Awkwardly Ever After by Lindsay Maple

Title: Awkwardly Ever After
Author: Lindsay Maple
Genre: Romantic comedy
Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

I came for the witchy premise and stayed for the laughs. This was a charming rom-com that reminded me not everything in life needs a magical explanation.

The Vibe:

Romcom, friends to lovers, self discovery, lgbt

My Review:

Awkwardly Ever After immediately gave me The Craft vibes.

The story opens with a group of girls at a sleepover, trying out a spell for what feels like harmless fun. Fast forward years later, and one of them may still be paying the price for it.

Aubrey has been on what feels like a million first dates, and somehow every single one ends in complete disaster. After another failed attempt at finding love, she ends up confiding in Lex, the sister of one of her dates, convinced she's been cursed ever since that night years ago.

Lex, however, isn't buying it.

Determined to prove there's no such thing as a curse, Lex begins tagging along on Aubrey's dates. What follows is one hilarious disaster after another. I genuinely felt for Aubrey because no one should have that much bad luck... and I'll admit, there were moments where even I started wondering if maybe the curse was real.

What I loved most is that this story isn't really about whether a curse exists. It's about the stories we tell ourselves, the beliefs we hold onto, and how those beliefs can shape the way we see our lives.

By the end, I was left with my own interpretation of what had really been happening all along, and I love that the author leaves just enough room for readers to come to their own conclusions.

Overall, this was a funny, charming rom-com that had me laughing from beginning to end while still delivering a surprisingly heartfelt message underneath all the chaos.

4.5⭐️

Thank you, Harlequin Audio, NetGalley, & Lindsay Maple for providing this alc in exchange for my honest review




Synopsis:

You know what they say about hex appeal…

Aubrey is cursed. Literally. One spell gone awry in high school landed her with the most embarrassing love life ever, and now any time Aubrey is in a romantic situation everything ends up being terribly awkward. Sometimes the dates go so badly her would-be partners end up in the emergency room with... intimate injuries.

Aubrey had accepted her lonely lot in life until she meets skeptical data analyst Lex. The unlikely friends team up on a series of data-collecting dates to figure out what makes the curse tick, and what they can do to stop it… but what if that means facing the most awkward situation possible?

To break the curse, Aubrey is forced into her toughest decision date the safe, data-proven perfect candidate, or follow her heart into the unknown with the growing feelings she has for the one person she never imagined being with.

Will she ever get a shot at true love, or is she cursed beyond curing?

Blood Rising by Markus Redmond | The weight of freedom

Title: Blood Rising
Author: Markus Redmond
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5 ⭐
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

Some stories ask what it means to fight for freedom. Blood Rising asks the even harder question: what happens after you've won? This sequel challenged me in ways I wasn't expecting.

The Vibe:

Historical Fiction, Paranormal elements, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror 


My Review:

Blood Slaves was about fighting for freedom… Blood Rising is about what comes after.

I've always believed it's one thing to overthrow the people who've oppressed you. It's another thing entirely to build something better in its place. That's exactly what this story explores.

Kwadzo is no longer just fighting to survive... he's carrying the weight of an entire people on his shoulders. He wrestles with leadership, responsibility, and the kind of man he aims to become.

Freedom comes with impossible choices. Every decision carries consequences, every victory comes with a new challenge, and the line between justice and vengeance is never as simple as it appears.

Kwadzo never has to carry this story alone. The people around him continue to shape the journey in meaningful ways, each adding another layer to the story and reminding us that no battle is ever won alone.

The way Mr. Redmond blends history, horror, and fantasy continues to amaze me. Each element feels equally important to the story, and together they create something that feels incredibly unique.

The alliances that are formed and the cultural dynamics throughout the story are constant reminders that the Ramangans are still viewed as monsters. For me, that became a metaphor for the world we live in today. I couldn't help but relate it to the experiences of Black people. No matter how much progress is made, no matter how hard we fight for equality and justice, there will always be people who choose to see us through the lens of their own prejudice instead of our humanity.

