Until April by Aurora Rose Reynolds

They shared a simple kiss together years ago. Now, they’re about to share the BOOM. 

What’s it About? 

With happily ever after being something that happens to other people, April Mayson has decided to put all her energy into her career and living her best life, and things are better than ever.

Little does she know that her world is about to be turned upside down when she’s asked to help out a family friend, Maxim Kauwe.

Now, she’s dealing with a man unlike any she’s ever met before, her ex—a famous musician who’s decided he wants her back—and a possible serial killer.

With all the drama suddenly swirling around her, she will have to figure out if she is brave enough to trust Maxim with her heart and maybe even her life.

First Impressions

This series is all about the insta-love boom that brings our two lead characters together in a burst of sexual energy. If you’re not a huge fan of this Romancelandia trope, well…you’re gonna have to get used to it when it comes to the Mayson family. I’ll admit I oftentimes prefer a slow burn, but there’s something about this series that makes you appreciate the boom as a kind of inherited familial trait that is bound to appear when one’s true love is in the vicinity. Unfortunately, I have to say this might be the first novel in the entire series where the boom kind of fell flat for me. Things start off rather innocently enough with some flirtatious texting between these two old acquaintances who haven’t thought about each other in years. They meet for a dinner to discuss some properties that April has lined up for Maxim to view seeing as he’s moving to town. And here it is, the transformational moment when they’ll set their sights on each other! And it’s…sort of described as a slight tingle rather than the boom we’re used to. 

Things seem to be going along fine enough between them during what can best be described as an unconventional business dinner. Next thing ya know they’re going back to his hotel and ripping each other’s clothes off. Don’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with some grinding on the sofa on the first “date”, but even I remember having to rewind my audiobook by a few seconds to see if I missed any kind of natural escalation which would have logically brought us to this point. It just wasn’t there. Next thing ya know Maxim has made a copy of April’s house key for his own personal use (unbeknownst to her), and they’re essentially living with each other by day two. Their subsequent sex scenes are definitely heated and passionate, but there was something about their connection that didn’t feel as authentic to me as many of the previous relationships we’ve come across in this series. Perhaps it’s because we never really got to see them “woo” each other, or maybe it can be attributed to the fact we only get a lackluster description of the boom from April’s point of view and avoid a parallel account from Maxim in the immediate aftermath. No matter what it was, I struggled to become fully invested in their love story. 

Annoying Ex and an Unknown Killer 

The boom wasn’t the only thing that felt off with this read. As with any installment in this series, our tale of romance is always interrupted by some kind of external drama. It might be intermingled throughout the entirety of the tale, or it might be reserved for an explosive final climactic moment at the end, but it’s always there. The drama in this novel…couldn’t really decide what it wanted to be. There are two distinct dramatic features to this story. One involves April’s ex-boyfriend who has become a top-of-the-charts rock star, releasing a hit song all about how much he still longs for and wishes he could win her back. As you can imagine, Maxim isn’t too pleased with this one. The second involves an unknown killer who is leaving beautiful real estate agents stripped naked and stabbed to death in homes that are for sale. Now, if you ask me, one of these is significantly more critical than the other, and let’s just say it’s not the one with the guy who can’t take a hint and move on already. However, the oblivious ex is the story line that gets most of our attention. We see it snowball when some psychotic fans insist on taking out their anger on April for refusing to take back the crooning dreamboat. 

Throughout it all though you can’t help but think, “hey, there’s something else going on here that you all should probably be paying attention to!!” Maxim ultimately goes super alpha on April’s ex to officially mark his territory, so when that problem goes away we’re just waiting for the inevitable big moment of discovery when we reveal not only who the killer is, but what could possibly be their motive. Is it another fan of April’s ex trying to take her out? Perhaps it’s the ex himself releasing some pent-up anger. Maybe an enemy of Maxim from his former Vegas life, or someone close to April that we thought was a friend? Turns out…not even close. The killer is someone we’ve never been introduced to before, and their motive has absolutely nothing to do with our main characters in any way, shape or form. It’s literally just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and we get some disturbingly dark details in regards to the final murder. All in all, it felt like a totally unnecessary story line, especially when we consider the fact that the drama with April’s ex escalated to a pretty intense moment which could have been a final climax all its own. 

Series: Until Him/Her, book 10. For the most part, every book in this series can be read as a stand-alone. That being said, apparently this installment includes a few characters in a cross-over series, Underground Kings. I had absolutely no idea about this little detail, so I found it odd when there was obviously information being unsaid when we’re introduced to Maxim’s parents. Here I thought there was some kind of nefarious subplot going on which would potentially relate back to the murder spree, but nope! Just supposed to be a fun inclusion of more characters.  

Would I befriend the heroine? No idea. I feel like we don’t really get to know much about April, other than the fact she loves Maxim and is a real estate agent. She does adopt an adorable kitty though, so maybe I’d befriend her just so I could play with the cat. 

Would I date the hero? His uber alpha-ness would be way too intimidating in real-life, so no. 

Final Impressions: Normally I’m a sucker for this series, but I must say this tenth novel was kind of a miss for me. It’s not bad, it’s just kind of…there. I was never fully invested in the bond between Maxim and April, and I wanted more from their boom. As far as the drama, there were one too many story lines going on. The fact the killer plot point had no direct correlation to Maxim or April made it feel like it should have been the one to go. 

Smut Level: I may not have been thrilled by Maxim and April’s chemistry outside of the bedroom, but their ability to carry out a graphic sex scene was top notch. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $4.99 Kindle Price. 245 Pages. 

Steele by Sawyer Bennett

James Steels is determined to win back the love of his life, and he’ll do anything to prove that his wife and daughter mean more to him than the game. 

What’s it About? 

A second chance may be just what James Steele needs…

I might be one of the older players on the Arizona Vengeance, but I like to think that also makes me one of the wisest. Or at least I used to.
Turns out, I’ve been a bit selfish. I’ve been married to hockey and my team for years, which hasn’t left much time for my actual wife, Ella. Now I’m juggling a separation I never wanted, the pressure of being a single dad to our teenage daughter, and the career I sacrificed it all for.

While my game on the ice might be on fire, the game in my personal life is clearly lacking, as evidenced by the fact I just saw my wife on a date with another man. If I have any hope of saving the family I love, I need to re-prioritize, and fast. So it’s time for me to get back to fundamentals, just like I did when I learned how to play hockey. I’ve never backed down from a challenge, and romancing my wife is a challenge I am very much looking forward to.

Time to put on my game face, because I’m in it to win it.

First Impressions

Steele and Ella are unlike any couple we’ve come across in the Arizona Vengeance series to date, as they’ve already found their happily ever after with each other. After years of what seemed to be a blissfully happy marriage, Steele feels blindsided when his loving wife suddenly asks for a separation. After all, they get along, rarely fight, and regularly have sexy fun times together. What could possibly be the problem? We were initially introduced to James Steele in the previous book as he was just going through the motions like a zombie following the separation from Ella. It is only after she starts seeing someone else that Steele gets the kick in the pants he needs to officially make things right. He’s honored her wishes to stay away this long, and now it’s time to face the music by facing his own previous behavior in their marriage. 

The bulk of this novel is spent looking back at where things went wrong, and with that realization trying to figure out how he might win back the love of his life. It was interesting to see that a decent majority of this book is told from Steele’s point of view. While every installment in this series provides alternating points of view between the hero and heroine (and this ninth book is no exception), we’re either typically presented with a fairly even split between the two, or the female voice will often take the lead as the primary focus of the narration. With this book it was imperative that we see things mainly from Steele’s viewpoint to demonstrate that he’s not just in this to gain the upper-hand due to a bout of jealousy at seeing his wife with another man, but rather that he’s genuinely dedicated to making things right with Ella. We see him learn and grow throughout the entirety of the novel to the point where we can truly believe he’s changed for the better. 

