Monthly Archives: October 2023

Book Review – Playing It Tough By Amy Andrews

Cosmetic tattoo artist Orla Stewart doesn’t do anything in half measures. She went from being the ultimate party animal to living a life that’s ridiculously straight and narrow. Turns out, cancer can change a girl. A lot. Adios to delicious cheeses, boozy dance parties and easy men. Hel-lo to celibacy and a sweet house-sitting gig with a massive pool. Until one very hot, very unwelcome intruder turns things upside down.

American rugby import Ronan Dempsey’s partying is trashing both his reputation and his game—and risking his chances for making the US Olympic team. He needs to clean up, and the pool house belonging to a family friend is the perfect place to hideaway. No. More. distractions. Which is exactly when a gorgeous, pink-haired hellion knocks Ronan on his ass…

The chemistry is instantaneous, charged, and absolutely, completely, totally off-limits. Proximity makes temptation nearly impossible to resist. Now it’s a deliciously torturous game of pushing boundaries and holding out. It’s just a matter of time before someone breaks…

Published Date: 17 April 2023

My Rating

Ronan, the latest star of Sydney Smoke, curbs his wild lifestyle when he realizes it’s affecting his performance, choosing celibacy for the season. However, he didn’t anticipate his resolve being tested by his new neighbor, Orla Stewart. Formerly a party girl, Orla has led a straight life for the past three years. She’s driven by a fear of breast cancer, a disease that has affected the women in her family, and she’s determined to mitigate her risks. Her fear of loss has led her to avoid getting close to anyone, building emotional walls that seem insurmountable. But Ronan, not deterred by her aloofness, uses his charm to penetrate her tough exterior.

Falling in lust is straightforward for them, but establishing a profound and enduring relationship proves more challenging. Their physical attraction is fiery and intense, but it’s the emotional elements that make this romance compelling. Orla has endured much, and while she’s a fighter, she’s also denying herself a fulfilling life. This book encapsulates the journey of two individuals who, believing they have life figured out, realize they still have room for growth, and in the process, they find love and support.

My Rating

Happy Publication Day – 5 October 2023

The Faking Game By Portia MacIntosh

Faking Dating 💔

Only One Bed 🛏️

Love Triangle 🔺

Lovers to Enemies 🌶️

The BRAND NEW laugh-out-loud fake relationship romantic comedy from top 10 bestseller Portia MacIntosh! Cara and Millsy have broken up… sort of. 

After years of being everyone’s favourite couple, always up for a party and having fun wherever they go, things have fizzled out.

But when they realise they have a whole calendar of events and celebrations with friends and family coming up, Cara and Millsy can’t face letting them down.

So they decide to make a pact: just convince everyone they’re as madly in love as ever and get through the festivities without causing suspicion, and then deal with the break up in the new year. How hard can it be…?

Swept up in the festive spirit, will Cara and Millsy fake it til they make it? Or will they realise they are meant to be after all…?

Review Card – Playing It Tough By Amy Andrews

Cosmetic tattoo artist Orla Stewart doesn’t do anything in half measures. She went from being the ultimate party animal to living a life that’s ridiculously straight and narrow. Turns out, cancer can change a girl. A lot. Adios to delicious cheeses, boozy dance parties and easy men. Hel-lo to celibacy and a sweet house-sitting gig with a massive pool. Until one very hot, very unwelcome intruder turns things upside down.

American rugby import Ronan Dempsey’s partying is trashing both his reputation and his game—and risking his chances for making the US Olympic team. He needs to clean up, and the pool house belonging to a family friend is the perfect place to hideaway. No. More. distractions. Which is exactly when a gorgeous, pink-haired hellion knocks Ronan on his ass…

The chemistry is instantaneous, charged, and absolutely, completely, totally off-limits. Proximity makes temptation nearly impossible to resist. Now it’s a deliciously torturous game of pushing boundaries and holding out. It’s just a matter of time before someone breaks…

About The Author

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day- 4 October 2023

When We Were Friends By Samantha Tonge

Four friends, one big secret… and the journey of a lifetime. 

It’s nineteen years since they stopped speaking to each other, but now Morgan needs to contact her three best friends from school: Paige, Emily and Tiff.

