Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Beaufort Brides, #3 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Peter Blake Heroine: Kelly Beaufort Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: January 19, 2016 Started On: October 11, 2025 Finished On: October 12, 2025
Accidental Bride wraps up the Beaufort Brides trilogy by Noelle Adams, with the story of the youngest sister, Kelly Beaufort who is the responsible one, the homebody, and the woman who never took chances. After years of looking after her grandmother and watching her older sisters find their happily ever afters, Kelly decides to let loose for once in her life.
What she does not expect is to wake up in Las Vegas, married to her best friend, Peter Blake with no memory of how it happened. What follows is a slow, quiet journey toward love between two people who have always been close, with Kelly never having considered that love could actually be part of her life, if only she is willing to give Peter the chance he deserves.
Peter has been in love with Kelly since their friendship began, quietly pining while she remained oblivious. He is kind, patient, and steady, the sort of man who does not push and patiently bides his time. When she wakes up horrified at what she has done, Peter does not let her run; instead, he convinces her to stay married for forty-five days to avoid upsetting their families, giving him the one chance he has been waiting for to show her how right they could be together. Kelly, on the other hand, is reluctant, self-conscious, and burdened by a sense of duty that has been drilled into her for most of her life. She is terrified of making mistakes, of being selfish, and most of all, of hurting the people she loves.
The dynamic between Peter and Kelly is gentle and understated. There is no grand angst or explosive passion here, just the quiet unfolding of feelings between two people who already share deep familiarity. Peter’s patience and good humor balance Kelly’s fear of stepping outside her comfort zone. He is the perfect foil to her cautiousness, grounding her in warmth even when she tries to pull away. Still, I found Kelly to be a difficult heroine, her reluctance often felt excessive, and while I empathized with her sense of responsibility, it also made the story feel slow in places where I wanted a bit more spark.
Of the three Beaufort Brides stories, this is the one I least liked. I am usually a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope (the trope being my favorite in romance), but this did not quite deliver the emotional punch or chemistry I expected. The premise, a Vegas marriage gone wrong (or right, depending on how you see it), had so much potential for playful tension, but the story leaned more toward introspection and restraint. Peter’s steadfastness carried the book; his quiet devotion and subtle persistence are what made the romance work, even when Kelly’s hesitancy threatens to dim the spark.
Recommended for: readers who enjoy sweet, low-angst friends-to-lovers romances and heroines learning to step out of their comfort zones.
Final Verdict: Accidental Bride is a tender, understated close to the Beaufort Brides trilogy—heartfelt, if a little too subdued. Peter shines as the quietly devoted hero, but Kelly’s hesitancy keeps this one from soaring.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: First Person, Multiple Series: Standalone Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Garrett Hollis Heroine: Devlyn Drake Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: October 10, 2018 Started On: October 10, 2025 Finished On: October 11, 2025
Prescott Lane’s All My Life is a beautifully tender, small-town love story that feels as comforting as a breakfast on a long weekend shared between lifelong friends. It is about lifelong devotion and the kind of love that waits patiently in the background until the world finally catches up. Garrett Hollis, the town’s hardware store owner and devoted single father, has spent his life putting everyone else first, especially his daughter, Mia. And then there is Devlyn Drake, his best friend since childhood, who has quietly loved him for as long as she can remember.
From the outside, they are the perfect little trio; Garrett, Mia, and Devlyn, who owns the local diner and has been a constant presence in both their lives. She is the one who taught him to braid Mia’s hair, who fed them through hard times, and who has always been there, steady as the sunrise, even when the rest of the town had shunned him at first, and Mia’s own mother had forbade her daughter from seeing her friend who ended up with a pregnant teenage girlfriend. But beneath all that friendship simmers a love Devlyn has kept buried for decades. When Garrett begins to see her differently, really see her, the shift is slow, believable, and heartwarming. His journey from denial to awareness is beautifully written, capturing the confusion and awe of a man who realizes too late that love has been within arm’s reach all along.
What I loved most about this story is Devlyn herself. She is unassuming, kind, and deeply selfless, the kind of heroine whose quiet strength speaks louder than any grand gesture. Her bravery in loving Garrett for so long, in taking the risk to reach for what she has always wanted, is what makes this story sing. Garrett, for his part, is the kind of hero you fall for precisely because he does not try to be perfect; he is flawed, loyal, and impossibly endearing as a father. His devotion to Mia is his defining trait, and seeing him balance that love while opening his heart to Devlyn is nothing short of moving.
If there is one thing I wished for, it was a stronger grovel from Garrett, a moment that truly reflected the depth of what Devlyn meant to him. For a man who has been burned before, his emotional evolution sometimes felt a little too easy, his redemption not quite matching the years of quiet devotion she carried for him. But that said, All My Life is not a story of angst so much as one of grace and patience. Devlyn’s forgiveness, her endless capacity to understand, is both her greatest strength and her most poignant vulnerability.
This book could have easily veered into melodrama, but Prescott Lane keeps it grounded. The tone is heartfelt and real, the characters wonderfully lived-in, and the relationship between father and daughter just as powerful as the central romance. Devlyn truly is the heart of this story, the masterpiece that ties it all together.
Recommended for: fans of single-dad romances, small-town love stories, and heroines who love quietly but fiercely.
Final Verdict: All My Life is a tender, heartfelt tale of enduring love and second chances—proof that sometimes the best love stories are the ones that have been right in front of us all along.
Favorite Quotes
She looks up at me and whispers, “I lied to you about something.” I’ve been lied to enough by women. Sheena took care of that by the time I was eighteen. Devlyn knows that. “What?” “Scott,” she says, looking down, her skin turning red. “Devlyn, if you didn’t really break up with him, you are now!” She looks up, a tight-lipped smile on her face. “I lied to you about why we broke up.” “You said you guys were all business.” “That’s true, but there’s more to it.” “Okay, so what’s the real reason?” Lightly, she places her hand on my cheek. “He’s not you.”