Meeting Her Needs

Something I particularly enjoyed about this retrospective look at their marriage was the fact that neither Steele nor Ella ever acted in a way that was irredeemable, outlandish, or even truly offensive. There was no cheating here, no childish name calling or physical violence. It was just the reality of life interfering with love. We can completely sympathize with Ella’s decision to take a step back from a relationship where her emotional needs weren’t being met, just as we can understand how easy it would have been for Steele’s professional hockey career to take over every aspect of his life to the detriment of his wife and daughter’s happiness. Steele was blindsided by her request for a separation because he was blind to the fact that he wasn’t giving her the attention she deserved when he was off the ice. She understood that the very nature of his career would result in days and nights on the road, as well as missed experiences and celebrations.

The problem was during those times when he could have been home with them all as a family, but instead he chose to spend even more time with the game or his teammates. The defining feature of their separation was his inability to meet her emotional needs, not physical. Sexual chemistry was never an issue for these two. In fact, they’d enjoyed a good romp in bed in the lead-up to their separation. It would have been such an easy fallback for Steele to remind Ella of their physical connection as a way to win her over, but they can both appreciate the fact that there’s a deeper issue at play that must be rectified if their relationship is going to survive in the long-term. We essentially have to wait until the half-way point in the novel before Steele decides there’s no harm in bringing the physical element back into play as a subset of his case for why she should give him a second chance. And let’s just say she is more than happy to consider the evidence he brings forth. 

Series: Arizona Vengeance, book 9. Most of the books in the series can be read as stand-alones, though they do typically reference some of the couples and events from previous novels. In this case though, I would say it’s pretty important that you read book 8 in the series, as that is when we first see Steele decide to take action towards getting his wife back. 

Would I befriend the heroine? In looking back on this read, I can’t say we learn enough about Ella for me to make an informed decision here. I don’t really have a clear sense of her likes, dislikes, or how she enjoys spending her free time, so I’m kind of at a loss over whether or not we’d have any shared interests. 

Would I date the hero? If I were in Ella’s shoes I would definitely take him back. That being said, I’m not sure I would have fallen for this guy from the get-go. After all, he primarily eats…dare I say it? Healthy food. 

Final Impressions: As with most of the books in this series, we’re dealing with a fairly low-angst read, which makes it a great carry-on for your next beach vacation. It happens almost every time in this series where just when I start to question the fact that everything is almost going along too swimmingly for our lead characters, a wrench will be thrown into the mix to knock the socks off our couple. It’s not too hard to guess what the issue would be with this read, as Steele is ultimately faced with a choice between spending time with Ella or further elevating his hockey career. His thought process and ultimate decision, as well as Ella’s reaction, was quite interesting to see play out. Overall it’s a fine read, though a noticeable absence from the book as a whole was the sense of team camaraderie that has permeated this entire series. The members of this hockey team are like brothers, and it was kind of disappointing that we didn’t get to see them interact with and support each other more. That being said, considering the time Steele spent with the team was one of the key issues leading up to Ella’s request for a separation, it’s not too surprising that he would put them on the back-burner for the bulk of the novel. 

Smut Level: These two weren’t kidding, sex was never an issue between them. The chemistry is still there after years of marriage, as well as a short-term separation. We get a few hints at some of the more sultry sexcapades they used to get up to back in the day, and they certainly engage in some steamy fun times at this point in their lives as well. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $6.99 Kindle Price. Big Dog Books, LLC. 268 Pages.

The Billionaire’s Cinderella by Ava Ryan

As is often the case with any modern Cinderella tale, when the clock strikes midnight at the ball, the lives of our lead characters will change forever. 

What’s it About? 

She’s just a girl next door and a pastry chef. Why would a sexy billionaire ever want more than one steamy night with her?

Ryker: Marriage and relationships aren’t for me. I have no desire to revisit my failures. Now I work hard and play hard–period.

Until suddenly there she is. Sexy. Unexpected. Sweet. Unforgettable. One unprecedented night with her only whets my appetite for more.

She’s been burned before, which makes her suspicious of me. Doesn’t think she’s good enough, that I’d prefer someone more…society.

If only she knew how uninterested I am in other women since I first laid eyes on her. And I hope she never knows the things I think about when I look at her now.

Fairy tales endings are meant for children’s books. I know that. But I write my own stories…

First Impressions

This is the final installment of the Fairy Tale Billionaires series, and author Ava Ryan certainly saved the best for last! Of all the brothers we’ve come across so far, Ryker is undoubtedly the most charming and down-to-earth of the bunch. Where his two older brothers often had a surly, or in one case even a “beastly”, nature about them, Ryker has a boy-next-door quality about him that would make the heart of any reader go aflutter. He might be a billionaire, but he’s one that would feel more comfortable lounging around the house with a beer on the weekend to catch a ball game. Sure, that house is a multi-million dollar penthouse in one of the most expensive cities on the planet, but still. Charismatic and approachable is the name of the game here. That’s also the case when it comes to our leading lady, Ella. Where Ryker is the boy next door, Ella is his girl next door counterpart. She’s likable, independent, and hardworking. Unlike the previous installments which presented us with a real-life princess from a royal family, and a billionaire’s assistant turned lawyer, Ella is pastry chef who is still paying off school loans. 

I think many of us could envision grabbing a drink at happy hour with this supportive friend who is now the leading lady of her own story. And what a story it is! The fun thing about this series is that each novel is loosely inspired by a classic fairy tale, this one obviously infusing a few elements from the Cinderella story with which we’re all familiar. However, rather than being glaringly obvious in the features being “borrowed” from the original, this series succeeds in bringing a sense of subtlety to those shared moments. For example, while there’s mention of the churlish wife of her late father, this woman was never Ella’s stepmother. And of course, there has to be a fancy ball at some point in the story. While Ella might have a fascination for designer shoes, she never proceeds to lose a glass slipper which her Prince Charming must return to her. All of these brief moments of fairy tale inspiration will bring a smile to your face when you manage to recognize them, but they’ll also make you appreciate the fact that the author could bring some originality to these stories in their own right. 

More Money…More Problems

As was the case with every book in this series, we’re dealing with a case of lust at first sight. Ryker is left to his own devices after his brothers wander off in pursuit of their own lady loves for the evening, and just as he’s about to walk out the door of a bougie bar and restaurant he catches sight of a fair beauty who stops him dead in his tracks. Let the flirtations begin! What starts off as a one-time thing quickly progresses into a meaningful relationship. Ryker and Ella always seem to be at ease with each other, where comfortable silences are not unheard of, and you get the sense that these two are meant to be. And yet, throughout their fairy tale romance we see a few rumblings of confrontation which eventually escalate into an argument that threatens the future of their relationship.

This brings us to the other primary reason this final book was my favorite in the trilogy, aside from our lovable lead characters of course, which was that the surface-level concerns Ella had regarding Ryker’s billionaire status actually spoke to a deep-rooted issue from her past. As soon as Ella discovered the extent of Ryker’s wealth, her hackles immediately rose. Ella was always firm with Ryker that she refused to take any handouts or charity from him. Sure, they can go out to a fancy dinner, but she won’t let him buy her an expensive dress from Nordstrom’s on the way. He can be supportive of her ambitions to pay off her student loans and eventually expand her aunt’s pastry shop, but heaven help him if he tries to give her the money to accomplish either goal. For the most part Ryker respects her need for independence and reigns in his desire to spoil her, but every once in a while we see things get tense when his simple offer to help might be blown out of proportion. 

