird, and she crafted a lovely tale of grief, longing, regret, anger, and forgiveness. Callum was so hurt when Leo ghosted him 12 years ago, going radio silent and never returning to Ireland so they could reunite and live out the life they planned for together. Unbeknownst to him, Leo was dealing with a mother’s worst nightmare and never forgave herself for failing their child. God, I got that! It’s a hurt that never goes away.

It is a long, painful road for Leo and Callum to get on the same page. So many stops and starts. But their love for one another is still so strong and they are thankfully able to work through the pain and come out the other side stronger together. I appreciated Leo’s reluctance to get close to Callum’s daughter just because it hurt SO much. But even that ended up being a lovely relationship on its own.

This book ended with the sweetest epilogue, a wonderful HEA for this pair. I was so happy I took a chance on this story; despite the ugly tears I cried, it was lovely.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

ABOUT HANNAH BIRDΒ 

Hannah’s accolades include a 2nd grade teacher who said her story about bats had “very good potential” and enough accelerated reading medals to sink a body at sea. Her goals in life are to write novels that will make you cry and to check everything off the bucket list she wrote at seventeen. Hannah resides among the rolling hills of Tennessee with her other half and their clingy golden retriever. When she is not writing, she is trying to outrun her sweet tooth in the gym.

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR

Website | Instagram | Facebook | | Facebook Readers Group | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | BookBub | TikTok 

Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Sizzle by Carrie Aarons

Sizzle by Carrie Aarons is now live!

Everyone knows that if there was an award for biggest small town grump, Liam Ashton would win for Hope Crest, Pennsylvania no questions asked.
 
The reclusive, brooding farmer might be part of the family business and do anything for those closest to him, but his bark keeps almost everyone else away. Perhaps that’s what happens when you fall in love at first sight but aren’t allowed to be with the soulmate you didn’t realize you were looking for.
 
When the forbidden woman of his dreams blows back into town, he might finally get a shot to convince her they’re destined to be together. Only, her denials and refusals won’t let him get anywhere near her.
 
Gabrielle Murphy swore she’d never return to the town where she took her first teaching job. She’d done the right thing, once upon a time, and there is no room to question what if.
 
But when the only woman who ever understood her passes and leaves her to clean up the pieces, she can’t exactly say no. Get in, fulfill her grandmother’s wishes, and get out. That’s the plan. Until Liam confronts her and they give in to the unmatched inferno that’s been blazing between them forever.
 
Even though there is nothing standing in the way of a happily ever after this time, Gabrielle still can’t let this surly version of the Liam she once knew love her completely.
 
Until a surprise binds them to each other for the foreseeable future, and they have to forgive enough to move forward. But just as the ice around their hearts starts to thaw, darker outside forces threaten to ruin their chance before it’s even taken.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

https://mybook.to/sizzle_ca

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

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Sizzle is another great story in Carrie Aarons’ Ashton family series, and can be read as a standalone. I loved the idea behind Liam falling in love at first sight with Gabrielle a dozen years ago. But their relationship was forbidden because even though he was 19 and only 3 years younger than her, she was one of his high school teachers. Liam thought they’d have a chance to explore the pull between them after he graduated, but instead Gabrielle left town and it broke his heart.

Now that she’s back, it’s like something has zinged him back to life. But Gabrielle is still so worried about the optics and won’t let herself feel what she does for him. Liam refuses to give up on something he knows is destiny, and he shows her over and over again just how much she can depend on him.

Once Gabrielle lets down her walks, she finds the family she’s always longed for in the Ashtons. It was lovely to see her blossom from a skittish woman who wouldn’t let herself have what she’s wanted to a vibrant partner and friend thanks to Liam’s love.

Well done! I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Carrie Aarons


Author of romance novels such as Fleeting and Love at First Fight, Carrie Aarons writes books that are just as swoon-worthy as they are sarcastic. Her stories are fueled by vanilla lattes, meloncholy music, and copious amounts of candles.