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Broken Heart, #2 Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform Hero: Dylan Griffiths Heroine: Lou Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: November 24, 2014 Started On: August 01, 2024 Finished On: August 03, 2024
Sticks and Stones by Susie Tate is a friends-to-lovers medical romance that packs in angst, humor, and a whole lot of emotional intensity. The story follows Lou, the vivacious and outspoken heroine who has been in love with Dylan Griffiths since medical school.
From the very first time she laid eyes on Dylan across a cadaver table, Lou was a goner. The problem? Dylan only ever seemed to have eyes for her best friend Frankie, dismissing Lou as too brash, too high maintenance, and not his type. For over a decade Lou hides her feelings, masking her pain behind banter and smiles, while Dylan obliviously continues on his man-whoring ways, regarding her as nothing more than a friend.
Lou is a heroine who immediately stands out. She is bold, extroverted, the life of any gathering, and yet beneath the surface she carries deep scars from an abusive childhood. That trauma shapes so much of her character, making her both fiercely independent and deeply vulnerable. I loved how she was never afraid to speak her mind to fight for her patients, or to throw down when the moment called for it. At the same time, her hidden insecurities and her unrequited love for Dylan gave her a poignancy that made me ache for her.
Dylan, on the other hand, is the quintessential self-entitled prick at the start; gorgeous, arrogant, a womanizer through and through, with more charm than discipline. As a surgeon he lives for his power tools, and he resents the stint he is forced to do in Elderly Care where Lou also works.
For years he convinces himself that Lou is not for him, clinging instead to the fantasy of Frankie. But the more time he spends with Lou, the harder it becomes to ignore the pull he feels toward her. Watching him slowly realize the depth of his feelings, even as he repeatedly hurts Lou with careless words and actions, was equal parts maddening and compelling.
Their relationship is an absolute rollercoaster of unrequited love, betrayal, misunderstandings, and simmering attraction. Lou’s decade-long pining and Dylan’s blindness to her worth made for a tension-filled dynamic that had me alternately wanting to shake him and hug her. The turning point in their story, where Dylan’s words cut Lou to the bone and she finally walks away, was gutting but so necessary. What followed; his groveling, his jealousy, his slow fight to win her back, gave the story its raw edge. Add to that the interference of toxic colleagues, family trauma, and an unexpected danger that puts Lou in real jeopardy, and you have a romance that keeps you glued to the pages.
What I loved most was Susie Tate’s ability to balance humor and heartbreak. Lou’s outrageous banter and the camaraderie of the group of friends, all of it added warmth and lightness to an otherwise heavy story. The plotting was brilliantly done, weaving past and present seamlessly, and the characterization was top-notch.
My only gripe is that this was very much once again a closed-door romance. After so much buildup and sexual tension, it felt like a missed opportunity not to see more of Lou and Dylan on the page once they finally came together. And while I adored Lou, I sometimes found myself frustrated at how quickly she forgave Dylan despite the depth of his cruelty. But perhaps years of pining would do that to any of us.
Recommended for: readers who enjoy angsty, friends-to-lovers romances, medical settings with plenty of humor and drama, and strong heroines who overcome childhood trauma.
Final Verdict: A smart, emotional, and fiery romance with brilliant characterization. Despite its closed-door intimacy, Sticks and Stones delivers on angst, banter, and heart.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: First Person, Dual Series: Crescent Cove, #1 Publisher: Rainbow Rage Publishing Hero: Seth Hamilton Heroine: Alison Marie Lawrence Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: September 25, 2017 Started On: June 07, 2024 Finished On: June 09, 2024
I met his gaze. The dark, turbulent anger swirled with something else. Something I couldn’t define. I had a limited scope with men, but I had some. Nothing came close to this man though.
There is something irresistibly charming about friends-to-lovers romances, and Have My Baby captures that magic with humor, heart, and a whole lot of heat. Written by author duo Taryn Quinn (whose individual books I have enjoyed before, especially Cari Quinn’s), this series opener hooked me right away.
Friends-to-lovers also happens to be one of or if not THE favorite trope in romance, and this book provided me with a heady reminder of why: the blend of deep-rooted friendship, unspoken longing, and explosive passion when the line finally blurs is endlessly satisfying.
Alison Marie Lawrence (Ally) has been in love with her best friend Seth Hamilton for as long as she can remember, though she has kept that a well maintained secret. Seth, a single father devoted to his little girl, suddenly drops a bombshell when he asks Ally to have his baby; an arrangement meant to be practical, without the mess of relationships or heartbreak.
Seth is the kind of hero who makes an impression from the very first page. A workaholic millionaire who nevertheless puts his daughter Laurie first, he is commanding, sexy, and unexpectedly tender. The way he takes care of Laurie reveals just how deeply kind and caring he is beneath his confident exterior.
Ally, meanwhile, is skittish and cautious, but she is also strong in ways she does not always recognize. Having built her life around a man she loves deeply, watching him get married, have a kid, when all the while she is right in front of him—that takes the kind of indomitable strength that I cannot even fathom. Ally is a character that shines with warmth and goodness, making it easy to see why Seth finds himself falling for her despite his best intentions.
Their arrangement begins with Seth’s “practical” request, but the foundation of their bond is anything but that. The years of friendship, the little moments of trust and laughter, and the undeniable chemistry between them all bubble to the surface in a matter of encounters. Seth might like to think that he is in control, but Ally’s vulnerability and the depth of her love strips away every wall he has ever built around his heart. Watching her move from self-doubt to realizing her worth, and him from control to surrender, makes their journey compelling from beginning to end.