Daddy Issues?

We see how all of this tension stems from Ella’s complicated past with her father, who was also extremely wealthy, and provided everything for her and her mother. Even though the love between them all was strong, he was already married to another woman. Her mother had come to rely on him for everything, so when he unexpectedly passed away without leaving them anything in his will, his bitter wife was quick to throw them all out on the street. Ella vowed that she would never rely on a man for financial security ever again, so it’s understandable that she would pull away any time there was a flash of Ryker’s attempts to share his wealth with her. As the depth of their relationship grew, so too did Ella grow ever more fearful of that wealth looming in the background, to a point where their future as a couple is in jeopardy. However, what we eventually come to realize in a moment of pure vulnerability is that Ella’s fear stems from something so much deeper than mere material wealth.

It’s not that she’s afraid to become too reliant on his generosity in case he should eventually leave her…but rather that he might actually leave her. Just like her father left her and her mother. The fact her dad never thought to provide for them should anything happen, the fact he stayed married to his wife, it all demonstrated to Ella that she wasn’t deemed worthy of his love. If her own father could leave her in the dark, why would someone as perfect as Ryker ever stick around to be with her for the long haul? This moment was such a heartbreaking realization for Ella to admit to herself why she’s been holding back from fully opening her heart to Ryker all this time. If she holds herself away by just a few steps, then surely when he inevitably leaves her soul won’t be as crushed as it could have been. But also in that moment, she realizes that that’s no way to go through life, living in fear of what might happen. Better to go in with both arms opened wide rather than hold him off at arm’s length. Now she’ll just have to make a big gesture at an upcoming ball to prove she’s willing to make that leap with him.  

Series: Fairy Tale Billionaires, book 3. Every book in this series was better than the last. Personally I think you can skip book one, whose story line was a bit too over-the-top in my opinion, but be sure to pick up books 2 and 3. At the end of this final book we even get a glimpse of a spin-off series involving Ella’s half-brother that I think might just need to be added to my TBR list. 

Would I befriend the heroine? She’s a freakin’ pastry chef!! Ella and I will be the best of besties for the rest of time. 

Would I date the hero? He’s a billionaire whose idea of the perfect first date is staying at home to watch Jaws, but will happily watch Jurassic Park instead if it’s what his lady desires. Sooo…yeah, I think we’re already soul mates. 

Final Impressions: I thought this read was a blast! Ella and Ryker are so fun and flirty together, and you get the sense that their relationship is built to last. They’re also two characters that would be fun to hang out with in real life, whether it was to chill with pizza and a movie, or pop around to Ella’s pastry shop for a culinary delight. They certainly engage in a slew of sexy fun times together, but this is counterbalanced with an unexpectedly emotional deep-dive of how Ella’s complicated familial past is not only impacting her relationship with Ryker, but also how she’s choosing to live her life in general. We’re ultimately presented with the perfect blend of fun, sex and drama that any good romance should have. All in all, a great beach read!  

Smut Level: You just know what’s in store when we have a pastry chef in the house. A little ganache here, a little ganache there, a little ganache everyyyyyywhere. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. 236 Pages. 

Finally by R.L. Mathewson

Finally! We get back some of the heart, alongside the humor, which made this Neighbor From Hell series so special in the first place. 

What’s it About? 

Sometimes life doesn’t go the way that we expected. That’s what happened to Devin Bradford when he received the news that turned his life upside down seven years ago. Determined to be there for his children, Devin has put his life on hold, putting his children first even if that meant telling himself that he couldn’t have the only woman that he’d ever wanted.

After years of putting off taking the next step, Charlie was finally ready, mostly because her best friend had threatened to make her life a living hell if she didn’t. Knowing that she wouldn’t be able to pull this off unless she made some changes, Charlie somehow finds herself moving into the in-law apartment of the man that seemed to go out of his way to avoid her only to find herself wondering if she was chasing the wrong dream after all.

First Impressions

Is this twelfth installment in the Neighbor From Hell series as good as some of the first few books? No, not really. Is it a faultless book? Far from it. What this novel does have going for it though is that it breaks free from the pure reliance on quirky comedy and sexy fun times which have dominated the more recent novels of Bradford family romances. Finally will still make you chuckle aloud, and maybe even blush from some of the deliciously descriptive sex scenes, but the true strength of the story comes from the heart, soul, and strength of family which permeated some of those earlier installments. Watching Charlie and Devin fall in love was certainly entertaining, but before we even get to the romance the author sets aside a decent portion of the novel to portray how Charlie has fallen head over heels with this family of rapscallions who live next to her. There seem to be countless romances out there featuring a single-parent household where the initial primary focus is on the heated exchanges and flirtations between hero and heroine, and only after that chemistry is established do we see the children eventually incorporated to fit within that bubble. In Finally, we essentially see a reverse of that trajectory. 

After moving into Devin’s in-law apartment, Charlie becomes fully invested in and enamored of the lives of his children before any inclination of romance with Devin enters her mind. It’s charming to see how Charlie was fully accepted by these devilishly precocious twins when so many other adults would run for the hills at their crazy antics. The jealousy that Devin begrudgingly displayed over the fact that his adorable twin children receive the bulk of Charlie’s attentions and affections was hilarious, but we also see how emotionally critical that connection between Charlie and the twins becomes throughout the story. When the true nature of Devin’s feelings that he’s been harboring for over five years finally becomes known, there is never one moment where we question if Charlie is willing to be a part of all of their lives, not just that of her hunky boss. Family has always been a critical feature of this entire series, though usually we see the strength of it played out between the vast array of siblings and cousins that make the food-obsessed Bradford family what it is. It was quite beautiful to see this novel portray how the bonds of a non-traditional family that one chooses can be just as strong as those that one is born into. 

A Lack of Drama? 

This series as a whole is relatively drama free, which is refreshing when you’re looking for something you can sit back and relax with on a nice day at the beach. Nevertheless, there is typically always the presence of some kind of dramatic plot point that interferes with our lovebirds’ love connection. This installment definitely threw me for a surprise in that the semi-dramatic plot element that is set up throughout the bulk of the novel as the thing which will inevitably come between Charlie and Devin…is never really much of an issue. They refreshingly talk through the matter as adults, and come out stronger on the other side. Kind of. I mean, Devin does repeatedly turn Charlie’s hot water to freezing cold while she’s in the shower to get the truth out of her, but other than that they manage to communicate in a somewhat healthy manner to resolve their differences. It was at this point in the story where I questioned if we were going to get any kind of drama at all when BOOM!

Finally, at the very end of the book we get a highly emotional mixture of the details of Charlie’s orphaned past combined with a tearful scene involving Devin’s children, topped off with a massive argument about hidden details of Devin’s own past. I’m not crying, you’re crying!! The scenes were, for lack of a better word, phenomenal. There was so much sentiment and vulnerability jam packed into just a few short chapters, and in a way it made me lament over what this book could have been. If only those details of Charlie’s troubled past and Devin’s decisions as a new father could have been explored more fully, and spread out a bit more throughout the book as they got to know each other beyond the walls of their office, this novel really could have been a smash hit. I appreciated the humor and levity which the author obviously wanted to highlight in this book, but I think those comedic moments could have been even more poignant if they were sometimes offset with a few moments of earnestness. Saving them all for the very end of the novel almost made it challenging to catch your breath to enjoy the happily ever after which followed.

Series: Neighbor From Hell, book 12. This far along in the series, you know what to expect. There’s hilarity, copious amounts of food stealing, and enough sexy fun times to keep you coming back for more. 

