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

Count on me By Leigh Carron | Hooked from the very first chapter

Title: Count on Me
Author: Leigh Carron
Genre: Romance
Rating: 5⭐
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:
Before I begin, if you read any of my Reviews, you know I go into every new book completely blind.. If I pick up what you’re putting down while you’re promoting your book, I’m definitely gonna read it. For this book, my gut instinct was spot on!

The Vibe:
romance, emotional, spicy, secret relationship, self love

Favorite Quote:
"For the record, I'm not Home Depot. I'm DK's Bakery. Fresh baked bread served daily"


Review:

It’s stories like THIS that keep me coming back for more.

First of all, I knew from the very first chapter that this was gonna be a good time. The witty banter between DK and his brother, to Rayne aka Luna’s sassy internal monologues had me 😂😂

DK is absolutely everything. He’s confident but not arrogant, dominant but emotionally intelligent, and the way he supports Rayne without trying to fix her or diminish her power.. chefs kiss.. Now that’s a man.

The representation of self-love.. is very strong in this story..

Rayne learns to trust herself again, to own her body, her choices, and her worth. As a woman, seeing her struggle with self-acceptance and then watching her reclaim her power, especially in a world that constantly tells women to shrink, was deeply relatable. So many of us have been there, questioning if we’re too much or not enough. Rayne’s story speaks volumes as so many ppl are currently struggling with these same issues every single day.

The spice🔥🔥🔥.. Oh honey, this totally caught me off guard.. my man DK did NOT come to play.. I especially loved that he embraced HER sexuality.

The chemistry between them is absolutely scorching from jump!! These scenes weren’t just hot, every intimate moment felt earned and meaningful.

Rayne and DK are on opposite sides of their political campaign, both fighting for what they believe in. The way it all came together felt like I got behind the scenes look at an actual campaign.

Overall, this book is a must read. It’s beautifully written about 2 ppl from different backgrounds with different struggles fighting for what they believe in.. LOVE ❤️

After reading this, is what I found out that this was part of the series. 🤷🏽‍♀️ 🤦🏽‍♀️ Now I’m definitely gonna go back and read book one and the rest of her catalog cause yes!!!

5⭐

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

Upgraded By Abby Millsaps | When Your Ex Cheats and Karma Delivers

 

Title: Upgraded
Author:  Abby Millsaps
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.5⭐
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon

My initial thoughts:

While the racing aspect kept things exciting, & Alaric was a complete dream. Evandeline's journey kept me locked in

Read This If You Like:

Sports Romance, Age gap, Forbidden Romance


Review:

I don't think I've ever picked up a Formula 1 book before this. In fact, if you had asked me a year ago whether I'd be interested in reading about racing, my answer would have been a very confident absolutely not.

But somewhere along this sports romance journey, my tastes have apparently expanded as I found myself genuinely invested in both the racing world and the people in it.

I connected with Evangeline almost immediately. After discovering her boyfriend has been cheating on her, she's forced to rebuild her life from the ground up. What I appreciated most was that her journey wasn't just about finding a new romance. It was about finding herself again, her voice.

As someone who loves seeing mental health represented in books, I absolutely loved how authors are bringing these stories to life. As someone who has worked in the mental health field, people dealing with mental illness are treated as if they're broken or need to be fixed.
In this story, for example, Evangeline was allowed to be successful, capable, loved, and deserving of happiness exactly as she was. I would love to see more authors give characters with mental health challenges the empowerment they deserve.

And then there's Alaric.

Listen...

When your ex cheats on you and his daddy decides you deserve better... and then proceeds to prove it.. That's a level of karma I can fully support. The things this man did for her... my heart was swooning. 🥰🥰

The connection between Evangeline and Alaric wasn't built on him swooping in to save her. What stood out to me was the way he respected her, accommodated her needs, and genuinely saw her as a person. After everything she'd endured, those moments carried a lot of weight.

Overall, this was a story about healing, self-worth, second chances, and discovering that sometimes the end of one chapter can lead you exactly where you're meant to be.

4.5⭐

Synopsis:

If your ex can’t get you across the finish line, his dad probably can…

I’ve always been “too much.”
Too sensitive. Too picky. Too clumsy. Too dramatic.
As a result, I’ve mastered the art of masking.

