Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles | A Grumpy Neighbor, a Missing Best Friend & Chemistry You Can’t Ignore

 

Title: Across the Vanishing Sky
Author: Catherine Cowles
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads| Amazon


My initial thoughts:

Everyone kept raving about this series, and of course I had to see what the big deal was. 😂 Let me just say… I get it now. I was NOT prepared for how invested I would become with this one. While it did take a minute, but once it hooked me, I was locked in for the long haul.

The Vibe:
Unhinged MMC, grumpy neighbor, emotional, Found family, slow burn


My Review:

I have a serious case of fomo.. and everyone I know who has read it has been raving about this series, so I just had to know for myself what the hype was about.

I almost DNF’d this one in the beginning. The slow burn was excruciatingly slow for me, and y’all already know patience is not exactly one of my strengths when reading..

But once this story starts to heat up chileeeee...It picked UP.

Brae refuses to give up on finding her best friend Nova, and I think that’s what really got me. No matter how many dead ends she hit or how many people tried to convince her to stop looking, she kept pushing forward. After a while, I was just as invested in finding answers as she was.

Dex was the Grumpy, neighbor she just kept running into, who everyone told her could help her. He didn't want to help, of course, but eventually couldn't resist her, or this case.
Underneath all that grumpy man was a loving, protective man, who's just a little unhinged when it comes to Brae, and was willing to ☠️ anyone who harmed her.
The suspense is what really locked me in. You think you know... but you have no idea.

Lord, those final chapters put my emotions through the wringer!! The way I was crying, you would have thought it was my sister/best friend with how emotionally invested I was in what was happening. 😭

And now I’m very curious to see where this series goes next.

4.5 ⭐️

Synopsis:

Braedyn Winslow never expected to return to Starlight Grove—the town that took everything from her. Not after her best friend, the one who’d sacrificed so much for her, vanished without a trace. But with a young son to raise and a past that won’t stay buried, Brae is back…and determined to uncover the truth.

She just didn’t count on the brooding, reclusive mountain man living next door.

Dex Archer is the stuff of local legend—silent, rugged, and surrounded by whispers of his and his brothers’ violent father. But Brae sees through the scowl and his parentage to the man beneath: fiercely loyal, unexpectedly kind…and just dangerous enough to protect her when someone starts warning her off her search.

The closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to stay away from Dex. And as things get more perilous, Brae realizes the only person she can rely on is the one man who swore never to trust again.

Only someone isn’t happy that Brae has been digging, and they’ll do anything to stop her. But Dex? He’ll do anything to save her, even slip back into the dark…

Capicu Summer by Luna K Wicked | A Love Story Rooted in Home

 

Title: Capicu Summer
Author: Luna K Wicked
Genre: Romance
Rating: 5⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

I went into this expecting a fun summertime romance, but instead I was wrapped in the warmth of the culture and the strength of the community. Before I knew it, I was completely caught up in the messy relationships, family drama, and so much more.

The Vibe:

second chance romance, badass fmc, possessive mmc, family legacy


My Review:

Adriana left Altura Heights years ago, believing she had to leave the barrio behind if she wanted something more for herself. But when the man she trusted shows his true colors…and reveals what he has planned for the community that raised her…going home becomes about so much more than returning to where she came from.

And waiting for her there is Yael Cruz.

Adriana and Yael have history. A messy, painful history. But the connection between them is still very much there. Yael is definitely possessive, but he’s also completely sure that Adriana is the woman he wants.

This was a short novella, but it was packed with so much more than just romance. It was about grief, family, community, and fighting for the place that will always be a part of you.

The culture was blended beautifully throughout the story. I could almost taste the food and hear the music. Altura Heights didn’t just feel like the setting…it felt alive, and I truly felt like I was part of the neighborhood while reading.

Prepare yourself to feel every emotion throughout this story. Ms. Wicked gave us an FMC who didn’t need someone else to save her. She just needed to remember who she was, what she was capable of, and where she truly belonged.

I started this book way past my bedtime and was determined to finished this knowing I had to be up very early to start my day, but this was so good there was no way I could put it down.

My only complaint is that I wanted more. 🤭 More of Adriana and Yael, more of the neighborhood, and more time inside this world. 🤗🥰


5⭐️

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



Synopsis:

“And just like that… the first domino falls.”
At Altura, summer brings the heat... and the past you thought you left behind.

