How to Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder

Title: How to Fake It in Hollywood

Author: Ava Wilder

Publisher: Dell 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Library (Free Choice); 52 Books Club - Contemporary Setting

Spice Rating: 4

Grey Brooks is on a mission to keep her career afloat now that the end of her long-running teen TV show has her (unsuccessfully) pounding the pavement again. With a life-changing role on the line, she’s finally desperate enough to agree to her publicist’s scheme: fake a love affair with a disgraced Hollywood heartthrob who needs the publicity, but for very different reasons.

Ethan Atkins just wants to be left alone. Between his high-profile divorce, struggles with drinking, and grief over the death of his longtime creative partner and best friend, Ethan has slowly let himself fade into the background. But if he ever wants to produce the last movie he and his partner wrote together, Ethan needs to clean up his reputation and step back into the spotlight. A gossip-inducing affair with a gorgeous actress might be just the ticket, even if it’s the last thing he wants to do.

Though their juicy public relationship is less than perfect behind the scenes, it doesn’t take long before Grey and Ethan’s sizzling chemistry starts to feel like more than just an act. But after decades in a ruthless industry that requires bulletproof emotional armor to survive, are they too used to faking it to open themselves up to the real thing?

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Next up on the TBR pile:

The Fine Print by Lauren Asher

Title: The Fine Print (Dreamland Billionaires #1)

Author: Lauren Asher

Publisher: Lauren Asher 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 448

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - The Office (Characters meet at work)

Spice Rating: 5

Rowan
I’m in the business of creating fairy tales.
Theme parks. Production companies. Five-star hotels.
Everything could be all mine if I renovated Dreamland.
My initial idea of hiring Zahra was good in theory, but then I kissed her.
Things spiraled out of control once I texted her using an alias.
By the time I realized where I went wrong, it was too late.
People like me don’t get happy endings.
Not when we’re destined to ruin them.

Zahra
After submitting a drunk proposal criticizing Dreamland’s most expensive ride, I should have been fired.
Instead, Rowan Kane offered me a dream job.
The catch? I had to work for the most difficult boss I’d ever met.
Rowan was rude and completely off-limits, but my heart didn’t care.
At least not until I discovered his secret.
It was time to teach the billionaire that money couldn’t fix everything.
Especially not us

I picked this up after it appeared on a ton of spicy romance lists. Well… it’s not that spicy, but it was a decent contemporary romance. We get an enemies to lovers romance set a Disneyworld-like amusement park. I liked the extra discussions of family and banter-filled workplace scenes. Rowan was a great male lead character. Of course I wanted to see him open up to Zahra and everyone else around him. That part of the storyline was my favorite part of the plot. The romance itself was much more sweet than spicy. The book followed the usual format of no steamy scenes until about 60-70% of the way through. I will probably continue reading this series but not rushing out right this second.

Dreamland Billionaires

#1 The Fine Print
#2 Terms and Conditions
#3 Final Offer

Next up on the TBR pile:

When in Rome by Sarah Adams

Title: When in Rome

Author: Sarah Adams

Publisher: Dell 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Burger Joint (Main character is in the food industry)

Spice Rating: 3

Amelia Rose, known as Rae Rose to her adoring fans, is burned-out from years of maintaining her “princess of pop” image. Inspired by her favorite Audrey Hepburn film, Roman Holiday, she drives off in the middle of the night for a break in Rome . . . Rome, Kentucky, that is.

When Noah Walker finds Amelia on his front lawn in her broken-down car, he makes it clear he doesn’t have the time or patience for celebrity problems. He’s too busy running the pie shop his grandmother left him and reminding his nosy but lovable neighbors to mind their own damn business. Despite his better judgment, he lets her stay in his guest room—but only until her car is fixed—then she’s on her own.

Then Noah starts to see a different side of Rae Rose—she’s Amelia: kindhearted and goofy, yet lonely from years in the public eye. He can’t help but get close to her. Soon she’ll have to return to her glamorous life on tour, but until then, Noah will show Amelia all the charming small-town experiences she’s been missing, and she’ll help him open his heart to more.