The setting of Crescent Cove adds charm to the story, a small town where everyone seems to know each other’s business. That backdrop of familiarity and comfort made Seth and Ally’s shift from friends to lovers all the more intimate in my opinion. From the cozy warmth of the Rusty Spoon diner where Ally works, to the community ties that weave their lives together, the atmosphere is one of home and belonging, anchoring the romance in a place that feels lived-in and real. And let me not forget the delightful side characters, Sage, in particular, the between her and Oliver hinting at something intriguing, which I am definitely eager to see explored further in the series.
What made this book stand out for me was the sheer intensity of the emotional punch it delivered, paired with the scorching chemistry between the two. The sex scenes are beyond hot (as is signature Cari Quinn, I must add), the kind that lingers long after you are done. That said, I would have loved a little more gradual build-up to the moment Seth blurts out his proposal as the shift from best friends to something more felt almost too sudden, even though the emotions behind it rang true.
For all that, I loved how much heart this story carried. Laurie was precious, Ally was simply everything good and kind, and Seth was sexy as sin—a hurricane of want and need, but also a man who worshipped the woman he finally realized had always been his. Together, they were messy, emotional, passionate, and real!
Recommended for: Readers who love best-friends-to-lovers stories, single father romances, small-town settings, and a blend of humor, heat, and heart.
Final Verdict: A sizzling and heartfelt friends-to-lovers romance from a talented author duo; Have My Baby brims with humor, passion, and emotion, setting the stage for an addictive small-town series.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novella Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: First Person, Single Series: Green Valley, #3 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Chase Park Heroine: Paige Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: November 17, 2023 Started On: May 03, 2024 Finished On: May 04, 2024
A Christmas Road Trip by Noelle Adams, is a novella set in the Green Valley series, which can be read as a standalone. The setting is as cozy and charming as its title suggests, and is a friends-to-lovers romance set against the backdrop of festive small-town North Carolina.
27 year old Paige is a planner with to-do lists. It is only fitting that when it comes to her Christmas road trip with her boyfriend, she has carefully planned it out. The only contingency she does not plan for is to have her boyfriend back out at the last minute. Determined not to let her plans fall apart, she invites Chase Park, her childhood friend who is always around but never taken too seriously. What begins as a last-minute substitution turns into a journey of laughter, banter, and a shift in feelings, especially for Paige.
Paige and Chase are two characters who are very different from each other. While Paige likes control, lists, and knowing where she stands, Chase, in contrast, is laid-back to a fault, a man who has been labeled a slacker by others but who has a way of seeing truths Paige often overlooks. He infuriates Paige to no end in his refusal to take life seriously, but his humor and warmth also makes him impossible to ignore. Together, they balance one another in ways that have always been obvious to everyone but themselves.
As they travel from one stop to another, it is then Paige starts to see Chase differently. The easy companionship they have always shared takes on a spark, and she begins to realize that the man she has leaned on as a friend might be capable of giving her much more. The challenge lies in trusting what she feels, because Chase does not seem like the sort who can commit from her perspective. For Paige, it is a leap into uncertainty that she never planned for, something extremely hard to do for someone like herself.
What I loved most about this novella was its simplicity and charm. It is low angst (just like Chase himself) and filled with holiday atmosphere. The romance develops gradually through shared moments, laughter, and small shifts in perspective. Paige’s realization that Chase has been right there all along is satisfying, while Chase’s quiet depth adds a surprising layer to a character who might otherwise be overlooked.
If there is any drawback, it is simply that I wished it had been longer. At novella length, the story moves quickly, and I wouldn’t have minded more time with Paige and Chase as they navigate this new stage of their relationship. Furthermore, given that the story is told entirely from Paige’s perspective, a lengthier story would have given the reader more insight into what Chase feels throughout. Still, the ending delivers exactly the kind of feel-good conclusion as expected of a Christmas romance.
Recommended for: Readers who enjoy cozy, holiday-set romances, friends-to-lovers tropes, and low-angst stories that delivers warmth and charm.
Final Verdict: Festive, charming, and sweetly romantic—A Christmas Road Trip is a cozy holiday friends-to-lovers romance, with just the right touch of heat.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Pemberley House, #2 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Ward Knightley Heroine: Em Woodson Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: April 30, 2019 Started On: January 18, 2024 Finished On: January 19, 2024
A modern twist on Emma by Jane Austen, If I Loved You Less brings together two people who have always been in each other’s orbit but never imagined the quiet, familiar thread between them could ignite into something far more intense.
26 year old Em Woodson, is a vibrant, compassionate, and fiercely loyal daughter to her dependent father, and quite used to managing everyone’s lives—except her own. In contrast, 39 year old Ward Knightley, her longtime neighbor and her father’s close friend, has always been the calm in the storm—blunt, steady, and somewhat aloof and a rather critical presence in her life at times. But everything shifts when the low thrum of awareness between them begins to rise into something neither can ignore.
Neither Em no Ward start off pining for each other—this is no case of unrequited love on either side. Rather, it is a slow build-up of awareness between the two that seemingly springs out of nowhere, forcing them to confront their burgeoning feelings for one another. Em, who has sworn off marriage because it is not for the likes of her, but still hangs a wedding dress in her room, and Ward who has never thought beyond his failed marriage to moving onto greener pastures—neither is ready for the avalanche of feelings that catches them unawares.
While Ward is older, controlled, and more mature when it comes to Em, who at certain times comes off as rather bratty in my opinion—beneath that restraint is a man who has been waiting, even if he did not know it. He does not fall in love with Em because she has been in his life since childhood, but rather because of the woman she became: generous and thoughtful—even though at times, her meddling nature does more harm than good. Even if Em feels as if he does nothing but criticize her for her life choices, in truth, Ward has admired her long before desire entered the equation.