Would I befriend the heroine? Charlie is weird. I am weird. I think our levels of weirdness combined would somehow throw off the balance of the universe. Her propensity for baked goods is definitely a high point to consider though. 

Would I date the hero? I’m honestly not sure. Devin is a complicated hero with a bit of a one-track mind. The love he has for his two children cannot be beat though, so that gives him a few bonus points in my book. 

Final Impressions: This was a fun read, with Devin and Charlie as an entertaining couple. That being said, the true standout feature, or features rather, of this book were Devin’s twins, Dustin and Abbi. They stole the show. From Dustin’s insistence on referring to Charlie as “his lady”, to Abbi demanding that she needed “fluffiness” in her life, these kids increased the adorability level of the book by a factor of ten. While they certainly brought the hilarity, they also infused an incredible display of tension towards the end of the book that I’ll probably be thinking back on for a few days. The author made me feel as though I was in the room with these characters as they had a breakdown when the stability of their unconventional family was questioned, and I sincerely hope we see both Dustin and Abbi get solo books of their own one day. A somewhat unwelcome feature of the last few books, and this one is no exception, is that the author will sometimes be vague in describing or setting up certain scenes, most likely in the hopes of having a big comedic reveal, but unfortunately it often results in a confusing scene with little payoff on the comedy front since we need to re-read the events to try and piece together exactly what happened. Here’s to hoping it’s a writing feature that will fade away in future books. 

Smut Level: We’re constantly wondering throughout this read what will ultimately lead Devin to reveal the true feelings he’s been hiding from Charlie all this time. The fact it is his children who mention they think their dad hates Charlie because he always growls her name whenever he takes a shower was… sheer perfection. It might take some time before Charlie and Devin can find the time to indulge in their deepest desires for each other, but when they FINALLY do it is a burst of passion that will leave them both seeing stars. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Rerum Carta Industries, Inc. 304 Pages. 

Until Talon by Aurora Rose Reynolds

It’s inevitable that every Mayson child will find their BOOM. When Talon finds his, he walks a fine line between wanting to spend every waking moment with Mia, but also not scaring her away. Are they both up for the challenge?

What’s it About? 

When Mia Allenton’s sister calls, asking her for help after finding out her husband cheated, Mia packs up her life in Montana and moves to Tennessee to be there for her and her three girls. As Mia begins to settle in, a tornado comes through, bringing along with it Talon Mayson, a man determined to prove to her that good men do exist.

Talon knows he’s got his work cut out for him when it comes to earning Mia’s trust, but slowly her walls start to crumble, and they begin to build something beautiful. Unfortunately, someone from Talon’s past isn’t happy about him being back in Tennessee, and they’re willing to do anything to prevent him from ever being happy.

Is the Boom between Talon and Mia strong enough to weather the storm that’s coming?

First Impressions

There are three primary features to any novel in the Until series. First, we’re always dealing with a case of BOOM insta-love. As someone who isn’t always a huge fan of this trope, this series somehow succeeds in presenting it in a way that intrigues me. Every Mayson experiences “the boom”. Two, alpha man. All of the men in this series love their women, and they will do anything it takes to protect them. Three, we usually see a bit of over-the-top drama which plays second fiddle to the romance of the story, but it’s present nonetheless. This is the ninth book in the Until Her/Him series, and technically the thirteenth book when you combine it with the original Until series featuring the parents of our new generation of Maysons. By this point, you know what to expect, and there are very few surprises to the overall arch of the plot. Nevertheless, Talon’s tale of romance pulled me in more than some of the recent installments, and while not as electric as the original series, I almost felt transported to the glory days of those first stories. Yes, Talon is an alpha male who knows immediately upon first glance of Mia that she represents the boom phenomena the men in this family have been warning him about for years. What I particularly loved about this story though, was that we see how Talon was just as much of a boom for Mia as she was for him.

While Talon runs towards that link pulling them together, Mia initially wants to push away from it. All her life she’s only known men who have abandoned her or her loved ones, and she’s not ready to open herself up to that kind of hurt again. And yet, the more Talon tries to spend time with her, the more she realizes he’s unlike any other man who has come before. Her life is better when he’s around, and even though her head is telling her things might be moving too fast, her heart can recognize that the difference in him is something worth holding onto. Previous men in this series have sometimes straddled the line of appropriateness in how far they’ll go to win over their boom. When it comes to Talon, he is straightforward in relaying to Mia that he wants forever with her, but he actually does a pretty good job of letting her move their relationship along at her own pace. I think it hearkens back to the fact that Talon was also Mia’s boom, and he could see that simultaneous realization within her, even if she tried to suppress it afterwards. By allowing her to set the pace of their relationship, which was admittedly fast (though perhaps not fast enough for him), he was confident that they would ultimately end up together. Only by pushing her to move quicker could he inevitably push her away. The fact he was able to take a step back to support her as they explored this new relationship highlighted a level of restraint not common for Mayson men!  

A Sprinkle of Drama

As with any Until novel, there is always a side-story weaving in and out of the background which our main characters will have to interact with whenever they manage to put some clothes on and make their way outside of the bedroom. Surprisingly, the secondary story in this novel managed to push its way through the romance of Talon and Mia from time to time to capture our primary attention. This story involved Mia’s sister, Cece, who is trying to find her footing with her three daughters following an unexpected split from her cheating husband. As if the complicated family dynamics weren’t intriguing enough, there’s a hidden sprouting romance between Cece and her boss which also comes into the picture. This entire side-story was fascinating, and I’m not gonna lie there were times when I was hoping that Mia and Talon would just go off and snuggle for a few days so we could see more of Cece standing up to her douche of an ex, putting the happiness of their children first, and figuring out what the heck was really going on with her hunk of a boss. 

This is also where we see a sprinkle of drama come into play, and while some other readers will claim that the dramatic climax was over-the-top, I must say it felt pretty tame in comparison to some of the stuff we’ve seen presented in previous novels. Although certain aspects of Cece’s story find a resolution, things are far from being tied up all neat and pretty with a big red bow by the end of the novel. It leaves you craving a follow-up where Cece can finally find the happily ever after she and her daughters deserve. Considering how open-ended things were left at the conclusion of this book, it seems like the most logical next step to have Cece as the lead of her own story. And yet…I can’t help but wonder if we’ll ever see that come to fruition. After all, she’s not a Mayson, and the boss she’s fallen for isn’t a Mayson either, so it would be unheard of to have an Until romance featuring two non-Maysons as the lead characters. I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed that we’ll get a novella somewhere along the way, or hear tell of Cece and her boss in the background of a future book. 

Series: Until Him/Her, book 9. I love that you know what you’re getting when you pick up any book in this series, and each one is an ideal beach read. Technically you can probably understand the flow of this story as a stand-alone, but it’s still fun to read in order so you can see the Mayson family continue to grow from one book to the next. 

Would I befriend the heroine? Maybe. I have a feeling most of her time would be spent with her sister and nieces, as well as with Talon. Nothing wrong with that at all, but something tells me I would be too exhausting of a friend for her. 

Would I date the hero? The fact he chose to foster a cat and her 5 kittens makes me desperate to say yes. However, the alpha side to his personality would probably intimidate me.  

Final Impressions: The earlier books might be better, but I felt this installment did a good job of breaking through the monotony of some of the more recent reads. Talon is probably one of the less intimidating of Mayson men we’ve come across, and Mia is as selfless as they come. As a couple they were meant for each other. I do wish we had seen more of a resolution to Cece’s story, and the drama of the story was on the lighter side. We’d get a brief mention here and there of intrigue, and then everything came together in a quick description of events which took place “off the page”. We don’t really see it play out firsthand, but rather the details are relayed to us after the fact. Spreading the drama out more fully across the entirety of the book would have been an exciting ride. 