When she isn’t writing, Carrie is busy binging reality TV, having a love/hate relationship with cardio, and trying not to burn dinner. She lives in farm country with her husband, two children and ninety-pound rescue pup.

Connect with Carrie

Website | www.authorcarrieaarons.com

Goodreads | https://goodreads.com/carrieaarons

Amazon | https://amzn.to/3do0EDf

Facebook | https://facebook.com/carrieaarons

Facebook Group | https://bit.ly/2DDt1xX

Instagram | https://instagram.com/authorcarriea

Bookbub | https://bookbub.com/profile/carrie-aarons

TikTok | https://bit.ly/3fzcrkI

Newsletter | https://bit.ly/authorCAnewsletter

Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: The Lying Game by Sara Jane Woodley

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𝐓H𝐄 𝐋Y𝐈N𝐆 𝐆A𝐌E (The Brighton Brothers Book 1) by Sara Jane Woodley is LIVE! Don’t miss this all new small town, grumpy/sunshine romance!!! 

#ONECLICK TODAY! 

➜ https://books2read.com/TheLyingGame

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

BLURB

Getting trapped in a rundown motel with a grumpy stranger wasn’t how this night was supposed to end, but at least I’ll never have to see him again. Until he becomes my new roommate…

When a dating disaster leaves me heartbroken, muddy, and stranded on the side of the road in the pouring rain, the last thing I expect is for an impossibly hot (and impossibly grouchy) man to offer me a ride home.

I say yes. Because this day can’t get any worse, right?

Wrong.

One flooded highway, a surprise bed-sharing incident, and an impromptu lying game later, I’m still not home. And now, I can’t help but be intrigued by the mysterious big-city man who’s visiting my tiny town on the Washington coast.

But I know better than anyone that a guy like Lachlan Chase won’t stay in Cascade Point for long. I need to stop thinking about himβ€”and how his arms felt around me that nightβ€”and stay far, far away.

I thought it would be easy… until I’m forced to move in with him.

As Lachlan and I spend more time together, the more he surprises me. He’s sweet. Funny. Thoughtful. Hot. And though we’re polar opposites, the sizzling chemistry between us is undeniable.

But can two strangers-turned-roommates ever really fall in love when their relationship started with a game of lies?

The Lying Game is a sweet grumpy/sunshine, roommates romcom filled with banter and tension, sizzling chemistry without any explicit content, a cast of characters to make you laugh out loud, and an HEA that will give you ALL the feels.

Add to your Goodreads: 

https://bit.ly/TheLyingGame-SJW

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

The Lying Game is a sizzling, yet sweet, small-town, forced proximity romcom. Normally, sweet romances aren’t my thing but I very much enjoyed grumpy, cinnamon roll Lachlan and sunny Lucy’s story.

I do enjoy a rough, gruff, jerk of a hero who turns out to be a big softie, and that is exactly what we got with Lachlan. Lucy had a complex backstory, having been raised by a single mom who passed away. I loved that she didn’t let her history dampen her cheery outlook on life. She was a delightful character and I loved how she pushed back and needled Lachlan. Their banter made me laugh.

The Lying Game is a charming romance! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

ABOUT SARA JANE WOODLEY

Sara Jane Woodley writes sweet romances with guaranteed Happily Ever Afters. 

Inspired by the mountains, Sara Jane’s stories are set in the beautiful nature she loves to spend time in. She’s a hopeless romantic at heart, and her romance books always feature sassy, strong female heroines and fun-filled, playful relationships.

Sara Jane’s latest project is a sweet, small town romcom series – the Brighton Brothers.

