Title: First Sign of Danger Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Haven’s Rock (Sequel series to Rockton) Note: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are entering a new chapter of life as parents to their six-month-old baby. Their family is hidden away in the sanctuary town of Haven’s Rock where they can live safe and private lives. But when they encounter hikers too close to the borders of Haven’s Rock, they realize they’re in danger of being exposed.
When they find one of the hikers dead the next day, they realize that their paranoia was justified, but they’re no closer to finding out who these people were and what they were doing in the vicinity of Haven’s Rock. Only by tracing the hikers’ movements, as well as examining the recent behavior of their closest neighbors, the workers of a secretive mining camp, will they be able to figure out where the threat is coming from and shut it down. Otherwise, the lives of everyone in Haven’s Rock—and their safe, secure new existence—are at risk.
Title: Pitcher Perfect Author: Tessa Bailey Series:Big Shots Genre: Romance Summary:Boston Bearcats rookie Robbie Corrigan is living the dream. He’s made it to the NHL, his best friend/teammate and fellow “orgasm donor” is his roomie—and the women of Boston love them both. Life is sweet. That is, until he meets Skylar Paige, division 1 softball pitcher, girl least likely to take anyone’s bull…and the one member of the opposite sex immune to his charms. Robbie might be dazzled by the badass pitcher, but Skylar pegs him as a filthy player and wants nothing to do with him.
The gist of it all: Paige wants to be a song-writer but admittedly has no interest in actually being a performer. A professional tells her that while her music is good it’s missing something. And maybe she’s missing something, or someone, too.
Enter Liam, the guy who broke her heart, or she broke his, or they both broke each others. She hasn’t written anything, “good,” since their time together and figures getting her heart broken by him will be a good thing.
Title: Winging It With You Author: Chip Pons Release Date: June 10, 2025 About this Book: Here Source: Local library then local bookstore. Would I buy it as a gift for others? Yes, yes, yes.
My Thoughts:
I think many of us have stayed in a relationship because it felt routine, it felt safe and it was what we were used to. Some of us maybe also made ourselves smaller, less loud and different in order to keep that comfort with us.
And when that comfort gets taken away? It can lead to some slightly irrational decisions and then questioning those decisions.
Title: The Entanglement of Rival Wizards Author: Sara Raasch Series: Magic and Romance Release Date: August 26, 2025 About this Book: Here Source: Local bookstore. Would I buy it as a gift for others? Absolutely. It’s so good.
My Thoughts: Cause of my bruised heel? Me kicking my feet into the arm of the couch while reading.
I loved this book more than most words can say which is why it’s taken me days to figure out it out.
Sara Raasch creates characters I can’t help but immediately fall in love with, whether they are the central characters in the book or background characters who are amazing. This book, my third of hers, and the first in a new series is no exception to that rule. This book was partly inspired by Critical Role which just made me fall in love with it even more.
Title: On Her Terms Author: Amy Spalding Series: Out in Hollywood Release Date: February 25, 2025 About this Book: Here Source: Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Would I buy it? I’m just waiting for the whole series to come out in hopes there will a boxset or special editions.
God, I love that there’s romance with people who are older than 22. I love it so much. I love it even more because it’s sapphic, and has both lesbian and bi rep for its main characters, and diverse representation amongst the background characters.
I took a while to read this, simply because I love this series so much, and rushing through it makes me super sad while I wait for the next book. It really does. Amy Spalding is a special writer who is on my auto-read list.
Title: From Paris, With Butter Author: Christine DeSalvo Release Date: October 15, 2025 About this Book: Here Source: HiddenGems ARC in exchange for an honest review. Would I buy it? Yes, it’s feel good, cozy and delicious.
My Thoughts:
This book, if nothing else, is, at the beginning, a reminder that people should treat their servers better.
Margot is the sunshine in this dynamic, and I can empathize so much with her because the sun is masking genuine grief and anxiety over both loss and her own perceived failures. She is easy to get along with right from the beginning because she, above all else (including herself) loves love and seeing joy in other people. She is a romantic at heart, but not a hopeless one.
Laurent initially is one whole heaping platter of grumpy when we meet him. In the beginning (which I won’t spoil), I actually loathed him. But perhaps every grump, or at least this one, might be hiding a killer ability to cook (but not bake) and some sun behind those gloomy clouds.
