Cowboy Casual by Holly Renee | Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received an eARC for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

Title & Author: Cowboy Casual by Holly Renee 

My rating: 4/5

Publication date: 7th October 2025

Blurb:

Blaire Monroe is the only woman I've ever loved, and the only one I've let break my heart.

It's been ten years since she ran from this town, chasing a life that didn't include the cowboy next door who blurred the line between best friend and something more.

Now she's back.

Fresh off a busted engagement and hiding out on her grandmother's crumbling strawberry farm like the past never happened.

Like she doesn't still linger in every part of me I've spent years trying to erase.

But Blaire isn't the kind of girl you forget.

She's wildfire: reckless, untamed, and impossible to hold without getting scorched.

We collide the second we're in the same room.

Too much heat. Too much history. Not nearly enough distance.

The tension crackles, the pull is impossible, and before long, we're right back where we swore we'd never be—pressed against the wall, her hands in my hair, my mouth on hers like I've been starving for a decade.

I tell myself I can handle it.

But the truth is, this cowboy was never meant for casual.

Not with her. And sure as hell not again.

Review:

Cowboy Casual is the first book in the Calloway Ranch series and oh my goodness, I can't wait for more! I love when the first in a series makes you also adore the supporting characters and gets you excited for their books.

Blaire Monroe has just discovered that her fiancé Grant has been cheating on her for the past year. Her father, Senator Monroe, took her from her life on her grandmother June's strawberry farm a decade ago, promising her a great education, good job and the promise of marrying a good man.

On discovering Grant's infidelity, she goes back to June's, and very quickly bumps into her childhood sweetheart, cowboy Colt Calloway, who was all too happy for her to leave all those years ago. She has never understood why and is still hurt by it.

I LOVED this! Colt is a mustached single dad and his book is a proper slow burn, second chance romance.

The supporting characters are fantastic and the relationship between Blaire and Colt was written very well, and properly explored both of their feelings both now and what happened ten years ago.

I love when a single dad book does not just forget about the child. Colt's daughter Ruby was a big part of the book and even how Blaire integrated into her life was so sweet.

I can't wait for Hunter's book!

Revolve by Bal Khabra | Book Review

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Title & Author: Revolve by Bal Khabra 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Publication date: 14th October 2025

Blurb:

Sierra Romanova was an Olympic figure skater before a life-altering accident left her with panic attacks every time she enters the rink. Now, back for her final year at Dalton University, she's ready to reclaim the spotlight.

Kicked off his hockey team for reckless behaviour, Dylan Donovan has little to no chance of making it to the National Hockey League draft. But Dylan's whole world revolves around the ice so, if hockey is forbidden, at least there's figure skating.

When Sierra finds herself in desperate need of a new partner, the only person who can match her skill is none other than the cocky hockey player who refuses to cut her any slack.

On the ice, their chemistry is electric. But can they stand the heat off the rink?

Review:

I absolutely loved Collide and Spiral, the previous two books in the Off The Ice series, but I think Revolve might just be my favourite!

Dylan Donovan has been suspended from the hockey team for failing a drug test which also includes no rink time at all. Sierra Romanova is a talented figure skater who is getting back into skating following a brutal fall. She is determined to compete again but after her previous partner just left her following the accident, she needs to find someone quick.

What she doesn't realise is that before ice hockey, Dylan used to skate with his sister so the two are put together thanks to their coaches. 

Both characters backstories are very emotional, Sierra with her accident and Dylan with his parents. Dylan is a typical playboy but something is different about Sierra and I particularly enjoyed how she really was not sold on him at the beginning. Their relationship development was beautiful.

Sierra is such a strong character and you could feel her turmoil about not being enough and how she thought about her scars. Dylan was just what she needed.

A really lovely romance!

Spiral by Bal Khabra | Book Review

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Title & Author: Spiral by Bal Khabra 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Publication date: 28th January 2025

Blurb:

Elias Westbrook, a newly drafted hockey player for the Toronto Thunder, is facing the challenges of fame and media scrutiny. The tabloids are reporting on his every move, including which woman he was last seen with, but all he wants to do is escape the spotlight.

Enter from stage left Sage Beaumont, an aspiring ballerina whose lack of popularity online has put her at a major disadvantage for securing the roles she dreams of. When Sage finds herself with the chance to change her luck by fake-dating Elias, she takes her shot.

