Category Archives: Book Review

Review Card & Book Review- Third Time Lucky By Aimee Brown

Could a blast from the past be the secret ingredient to their future?

Asher Wright has spent his career creating and concocting the perfect dishes and is about to open his very own restaurant. Life is good. His love life, however, is far from cooking! He hasn’t thought about Lucy Gray in years – not since they both graduated, reeling from the shocking loss of her then boyfriend and his best friend Kris, who tragically died at 18. So when he witnesses the breakdown of her wedding in all its humiliating glory – old wounds and long-buried emotions resurface.

As Lucy lands a right hook on her soon-to-be ex-fiancée in front of their entire wedding party, she has a moment of realization… Love is not on the menu for her! Fate, however, has other plans… A chance twist of events lands Asher as the private chef for Lucy’s spirited grandmother, Mitzi, and what begins as awkward encounters in Mitzi’s Portland mansion soon evolves into a simmering connection she never expected.

As Asher and Lucy work through their past they discover a bond that feels both familiar and excitingly new.

About The Author

My Review

Third Time Lucky is a heartwarming, slow-simmering second-chance romance that blends humor, emotion, and mouthwatering culinary moments into a truly satisfying read. Aimee Brown serves up a novel that feels like comfort food for the soul—warm, nostalgic, and deeply satisfying.

At the center of the story is Asher Wright, a passionate chef about to launch the restaurant of his dreams. But his carefully plated future gets a messy stir when he sees Lucy Gray, the girl he’s never quite forgotten, deliver a jaw-dropping punch to her cheating fiancé at the altar. Cue the reentry of unresolved feelings, shared grief, and a spark that’s never really gone out.

Their bond is complicated by the ghost of Kris, Lucy’s first love and Asher’s best friend, whose tragic loss continues to cast shadows. But as fate would have it, Asher finds himself cooking in the eccentric mansion of Lucy’s feisty grandmother Mitzi—who steals every scene she’s in with her wit and no-nonsense charm.

Lucy is a relatable heroine—flawed, resilient, and refreshingly real. Her growth arc is powerful, as she learns to put her own happiness first after years of trying to live up to others’ expectations. Meanwhile, Asher is an absolute delight—a cinnamon-roll hero with a chef’s precision and a tender heart.The banter is quick and natural, the tension between Lucy and Asher is delicious, and the healing they both find—individually and together—is earned and poignant.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review- Undone By Mary Sue Jackson

Josh

The last person I ever expected to see on my ranch? Zoe Wilson. Smart. Gorgeous. Stubborn as ever. And the girl who crushed my teenage heart under her designer boot. So imagine my surprise when she shows up—suitcase in hand—ready to “help.” Turns out, my little sister—Zoe’s best friend—invited her to redesign the ranch’s sorry excuse for a website. Did anyone ask me? Of course not. It’s only my ranch. But fine. I’ll be civil. Keep things professional. Focus on keeping the place afloat. Except she’s everywhere—in my space, in my head, under my damn skin. I keep telling myself I’ll stay distance. Be the grumpy cowboy she remembers, not the fool who fell for her once. Then she flashes that smile. The one that wrecked me then… and still does now. We’re stuck working side by side, and the tension crackles hotter than a wildfire in July. She’s terrified of horses, planning to leave in two months, and dead set against long-distance. Resisting her? Not a chance. I might lose the ranch. I might lose my heart. But I’ll be damned if I let her walk away without a fight.

Zoe

I had one rule when I agreed to come back to Cafferty Ranch keep it business. I should’ve known that would go out the window the second I saw Josh Cafferty again. Broad shoulders. Grumpy scowl. That jawline. And those worn-out jeans don’t help. He’s impossible. Bossy. Brooding. And exactly my type—unfortunately. Every day working with him is a war of words and stolen glances. Every brush of his hand, every low growl of my name under his breath leaves me melting faster than Montana snow in spring. But I don’t do cowboys. I don’t do small-town life. I definitely don’t do long-distance. I came to fix a website—not fall back into a past I worked hard to leave behind. So why does the thought of leaving him break me more than any goodbye ever has ?Why does staying suddenly feel like the only thing that makes sense?

About The Author

My Review

Josh and Zoe’s second-chance love story is tender, believable, and deeply moving. Josh is the quintessential cowboy—gritty, loyal, and quietly burdened by past regrets. Zoe, in contrast, is on a journey of rediscovery, trying to reclaim her strength and sense of self after life threw her off course. When their paths cross again, it feels like fate—messy, complicated, and absolutely worth it.

The chemistry between them is electric, but it’s the emotional depth that truly sets this book apart. Their connection feels earned, rooted in shared history and personal growth. Add in a vivid small-town backdrop and Jackson’s signature cowboy grit, and this story becomes impossible to put down.