If you're coming into Blood Rising expecting nonstop bloodshed, it's definitely here. But for me, the heart of this story was what happened after the battle was won.

In all my years of reading and reviewing, I don't think I've ever read a story quite like this. And I can't wait to see what Mr. Redmond has in store for us next.

5⭐


Thank you, Kensington Publishing, Dafina & Markus Redmond, for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review



Synopsis:


Kwadzo Okoro never believed the bloody legend of Ramanga was real. Now, he stands as the leader of a new Ramanga Tribe, one that sieged the Barrow plantation in a storm of righteous carnage, liberating its formerly enslaved Africans. Reclaimed as the Crimson Plantation, it is now also home to the wronged Natives who fearlessly aligned with the Ramangans.

But Kwadzo knows that freedom is not secure. Bartholomew and Constance Crabtree, the most influential slaveholders in the region since the demise of Big Jim Barrow, are galvanizing the Lakeside community to strike back—violently. The threat they pose pales in comparison to the insidious menace of Penelope Knudsen. Her white-hot hatred, now fueled by Ramangan blood, and an ability to survive the sunlight—a power Kwadzo doesn’t have—threatens to upend Kwadzo’s advancement of Ramangan might throughout the colonies, especially as she builds a white vampire army of her own and wages an all-out war against him.

But the gravest threat comes from Rafazi. His blood fathered the rebellion, but he will not take orders from his own creation. And when Rafazi makes a deadly deal with the Crabtrees, Kwadzo is forced into a battle with his maker that he may not survive, while the everlasting freedom of every enslaved person in the colonies hangs in the balance.

Still by Carmen Wilder | Learning to Be Still

 

Title: Still
Author: Carmen Wilder
Genre: MM Romance
Rating: 4⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

I went into this expecting a hockey romance. I closed it thinking about resilience, healing, and the quiet courage it takes to let someone love you when every instinct tells you to run.

The Vibe:
Hockey Romance, Forced proximity, college romance, Emotional

My Review:
I went back and forth on how to write this review. No matter what I wrote, it never seemed to capture what this story left me feeling. So in the end, I decided to stop overthinking it and simply write what felt right.

Jamie Nash, captain of Hartwell University's hockey team, and Rhys, a transfer from Eldridge University, completely stole my heart.

From the very beginning, Jamie is hard on Rhys. It feels personal, and I kept wondering what Rhys had done to deserve it. But as the story unfolds, you begin to realize Jamie isn't really fighting Rhys... he's fighting parts of himself that he's spent years trying to keep buried.

Both Jamie and Rhys carry wounds that run far deeper than what you see on the surface. Their experiences have shaped the way they trust, the way they love, and the way they protect themselves. Watching those layers slowly unravel was, for me, the heart of this story.

"The things that hurt us don't care how much time's passed. … They just sit there and wait until it's easier to hurt us again, when we least expect it."

That quote perfectly captures the heart of this book. Trauma doesn't simply disappear because time passes. It waits. It whispers. It convinces you to run before someone has the chance to hurt you again.

What stayed with me most wasn't the romance itself—it was watching Jamie slowly unlearn everything his father taught him about love and about himself. Every time he pushed Rhys away, my heart broke a little more because I understood why he did it. He wasn't rejecting Rhys. He was protecting the only version of himself he'd ever known.

And Rhys... he never tried to fix Jamie. He simply kept showing up.

By the end, I realized this story wasn't just about falling in love. It was about learning to be still enough to let someone love you... and brave enough to stay when every part of you wants to run.

Maybe that's why this book is called Still.

Despite everything they'd been through...
They were still standing.
Still fighting.
Still choosing each other.
Still believing that love was worth the risk.

This isn't just a college hockey romance. It's a beautiful reminder that the things that happen to us may shape us, but they don't have to define us forever.