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | BookBub | TikTok | Newsletter |

Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Head Over Heels by Karla Sorensen

HEAD OVER HEELS

Karla Sorensen

Release Date: January 24

FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

There’s only one course of action when your dad wants you to marry a clammy-handed wimp to make one of his board members happyβ€”you get yourself stuck in an elevator with a hot stranger and have the steamiest make-out session of your life. Years of etiquette lessons went out the window thanks to Cameron Wilder, who managed to unleash my hidden bad girl with naught but his talented mouth and deliciously rough hands.

Afterwards, he went back to his small-town life, and I marched home to inform my dad there would be no business-centric nuptials. As punishment, he shipped me off to Sisters, Oregon and demanded I turn a healthy profit on a not-so-healthy property.

You see where I’m going with thisβ€”the buttoned-up city girl stuck in a small town hires a local builder to help her … and he’s the hot stranger from the elevator. Turns out, I have a weakness for the broad-shouldered nice guy who’s not so nice behind closed doors. Keeping things professional gets harder the longer I’m in town, until the only lesson I have left to learn is how to keep both our hearts from getting broken.

Grab Your Copy!

https://amzn.to/47vuHnt

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

I loved Ivy and Cameron from the moment they were trapped in an elevator together! She is a city socialite, he’s a blue-collar construction worker. Yet despite their class differences and different upbringings, Ivy and Cameron were perfectly matched and this story — despite the sizzling attraction between them in the elevator — was a wonderful slow burn.

Cameron just may be one of my favorite Karla Sorensen heroes. He’s a total golden retriever, patient and kind and just biding his time because he knows there is something special about Ivy. She’s a bit of an ice queen, the black cat to his cinnamon roll hero. Whereas Cameron has a lot of family drama happening currently with his father’s illness, Ivy has a different kind of trauma stemming from the difficult relationship she has had with her father (and the need to keep up appearances) ever since her mother’s death. But Cameron waits out Ivy’s flip-floppping and she really becomes a different, better person, through his love.

The Wilder family books have a spectre hanging over them since the father’s illness plays such a heavy part in the siblings’ stories. But yet again, KS weaves a wonderfully emotional tale that delivers all the feels. This book is super emotional, but worth the tears!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Karla Sorensen:

Karla Sorensen is an Amazon top 20 bestselling author who refuses to read or write anything without a happily ever after. When she’s not devouring historical romance or avoiding the laundry, you can find her watching football (British AND American), HGTV or listening to Enneagram podcasts so she can psychoanalyze everyone in her life, in no particular order of importance. With a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Grand Valley State University, she made her living in senior healthcare prior to writing full-time. Karla lives in Michigan with her husband, two boys and a big, shaggy rescue dog named Bear.

Keep up with Karla Sorensen and subscribe to her newsletter: http://www.karlasorensen.com/newsletter

To learn more about Karla Sorensen & her books, visit here!

Connect with Karla Sorensen:

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Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 11:11 by Micaela Smeltzer

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He’s only supposed to be a one-night stand, but fate has other plans.

Eleven Eleven by Micalea Smeltzer is now live! 

After my divorce, I decide to move across the country away from family and friends for a new start.

What I don’t expect is him.

He’s only supposed to be a one-night stand, but fate has other plans.

The next time I see him it’s because I’m on a date with his dad.

I’ve always believed in wishing on elevens, but this time I get a little more than I bargained for by falling for a guy eleven years younger than me.

Reid is everything I shouldn’t want and everything I need.

The question is, am I willing to open my heart up to him? Or am I doomed to let my past hold me back?

  Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3QLM5wP

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/ElevenEleven

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

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

11:11 was an absolute delight! I absolutely adored everything about Via and Reid’s romance! Micaela Smeltzer executed this older woman/younger man story perfectly!

After a messy divorce, Via gives up her job as a lawyer and moves from California to Maine where she’s bought a building, sight unseen, and plans to open an art shop. Talk about wanting to start over somewhere new! Soon after she arrives in town, she reluctantly goes out to a bar where she meets Reid, a hot, bespectacled guy celebrating his 21st birthday. There’s an instant connection between them, but Via is 11 years older than Reid — can anything more come out of their meeting than a one-night stand? Well, at first she doesn’t think so, but it turns out that Reid (and her new life in Maine) is exactly what she needs in her life.