Soon enough, the flimsy rules they set in place fall away. But before things can spiral out of control, Sage and Elias will have to decide if they're willing to take the leap together or if they'll have to call it quits.

Review:

There are so many things I love about this book!

Spiral is the second novel in the Off The Ice series, featuring Elias Westbrook who has recently joined ice hockey team Toronto Thunder. Although great with the assists, he has yet to score a career goal. He is under the microscope with the boss and the media scrutiny he gets isn't helping either. 

Sage Beaumont is a ballerina trying to land her dream role. When her uncle, the general manager of Toronto Thunder, asks her to perform at an event, she meets Elias. She could use his status to gain popularity for her ballet auditions and he could use a steady girlfriend to keep the tabloids away. What can go wrong with fake dating?

I absolutely adored Sage's character. She has had a troubled childhood, has worked so hard for herself while also being her brother's guardian (who is also diabetic so props for that representation!). Elias's character arc was one of my favourites and I loved how he slowly let Sage in, something he has struggled to do.

The two really come together to help each other out but also push each other to be the best they can be. I really enjoyed Sage's ballet scenes, despite not knowing a lot about ballet myself, but what ties this book all together is the found family aspect between the main characters and the supporting ones.

The Ending Is The Best Part by Lamia Zain | Book Review

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Title & Author: The Ending Is The Best Part by Lamia Zain

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Corvus

Publication date: 2nd October 2025

Blurb:

Yara and Xander are both writers on a major TV series. But that's where the similarities end.

Yara loves romance, but Xander doesn't see the point. He is only interested in the greats: Kubrick, Scorsese, Tarantino. He doesn't have Instagram, hasn't read a book published this century.

When they're tasked with writing the season finale together, they know the episode needs them both - romance and drama, head and heart.

Can they put aside their differences to create something remarkable?

Review:

This book was written as part of 'BookTok Made Me Write It', where TikTok users got to vote on key aspects of the book. You can really tell because it just screams that it was written for the BookTok community - and I ATE it up.

Yara Aslan is a junior screenwriter working on a popular television show. Her parents haven't really been supportive of her job, thinking it is just something she will do for a while and they have hopes of her becoming a lawyer. When tasked with the opportunity of writing the season finale of the show and to have her name proudly displayed as the writer, she thinks this could just be the opportunity to show them that her career is serious.

When her boss Meagan pairs her up with her office nemesis Xander Woods, stating that both of their ideas will gel well together, Yara is less than enthused and doesn't want his name being listed first.

This book has everything you would want in a romance novel. It is closed door for those who don't like spice, it is enemies-to-lovers with the forced proximity and "only one bed" tropes but it also has heart. Although just a short novel - I read it in one sitting - there is a lot of depth to the characters. Something that I really enjoy. It shows that you don't need lots of words to make someone feel. Each has their problems, it shows that relationships take trust and time and I especially loved the parallels with Yara and Xander and the characters they were writing about.

A very enjoyable read! 

Collide by Bal Khabra | Book Review

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Title & Author: Collide by Bal Khabra 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Bloomsbury 

Publication date: 16th January 2024

Blurb: 

When Summer Preston's professor issues her with an ultimatum, she finds herself on an unexpected collision course with hockey captain Aiden Crawford.

Summer hates everything about hockey, for good reason, but she isn't going to let that stand in the way of her becoming a sports psychologist.

Aiden loves being the hockey captain, except when his team's reckless mistakes risk jeopardising their entire season. When Coach puts him forward for a research paper as punishment, he has no choice but to accept.

Summer can't stand his blasé approach to life, and Aiden doesn't understand her uptight, scheduled one. They are off to a rocky start, and provoking each other – it turns out – is what they do best.

As sparks fly, neither wants to be the one to give in. Can they get everything they want – including each other?

Review:

I love an ice hockey romance, and this was such a fun and heartwarming read!

Summer Preston, a sports psychology student with an avid hatred of ice hockey, gets pushed by her advisor into working with Aiden Crawford, the captain of the college ice hockey team. Aiden, who has taken the blame for his teammates’ party fiasco, becomes the subject of Summer’s research project. Neither of them are particularly thrilled about it, but sparks start to fly.

What I really enjoyed about this story was the depth beyond the romance. Summer and Aiden aren’t just stereotypes, they’re layered characters with real backstories. I liked learning why Summer avoids hockey and seeing Aiden’s struggles rooted in his past.