Amelia can’t resist falling for the cozy town and her grumpy tour guide, but even Audrey had to leave Rome eventually.

Such a cute little gentle romcom style romance. This was just what I needed to cleanse my palate a bit after a few heavier reads. I sped through this cute little romance rooting for Noah and Amelia right from the beginning. I love meeting the various people in Rome, especially Noah’s sisters. We get a delightful collection of characters to round out the world within the book. I would have liked a little more discussion of the issues Amelia had with Susan and her mom, but the book chose to focus on her romance. The biggest reason that I took off a star was because this one was a bit too Hallmark style for me. I wanted a little bit of steam included. We know that Noah and Amelia have sex, but it’s very quick fade to black the few times it’s brought up. Still a cute little novel.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

Title: Part of Your World

Author: Abby Jimenez

Publisher: Forever 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 400

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Romanceopoly - Spring (Has an animal on the cover)

Spice Meter: 4

After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come—the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable.

While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere” ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.

Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?

CW: Domestic Violence, Abuse

Look at that Content Warning. Usually I immediately put a book down if it deals with those topics, and yet I wanted to read this one. I think my ability to attempt it is due to previous success with Jimenez’s books. She deftly handles very difficult topics within her contemporary romance books. In this one, we meet two very different people that eventually realize just what they are missing in life. Alexis is a great character, but Daniel is the real favorite of the couple. I loved his commitment to his town and the people within his life. Seriously, so attractive! There’s a happy ending, but it definitely takes a while for our characters to get there. Along the way, we get very serious events and discussions. I found myself working through the some of my past. Strange cathartic book for me. It’s not super steamy, but a very satisfying contemporary romance.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell

Title: The Dark King (Deviant Kings #1)

Author: Gina L. Maxwell

Publisher: Entangled: Amara 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 339

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Romanceopoly - Action Avenue (Read a fantasy from your TBR)

Spice Meter: 6

CW: Sexual Assault (off page), BDSM

For Bryn Meara, a free trip to the exclusive and ultra-luxe Nightfall hotel and casino in Vegas should’ve been the perfect way to escape the debris of her crumbling career. But waking up from a martini-and-lust-fueled night to find herself married to Caiden Verran, the reclusive billionaire who owns the hotel and most of the city, isn’t the jackpot one would think. It seems her dark and sexy new husband is actual royalty—the fae king of the Night Court—and there’s an entire world beneath the veil of Vegas.

Whether light or shadow, the fae are a far cry from fairy tales, and now they’ve made Bryn a pawn in their dark games for power. And Caiden is the most dangerous of all—an intoxicating cocktail of sin and raw, insatiable hunger. She should run. But every night of passion pulls Bryn deeper into his strange and sinister world, until she’s no longer certain she wants to leave…even if she could.

I grabbed this one off of the library’s new books shelf. I probably should have at least looked into a review or two before diving in. This story and these characters really didn’t connect for me. I finished the book and had a bit of trouble figuring out just why I was disappointed. After some reflection, I was very disappointed in the power dynamics and lack of communication in the main relationship. I get the Beauty and the Beast-like setup. I okay with the BDSM sex scenes. But the real problem is how much Caiden keeps Bryn in the dark. She never has the upper hand or the dominant position in the relationship until the very very end of the story. I want to see more of a partnership between my main characters. I was also upset that the sex scenes did not being with proper communication. I’m okay with lots of behaviors in the bedroom if both (or more) parties are on the same page. We do not see that here at Bryn. Not a fan.

Deviant Kings

#1 The Dark King
#2 The Rebel King

Next up on the TBR pile:

Radiant Sin by Katee Robert

Title: Radiant Sin (Dark Olympus #4)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 345

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Romanceopoly - Killer Crescent (Mystery/Thriller of choice)

Spice Rating: 5

As a disgraced member of a fallen house, Cassandra Gataki has seen firsthand what comes from trusting the venomous Thirteen. But when the maddeningly gorgeous and kind Apollo asks her to go undercover as his plus-one at a week-long party hosted by a dangerous new power player…Cassandra reluctantly agrees to have his back.

