Reputation by Adriana Locke ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely love the Mason brothers – I love their family dynamics - their interactions are funny, entertaining, and you can feel the strong bond between them. This book features Coy and its an enemies to lovers romance.

Coy is a sexy, cocky, country music star who has returned home to lie low for a while. Yet he is so much more – he  is funny, caring, and loves deeply. He’s had feelings for Bellamy for years and is puzzled by her antagonistic reaction to him since he returned home.

Bellamy is a strong, sassy women whose has loved Coy for  years but she also feels hurt and betrayed by what she perceives as his lack of support when she needed him most.

Locke does a great job of detailing the initial animosity between them, the realization that they really need to communicate better and the love they have for each other. She also crafted a story that made me laugh, swoon, and brought tears to my eyes. This was a love story about romantic love and the love and support of family - how both of these can bring the absolute joy, peace and love, whilst testing our resolve and bringing us challenges that make us vulnerable and strong in equal measure. 

This is a well written entertaining read and I can’t wait for the next Mason brother book. Advanced copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Rebel by Laura Pavlov ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - I laughed out loud, I swooned, got hot under the collar, and had tears in my eyes – Pavlov did a superb job of drawing every emotion out of me. This is a best friend’s sisters,  enemies to lovers, fake romance, you name it this book has it and it works so well.  

Monroe Buckley gets a job at Montgomery Media, working with Jack Montgomery, her brother’s best friend. 

Jack is the youngest Montgomery brother, he is a bachelor with quite the reputation as ladies man. However, Pavlov shows the reader so many sides to Jack that you can’t help but fall in love with him. He is sexy, strong, intelligent, and in touch with his softer side – I love that one minute, he is teasing his sister-in-law while eating sweet treats, next he is the media boss, then he is teasing and joking with his brothers. 

Monroe is young, beautiful, ambitious, and wants to leave her mark on the world. Growing up without a mother has left a hole in her life that she has never been able to fill. She is slow to trust and lives her life holding back from others so she can protect her heart from hurt. 

Jack and Monroe have great chemistry, they are passionate, quick to laugh, and know how to irritate the hell out of each other. Pavlov does a great job of showing the progression of their relationship,  their struggles to come to terms with their feelings. I laughed at their witty banter, I got frustrated at Monroe’s indecision, and I loved that Jack was a true alpha with a vulnerable side. Along with the push and pull of their relationship of their relationship, Pavlov also added intrigue to keep the reader on their toes as well as some hilarious moments. This is my first Pavlov read and I was not disappointed, this was an entertaining and enjoyable read. Advanced copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Hush Note Series – Lies & Lullabies, Rifts & Refrains, Muses & Melodies – Sarina Bowen, Devney Perry, & Rebecca Yarros

This series has been on my TBR for a while – not just because I love rockstar romances but also because I enjoy reading books by these three authors. I’m so glad I finally had time to delve into each book. I read them back to back and devoured each one. I couldn’t get enough of Jonah, Quinn, and Nixon.

Lies & Lullabies is Jonah’s story. He is the lead singer of Hush Note. He has finally returned to Maine to the place he went to rest and recharge five years earlier. Returning to Maine also reunites him with Kira and unearths a secret that changes his world. This book takes us on a journey as both Jonah and Kira, work to move past the lies, rekindle their feelings for each other and fight to get their HEA. 

In Rifts and Refrains, Quinn returns home for her Nan’s funeral and is forced to deal with her estranged family and ex-boyfriend Graham, something she has avoided doing since she left Montana when she was 18. This second chance romance details how Quinn, works to repair these relationships. Quinn and Graham are passionate - there is a thin line between love and hate - as they both struggle to understand and come to terms with their their feelings for each other.

Muses and Melodies is Nixon’s story. He is the bad boy rocker who drowns his demons in alcohol and drugs. After a stint in rehab, Zoe from his management team is tasked with sticking by him and keeping him out of trouble. Little did they know that trouble would come with their attraction to each other. The push and pull of their relationship drew me as they struggled to get their HEA.

Each of these books were well written, entertaining, and steamy, with casts of secondary characters that really enhanced each love story.