This plot was both soft and delicious, much like the meals described in this book. It happens slowly at first, then speeds up without running away with itself. There are conflicts and enough emotion to invest in without creating an overwrought, stretched-out, or boring feeling. I was invested in these two and their lives from the beginning.
Part of that comes from how Margot, Laurent, Yasmine and other characters are written (I’m looking at you, La Croix), and part of it comes from the setting.
I’ve been lucky enough to go to Paris and other parts of France, but this book is a love letter to the city and had me wanting to go back in a way that nothing ever has. My trip there, in all honesty, was a whirlwind (and not a pleasant one), but this book brought to mind the best parts of Paris —its history, its food, its people, and, yes, its romance. You will finish this book wishing you could go, and if only we could all have our very own Margot to guide us.
Title: Just Our Luck Author: Denise Williams Series: N/A About this Book: Sybil Sweet has always been lucky, but lately she can’t catch a break. After years of bouncing from job to job in search of something that feels right and from man to man in search of something special, Sybil is worried that she’s the directionless, floundering daughter her family thinks she is. All she really wants now is a little financial stability and carb comfort. Lucky for her, she’s got just enough in the bank to buy a lottery ticket, and the late-night donut store is open.
Kiran Anderson put his dreams of becoming a doctor on hold to take over running his family’s bakery, and after fighting a losing battle to save the place, he’s exhausted, broke, and no closer to getting back to school. But when a whirlwind of a woman sweeps in late one night, flirty energy gives way to more…until she runs out, leaving behind her winning lottery ticket.
Lucky for Kiran, his attempt to return the ticket looks like a grand romantic gesture and goes viral, sending sales through the roof. In an effort to keep the store afloat and to convince Sybil’s family she can make good relationship choices, they agree to fake a relationship for three months. Even with hundreds of millions of dollars, finding each other might end up being the sweetest bit of luck for both of them.
My Thoughts:
This book made me feel good, and to a certain extent, it also made me feel seen. I know what it’s like to be considered dumb, flaky, and a failure. Sometimes it takes some time to get to who you’re meant to be and where you’re meant to be, especially if you have undiagnosed ADHD, and especially if you don’t have someone who believes in you. Especially if you don’t believe in yourself.
I empathize so much with Sybil. She tries her best constantly, but sometimes can’t keep on track and as much as he tries it seems like no one really notices how much she is actually trying. She’s become a funny footnote in her family’s story next to someone who seems perfect.
Kiran is stuck being the person he thinks he should be, rather than who he wants to be, and doing what he thinks he should do, rather than what he can do for himself. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a major sweetheart, but through much of the book I kind of wanted to shake him and tell him to open his eyes. That being said, the two of them do seem to have a better understanding of each other than they initially thought.
There is a host of background characters in this who are amazing, and deserve their own stories.
Denise Williams is always a must-read for me, and should be for you too.
Title: Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave Author: Elle Cosimano Series: Finlay Donovan TW: Domestic Abuse, Cheating About this Book:Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. At first a suspect, Mrs. Haggerty is cleared by the police, but her house remains an active crime scene. She has nowhere to go . . . except Finlay’s house, right across the street.
Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case—or sacrificing either of their bedrooms. After all, they’ve dealt with enough murders over the last four months to last a lifetime and they both would much rather share their beds with someone else.
When the focus of the investigation widens to include Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven, though, Finlay and Vero are left with little choice but to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty and uncover her secrets . . . before the police start digging up theirs. But who will solve the mystery first?
Title: Crash Test Author: Amy James Series: N/A About this Book: Twenty-four-year-old Formula 1 driver Travis Keeping is halfway through an incredible racing season, with the championship well within his sights. But when a massive crash in Formula 2 leaves driver Jacob Nichols in critical condition, Travis’s world is flipped upside down. No one knows, but he and Jacob have been dating for almost a year.
Now the only boy he’s ever loved is clinging to life, his F1 team can’t understand why his performance is faltering, and he’s locked in a cold war with Jacob’s parents, who want him as far away from their son as humanly possible. Travis is sure everything will get better when Jacob wakes up, but he soon realizes he’s underestimated Jacob’s parents’ influence on their son.
As the F1 season barrels on, Travis and Jacob find themselves alone and miserable on opposite sides of the globe. But with some new friends by their sides, both drivers will be pushed outside of their comfort zones and onto a journey of self-discovery—one that just might lead them back to each other in the end.
