January 2026 – Page 5

Review Card & Book Review- Fake Off With Fate By Whitney Dineen

She’s a closet designer for the rich and famous and he’s a broken-hearted captain of a pro-hockey team. Neither of them is looking for love.

Ashlyn
An unexpected trip home to Maple Falls gets even more surprising when I inadvertently become acting mayor.

Add a huge crisis and a smoking hot hockey player, and I’m in over my head before I know it.

I’m only here for a short time, so I will not fall for Mr. Tall, dark, and adorable. I don’t care how helpful and kind he is. Long-distance never works, so the answer is no.

Jamie
I’m sick of the press hounding me about my last relationship, so when the opportunity arose to captain a new hockey team in smalltown Washington, I jumped at it.

Too bad I didn’t ask more questions before moving here, like, “Are there bears, and will they be living in my backyard?”

Then there’s Ashlyn. The last thing I expected was to meet a funny, sassy, and good-hearted woman like her. I swore off love after my last heartbreak, but my heart is acting like it missed the memo.

There’s no way I’m going to pursue her. Unless of course, fate has intervened, and we were meant to be…

About The Author

My Review

Ashlyn, raised in Maple Falls but now living in Los Angeles, returns home to help her parents and quickly finds herself caught in a tricky situation. Enter Jamie, the new captain of the town’s hockey team, freshly arrived from New York. What begins as a friendship forged to solve a problem soon blossoms into something more, with fate clearly working overtime. The story sparkles with humor, including a memorable bear incident, while the playful dialogue and gradual build of attraction between Ashlyn and Jamie make their romance feel both believable and heartwarming. The relationship develops at a natural pace, allowing readers to savor each stage of their journey. With its mix of humor, heart, and a wonderfully sweet romance, it is an uplifting, feel-good read that rom-com fans will adore.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

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Review Card & Book Review- Never Been Witched By Molly Harper

Alice Seastairs is in a precarious position for a witch—isolated from her coven and regretting a lot of her choices. Keeping herself from her sisters is the only way she can protect them from a threat only she knows is coming. While Alice should be searching for the final missing Welling locks and protecting the ghostly residents of Shaddow House, she distracts herself with a job offer from Collin Bancroft. Handsome, surprisingly sweet and filthy rich, Collin needs her expertise to restore his historic Duchess Hotel from the previous owner’s ghastly citrus-toned taste. Little does he know, Alice is also the perfect consultant for what to do when you discover a ghost running nightly through the hotel hallways. Spoiler alert: The solution is almost always late night snacking and smooching.

The weight of Alice’s secrets only gets worse when her manipulative grandparents threaten to ruin her relationship with Collin. And because her life isn’t complicated enough, Collin’s delusional ex walks back into his life like she never left. And then there’s the minor problem of an ancient magical family trying to take over Shaddow House, using the ghosts within for who-knows-what to further their nefarious agenda. Alice can only avoid her coven for so long before they come looking for her… She could really use a friend—or a house full of family, both living and dead.

Will Alice break from generational toxic patterns and claim the joy that she deserves? A witch doesn’t kiss and spell…

About The Author

My Review

This is a charming blend of fantasy romance, family drama, and a historical murder-mystery. The story follows Alice, who works in her grandparents’ antique shop, and Collin, the heir to a rival family with whom hers has long feuded. Despite their complicated legacy, the two are drawn together when Collin enlists Alice’s help in restoring his family’s island hotel. Their connection deepens when they uncover a mysterious ring tied to a ghost haunting Alice’s coven, pulling them into an old tragedy that may hold the key to their families’ animosity.

Alongside the supernatural mystery, Alice and Collin face personal challenges—an insistent ex for each of them and the weight of complicated family expectations. The ghostly mystery keeps the pace brisk, with satisfying answers and resolutions by the end. Light, atmospheric, and entertaining, it is a fun fall read for fans of cozy paranormal romance.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

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Kobo

Happy Publication Day – 12 January 2026

Wreck My Plans By Cindi Madsen

Age isn’t a number.
It’s a state of chaos.

When publicist Mia Andrews becomes the face of a viral disaster dubbed #PantyGate, her career implodes along with her reputation.

