Book Reviews

* Release Blitz/Review * CROSBY by Sawyer Bennett

May 19, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * CROSBY by Sawyer Bennett

Crosby by Sawyer Bennett
Series: Portland Wildfire #1
Published by Big Dog Books on May 19, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Juno Paxton has built her award-winning documentary career dismantling institutions people blindly worship. Her latest assignment is her most high-profile yet: immerse herself in the league’s newest hockey expansion team—the Portland Wildfire—for an entire season and create a behind-the-scenes film the league can parade around as “authentic.”

Juno doesn’t buy it. Not the hype, not the hero worship, and definitely not the polished personas of pro athletes. She expects egos, theatrics, and plenty of manufactured grit.

What she doesn’t expect is Crosby Hale.

The Wildfire’s starting goalie is stoic, meticulously focused, and infuriatingly camera-shy. He wants nothing to do with her film, her questions, or her insistence that he “show some personality.” Unfortunately for him, the league wants Juno’s documentary to center on the enigmatic goaltender who refuses to cooperate.

But the more time Juno spends with Crosby, the more she glimpses the steady, thoughtful man beneath his guarded exterior. He isn’t the stereotype she’s built her name exposing—he’s better. The more she learns about him, the harder it becomes to keep her documentary, and her heart, objective. And for Crosby, letting Juno in feels less like a mistake and more like the beginning of something worth fighting for.

This brand new expansion team is settling old scores, electrifying a new arena and introducing a new cast of players to delight hockey romance fans! I really enjoyed getting the lay of the land with a new warm-hearted owner, a bit of leftover drama coming in from various sources and settling in with Juno making a documentary about the growing pains. The team that we’ve met so far seems like a solid group of guys who are quickly trying to mesh into a winning team and form the brotherhood that will eventually take them far. It’s a bit of a set up when the faces are new and the groundwork has to be laid to draw us in. I’m definitely hooked! The main characters for this story were Crosby and Juno and both brought a lot to the table to set up drama, angst and attraction. I did not like the ending because it was super abrupt and left a lot of things up in the air. Good characters and drama though, so I’m looking forward to continuing in this world.

CROSBY
Sawyer Bennett
Release Date: May 19

Meet Sawyer Bennett:
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life
experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary
romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just
about everyone.

A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur,
stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to
her wonderfully naughty dogs.

If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter
(http://www.sawyerbennett.com/signup).

Connect with Sawyer Bennett:
https://geni.us/SawyerBennett

Blurb:
She’s here to expose hockey’s biggest flaws. He’s the complication she never planned on. Neither one
is prepared for the sparks that fly every time they collide.

Juno Paxton has built her award-winning documentary career dismantling institutions people blindly
worship. Her latest assignment is her most high-profile yet: immerse herself in the league’s newest
hockey expansion team—the Portland Wildfire—for an entire season and create a behind-the-scenes
film the league can parade around as “authentic.”

Juno doesn’t buy it. Not the hype, not the hero worship, and definitely not the polished personas of pro
athletes. She expects egos, theatrics, and plenty of manufactured grit.

What she doesn’t expect is Crosby Hale.

The Wildfire’s starting goalie is stoic, meticulously focused, and infuriatingly camera-shy. He wants
nothing to do with her film, her questions, or her insistence that he “show some personality.”
Unfortunately for him, the league wants Juno’s documentary to center on the enigmatic goaltender
who refuses to cooperate.

But the more time Juno spends with Crosby, the more she glimpses the steady, thoughtful man beneath
his guarded exterior. He isn’t the stereotype she’s built her name exposing—he’s better. The more she
learns about him, the harder it becomes to keep her documentary, and her heart, objective. And for
Crosby, letting Juno in feels less like a mistake and more like the beginning of something worth fighting
for.

Warm, witty, and unexpectedly emotional, CROSBY launches the Portland Wildfire series with a slow-
burn enemies-to-lovers romance between a skeptical filmmaker and the goalie determined to stay out
of her spotlight… until she becomes the one thing he can’t turn away from.

Buy Link:
https://geni.us/SB_Crosby

Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Forced Proximity
Reluctant Hero
Slow Burn
Workplace Romance
Opposites Attract
Found Family
Emotionally Guarded Hero
Bold, Unapologetic Heroine

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Release Day Blitz

* Review * ANIMAL BEATS by Arell Rivers

May 14, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Animal Beats by Arell Rivers
Series: Untamed Coaster's #5
Published by LLC on May 14, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

One shirtless drummer.
One PR manager who can’t afford a mistake.
One world tour about to explode.

In the world of Untamed Coaster, the music is loud—but the chemistry is deafening.

Río Sullivan lives for chaos—sold-out arenas, headlines, and the kind of trouble that follows him everywhere.

Until one reckless afternoon at the Trevi Fountain goes too far.

Now his career is on the line—and Hayden Vaughn is the one assigned to keep him under control.

She’s focused. Careful. Responsible for everything that matters in her life—including her younger sister.

Babysitting a shirtless disaster on a world tour? Definitely not part of the plan.

But Río isn’t who she expected.