Em, for her part, is one of those heroines who gets under your skin without even trying. She’s loving but not naïve, self-aware but not jaded. Though she tells herself that she is not spoiled, there is a part of her that is, and seeks to get away with what she wants—the way she wants it. She may have never broken free of her family’s grasp, but she has carved out a life full of purpose for herself as much as she can under the circumstances. Her relationship with Ward feels like a natural extension of who she is—it grows organically from admiration, banter, comfort… and then something hotter and far more dangerous.
The real tension when it comes to how Em and Ward’s relationship evolves lies in the emotional shift—the moment they start to see each other differently for the first time. Neither of them pursues the other outright; instead, the tension builds through shared moments, moments in which they are caught unawares, which blooms slowly and then there is no forcing back the tidal wave that hits. It’s restrained, but thrilling—and somehow more electrifying for that matter.
I enjoyed the second installment in the Pemberly House series on so many levels. I loved both Em and Ward individually and together — how they both just fit right in with each other as if they had been waiting to call each other their home. I loved that both Em and Ward got the emotional space and attention they deserved. Their connection wasn’t a lightning bolt—it was the kind of slow ignition that feels inevitable and completely right.
Ward was definitely the highlight of the story. He was a man who had put his romantic life to sleep and suddenly found it stirred awake by a woman who had always been there. I loved that Ms. Adams did not try to fix Em’s family situation to make her more “available.” Instead, Ward fit himself into her world, accepting and embracing what mattered to her, and offering his love without conditions.
And the heat? Subtle, steady, and so well-done. That quiet, simmering sexual tension was better than many full-blown steamy scenes—it pulsed under every conversation, every look. And when it finally boiled over? Perfection.
Recommended for: Readers who love slow-burns that truly burn, age-gap romance done with emotional depth and maturity, and heroes who fall in love with the woman as she is, not as he wants her to be.
Final Verdict: Simmering tension, emotional richness, and a quietly magnetic hero who didn’t know what he was missing until she lit the spark. Ward makes this one unforgettable.
Favorite Quotes
He dropped his hand. “Why do you try to lie to me? I’ve known you since you were in diapers.” She scowled since she hated being reminded of that fact. “Your being thirteen years more ancient than me doesn’t mean you can read my mind. There are things about me that you’ll never know.” He stared at her, and there was something full and deep and slightly conflicted in the gaze. Something that left her breathless. “What don’t I know?” he asked in a low, rough voice.
Instead of turning the knob, he stood like a statue for several seconds. “Ward?” Em prompted, confused by his behavior. “I don’t always find fault with you,” he said, not turning around. “I think you’re amazing. The most amazing person I’ve ever known. And nothing is ever going to make me feel differently.” Em’s mouth dropped open, and she stared at his stiff back. She couldn’t make her voice work, and she had no idea what to say anyway. After another moment, Ward opened the door, stepped into the hall, and closed it behind him—leaving Em alone with a flurry of emotions that weren’t anything like she used to feel for Ward. At all.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Playing for Love, #4 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Patrick Fitzgerald Heroine: Cheryl Karalis-Walker Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: December 05, 2023 Started On: December 16, 2023 Finished On: December 23, 2023
Back into It by Eve Dangerfield, first published in December 2023, is the fourth installment in her Playing for Love series. I dived straight into book four and found myself right at home, never feeling as if I should have read the series in order. I am a sucker for a friends-to-lovers romance, my most favorite theme in the world of romance. However, it is rare to come across a good friends-to-lovers romance nowadays, and Ms. Dangerfield being one of my go-to authors in contemporary romance, I did not hesitate to grab myself a copy.
Told from dual perspectives of the main protagonists, Back into It brings to readers the story of 32 year old Cheryl Karalis-Walker, a social media consultant whose work is cut out for her when it comes to her personal life. While she is intelligent, witty, and smart, she does not see herself as someone worthy of a long-term love or relationship, which makes her shy away from any such prospects, especially with her closest male friend Patrick.
23 year old Patrick Fitzgerald is a professional Australian Football League player, who is passionate, headstrong, and deeply in love with Cheryl. Despite their friendship and being in love with her, he maintains close ties with Cheryl, and struggles with her resistance to view him as an ideal partner for life.
While Patrick is comfortable with his feelings, it is Cheryl who has a hard time reconciling with the age difference between them, having always stuck to older men when it comes to her relationships. Being labeled as a cougar is not something Cheryl looks forward to, and society’s judgmental nature when it comes to an older woman dating a younger man, especially in light of Patrick’s rising fame as a professional athlete makes her more hesitant to take that step.
Cheryl also battles with a complicated past, including a challenging childhood and fraught relationships. An absentee father and an ailing mother had forced Cheryl to grow up way before she had to, and being the primary caregiver to her mother adds onto her emotional baggage. As a result, Cheryl has emotional walls that are practically impenetrable, and even as she and Patrick grows closer over time, she dares not give in.
Patrick is an adorable hero in many ways. His unwavering devotion to Cheryl is the kind you witness, not through empty words, but because of his actions. He stands up for her, prioritizes her well-being over his own needs, and never ever questions his belief that they belong together, which helps Cheryl to overcome her fears.
Patrick is also one of the most patient heroes I have come across. Cheryl certainly resists hard, whenever she feels as if she is going to be overcome with feelings for Patrick. Fleeing for cover is in her nature, a protective mechanism, and it is Patrick who understands this instinct in her and allows her to be, rather than pressure her into accepting him.
At the same time, Patrick also challenges Cheryl’s misgivings about the age difference and societal judgments and refuses to let her use that as a primary excuse to keep him at bay, when he knows in his heart that theirs would be a love ever so grand.