On one condition: when it's all over, and Apollo has the ammunition he needs to protect Olympus, she and her sister will be allowed to leave. For good.

Apollo may be the city's official spymaster, but it's his ability to inspire others that keeps him at the top. Despite what the rest of Olympus says, there's no one he trusts more than Cassandra. Yet even as their fake relationship takes a wicked turn for the scaldingly hot, a very real danger surfaces… threatening not only Cassandra and Apollo, but the very heart of Olympus itself.

Another decent volume in this series. I do love returning to the Dark Olympus world and revisiting some of the characters. I wish that we would have had more appearances from past characters, but this one was much more of a limited cast list. Apollo and Cassandra are fun characters and I loved how the relationship between the two grew over the course of the book. We get some great quiet moments between them and some great steamy scenes. I would have liked more steamy scenes, but the ones included were good enough. The locked room mystery was an extra fun angle to the series. And now Robert has announced two more books int he series. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Dark Olympus

#1 Neon Gods
#2 Electric Idol
#3 Wicked Beauty
#4 Radiant Sun
#5 Cruel Seduction

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis

Title: Hot Winter Nights (Heartbreaker Bay #6)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 362

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Finishing the Series

Who needs mistletoe?

Most people wouldn’t think of a bad Santa case as the perfect Christmas gift. Then again, Molly Malone, office manager at Hunt Investigations, isn’t most people, and she could really use a distraction from the fantasies she’s been having since spending the night with her very secret crush, Lucas Knight. Nothing happened, not that Lucas knows that—but Molly just wants to enjoy being a little naughty for once . . .

Whiskey and pain meds for almost-healed bullet wounds don’t mix. Lucas needs to remember that next time he’s shot on the job, which may be sooner rather than later if Molly’s brother, Joe, finds out about them. Lucas can’t believe he’s drawing a blank on his (supposedly) passionate tryst with Molly, who’s the hottest, smartest, strongest woman he’s ever known. Strong enough to kick his butt if she discovers he’s been assigned to babysit her on her first case. And hot enough to melt his cold heart this Christmas.

Another fun volume in this contemporary romance series, but still not my favorite. Lucas and Molly were at least two great characters that had actual personalities and lives. Their growing relationship was delightful to read. The book was a joy to read, but I was a little sad at the lack of steamy scenes. Some of the previous books had a better balance of steam, action, and dialogue.

Heartbreaker Bay

#1 Sweet Little Lies
#2 The Trouble with Mistletoe
#2.5 One Snowy Night
#3 Accidentally on Purpose
#4 Chasing Christmas Eve
#4.5 Holiday Wishes
#5 About That Kiss
#6 Hot Winter Nights
#6.5 Just Say When
#7 Playing for Keeps
#8 Wrapped Up in You
#8.5 Twist of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Score by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Score (Off Campus #3)

Author:Elle Kennedy

Publisher: Createspace 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 354

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Romanceopoly - Library

Spice Meter: 5

He knows how to score, on and off the ice
Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she's going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over
Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls…he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world—and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love.

Enjoyed this volume much more than the number two in the series. I had wondered about Dean’s story since he first appeared in The Deal and was excited to finally dive into his own deal. Paired with Allie, whom we met at Hannah’s roommate and happily together with another man, we get a great storyline. This one involves rebound to lover, along with manipulation (not from Dean or Allie, but Allie’s ex-boyfriend), and lots of talk about what to do next in life. Once Dean really started opening up, I was totally hooked on him. Loved seeing all the layers being peeled back. Throughout this entire series, I feel like I’ve liked the MMCs much more than the FMCs. Kennedy writes the men as much more interesting and layered characters. Even though I thoroughly disliked Sabrina when she’s appeared before, I will have to read the next book to get her and Tucker’s story.