The journey to happily ever after for Via and Reid is a bit of a rocky road. She accidentally goes on a date with his dad (which could have been icky, but is not!), her ex stirs up some drama, and Reid has some family issues to deal with. Via also struggles A LOT with the age difference between them, and her fertility issues kind of hold her back from going all in with Reid. But Reid is so patient and unwavering in his confidence that they are meant to be together. Yet there are also some very tender scenes where they both show vulnerability.

11:11 was so well written, a beautiful story about finding yourself again. And I loved the tease at the end for Izzy and Derrick and I can’t wait to read their book! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

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Meet Micalea

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Micalea Smeltzer is a twenty-something author from Northern Virginia. She has four dogs, which is as crazy as it sounds. As a recent kidney transplant recipient she’s dedicated to raising awareness around the effects of kidney disease, dialysis, and transplant as well as educating people on living donation.When she’s not writing you can catch her with her nose buried in a book.

Connect with Micalea

Website: https://micaleasmeltzer.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5371025.Micalea_Smeltzer

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Micalea-Smeltzer/e/B0086Y9968/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormicaleasmeltzer 

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/370997336425131 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/micaleasmeltzer    

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Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/micalea-smeltzer 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/micaleasmeltzer/

Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Favorite Day of the Week by Lola Kate Bolen

What’s your favorite day of the Week?

Favorite Day of the Week, an all-new he falls first, sports romance from best selling author Lola Kate Bolen is now available!

Monday Jones

All Monny wants is to make music with her best friend, Hendy. She’s comfortable with her routines and working behind the scenes, which helps her avoid comparisons to her legendary father. Love and romance have always been things to avoid, that is, until she meets the one man who cracks her heart wide open.

Baxter Marlow

Bax has always been baseball’s golden good guy. Kind, polite, and unspeakably handsome; everyone wants a piece of him. When Bax meets the girl of his dreams, he’s up for the challenge. Helping her learn how to trust herself may be his biggest play yet.

A burnt dinner, a pissed-off kitten, and nosey friends can’t stop Monny and Bax.

Favorite Day of the Week is a contemporary romance with a happily ever after guaranteed.

Start reading today!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon Worldwide: 

Add Favorite Day of the Week to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3t796mb    

Keep reading for a look inside Favorite Day of the Week!

β€œWhere is whatshisname? It’s unprofessional to be late. You know how I feel about punctuality.” I let out a loud huff as I pace the floor, trying to deflect from my growing nerves and hoping that Hendy doesn’t catch on. 

Naturally, I fail. Damn, his Jedi mind tricks! 

β€œIt’s unprofessional to pretend not to remember the name of who you are working with, Monday Jones. You heavily researched him beforehand, so don’t act ignorant. I’m sure he’s getting touched up somewhere. Retract the claws and sit down,” he replies curtly. 

Ugh. I hate when Hendy uses my full name; it’s not like I always call him Jamal. Usually, I only get the β€œMonday Jones” treatment (or, god forbid, β€œMonday Marianne Jones”) when he can feel my defenses going up and my bitch mode activating. I shrink down in my chair and start picking at my cuticles. I know I shouldn’t ruin my new manicure, courtesy of the magazine’s beauty team, but I don’t want to look at him now. He’ll see straight through me. It’s one of the dangers of being friends with Jamal Henderson for so long. 

β€œMonny. This opportunity is a big deal for us. Seriously,” Hendy says more kindly. β€œI know we’ve both been on the cover before, but this is a first for Black Cat Records. This is about us and the music we make, the songs we love, and what we want for the future. Think about that, okay?” 