While Cheryl at first was a character that I did not respect much, I found myself falling in love with her as I saw deep into her psyche and understood where she was coming from. To see her growth from someone who shied away from commitments and slept around, to someone who saw in Patrick what it would mean to be loved by someone who truly sees you – that in essence was why I fell in love with her.
Cheryl is also someone who is strong and determined, with an inner core of vulnerability; I could totally see why Patrick fell in love with over their shared hobbies such as hiking, watching horror movies, and getting brunch together. I also loved how honest she is with herself, about how she enjoys being desired by men and how she goes out of her way to ensure that she looks good when she wants to. She does not shy away from the concept that she likes it, and that I felt was refreshing for a change.
Patrick is a hero easy to love. His devotion, playful and yet grounded nature, maturity beyond his years, protective nature without it being toxic, his patience and persistence – all scored big with me. While there is incredible chemistry between the two, I did feel a bit cheated out on the sexy times that Ms. Dangerfield does so well in most of her books. This was a story heavier on emotional and personal growth than it was on the sensuality aspect and I guess it did work for the story line.
Recommended for those who love an emotionally well-balanced story, featuring a skittish heroine and a hero whose patience alone makes you fall head over heels for him.
Final Verdict: Back into It by Eve Dangerfield delivers a heartfelt friends-to-lovers romance with emotionally rich characters for fans of deeply layered love stories.
Favorite Quotes
With eyes like flint, Patrick pinned her hands. He rocked to one side to expose her bare thighs and then his hand was up her skirt. Cheryl made a noise like she had a puncture. “We’ll do this slow,” he said, eyes still on hers. “But you’re gonna come for me. It’s been too long.”
He licked her gently. She tasted clean and soft and salty-sweet. He kept going, moving experimentally, trying to find what would make her feel good. When he pressed his tongue to her clit she made a noise like she’d started crying again. He pulled back. “You okay?” “Yes. No. It’s too much. Too good. It feels like…” “What?” When she spoke, it was so quiet it was barely sound. “… like you love me.”
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Bellinger Sisters, #2 Publisher: Avon Hero: Fox Thornton Heroine: Hannah Bellinger Sensuality: 3.5 Published On: March 01, 2022 Started On: May 21, 2022 Finished On: May 28, 2022
“Waiting for you is the best I’ve ever had.”
Tessa Bailey is an author who stormed into the romance genre with her penchant for well crafted emotional reads, delivering the zing factor as it should be. She is well known in the reader community as the Queen of Dirty Talk, a badge well deserved. Her writing has evolved over time as it should, and her stories of recent times are very well nuanced, highlighting on issues and changing norms of society today. Such is the underlying topic of the second installment in the two-book Bellinger Sisters series, first published in March of last year.
31 year old Fox Thornton and Hannah Bellinger meet one another in the previous book, when Hannah tags along with her sister to Westport, hometown of their biological father. It has been over six months since Hannah left and her sister Piper stayed on, Hannah back to her job working as an assistant at a production company, while crushing on her boss.
When Hannah returns to Westport for filming purposes, circumstances would have it that she lodges at Fox’s place bringing to the surface, the simmering emotions underneath for both of them. Fox considers Hannah to be his friend, something he never entertained could be possible for someone like him; a girl being his friend, and that girl liking him for something other than what he could deliver in bed. Through the months that they have proceed to get to know each other via text and otherwise, Hannah has gotten under his skin and Fox, even though he does not know how to deal with that particular aspect, knows that Hannah’s presence is something he wants and needs in his life.
Hannah is the sister who was always comfortable waiting in the wings, with Piper taking up the spotlight. Hannah has always been the friend, the confidante, the comforter in times of need. And even though Hannah considers Fox to be her friend, she too is not immune to the whole vibe that surrounds Fox – the one that lets a woman instinctively know what a man would be capable of in the throes of passion.
It made for absorbing reading experience to see both Hannah and Fox navigate through the waters that were choppy at times and exhilarating in many aspects, their journey towards seeing each other, understanding each other, and giving into what they could be together in every sense.
I loved Hannah for being such an intuitive heroine – being the quieter child always has its perks because you are constantly cast into the role of the observer which helps you understand the nuances of human emotions better and take cues from the subtle and not so subtle shifts in mannerisms, tone of voice, and body language. That is what helps Hannah identify that beneath the beauty that is Fox to every sense imaginable to the heterosexual female, he is a man hurting over the fact that he would never be good enough.
Fox is a man who is a victim of toxic masculinity in a very real sense. From childhood through his most formative years and adulthood, Fox has borne the brunt of the promiscuous nature of his father, Fox’s own good looks, and the sexualization of his childhood by those who should have known better. Fox too had lived up to that reputation he felt that he had to keep up with, but it had left its scars that run deep.
Fox is a man who has been burnt badly, making him believe that for any woman, he is only good for the very short term, and beyond that, even in a professional capacity, he is only deserving of the sloppy seconds. Reverse judgement is a huge theme throughout the story, where Fox has always been continued to be judged by his looks, and that plays a huge role in Fox’s psychology and sense of self-worth.
It takes a special kind of woman, someone like Hannah, to be able to peel back those layers to the man underneath and get to the heart of the man that beats only for her. It takes patience of the kind that not many women might be able to exert around a man like Fox, especially when he does everything in his power to make Hannah believe otherwise. I found Hannah to be amazing in every sense, especially in the way she stands up for Fox, the first person to do that for him.
This is a story that stays with you long after you turn that last page, with Ms. Bailey having done a number on your emotions. If I were to choose a favorite between the two books in the series, it would have to be this one, as the story explores emotions that run far deeper than the average. The series has managed to explore both sides of the coin when it comes to toxicity of the sexes, and has done it extremely well.
Don’t be thinking that this is all about the emotional punch; Ms. Bailey never lets down her fans of singeing sex scenes that she is able to write with such flair, and this one is no exception. It just requires a little patience to geth there and it is well worth the wait!