The dynamic definitely gives dislike-to-lovers, and while their relationship development was sweet and satisfying, what surprised me most was the humour. The banter didn’t just come from Summer and Aiden’s witty back-and-forth, but also from the whole team, something that always makes me excited for subsequent books.

If you enjoy sports romances with equal parts swoon, banter, and heart, this one is worth picking up!

Wolf.e by Paisley Hope | Book Review

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Title & Author: Wolf.e by Paisley Hope 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Evermore

Publication date: 28th August 2025

Blurb:

Gabriel Wolfe, fallen dark angel and president of the Hounds of Hell motorcycle club, has lived a life shrouded in darkness. Haunted by a traumatic past, chaos is the only way he makes sense of the world.

He craves it to feel stable. Whole.

But everything changes when he meets Brinley Rose Beaumont. With her raven hair and molten eyes, she ignites a fire within him that he never knew existed. Wolfe's meticulously controlled world soon begins to unravel, and he finds himself drawn to Brinley with an intensity that borders on obsession.

Now, Brinley is all he sees. And Wolfe will stop at nothing to make her his.

Review:

I loved this book so much.

Brinley Rose Beaumont is a clean cut girl who was always warned about the motorcycle club in her home city. Following a break up with her long-term boyfriend, she heads back home to fix up her late parents house and decide what to do next.

After bumping into her childhood best friend Layla, she is shocked to discover that Layla is soon to be married to Ax, a member of said motorcycle club. Accompanying Layla to the clubhouse one night, she meets Gabriel Wolfe, president of the club, and Gabriel uncharacteristically takes a liking to her.

This book was everything. The character development for both of them was fantastic. I especially loved Brinley's. I adored the romance that blossomed between them - we love a man who is down bad!

I haven't really read a lot of motorcycle club books but if you like Sons of Anarchy and want a spicy romance in that vein, this is for you.

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey | Book Review

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Title & Author: The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey 

My rating: 3/5

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication date: 16th July 2024

Blurb:

Tallulah is smart, vivacious, and studying to be a marine biologist. She’s also twenty-six and broke. So when Burgess, a battle-scarred hockey veteran and newly single dad, offers her a job as his live-in nanny, she jumps at the opportunity to get paid while living in a super fancy neighborhood and being around Lissa, his cool but introverted tween.

Her tween charge isn’t the only one who could use some help fitting in, though. According to…well, everyone except Burgess, he needs to get back on the dating scene, and adventurous Tallulah is just the girl to show him how. But as boundaries are slowly crossed and Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter, who wants her parents back together, and his insane chemistry with Tallulah, a huge rift is formed, and Tallulah does the “right” thing—breaks her own heart and walks away.

Though Burgess knows it’s for the best—he’s too jaded, with too much baggage—a chance meeting, and a new push from his daughter, forces him to put everything on the line and fight to prove he learned his lessons well and is worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah.

Review:

I adored Fangirl Down and as soon as I heard the little mention of Burgess and Tallulah, I knew their book would be next and I was excited. 

Burgess, a 37 year old ice hockey player has offered Tallulah, the 26 year old best friend of his best friend, a job as his au pair whilst she does her degree. He has joint custody of his twelve year old daughter and needs a little help.

I loved hearing about Tallulah's backstory and it did break my heart. I really felt like I understood her reluctance when it came to working for Burgess. Obviously a relationship develops between the two and not without it's ups and downs.

Burgess is giving typical book boyfriend but I honestly felt like the plot was a little thin in comparison to Fangirl Down. 

I do enjoy an age gap romance and I loved the development between these two. Bring on the next book! 

Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey | Book Review

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Title & Author: Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey 

My rating: 5/5

Publisher: Harper360

Publication date: 13th February 2024

Blurb:

Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs, and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. He curses, she cheers. He scowls, she smiles. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life.

Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. Yet after he throws in the towel, she begins to wonder if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine’s professional and personal life is in shambles, she could really use the cash…

As they travel together, spending days on the green and nights in neighboring hotel rooms, sparks fly. Before long, they’re inseparable, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. This hot man wants to brush her hair, feed her snacks, and take bubble baths together? Is this real life? But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?

Review:

This is one of those books I'd seen everywhere for ages and now that I've read it, I am fuming that I didn't read it sooner. Although maybe the universe planned for me to read it this year because I would understand it more.

Josephine runs her family's golf shop and is a pretty big fan girl of one high-profile golfer, Wells Whitaker. Once upon a time he was at the top of his game but his downfall is currently happening. Josephine's loyalty has never wavered though.