Off Campus

#1 The Deal
#2 The Mistake
#2.5 The Pact
#3 The Score
#3.5 The Incident
#4 The Goal
#5 The Legacy

Next up on the TBR pile:

My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey

Title: My Killer Vacation

Author: Tessa Bailey

Publisher: Avon 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 290

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Sleuth Street (Thriller/Mystery where main character is a detective or PI)

It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation in sweet, sunny Cape Cod—just Taylor and her beloved brother—but discovering a corpse in their rental house has really thrown a wrench into their tanning schedule. Now a rude, crude bounty hunter has arrived on the back of his motorcycle to catch the killer and refuses to believe Taylor can be helpful, despite the countlesshours she's spent listening to true crime podcasts. Not to mention her fulfilling teaching career of wrangling second graders.

A brash bounty hunter and an energetic elementary school teacher: the murder-solving team no one asked for, but thanks to these pesky attempts on Taylor's life, they're stuck together, come hell or high tide.

Myles is just there to do a job, not babysit an amateur sleuth. Although…it is becoming less and less of a hardship to have Taylor around. Sure, she’s stubborn, distracting and can’t stay out of harm’s way. She’s also brave and beautiful and reminds him of the home he left behind three years ago. In other words, the insatiable hunger and protectiveness she is awakening is a threat to his peace of mind. Before Myles sinks any deeper into this dangerous attraction, he needs to solve this murder and get back on the road.

But will fate take her from him before Myles realize the road has been leading to her all along?

Another Tessa Bailey book that I actually enjoyed! Imagine that! This was breezy and light full of fun banter and interactions between the main character and crazy steamy scenes. There’s not much to this book, but it really helped me recover from reading multiple serious books in a row. I needed something that didn’t make me think a lot, but that I enjoyed reading and wanted to keep picking up This is the book. Taylor is a bit of a mess, but a non-annoying mess. I loved her interactions with her brother, but it was the madcap murder mystery that keep me with her character. And Myles is just so darn smoking hot with his surliness and sunglasses. I immediately fell for him! Nothing too ground-breaking, but a great little quick read.

Next up on the TBR pile:

About that Kiss by Jill Shalvis

Title: About that Kiss (Heartbreaker Bay #5)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 349

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

When love drives you crazy . . .

When sexy Joe Malone never calls after their explosive kiss, Kylie shoves him out of her mind. Until she needs a favor, and it’s a doozy. Something precious to her has been stolen and there’s only one person with unique finder-and-fixer skills that can help—Joe. It means swallowing her pride and somehow trying to avoid the temptation to throttle him—or seduce him.

the best thing to do . . .

No, Joe didn’t call after the kiss. He’s the fun time guy, not the forever guy. And Kylie, after all she’s been through, deserves a good man who will stay. But everything about Kylie makes it damned hard to focus, and though his brain knows what he has to do, his heart isn’t getting the memo.

… is enjoy the ride.

As Kylie and Joe go on the scavenger hunt of their lives, they discover surprising things about each other. Now, the best way for them to get over “that kiss” might just be to replace it with a hundred more.

I’m pretty meh about this volume. I wasn’t super excited about seeing Kylie and Joe’s romance. Kylie didn’t have a big personality in the previous books and I didn’t think she was going to be that interesting once we got her book. And I was right. Joe wasn’t really any more interesting. I just didn’t really buy their romance and attraction together. I want’ed more tension and build up to their romance. the big plot driving mystery didn’t quite do it for me. I didn’t really feel any suspense.

Heartbreaker Bay

#1 Sweet Little Lies
#2 The Trouble with Mistletoe
#2.5 One Snowy Night
#3 Accidentally on Purpose
#4 Chasing Christmas Eve
#4.5 Holiday Wishes
#5 About That Kiss
#6 Hot Winter Nights
#6.5 Just Say When
#7 Playing for Keeps
#8 Wrapped Up in You
#8.5 Twist of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

Title: Hook, Line, and Sinker (It Happened One Summer #2)

Author: Tessa Bailey

Publisher: Avon 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 353

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Starts with “H”; Romanceopoly - BFF’s House (Friends to Lovers)

Spice Rating: 5

King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a sexy, carefree flirt. Everyone knows he’s a guaranteed good time—in bed and out—and that’s exactly how he prefers it. Until he meets Hannah Bellinger. She’s immune to his charm and looks, but she seems to enjoy his… personality? And wants to be friends? Bizarre. But he likes her too much to risk a fling, so platonic pals it is.