Absolutely recommend this gem of a read!
Final Verdict: It is not the romance alone that tugs at the heartstrings with this number, it is how Ms. Bailey explores the topic of toxic masculinity with such heart that keeps the pages turning!
Favorite Quotes
Hannah was approximately five feet from Fox when his expression changed, and he read her intention. His creeping insecurity vanished, and he rocketed to inferno status on a dime. Those blue eyes darkened, and that square, bristled jaw flexed. Ready. A man well used to being wanted and knowing what to do about it.
During a particularly long-winded story from Deke, Hannah felt Fox watching her and looked back, the alcohol thrumming along in her veins, sending goose bumps riding in a slow wave up her arms and neck. Right, it’s the alcohol. In a daze, she watched as he wet his lower lip, rubbing the moisture together with the top one, leaving his mouth looking fresh and male. His heavy-lidded blue eyes never leaving her. Seductive blends. Seductive aromas. Sharon Stone. Go home, you’re drunk.
“You’re a surprise, Hannah. How could I hate them?” He cleared his throat hard. “Even familiar . . . you’re a constant surprise.”
Title: Nightwolf by Karina Halle Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Paranormal Romance POV: First Person, Dual Series: Spinoff, The Dark Eyes Duet Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Wolf Eriksen Heroine: Amethyst DeMille Sensuality: 3.5 Published On: November 22, 2021 Started On: December 30, 2021 Finished On: January 02, 2022
She tastes like eternity. Like life among the stars. Like something that could sustain me forever, like her blood has always belonged with mine.
Night Wolf by Karina Halle is a spinoff from her The Dark Eyes Duet. Having never read the duet, and being a sucker for romances in the friends-to-lovers theme which are hard to find these days (especially well written ones with all the feels), I decided to give this one a go as I like Ms. Halle’s style of writing.
Almost 30 year of age, Amethyst DeMille is in love with Wolf Eriksen and has been for a long time. Having become friends with Wolf since she met him in her early twenties, Amethyst knows that a future between the two is futile in many ways, even if her heart tells her to take that leap of faith and her body hums its own tune every single time that Wolf is in her vicinity.
All of that stocked up sexual tension between the two comes to head when Amethyst requires Wolf’s protection from an evil force that seems to be targeting her, the “forced proximity” proving to be the accelerant that puts fuel to the low simmering fire that has burned between them for months. Ultimately, no matter how much Wolf might try to resist the lure that is Amethyst, the overwhelming nature of their desire overtakes them both leaving them with little choice but to confront the tenuous nature of their shared future.
While I liked the overall premise of the story, somehow it came off as disjointed. Wolf’s past which was laid out at the beginning of the story in which one could see that he was affected strongly by the untimely demise of his father, had no correlation to what takes place in the present world. I expected some sort of coherence to the story-line in that arc which failed to materialize.
Additionally, I felt that there was too much focus on an aspect of Amethyst’s life that detracted from the main theme – something I understood after reading the author’s note at the end of the story. Grief over losing two very important people in Ms. Halle’s life was a huge part of how this story came together and I guess that explains to a large extent the direction of the book plot when all was said and done.
I also thought that Wolf had more potential to his character than was explored. It is almost as if he was a half fleshed out character – perhaps because I read this as a standalone without pursuing the duet first, I am thinking I might have missed out on more of him. Either way, I thought Wolf deserved more than he got out of the story.
Recommended for fans of Ms. Halle’s books!
Final Verdict: A disjointed plot and characters that failed to live up to their expected potential rendered this a disappointing read.
Favorite Quotes
You could feed on me.” He swallows hard, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t. I would never.” “You mean you’ve never thought about it?” I ask, my tone both playful and serious. “About biting me, feeding on me.” Fucking me… He stares at me, his look growing more intense by the second. He may have not heard that thought, but he felt it. He adjusts himself, as if uncomfortable. “I’m a vampire, Amethyst. Of course, I’ve thought about it.” He closes his eyes, breathing in deep through his nose. “But it would be violent.” “Maybe I like the violence of it.”
“As I said before,” he says in a gruff voice, his hands skimming down the sides of my waist, his eyes glued to my parted lips. “You’re a tease.” Oh baby. I give him a wicked smile in response, straddling him deeper until I can feel the long hard length of him pressing up against me, only thin wet fabric between us. My god. I can feel him. I can’t believe this is happening. “Did you ever think that you’ve been the tease in this situation?” I manage to say. He tilts his head, appraising me, gaze flicking up to meet mine. “In this situation at the moment?” His voice is even lower now, making my nerves dance. His eyes sharpen with intensity. “I’m definitely not teasing.” And at that, he brings his hand over my stomach, sliding his lengthy, strong fingers down beneath the band of my underwear, and fucking hell am I glad I got a bikini wax a few weeks ago because his finger slides over my clit and I immediately gasp. Holy jeez.
I bite down on my tongue, gripping his shoulders, trying to meet his eyes. Fuck, he’s so beautiful. And he’s staring at me like I’m some goddess from above. “That’s it, baby, look at me when you come,” he says in a deep, gruff voice, and then I’m letting go, into the freefall. I come hard on his hand, rocking my hips into him, his fingers diving deeper, leaving no inch unexplored. I cry out, a string of expletives that ring out across the night, and it feels like my soul is being torn in a million little beautiful pieces, softly floating down from those stars. Holy shit. I mean, holy shit.