Events ensue and Wells hires Josephine as his caddy for the next tournament. She is the one who has always believed in him, plus, with a hurricane wiping out the golf shop, she needs the money for renovations.

Imagine my surprise to read that Josephine has type 1 diabetes. As the parent of a child who was diagnosed with T1D at the beginning of this year and our lives have been consumed with it, I knew Bailey had lived experience with this and it wasn't just written through research alone. If you don't know anything about T1D and love a romance novel, this book is so factually accurate, it made my heart happy.

What also made my heart happy? The development of Wells' character with Josephine's help and their relationship as a whole. 

Just beautiful and I am getting stuck straight into the rest of the series.

Artificial Wisdom by Thomas R Weaver | Book Review

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Title & Author: Artificial Wisdom by Thomas R Weaver 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Bantam

Publication date: 14th August 2025

Blurb:

Who would you trust with the future?

The year is 2050. In the teeth of a climate catastrophe, the world is left with a drastic solution: one global leader to steer it through the coming apocalypse.

The final two candidates are ex-US President Lockwood, and Solomon, the world’s first political artificial intelligence.

As whispers of a global conspiracy emerge, investigative journalist Marcus Tully find himself at the centre of it – when Solomon’s creator turns up murdered.

Overnight, one investigation becomes two, and it’s not just the result of the election that’s at stake but the future of the species. Suddenly humanity must make an impossible choice – between salvation, or freedom.

Review:

It's the year 2050 and there is a global election about to take place. Who would you vote for - an ex-U.S. president or an A.I. artilect?

Marcus Tully is an investigative journalist who lost his pregnant wife in a deadly heatwave on the Persian Gulf a decade prior. Never wanting to give up on finding out the truth about what really happened to his wife and what caused the heatwave, Tully starts to unravel information that suggests that it was a conspiracy.

When Martha, the A.I. artilect's creator is killed, Tully is brought in to try and find out who killed her and why, but then both this investigation and the investigation into his wife's death start to intertwine.

I have never read a book like this before and I loved it. I don't read dystopian fiction for ages but then when I go back to it, I remember how much I love it. This is in the not too distant future but how the technology works feels like it could be real and that honestly scared me a little. 

Not only is it dystopian, but it mixed in another genre I love - murder mystery. I love that shock of finding out information and twists and a little bit of doubt like, is this a red herring?

Really enjoyable and thought-provoking!

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo | Book Review

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Title & Author: They Never Learn by Layne Fargo 

My rating: 5/5

Publisher: Vintage

Publication date: 3rd July 2025

Blurb:

Scarlett Clark is an exceptional English professor and an even better serial killer. She’s made it her mission in life to track down predatory men on campus and kill them and she’s preparing for her biggest murder yet.

Carly Schiller is just trying to survive her freshman year at college – keeping her head down and focussing on work. But when her roommate Allison is assaulted at a party Carly becomes obsessed with making the attacker pay.

When police start investigating the spate of local deaths, Scarlett starts to realise it’s only a matter of time before her secret life is exposed and everything she’s built comes crashing down with it…

Review: 

Layne Fargo can do no wrong. I became a little obsessed with The Favourites when I read it back in January so I was very excited to read They Never Learn, even though the genre is very different.

They Never Learn is dual POV with alternating chapters from Carly, a new university student and Scarlett, an academic at the university. 

Carly becomes quick friends with her roommate Allison and Allison's childhood friend Wes. She is a bit of a wallflower and doesn't really capture anyone's attention whereas Allison is the opposite. 

Scarlett is a serial killer whose focus is on men who mistreat women or abuse their powers. The opening to this book totally gripped me and never let go, right up to the final page.

The two stories come together in a way that surprised me and as someone who doesn't really care for men except my husband, these men made me ANGRY, more so because every single one felt real. These situations are real situations that people currently experience and HAVE experienced for years.

If you are a fan of Dexter but want more queer, feminist, vigilante type women who seek revenge on men, this book is for you. There were moments where my jaw dropped and I had to stare at the wall, the build up and chase had me locked in and the short, plot heavy chapters kept me hooked.

Bravo! (Trigger warnings for murder, rape and sexual abuse.)

Sky Daddy by Kate Folk | Book Review

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Title & Author: Sky Daddy by Kate Folk

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Sceptre

Publication date: 10th April 2025

Blurb:

Linda makes $20 an hour as a content moderator, flagging comments that violate a tech conglomerate's terms and conditions. Each night, she returns to the windowless room in a garage that she rents from a family who pretend she isn't there.