Now, Hannah's in town for work, crashing in Fox’s spare bedroom. She knows he’s a notorious ladies’ man, but they’re definitely just friends. In fact, she's nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague and Fox is just the person to help with her lackluster love life. Armed with a few tips from Westport’s resident Casanova, Hannah sets out to catch her coworker’s eye… yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead. As the line between friendship and flirtation begins to blur, Hannah can't deny she loves everything about Fox, but she refuses to be another notch on his bedpost.

Living with his best friend should have been easy. Except now she’s walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall, and Fox is fantasizing about waking up next to her for the rest of his life and… and… man overboard! He’s fallen for her, hook, line, and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he’s all in, she'll choose him instead?

Surprisingly, I have really enjoyed this duology. After my first two attempts at Tessa Bailey books failed miserably. Thankfully, I connected with this series and these characters. Fox was an intriguing character in the first book and I’m so glad we finally get to dive into all his layers. Hannah was a slightly less interesting characters. I think I’ve decided that I really enjoy Tessa Bailey’s male characters and her female characters less so. Fox was such a great layered characters. I felt so much with him as he started to acknowledge his own feelings, fears, and desires. The journey was my favorite part of the book. I must say that the steamy scenes weren’t my favorite, but they did their job. With this duology, I may just be open for new Tessa Bailey books.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Mistake by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Mistake (Off Campus #2)

Author:Elle Kennedy

Publisher: Createspace 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 298

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Challenge - A Book You Meant to Read Last Year

Spice Meter: 5

He’s a player in more ways than one…
College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…
After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.

Hmmm…. not quite sure how I feel about this book. I actually really enjoyed the first book in this series while not usually gravitating toward college romances. I was intrigued by the rest of the series, but this volume didn’t quite land the same way. The issues surrounding Grace and Logan’s relationship didn’t really resonate with me. I was hoping for a bit more relationship talk and bringing in their families and pasts. I was hoping that the steamy scenes would redeem the book for me, but those scenes just didn’t do it for me. I will probably keep reading this series as I’ve enjoyed the appearances of Dean in previous books.

Off Campus

#1 The Deal
#2 The Mistake
#2.5 The Pact
#3 The Score
#3.5 The Incident
#4 The Goal
#5 The Legacy

Next up on the TBR pile:

Come as You Are by Jess K. Hardy

Title: Come as You Are (Bluebird Basin #1)

Author: Jess K. Hardy

Publisher: Pinkity Publishing 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 318

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Set in a Workplace; Romanceopoly - Flirts Corner (Contemporary by an author you haven’t tried before)

Ashley Cooke will do just about anything to save her struggling ski hill. When she hires the men from a local sober living home for the season to cut costs, even she thinks she’s gone too far. With her credit cards maxed, her cheating ex-husband intent on buying the mountain out from under her, and record-breaking snow in the forecast, she can’t afford to be distracted by the six-foot-tall bearded and tattooed sober living home owner moving onto her mountain.

Recovering addict and ex-grunge rocker Matthew Madigan has devoted every minute of the last decade to the men residing at his sober living home. When he meets tightly wound and adorably flustered Ashley, desires he’s put on the back burner for years start to simmer. Immune to his infamous albeit rusty charm, Ashley presents a challenge he can’t resist. When she offers to give him skiing lessons in exchange for his help training her St. Bernard rescue dog, he jumps at the chance to ride next to her on the chairlift despite his debilitating fear of heights.

During bunny hill shenanigans, chairlift confessions, and steamy cabin serenades, Madigan teaches Ashley that a person’s past doesn’t define them, and Ashley shows Madigan that the men he helps aren’t the only people who deserve a second chance. When sabotage threatens both the men and the mountain, Ashley and Madigan will have to decide if they’re only having a winter fling, or if the mountain isn’t the only thing worth fighting for.