His tongue lashes me, mouth moving hard and fast, ravenous, and even though he’s not feeding, he’s feasting on me all the same. The hot, thick pressure in my core is molten, spreading throughout me, and my nerves feel like they’ve been stretched like a tightrope, moments from snapping, and, and… “Oh, fuck!” The cry rips out of my throat, something deep and dark and primal, and I’m writhing on Wolf’s face, the water splashing over the tub as I thrust my hips up, helping his tongue fuck me deeper until I lose all control. I come so hard, I’m slipping down in the water, gasping for ragged breath, trying to hold myself up, yet succumbing to oblivion as my limbs jerk and shake, as if my mind has been pried open and the contents won’t stop spilling out. The water goes above my head. Then everything goes black.
I throw my head back and bellow, the sound being torn out of my chest while I stiffen, nearly falling over. I thrust hard, once, twice, into her bruised, plump lips, then still, my heart beating so fast it might burst through my veins. For a moment all I hear is the blood in my head, the ragged gasp of my breath, the flutter of birds in the branches that I must have startled when I started roaring like a beast. Then I look down through heavy eyes to see Amethyst smiling up at me, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, and swallowing me down with pleasure. That’s going to be burned in my brain forever.
He’s kissing me. Wolf is actually kissing me. Never mind the fact that I’ve had his cock in my mouth, and he’s had his tongue inside me. A kiss is still something to be anticipated and revered and worshipped. A kiss still has the power to bring you to your knees, to give you butterflies, to change your life, and I think this kiss is doing just that. It’s changing my life, for better or for worse, there’s no coming back from this. It’s just too easy, it’s just too good. All that chemistry between us that we’ve been stockpiling for years is finally spilling out in the way that it always should have.
“Please,” I whisper. He leans in, just enough to brush his lips over mine. “Please what?” he asks roughly. “Kiss me,” I say, my eyes closing, taking in his scent, the cool feel of his fingers, my pulse skipping against my skin. “Fuck me.” I pause, my eyes opening to meet his. “Claim me.” Fire ignites in his pupils and he moves so fast that the world becomes a blur. His mouth covers mine and he’s pushing me backward and I’m stumbling as I go. Then I’m pressed up against a tree, my hair tangling in the ragged bark, and his hands are roaming over my body, leaving fire and ice in their wake.
“I’m going to fuck you long and hard and rough,” he murmurs in a deliciously raw voice. “But not until you’re dripping down your legs. Got it?” My heart beats like mad at the base of my throat and I find myself nodding. Holy moly, that sounds like a challenge. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to take you,” I find myself saying, and I’m too turned on to be the slightest bit bashful about it. He gives me a small, wicked grin. “I’ll make it work.”
“I think you’re a greedy fucking girl, that’s what I think.” His grin is carnal, like the predator he is. “That’s what I know.” Suddenly he plunges his fingers in deeper, moving them in such a way that they drag across every swollen nerve inside me and I’m set off like a bomb, the orgasm tearing through me again like fireworks. This time I haven’t even caught my breath or gathered my thoughts before Wolf is picking me up by the waist and lifting me up against the tree. I have just enough time to wrap my legs around him before he shoves his massive cock inside me. FUCK! I holler like an animal, still throbbing, still fucking coming, and he’s already squeezed inside me to the hilt, pushing all the air out of my lungs, making me feel like he’s impaled me to the tree.
“Focus, baby,” Wolf says in this deep voice that makes me want to do everything he says. “Just think about how good I feel. Fuck it, tell me how good I feel.” “You feel so fucking good,” I tell him, reaching out and pressing my hand against the hard planes of his back, marveling at his strength while I pull him in deeper, my nails digging through his shirt. “Fucking me so good. I can barely handle you, you’re wedged in so tight.” His nostrils flare like primordial lust runs through him and he lets out a tense growl. He leans in quickly, kissing me hard, lips tender but the movement rough, like he’s fucking my mouth as much as he is my cunt, and I’m completely lost to him.
Then reaches around me, the length of his thick arm going up over my spine, a barrier between me and the tree, and starts fucking me again. Harder than before. Just a burst of animalistic power that can only belong to a vampire, feral and wild and dangerous, and I am at his mercy. I completely submit to him.
I brace myself with my hands against the wall and lean forward so that my breasts are in his face. He immediately responds, his tongue lapping up the swell of my breast in strong, broad strokes. I groan, my eyes closing, succumbing to the sensations of his mouth on my skin, but then he’s wrapping his lips around my nipple and sucking in hard and it creates lightning that shoots out along my nerves, straight to my core, like I’m plugged into a star system.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Romantic Comedy Series: Standalone Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Ian Heroine: Samantha Grace Abrams Sensuality: 3 Date of Publication: August 09, 2018 Started On: August 15, 2021 Finished On: August 20, 2021
Not So Nice Guy by R.S. Grey is a best friends to lovers themed romance of the contemporary variety, told in the first person from the viewpoints of both protagonists. 27 year old Samantha Grace Abrams (Sam) and Ian (we never learn of his full name nor his age), are teachers at Oak High School. While Ian is the AP Chem II teacher, Sam is the journalism teacher and the staff coordinator for the Oak Hill Gazette, a weekly newspaper at the school.
Ian and Sam become friends three years prior to when the story begins, and it becomes evident as the story progresses that both Ian and Sam are in love with each other, but resigned to being friends because of the uncertainty involved when it comes to crossing that line and leaving the friend-zone.
Sam more so than Ian, is reluctant to rock the boat even when she has x-rated dreams that involves Ian and has a hard time keeping her burgeoning feelings to herself. Things however have a way of changing, and love as fierce as the one that Sam and Ian have for each other cannot be denied in its entirety and has a way of coming out, one way or the other.
Not So Nice Guy is perhaps not so aptly titled because I found Ian to be quite the amicable hero in every sense. I would have loved a bit of grumpiness or taciturn behavior on his part because I just love a hero that brings angst to the story, but for the most, he is the kind of man who looks out for his other half, and aims to protect himself when it comes to Sam and her lack of certainty in them becoming something more.