Five years after she swore she’d never come back, Adriana Santos returns to the block that raised her and to the man who never left it. Yael Cruz still carries the weight of one choice that shattered them both. But when her dying grandfather forces them to work together, old wounds resurface demanding to felt. What starts off as simmer turns into a fire leaving them exposed to their truth.

Porque donde hubo fuego, las cenizas siempre quedan.

And as the summer heat rises, so do the stakes, because the last game has just begun.



Porque nadie termina hasta el último capicú.

The Christmas Getaway By Debbie Mason | A Magical and Heartfelt Holiday Romance

 

Title: The Christmas Getaway
Author: Debbie Mason
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

There’s just something magical about a heartfelt Christmas romance, and this one gave me all the feels. 🥹

The Vibe:

Romance, slow burn, grumpy sunshine

My Review:

Charlotte is already going through it when this story begins. She’s lost her beloved library, her relationships have been a mess, and she feels like everyone around her is happily coupled up while she’s completely alone. Girl, we’ve all been there. 😩 Her situation felt so relatable that I was hooked almost immediately.

Charlotte and Ewan are complete opposites, but their chemistry and playful banter worked so well together. I really enjoyed watching them slowly let down their walls. Ewan had to learn how to be vulnerable, while Charlotte had to learn how to stand her ground.

I also enjoyed the family drama, especially the Dowager Duchess, who made the perfect rival. The situation involving Matilda gave the story more emotional weight and made it about more than just the romance.

My only issue was that a lot of emotional growth happens within six weeks, and I wish we had gotten more about Charlotte’s library and what came next for her professionally. That part felt slightly glossed over.

Overall, this was a heartfelt slow-burn romance about two people finding love and healing when they least expected it. Their beginning may have been a complete disaster, but watching their relationship blossom into something beautiful made it worth it. 🥹

4⭐️

Thank you, NetGalley and Forever aka Grand Central Publishing, for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review

Synopsis:

Librarian Charlotte Webb has always enjoyed escaping into a good story instead of dealing with reality, especially after her last year. But when her ex struts back into town and invites her to his Christmas wedding, Charlotte has to convince everyone, including herself, that she's moved on.

Deciding an adventure far from home with her perfect—albeit fake—Scottish boyfriend is just what she needs to complete her act, Charlotte boards the plane from New York to Edinburgh, where she bonds with her seat mate, a twelve-year-old girl who is leaving everything she loves in America behind to live abroad with her single father—Ewan, an extremely handsome duke with zero sense of humor.

But when Ewan agrees to keep up Charlotte's boyfriend ruse, sparks begin to fly, and it’s not long before Charlotte’s wondering if her make-believe boyfriend is the real deal.

Make Me Hate You By Kandi Steiner |

 

Title: Make Me Hate You
Author: Kandi Steiner
Genre: Romance
Rating: 5 ⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

Best friend's brother wins every single time

The Vibe:

Best friend's brother, second-chance romance, small town romance

My Review:

I must have been living under a rock because this book was pure gold!!

I laughed a little. I cried a little. This is what romance is made for.

Jasmine returns home for her best friend's wedding after fleeing Bridge Chester, New Hampshire, seven years ago. While she's stayed close with her best friend, returning home means facing the one person she's spent years trying to leave behind... her best friend's brother, Tyler.

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that what tore them apart years ago wasn't a lack of love, but a heartbreaking misunderstanding. Seeing them reconnect after so much time apart was emotional and, at times, frustrating. Despite how hard they tried to fight it, the chemistry between them never faltered, even after seven years.

Several moments genuinely made me laugh, while others completely broke my heart. Ms. Steiner did a wonderful job balancing the lighter moments with the emotional weight of lost time, regret, and finding the courage to fight for the life you truly want.

My only small criticism has nothing to do with the story itself. I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated entirely by Holly Warren. Since the epilogue switches to Tyler's POV, I would have enjoyed it even more if that final chapter had been narrated by a male voice. That's not me taking anything away from this narrator she did a solid job, but hearing Tyler's perspective from a male narrator would have made those final moments even more impactful.

That said, it didn't take away from my enjoyment at all.
This was my first Kandi Steiner book, and if all of her stories are like this I'm officially a fan!

5 ⭐

I received this ALC from NetGalley & Keeperton Audiobooks in exchange for my honest review



Synopsis:

If he kisses me right now, I’ll drown.

Every sip of air is shallow and burning, because in the arms of my best friend’s brother, I’m the closest I’ve ever been to sin.