Such a beautiful contemporary romance. I am completely head over heels for this one. We get mature protagonists, true communication, very hot sexy scenes, past mistakes and redemption, and some great side relationships and family issues. I picked this one for our book club’s Dirty Book Month in the hopes of a great steamy romance with some substance to it. Thank goodness it delivered. I related so much to Ashley and her insecurities and hang-ups. I literally wrote down a ton of quotes just on that point. I wanted to see her understand her walls and start to break them down with a very sexy man. And then we get to Madigan. I loved his own redemption story and the ways in which he tries to be the best person for everyone around him. He was so easy to love. Mostly I loved how they opened up to each other and the people around them. So many great conversations and true conflict resolution modeled in this book. I also loved how we got to see Ashley and Madigan interact with other people at the resort. The side characters were relatable and definitely set up some sequels for the future. I can’t wait to discuss this with book club next week!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca

Title: Well Traveled (Well Met #4)

Author: Jen DeLuca

Publisher: Berkley 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Book About Siblings; Romnaceopoly - Contemporary romance with an illustrated cover

Spice Rating: 4

A high-powered attorney from a success-oriented family, Louisa "Lulu" Malone lives to work, and everything seems to be going right, until the day she realizes it’s all wrong. Lulu’s cousin Mitch introduced her to the world of Renaissance Faires, and when she spies one at a time just when she needs an escape, she leaps into the welcoming environment of turkey legs, taverns, and tarot readers. The only drawback? Dex MacLean: a guitarist with a killer smile, the Casanova of the Faire… and her traveling companion for the summer.

Dex has never had to work for much in his life, and why should he? Touring with his brothers as The Dueling Kilts is going great, and he always finds a woman at every Faire. But when Lulu proves indifferent to his many plaid charms and a shake-up threatens the fate of the band, Dex must confront something he never has before: his future.

Forced to spend days and nights together on the road, Lulu’s interest in the kilted bad boy grows as he shows her a side of himself no one else has seen. The stresses of her old lifestyle fade away as she learns to trust her intuition and follow her heart instead of her head. But when her time on the road is over, will Lulu go with her gut, or are she and Dex destined for separate paths?

Another volume in his lovely contemporary romance series set in a Renaissance Faire. I absolutely loved the first and third books, but was not excited by the second one at all. This volume play off the characters from the second book, but they get to operate as side characters. Thank goodness. This one unites the Malone family with the MacLean family with a great pairing. I loved seeing a slightly older woman not necessarily interested in marriage and children finding her place and partner. We get some great will they/won’t they encounters throughout the first half of the book. The second half wasn’t quite as exciting, but I still enjoyed figuring out how Lulu and Dee triumph over their obstacles.

Well Met

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Title: A Merry Little Meet Cute

Author: Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Publisher: Avon 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 425

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Body Positive Message; Romanceopoly - Winter

Spice Rating: 7

Bee Hobbes (aka Bianca Von Honey) has a successful career as a plus-size adult film star. With a huge following and two supportive moms, Bee couldn’t ask for more. But when Bee’s favorite producer casts her to star in a Christmas movie he’s making for the squeaky-clean Hope Channel, Bee’s career is about to take a more family-friendly direction.

Forced to keep her work as Bianca under wraps, Bee quickly learns this is a task a lot easier said than done. Though it all becomes worthwhile when she discovers her co-star is none other than childhood crush Nolan Shaw, an ex-boy band member in desperate need of career rehab. Nolan’s promised his bulldog manager to keep it zipped up on set, and he will if it means he’ll be able to provide a more stable living situation for his sister and mom.

But things heat up quickly in Christmas Notch, Vermont, when Nolan recognizes his new co-star from her ClosedDoors account (oh yeah, he’s a member). Now Bee and Nolan are sneaking off for quickies on set, keeping their new relationship a secret from the Hope Channel’s execs. Things only get trickier when the reporter who torpedoed Nolan’s singing career comes snooping around—and takes an instant interest in mysterious newcomer Bee.

And if Bee and Nolan can’t keep their off-camera romance behind the scenes, then this merry little meet cute might end up on the cutting room floor.