But once a month, she escapes to San Francisco International Airport for a clandestine meeting on the cheapest flight out that night. Linda's secret is that she's sexually attracted to planes: their intelligent windscreens, sleek fuselages and powerful engines make her feel a way that no human lover ever could.

Linda believes her destiny is to someday 'marry' one of her suitors by dying in a plane crash, a catastrophic event that would unite her with her soulmate plane for eternity. So when her co-worker Karina invites her to join a group of women using vision boards to manifest their desires, she can't resist the chance to hasten her romantic fate. However, as the vision boards seem to manifest items more quickly - and more literally - than Linda had expected, the carefully balanced elements of her life begin to spin out of her control, and she must choose between maintaining the trappings of normalcy or launching herself headlong towards her greatest dream.

Review:

I went into this book because the blurb said it was about a woman who was sexually interested in planes and that piqued my interest as someone who loves a "weird girl fiction" book. I absolutely loved this.

I listened on audio and whilst I did think Linda's sexual description of the planes from her point of view were very strange. I ended up loving her character. Her inner dialogue was quite funny and blunt.

Linda works at Acuity moderating comments on social media sites. It's a mundane job but she is good at it and it earns enough money that she can take one flight a month. She lives in a small windowless "cube" and we find that she doesn't really get a lot of human interaction, aside from her colleague-turned-friend Karina.

Karina invites Linda to a vision board meeting, explaining that she needs to create a picture board of the things she wants to achieve that quarter so she can manifest them into the world. Not wanting to "out" herself too much, Linda includes photographs of pilots and the owner of Airbus, making it seem like her goal is to date a pilot when in reality she wants to marry a plane - by getting into a plane crash.

I ended up finding this story very sweet with regards to Linda's developing friendships. It surprised me and I loved how it was written. She is very much an odd character who just needs to be understood.

Dearly Unbeloved by Sophie Snow | Book Review

[ad/gifted - I am a member of Sophie Snow's Street Team and received an eARC copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

Title & Author: Dearly Unbeloved by Sophie Snow 

My rating: 5/5

Publication date: 1st July 2025

Blurb:

She needs a wife to secure a promotion. Her roommate needs a wife to claim her inheritance. A marriage of convenience is the perfect solution—if only they didn’t hate each other.

Rose Cannon might not be thriving, but she’s doing her best. Her relationship with her family is rocky, she’s not great with people, and sometimes she can’t make herself get out of bed. Work is the one place she’s perfect—until she lies to her boss and pretends to be engaged to the messy roommate she loathes.

Sierra Hayashi has bigger problems than her stuck up roommate. The deadline for the inheritance she’s counting on is fast approaching, and she still hasn’t done the one thing she needs to do to claim it: get married. Easier said than done, considering she ends every relationship after three months.

When a drunk night in Vegas presents Rose and Sierra with an answer to their problems, they face a new challenge: can they survive staying married when they despise each other? Or will pretending to be in love unravel everything they think they hate about each other?

Review:

I absolutely adore Sophie Snow's books and as soon as I delve into a new one, I instantly know it's going to be a hit.

Dearly Unbeloved is the third book in the Spicy in Seattle series and it is a sapphic romance featuring Rose (Jazz's sister from False Confidence) and Sierra who works for Cal (from Legally Binding). If you haven't read the first two books, I highly suggest you do because they are fantastic and it really helps if you know the background for Dearly Unbeloved.

This book is enemies to lovers and we really FEEL it, getting drunkenly married in Vegas and staying married as a convenience. It is spicy - Snow can write a fantastic scene - but also focuses on some really deep topics such as depression and family issues.

The family issues especially hit me hard and I feel like they were written so well and believably. I love a book that pulls as your heartstrings as well as having you fall for the characters.

Rose and Sierra's little notes to each other made me laugh and I loved the snippets of what's happening with the other characters in the series. Bring on the next one! 

Hat Trick by Chelsea Curto | Book Review

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Title & Author: Hat Trick by Chelsea Curto 

My rating: 5/5

Publication date: 27th May 2025

Blurb:

Riley Mitchell has everything he could ever want.

He’s a back-to-back Stanley Cup champion. He has great friends, a fun life, and he’s living out his dream of playing hockey in the NHL.

Except one night, everything changes.