But that doesn’t stop Alaric Steele from truly seeing me when he finds me flat on my back in his driveway, mid-meltdown.

As Team Principal of Granata Racing, Alaric is control personified. He’s almost twenty years older than me and happens to be my ex-boyfriend’s dad.

Out of desperation, I accept a new job with Granata.

Which means Alaric is also my new boss.

The most surprising part of my role working in Formula 1 isn’t the intense travel schedule or the fear of seeing my ex around the paddock: it’s navigating the surprise encounters and secret rendezvous that launch Alaric and I into a high-speed forbidden romance neither one of us ever saw coming.

But with Alaric’s career on the line, and my fear of being too much growing louder by the day, is the risk of crashing and burning worth falling for my ex-boyfriend’s dad?

Bone deep By JP Joseph | Spencer built his walls to survive. Ryan showed up with a sledgehammer.

 

Title: Bone Deep
Author: Jp Joseph
Genre: MM Romance
Rating: ∞⭐
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


The vibe:
Coming out & self-discovery, Sexy banter, Sports romance, Emotional healing


Initial thoughts:

Going into this story, I expected a romance. What I didn't expect was to become so invested in these two men and their journey.


Review:

Spencer is guarded, stubborn, and determined to keep everyone at arm's length. Considering everything he's been through, those walls make sense. Ryan, on the other hand, is persistent as hell. This man simply refused to accept being kept out, and watching him slowly chip away at Spencer's defenses became one of my favorite parts of the story.

The chemistry between these two was immediate, but it wasn't just the attraction that kept me turning pages. Their banter was everything. Ryan's constant teasing mixed with Spencer's sharp comebacks had me smiling more than once. Even the smallest interactions felt important. A touch, a look, their moments of vulnerability..everything carried weight.

Several moments hit hard emotionally, especially when Spencer finally allowed himself to be vulnerable. Ryan's injury also forced both men to confront feelings neither of them could ignore anymore, and those scenes packed an emotional punch.

Watching Ryan's struggle with living authentically and the expectations placed on him made this hit harder. His coming-out journey felt meaningful and important because it was such a huge part of who he was.

Mr. Joseph balances the heavier moments with humor. The banter kept me from drowning in my feelings, and some of Ryan's antics had me laughing when I least expected it.

Although I haven't read King of Pain YET, I had no trouble connecting with these characters. I was completely invested from the beginning and genuinely struggled to put this book down.

Bone Deep is messy, emotional, sexy, funny, and surprisingly tender. More than anything, it's a story about choosing vulnerability, choosing love, and choosing to be your authentic self. In the world we live in today. This is the most important element of this story.

This is one of those stories that should be read by everyone.

∞ ⭐

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



Synopsis:


SPENCER STARK
I have three rules.

No kissing.
No sleepovers.
And absolutely, positively no catching feelings.

The rules exist for a reason. I don’t do relationships, I don’t do attachments, and I definitely don’t do straight men looking to take a walk on the wild side.

Cue Ryan Buterbaugh walking into my life. A hot, relentless, slutty short-wearing golden retriever of a man that's entirely too good at getting under my skin.

He’s everything I avoid. And worst of all? He doesn’t scare off. No matter how many lines I draw, he keeps stepping closer—completely unaware or simply not afraid of what will happen if I let him in.

But I know better. I should have known better. Because the second I start breaking my rules for him, I don’t know if I can survive it.

What I do know for certain…if anyone hurts him, I will end them.

–––––
RYAN “BUTTERS” BUTERBAUGH

From the outside, my life is one most men would dream of.

America’s number one quarterback with two championship rings. Senator’s son. A respected family dripping in old money.

I’m the guy who always says the right thing, does the right thing, is the right thing.

But behind the scenes? I’m hiding my true identity.

I’ve managed to keep it separate. Anonymous. No strings. No complications. Because no one can know.

It works.

Until Spencer Stark.

He doesn’t care who I am. Doesn’t want anything from me. Keeps me at arm’s length with rules that should align with my own—except I don’t want to follow them.

I told myself I could handle it. That I could be near him without revealing too much. But the more he pushes me away, the more I want in.