4⭐️

I received this arc from the author in exchange for my honest review

Synopsis:

Jamie Nash has spent his whole life learning control.

Control on the ice. Control over his body. Control over every thought, feeling, and weakness that could ruin everything he’s worked for. As captain of Harlow University’s hockey team, control is the only reason he survives the pressure.

Then Rhys Callahan transfers in from Eldridge.

Rhys is reckless where Jamie is rigid. Loud where Jamie is silent. Infuriatingly talented. Impossible to ignore. And from the moment they meet, every interaction between them feels less like rivalry and more like a dare neither of them knows how to walk away from.

What starts as tension turns into something neither of them can name. Meaner. Messier.
Wanting each other becomes its own kind of violence.

Because both of them have spent years standing still inside the wreckage of who they used to be — trapped by grief, anger, fear, and the things they survived long before they met each other.

And the closer they get, the more dangerous it becomes.

Because Rhys sees too much.

And Jamie has spent years making sure no one ever gets close enough to.

Still is an emotionally intense MM romance featuring obsessive tension, emotional repression, explosive chemistry, high heat, trauma, and two men finally forced to want something more than survival.

Still is the first novel in The Northbound Series.

Twisted Devotion by Lilith Vincent | Beautifully Toxic

 

Title: Twisted Devotion
Author: Lilith Vincent
Genre: Dark Romance
Rating: 5 ⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

Some love stories make you swoon. Others make you question everything. Twisted Devotion lives somewhere in the middle, and I couldn't look away.

The Vibe:
Dark Mafia Romance, Unhinged MMC, secret baby

My Review:

Cristiano Montoni… whew. This man is the definition of beautifully broken.

After everything he endured as a child, it’s no surprise that his love comes out as obsession. He’s a tad more than a little unhinged. But underneath all of that is someone who’s been holding onto the same girl for years, never once letting her go.

Mina did the only thing she knew how to do… she ran. Yet even after all those years apart, neither of them truly moved on. The moment they’re thrown back into each other’s lives, all those buried emotions come crashing back, and from there this story never lets up.

This isn’t a light mafia romance. It’s dark, emotional, and filled with years of trauma and secrets. Their relationship constantly had me questioning whether what they shared was healing or destroying them… in the end, it was both.

“I would rather feel every cut of the knife while I hold your hand than sleep while you suffer alone.”

This perfectly sums up the kind of man Cristiano is. His love isn’t gentle or healthy by any means. But he would carry every ounce of pain himself if it meant protecting the woman he loves.

This is the third book in the Ruthless Arrangements series, and even though I haven’t read the first two books, this one completely stood on its own. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Vincent has in store next… but in the meantime, I’ve got some catching up to do. 🤭

5⭐️

I received this arc from the author in exchange for my honest review

Synopsis:

He’s waited five years to come home to her. She’s spent five years praying he never would.

Cristiano Montoni would crawl over broken glass for one touch, one kiss, one sweet word from me. He has the face of an avenging angel and a body to die for. Powerful. Rich. Dangerous. Deadly.

And heaven protect me, he’s back in Malus.

Five years ago, Cristiano worked his dark magic on me and ruined my life. Five years ago, I fell pregnant with his child. Then he vanished—and I was free.

I gave myself to a man I knew was twisted and terrifying. As the housekeeper’s daughter, I witnessed Cristiano’s brutal punishments at the hands of his father. I tried to put the pieces back together, but Agnello Montoni broke his son. Shattered his heart. Warped his mind.

Now I’m terrified that Cristiano will do the same to his son.

My son.

Our child.

I’ll protect Leon with my life. Cristiano can never know the child is his, or my son will be dragged into a violent underworld from which there’s no escape.

But Cristiano won’t stay away from me. Five years have passed, and he hasn’t changed. He’s still a monster of his father’s making. And I’ve never stopped wanting him.

A Very Good Bad Idea By Emma Chase | Winning Never Looked So Good

 

Title: A Very Good Bad Idea
Author: Emma Chase
Genre: Romantic Comedy 
Rating: 4⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

This was my first Emma Chase book, and now I completely understand why so many readers love her writing. I laughed, I swooned, and before I knew it, I had finished this in one sitting

The Vibe:


Forced proximity, romantic comedy, Rivals to lovers

My Review:


First and foremost, I have heard so many good things about Emma Chase’s books ever since I first started reviewing, but I never got around to reading one. So when the opportunity came up, I jumped on it… and I’m so glad I did.

Both Damon and Jade inherited a valuable property from Clarabell Spicket, but it came with rules and limitations to determine who would become the sole owner. Break a rule… You lose points. Blank. Period.

Determined to win, they both went to great lengths to sabotage one another. Their antics to get ahead of each other had me laughing the entire time. But once they finally stopped fighting what they were feeling and admitted the attraction between them… things heated up fast.

I finished this in less than three hours, and it was such a great time. If you’re looking for a funny, steamy romance that’s perfect for a palate cleanser, I’d definitely recommend picking this one up.

4⭐️

I received the alc from Valentine PR in exchange for my honest review



Synopsis:

No loopholes. No backing out. No leaving for four months.

Damon Burke is intense, handsome and vengefully calculating—he's also certain he'll outlast his competitor.

Jade Buchanan is brilliant, ruthless, and absolutely not losing to him.

But the house seems to have a mind of its own. With faulty wiring, a leaking roof, drafty windows and the occasional wild-life infestation, it just might be trying to kill them. And the more Damon and Jade try to oust each other from the property, the more it brings them together.

Sparks fly, tempers clash—but eventually, all their walls come crumbling down.

It's a bad idea to get too close to your enemy. To care about them, need them, want them more than you've ever wanted anything.

But when rivalry becomes something more than they ever expected, Damon and Jade discover love can be a very good bad idea.

House of Sin By Brittnay J Sears | I need more of this

Title: House of Sin

Author: Brittnay J Sears
Genre: Dark Historical Fiction
Rating: 5⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

This was completely different from what I normally read, but I was locked in from the very beginning.

The Vibe:
Unhinged FMC, Found Family, Feminine power

My Review:

Have you ever read a historical fiction with a DARK, unhinged FMC? No? Yeah, me either. Chile… this was such a good time.

As soon as I picked this book up, I was completely locked in. I’m talking stayed up until 3 a.m., knowing I had to be up by 6 to get ready for work. Then, when I got to work, I still managed to find time to finish the rest of it. And it was so worth it.

Set in the early 1900s, The Oily Cat is a brothel run by a femdom who is determined to protect her ladies by any means necessary. At The Oily Cat, beauty becomes bait, charm becomes a weapon, and when men cross the line, consequences will be paid.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

My girl Bernadette is unhinged to the highest power, and she has absolutely no qualms about it. But she has to be. She’s been through so much in her life that taking control is the only way she knows how to survive. And she teaches her girls to hold that same power for themselves.

Bernadette protects what is hers, and she does not hesitate when someone threatens the women under her care. She is dark, ruthless, and completely unapologetic, and I loved every minute of it.

This was the first book I’ve read by Brittany J. Sears, but it definitely won’t be the last. I cannot wait for the next installment in this series.

5⭐️

I received this ARC from The Author Agency in exchange for my honest review.



Synopsis:

Welcome to The Oily Cat, where desire is currency, and breaking the rules is a death sentence.

Bernadette runs her brothel with ruthless precision. Every woman under her roof is protected, every client knows the rules, and any man who crosses the line doesn’t leave.
For years, the system has worked.
Until a stranger arrives with sinister secrets and a past that refuses to stay buried.
As whispers spread and tensions rise, the careful balance Bernadette has built begins to crack. Old loyalties falter, dangerous truths surface, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur.
Now, with everything she’s fought to protect on the brink of collapse, Bernadette must decide how far she’s willing to go to keep control . . . and how much blood she’s willing to spill to do it.