His eyes flick to my lips, and I remember the first time I tasted him, seven years ago before I left this town and vowed never to return. His hands grip my waist, and I remember the pain when he rejected me, when my entire world crashed down at his command. His jaw clenches, and my senses come alive with one stinging reminder.

I’m not his to kiss, and he’s not mine.

I tried to stay away from Tyler Wagner, putting an entire country between us. But when his sister’s wedding brings us back to the same town, to the same house, I can’t avoid him, no matter how hard I try.

He’s always there, his dark eyes bewitching, luring me into their depths. The memory of us pulls me under like a rip current, and when he flashes that smile, I lose my breath, along with my will, unable to escape his grip and find the surface.

Now, hours before our plus ones arrive for the wedding, I’m in his arms, begging him to make me hate him, knowing he never could.

If he kisses me right now, I’ll drown.

And I’ll take him down with me.

All the Truth In My Lies By Elisabet Benavent | The Truth Always Finds Its Way Out

Title: All the Truth In My Lies
Author: Elisabet Benavent
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

This started as a fun bachelorette trip and quickly turned into a messy emotional roller coaster. Between the secrets, lingering feelings, romantic poetry, and questionable matchmaking, I knew things were going to fall apart. I just wasn’t prepared for how much Coco’s journey would make me reflect on some of my own relationships.

Read This If You Like:

Friends to lovers, Romantic Chaos, poetry

My Review:

The emotional toll secrets and lies can have on our lives… this one made me look back at some of my own relationships.

What was supposed to be a fun bachelorette trip quickly turned into a wild, messy ride filled with lingering feelings, hidden truths, and questionable matchmaking.

Coco is secretly in love with one of her friends, and she knows she shouldn’t be because he is the ex of another friend… talk about messy!

As secrets begin spilling…let’s face it, they always do…relationships are tested, and everyone is forced to confront the things they would normally avoid. Coco’s romantic life becomes increasingly tangled, and my heart genuinely broke for her at certain points. She finally finds the courage to be honest about what she wants, only to be hurt almost immediately afterward.

When she finally finds love, she quickly learns that maybe love isn’t enough after all. Two people can care about one another and still be unable…or unwilling…to give the relationship what it needs. That one hurt, but it also forced her to choose herself. In the end, that is something we all need to remember.

This story is full of complicated friendships, misguided matchmaking, romantic poetry, emotional avoidance, and people attempting to repair their relationships instead of continuing to run away. You know, normal people shit 🤭. It was chaotic, dramatic, funny, frustrating, romantic, and sad.

I originally picked up All the Truth in My Lies because of its upcoming screen adaptation, and now I’m even more excited to see these characters and all their mess come to life.

4⭐️

I received the arc from NetGalley & Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for for my honest review


Synopsis:

Six best friends on a bachelorette road trip. One RV packed with secrets.

Blanca's September wedding is the perfect excuse for one last adventure, so Coco, Loren, and Aroa rent a camper and plot a week of sun splashed beaches, campsite dinners, and dancing till closing time. Marín and Gus jump onboard at the last minute. It should be idyllic—if only the truth weren't riding shotgun.

Coco and Marín are the kind of roommates who make life look easy. Too bad Coco is in love with him. To keep it hidden, she pretends she's still hung up on her ex, Gus… who seems to be writing love poems to someone he won't name. Marín and Aroa's breakup? Messier than anyone admits. Blanca should be glowing for her fiancé, yet she's miles away. And Loren—poor Loren—knows more than he should and can't tell a soul.

What starts as a carefree farewell becomes a pressure cooker of almost confessions and half truths. As the miles roll by, the stories they've told about themselves start to crack, and each of them has to choose what to the friend group they've always been—or the person they might finally be brave enough to become.

Barcelona With Love by Ian Ostroff | Sometimes You Just Have to Go

Title: Barcelona With Love
Author: Ian Ostroff
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

Noah's trip to Barcelona reminded me that life doesn't begin when everything is perfectly planned. Sometimes you just have to go

The Vibe:

Self-discovery

Feel-good

Bittersweet romance

My Review:


I went into this expecting a romance, but what I found was so much more.

After a breakup turns his anniversary trip into a solo adventure, Noah decides to take the leap and travel to Barcelona on his own. Along the way, he meets people from all over the world, forms unexpected friendships, and discovers that sometimes stepping outside your comfort zone can lead to the most memorable experiences.

