Archives for December 21, 2025

* Review * WISH by Chelle Bliss

December 21, 2025 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Wish by Chelle Bliss
Series: Men of Inked Sinners #4
Published by Bliss Ink on December 30, 2025
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I thought I’d be single forever, but my hot single dad neighbor had other plans.

Zoey Gallo
I didn’t want to date anymore. After a string of disappointments, I swore off relationships forever. But when a handsome single dad moves next door, I find my resolve slipping, no matter how hard I tell myself to stay strong.

Hunter Evans
I’m completely out of my element. New town. New job. A fresh start. I was there for one reason and one reason only—to be closer to my little girl. But after spending time with my new beautiful neighbor, I wonder if I’m missing out on something more in life.

But when someone from Zoey’s past tries to tear us apart, do we have what it takes to get our happily ever after?

Bliss knows her way around a hunky hero! Reconnecting with the Gallo family is always a joy, and the next book in the Men of Inked Sinners series brings us Zoey’s story when she has an instant connection with her hunky new neighbor Hunter. Neither are looking for love, but it hits them regardless. The chemistry between the two of them was really intense, and the butting in of family on both sides added a humorous side to their meet cute. I did like that not every cousin was brought in to overwhelm the reader this time with lots of faces that they might not be familiar with, but I did feel a lack of backstory when it came to the Zoey/LuLu/Mark situation. We needed more catch up to remind those of us who read the entire family what had happened, but most importantly to tell anyone picking this book up as a supposed stand alone what the inference of drama was all about. There was a big hole there even for a fan of the series and family.

Overall, this was a fast paced read with lots of drama and humor. I wanted more time with them to develop their relationship and a little more filler of his kiddo, his ex, etc. but loved them as a couple. I recommend this book as well as the entire series and connected series of the fam to anyone that enjoys an intense family who loves hard and never lets a roadblock stand in their way of loving and supporting each other through life’s ups and downs.

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* Review * HIS SURPRISE SECRET TWINS by Anna J. Stewart

December 21, 2025 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * HIS SURPRISE SECRET TWINS by Anna J. Stewart

His Surprise Secret Twins by Anna J. Stewart
Series: Hawaiian Reunions #6
Published by Harlequin Heartwarming on December 30, 2025
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A Hawaiian reunion…Brings him an instant family!

Resort owner Mano Iokepa can surf any wave the wild Pacific sends his way. Staying afloat in his personal life is a bigger challenge. For five years he’s tried to fill the gaping void of his ex-wife’s absence. Now the only woman he ever loved is back, and she has a secret that shocks him to his core. He’s the father of twins! Getting to know his children and reconnecting with Emilia make him long to be the husband and father they need. Can he prove he deserves a second chance to make them his top priority?

Emotionally addictive and super heartwarming! With the sixth book in her always emotional Hawaiian Reunions series with Harlequin Heartwarming, Stewart brings us Mano’s story and it packs a punch! Mano has been an integral part of this series from the very first book as he has helped forge Nalani into a family oasis for all of his friends, family and extended fellowship of found family in the town. We’ve known there was a past just waiting to be reconnected with as we learned about the ex-wife he never could get over leaving him. He never stopped loving her, and we come to find out that she feels the same way. She returns back to the island with a big surprise … five year old twins he knew nothing about! With the situation she portrays of hiding them from him for all this time when he’s such a kindhearted guy, you would think that I would dearly love to hate her, but …. she’s just not that person. She was overwhelmed with being overlooked and having her dreams put on hold and he just wasn’t listening to her when she tried to make her point, so she eventually gave up … and found herself having part of her dreams along with her unknowingly in the beginning. You’ll get a feel for both sides of their story along the way and journey through connections to be forged and others to be reestablished as they settle into a new normal. I love this series and this book just tops it all off beautifully. Highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who loves a close knit group of friends who truly are family and who support each other through love, loss and life’s hardships as each finds their forever.

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* Review * FORBIDDEN PRINCESS’S BILLIONAIRE BODYGUARD by Annie West

December 21, 2025 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * FORBIDDEN PRINCESS’S BILLIONAIRE BODYGUARD by Annie West

Forbidden Princess's Billionaire Bodyguard by Annie West
Published by Harlequin Presents on December 30, 2025
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His newest assignment:
Temptation in a tiara!

After years surrounded by security, Princess Rosamund has officially had enough of their smothering control. So, a compromise is reached. Rosamund and her new billionaire bodyguard Fotis Mavridis will pose as a couple, allowing her to maintain a sense of freedom. Easy! If only the bossy Greek wasn’t disarmingly attractive…

Life has toughened Fotis. He has no patience for pampered princesses. Yet it’s impossible to ignore the illicit need Rosamund arouses. Anything beyond the bounds of their royal facade is torturously off-limits. But Fotis has always made his own rules!

Delectably tempting! Annie West is synonymous with a grand royal romance and this time we’re getting to the heart of Princess Rosamund and her past scandals. Her brother King Leon is insistent she have security to accompany her on an important event, but she’s tired of the endless drudgery. Unbeknownst to her, he asks a favor of a friend who in the end has his own reasons to dislike the scandal she brings. Temptation and tempers flare as Rosa and Fotis fight their way through contempt to forge an unlikely friendship that leads to letting their desire push it’s way through to fall hopelessly in love with each other. The characters are well developed with each having secrets and back stories that add a lot into the mix of drama and love. I enjoyed their journey and recommend it to anyone who enjoys hints of royalty, bodyguard and scandal tropes mixed into their romance.

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* Review * THE COWBOY’S CLAIM by Lisa Childs

December 21, 2025 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE COWBOY’S CLAIM by Lisa Childs

The Cowboy's Claim by Lisa Childs
Series: Bachelor Cowboys #2
Published by Harlequin Heartwarming on December 30, 2025
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Her fight for his ranch home…

Could cost them their future

New lawyer Maci Bluff is under a lot of pressure to win a lawsuit for the Lemmon brothers so they can stay on their beloved ranch. Only, as the legal battle escalates, so do her feelings for cowboy Blake Lemmon—a definite conflict of interest! Blake has only ever wanted to be a rancher. But he also can’t seem to stay away from Maci. He knows he’s playing with fire, and that soon he must choose between his home, his brothers and Maci. And there can only be one choice…

Filled with heart, mystery and family camaraderie! The second book in Lisa Childs’ Bachelor Cowboys series for Harlequin Heartwarming is as addictive as the first. The Lemmon brothers have inherited part of the ranch they’ve been helping to run for years from their father-figure boss, but his daughter is contesting the will and drama is following them. Blake is getting his turn at love with their attorney Maci, but she’s fighting it along the way because she’s worried how it will seem to her competing attorney who is being shady around every corner. The characters are heartwarming, the family and their supporters around town are filled with warmth and love and they’re hoping for answers soon as to exactly what is going on. The mystery is left up in the air a little bit more than I would have liked, but hopefully we’ll know more in the next book in the series. I’m looking forward to it!

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* Review * WYATT by Jessica Peterson

December 21, 2025 Leave a Comment

Wyatt by Jessica Peterson
Series: Lucky River Ranch #2
Published by Bloom Books on December 26, 2024
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Wyatt Rivers is the perfect no-strings hookup—a cowboy Casanova who rocks a Stetson, looks smokin’ hot in his Wranglers, and never rests his head on the same pillow twice.

He’s exactly what I’m looking for. If only Wyatt wasn’t also my best friend…

I’m back in my hometown of Hartsville, Texas, for a few months while I wait for my dream job to start thousands of miles away. While I’m here, I hope to end an epic dry spell in the bedroom, preferably with a local cowboy. If the rumors are true, they really do ride harder and stay on longer.

Wyatt and I have been best friends since second grade, and I’ve been in love with him for almost as long. But he’s as wild and untamed as a colt that can’t be broken—not to mention, totally out of my league with his good looks and heartbreaker reputation.

Then I get to thinking: since Wyatt is such an expert, why doesn’t he teach me the ropes of how to find a hookup? He begrudgingly agrees, and a little fake flirting suddenly leads to fake dating, which leads to real kissing, which leads to real…well, everything else.

And let me just say, the rumors are absolutely true.

Now, I want so badly to be Wyatt’s last rodeo. But I’m leaving town, and even if I wasn’t, I’m not sure Wyatt would ever change his playboy ways.

I know cowboys can’t be tamed. Apparently, neither can hearts…

An epic friends to lovers happily ever after! I adored getting to know all of the Rivers brothers when I dived headfirst into Cash recently, so jumping almost straight into Wyatt’s book was exciting. It started out as a huge disconnect though if you read directly from the ending of Cash into Wyatt. At the end of Cash, there’s a mini cliffhanger that is not picked up at that spot in Wyatt and time and happenings are severely adjusted. It put a huge damper on my enjoyment of this book because it was obvious things had moved forward but we hadn’t yet addressed what happened. Regardless, I did enjoy Wyatt and Sally together and their turn around the dancefloor of love was sweet. I’m looking forward to Sawyer’s story next!

This book drug somewhat compared to Cash, but some of that could have been from my unhappiness with the change of timing and let down of finding out what happened with John B., etc. I loved the family and the setting and even the main characters, I just wasn’t quite as hooked as previously. Great characters, fun loving setting and supporting cast and lots of heart and warmth.

Filed Under: Book Reviews