Because beneath the chaos is a man who’s spent his life never being chosen—and who sees Hayden in a way no one else ever has.

From Rome to Barcelona to the red carpets of Hollywood, the line between professional and personal doesn’t just blur—it burns.

When his actions spark a scandal that threatens everything Hayden has worked for, Río has one last chance to prove he’s the man she can trust—with her future.

Delightfully scandalous and filled with heart! The fifth book in the Untamed Coasters series is all about that sexy drummer Rio. He’s attention grabbing and the life of the party, but all that partying is getting him into trouble that the label just doesn’t want anymore, so he’s being reeled in like never before. Hayden is traveling with the band to handle the PR, but she never expected to be assigned as the babysitter to a grown man … yet here she is.

The main characters both have a rich back story that brings their situations to the forefront and explains a lot of the pressure that each is under. I liked them both a lot, but did feel like there were spots that were underdeveloped, but they still worked and made me happy throughout.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a rockstar romance with lots of drama, lots of love and respect for each other and sexy love stories as each member finds their forever.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Release Blitz/Review * THE RULEBREAKER by Piper Rayne

May 14, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * THE RULEBREAKER by Piper Rayne

The Rulebreaker by Piper Rayne
Series: The Dugout #3
on May 14, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

I’m the coach’s daughter. Falling for one of my father's players was never the plan.
Especially not Decker Davis.
Chicago Colts third baseman.
Dependable. Steady. The guy everyone trusts.
And the man who’s spent years keeping his distance—especially from me.

We have history. The kind that ten years and a thousand miles can’t touch.
So, this time, I promised myself I'd be smarter.
No getting attached. No blurred lines. And definitely, no falling.
He broke every last one within the first week.

Because Decker doesn’t just show up for me. He shows up for my daughter.
Because he fits into our lives like he was always meant to be there.
Because he looks at me like I was never something he wanted to lose.

And suddenly, the walls I've spent years building don't feel nearly as solid as they used to.

But if I let him in, I’m not just risking my heart—I’m risking hers too… and I already know what losing him costs.
I won’t let my daughter pay that price.

Drama filled goodness! With the third book in Piper Rayne’s The Dugout series, we get Decker’s story. We got a good bit of his background in his twin brother Foster’s story in the last book, but now we get Decker’s side of it all as well as more info on what led to their fallout in college, etc. The cast of characters in this series is great. A close-knit player camaraderie with the spouses they are accumulating along the way. This particular book teased us along for quite awhile before it spilled secrets, so it was a bit of a slow build and drug a bit more the previous two in the series, but I enjoyed them regardless. Great characters, good side cast and always humor as well as heart.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a sports romance with great friendships and laughter as each teammate finds their forever love. Can’t wait for Easton’s story!

The Rulebreaker by Piper Rayne is now live!

I’m the coach’s daughter. Falling for one of my father’s players was never the plan.

Especially not Decker Davis.

Chicago Colts third baseman.

Dependable. Steady. The guy everyone trusts.

And the man who’s spent years keeping his distance—especially from me.

We have history. The kind that ten years and a thousand miles can’t touch.

So, this time, I promised myself I’d be smarter.

No getting attached. No blurred lines. And definitely, no falling.

He broke every last one within the first week.

Because Decker doesn’t just show up for me. He shows up for my daughter.

Because he fits into our lives like he was always meant to be there.

Because he looks at me like I was never something he wanted to lose.

And suddenly, the walls I’ve spent years building don’t feel nearly as solid as they used to.

But if I let him in, I’m not just risking my heart—I’m risking hers too… and I already know what losing him costs.

I won’t let my daughter pay that price.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://books2read.com/t-rb

Duet Narration by: Teddy Hamilton & Willa Jaymes

Also featuring: JF Harding, Sean Masters, Connor Crais, CJ Bloom, Erin Mallon, Meg Sylvan & Austin Stone

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3KxNsjw

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Release Day Blitz

* Release Blitz/Review * FORGET THAT GUY by Lani Lynn Vale

May 12, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * FORGET THAT GUY by Lani Lynn Vale

Forget That Guy by Lani Lynn Vale
Series: Don't Date Him #5
on May 12, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

He’s there around every corner. He offers her a place to stay. Makes sure she has a place to work. Fixes her car. Saves her from a kidnapper. Oh, and gives her everything her heart desires.

She stays away as best as she can, but she doesn’t stand a chance against Denver’s determination and charm. He’s there when no one else is, peeling her off the floor and propping her back up again each time she falls.

The gruff motorcycle club president with his scary glares and harsh work ethic has decided to make her his, and he won’t stand for her refusal.

He’s been protecting her for her entire life, and she doesn’t even know it.

He won’t stop now, even if she’s bound and determined to stay away.

My new favorite in the series! We were already familiar with Holly and Boone from the vet clinic from Boone and Nettie’s story, but Denver’s family stole my heart from the start. Holly’s relationship with his daughters was a highlight of the story. Lots of secrets from various sources, some intrigue and a whole lot of heart throughout. I loved Denver and Holly together! Great characters and an exciting plot. I loved the cameo from an old fav!

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a fairly close knit group of friends and townsfolk who watch out for one another as one guy after another finds his forever love.