After a car accident leaves him with an amputated right leg, he struggles with his identity. Who is he away from the ice? How is he supposed to live without the sport that means everything to him?

Enter Lexi Armstrong, the DC Stars athletic trainer assigned to Riley’s rehabilitation.

Independent, proudly single, and a sarcastic ray of sunshine, she’s determined to help Riley feel better not just physically, but mentally too.

And the friends with benefits arrangement they fall into?

Definitely not part of the rehabilitation plan.

It was supposed to be one night, but when just once turns into something much deeper than a romp in the bedroom, they have a decision to make.

Do they fight their feelings and keep things purely physical? Or can they pull off a Hat Trick and find something that lasts forever?

Review: 

I rave about Chelsea Curto's books so much (and I know I have convinced so many people to read them - thank you to everyone who comes to me to say they loved them too off the back of my recommendation!) but I fear my words can't accurately describe just how passionate I am about each and every one.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Face Off, the first in the D.C. Stars series and instantly fell in love. I knew I'd found a new favourite author just from that one book. I then went and binged the entire Love Through A Lens series which I loved just as much. I received ARCs of Power Play, Slap Shot and now Hat Trick and each time I felt like I was going back to a friendship group that I was a part of.

Curto's writing is beautiful and second to none. She always has a real focus on women in sports, women doing well in positions that men don't have to work as hard in and, yes, while we have probably some of the best spicy scenes I have ever read, each book has some form of emotional moment.

Hat Trick was 100% the most emotional of the lot. I was looking forward to Riley's book and I knew it would break my heart, but Curto just managed to put it right back together again.

Riley, one of the defensemen for the D.C. Stars is in an accident and has to undergo an above knee amputation. Being an ice hockey player, this is life-changing for him. Lexi, the team's head athletic trainer is determined to not only aid his rehabilitation to the best of her ability, but to get him back on the ice.

The accident and amputation happens quite early on in the book and by 9% of the way in, I'd already almost cried three times. The way that Riley's emotions following his amputation are written is absolutely perfect. I felt his anguish and anger so vividly as well as his ups and downs throughout the entire book. It felt real.

You can tell that so much research and thought has gone into this book with regards to life as an amputee, rehabilitation in a sports setting following a life-changing incident and the use of prosthetics.

Watching Lexi and Riley's relationship develop was beautiful and you get the sense that they really needed each other. Being back with this group (especially the group chat texts - they are always my favourite parts!) and getting little updates on what they are up to in the current timeline is a nice little extra. 

Chelsea, bring on the next one! 

I Make My Own Fun by Hannah Beer | Book Review

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Title & Author: I Make My Own Fun by Hannah Beer

My rating: 5/5

Publisher: Atlantic Books

Publication date: 6th March 2025

Blurb:

She's the woman who has everything. But she wants more. She wants you...

Everyone knows Marina, the A-list movie star. But very few know Marina, the absolute monster.

Years at the top have proved that whatever Marina wants, she gets. But when she meets bartender Anna, Marina discovers something that can't be bought: Anna's affection. As Anna remains unmoved, Marina's advances become more desperate - and her obsession more dangerous.

The price of fame is heavy - and someone will have to pay for it...

Review:

Oh I absolutely LOVED this. Literally right from the beginning, I thought "this is going to be fun". It is very much a "rich people doing questionable things" type of book.

Marina is an English movie star in her late twenties. She has been acting for years and has amassed a huge amount of fans. Think "A-lister" with a high profile relationship (more PR than actual relationship) and she is used to getting anything she wants. 

Following an event, she meets bartender Anna and the two spend the night together. Marina becomes obsessed with Anna but does so from afar, truly believing that something more will happen between them.

I love characters like Marina. She is not nice, has a huge ego, speaks horrendously towards her assistant Jules but I thought she was brilliant and her behaviour had me laughing at some parts - I'm not sure what that says about me?! 

There are a few mixed media aspects in this book too like news articles and snippets of fan threads about Marina. I, for my sins, love celebrity gossip and theories and this made her character seem so real.

The obsession Marina has towards Anna kept me hooked because you know they both see what happened between them completely differently. I couldn't wait for the culmination of events and it was better than I thought it was going to be.