Now jobless and single, Mia lands in the last place she expected—her grandmother’s anything-but-quiet retirement community in Florida. It’s chaos. It’s hilarious. It’s exactly what she didn’t know she needed.

Even worse? The meddling retirees are determined to fix Mia’s love life. Somehow, they find time to play matchmaker—with not one but two bachelors under thirty-five.

But amid the mayhem, Mia’s learning that the best second chances come when—and where—you least expect them.

Summer Nights In Pine Harbor By Tammy Robinson

Under the stars, everything changes…

Twelve years after a mistake that changed everything, Taylor Calderwood returns to Pine Harbor to care for her prickly ninety-four-year-old uncle. But the quiet Maine coastal town stirs up more than memories – it brings back guilt she’s spent years trying to forget.

Jack Garrity isn’t in Pine Harbor by choice either. Bound by guilt and a promise he can’t break, he’s keeping his head down and helping a friend through the hardest chapter of her life.

Then one night, under a sky full of stars, Taylor meets Jack by the water. What begins as a chance encounter turns into late-night swims and soul-deep conversations – igniting a connection neither of them expected.

With the past pulling at their heels and the future uncertain, they must decide: can they let go of what was to embrace what could be?

Life In The Old Girls Yet By Celia Anderson

Vee is nervous about returning to the village of Willowbrook. Not only is Dragonfly Cottage – the house her late mum left her – in need of a total refurb, but the neighbours still remember Vee as a troublesome teen, even though she’s now in her fifties.

Luckily, Vee’s quickly swept up by the Saga Louts, three irrepressible women whose friendship, humour and zest for life prove impossible to resist. With Rick, the handsome local handyman who’s helping to renovate the cottage also at her side, Vee begins to feel like it’s never too late to start again.

When the group set off on a road trip to France, laughter, friendship and plenty of vin rouge are on the cards. But some surprising revelations are about to come out, too…

Can Vee finally come to terms with the past and seize her future with both hands?

Review Card & Book Review- Second Chance In Santiago By Tina Beckett

RISKING IT ALL ON THEIR REUNION!

When Viviani was sixteen, she was forced to say a gut-wrenching goodbye to her childhood sweetheart, Cristóbal. So saying “hello” to surgeon Cris again twenty years later—as her new colleague!—is totally unexpected. He can still set nurse Vivi alight with one look, but they’re no longer naive teenagers. Love is the last thing Vivi is looking for after her ex-fiancé’s cheating, and single dad Cris is clear he doesn’t do dating anymore. So why is a second chance still so tempting…?

About The Author

My Review

It is a tender and emotional second-chance romance set against the vibrant backdrop of Chile. Viviani returns to her childhood home after her engagement ends, hoping to start fresh as a nurse at the local hospital. What she doesn’t expect is to be reunited with Cristóbal, her childhood sweetheart whose loss years earlier broke her heart. Now a skilled surgeon, Cris is also a widowed father devoted to his young daughter, determined to keep his life focused solely on family and work.

Their unexpected reunion sparks powerful memories and undeniable chemistry, though both are wary of reopening old wounds. As colleagues, they team up to help a young soccer player facing a devastating injury, drawing them closer as they guide him through his recovery. When their shared history and deep connection lead to one passionate night, both retreat—Cris especially, as his fear of further loss keeps him at arm’s length.

Watching Cris confront those fears and rediscover the possibility of love again is deeply rewarding, and the heartfelt epilogue brings both the romance and the medical subplot to a touching conclusion. Overall, it is A beautifully written story of love, healing, and second chances.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 11 January 2026

A Fresh Start At The Cornish Country Hospital By Jo Bartlett

When life changes in an instant, how do you find the courage to begin again? ❤️‍🩹

A&E doctor, Eve Bellingham’s life changed forever the night her fiancé Max was the victim of a brutal attack. Now, two years later, she has moved her life to Cornwall and is working at St Piran’s Hospital, helping his family cope as Max struggles with his devastating injuries.

But though Eve’s loyalty has never wavered, the man she loved is gone. Annie – Max’s mother – still clings to the hope that one day everything will return to how it was, but Eve isn’t so sure it ever will. Torn between duty and despair, Eve feels trapped in a life that no longer fits.

Then she meets Felix Grainger, the dedicated occupational therapist helping Max towards independence. With kindness and quiet strength, he awakens feelings Eve thought she’d lost forever.

Review Card & Book Review – The Holder Of Hope By Hannah Treave

If you could find one missing thing, what would it be?

As a firefighter, Ava sees the devastation caused when homes are ruined. If she uncovers precious possessions that escaped a blaze unscathed, she returns them to their owner. When Cassie and her son lose everything in a fire, they have nothing and nowhere to go. On impulse, Ava offers them refuge by staying with her.

After three failed rounds of IVF, Ava and her husband are divided on how to start their own family. Needing to find answers about her own adoption and birth family, Ava embarks on a journey to Ireland with Cassie by her side for support.

But not every reunion is a happy one, and the best intentions can have the most heart wrenching results. Can Ava get back what was lost? Or will she learn that sometimes the thing you need most is what you have already found?

About The Author

My Review

The story follows Ava, a firefighter in Bath for twenty years, who faces heartbreak after unsuccessful rounds of IVF with her husband, Steve. Their longing for a family brings difficult questions about adoption—choices that test both their resilience and their marriage. Parallel to this, Ava’s lifelong friendship with Cassie is put under strain when tragedy strikes, reminding readers of the power and necessity of human connection in the face of devastation.

The novel captures both the adrenaline and danger of life on the front line and the quieter, more painful battles fought at home. Treave writes movingly about love, loss, and loyalty, and while the story can be heartbreaking, it also has moments of tenderness and beauty that shine through.

Overall, it is a heartfelt but heavy read, weaving together themes of friendship, infertility, and the courage it takes to carry on when life doesn’t turn out the way you imagined.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

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Kobo

Review Card & Book Review- The Hollywood Runaway By Alexandra Weston

Liverpool, September 1932.

Miner’s daughter Olivia Swift believed her future was clear-cut: a steady husband, a home, and a family of her own one day. But when a shocking secret shatters her wedding plans, Olivia makes a desperate, irreversible choice. With a one-way ticket to America, she abandons everything familiar for a terrifying unknown.

Far from England and her family, Olivia is adrift in a strange new world, the promise of excitement overshadowed by a growing dread. Can this runaway forge a new life from the ashes of her old one, or will her American dream remain just out of reach?

A reckless journey of escape…or a chance to start living again?

About The Author

My Review

Olivia Swift, is a miner’s daughter with a rare singing talent and dreams of a brighter future. Swept up by the promises of a businessman who isn’t what he seems, Olivia’s world is shattered when a devastating truth forces her into a life-changing decision. Her escape from England to America sets the stage for an inspiring journey of resilience and rediscovery.

Weston paints Olivia as a deeply relatable character—her fear, strength, and passion leap from the page. Her stage performances are vividly described, making it easy to imagine her voice captivating audiences. The shipboard setting allows room for meaningful friendships and tender encouragement from new acquaintances, especially one man who stirs the possibility of love again.

What makes this novella especially compelling is its balance of hardship and hope. Through flashbacks, we glimpse Olivia’s painful past, while her present voyage reveals the courage it takes to forgive herself and embrace a new life. By the end, she emerges as a triumphant woman, ready to pursue her dreams in Hollywood.

Set in the 1930s, The Hollywood Runaway blends emotional depth with historical charm. It’s a heartfelt, uplifting story about healing, friendship, and chasing dreams. A must-read for fans of historical fiction and empowering heroines.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Review Card & Book Review- Paper Heart By Cecelia Ahern

Pip’s world is small. But it’s about to become a whole lot bigger.

For years she’s tucked away her dreams, shrinking herself into the space left behind – like the delicate origami she creates alone in her room.

Then hope comes from an unlikely place: an astronomer from the local observatory. He teaches her to look up at the stars, and to see a world far bigger and more beautiful than she ever imagined.

And perhaps in that big, beautiful universe there’s someone waiting for her. If she can find the courage to open her heart.

Pip never stopped dreaming, but now it’s time for her to live – and maybe even to fall in love.

About The Author

My Review

Pip, now thirty-two, still lives at home with her parents and daughter Bella after falling pregnant at sixteen. Her youthful dreams with first love Jamie were crushed when their parents forced them apart, leaving Pip under her mother’s controlling shadow. Art has always been her passion, but it survives only in secret—through delicate origami figures and poems she hides away. Everything begins to change when Pip meets Io, a scientist whose quiet encouragement opens her eyes to the vastness of the universe and the possibilities of her own life. Slowly, Pip begins questioning the limitations placed on her and rediscovers her own voice and strength. The contrast between Pip’s tiny folded paper creations and the infinite night sky is both symbolic and poignant, reflecting her journey from containment to expansion.

The novel doesn’t shy away from showing the messy realities of family control, lost opportunities, and the aching regret of unfulfilled dreams. Yet, it balances this with hope, charm, and a subtle romance that feels secondary to the true love story—the one between Pip and herself.

Paper Heart is a tender and thought-provoking novel about second chances and the courage to reclaim your life. It is moving, hopeful, and quietly inspiring—an uplifting story of transformation and self-discovery.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Happy Publication Day – 9 January 2025

The Lie She Told By Emma Robinson

‘Natalie, it’s mum. You need to come home. It’s your father…’ Clutching the phone, my hands shaking, my entire world tilts. For years I’ve run from a family secret which threatened to devastate us all. But with my darling father’s life on the line, I have to face the truth, whatever the cost.

Bursting through the hospital doors, I see my mother and sister waiting in the corridor, worry etched on their faces. Over the years I’ve grown apart from my sister Victoria. She married young and started a family. I chose a different path. I had no choice but to leave so that the rest of my family could be happy.

Gathering at my father’s bedside, I clutch Victoria’s hand like we’re little again. As we start to share our memories of the fun and loving home he created, he leans towards us, uttering words which will turn our world upside down: ‘You mustn’t blame your mother. It was never her fault.’

Victoria reassures me that it must be the medication, that he doesn’t know what he is saying. But I do. Years ago, I thought our mother had betrayed us in the worst possible way. But looking at the stranger standing next to her, I know they are part of the lie my parents were so desperate to hide. The lie I ran from. But if I tell the truth of what I know, will it destroy our lives forever?

Review Card & Book Review- Christmas At The Home Farm Vets By Suzanne Snow

Ten years ago, Erin had her heart broken by fellow vet student Oli. Now, she’s his landlord.

All Erin wants is independence and security. All Oli does is travel the world after locuming at practices for a few months. So when he comes back into Erin’s life, she knows it’s temporary, no matter the lingering looks he gives her.

With Christmas approaching, the vet practice is busier than ever, and Erin is surprised at how well she and Oli work together to help the animals of Hartfell. From sharing meals in her cramped cottage to meandering the village fayre, the wall Erin has built around her heart begins to crumble.

But Oli’s contract is coming to an end and he’s shown no sign of wanting to stay. Has she set herself up for another heartbreak from the only man she’s ever loved? Or will she realise that being independent sometimes means relying on others, and security comes with taking risks?

About The Author

My Review

This book is a warm and uplifting festive romance, full of charm, heart, and a touch of nostalgia. Erin Hardy isn’t expecting her university crush—Oli Sterling, the boy behind her first kiss—to suddenly reappear in her life. But when he turns up in Yorkshire as her new tenant, sparks of the past mix with the complications of the present. From the cosy confines of Erin’s cottage to the bustle of village life, their story unfolds against a beautiful Yorkshire Dales backdrop, with plenty of “will-they, won’t-they” tension, family drama, and community spirit.
The friendships, the village atmosphere, and the Christmassy details all make this the perfect seasonal escape The romance is tender and believable, built on history and mutual respect but tested by real-life pressures—exes, family expectations, work commitments, and the vulnerability of opening up old wounds. It’s a genuine “will they, won’t they” story, one that keeps you invested while also making you want to shake the characters when their stubbornness threatens to get in the way.

Overall, it is a balance of romance, community, and seasonal magic makes it the perfect read to curl up with on a winter’s evening.

My Rating