RELEASE BLITZ
Title: Forget That Guy
Series: Don’t Date Him #5
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Alpha Male
Release Date: May 12, 2026

BLURB:

He’s there around every corner. He offers her a place to stay. Makes sure she has a place to work. Fixes her car. Saves her from a kidnapper. Oh, and gives her everything her heart desires.

She stays away as best as she can, but she doesn’t stand a chance against Denver’s determination and charm. He’s there when no one else is, peeling her off the floor and propping her back up again each time she falls.

The gruff motorcycle club president with his scary glares and harsh work ethic has decided to make her his, and he won’t stand for her refusal.

He’s been protecting her for her entire life, and she doesn’t even know it.

He won’t stop now, even if she’s bound and determined to stay away.

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/238868193-forget-that-guy

PURCHASE LINKS

US: https://amzn.to/4cfzMnq
UK: https://amzn.to/4mfDFx7
CA: https://amzn.to/41XbmKo
AU: https://amzn.to/4tT4lGP
B&N: https://bit.ly/3OsjEa6
Kobo: https://bit.ly/4sXT9bP
Apple Books: https://apple.co/4vhjYcr
Universal: https://books2read.com/u/3JMAdg

ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE DON’T DATE HIM SERIES

US: https://amzn.to/4utIwO4
UK: https://amzn.to/4wcy9A2
CA: https://amzn.to/4nb2YAZ
AU: https://amzn.to/4wcdnjY
B&N: https://bit.ly/4f3v0MA
Kobo: https://bit.ly/4eueW6y
Apple Books: https://apple.co/4eYbC3G

COMING SOON

#6 Spicy Disaster – Releasing June 16

US: https://amzn.to/4tlfak2
UK: https://amzn.to/42QHO1A
CA: https://amzn.to/4tiAjLJ
AU: https://amzn.to/4uPwHCj
B&N: https://bit.ly/3QQGqJI
Kobo: https://bit.ly/4dqCgRv
Apple Books: https://apple.co/4n9o5DT
Universal: https://books2read.com/u/mgdd9x

AUTHOR BIO

Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown. in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.

AUTHOR LINKS

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lani-Lynn-Vale/author/B00IOX7R3S
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lani-lynn-vale
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005499525196
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LaniLynnVale
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/114951082190362
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lanilynnvale
Website: http://www.lanilynnvale.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lanilynnvale

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Release Day Blitz

* Release Blitz/Review * ONLY FOR HER by Natasha Madison

May 8, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * ONLY FOR HER by Natasha Madison

Only For Her by Natasha Madison
Series: Only For Series #4
on May 8, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

He's the youngest coach in the league, and she's the captain's younger sister.

Victoria

Being offered a job in a brand-new city wasn’t something I was planning on.

Neither was meeting him at a random hotel bar that same night.

We shared a drink, flirted, and then one thing led to another.

We exchanged first names, and I escaped the next morning with a quick goodbye.

I never expected to see him again.

I especially never expected him to come face-to-face with him at my brother’s house.

As the new coach of the team.

Zane

I was the youngest coach in the NHL.

I had to focus on one thing and one thing only.

My job.

It’s the only thing I had time for.

Until I came face-to-face with the stranger I thought I would never see again.

She’s off-limits in every sense of the word.

Not just because she’s younger than me.

She’s the sister to my star player.

It’s drama galore when Jaxon’s little sister finds herself a man! With the fourth book in the Only For series, Madison is delighting her readers with a sexy dirty talking alpha, age gap, forbidden romance delight! The drama starts from the very beginning of the book when Zane becomes the youngest coach in NHL history and all eyes are on him. It doesn’t take long for Tori to be under his skin when a chance encounter leads to one night of steaming hot passion and a chance meeting a few months later that changes their lives forever. I loved every minute of Zane and Tori and enjoys the angst of the team behind him. I’m looking forward to more to come in the series!

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a tight knit group of players who each have each other’s backs through thick and thin as one after another finds true love. The hierarchy was a smidge different for this one because it was the coach, but still the same camaraderie.

ONLY FOR HER

Natasha Madison

Release Date: May 8

Meet Natasha Madison:

When her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…

Connect with Natasha Madison:

https://linktr.ee/natashamauthor

Blurb:

Victoria

Being offered a job in a brand-new city wasn’t something I was planning on.

Neither was meeting him at a random hotel bar that same night.

We shared a drink, flirted, and then one thing led to another.

We exchanged first names, and I escaped the next morning with a quick goodbye.

I never expected to see him again.

I especially never expected him to come face-to-face with him at my brother’s house.

As the new coach of the team.

Zane

I was the youngest coach in the NHL.

I had to focus on one thing and one thing only.

My job.

It’s the only thing I had time for.

Until I came face-to-face with the stranger I thought I would never see again.

She’s off-limits in every sense of the word.

Not just because she’s younger than me.

She’s the sister to my star player.

Buy Link:

https://books2read.com/Only4HerNM

Available in KU

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Release Day Blitz

* 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
Goodreads

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
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

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
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

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.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* 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
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

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
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

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!

Filed Under: Book Reviews