Smut Level: We’ve got steam here folks. After running out of condoms following their first sexploration, Talon quickly stocks up on about 8 boxes of them. And seriously, we see them go through a decent number of that stock-pile.  

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $4.99 Kindle Price. 243 Pages. 

Claiming the Cowboy for Christmas by Kadie Scott

From best friends to bitter acquaintances, a fake relationship to lovers, this holiday romance will make Ashley and Jennings question everything they ever thought they knew about each other. 

What’s it About? 

Her thermostat was set to frosty, until her Christmas cowboy cranks up the heat.

Ashley Hughes would love to cancel Christmas this year. Instead of holiday plans, she’s back in her Texas hometown planning her twin sister’s wedding — to her ex! Nothing like small town speculation to make her life cheery and bright. No one believes that she’s over the groom, until a certain cowboy secret crush steps in to be her plus one. Ashley’s tried to friend zone Jennings since high school, because she’s always known kissing the casual charmer would lead to a love she’d never forget.

Jennings Hill would be the first to admit that his feelings for his ex-best friend are more likely to land him on the naughty list. When he sees Ashley again, he only wants to help but then a rumor links them romantically and that’s when their lives get complicated.

The more time they spend together, the more Jennings worries she’s not over her ex, but Ashley starts wishing Jennings was her present wrapped under the Christmas tree.

First Impressions

Confession time: I absolutely adore a fake relationship romance. Give me one set during the Christmas season between two enemies who used to be friends, and you can consider me smitten like a kitten attacking a tinsel-covered tree. The best part of any fake relationship story is discovering the impetus that pushes our two potential lovebirds towards the drastic decision of formulating a sham romance. Granted, sometimes the reasons can be rather audacious, such as wanting to make an ex-lover green with envy, or trying to convince family members that the single life isn’t as sad and pathetic as they mistakenly assume it to be. The reasoning behind Ashley’s request that her former best friend pretend to be her boyfriend for a few weeks proved to be one of my favorite rationalizations for this ever-popular trope. Part of it does involve getting some overly intrusive townsfolk to stop prying into her personal life, while another small part deals with convincing her family she’s perfectly happy, but we come to realize that her primary motivation is borne of selfless sisterly love. Seeing as my own sister is my best friend, it was a sentiment I could get behind. 

Ashley’s twin sister, Taylor is preparing to get married this Christmas, and to none other than Ashley’s ex-boyfriend, Eric. There was never any infidelity involved, and Ashley has given them her blessing many times over the last two years. While they’re moving ahead with the wedding, it’s obvious that everyone is walking on eggshells upon Ashley’s return to town, especially considering she’s the maid of honor. Her sister especially doesn’t want to make it seem as though she’s heartlessly flaunting their love in Ashley’s face, and is constantly questioning if Ashley’s really ok with all of this. While the entire town looks upon her with pity, the constant look of anxiety upon her twin’s face is almost more than she can bear. The sole moment where Ashley gets a glimpse of relief from Taylor is when she mistakenly assumes that Ashley and Jennings have hooked up after a drunken night of revelry. This is when Ashley realizes that perhaps the only way Taylor will be able to fully enjoy her wedding is if she thinks Ashley has fallen for someone else. The point of the fake relationship is never about making Taylor realize Ashley isn’t still in love with her ex, or trying to prove to her ex that she’s better off without him. For Ashley, it’s all about trying to ensure that her sister can celebrate the love she feels for her fiancé, soon-to-be-husband, on their wedding day. Now, whether or not Jennings believes that is a whole other kind of foggy mess that even Rudolph would struggle to navigate. 

Love is Patient…or is it? 

Jennings has been in love with Ashley for as long as he can remember. They were the best of friends throughout middle and high school, and just when he was about to make his feelings known, good ole Eric came into the picture. That’s when everything started to fall apart. A friendship soon turned into a rivalry, and eventually into a nothing. When Ashley and Eric eventually split after years of dating with no proposal, and Ashley realized that perhaps the true connection lay between him and her twin, she ran off to Dallas to allow them the space needed to fully explore their newfound relationship. Now that the wedding is fast approaching, Ashley is back in town, and Jennings thinks this might just be the right time to get their relationship back on track. When she proposes a fake relationship in exchange for helping out his family’s ranch with some accounting woes, he knows this is the perfect opportunity to show her just how perfect their life together could be. Cue the start of blurring the line between what’s fake and what’s real. 

Ashley and Jennings were a pure delight from page one. As if their flirtatious teasing wasn’t enough, the number of times they both tried to hide the twitch of a smirk from the other was sweeter than a bale full of sugar plums. Jennings isn’t afraid to put on a show through cheek pecks, neck nibbling, and full on make-out indulgence. He might even climb through her childhood bedroom window at one point in an act of desperation. It doesn’t take long before Ashley starts to crave everything he’s willing to dish out, and they soon go for a tumble in the sheets. She’s really starting to picture what her life would be like sharing a house and home with the best friend she used to know. However, before long their checkered past weasels its way back in, and in spite of Ashley’s constant declarations to the contrary, Jennings becomes convinced that she still holds a flame for her ex. When the harsh memories of the past turn into a bitter argument in their present, we can’t help but question what might be in store for their future together. 

Perhaps the most masterful part of this entire book was in the aftermath of this newfound quarrel between Jennings and Ashley. Jennings declares that it’s over between them, but Ashley tries her hardest to plead with him to see the truth in that she cares for him and only him. When Jennings decides to hold up his end of the bargain by still accompanying Ashley to her sister’s wedding as a fake date, it’s heartbreaking to see the change in Ashley’s demeanor as she assumes her words finally broke through to Jennings, and all is right between them again. The displays and words of affection he’s putting on for the benefit of her family and friends have Ashley caught up in the charade just alongside them. And yet, it’s once again through this farce, as well as a big gesture from Ashley, that Jennings starts to acknowledge that this pull between them isn’t make believe. Maybe there’s still time for a Christmas miracle that can make these two find their happily every after. 

Series: The Hills of Texas, book 4. Although this book references a few characters and events from previous books, it’s not required that you read the previous installments before getting to this one. 

Would I befriend the heroine? Absolutely! Ashley is an admirable female lead who obviously puts the love for her family above herself. Throughout the course of the novel she learns to stand up for herself and what she wants. The girl can also be a bit of a sloppy drunk, so I think we could share a drink or two. 

Would I date the hero? He’s a bit moody at times, and can be quick to make unfounded assumptions. In moments of frustration he also defaults to criticism, which is quite a turnoff. That being said, we do see some growth in his communication skills by the end of the novel, and this man is willing to decorate a Christmas tree unprompted. 

Final Impressions: Coming back to the Hill family romances is like coming home for the holidays. Or…maybe more like spending them with a slightly deranged distant cousin. In any case! You are bound to be entertained. This read in particular was jammed full of some of my favorite Romancelandia tropes, from friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, a fake relationship, and there might even be a bit of mistletoe sprinkled in there somewhere. Yes, it was slightly icky to think of the fact that after such a lengthy relationship with Ashley, her ex could then move on to a relationship and marriage with her twin sister. That being said, the constantly evolving dynamic between Ashley, her ex, her sister and Jennings was truly entertaining. There was one section towards the 3/4 mark of the book where things dragged for a little bit when Ashley and Jennings were once again on the outs. However, on the whole their love story filled me with all the warm and fuzzies, and you’ll probably want to cozy up with a cup of hot cocoa and holiday cookies before diving into this cowboy romance. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. Tule Publishing. 288 Pages. 

How Snowball Stole Christmas by Kristen McKanagh

Grab yourself a cup of hot cocoa and snuggle up in front of the fireplace so you can be whisked away to this magical holiday wonderland.