Reforming Kent by Siobhan Davis ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

This book was an emotional, angsty read. Davis did a great job at pulling the reader into the life of Kent. I was so ready not to like him after my introduction to him in “Adoring Keaton,” but I fell in love with him. He is troubled, flawed, and fighting demons that have ruled him since he was 15 years old. As I read the book, I was able to read between the lines and guess what torment fueled him. However, I wasn’t prepared for the who and why! Because of his reputation as a bad boy, when he meets Presley, she turns him down flat! Kent is nothing if not determined and he slowly woos Presley, which in itself was a surprise, but this guy has layers that not even his family were aware off.

 

Don’t get me started on his family. It made my heart break to know that he struggled for so long and no one thought this was out of the norm for him - all thought he was acting out! The scene when  the truth is revealed  and laid bare for them all to see had me in tears and my eyes are watering up now as I write this.

 

Although determined not to fall for Kent, Presley found him hard to resist when she got to see the side of him most people never see. She struggles with her own issues and sorrows, but the love that she and Kent share was all consuming, They are so passionate, their chemistry is off the charts, and they find solace and peace in each other. 

 

However, like all good romances the road to HEA is never smooth.  Kent and Presley had their fair share of issues to resolve before they could ultimately get their HEA. It was one hell of a rollercoaster journey, that brought tears to my eyes more than once, but it was such a good journey one that kept me up until the early morning hours! I highly recommend this book, but it does discuss a sensitive subject that could be a trigger for some and there is a warning at the beginning of the book.

Life of Debauchery Duet by M. Robinson

The Life of Debauchery Duet by M. Robinson

I waited until both books were out before I read this duet…so glad I did.

These books put me through the wringer and took me on an emotional rollercoaster. Monica is known as “the Queen of Angst” for a reason and I really thing she outdid herself this time.

These books are so well written, you will feel every bit of Cash’s pain, his struggles, and his demons. You heart will break when he pushes away the ones he loves. It will break to see how he gets caught up in the rock and roll lifestyle, using it as a way to quieten  his demons, when he is his biggest downfall. You will cry, scream, get angry,  laugh, but most of all you will root for him and Journey, you want their relationship to be enough to pull him through. Cash and Journey’s love story is as beautiful as it is torturous, will they be able to overcome the hurdles to reach their HEA?

I devoured these books and they are truly my favorite of Monica’s books. She really captured this tortured love story and wrote her heart out. 5 very exceptional ⭐️

The Makeup Artist by Sophie Sinclair

New Release: The Makeup Artist by Sophie Sinclair

Sarah Bowen’s life is nothing like she thought it’d be ten years ago. She runs a successful lifestyle boutique with her two best friends, she’s the makeup artist to one of country’s hottest bands, and she’s in love with a womanizing heartthrob who doesn’t give her the time of day. After years of pining after Lex Ryan, she decides it’s finally her turn, even if it might ruin everything she’s worked for…
Lex Ryan is the sexy Irish lead guitarist for the hottest country band in the States. He’s known as a serial dater, a commitment-phobe, a player who prefers one-night stands. His wild heart has zero plans of settling down—not even with the band’s makeup artist, Sarah Bowen. He’s vowed to keep his heart from falling for her. Until the band travels to Ireland where his past suddenly crashes into his present.
They say wild hearts can’t be tamed. They never said they can’t be broken.

The Makeup Artist is the second book in the Coffee Book Series. It’s a standalone novel, but the author suggests reading Coffee Girl first because of returning characters.

Review:

OMG! I loved “Coffee Girl” but Sophie knocked it out of the park with “The Makeup Artist.” This is an emotional, funny, enjoyable read. It will keep you engaged from start to finish. Lex and Sarah’s chemistry is off the charts. The lead up to their relationship was a slow burn, they were attracted to each other from the start but did not act on that attraction. Lex is the epitome of a sexy rocker, enjoying all the perks that come with being a musician. Sarah is a beautiful, sassy, strong woman.  While on tour in Ireland, the home of the sexy rocker, they take their relationship to the next level and that slow burn ignites. Like all good love stories the road to happy ever after is never straightforward. The twists and turns in the road to Lex and Sarah’s HEA are unexpected and will tug at your heartstrings. Sophie writes such great characters, some you will love, who will have laughing out loud and others you will love to hate. If you are looking for a well written, captivating read, I highly recommend this book

Rafe by Sawyer Bennett

Review:

Rafe is riding high on the success of the Arizona Vengeance, loving be part of the expansion team. All that changes with one phone call from his father, who lets Rafe know that he has cancer and does not have long to live. Rafe is traded from Arizona to the Carolina Cold Fury, so he can be closer to his father. This move also reunites him with his first love, the girl he left behind so she could follow her dreams. Calliope or Poppy was devastated when Rafe ended their relationship, but even after eight years, despite the hurt and anger that still exists, she can’t help but still be drawn and attracted to the sexy man he has become. Poppy becomes Rafe’s rock as he struggles to deal with his grief over his father’s terminal condition…he realizes his feelings for her are as strong as ever, but he just has to convince Poppy that taking a chance on him again would not be a mistake. Rafe realizes that life is too short for regrets and he makes the most of his final days with his father as well as building a newer and stronger relationship with Poppy. This novella is an enjoyable yet emotional quick read. Rafe and Poppy have great chemistry that withstood the test of time and the book also includes characters from both the Arizona Vengeance and Carolina Cold Fury series. Highly recommended. Advanced copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

She Loves Me by Melissa Foster

She Loves Me by Melissa Foster

Synopsis:

What are two besties willing to risk for something more? The New York Times bestselling author of This Is Love has the answer in this fun, sexy, and emotional romance about friendship, family, and giving love a chance.

Something is off in Piper Dalton’s life, and she has a feeling it might just be her. All her siblings are blissfully settled with their forever loves. But while her sisters were dreaming of white weddings, Piper was left heartbroken and commitment phobic by her first love, her best friend’s younger brother. As a woman dominating the male-driven construction industry, Piper has no interest in turning in her hammer for an apron—even if hot and hilarious Harley thinks otherwise.

Burly bar owner Harley Dutch has a bum ankle and two preteen nieces to take care of, and having his best friend, tough-as-nails and sexy-as-sin Piper Dalton, come to his rescue is just the remedy he needs. Piper is her snarky self, and she kind of sucks at caregiving, but she’s owned his heart for years, she’s got a way with the girls, and Harley would sure like to have his way with her…

As things heat up between Piper and Harley, she warns him not to fall in love with her because she’ll only break his heart. Harley is the right man for that challenge—until he makes the biggest mistake of his life, and they begin to wonder if true love really can conquer all.

Review:

This is a friends to lovers story. Harley is a big, burly guy who would do anything for his family and friends. He is strong, dominant, sexy, and has such a huge heart. Piper is kick-ass, strong, sassy, hard-working, and caring. Harley has been patiently waiting for Piper to see him as more than a friend. She is quick to jump in and help him when he is injured, it is then he aggressively starts pursuing her. Piper keeps denying her feelings, believing she is not capable of being in love or good at relationships. I really wanted to shake her and knock some sense into her! Can Harley convince Piper that they have a future together?

This a fun, sexy yet emotional story with plot twists to keep you on your toes. I really enjoy Foster’s writing she can keep you engaged from the first page to the last page. Her characters are believable and lovable. This story is about family, love, and friendship and is definitely one to be enjoyed

Southern Comfort by Natasha Madison

Southern Comfort by Natasha Madison

Synopsis:

Buried secrets never stay hidden in the South.

Olivia

When you find out that your fiancé is arrested for swindling over ten million dollars from his clients, you do what any sane woman would do. You escape reality and go undercover, trading in your city-girl Louboutins for country-pumpkin cowboy boots.

 It wasn’t a forever change—it was temporary. I only had to stay here until things back home got straightened out, or so I thought.

Casey

I was riding horses before I was walking, or at least that was what they told me. I always knew I would take over the family farm. It’s in my blood.

Country boy at heart, the minute I saw her dragging her luggage up the gravel driveway I knew she was out of my league.

I shouldn’t have started anything with her, because I knew she was just passing through.

I couldn’t stop it, I fell in love with her. Even though I knew, in the end, she would leave me.

Review:

This book is full of intrigue, it is steamy, and you will fall in love with Casey and Olivia. Casey is a sexy cowboy as well as a sexy business man. He is just something else. Olivia is a feisty, strong woman who has never had anyone to look out for her in the past. Olivia is under Casey’s protection, as she has the misfortune to be pulled into her ex’s dirty dealings. This book draws you in and keeps you engaged from start to finish, as Casey and Olivia fall for each other,  while trying to stay one step ahead of trouble. I love this book and this series, there is a great cast of characters who enhance the story, can’t wait for the next book. If you are looking for a love story with a side of intrigue, I highly recommend this book.