And for the first time…I couldn’t care less if my whole life implodes.

As long as I can have him.

To Have & to Stalk By Mary Catherine Gebhard | Dear Dark Romance Readers, This One's For Us

Title: To have & to stalk
Author: Mary Catherine Gebhard
Genre: Dark Romance
Rating: 3.5 ⭐
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts: 

Dark, obsessive, emotional, and surprisingly thoughtful. This story balances danger and healing in a way that kept me invested from beginning to end.

Read this if your vibe is:

Morally gray MMCs, Stalker romance,Trauma healing journeys, Chronic illness representation, Protective obsession, Touch-her-and-die energy

Review:

This is what happens when you read too many dark romance books, decide to explore your desires, and of course attract a masked stalker. As someone who immerses themselves into dark romance, I was here for all of it.

Shay Adder is stubborn as hell and like many of us she carries enough emotional baggage to fill an airport carousel. 🤭
After escaping an abusive engagement, she creates an anonymous dating profile looking for something simple and uncomplicated.

What she gets instead is a masked stalker. Quite literally.

Who is first introduced as Void. A mysterious, obsessive, literal walking red flag.

Void is later revealed as Calder, a man living a double life. By day he’s a forensic accountant. By night he’s delivering his own brand of justice to people who hurt others. Beneath all of that darkness is someone who genuinely sees Shay, respects her boundaries, and becomes fiercely protective of her.

The closer Shay gets to Calder, the more complicated everything becomes. The lines between danger and comfort begin to blur, forcing her to confront both her fears and her desires.

Shay’s past abuse continues to affect how she views herself, her relationships, and her own worth. Her chronic illness is also woven naturally into the story rather than treated like a personality trait. Watching her slowly learn to trust herself again was just as compelling as the romance itself.

Shay and Calder’s chemistry is intense from the beginning. Their exploration of power, trust, vulnerability, and control felt connected to their emotional journeys rather than existing purely for shock value. Every interaction pushed them closer to confronting the things they had spent years trying to outrun.

Overall, this dark romance gave me obsession, suspense, emotional healing, and a morally gray man that will burn the world for you and ask questions later .. this one is worth adding to your TBR.

3.5 ⭐️
I received this arc from Sumthood in exchange for my honest review



Synopsis:

He was all my twisted, dark book boyfriend fantasies come to life. Masked. Tattooed. Dirty talking—and totally unhinged.
Morally grey? Check.
Stalker? Check.
A very illegal, very bloody hobby? Check.
Possessive, obsessive, and calls me a good girl? Check. Check. Check.
I should probably call the police.
I definitely shouldn’t take dirty selfies because I know he hacked my phone.
But what’s a girl to do?
It’s my very own stalker romance.

Wrecked By Bree L Mina | Soulmates, Survival, and Emotional Damage

Title: Wrecked
Author: Bree L Mina
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.5 ⭐
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon

My initial thoughts:

This story is beautifully tragic. I knew early in this story.. this one was gonna hurt.

The Vibe:

Second-chance romance, Forced proximity, slow burn

Review:

Wrecked is the perfect title because my heart is exactly that… wrecked.

This story is about young love, soulmates, survival, heartbreak, and the cruel little games fate likes to play when it clearly has too much time on its hands. I knew early in this book that this one was gonna hurt.

Ellie and Nate’s story was beautiful, painful, messy, and completely devastating. These two loved each other in a way that felt deep, desperate, and unforgettable. From the beginning, you could feel that their connection was not something either of them could just walk away from, no matter how much time passed or how much pain sat between them.

Nate was the kind of man romance readers dream about. Despite everything he endured, he was protective, loyal, and willing to do whatever he had to do for the people he loved. His love for Ellie never felt small. It felt like the kind of love that stays with you, even when life does everything possible to tear it apart.

Ellie went through so much in this story. Her pain, her choices, her grief, and the way she tried to keep moving forward even when she was clearly still carrying so much broke my heart. She was not perfect, but she felt real, familiar.

This story does have a lot of flashbacks, and if you’ve read any of my reviews, you already know how much I “love” those. I understood why they were needed, but some of them did feel a little long-winded for me. There were also multiple POVs, and while Ellie and Nate’s made sense, one of Kate’s chapters threw me off for a second. I had to go back and check whose POV I was reading.