As I was reading, I couldn't help but think of Eat, Pray, Love..not because the stories are the same, but because they both capture how travel has a way of changing you when you least expect it. This felt like a male perspective on that same idea, and I found myself appreciating the journey just as much as the romance.

I also enjoyed how Mr Ostroff showed us that traveling alone doesn't always mean being lonely. Sometimes all it takes is being open to new experiences and new people for an ordinary trip to become something unforgettable.

While parts of the romance developed a little faster than I would have liked, it fit the whirlwind feeling of traveling and experiencing everything for the first time. The ending wasn't what I expected, but after sitting with it, I think it was exactly the ending this story needed.

More than anything, Noah's trip to Barcelona reminded me that life doesn't begin when everything is perfectly planned. Sometimes you just have to go.

4⭐

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




Synopsis:

Noah Pérez, a third-year architecture student convinced he’s starring in God’s favorite sitcom, believes he’s planned the perfect anniversary surprise: a romantic trip to Barcelona for his girlfriend Rachel Segreto. The goal? To reconnect with his Sephardic roots and reignite their relationship before graduation. But then, Rachel’s family invites him to their annual Amalfi Coast getaway at the last minute—ruining his anniversary plans.

When he tries to convince Rachel to pick Barcelona over Amalfi, she views it as being forced to choose between her relationship and her family. With the Segreto family’s reputation already a source of tension for their relationship, it all eventually leads to a painful breakup.



Heartbroken but still determined, Noah sets off on the trip alone and finds himself in a world of hostels and backpackers. That’s where he meets Phoebe, a British entrepreneur who plans to open a café in Portugal. Her fearless approach to life prompts Noah to blurt out an impulsive lie: that he’ll be in The Algarve for her grand opening, even though he’s due back home for senior year. If he stays in Europe, he risks sacrificing what he worked hard for in school. But if he returns home, he risks giving up the “everything” he always wanted to find.

Vacation Situation By Jenny Alexandra | Love Wasn't On the Itinerary

 

Title: Vacation Situation
Author: Jenny Alexandra
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4⭐️
Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon


My initial thoughts:

I came for a quick vacation hookup, but stayed for a feel-good vacation romance.

The Vibe:
Forced proximity, he falls first, witty banter, slow burn


My Review:


This is the kind of story that sneaks up on you.

What starts as a fun meet-cute at a beach resort slowly turns into a romance that had me genuinely rooting for Frankie and Theo.

These two are complete opposites. Frankie is impulsive, unapologetically herself, and incredibly talented, even if she doesn’t always see it. Theo is steady, compassionate, and the kind of man who uses his success to lift up the people around him. On paper, they shouldn't work together, and at the same time, they fit perfectly.

Their banter kept me going. It was witty, playful, and never felt forced. Even when the story explored heavier topics, the humor kept everything balanced.

Both Frankie and Theo felt like real people. They each carried their own insecurities and baggage, but instead of trying to fix one another, they simply saw each other for who they were.

I went into this expecting a fun vacation fling filled with chemistry, but it turned out to be so much more. When you find someone who sees the parts of you that you've spent so long trying to hide, it's a win for me every time.

4⭐️

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



Synopsis:

What happens at the Evermore will change your life forever…

Frankie Sinclair doesn’t do relationships—only killer special effects makeup, horror movie marathons, and men she never sees twice. So when her best friend invites her on a last-minute getaway to the Evermore—a dreamy cliffside inn perched above the Pacific—Frankie happily takes the spare spot.

Her plan? One week of fun, zero attachments, and at least one very hot mistake.

Theo Beck is a workaholic and recovering relationship addict. Fresh off a brutal breakup and in the midst of a company acquisition, he's reluctantly sworn off work for a much-needed vacation—something he’s struggling to stick to until he collides with Frankie in a single, unforgettable night.

What starts as a steamy backseat hookup quickly turns into a week-long vacation situation, with three rules: stay (sexy) friends, no big feelings, no expectations.

Except Theo’s already imagining a future he didn’t see coming… and Frankie’s planning her exit before it can become something real.

Tropes:

- spicy
- opposites attract
- he falls first
- forced proximity
- vacation romance
- small town
- situationship

Just a little tease (in no particular order):

- a pirate-ship dance floor
- a high-heel mishap
- fogged-up car windows
- a beach bonfire gone wrong
- chocolate-covered strawberries
- bestie love, always
- “happy ending” massage
— on-again, off-again sexual tension that sizzles