Finally! I had this on my holds list since November and it finally became available. Right away, I fell for Bee hard. She’s such a great character. I loved her entire outlook on life and what she enjoys doing. We get a few discussions and moments discussing others’ perspectives and ideas about her body, but unlike a previous Simone book, we don’t dwell on this the book. We’re not reminded of her size or any body insecurity every chapter. I love that she’s such a strong plus-size role model. I loved it! I enjoyed the overall story and romance, but my favorite parts were focused on Bee and some of the side characters. I was slightly less enthused by the relationship between Nolan and Bee. It wasn’t quite the strongest relationship I’ve read, but I did enjoy it. Be advised that the focus on sex starts in Chapter one even if the character don’t actually have sex until part of the way through the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Priest by Sierra Simone

Title: Priest (Love Story #1)

Author: Sierra Simone

Publisher: No Bird Press 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 378

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Featuring one of the “Seven Deadly Sins”; Romanceopoly - Passion Place

Spice Meter: 8 (for the taboo nature of the pairing)

There are many rules a priest can't break. A priest cannot marry. A priest cannot abandon his flock. A priest cannot forsake his God. I've always been good at following rules. Until she came. Then I learned new rules. My name is Tyler Anselm Bell. I'm twenty-nine years old. Six months ago, I broke my vow of celibacy on the altar of my own church, and God help me, I would do it again. I am a priest and this is my confession.

CW: Suicide, Sexual Abuse

I am so very disappointed in this book. It’s been all over Bookstagram; featured on all the super spicy romance lists. But I came to the end of the book very uncomfortable and not turned on at all. My main issue with this book really centers on the religion piece. All of the characters seem to take their faith very seriously, but also reject all the “rules” that they claim to be so important. I couldn’t wrap my brain around these seemingly contradictory stances. I was very uncomfortable with how the characters try to find the loopholes and edge cases to justify their actions. I would have greatly preferred if they realized that they didn’t actually believe in the religion at all. But it continue claiming to be believers and still not really repenting for their transgressions just felt icky to me. I was hoping for a good deep dive into the ways that the Catholic Church has mishandled the abuse scandals and it’s current stance toward sex, but that seemed to be teased at the beginning and then pushed to the side. At the end, it seemed like everything the characters did was justified because they got married. I just couldn’t with this book. I will not be reading the sequels.

Love Story

#1 Priest
#1.5 Midnight Mass
#2 Sinner
#3 Saint

Next up on the TBR pile:

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

Title: It Happened One Summer (It Happened One Summer #1)

Author: Tessa Bailey

Publisher: Avon 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 416

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Romanceopoly - Summer

Spice Meter: 5

Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar... in Washington.

Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face.

Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time. Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart.

I finally found a Tessa Bailey book that I didn’t hate. I was hoping for a good enemies to lovers trope. We don’t exactly get that here, but I still enjoyed the story of Brendan and Piper. The story went a lot deeper than I was expecting and we get into issues surrounding grief. I was very on board with more serious relationship talk. Ultimately we get a nice romance with a great setting and fun side characters. The sex scenes felt a bit forced in places, but were ultimately decent. I was really just wanting much more banter. I may even read the next book.

It Happened One Summer

#1 It Happened One Summer
#2 Hook, Line, and Sinker

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Deal (Off Campus #1)

Author:Elle Kennedy

Publisher: Bloom Books 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 360

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Campus Corner; 52 Book Club

Spice Meter: 5

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

...and it’s going to be oh so good

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

CW: Rape (in the past, off page, but discussed), Domestic Abuse

I admit to being hesitant to dive into a New Adult romance series. I have a history of being very annoyed by the early 20-something character whining about life. Like seriously, what have you experienced? So, I tiptoed into this series. By the end of the book, I was looking forward to more from this author and the world. This book is so much more than just a college romance. We get very big discussions about domestic abuse and rape. Nothing is put on the page in a graphic nature, but we know it’s happened. We have characters that come together, slowly get to know one another, and eventually build a romantic relationship. I really enjoyed watching Garrett and Hannah connect. The conversations felt real and meaningful.