But once the survival part of the story begins, the entire book shifts emotionally. I just knew what was ahead. It was painful, romantic, stressful, and strangely beautiful all at once.

Ellie and Nate are forced to face the truth about their past, the years they lost, and the feelings that never really went away. Their love on that island felt raw and desperate in a way that made my chest hurt.

And yes, the spice was spicing. I did have a few moments where I was like… y’all are in survival mode, but okay, romance logic. I’ll allow it. Because the emotion behind it made it work.

What I was not prepared for was how deeply this book would hurt me.

This is not a light romance. This is not a read the story you read when you want to escape your life... This is the kind of book that slowly breaks your heart and then has the nerve to keep going. By the end, I was a sobbing mess. Like full-on emotional damage.

I will never hear Can’t Help Falling in Love the same way again. That song now belongs to this book.

Read this if you want a romance that will hurt your feelings, ruin a song for you, and leave you emotionally unavailable for the rest of the day.

Just know this one is heavy, and please check content warnings before reading.
4.5⭐️




Synopsis:

Fate is a fickle thing.

It can lead you down a path of pain, or it can take you on a journey toward happiness.

There is no equity in the unpredictable.

Fate is inevitable.
Not everyone is destined for a happy ending.
Not every story will work out in the end.
Not every love is meant to survive.

Some believe we are in control of our destiny. That we determine the outcome of our lives, the people we love, and the path we walk.

But I didn’t choose to survive a plane crash.
I didn’t choose to be trapped on an island with the man who once crushed my soul.
I didn’t choose to reopen my heart to a love so powerful that the end of it would be unsurvivable.

I didn’t want to fall in love with my sister’s fiancé. To feel the insurmountable pain that followed my rescue. Or let go of a man that would own my heart until the day I die.

But I am no longer allowing fate to decide my future.

This next path is mine.

Second First ates by Gabriella Gamez | A Cute, Chaotic Romance with One Messy Setup

Title: Second First Dates
Author: Gabriella Gamez
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 3.5 ⭐
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

Cute, chaotic, and painfully relatable. This book had such a fun setup, and Leti’s dating life truly had me stressed on her behalf.


Read this if your vibe is:

Read this if you like messy dating app disasters, forced proximity, second-chance energy, meddling family dynamics, and romances that are funny but still relatable.


Review:

Dating is already hard, but Leti really got hit with the deluxe package.

This woman finally decides to come out of her four-year dating retirement, swipes right, goes on what should have been a regular-degular date, and then realizes she has already been on this terrible date before. With the same man. Years ago.

I would have deleted the app, changed my name, and joined a monastery because absolutely not.

But Leti does not get that luxury because Julian is suddenly everywhere. In her building. Near her mailroom. Around her brother. Accidentally involved in her life, like the universe had a checklist. lol

While this was a cute, funny, and relatable story, the last few chapters dragged for me. It got to the point where I almost didn’t finish, which was disappointing because I was having such a good time before that.

Overall, I do recommend this if you’re looking for something fun, messy, and relatable.


⭐ 3.5 stars

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


Synopsis:

A librarian swipes right on a charming high school teacher, only to realize that she’d already dated him once—and it ended in disaster.

Leti Maldonado has heard all the dating horror stories, but she never expected to be part of one after coming out of a four-year dating hiatus. When she matches with Julian Gutierrez, she doesn’t think much of how familiar his profile picture looks. But when the date goes awry, it unlocks the terrible first date memory that made her quit dating in the first place—because she’s been on this date before. And it’s just as bad the second time around.

To make matters worse, at the end of the night she discovers Julian lives in the same apartment building as her and his roommate is her younger brother. From then on, he’s inescapable. In the mailroom. In the stairwell. Outside her door with a takeout mix-up. He’s even a witness to yet another of Leti’s terrible first dates.

When Julian suggests taking over her dating accounts, he makes a surprisingly convincing case. If Leti’s proved anything, it’s that she sure doesn’t know how to pick ‘em. How much worse can Julian be at picking dates for her? It’s a terrible idea, but at this point he might be her only hope of finding real, lasting love. If they don’t fall for each other in the process, that is…