Archives for April 2026

* Review * THE LAKE HOUSE by Lori Foster

April 29, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE LAKE HOUSE by Lori Foster

The Lake House by Lori Foster
Series: Firefly Summer #2
Published by Kensington Books Buy on Amazon
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When Pixie Nolan first came to Bramble, Kentucky, the abandoned and desperate young single mother found hope, healing, and a fresh start. With the loving support of her best friends—Marlow Heddings and her handsome Marine husband, Cort—Pixie is now happily raising her toddler son in a cozy cottage, managing Marlow’s thriving boutique, and designing firefly logo t-shirts that are selling like hotcakes. The past is behind her, and life is good.

She never expected to make an electrifying connection with a summer renter, a retired Navy SEAL with his own complicated past . . .

A rugged warrior with scars both seen and unseen, Brogan Rafferty arrives with an adorable baby girl in tow and settles into the lake house next door. And while he’s a stunning addition to the gorgeous scenery, it’s his caring devotion that captures Pixie’s heart—the way he gently snuggles away the precious infant’s cries, or swoops Pixie’s delighted little boy high in the air with his tattooed, muscular arms.

But it’s no coincidence that Brogan has found Pixie, and his startling revelations make it clear she’s the key to healing old regrets and building new dreams. And when a hostile stranger turns up with shocking accusations against Bramble’s new hometown hero, Pixie must put her own fears and heartbreak away for good—and learn what it truly means to trust.

A story filled with heart and humor! Foster is delighting fans with a this heartwarming gem. Readers of the first in the Firefly Summer series will wholeheartedly remember Pixie and her friendship with Marlow and Cort. This book picks up her story several months after the prior book and has her quickly connecting with a vacation renter who steals her heart and ties her up in knots. Brogan is easy to like and comes with his own bit of drama and secrets that will change Pixie’s life yet again. I loved the connection between the two of them and the adorable kiddo scenes that the story delivered. This book has romance, drama and a bit of angst but most of all it has a good hearted couple finally finding the love and comfort they have always deserved. Loved every minute of them!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * THE LAST BOOK CLUB by Joanne Rock

April 29, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE LAST BOOK CLUB by Joanne Rock

The Last Book Club by Joanne Rock
Published by Crooked Lane Books on May 26, 2026
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Making friends in a new town can be murder, so when Jordyn is invited to attend a book club meeting in her new Saratoga Springs neighborhood, it’s safe to say she’s excited. But she has no intention of making friends with the tight-knit group—she has plans for revenge.

Jordyn’s foster sister was a member of the book club until she was killed in a hit-and-run after a meeting one year prior. Members of the book club had serious motives, and Jordyn is determined to read between the lines and find their secrets…and her sister’s killer.

When the book club hosts a murder mystery party, secrets begin bubbling to the surface—and the murder part of the game becomes stranger than fiction.

This bookish mystery will thrill readers looking for stories full of twists, turns, and tantalizing secrets.

I was intrigued! Rock is spreading her wings outside of her tried and true romance with her first mystery, and while it didn’t take my breath away, it did keep me reading to see what was going to happen and delivered on a major twist or two. The premise of the story was a good one that had potential to be top notch, but there were a lot of characters interwoven to get a handle on and keep track of and the story drug in several places. I wouldn’t name it as a fav by the author, but I would definitely say that I would give another mystery by her a try because there were good features in this one.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * WOLF.E by Paisley Hope

April 29, 2026 Leave a Comment

Wolf.e by Paisley Hope
Series: The Soldiers of Bedlam #1
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on August 19, 2025
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Hounds of Hell MC President Gabriel Wolfe is as jaded as they come. His motto has always been: Always ride faster than your angel can fly...But when Brinley Beaumont runs back to her hometown and right into his crosshairs, Wolfe begins to feel something he hasn't felt for as long as he can remember: alive.

Gabriel is the fallen dark angel and club president of the Hounds of Hell motorcycle club. His life has been infused with darkness and trauma since the day he was born, forcing more than just desensitization to violence and chaos. Forcing him to crave it to feel stable. Secure. Whole.

With only a handful of people he cares about, his family, the ones who don his cut, women are just a tool, a means to an end. Never to covet, only to use. Each one blending into the next.

The formula he lives by is simple.

Death is at your door. You are a soldier of bedlam.

Nothing more, nothing less…

Until the moment Brinley Beaumont flies into his crosshairs. She seems so down to earth and pure-minded, but he can see the dark desires that she's kept hidden for so long. Brinley isn't about to get involved with this brooding alpha male, no matter how attracted to him she may be. Until he starts calling her his "little hummingbird" and she discovers he can give her everything she's always craved.

This raunchy din of debauchery pushes all the right buttons! If you want a sweet, mild MC where the women are cherished and blood never crosses the door, this story is not for you. It’s dark, it’s deep and it’s intense … but man was I invested in every single minute. Brinley is sweet and innocent to the darker side of life when she finds herself in foisted unexpectedly into the realm of Gabriel and unable to resist the magnetic pull. He makes sure she knows the life she’s walking into well before he claims her as his, and boy does he claim her. There’s a side story of back stabbing that really hits hard and adds a twist we weren’t necessarily expecting. I enjoyed every minute of their story and am looking forward to diving further into the world of the Soldiers of Bedlam.

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* Review * NOWHERE TO HIDE by Carolyn Arnold

April 29, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * NOWHERE TO HIDE by Carolyn Arnold

Nowhere to Hide by Carolyn Arnold
Series: Sandra Vos #3
Published by Bookouture on May 20, 2026
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When a lone gunman takes an entire family hostage in a wealthy suburb, there is only one FBI negotiator he’ll engage with. Special Agent Sandra Vos hit the headlines for bringing a crisis incident at Founders Hospital to a close, but there’s no time to rest with a family’s life in her hands.

Arriving on the scene, Sandra discovers that Edward Hanson and his family are the hostages. Edward is the son of the late Timothy Hanson who left his entire fortune to his son. While it seems this may be all about money, the hostage taker makes a demand that is far more personal. Reopen an investigation into a fatal car accident from thirty-three years ago or he shoots the entire family. But how does this connect to the Hansons?

Sandra calls in her boyfriend, Detective Eric Birch, at the Metropolitan Police Department, and asks him to dig into the case. Eric works to untangle a web of lies which leads him straight to the heart of the police force. But can any of this help Sandra talk the hostage taker down and save the family? And how much will Eric need to sacrifice in the pursuit of the truth?

Attention grabbing intrigue from start to finish! Arnold is a master at nabbing a reader’s attention quickly and holding onto it throughout a tense standoff. I want to see more of a personal touch of more hands on time with Sandra and her boyfriend Eric, daughter Olivia and mom Margo going forward in the series, but the angst of a good case is already taken care of in each book. The case in this book is quick to heat up and was developed well. Major corruption is uncovered as it all plays out and we get to see if the key players will be taken down or not, no matter how personal it feels to some.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a hostage storyline with a great team behind the scenes trying to dive into the background and talk the perpetrator down.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * YOU CAN TELL ME by Melinda Leigh

April 28, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * YOU CAN TELL ME by Melinda Leigh

You Can Tell Me by Melinda Leigh
Series: Olivia Cruz #1
Published by Montlake on May 12, 2026
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On the three-year anniversary of true crime writer Olivia Cruz’s horrific kidnapping, she’s scheduled to walk her podcaster friend Zoe March through the crime scene, but Zoe fails to show. Olivia knows Zoe would never stand her up—not today.

Zoe’s husband, who claims she never came home the night before, has reported her missing. But marital conflicts make the police suspect she has left him. Olivia thinks otherwise. The police aren’t looking for Zoe, so Olivia begins her own investigation. Retracing her friend’s last steps, she finds Zoe’s phone and a text with one chilling word: Run.

It soon becomes apparent that Zoe has been keeping secrets, and with her true crime podcast, there’s no telling what she has unearthed. To find her, Olivia must dig into her friend’s past. Did Zoe vanish to escape a killer, and is Olivia walking into a deadly trap?

Attention grabbing from start to finish! Melinda Leigh is kicking off her new Olivia Cruz series with a bang and several familiar faces. The plot is thick with tension and excitement revs up from the very start. Just when we think we might have something figured out, there’s another twist in the story and excitement builds again. I loved every minute!

Oliva is a character who has suffered severe trauma herself, but doesn’t hesitate to jump in and help an old friend when she disappears and things look fishy. I really enjoyed her relationship with Lincoln and getting to see her niece become active in helping her figure out the secrets of the case. I’m looking forward to more to come in the series!

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* Review * MY WHISKEY REDEMPTION by Melissa Foster

April 28, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * MY WHISKEY REDEMPTION by Melissa Foster

My Whiskey Redemption by Melissa Foster
Series: The Whiskeys: Dark Knights at Redemption Ranch #6
Published by World Literary Press on May 6, 2026
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Birdie Whiskey has spent years watching love find everyone else. She has a successful chocolate business, an incredible family, and a full life. All that’s missing is someone to share it with. When she gets swept up in a single, unforgettable night with a mysterious stranger, she believes it’s finally her turn. But the man who knocks her off her feet is the last man her family would ever accept.

Four years ago Crew Hendricks shattered the Whiskey family and went to prison. Now he’s standing on Redemption Ranch, desperate to make amends for what he’s done and trying to forget the one woman he can never have.

Come along for the emotional ride as the Whiskeys’ belief in second chances is put to the test, and Birdie faces her toughest decision yet—stay loyal to her family or fight for the man she loves.

Melissa Foster always delivers on endearing characters and heartfelt connections! The next book in fan favorite series The Whiskeys: Dark Knights of Redemption Ranch brings us Birdie Whiskey’s story and it packs quite the wallop! Great characters who bring a lot to the pages, a sexy as all get out love story and so much emotional fulfillment. I loved every minute of their book!

Birdie has been a sweetheart that we have loved throughout this entire series. She loves life and family and all that’s missing is love. When a weekend fling turns into so much more than she could have ever imagined, she’s torn between family loyalty and the emotional depth this man is bringing into her life.

Crew is fresh out of prison after serving his time for the biggest mistake he’s ever made in his life and is seeking a way to bring comfort to his victims. He winds up in the very place that holds the key to his future, but there’s a major roadblock to fulfilling it.

I recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a steamy romance with a strong family surrounding the hero or heroine as one sibling after another finds their forever.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Release Blitz/Review * CHASING LOVE by Kat Mizera

April 27, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * CHASING LOVE by Kat Mizera

Chasing Love by Kat Mizera
Series: Pucks & Penalties #2
on April 27, 2026
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Sometimes the wrong heartbreak leads you straight to the right love story.

I came to Atlanta to forget the woman who shattered my heart.
As captain of the NHL’s newest expansion team, hockey is my only priority. No distractions. No dating. And definitely no redheads.
Then I find her stranded on the side of the road during an ice storm—fierce, stubborn, and very, very redheaded.
Now we’re stuck together.
One apartment.
One bed.
Three days of forced proximity.
She doesn’t trust hockey players.
I don’t date redheads.
Perfect.
Except we both love to cook.
We both love her kid.
And somewhere between midnight conversations and shared meals, no way turns into maybe.
There’s just one problem.
Her ex—the guy who broke her—is my biggest rival on the ice.
I’ve already lost to him professionally. I won’t lose again. Not my team. Not my heart.
But the single mom who swore she’d never date a hockey player again?
She might be the only woman I can’t skate away from.

An adorable meet cute leads to West finally getting his happily ever after! Fans of Mizera and Elise Faber’s Gamebreakers series will recognize West as the man that got his heart broken by Briar when all was said and done in that series. He was an all around good guy, so seeing him get a second chance at happiness was definitely heartwarming. Serena is a single mom with one thing after another piling on just when she needs it the least. They have a friendly yet steamy connection and I was rooting for them right from the start. Their story was attention grabbing, and though it felt a bit rushed, I loved every minute of them. Can’t wait to see more of this lil’ fam as the series continues!

I highly recommend this book as well as the first in the series to anyone that enjoys a hockey romance that showcases a newly formed expansion team trying to pull a new set of players together from around the league to set the ice on fire as drama surges around them.

CHASING LOVE

Kat Mizera

Release Date: April 27

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

Sometimes the wrong heartbreak leads you straight to the right love story.

I came to Atlanta to forget the woman who shattered my heart.

As captain of the NHL’s newest expansion team, hockey is my only priority. No distractions. No dating. And definitely no redheads.

Then I find her stranded on the side of the road during an ice storm—fierce, stubborn, and very, very redheaded.

Now we’re stuck together. One apartment. One bed. Three days of forced proximity.

She doesn’t trust hockey players. I don’t date redheads. Perfect.

Except we both love to cook. We both love her kid. And somewhere between midnight conversations and shared meals, no way turns into maybe.

There’s just one problem.

Her ex—the guy who broke her—is my biggest rival on the ice.

I’ve already lost to him professionally. I won’t lose again. Not my team. Not my heart.

But the single mom who swore she’d never date a hockey player again? She might be the only woman I can’t skate away from.

Chasing Love is for readers who love: a cinnamon roll hockey captain, single mom, Only one bed, Forced proximity, Friends to lovers, Rival ex.

Grab your copy!

https://geni.us/ChasingLoveKM

Meet Kat Mizera:

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Kat Mizera was born in Miami Beach with a healthy dose of Wanderlust. She’s lived from coast to coast, and everywhere in between, but home is wherever her family is. A devoted mom and wife to her wonderful and supportive husband (Kevin) and two amazing boys (Nick and Max), Kat loves to travel the globe with her adventurous, hockey loving family. Greece is at the top of that list. She hopes to one day retire there, spending her days writing books on the beach.

Kat is former freelance sports writer who now writes steamy hockey romance about her favorite fictional teams, the Las Vegas Sidewinders and the Lauderdale Knights. The library of novels she’s penned also include sexy contemporary stories about baseball stars, alpha sex club owners, bodyguards, rock stars, and royalty. Regardless of genre, her books about bad boys with hearts of gold will steal your breath, rock your world and melt your heart.

To find out about Kat Mizera’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here

For more information on Kat Mizera and her books visit: https://katmizera.com/

Connect with Kat Mizera:

https://katmizera.com/pages/contact-kat

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Release Day Blitz

* Review * DESIRE by Chelle Bliss

April 23, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Desire by Chelle Bliss
Series: Men of Inked Sinners #5
Published by Bliss Ink on May 5, 2026
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Mason Gallo is known for two things: being a perpetual bachelor with commitment issues and the hunky co-owner of a family-owned Chicago bar. Now that he’s older and ready to settle down, there’s a problem—he only has eyes for a woman who lives hundreds of miles away.

Insta-love and all that jazz! Revisiting the Gallo family is always a blast, and even as we get a new hero and heroine to sink our teeth into, we also get to see so many of our old favs from previous books in the long running series which is always refreshing. Mason and Lizzy are adorable and really have a cute connection. His cousin is marrying her brother, so it complicates how easily they want to give into the temptation and draw they have to each other. I enjoyed them a lot, but their story definitely felt rushed and underdeveloped … more novella length storyline than a full novel in the series … but they are addictive none-the-less.

I recommend this series and all the Gallo series that came prior to anyone that enjoys a close knit family who loves hard and doesn’t think twice about butting into each other’s lives as each sibling and cousin finds their forever love.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * TRAVIS by Josie Jade

April 23, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Travis by Josie Jade
Series: Warrior Security
Published by Calamittie Jane Publishing - Protector Romance Circle on April 24, 2026
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Travis Hale has four computer monitors, a caffeine addiction, and zero interest in human interaction.

He hasn't left his compound in two years. Whatever the CIA did to him—or made him do—sent him underground, literally, into a Montana bunker disguised as a ranch house where the surveillance system is military-grade and the man who once ran field ops now doesn’t leave his own driveway.

Or so everybody thinks.

He’s vital to Warrior Security operations from within his fortified walls. He’d die for them and knows the feeling is mutual. But even his brothers-in-arms don’t know the truth...

When predators slip into the shadows, Travis follows.

He fights the battles that never make it to daylight. The system has rules. He doesn’t. And no one ever traces anything back to him.

It costs him more than anyone knows. So be it.

But when a ghost from his past shows up on his doorstep—soft where he’s sharp, open where he’s guarded—Travis will learn that even men who choose the dark can still step into the light.

Emotionally gripping and sure to please! The next book in Josie Jade’s Warrior Security series is Travis’s story. He’s a bit of a mystery and even more so than anyone ever thought with an agenda that has him living recklessly until a blast from the past comes asking for help and blows the life that he knew to pieces. Sera is easy to like and has a compelling story herself. The best part of the book might just be Marge, the computer program he built that gives him more sass than a life partner ever could. I adored their relationship … and Sera wasn’t too shabby either! Great characters, a fast paced storyline and lots of danger and drama to sink your teeth into.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a close knit group of friends and co-workers who have formed a brotherhood of love and laughter behind their mission to protect the innocent and continue their mission long after they return home.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * A DROWNING IN EMERALD POOL by Nichole Severn

April 19, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

A Drowning in Emerald Pool by Nichole Severn
Series: Red Rock Murders #4
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on April 28, 2026
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At the scene of a watery death

…he’s in too deep.

While investigating a drowning, Zion National Park ranger Harvey Knight is surprised by the coroner who shows up—Drennan Hawes, his recent one-night stand, now pregnant. Fatherhood? Knight wants no part of it, except providing financial support. In fact, the traumatized ex-soldier is convinced he’d only be a danger to the woman who wants a lasting relationship. But when the drowning is ruled a homicide, it’s the killer who endangers Drennan. Working together to solve the murder, will the lovers realize that there’s more between them than a single night—maybe even a path to forever?

This just might be my favorite of the series! Harvey is a good ranger, but he doesn’t trust himself with happiness because of the life he was raised in. Drennan had it good once upon a time until an accident changed her family dynamic and times were never idyllic again. When a casual one night stand brings more than they ever bargained for and a chance meeting puts them in each other’s realm again, Harvey and Drennan have to see how it all plays out while trying to keep one step ahead of the danger that is lurking around this case they stumbled upon. I liked them a lot, but I did feel like we could have had a little more of a dive into what made her walk away from the life she knew and forge ahead with this one. Overall, they were attention grabbing and the suspense was top notch.

Filed Under: Book Reviews