The Care Package by Leigh Suznovich | Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received a ebook copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

Title & Author: The Care Package by Leigh Suznovich 

My rating: 4/5

Publication date: 18th March 2025

Blurb:

Tania Castillo has been making it on her own for most of her life after enduring a whole lot of tragedy. She definitely does not want to get involved with her flirty, gorgeous co-worker Carlo, no matter how charming and funny he is. Workplace romances just get too messy. When disaster strikes though, he’s there for her in a way no one ever really has been before, and her walls start to crumble. Can he be the peace she has always been desperately searching for?

Carlo Hernandez has been pining for Tania from the moment he saw her walk into their work over a year ago. She politely refused him when he asked her out though, and that was that. Over a year later, she finds herself in a bind that only he can help with. Suddenly, he’s living with his dream woman and her mischievous cats. As their relationship heats up and deepens, he hopes to make her his forever roommate.

Review:

I read The Parcel (the first in the Special Delivery duet) last year and absolutely loved Taran and Lyra so I was excited for Taran's best friend Carlo's book as he seemed interesting in the glimpse of him that we got in The Parcel.

Carlo works for FedEx and over the last year has develop a bit of a crush on Tania who came to work at the same company. She has however, always rebutted his advances as she refuses to mix work and play.

Tania has had to overcome a lot of hurdles in her life. Her parents passed away in a car accident and growing up in the foster system meant that she had to put barriers up and protect her peace. Her own family member is Celeste, her foster sister who is currently wrongly incarcerated.

Following an incident at her apartment where her adorable kitties flooded the place, she finds herself with nowhere to live. Carlo has a guest room so it feels like the perfect solution. He won't see her be homeless and vows to put his feelings aside.

What I love about this book is firstly, the character growth. Carlo and Tania both discover their passions and what they want to achieve in life through each others support. Secondly, the focus on fighting men who abuse their power against women, and finally, both of our main characters families orginate from Spain and El Salvador. Because of this, you really get this sense of family from Carlo's side and although Tania lost her parents young, her going back to Spain to discover where her family grew up is beautiful.

These really give Carlo and Tania this huge, rich background.

A beautiful follow up to The Parcel!

Among The Willows by Jennifer L Strand | Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received an eARC of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

Title & Author: Among The Willows by Jennifer L Strand 

My rating: 5/5

Publication date: 21st March 2025

Blurb:

He’s a cage fighting cowboy who never stopped loving his best friend, but all she’s ever done is run.

Romy Miller is a laid-off teacher who hasn’t been home in twelve years. Not since she hooked up with her best guy friend and ran off to college. She has cut all ties to Willows, including her narcissistic father, but when she receives a collect call from her older sister in jail asking for help, she decides there is no choice but to return home.

Since his childhood crush, Romy, broke his heart, Jude Larsen hasn’t been home to the family ranch. Instead, he channeled all his frustration and self-worth into a championship MMA career. That is, until he receives a call from his uncle the ranch is now a crime scene and Romy’s sister is behind bars.

Now both are returning to Willows. While Jude brings his training camp to the ranch in preparation for the biggest fight of his career, Romy embarks on a relentless quest to clear her sister's name. What neither of them knows is that someone else isn't happy that she's returned and will stop at nothing to ensure she doesn't find the truth.

Review:

I was a thriller girlie first and foremost before discovering my love of romances (cowboy romance in particular!). I have read my fair share of cowboy romances and sometimes they can either feel a bit samey or just miss the mark. Among The Willows is like a breath of fresh air. As I was reading I had that feeling of "I will read anything this author writes. I am now obsessed". 

Romy is a teacher who has recently been laid off and has also discovered that her boyfriend has been cheating on her for the last four months. As if things weren't bad enough, she receives a call from her sister Hazel who is in a penitentiary after allegedly shooting and killing her boyfriend. Romy then returns to her hometown, somewhere she hasn't stepped foot in in the last twelve years.

Rhys Larsen is a big shot MMA fighter who used to work at the ranch in Romy's hometown. He also hasn't been back in twelve years, since the morning after he and Romy finally spent the night together at the age of eighteen, then she ghosted him.

This book is just everything. You have small town romance, second chances, a male main character who has been pining for the last twelve years but also that thriller/crime element that I love with regards to Romy's sister. 

It is a spicy read, and those scenes are incredible, but the plot is so full that you don't want to put it down. Perfection.

The Favourites by Layne Fargo | Book Review

[This post contains affiliate links.]

Title & Author: The Favourites by Layne Fargo 

My rating: 5/5

Publisher: Chatto & Windus

Publication date: 16th January 2025

Blurb:

Everyone thinks Heath Rocha was my first love. He wasn't. My first love was figure skating.