Undone is everything you could want in a cowboy romance—emotional, heartfelt, and packed with second-chance swoon. Mary Sue Jackson expertly blends small-town charm with raw vulnerability, delivering a story that pulls you in and won’t let go.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review- Manic Pixie Dream Earl By Jenny Holiday

When not writing, poet Edward Astley, Viscount Featherfinch, spends his time fending off the young ladies of the ton—and some of its young men—and avoiding his cruel father. As heir to the earldom, Edward knows he must marry someday. Alas, he is already hopelessly in love with someone. Hopeless because not only is Miss Julianna Evans not a member of the aristocracy, she is employed. She is a magazine editor—the only one to publish his work. Also, in all their years of increasingly personal correspondence, they’ve never met.

Also, she thinks he’s a woman. Named Euphemia.

Julianna is baffled. How can her soul mate not want to meet? Could it be that Euphemia is not the simple country girl she claims to be? Perhaps she’s wealthy. After all, she’s never cashed any of the bank drafts Julianna has sent. Perhaps Euphemia simply doesn’t want rank to come between them. Well, no more. Having extracted the details of a trip Euphemia is planning, Julianna squanders her meager savings and surprises her at the scene.

He is very, very surprised. As is she.

Now the two will have to decide what is true, what is not, and whether the truest thing of all—love—just might be worth an earldom . . .

About The Author

My Review

The novel follows Edward Astley, Viscount Featherfinch, a gentle, eccentric poet hiding from high society, his cruel father, and the pressure of his title. Under the pseudonym “Euphemia,” he’s been secretly publishing poetry through a women’s magazine edited by Julianna Evans—his pen pal of many years and the woman he’s quietly fallen for. The only problem? Julianna thinks “Euphemia” is a woman.

When Julianna decides to meet her mysterious contributor in person, she discovers the truth in spectacular fashion. The reveal sets off a beautifully complex story of class differences, personal trauma, identity, and the risks we take for love. Edward is a standout hero—sweet, strange, and deeply lovable. His voice is so strong that his chapters shine particularly brightly. While Julianna is admirable in her ambition and determination, her actions during the third-act breakup may divide readers.

Despite moments where the story slows (especially when side characters take center stage), the romance remains compelling and emotionally sincere. Their connection, built through years of letter-writing, gives the relationship a rare emotional foundation that makes the eventual romance feel earned and believable.

Manic Pixie Dream Earl is a refreshingly original Regency romance that blends humor, emotional depth, and a clever twist on the epistolary trope. The author delivers a story that’s both heartwarming and offbeat, with characters who feel both modern and grounded in their historical setting. The author handles difficult themes such as childhood trauma, grief, and emotional abuse with sensitivity, adding weight to what could have been a purely light-hearted romance.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review- Never Tear Us Apart By Rowan Coleman

Fate has brought them together. Will time tear them apart?

2025

Named after a star, war correspondent Maia knows how to find the brightest stories – the tales of survival and strength – hidden amongst the dark realities of combat. Now, travelling to Malta to visit her estranged father, with one more chance to build a relationship with her last remaining relative, she’s here to find her own story: never having found somewhere – or someone – she can call home, she’s desperate for answers that might show her where she truly belongs. But when she arrives on the beautiful mediterranean island, she realises her long-lost family is full of more secrets than she could possibly have imagined. . .

1942

Maia wakes up to find herself on an island under siege, a city in ruins – and knows she must have been sent here for a reason. Who has she been sent to save? Or is it Maia herself that needs saving? And just when she’s finally found what she’s been seeking . . . will time separate them forever?

My Review

This is a moving, beautifully written timeslip novel that weaves together family, hope, and a love that crosses the boundaries of time. The story unfolds between wartime Malta in 1942 and the near-future of 2025, following Maia Borg as she embarks on a deeply personal journey shaped by history and emotional healing.

In the present day, Maia returns to Malta to see her estranged father, David, a withdrawn and gifted artist. Their reunion is tense, and after a painful argument during a drive, Maia loses control of the car. When she opens her eyes in hospital, she discovers she has somehow awakened in 1942, right in the midst of the Siege of Malta. As she struggles to understand her new reality, she encounters relatives from the past and meets Danny, a Canadian Spitfire pilot whose kindness and courage draw her in.

Through her time in the past, Maia begins to uncover truths about herself, her family, and the meaning of love. Blending history, romance, and emotional rediscovery, this heartfelt novel shows that connection and healing can reach across generations.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review – Her Hometown Bull Rider By LeAnne Bristow

A cowboy’s heart…
Is forever

Veterinarian Becky Maxwell has returned to Coronado, Arizona, with one goal—to divorce the cowboy she secretly married. Becky’s loved Coy Tedford most of her life…and in return, he loved the rodeo more than anything else. But just when she has accepted that some cowboys were never meant to settle down, she finds that Coy isn’t the same ambitious bull rider she married. He’s started running his family’s campground and is determined to prove that he and Becky belong together. But how can she trust that her cowboy has turned in his chaps for good?

About The Author

My Review

Coy Tedford is a retired bull rider who’s traded the rodeo circuit for quiet days working at his family’s campground in Coronado, Arizona. Since his wife Becky kicked him out, he’s been drifting—unsure of his purpose, except that he knows one thing: he wants her back. When Becky unexpectedly returns to town for the summer, now a veterinarian and carrying divorce papers, Coy is jolted into action. What starts as a standoff soon becomes a slow, hopeful journey of rediscovery.

Becky, torn between her obligations to her family’s ranch and her own career, is equally unsure of what she wants. As the two navigate the complex emotional terrain of their failed (and secret) marriage, they begin to understand what went wrong—and what might still be right between them. Both are strong, stubborn characters, which makes their emotional growth all the more satisfying to watch.

This is a story grounded in realism, especially around the theme of miscommunication—a problem that derails many relationships. With a warm small-town setting, endearing animals (especially the horses!), and an authentic emotional core, Her Hometown Bull Rider is a heartfelt and quietly powerful second-chance romance that explores what happens when two people grow up—just a little later than expected—and realize love deserves a second look Overall it is a sweet, uplifting read about second chances, personal growth, and finding your way home—to both a place and a person.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

RevIew Card & Book Review – Desired Hearts By Cissy Mecca

The Rules of the Bachelor Pact – Never stay the night…

Parker

All I ever wanted was to be part of a family. But that’s what I have found in The Bachelor Pact.That’s why I’ve moved into the Heritage Hill Inn in Cedar Falls. To help with the renovations and plan my next move. I wasn’t looking to meet anyone, but sometimes people are meant to show up in your life I guess. Delaney is everything I didn’t know I was looking for. But I made a promise to the guys…Never stay the night.

Delaney

I should know better than to fall for the dirty-talking confirmed bachelor Parker. But no one said anything about getting stuck in a cozy, snowbound log cabin together and indulging in a scorching, no-strings fling! Parker Scott may have a reputation as “the nice guy,” but he’s also a ruggedly sexy commitment-phobe who does more than just sweet-talking! So despite the sizzling chemistry crackling between us, I don’t take his flirty innuendos too seriously. And that suits me fine, I’ve sworn off relationships for good. But everything changed that weekend. Now I’m hopelessly addicted to Parker’s unique mix of tenderness and sin. Was this eternal bachelor perhaps not so sworn to the pact after all?

About The Author

My Review

Set in the charming small town of Cedar Falls, Desired Hearts follows Parker, a lifelong resident and member of the Batchelor Pact—a group of men who’ve vowed to remain single after witnessing the heartbreak caused by unfaithful fathers. Enter Delaney, a newcomer to town and a pharmacist trying to rebuild her life after being hurt by love more than once.

Though Parker and Delaney have mutual friends, it takes time before their paths cross. When they finally meet, there’s an undeniable spark—but both carry the weight of past heartbreaks that keep them guarded. It’s only during a group ski trip that they begin to consider that maybe love is still worth the risk.

While I appreciated the premise and enjoyed the cozy small-town atmosphere, I found the pacing of Parker and Delaney’s relationship a little jarring—the shift from friends to something more felt too sudden to be entirely convincing. That said, I liked that both characters had personal dreams and ambitions beyond their romance, which added depth to their individual journeys. Overall, this is a sweet, slightly steamy story that will likely appeal to readers who enjoy small-town romance with themes of emotional healing and second chances.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review- Living The Good Life By Celia Anderson

New beginnings. Old wounds. And a village with its own secret to happiness. . . ✨🦋

The peaceful village of Willowbrook seems to be the ideal place for a new lease of life – at least according to Nell’s husband, Barney. With an empty nest and coming towards retirement, he’s persuaded her to try country living. Their cottage even has an annexe that’s perfect for Barney’s widowed father, Frank.

Nell is less sure about this fresh start… and it’s not long before cracks in her thirty-year marriage begin to appear. Instead of spending more time together, she and Barney seem to be drifting apart. Frank, too, is unsettled.

A weekly community group exploring the secret of happiness provides a way for Nell and her father-in-law to navigate their new surroundings. Nell finds some friends, and Frank is quickly taken in hand by the neighbourhood matriarchs – the self-styled ‘Saga Louts’!

But will questioning what makes her happy push Nell even further away from Barney, especially when she discovers the secrets her husband has been keeping? Or can opening up to others help old wounds heal and bring them back together once more? What really is the secret to happiness?

About The Author

My Review

Living The Good Life is a warm, uplifting tale about change, family, and second chances. When Nell, her husband Barney, and his grieving father Frank relocate to the countryside, each brings emotional baggage and uncertainty. While Barney is all-in on their fresh start, Nell and Frank are more hesitant—but soon, the charm of rural life and the support of new friendships begin to work their magic.