What’s it About? 

It’s Christmas time at the Weber Haus mountainside inn, where the official greeter, watcher, and matchmaker of the hotel’s resident humans is an adorably mischievous bundle of feline fluff named Snowball. Snowball takes her job very seriously –even if it means being a little more naughty than nice –and she’s ready to celebrate her third holiday season by making the purrrrfect match.

Most cats have nine lives, but Snowball is one of the very few with two jobs. Officially, she’s the Weber Haus inn’s greeter. Unofficially, she’s the town matchmaker. Her track record is the cat’s pajamas—until she meets her owner’s grinchy brother, Peter Diemer. Peter hopes to move the family bookstore to a busy location downtown—but someone else has outbid him for the last storefront.

Christmas is the ideal season for Lara Wolfe to fulfill her dream of expanding her home business into a real shop. Too bad someone is posting negative comments on the town forum. What kind of Grinch objects to a toy store?

Snowball is sure these two are a perfect match. They already have so much in common—books are a kind of toy, right? Now all they need to add to the mix is love, and Snowball has just the shenanigans up her furry sleeve to deliver a sweet romance in time to make the season merry and bright . . .

First Impressions

It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, as soon as you pick up a book in this beloved Snowball series, you will immediately be transported to all of the holiday comforts that Weber Haus has to offer. Not only will you become enamored with the characters this author artistically brings to life on the page, but you’ll also fall in love with the warmth that these reads evoke and envelop around you. Of all the books in this series so far, it’s fair to say this was my favorite couple of the bunch. Quite a few familiar faces (both human and of the furry variety) from the previous novels will make an appearance throughout, but Lara and Peter bring their own special personalities into the fray.

This novel opens with our two leading characters at odds with one another, but they don’t even realize it yet. Unaware enemies-to-lovers? Yes please! Peter has taken to crafting some rather negative comments on the town forum against the new owner of one of the most coveted shop locations in the area. Lara visited the town of Braunfels a few years before during a particularly melancholy Christmas, and she just knew it would be the idyllic place to open her toy store. Little did she know she would outbid a local man who was hoping to move his family’s bookshop to the prime location of little shops on the outskirts of Weber Haus. When Peter first meets this bubbly woman who “stole” the spot from him, he has every intention of staying as far away from her as possible. But a growing sense of guilt over his hurtful writing towards this caring and hardworking woman, not to mention a precocious matchmaking feline, will soon turn his entire world upside down.

The Lovable Grinch

It takes a few chapters for this book to find its feet, or paws for that matter, but once it does you’ll want to stay in this picturesque town bursting with lovable characters for as long as possible. Similar to the previous installments of this series, this book is fairly low drama from start to almost finish, but Peter and Lara have found each other after experiencing some rather life-changing moments which ultimately impact their unexpected newfound relationship. Upon first meeting, Peter is simply the surly Grinch living next door. It’s not that he’s your typical bah-humbug character who hates all things Christmas, but rather his sour mood is a result of a horrific accident months before which left him in a coma with massive brain trauma. He might be physically recovered on the outside, but his brain is still healing in a way where Peter’s personality isn’t quite what it used to be. He’s more prone to short-tempered outbursts and frustrations which have left even his closest family members wanting to keep their distance.

And yet, delightfully, none of this seems to phase Lara in the slightest. I kept expecting there to be a moment where Peter’s gruffness would prove too much for the outgoing toymaker, but she takes all of his minor moments of sourpuss attitude in stride. The fact Lara doesn’t know any of the details of his accident for the bulk of the book, and that she always tries her hardest to bring a smile and laugh to this Grinch of a man, demonstrates just how special a character she is in trying to find the good in everyone. Peter realizes that his accident changed him, but he also realizes that this at-times frustrating yet intriguing woman is bringing out more of the man he used to be. She heals him, she makes him better, and he can’t help but fall for her. Unfortunately, he knows it’s just a matter of time before the secret of his hurtful writing is revealed.

The Toymaker

Lara might be new to town, but she’s determined to make her toy shop a success. She’s overcome numerous obstacles to make this dream a reality, including a backstabbing boyfriend who maxed out her credit cards, an opinionated brother who seems convinced she’ll fail, and the death of her beloved grandmother who always had faith in her. As if moving to a new town and opening her store weren’t stressful enough, an anonymous local is also wishing for her downfall by spewing doubts on the town forum. When Lara’s brother insists that she look after his son over the holidays to deal with a family emergency, she’s almost convinced that the universe has it out for her. However, she refuses to let any of these hurdles stand in her way. She’ll do whatever it takes to make her shop a success, even if it takes up all her energy, and even if it means asking her Grinchy neighbor for a favor or two. Throughout the read the author does a phenomenal job of showing the constant tug-of-war happening between Lara and Peter. When Peter realizes his beautiful neighbor is the shop owner who outbid him, he tries his best to stay away, but soon decides to make it up to her by helping out with one favor during a busy moment in her toy shop. Let’s just say it involved a Santa costume.

Thinking that he was acting out of selfless kindness, Lara insists on repaying the favor, and what follows is an endless back-and-forth of both characters trying to help the other. These benevolent acts bring them closer together in a way neither expected, and those feelings of neighborly kindness naturally evolve into something deeper. Peter’s sense of protectiveness towards Lara also grows, especially when he sees how the hard work she puts into her business and loving care for her nephew is leaving her exhausted at the end of every day. He tries to help even more, and starts to voice his concerns that she’s doing too much, which of course results in her questioning his actions. Why won’t he let her fight her own battles? Is Peter just like her brother in thinking she’s bound to fail? Will he hurt her like her ex did? It was evident pretty much from the get-go that no matter how much holiday magic or meddling from a fuzzy fur ball might bring these two together, the reveal that Peter was the one behind the online vitriol would ultimately be the thing to push them apart. We were all hoping it wouldn’t happen, but it was surprisingly the most logical progression that upon discovering Peter was initially behind those hurtful comments about her business, Lara would need to take a step back to consider if she’s willing to give her heart over fully to this man. Luckily for us, not to mention Peter and Lara, one very determined and darling little fluffy wuffy kitty will do anything necessary to bring them back together again for a holiday happily ever after.

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: Snowball, book 3. This is one of those series I will be happy to return to again and again. It’s also fun to see Snowball grow up from season to season, and I’m loving the implication that one day she might even find a little romance of her own.

Final Impressions: This read is a delightful bundle of heartwarming comfort. From the characters to the setting, you’re quickly enveloped in all of the warmth this small town has to offer. When the story was forming its initial foundation there were some descriptive scenes which felt a bit repetitive in nature, but it didn’t take long to become fully invested in finding out whether Peter and Lara would find their HEA. One aspect of Peter’s character which I wish had been explored more fully was the nature of his accident, and the hardships involved with adopting a new personality that he knows isn’t completely his own. Instead we see the moments of connection between Peter and Lara were grounded in discussion of how their jobs did or didn’t bring them happiness, which was definitely entertaining in its own right. I also appreciated how the author highlighted the growing pains involved with any new relationship. The constant balancing act between Peter wanting to protect Lara from exhaustion or pain, while also giving her the freedom and space to stand up for herself when fighting her own battles. It was interesting to see them find the path that worked for them.

Smut Level: A few passion-filled kisses here and there, but no hanky panky.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $9.99 Kindle Price. Kensington Publisher. 272 Pages. 

Wylde by Sawyer Bennett

Will the playboy of the Arizona Vengeance succeed in setting aside his wild ways in order to woo the one woman who managed to stop him dead in his tracks?

What’s it About? 