Off Campus

#1 The Deal
#2 The Mistake
#2.5 The Pact
#3 The Score
#3.5 The Incident
#4 The Goal
#5 The Legacy

Next up on the TBR pile:

Misadventures of a Curvy Girl by Sierra Simone

Title: Misadventures of a Curvy Girl

Author: Sierra Simone

Publisher: Waterhouse Press 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 226

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Romanceopoly - Farmer’s Market

Spice Meter: 8

For the first time in her life, Ireland Mills is happy with her body. No more fad diets, no more hiding from every camera in the room, no more low self-esteem. She’d rather be alone than with someone who’ll only love her if she’s skinny.

Caleb Carpenter and Ben Weber are everything Ireland and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce dreamed of when conceptualizing the “Real Kansas” promotional campaign. They’re handsome, young, educated, and totally dedicated to their small prairie town.

When Ireland’s Prius gets stuck on a Kansas dirt road and a massive storm rips through town, she’s left stranded with nowhere to turn but to Caleb and Ben. These two hunky country boys are impossible to ignore, but could they ever be interested in her as well?

Caleb and Ben are more than interested…and they’re willing to share. After their first night together, they know this has to be more than a one-time thing. They need to make her theirs forever. But can they convince Ireland they love her, curves and all?

I was hoping that this would be a good choice for my book club’s Dirty Book Month. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the hype. I was completely onboard for a plus-size FMC and even a polyam relationship with two men. I wasn’t really okay with the insta-love from the men. Seriously, it was a bit much. And I wasn't okay with the constant body shaming from Ireland herself. I understand not liking your body and thinking negative thoughts. I don’t necessarily want to read that every other page throughout the entire novel. Authors only have to mention it a few times. Readers are going to forgot that the heroirne has body issues. It felt overdone. I was very much getting annoyed with the internal thoughts interrupting every scene.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Dark Wild Night by Christina Lauren

Title: Dark Wild Night (Wild Seasons #3)

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Gallery Books 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 358

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer TBR

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS STAYS IN VEGAS. BUT WHAT DIDN’T HAPPEN IN VEGAS SEEMS TO FOLLOW THEM EVERYWHERE—Book Three in the sexy, fun New York Times bestselling Wild Seasons series that began with Sweet Filthy Boy (the Romantic Times Book of the Year) and Dirty Rowdy Thing.

Lola and Oliver like to congratulate themselves on having the good sense not to consummate their drunken Las Vegas marriage. If they’d doubled-down on that mistake, their Just Friends situation might not be half as great as it is now.

…Or so goes the official line.

In reality, Lola’s wanted Oliver since day one—and over time has only fallen harder for his sexy Aussie accent and easygoing ability to take her as she comes. More at home in her studio than in baring herself to people, Lola’s instinctive comfort around Oliver nearly seems too good to be true. So why ruin a good thing?

Even as geek girls fawn over him, Oliver can’t get his mind off what he didn’t do with Lola when he had the chance. He knows what he wants with her now…and it’s far outside the friend zone. When Lola’s graphic novel starts getting national acclaim—and is then fast-tracked for a major motion picture—Oliver steps up to be there for her whenever she needs him. After all, she’s not the kind of girl who likes all that attention, but maybe she’s the kind who’ll eventually like him.

Sometimes seeing what’s right in front of us takes a great leap of faith. And sometimes a dark wild night in Vegas isn’t just the end of a day, but the beginning of a bright new life…

We finally get to Oliver and Lola’s story and I ended up being a bit disappointed. I had loved Oliver from the first scenes with him in the first book. I wanted to see him get his great romantic story. I loved the first 60% of this book. I understand Lola’s hesitation and Oliver’s need for communication. The steamy scenes were super steamy and thoroughly enjoyable. But then Lola has her freakout and I was so incredibly disappointed in her behavior and actions. I wanted her to be better. By the end of the book, Oliver and Lola get back to together, but I really wanted to see more from their relationship. I even wanted to see more of Lola’s career scenes. It like this book was about 50 pages too short for me.

Wild Seasons

#1 Sweet Filthy Boy
#2 Dirty Rowdy Thing
#3 Dark Wild Night
#4 Wicked Sexy Liar

Next up on the TBR pile: