June 11, 2026 – My Sanctuary

Review Card & Book Review- Roped Into Paradise By Shanna Hatfield

A cowboy, a cruise, and a meddling grandma—what could go wrong?
JJ McKade expected to spend two weeks with his grandmother at her condo in sunny Florida, celebrating her birthday. Instead, he got shanghaied by his mischievous grandma on a Caribbean cruise—complete with hot pink luggage, a gaggle of giggling octogenarians, and a humiliating childhood nickname haunting his every move.

Between meddling matchmakers, unexpected friendships, and the endless chaos of cruise life, JJ can’t help being drawn to Kinsley Kline, the ship’s enchanting horticulturist. There’s just one catch: crew fraternizing with passengers is strictly forbidden.

With only a few months left in her contract aboard The Affinity, Kinsley can’t let anything rock her boat or derail her plans. Then the arrival of a hunky cowboy on the ship makes her question if some rules are meant to be broken, and a little boat rocking is a good thing.

From sun-drenched beaches to moonlit strolls, JJ and Kinsley must decide if an onboard romance can last on land, and if love is worth risking their hearts.

About The Author

My Review

This book start is about a hardworking cowboy whose quiet birthday visit to his grandmother turns into a wildly unexpected adventure at sea. In Roped Into Paradise, Shanna Hatfield delivers a charming, feel-good romance filled with humor, heart, and plenty of surprises.

JJ McKade flies to Florida each year to celebrate his beloved grandmother’s birthday, expecting nothing more than cake and family time. Instead, for her 80th birthday, Grams shocks him with a spontaneous cruise—complete with a 4 a.m. shopping spree for clothes far removed from his usual jeans and boots. Exhausted but devoted, JJ gamely agrees, proving there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his sweet Grams.

Things truly take off when he collides—almost literally—with a cruise line horticulturist, saving her lilies and possibly losing his heart in the process. Their instant chemistry is swoony and sweet, unfolding against the lively backdrop of a cruise filled with spirited octogenarians.

Fast-paced, witty, and delightfully wholesome, this story blends fish-out-of-water comedy with tender romance, creating a refreshing escape brimming with warmth and joy.

Fish-out-of-water romance

Forced proximity

Sweet romance

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Happy Publication Day – 11 June 2026

Out Of Bounds By Laura Carter

She knows better than to fall for another football player – especially her brother’s best friend…

As a single mother, Annie Quinn knows she should steer clear of football players, if her son’s absent father is anything to go by. Determined to prove she can raise Nelson on her own, she’s decided to go back to school. There’s just one problem: she refuses to rely on her brother Colton for rides into the city.

Tanner Pace has always known Annie Quinn is strictly off limits. Colton is his teammate and best friend, so she’s more like a sister. When he offers to teach her to drive, it’s just to help out a friend. At least, that’s what he tells himself. Because these days, Annie has transformed into a strong and independent woman – one he can’t seem to stay away from.

Somewhere between unpredictable drives and slow Texas sunsets, sparks fly and Annie forgets why she decided never to trust a sports star again.

As much as Tanner wants something to happen, he knows it can’t. Annie is his best friend’s sister. Completely, undeniably out of bounds… but are some rules meant to be broken?

The Grump I Married By Leslie North

Working for Weston Kincaid should come with hazard pay—and maybe a therapist on retainer.The man is a corporate glacier in a designer suit—arrogant, ice cold, and allergic to anything resembling a work-life balance. As his assistant, I basically run his empire, his schedule, and his caffeine supply. Holidays included.

Then his grandfather’s will drops a nuclear-level twist: Weston must get married ASAP to inherit a jaw-dropping Scottish estate straight out of a Highland fairy tale. Who does he choose?

Me.

Qualifications: female, breathing, knows his coffee order. Romance isn’t just dead—Weston buried it six feet under and salted the earth. I quit. Then flee to a café to rage-call my bestie—only to discover (too late) that Weston’s psycho ex is in the booth behind me, listening like she bought tickets.Within hours, every woman who might’ve considered him refuses to touch him—even for a castle.

Oops. My bad.

Cornered, Weston offers me a deal: so much money my bank app would crash, a chance to chase my dream, and (best of all) time away from the biggest bosshole on Earth. All I have to do is live in the Highlands as his wife for a couple months. And I don’t know whether it’s exhaustion or insanity, but I say yes. Naturally, the universe has jokes, because somewhere between the airport and the castle, my brain decided to develop a crush on Satan in a suit.

Review Card & Book Review- The Woman Who Turned Her Life Around By Fiona Gibson

🎸 Is it ever too late for an encore? 🎸

When they were young, Josie and Shane thought both they and their band were headed for greatness. But fast forward three decades, and Josie’s life looks more like this:

A dead-end job in a niche London bookshop. A boyfriend who thinks the answer to their financial problems is Josie sharing photos of her feet on OnlyFans. A grown daughter who’d rather Josie stayed out of her new family’s business

Then Ravi – their band’s fearless frontwoman and Josie’s oldest friend – dies, leaving one last request: for Josie and Shane to finish the ‘tour’ they abandoned all those years ago. Which is how Josie ends up rattling up the motorway in a retired ambulance with one mattress, one map, and the man who once broke her heart.

Will this be yet another mistake for Josie? Or could it be her chance to make her life what she’d always dreamed it would be?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about a woman rediscovering her spark and daring to reclaim the dreams she once set aside. In The Woman Who Turned Her Life Around, Fiona Gibson delivers a warm, witty, and deeply uplifting story about second chances and the courage to begin again.

Josie feels stuck—trapped in a draining relationship, unfulfilled at work, and uncertain of her place in her grown daughter’s life. The vibrant future she once imagined as part of a band seems long gone. But when her fearless former bandmate Ravi dies, leaving behind one final wish, Josie is propelled into an unexpected road trip that becomes both a physical and emotional journey.

Climbing into a retired ambulance with Shane—the man who once broke her heart—Josie embarks on a chaotic, heartfelt adventure filled with unresolved history, humour, and healing. Their shared past adds depth and tenderness as grief gradually gives way to clarity and renewed possibility.

Balancing nostalgia with growth, this novel celebrates friendship, music, and self-belief. It’s an empowering reminder that it’s never too late to step back into the spotlight and give yourself the encore you deserve.

Second Chance Romance

Road Trip Adventure

Self-Discovery & Reinvention

My Rating