Bonds of Slavery by Charley Mayne

Synopsis:


Ryan’s Story Begins.

OBEDIENCE IS SURVIVAL
RESISTANCE IS PAIN

In a future where freedom has a price, how far would you go to survive?

The year is 2045. America’s war on drugs has turned into a war on its own people. Overcrowded prisons and a ruthless new administration give rise to the Chainmark Act – a brutal solution to prison population control, cloaked as justice.

Ryan Murphy, sixteen and already hardened by life on the streets of New York, becomes one of the first minors “offered” into the program. Sentenced for a crime he didn’t fully understand, Ryan is sold to Brad Wilkins, a sadistic Texas rancher who sees obedience as the only law.

As Ryan grapples with pain, isolation and control, he must learn the rules of survival in a system designed to break him. But even in the darkest corners of captivity, hope flickers – because Ryan knows that survival isn’t enough.

He wants to live.
And he wants to be free.


Review:

“One hundred and eighty years after slavery was abolished in the United States… it was brought back.”

I’ve always been the type to test my limits. You don’t really know what you can handle until something forces you to find out.

This book?
Yeah… it found mine.

Set in 2045, we follow Ryan—just sixteen—who makes one mistake. A stupid one. The kind most people would expect a slap on the wrist for.

That’s not what he gets.

What he’s forced into is brutal, dehumanizing, and honestly hard to even process at times.

I’m not exaggerating when I say this book broke me. I had to stop reading more than once just to breathe. Just to reset.


“Stay quiet. Stand still. Stay quiet. Stand still. Stay quiet. Stand still” 

This line still sits on your chest. 😭

The writing is raw and immersive in a way that doesn’t let you look away. I didn’t just read Ryan’s story, I felt every second of it. Every ounce of fear, pain, and helplessness.

Sleep didn’t exist for me.
Peace of mind was nonexistent. Not til i finished it

By the end, I wasn’t just emotional..I was gutted.

This is not an easy read. It’s not supposed to be. And it’s definitely not for everyone.

But if you can handle something heavy..something dark, suffocating, and brutally honest...this is one of those books that stays with you long after you finish it.

Just do yourself a favor...

Check the trigger warnings. Seriously.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Yes Chef By Grace Reilly

Synopsis:

If you can’t take the heat…get out of the kitchen.

After a public meltdown in the dining room of one of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants, Chef Jack Hartman is back in his South Florida hometown. Angry, grieving, and saddled with the unwanted storefront his late mentor left him, his life is spinning out of control. And that’s before Poppy Winfield, the blond, bubbly, utterly infuriating daughter of his former boss, shows up at his dock.

Poppy needs to escape. From her disapproving family, her horrible ex-boyfriend, and her reputation as someone who has never taken anything seriously. But more than that, she wants to prove herself—and she has just the plan to do it. Unfortunately, that plan involves Jack Hartman, the most arrogant, prickly, intimidating man she’s ever had the pleasure of throwing a shrimp at.

She knows Jack is desperate to come back from his unceremonious firing, so she proposes a deal: working together to open a revamped version of his mentor’s restaurant. He’ll handle the menu, and she’ll use her skill as a social media influencer to sell the hell out of its grand opening. If she and Jack can make the restaurant a success, it’ll be an accomplishment no one can deny—and a ticket for them both to return to New York.

Jack is intrigued, but only on his terms: if Poppy’s going to work for him, she must learn the ropes of the entire business. Including how to cook. From him.

As sparks fly both in and out of the kitchen and tensions reach a boiling point, Poppy and Jack are left wondering--could they be a perfect pairing? Or is this whole experiment a recipe for disaster?

My Review

Poppy, a successful lifestyle influencer seeking her family's approval, meets Jack, a talented chef dealing with the loss of his mentor and the shock of losing his job. As Jack takes on the challenge of reviving his mentor’s dying restaurant, he’s forced into an uneasy alliance with Poppy for the exposure he desperately needs.

What begins as an unwilling partnership soon evolves into a thrilling enemies-to-lovers type romance, filled with tension and undeniable chemistry.

I truly enjoyed this story. It offers strong summer vibes, charming side characters, and a heroine who is easy to cheer for. Though Jack can be frustrating at times due to his rough edges, his character growth and the sizzling dynamic he shares with Poppy made this an enjoyable and engaging read.

4⭐

Thank you, Netgally, for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Madly Driven by Tiye

Synopsis:

Kensie Garrett turned her worst heartbreak into a bestselling brand. As a social-media influencer and author of a hit self-help book teaching women how to find love without losing themselves, she’s built a career on staying in command. But one reckless night threatens everything she’s created when she gives in to the magnetic pull of Canaan Jackson, the infuriating race car driver she’s despised since college.

When a private video from that night leaks, Kensie’s credibility and Canaan’s shot at racing glory are suddenly on the line. To save them both, he does the announces their engagement during a live press conference. What begins as damage control quickly spirals into a dangerous chemistry neither can contain.

Thrown together under the scorching Miami sun in the months leading up to his first Formula One race, Kensie and Canaan must outmaneuver paparazzi, past betrayals, and a passion that refuses to stay off camera. But as lies blur into truth and old wounds resurface, Kensie has to decide whether protecting her image is worth losing her heart to the one man who may know her better than she knows herself.


Review:


Kensie and Canaan hated each other. Until one unforgettable night in Jamaica..Then, they suddenly couldn't keep their hands off each other.

This book started strong... but the miscommunication & holding on to past trauma between these two went on for far too long for me..

The story itself was good, I kept wanting to scream at these two, wake up and see beyond their own nose..

If you're looking for fake dating & messy romance.. this one's for you.

3 ⭐

*I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

3000 Reasons to stay By Jaime P. Bradley

Synopsis:

When a workaholic hotel manager and a Marine with big dreams collide, will she check him off her to-do list before he opens her heart to new possibilities?
Delaware single-mom Carrie Waller can’t seem to be enough. She juggles custody issues and never-ending parental demands while working at her ex-in-laws’ hotel, determined to deliver another flawless wedding even though her own love life is more neglected than a VHS rental card. The people-pleasing divorcee is so used to putting fun on the back burner that it takes crashing headfirst into a handsome guest to awaken all her dormant desires.

With retirement looming, Marine Ryan Duran is in desperate need of stability. Stress nips at the reserved thirty-seven-year-old’s heels when he attends his best friend’s wedding across the country, and he welcomes the distraction of the cute, quirky hotel manager. But when he gets back to California and his grandad offers to fund his dream business—if he’ll settle down with a wife—Ryan can’t shake the memory of near-kisses with the East Coast beauty.

When a new job gives Carrie a chance to tackle her freshly written to-do list for fun—and reconnect with the fling that got away—she breaks the safe confines of her planner and takes it. She knows their passion is temporary because her loyalty will always lie with her daughters. But as the weeks pass, Ryan becomes harder to let go. And while Ryan can’t help falling, he needs to lock down his future with a woman who’ll fulfill his meddling grandfather’s stipulations to secure funding for the veterans’ fitness center.


My Review:


Carrie has one mission: to give her best friend the perfect wedding. It seems simple if you ignore the nightmare ex-husband, his even worse parents, and the fact that her personal life is nonexistent.
She’s playing it safe, keeping her world small and manageable until she literally crashes into one of the groomsmen, which throws that plan out the window.

Enter Ryan, a Marine fitness instructor and the embodiment of San Diego sunshine, temporarily stuck in snowy Delaware. He’s there to support his friend and keep everything running smoothly. That’s the plan, right up until Carrie collides with him, making “smooth” no longer possible.
These two fight it. Hard. The tension is ridiculous. The slow burn feels almost torturous. It’s the kind of drawn-out, will-they-won’t-they drama that makes you want to yell at the pages.

But when they finally give in, it’s worth every moment.🤩
Completely worth it. This is exactly what a romance reader lives for

4.5 ⭐

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

The Rules by Kora Nyx

Synopsis:

She’s my stepsister. The one girl I shouldn't want... and the only one I can't resist.

Five minutes earlier she was just the new girl in class—
Chaos in human form with her sharp tongue and those scuffed combat boots,
Calling me a coward in front of everyone.
Then we were alone in the parking lot.
She stepped close.
Wrapped her arms around my neck.
And kissed me like she meant it.
Then she stole my wallet.
I was still trying to figure out what the hell just happened when my dad tackled her as she was sprinting away.
“I see you’ve already met your new stepsister.”
Stepsister.
She stares at me. I stare at her.
“Oh, you have got to be forking kidding me,” she sighs.
Because now the girl who kissed me like my life depended on it…
is living in my house.
We should stay away from each other.
But neither of us has ever been very good at following the rules.



Review:

In the history of reviewing books, I don't think I've ever clapped for any book that ends on a cliffhanger. If you've ever followed along with any of my reviews, it's quite the opposite. Although this book ends on a major cliffhanger, I'm sooo excited to read the second book in this series.

I'm so excited, I'm getting ahead of myself.