Because inside The Oily Cat, power is taken, not given, and every sin demands its price.

Anything But love By A.E Jensen & Courtney W. Dixon | The Weight We Carry and the Love That Helps Us Let Go

Title: Anything But Love
Author: A.E Jensen & Courtney W. Dixon
Genre: MM Romance
Rating: 4.5 ⭐
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts: 

Some books entertain you. Others quietly remind you that healing isn't always loud or dramatic..it can look like patience, vulnerability, and someone choosing to stay when life feels the heaviest.

This was one of those books for me.

The Vibe:
Mental health struggles, emotional, spicy, slow burn, Friends to lovers

My Review:
I seem to be drawn to these trauma-based romance stories. They all seem to have one thing in common: healing. Maybe that’s what keeps pulling me back to them. We could all use a little healing, couldn’t we? Anyway… I’m babbling. 🤭 Back to the review.

Jett and Wes’ story felt like I was watching two of my best friends find each other, fall in love, and show up for one another through every high and low. Every experience they endured made me feel like I was right there beside them. 🥹

Jett’s a former Olympic track runner crushed under the weight of his parents’ expectations; his struggles with mental health rang true. It was truly heartbreaking.

Wes is sunshine personified. He’s open-hearted, genuinely kind, and exactly the kind of person Jett needed. Watching him patiently love someone who struggled to believe he deserved it was beautiful.

The emotional connection between these two is where this story shines. Watching them go from idols to lovers felt natural. The romance was slow enough to be believable while still bringing plenty of chemistry that kept me turning the pages.

My only real issue was the pacing. I spent a good portion of the book waiting for the plot to start plotting, and by the time it did, the payoff didn’t have quite the emotional impact I was hoping for. Even so, it never took away from how invested I became in Jett and Wes or how much I wanted to see them find their way to each other.

This is a heavy story, but it never forgets to give you moments to breathe. Wes’ humor, the family gatherings, and watching a man slowly learn that he is worthy of being loved balanced the heavier themes beautifully.

Jett and Wes are going to stay with me for a long time. Their story hurt, healed, and reminded me that sometimes love really can meet you where you are.

4.5⭐️

I received this arc from the author in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:
Let me in… or walk away before you ruin me.

Wes
I’ve spent my life chasing a good time; no strings, no complications, and no heartbreak. Now that I have a stable job as a physical therapist at the university, I’m ready to look for a deeper connection. Then in walks Jared “Jett” Cordier; former Olympic golden boy, track legend… and the guy I used to watch like he was untouchable. Turns out, he’s closed off, broody, and about as welcoming as a slammed door.

But somewhere between late nights and arguments that burn a little too hot, something shifts and lines blur. One heated moment turns into another, and suddenly we’re involved in something that looks a lot like friends-with-benefits. It’s supposed to stay easy, but nothing about Jett feels casual.

Jett

I had everything once. Then I lost it all—my athletic career, my relationship, my dad.

Starting over as an assistant coach is my do-over. It’s supposed to be simple: keep my head down and do my job. Then comes Wes; too loud, too charming… too much. I’m trying desperately not to be sucked in and to keep him at arm’s length. But in the end, I let him in just enough to get a taste and forget what it feels like to be falling apart.

The more time I spend with Wes, the harder it is to pretend this is nothing. I can feel my walls crumbling, and I’m afraid. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to risk everything again.

🦆 Hero Worship
🦆 Small Town Romance
🦆 Friends with Benefits
🦆 Grumpy/Sunshine
🦆 Mental Health Rep
🦆 Hurt/Comfort
🦆 Rough Start
🦆 Opposites Attract
🦆 Interracial
🦆 Pan Awakening
🦆 Sports Romance/Running
🦆 Workplace Romance