Nell and Barney’s rekindled connection is particularly touching, as they rediscover their spark with the energy of teenagers. Frank’s journey through grief, and his evolving relationship with Nell, is both heartwarming and realistic. The humor, especially in interactions between Frank and the witty Beryl, adds levity and charm.

The novel tackles relatable, real-life issues with sensitivity and insight, making it not just a comforting escape, but also a thoughtful read. The characters feel like friends by the end—endearing, flawed, and deeply human. A delightful and moving story about finding joy in unexpected places.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review- Hot To Go By Kristen Bailey

The vacation ended. The heat didn’t…

Meet Suzie Callaghan: French teacher, newly single, newly heartbroken. After an awful break-up, she heads to Mallorca for a much-needed holiday with her cousins, expecting sun, sangria, and siestas.

She isn’t expecting to fall in love – especially not with the handsome Spaniard who rescues her when she gets separated from her group during an ill-judged midnight skinny dip.

But what starts as a steamy holiday romance built on white lies and mistaken identities turns into something more complicated when “Carlos” shows up at the school she works at.

Except his name isn’t Carlos. It’s Charlie Carter, and he’s the new Spanish teacher.

Now they’re stuck in department meetings pretending they haven’t seen each other naked, both feeling thoroughly duped, both wondering if that hot holiday fling can exist in real life? But when they’re thrown together again on a school trip to Seville, the heat between them proves impossible to resist.

About The Author

My Review

Suzie, fresh off a breakup, escapes to Mallorca with her cousins in search of sun, sangria, and absolutely no strings attached. What she doesn’t expect is to be rescued—literally—by a devastatingly handsome Spaniard during a late-night mishap. Their chemistry is instant, electric, and unforgettable. But just when she thinks she’s left “Carlos” behind on the beach, reality smacks her in the face: he’s not a holiday mirage—he’s Charlie, the new Spanish teacher at her school. What elevates the story is its blend of emotional honesty and comedic timing. Suzie is smart, messy, and relatable, while Charlie is more than just the smoldering beach savior—he’s thoughtful, sincere, and totally swoon-worthy.

Their reunion in Seville during a school trip is peak romantic comedy, brimming with sunshine, suppressed longing, and the kind of chemistry that makes readers giddy. Through it all, Bailey keeps the tone light and fun without skimming over Suzie’s emotional growth, allowing the romance to deepen beyond the holiday heat.

Overall, it is a feel-good, sexy romp with heart, humor, and just the right dose of chaos. Unputdownable and utterly delightful.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review – Summer Escapes On The Scottish Isle By Lilac Mills

Will she give everything up for love?

Freya Sinclair has it all. An exciting life in London, a successful career as a ceramicist and a handsome boyfriend. But when she receives a call that her father is in hospital, she drops everything to support his recovery in Skye.

On the island, Freya finds new inspiration – Coorie Castle’s craft centre is firing her creativity and she’s glad to be back with her dad again. Being so close to her schoolgirl crush, Mackenzie Burns, is an added bonus. The two share an instant connection and Freya misses London less and less.

But Freya has a boyfriend at home and now a dazzling job offer in New York. She must figure out what she truly wants, before anyone gets hurt.

About The Author

My Review

The story follows Freya, who returns to the remote Scottish island of her childhood to care for her estranged father, Vinnie, after he falls seriously ill. Their relationship is fractured, but what unfolds is a deeply emotional and believable journey of reconnection and forgiveness. Freya’s quiet strength and unwavering commitment to being there for her father—even when it means putting her own life on hold—makes her instantly lovable and easy to root for.

The father-daughter dynamic is one of the standout elements of the book. Mills handles their complex relationship with nuance and tenderness, showing the slow rebuilding of trust after years of absence. It’s touching, real, and never overdone.

The romance between Freya and Mack, a local islander, is a slow burn done right. Their connection grows gently and organically, grounded in friendship, witty banter, and emotional honesty. Mack is thoughtful, respectful, and incredibly supportive—especially as Freya untangles her complicated feelings for her ex, Hadrian. (And yes, Hadrian firmly earns a place on the “you blew it” list.)

One of the most charming aspects of the novel is the sense of community. The islanders genuinely care about each other, and the way they rally around Freya and Vinnie adds warmth and depth to the setting. The village feels like a character in its own right—comforting, familiar, and always present.

With its heartfelt emotional arcs, authentic characters, and a strong sense of place, this book is a beautiful exploration of second chances—both in family and in love. It’s cozy, poignant, and uplifting, with just the right mix of realism and romance. Overall, it is tender, slow-burning gem that lingers long after the final page.

My Rating

Link To Purchase