We start with Harper, stuck in East Texas with a mother who cares more about her next fix than her own daughter. Survival mode is all Harper knows. Her only real lifeline? Z—her best friend, her escape plan, her way out. They’re ready to do whatever it takes to break free… even if that means making reckless, life-altering decisions.

But before Harper can choose her own future, it’s taken from her.

Enter Silas—the father who’s been absent her entire life—suddenly deciding to play hero. He uproots her and drops her into a brand-new life in Dallas… complete with a picture-perfect home, a stepmother… and stepbrother Caleb.

Harper is a strong and fierce young woman who's dealt with a boatload of trauma in her life.

While Caleb is a sweet, controlled, structured, rule driven. His world runs on order, routines, and a rulebook he doesn’t break. Ever. That is, until he meets Harper.

"She just called me cute.... Does she mean puppy-dog cute or handsome cute?"

What starts as curiosity turns into something neither of them is prepared for. Because Harper doesn’t just challenge Caleb..she unravels him. And Caleb? He makes Harper feel something dangerously close to safe… which might be the most terrifying thing of all.

But that ending you never see coming oooh chileeeeee

Caleb's next move is gonna be one for the books. I can feel it!!!

This was a 6 star read!

I received an arc from Booksprout in exchange for my honest review

The Finish Line by Kate Stewart

Synopsis:

Secrets and Lies...

I’ve lived the entirety of my life wrapped up in subterfuge for one purpose—revenge.

Through the years, I lived more as an enigma than a man.

For so long, I denied I had a beating heart of my own.

Until her. Until she unearthed the starving vessel inside, forced me to acknowledge it, forced me to understand that I’m capable of bleeding the same as any other.

For that, we paid. We're still paying.

Yet, she demands it still, the useless heart of the ruthless thief and shameless villain she fell for. My fear is, I’m no longer that man.

With the lies I’ve told, the life I’ve led, my mistakes are beginning to catch up with me, day by day, one by one.

This is my last chance, and I have no intention of losing her again, but as the deception of my past starts to unravel and close in, shedding my humanity may be the only thing that can save us both.

Maybe it’s already too late.




My review:

“Asking permission to kiss you? Never going to fucking happen.”

This book picks up right where Exodus left off, and Tobias wastes no time reminding you exactly who he is..ruthless, relentless, and absolutely unhinged when he wants something. And he wants Cecelia back.

The difference this time? She’s not folding. Watching Tobias struggle to win her over was everything. For the first time, we get cracks in the armor. A softer, more vulnerable side that I did not expect… but fully devoured.

He’s not just fighting for control anymore; he’s fighting for the love of his life. And it changes him. In the best and most painful way.

I laughed until I cried. Then cried until I couldn’t see.

“I’ll wait for you, Trésor… as long as it takes.”

The flashbacks with him and Dom were easily some of my favorite parts. They add depth, answer long-standing questions, and hit emotionally right when they need to. Everything threads perfectly into the present.

And now I’m stuck with a decision I’m not sure I'm ready to make…
Do I read 'One Last Rainy Day'…

Because after this? I love Dom even more.
And I already know… whatever comes next is going to hurt. 

The Player's Promise by Tierney Page

Synopsis:

Anna's not looking for love. Fresh out of a divorce, she needs an escape. One reckless night of fun - and the gorgeous Irishman who buys her a drink at the bar promises exactly that. No last names, no strings, just fireworks.

Liam's used to hiding behind his game face. But after a brutal betrayal and an even messier brawl, he's lost everything: his football career, his team, and his reputation. A one-night stand with a stranger? Just the distraction he needs. He never expected to see Anna again...until she turns out to be his son's new teacher.

Anna knows she shouldn't get involved with a student's father, especially not him. But Liam's not the man the tabloids say he is. He's everything she thought she wasn't ready for. Which makes him so much worse.




Review:

This is book three in the London Heart series. To be honest, I didn’t have high hopes after reading the first book. I skipped book two and went straight to this one, and I’m glad I did, because it pleasantly surprised me. There’s just something about a single dad romance that captivates me every time, and this one really delivered. It had the perfect blend of excitement and those tender, emotional moments that us romance readers crave.


“I've lived in different places, but none of them ever felt like home until you. You taught me that love isn't about being seen. It's about being understood, it's about showing up, it's about sitting in the quiet together and still being heard. I've never truly felt success in my life until I've heard you say I love you.”

Even though some parts of the story were a bit predictable, I couldn’t put it down. It drew me in and kept me engaged. And the spice 🥵… Liam’s way with words? Unmatched.

This story gave me exactly what I came for. Honestly, that’s what matters.

3.5 ⭐️