There’s a reason they call me Wylde and it’s not just because it’s my last name.

I might be one of the newest players on the Arizona Vengeance team, but I’m no stranger to the celebrity that goes along with being a professional hockey player. Whether it’s a fan seeking an autograph or a puck bunny looking for more, I’ve grown used to the attention. I not only thrive on it; I use it to my advantage. Let’s just say my bed is rarely empty.

When a quirky redhead at the local bookstore stops me dead in my tracks, I decide to pop in and turn on the trusty Wylde magic. As smart and strong-willed as she is beautiful, Clarke Webber isn’t swayed by my witty banter or charming good looks. And when she realizes who I am and the fame that comes along with it, she likes me even less. Thankfully, I’m always up for a challenge. The more I get to know about her, the more I know my playboy days are behind me.

If I’m going to capture Clarke’s heart, it’s time to be a lot less Wylde, and a lot more Aaron.

Quick Review

I have been a huge fan of this series so far, and unfortunately I would say this is the first book that has sort of missed the mark for me. That’s not say it was a bad read, but rather it was just kind of…meh. I listened to this as an audiobook on a recent business trip, and after listening to it during a fairly long drive one day I remember thinking, “Goodness gracious when will this book finally get going?” Imagine my surprise when I realized during a pit stop that I was already 50% of the way through the read! This seventh book follows one of the newest players of the Arizona Vengeance hockey team, Aaron Wylde. His last name isn’t seen as a misnomer, as apparently he is one of the biggest playboys of the team. Here’s the problem though. Considering his new status, we’ve never really had the chance to get to know him at any point in the series before now. While we often see numerous characters reappear throughout the series, Wylde has never been a major player up until this point, so we really have nothing to go on in terms of his supposedly infamous playboy status. This made his eventual aha moment at wanting to become a one woman man upon meeting Clarke all the more…well…uneventful. His willingness to commit to Clarke didn’t seem all that transformational of a moment, because while we’ve been introduced to his flirtatious prowess upon meeting her, we’ve never had a reason to doubt his ability to be solely devoted to one woman. 

As for Clarke, I was thrilled with her initial introduction as a book smart, fairly normal woman who was more shocked by the attention that Wylde lavished upon her rather than flattered. Who was this drop-dead gorgeous man who could lay on the one-liner quips like it was an art-form, quoted the classics like Pride and Prejudice just as well she could, and wouldn’t leave her alone? Once we were introduced to her backstory though, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her previous disastrous appearance on a celebrity dating show that made her wary of fame forevermore. The series has done a wonderful job so far of grounding us to the romance developing between these hockey players and their lady loves, but this point of conflict between Aaron and Clarke seemed over-the-top silly and unnecessary. I even remember at one point towards the end of the novel when Clarke confessed to Aaron that she overreacted to a social media moment which made her turn her back on their relationship I exclaimed aloud in my rental car, “Yeah, you really did!” I won’t spoil the reveal, but let’s just say it wasn’t a very well-developed plot point, and instead felt like a desperate attempt to think of something that would throw a bump in the road for our lovebirds on a journey that had been nothing but pretty smooth-sailing since the beginning. I probably would have even preferred a completely drama-free ending compared to what we were presented with. 

Series: Arizona Vengeance, book 7. This may not have been my favorite addition to the series, but it hasn’t put me off completely from continuing on to see what might happen next!

Final Impressions: In a way, I almost feel like the author had an ulterior motive in telling this story, and it wasn’t to relay the romance between Wylde and Clarke. Instead, the primary goal was seemingly to present us with a wedding smorgasbord of previous characters. Wylde uses the weddings of his teammates as the basis for a bet to get Clarke to go out with him on more than one occasion. Rather than try to build Wylde and Clarke as the common thread linking together all these various wedding celebrations, I think I would have just preferred a stand-alone novella, where each chapter presented us with the behind-the-scenes fun and wedding romance for one of the couples from a previous installment of the series. I felt so much more of a connection to those couples than I did to our two new leading characters, and it made me reminisce on the stories of those characters who have come to feel like old friends. 

Smut Level: Clarke is initially intimated by how much more sexual experience Wylde has compared to her, but it doesn’t take long before she acknowledges the numerous benefits (and orgasms) which can result from his expertise. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $6.99 Kindle Price. Big Dog Books, LLC. 328 Pages. 

Until December by Aurora Rose Reynolds

Gareth Black is the package deal. He’s caring, has a smokin’ body, two sons, and an ex with a nasty temper. December has to decide if she’s going to run from it all, or jump in with her whole heart. 

What’s it About? 

Gareth Black is drawn to December Mayson the moment he spots her across the room at her cousin’s wedding. When he approaches the beautiful woman, she captivates him with her shyness and wit, making him crave her.

With a pull so strong it’s impossible to ignore, December knows there’s something between her and Gareth. She just hopes they’re capable of jumping the hurdles ahead of them.

Two boys, an ex, a surprise that will change everything, and a disgruntled co-worker, guarantee these two will have their work cut out for them if they are going to find their happily ever after.

Quick Review

Of all the books in this series so far, this might be the most angst-less of the bunch. If you’re looking for a break from all the drama and kidnappings the Mayson family has presented us with throughout the years, then this just might be the lighter read you’ve been waiting for. Gareth and December catch eyes at each other across the room at a wedding, and while we’re all familiar with the BOOM that draws any member of the Mayson clan to the love of their life, I would say we’re privy to more of a sizzle than the resounding shockwave we’re used to by now. And that’s how I would probably categorize this read as a whole, it’s more of a low simmer from start to finish rather than having any huge bouts of conflict that threaten to tear our lovebirds apart. There is one minor miscommunication that throws a bump to them getting out of the gate at the start when December believes her sister April saw Gareth first, and her “dibs” means he’s off limits. Once that matter is cleared up though, it doesn’t take long at all before this soft-spoken first-grade teacher is going home with her sexy tattoo artist/mechanic, and they don’t encounter any other major foibles along the way.

While every book in this series (and the corresponding Until series) have focused on a lead couple, the developing romance between December and Gareth plays second fiddle to the frontrunning storyline in this read, which highlights the evolving dynamics of a single parent and his children bringing a potential new partner into their bubble. This was the true heart of the story. December slowly starts to mesh into their world, and considering his boys have only known their birth-mother Beth to come and go at every turn, December represents a loving and supportive constant that they need. This is one area of the read where we see some natural complications arise, as Gareth’s mother must also acclimate to another woman coming onto the scene to share the love and attention of her grandsons, while the interactions with Beth are far more hostile in nature. Again, none of this threatens to scare December off, and we not only see her stand up to Beth to claim a place in the boys’ lives, but they too confront their mother about how important December is to them and their father. It’s a beautiful story of building a family, and I would say it rightfully overshadows the romance between our two lead characters. 

Series: Until Him/Her, book 8. Bring on the next one please!

Final Impressions: This book has a lot of emotional heart to it, but rather than being affiliated with the love story of December and Gareth, it instead is linked with the love story evolving as a family. We see what can only be described as a natural progression of this single parent family accepting an outsider into their midst, and while they start out on shaky legs of quiet acceptance, they all start to demonstrate through their actions and words how important they’ve all come to be in each other’s lives. Even the presence of Beth provided us with a window into the complexities of an absentee parent household, and the sad transition which comes upon the children realizing that while a part of them will always love their mother, she doesn’t represent the emotional foothold they need in their lives. The development of this family-building storyline was dang near perfect. The only element that I didn’t feel was necessary was the drama surrounding a disgruntled co-worker at December’s school. It certainly deals with an important issue in society, but it was a potentially triggering plot point that didn’t really evolve the story of December and Gareth’s family in any meaningful way that wasn’t already touched upon by other events. 