Her teenage son wants to meet his dad and Morgan can’t ignore his requests any longer. And Paige, Emily and Tiff all knew what actually happened back then. Even if that was what led to their friendship group falling apart, they’re the only people Morgan can think of who might be able help her find the man who disappeared without a trace before she could tell him she was pregnant.

Can Morgan persuade her old friends to go on a road trip to track him down? As adults – with marriages, children and a whole bucket-load of their own problems – will they be able to work together to solve the mystery? And if so – just when forgiveness for the past looks like it might be possible – how will they cope with the biggest shock of all?

Book Review – The Bachelor Contract By Victoria James

New mom May Peterson can’t believe she’s back in her hometown. She has eight weeks to fix up, and sell, her childhood home. Just enough to say hello to her best friend and goodbye to her painful past. But in the warm, tightly-knit community of Maple Hill, it’s impossible to avoid anyone—especially the cute “boy next door.” And while May is definitely over the idea of love, his irresistible smile still makes her toes curl…

When they were kids, Austin Merrick only ever saw May as his sister’s best friend. Over time, they’d become friends, sharing late-night chats over cheddar popcorn. Now May Peterson has returned with an adorable baby that quickly wraps him around her little finger. But after seeing the damage a broken heart can do, Austin and his brother made an agreement: to never, ever fall in love. No marriage. No kids. Ever. 

Now they’re working together to fix up her old home, and sparks of attraction are making it almost impossible to keep to their no-romance rules. But when it comes to love, hearts never play by the rules…especially when it comes to finding “the one.”

Published Date: 17 April 2023

My Review

May Peterson is returning to the hometown she left behind a decade ago. She plans to sell the childhood home she inherited from her mother. Her lifelong friend Callie, along with her family, welcome May warmly, treating her as one of their own, just like they did during their childhood. Callie’s brothers are involved in the construction business, with Austin, the brother May has had a crush on since she was twelve, leading the renovation of her house. The age difference, which seemed too much in their youth, isn’t a hindrance now, and they both find themselves considering what could develop between them. However, May’s stay is supposed to be temporary, until the house is sold.

This is a narrative exploring the concept of family, its presence and absence, and the quest for love, underscoring the joy of entrusting one’s heart to another. It underlines how childhood events significantly shape one’s adulthood. The story is captivating with its rich characters, blending moments of heartbreak and warmth beautifully.

My Rating

Happy Publication Day – 3 October 2023

Finding Family At The Cornish Cove By Kim Nash

Family is everything… 

For years, Gemma has been running her late mother’s café with devotion, and when an opportunity comes to buy out her next-door neighbour and expand, she jumps at the chance.

She knows she will do her mother proud – keep her legacy going strong – but deep down she knows there’s still something missing.

But sometimes family are those you choose, or those who choose you! With a growing community of supporters cheering Gemma on, will she really spend the rest of her life alone?

And with some new faces at her blossoming bistro, perhaps romance may also be on the cards?

Mr. Hook- Up By Marni Mann

Hooked. An app designed for the ideal one-night stand is the brainchild of Harvard graduate students Easton Jones and his two best friends. When Easton creates his Hooked profile, he gets a 100 percent perfect match.

Who is this sure thing? Her username is Love.

Their chemistry is off-the-charts explosive, and just when Easton begins falling for her, she disconnects from the app and disappears.

Five years later, Hooked is now the number one dating app in the country.

But that’s not the only thing on fire.

Easton’s brilliant, gorgeous new recruit, Drake Madden, has ignited a desire he hasn’t experienced in years. Professionally and personally, they’re sizzling.

Just as things really start getting serious, Love resurfaces. She wants a chance to explain, and she’s sending Easton’s heart into rewind.

He has a loving woman in the flesh and a fantasy from his past—Easton’s world is about to be rocked.

And rocked hard.

Review Card – The Bachelor Contract By Victoria James

New mom May Peterson can’t believe she’s back in her hometown. She has eight weeks to fix up, and sell, her childhood home. Just enough to say hello to her best friend and goodbye to her painful past. But in the warm, tightly-knit community of Maple Hill, it’s impossible to avoid anyone—especially the cute “boy next door.” And while May is definitely over the idea of love, his irresistible smile still makes her toes curl…

When they were kids, Austin Merrick only ever saw May as his sister’s best friend. Over time, they’d become friends, sharing late-night chats over cheddar popcorn. Now May Peterson has returned with an adorable baby that quickly wraps him around her little finger. But after seeing the damage a broken heart can do, Austin and his brother made an agreement: to never, ever fall in love. No marriage. No kids. Ever. 