Although, as much as I hate to admit it, Hendy is right. He usually is. β€œFor the record, I was on the cover with my dad when I was five. I don’t think that counts.” Hendy glares at me. β€œOkay, Okay. I’m sorry. I’m not used to talking about my music, and I don’t think anyone will take me seriously; I mean, why should they? You know how I get. I just worry that somehow this will be about my dad or some other wild child bullshit that the blogs love to make up about me and not about us.” 

β€œPresenting: Monday Jones, daughter of rock god Miller Jones, music’s greatest product of nepotism! Watch her sleep her way through this year’s crop of new boy toys!” Hendy uses a silly, fake announcer voice to make me laugh. It works. 

β€œThank you! Thank you!” I offer him a slight bow. β€œBut for real, I’m freaking out about stepping out in front of the camera. That’s usually your gig.” 

β€œMonny girl, it’s time for you to shine and get your flowers. It’s been long enough.” He is sincere, holding my gaze. β€œI know that this isn’t ballet and that you like to keep your musical talents under lock and key, but you deserve credit for how gifted you are.” I blink back tears as he continues. β€œ We built this company from scratch, just the two of us, without outside help. You’ve made countless beats for me and written lyrics for every big name under the sun without taking credit publically. Claim your prize, Monny.” 

β€œIs it weird I’m thinking about Jake?” I wipe away the one tear that has managed to escape. β€œIt would be weird if you weren’t. Parts of the song are about what happened with him.” Hendy reaches over and squeezes my hand. He really is the best friend a girl could ask for. I attribute much of his emotional availability to his parents; they’re big into family therapy. He’s been nagging me for years to find someone to talk to about my childhood and the accident. 

Steeling myself, I quickly reply, β€œWhatshisname better do it justice in the article.” I do love the song that the sportsball dude picked. It’s a perfect blend of the two of us. Hendy’s contributions are witty and, at times, sardonic. Mine are aggressive and raw, all about reclaiming your power. It’s different from all the other songs I’ve written for other artists. 

β€œCome on, Monny. You know his name,” goads Hendy, punching my shoulder lightly, clearly trying to get me to lighten up. He loves to push my buttons. It’s part of a game we play; I am the gloomy storm cloud to his blinding ray of sunshine. 

I’m over it. 

β€œFine. Baxter Marlow,” I shout. 

β€œYou called?” asks a deep voice. 

I whip around in the flimsy director’s chair the PAs set up for us. Standing in front of me is the sexiest man I have ever seen. He’s tall, well over six feet, with broad shoulders and a commanding presence. The suit he is wearing is one flex away from falling away from his perfect body, and I really must send the stylist a fruit basket. Baxter Marlow is not wearing a shirt. Everything about him is masculine, strong, and big – like really big – like you know he could absolutely ruin you with a single thrust big. 

When I finally lock in on his face, I lose my breath; It’s so beautiful, it hurts. Baxter’s visage looks open and kind, almost in contrast to his sharply defined body. His full lips are smirking, like we’re sharing an inside joke, and I want to kiss that look right off of him. But it’s his eyes that slay me. They’re the color of the ocean and seem to bore into the deepest part of me. 

This whole exchange couldn’t last more than two seconds, but it feels longer, as if time is slowing down and stretching out, allowing me to soak in every detail. My skin starts to tingle, begging to be touched. Reflexively, something in my belly sparks, lighting a fire I haven’t felt in a long time. 

What the hell is happening to me? Is this normal, or am I about to break out into a rash? 

Naturally, it’s at this moment that gravity and the flimsy chair fail me. 

I fall out of my seat and onto the ground.

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Favorite Day of the Week is a solid debut romance from Lola Kate Bolen. I enjoyed the journey Monday and Baxter went on. The spark was apparent from the start, when they meet at a magazine photoshoot that is pairing musicians and athletes, but she has some major trauma she’s carrying around from a past relationship and she’s hesitant to give in.

Baxter is patient and kind with Monny, and really just stays present as a friend until she’s ready for more.