Katarina Shaw has always known she’s destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating – and each other – to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating fans with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style and rollercoaster relationship.

Until, at the Olympic Games, as the world holds its breath, a shocking incident instantly destroys their partnership.

Ten years later, an unauthorised tell-all documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha. If Kat wants to own her story, she must break her silence. As Kat’s account of her dramatic rise and fall alternates with scandalous interviews from the film, The Favourites spins into a dance between passion, ambition and what it truly means to win.

Sensational rumours have haunted Kat and Heath’s every step for years, but the truth may be even more outrageous than the headlines.

Review:

The Favourites is kind of a modern retelling of Wuthering Heights set in the world of competitive figure skating and I fell in love. So much so that I read it on my Kindle, purchased the hardcover, went on to purchase the Goldsboro special edition and then listened to the audio.

The Favourites was one of my most anticipated book releases of 2025 but it totally blew my expectations out of the water and there is no doubt that it's up there as one of my favourite books ever. I haven't felt this way since I read The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo.

I know nothing about figure skating but feel like I learnt a lot through this novel. The Favourites is told from the point of view of Katarina Shaw, who is recounting her skating career and personal life; from her childhood and meeting Heath Rocha, who would become her skating partner (and much more than that!) up to present day. 

There is also a documentary being made about Katarina and Heath so we have snippets of thoughts and opinions from other skaters, judges and coaches who knew the couple at the height of their careers. (When listening to the audio version, I have to say that Johnny Weir's narration of Ellis Dean was fantastic!) I absolutely love the depth that this adds to the book and it helps build the suspense of what happened next in their lives.

I was totally enthralled by this world, the relationship between Katarina and Heath (which is not at all plain sailing) and the intensity between them but also the love for figure skating, particularly on Katarina's part, and the drama in the skating world when it gets to competitive level.

I feel like my words cannot do justice for how this book made me feel. Just incredible! 

Slap Shot by Chelsea Curto | Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received an eBook copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

Title & Author: Slap Shot by Chelsea Curto 

Genre: Romance 

My rating: 5/5

Publication date: 14th February 2024

Blurb:

Hudson Hayes, star defenseman for the DC Stars, needs help. He’s been looking for a private chef for months but keeps coming up short. With the NHL season starting and no prospects in sight, he’s close to giving up.

Madeline Galloway needs a job. Recently let go from her executive chef position in Las Vegas, she’s desperate as can be when she reaches out to an old acquaintance about a possible job opportunity…. in Washington DC.

After hitting it off with her prospective employer, the blond hockey star who seems to have a heart of gold, she and her daughter, Lucy, make the move east.

The rules were simple: no personal relationships. No falling for the romantic guy who always made her smile, even if they are living together and spending all their free time with each other.

After a kiss on New Year’s Eve, everything changes. The lines blur. Being Hudson’s friend—and only his friend—is the last thing on her mind.

And when Hudson learns American Sign Language for her Lucy? It might be a slap shot to Madeline's heart.

Review:

Oh, Hudson, Madeline and Lucy - my heart! 

When I read the first book in the DC Stars series, Face Off, it was my first time reading a Chelsea Curto book. I instantly fell in love with Maverick and Emmy but with Curto's writing style too. So much so that I went back to read her Love Through A Lens series where, again, I fell in love with all of the characters. Her characters have a bit of a crossover throughout the books so I felt excited for the next one, Power Play and then obviously for Slap Shot.

Slap Shot follows Hudson Hayes and Madeline Galloway. Hudson is a DC Stars player looking for a personal chef who he can trust. Madeline is a chef in Las Vegas whose restaurant is being bought over and is therefore out of a job. We met Madeline briefly in a previous book where she took her daughter Lucy to a Stars game (even though she is not a fan of the sport herself!).

Madeline ends up relocating with her daughter and working for Hudson. This is a slow burn but so beautifully done. Madeline's daughter is Deaf and she has lost trust following her husband leaving them for this reason. Hudson has been in a state of sadness since the passing of his mother and having Madeline and Lucy in his life brings back his spark.

Curto really has a way of writing that hits your emotions and has you falling for these characters. Not only do I adore the romantic developments between the main characters but I love the friendships too. The girl's group who have each others backs, give advice and have a laugh but the men's friendship is so refreshing and wholesome.

This is a beautiful read and I just want to go back and re-read all of Chelsea Curto's books now while I wait for more DC Stars novels.