Now they’re working together to fix up her old home, and sparks of attraction are making it almost impossible to keep to their no-romance rules. But when it comes to love, hearts never play by the rules…especially when it comes to finding “the one.”

About The Author

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 2 October 2023

A Christmas Miracle In The Little Irish Village By Michelle Vernal

Ava Kelly loves returning to Emerald Bay for Christmas. Snowflakes fall on the green rolling hills and mulled wine fills The Shamrock Inn with the smell of winter spice. But this year, the Kelly family is hoping for a miracle…

When twenty-four-year-old Ava Kelly and her adventurous twin Grace return home to The Shamrock Inn, their Ma’s favourite baubles bring back so many memories of Christmases past. They have always done everything together, even leaving their little Irish village for the excitement of London. But with the locket her handsome ex Shanegave her hanging just above her heart, Ava has just one wish this festive season…

After a year stuck in a job she can’t stand and going on dreadful dates, Ava longs to be back with Shane. Curling up in front of the fire with him, the brooding fisherman everyone else sees melts away as his blue eyes meet hers. But planning a future with Shane would mean telling Grace she’ll be moving back to the village for good. Ava knows it will break her sister’s heart for them to be parted.

But, before Ava can build up the courage to talk to her twin, terrible tidings about Shane hit The Shamrock Inn like a winter storm. With everyone but Grace rushing to the harbour, will Ava’s hopes for a future with both Shane and her sister in it be dashed? Or could a Christmas miracle bring them all together?

Book Review – Cowboy’s Surprise Twins By Leslie North

This grumpy cowboy needs an angel. And he may have just found one…

Cowboy Dean Walters is no stranger to hard work. But when he takes full custody of his infant twins, he has to admit, even he can’t raise them alone while running his ranch. Hiring a nanny seems like a smart move. But hiring a beautiful nanny that makes his blood run hot proves to be problematic, especially as she’s only in this for the short term.

Amira Davis may a godsend for Dean and his new family, but she’s causing this lonely cowboy a special kind of misery, as he slowly realizes he wants something more…

Amira has one rule: she fixes families, but she doesn’t become part of them. Until she meets Dean. This sexy single dad may just be the most captivating man she’s ever met, and his family definitely needs her help.

It doesn’t change the fact she’s committed to leave in two months, and a passionate romance isn’t part of her plans. But for the first time in her life Amira is tempted to break her number one rule. The question is, will it end up breaking her heart as well….

Published Date: 6 April 2023

My Review

Dean was grappling with the unanticipated responsibility of being a father to three-month-old twins, but he didn’t foresee developing feelings for the nanny who came to help, nor did he expect how much she would alter his life. Amira had set boundaries for herself, including not forming close bonds with the families she worked for and never staying longer than two months. However, the instant she saw Dean and started interacting with him and his family, she realized she was headed for a complicated situation.

This book explores themes of loss, the struggle to cope with it, and the journey to survive in the absence of cherished ones. Fundamentally, Amira and Dean are both in pursuit of similar things – acceptance, a sense of belonging, and the warmth of a family. As they steer through their trials, they eventually comprehend that their joint path is the key to realizing their ultimate joy, inclusive of their ‘happily ever after.’

My Rating

Review Card – Cowboy’s Surprise Twins By Leslie North

This grumpy cowboy needs an angel. And he may have just found one…

Cowboy Dean Walters is no stranger to hard work. But when he takes full custody of his infant twins, he has to admit, even he can’t raise them alone while running his ranch. Hiring a nanny seems like a smart move. But hiring a beautiful nanny that makes his blood run hot proves to be problematic, especially as she’s only in this for the short term.

Amira Davis may a godsend for Dean and his new family, but she’s causing this lonely cowboy a special kind of misery, as he slowly realizes he wants something more…

Amira has one rule: she fixes families, but she doesn’t become part of them. Until she meets Dean. This sexy single dad may just be the most captivating man she’s ever met, and his family definitely needs her help.

It doesn’t change the fact she’s committed to leave in two months, and a passionate romance isn’t part of her plans. But for the first time in her life Amira is tempted to break her number one rule. The question is, will it end up breaking her heart as well….

About The Author

Link To Purchase