There were some chapters that I felt had clunky endings, but the storytelling evened out as rhetorical book went on.

Overall, this was a solid story and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

For more information about Lola Kate Bolen and her books, visit her website: 

https://lolakatebolen.com

Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Stay Present by Kaylee Ryan

Title: Stay Present
Series: Kincaid Brothers #6
Author: Kaylee Ryan
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Second Chance/Found Family/Small Town
Release Date: January 23, 2024
BLURB
Ryder
Two years of silence and no goodbyeβ€”she slipped away and through my fingers, leaving me with nothing but questions… and a heavy heart from missing her.
I know what we had was real, that our love was once in a lifetime.
Now she’s back from her Parisian fashion internship, and I’m ready for answers, desperate to understand why she couldn’t just stay.
Jordyn
When I walked away, it was to protect him. Yet, all he knows, all he cares about, is that I left. Coming home is a bittersweet journey, each step heavier than the last.
While I’m no longer half a world away, the obstacles in front of us make it feel like we’ve never been farther apart.
I want to give him the answers he so desperately craves, and this time, I’ll get to say goodbye. However, what I didn’t plan on was Ryder’s fight. He’s not going to let me go so easily this time.
PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZONΒ USΒ /Β UKΒ /Β CAΒ /Β AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
AVAILABLE NOW
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
All free in Kindle Unlimited

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Stay Present is a standalone, but for a greater appreciation of the Kincaid family, I highly recommend reading the other books in this series. Especially since Jordyn and Ryder’s split occurred several books ago. I have been waiting to get their story!

Ryder and Jordyn are soulmates. Even after a two-year separation, their love for one another never wavered. Parts of the story worked for me better than others; I mainly thought the reason why Jordyn ghosted Ryder was a bit far-fetched. My heart broke for her and what she’d been through at the hands of her parents and the gilded cage she was living in, but I was hoping there was something bigger at play that kept Ryder and Jordyn apart for two years.

But once she explained herself and Ryder forgave her, they were all in with their relationship. While they still had some obstacles in their path and dragons to slay (her parents), they had the entire Kincaid family rallying behind them to help them out. The plot twist that ultimately led to Jordyn’s freedom wasn’t what I was expecting and a bit shocking; I was actually looking forward to seeing how Plan B would have played out.

Overall, Stay Present was a sweet and spicy addition to the Kincaid Brothers series. I enjoyed spending more time with this big, loving bunch!

I received and advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

COMING SOON
Releasing June 11
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Only available at the following
retailers for a limited time
Releasing August 27
AMAZONΒ USΒ /Β UKΒ /Β CAΒ /Β AU
Only available at the following
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AUTHOR BIO
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan has been crowned the Queen of Swoon by her readers. With nearly fifty romance books under her belt, she’s known for penning happily ever afters with heart. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand or hanging out with her family where she resides in her home state of Ohio.
AUTHOR LINKS
Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Light Behind the Lies by M.J. Huxley

Release Date: January 19

Mason:Β 
My mother left me and my dad when I was three. I spent my childhood believing that women could not be trusted and that I needed to proceed with caution.

Until high school that is.

Suddenly as a teenager, girls were throwing themselves at me. Call it puberty or clear disinterest in them that left most pining for me.

Surprisingly they seemed fine with it. I had no feelings, no emotions with them, I’d give them a quick ride, then send them on their way.

Except one.

My best friend’s sister.

Bailey

One might say that I was the perfect daughter and sister.

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I did everything right until I didn’t.

I never expected to fall for a guy like my ex-boyfriend and the ramifications of that relationship’s demise would change my life forever.

That’s one of the reasons why I became a flight attendant. I craved to have my freedom back.

It wasn’t until I finally felt like everything was under control and that I had things figured out, that my life would truly be turned on its side.

And the only one I have to blame is my brother’s best friend.Β 

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Available in KU
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars
Light Behind the Lies is a solid debut novel from MJ Huxley. While it dragged a bit in the beginning, Huxley eventually found her groove and the pacing of this story carried on nicely.