Smut Level: From working two jobs as a tattoo artist and mechanic, to dealing with rambunctious first-graders all day long, Gareth and December certainly have their work cut out for them. But rest assured, as soon as they get some alone time from his boys, they have all the energy in the world to rock it all night long. Multiple times. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $4.99 Kindle Price. 247 Pages. 

Wild Hunger by Suzanne Wright

They haven’t seen each other since they were children, but one look as adults is all it takes for Trick to realize that Frankie is his destined mate.

What’s it About? 

When half–wolf shifter Frankie Newman receives an e-mail from a family member she didn’t know existed, a secret is revealed: as a child, Frankie witnessed her father killing her mother…and then himself. Frankie was torn from her pack by her mother’s human relatives, and the trauma was erased from her memory. Realizing that she’s been lied to her entire life, she’s never felt more alone. Until she catches the scent of an old friend—warmly familiar and intoxicating.

Trick Hardy, enforcer of the Phoenix Pack, can sense the rush of mutual attraction when he sees Frankie again. He knows immediately that she’s his true mate. But he also knows that, given her fragile state, he needs to tread with care—no matter how fierce his surging desires.

As aroused as Frankie is by Trick’s darkly dominant air and simmering desire, her priority right now is her past—not her future, no matter how tempting. But as more secrets emerge and Frankie’s life is threatened, Trick must do everything he can to keep her close and safe. After all, it’s their destiny.

First Impressions

We’ve been introduced to a slew of different couples throughout this series so far, and while each has traversed their own unique path to discovering that they are destined mates, one shared component is that it usually takes a decent portion of the book before our lead characters uncover the mating link drawing them together. Whether it be because they’re too busy fighting off a common enemy, one of them insists true mates aren’t real, or perhaps one mistakenly thought they’d already found and lost their mate years before, there’s something which has caused our characters to put up a mental block against recognizing the person they’ve come to desire is meant to be theirs for the rest of time. A refreshing element which sets this seventh book apart from any of the installments which have come before is the fact that Trick identifies Frankie as his true mate almost immediately upon first setting his sights on her after many years apart. As for Frankie, her realization of their fantastical connection is just a few short weeks behind Trick’s.

Neither of them tries to deny the truth from themselves or each other. The only thing preventing them from taking that final step to cement the link is that Trick acknowledges Frankie is already dealing with enough in her personal life, from finding out her grandparents lied about how her parents perished when she was just a young girl, to the fact they also hid the fact she has loving wolf family members out there who would want nothing more than to bring her into the fold of their pack. Trick has been hoping for years that he would find his destined mate, yet when she’s finally standing right in front of him he realizes she needs time to heal and reconnect with family first. Finalizing their connection can wait, and he thinks it will be a good idea for them to spend time getting to know each other first before taking that big step. Considering all we know about how strong that mating pull can be, it’s probably one of the more beautiful expressions of caring we’ve seen so far in this series. 

Sexuality

Another interesting aspect of our couple’s relationship was the history of Trick’s sexuality. We’ve seen in previous novels that Trick has been sexually involved with men, at one point even with one of his fellow packmates. It’s something that Trick reveals to Frankie fairly early on after they start having a physical relationship, primarily so that she won’t be blindsided should any troublesome characters try to use it as a way to push a wedge between these two destined mates. Frankie isn’t bothered by his admission, but she does experience a brief moment of hesitation wondering if there will ever come a time when he might desire something physically that she won’t be able to give him. He squashes any of her concerns by insisting that she’s the one he’s been waiting for all this time, and there wasn’t a romantic component to any of his previous partners, whether they were men or women.

I do wish we could have gone a bit deeper into discussing Trick’s sexuality beyond just describing his previous interactions with men as “scratching an itch”. It seemed like a bit of a missed opportunity to finally highlight a non-heterosexual male lead in more detail within this series. In terms of his exes, you also can’t help but wonder if the mere presence of Trick causes others to lose their minds with obsessive infatuation. Whether it was a woman from his past who repeatedly insisted that he was her destined mate, to a former male sexual partner who asserts that Trick is actually gay and therefore it’s impossible Frankie could be his true mate as a female. Frankie never doubts that Trick will be true to her, and it was nice to see there wasn’t a single moment where she questioned if he might leave her for someone else, but if I were Frankie I might be concerned over how many other unstable exes might be making their way out of the woodwork!

Drama on Two Fronts

As with most books in this series, our couple is faced with dramatic elements emanating from two separate fronts. One impacts the pack as a whole, where a rival wolf and his ragtag pack insist on claiming Phoenix pack territory. They approach the Phoenixes under the guise of wanting to form an alliance, but they can all recognize a scheming enemy when they see one. The villainous Morelli lurks in the background through most of the novel, but will pop up every now and again before instigating a final climactic battle at the most inopportune of moments. The fight with this rival pack is just a smaller piece of the larger war that Morelli is trying to start between wolves and humans, as extremists on both sides are shockingly coming together in the hopes of bringing down all of their enemies so they can finally rule over whoever is left standing. As we progress through the series we’ve seen these extremists become more daring in their efforts, and we can’t help but wonder if the final installment will finally bring about this aforementioned war, or crush it down once and for all. 

The more emotional dramatic plot point of this novel involves Frankie’s parents who died when she was just three years old, and the story that all have come to believe of their deaths is that Frankie’s father brutally murdered her mother before dying by suicide. Frankie’s grandparents kept these gruesome details from her, and upon learning the truth from some of her other long lost family members, we see her embark on a tragically compelling journey of confronting the details of this unfortunate tragedy. While this emotional exploration was certainly fascinating, especially as we see how uber alpha Trick can soften his surly demeanor to comfort Frankie when it matters most, this story was rather disappointing in the plot twist it tries to surprise upon us towards the end of the book. Not only is it crystal clear to us as readers that something else must have happened the night these untimely deaths occurred, but it’s kind of shocking that it wasn’t obvious to the rest of the pack back when it first happened. They can all acknowledge that it was unbelievably out of character for Frankie’s father to cause harm to his wife, but it’s also essentially unheard of for a wolf to harm their true mate. So…why would they have readily accepted this inexplicable explanation? The fact they never questioned that someone else could have been involved is quite ridiculous. Also, these are wolf shifters we’re dealing with here! How did none of them smell the remnants of another person in the house that night?! Simply preposterous!!

Series: The Phoenix Pack, book 7. We only have just one more packmate to explore next in what will be the final book of this series. And Dominic just so happens to be the most flirtatious wolf of the pack. Can’t wait to see what’s in store!

Final Impressions: This was an exciting addition to the series. In glancing through some of the other reviews of this novel, it appears a common criticism amongst some readers is that the author continues to follow a clear formula for each installment where you always know what to expect. Honestly, fair assessment! Alpha male meets sassy female, physical desire and multiple horizontal mambo sessions ensue, drama threatens, they ultimately discover and cement the mating bond, final climactic battle, sexy fun times. And you know what, I love it! There might be a formula, but I’ve never felt as though we see the same couple, or even story, on repeat each time. We see so many unique personalities, and everyone has their own history which sets them apart from those who may have come before. If anything, I find that formula comforting rather than boring. I know what I’m getting into, that it’s going to be an entertaining and sexually-filled ride, and each character will bring something new to the table.

Smut Level: How these two didn’t pass out from exhaustion considering all the delicious deeds they got up to in a hot tub is mind-blowing. Also, as with almost every other book in this series so far, we do get some description of anal sex. Something to keep in mind for those of you who are or aren’t fans of that act!

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $4.99 Kindle Price. Montlake Romance. 322 Pages.