Recommended for those who love humor laced friends-to-lovers romance with a hero that makes you melt on the spot!
Final Verdict: Low on angst, funny, and heartwarming; Ian makes your heart go aflutter!
Favorite Quotes
“Sam,” I say, reaching down to adjust myself. My dick is begging for attention, but I want to concentrate on her. “Pull them to the side and tell me how wet you are.” We’ve probably spoken hundreds of thousands of words to each other throughout our friendship, but right now our sentences sound like they’re being spoken by strangers. Her head tips back and her gaze hits the ceiling. She’s exposing her neck. If I were there, I’d drag my teeth along her pulse line.
“I want to taste you.” She’s panting. So close. Her breaths are shorter and shorter. Her legs are trembling. I’m imagining her on that bed, pink and wet and so very good at listening. “I’m so close, Ian.” “Imagine how well we’ll fit, Sam. Imagine how easily I’ll fill you up.” “Ian…I’m—” The rest of the sentence dissolves and so does she. She’s fisting her sheets, about to come undone just from the sound of my voice. “I’ll be so gentle at first, but you know what? I’ve been lonely way too long and I need to fuck—hard.”
He stalks forward like a panther and then he’s right there, looming over me. He tips down so his hands rest on the desk on either side of my hips. We’re eye level, blue gaze to blue gaze. My knees brush against the front of his suit pants. Holy shit. He’s big. My eyes grow wide. He lets out a deep breath then glances down. His growl is barely contained to the back of his throat.
What the hell are you doing to me? he asks silently. Beating you at your own game, I mentally reply with a smirk, and then I kiss him again. This time there’s no stoicism on his part. He hauls me up against his chest and slants his mouth against mine. It hits me like a ton of bricks that we’re kissing. IAN FLETCHER AND I ARE KISSING. I would exclaim this out loud if my mouth weren’t currently occupied with something much more important. Here’s the thing: Ian might have been frozen a few moments ago, but he’s not anymore. His hands dip under his coat and he pushes it off my shoulders. His palms burn across my neck and then lower, skating the outer edges of my breasts. My nipples tighten. His touch sears. I have no doubt my dress is charred and moments from disintegrating into a pile of ash at my feet.
I make a sound in the back of my throat that I’ve never heard before (a guttural moan mixed with the word “please”) and he delivers, gently coaxing my lips apart and touching the tip of his tongue to mine. Oh yes. Our PG kiss has turned X-rated. I’m glad to see he’s retaliating with vigor. Don’t stop, don’t stop. I’ve been deprived of this kiss for so long, and now that it’s happening, I’d like it to last for at least one to two decades. We’ll barricade the windows and door. We’ll tear the pages from the English textbooks stacked against the back wall and make a cozy sex nest. We’ll survive by taking little nibbles of each other every now and then, like little love cannibals. I’m aware it isn’t the most well-adjusted thing to think about during a passionate kiss, but it’s just the kind of joke Ian and I would crack up about for hours. It fits.
“It’s been a while since I’ve done this.” I laugh. “Yeah, you can save the awkwardness. I don’t care. It’s just us, Sam. Me and you.” “Right.” She nods, growing confident enough to drag one of her hands back around to the front of my hip. Then she slowly reaches over and circles her palm around my dick. She has the softest, surest grip. My eyes roll back in my head. My hips jerk forward on instinct. “Sam,” I warn. “I’m barely touching it!” she says defensively. Yeah, I know. It’s been a fucking while since I’ve slept with someone, and also this fantasy has been building for, oh, I don’t know…a millennium. I won’t last for shit. “Just don’t drag it out. Our entire time as friends has been a tease, foreplay. It’s been like five-play or six-play.”
He reaches one arm around my stomach and tugs me back against him. My butt hits the front of his tuxedo pants and I feel his hard length press against me. His fingers dip beneath my panties and my stomach swoops. Not so fast. I turn and push him away so I have room to turn and hop up on the counter. “You have to undress too. Bareness is fairness.” “Want to do it for me?” “No. I want to watch.” He chuckles and rubs the back of his neck. If I had a radio handy, I’d tune it to slow jams, something he can sway his hips to. I want a show.
“Is this too much?” Of course it is. I’m being forced to watch what he’s doing to me. I’m looking at my flushed, heated skin; that black bowtie around my neck that smells like him; my wild, tangled hair; the crazed look in my eyes. There’s no escaping what he’s doing to me and maybe I won’t always want it this way, but right now I do. “Not enough,” I beg, and Ian delivers. He slides into me slowly and he’s deeper than before. He stays pressed there and our eyes lock in the mirror. I’ve been naked for a while, but in the reflection, I’m stripped bare. Ian has his fist wrapped around my soul.
I fist the sheets and my eyes pinch closed. My bottom lip is between my teeth so I don’t cry out loud enough to disturb our entire floor. “So, is this how you envisioned it? Sweet and gentle?” he asks, leaning down and taking my hands in his. He drags them up and over my head and presses them into the bed. My eyes blink back open as he leans over me, putting me in his shadow. His hair hangs down on his forehead. His sharp features seem even more intimidating from this perspective. He pulls out and thrusts again and I groan because his full weight on top of me is intense and wonderful.
When he’s sure I’m finished, he sits back up and turns me over so I’m on my hands and knees. Now, there’s no more sweet and gentle. Ian is relentless. Pounding. Thrusting. Fucking. I’m slack-jawed, wide-eyed, and any number of other hyphenated adjectives. My arms give out and my cheek hits a pillow, but he holds on to my hips to keep me from collapsing altogether. Never once does he break pace. When I glance back, I see him staring down between us, watching what he’s doing to me, and whatever he’s seeing must send him over the edge, because he pulls out and grips his hard length and comes just like that, with my name on his lips.
A Maldivian's Passion for Romance 