I’m a sucker for a reformed playboy who falls hard, and that’s exactly what we get with Mason Miller. Bailey was always going to be the one to bring him to his knees, and although their relationship goes through many ups and downs, this couple eventually gets to their well-deserved happily ever after.

This story is also full of some heavy topics. Mason was abandoned by his mother as a young boy, and he never got over it. That abandonment has shaped every interaction he’s ever had with women. And Bailey found out she was pregnant just days after her college boyfriend overdosed. Huxley handles both of these traumas delicately and we really get to see how these issues affect both of these characters.

Overall, Light Behind The Lies is a lovely, highly emotional story full of spice and witty banter. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet M.J. HuxleyΒ 

M.J. Huxley is originally from Los Angeles, California, but currently resides in the southwest. When she isn’t jamming out to 80’s music, eating tacos, or hanging out with her family she’s obsessively writing about the characters in her head who scream to have their stories read. Sometimes you can even find her daydreaming about being trapped in a Salvador Dali painting.

M.J, strives to tell authentic stories of raw, unfiltered, and imperfect love. She writes strong female leads who are products of their generation. These women fall hard, love deeply and live passionately. The men they choose will rock their worlds and shake them to their core.Β 

Down the rabbit hole, you go…happy reading, fellow readers.

To learn more about M.J.Β and her books, visit here! Β 
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Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: If Only You Knew by Stefanie Castro

If Only You Knew by Stefanie Castro is now live!

Shane promised Becca forever, and all she got was heartbreak upon high school graduation.

There was no tomorrow without Shane Philips by Becca’s side. That was until Shane abruptly breaks up with Becca, leaving her alone to face a future without the one person she had grown to love. Learning to maneuver through life after being Shane’s girlfriend since they were fourteen, Becca never imagined an existence that didn’t include them being together.

The pain Becca was left with goes beyond anything she ever expected. Much like life tends to do, time passes and each of them grows into the adults they are today. They live independent lives for twenty-five years before Shane ends up on her doorstep unexpectedly, wanting to rekindle a love that he chose to walk away from. But can Becca truly let go of her anger and embrace what’s right in front of her all these years later? Most of all, can she forgive Shane for walking away?

This is a second-chance love story between two forty-something soulmates who lived entire lives apart only to find a chance to begin again. But when Shane finds out everything he missed, can their love last? If only he knew…

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https://mybook.to/ioyk

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3Lh1pQ4

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

If Only You Knew is an emotional second-chance romance that hits all the right marks in telling Shane and Rebecca’s reunion, 25 years after they split up the night of their high school graduation. They both have lived a lot of life in the years they were apart, and through a series of then and now chapters, we get the full range of their story: how they came together, what tore them apart, and how they navigate their reunion and a second chance at happiness.

I did feel that the situation with Shane’s mother was just kind of dropped β€” I would have liked to have gotten some kind of closure there. While Shane does confront her on her horrendous behavior, I wanted to see what kind of resolution Shane and Rebecca come to together in dealing with her after the fact. Aside from that, I really enjoyed Shane and Rebecca’s journey. This was a great debut romance novel from Stefanie Castro, and look forward to reading the next book in this series!

I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Stefanie Castro

Stefanie has 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 and after releasing her first memoir, 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 is debuting her romance writing career with If Only You Knew. She is shining a light on romance characters that are in their forties. Stefanie resides in Southern California, with her husband, her two kids, and their Cavalier King Charles dog.

Connect with Stefanie

Website | www.authorstefaniecastro.com

Goodreads | https://bit.ly/3LoyVEi

Amazon | https://amzn.to/3Rmi7Se

Facebook | https://bit.ly/3LAclbY

Instagram | www.instagram.com/bananabookclubbers/

Bookbub | www.bookbub.com/profile/stefanie-castro