Archives for March 11, 2026

* Review * LOVE COMES IN SMALL PACKAGES ANTHOLOGY by Lori Foster and Maisey Yates

March 11, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * LOVE COMES IN SMALL PACKAGES ANTHOLOGY by Lori Foster and Maisey Yates

Love Comes in Small Packages by Lori Foster, Maisey Yates
Published by Kensington Books on March 31, 2026

A heartwarming duo of tales about unexpected love and family, from the bonds of sisterhood to the magic of friends to lovers, and the joys of infants and fur babies, plus all the surprises romance has to offer, even amid life’s missteps . . .

A portion of proceeds from this book support AAF, Animal Adoption Foundation, a no-kill animal shelter.
aafpets.org

THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE * LORI FOSTER
Compared to her smart, responsible twin, Laylee has always been labeled the party girl sister. Now she’s really screwed up by finding herself possibly accidentally pregnant, and definitely not in love. With her sister away on her honeymoon, Laylee’s only confidant is her guy friend Knox. There’s mutual attraction there, yet they’ve been tiptoeing around it. But telling Knox everything may change . . . well, everything. Especially amid a comedy of pregnancy test errors, a robbery, a cat rescue mission—and the realization that Knox sees her as so much more than a pretty face . . . .

THE RANCHER’S UNEXPECTED FAMILY * MAISEY YATES
Ellie Parks helplessly watched her beloved sister, Melanie, spiral into addiction in high school, thanks to her toxic relationship with Ty Porter. Ellie, now a teacher, hasn’t seen Melanie in over a year when she gets a call from Child Protective Services that Melanie has a baby—and she’s surrendered her parental rights. Ellie races to the hospital, but someone’s beat her to it: rodeo champion Clark Porter, the baby’s uncle. Clark’s a good man and he’ll be damned if his niece grows up without him. Until they find a custody solution, Ellie will just have to move into his ranch house. Temporarily. Obviously. Except that they’re attracted to each other. Risking the unconventional family they’re creating is the last thing they need. Then again, if what they feel is deeper than attraction, it may be what they need most . . .

* THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE by Lori Foster *

4 1/2 STARS!

Fast paced and endearing with a Maybelline and Tank cameo! Lori Foster’s yearly benefit book to bring funds and awareness to her favorite animal charity is sure to please her regular readers because it brings us back into the world of friends Knox, Marcus, Bray and Ford for a quick catch up on their lives and a romance for Knox. It’s always fun to visit old friends and feel like we’re having a family reunion of sorts with these characters that steal our hearts over time. This was novella length, so not a great depth of development to Knox and Laylee’s relationship or past, but their friendship and secret attraction to each other spoke to me from the very first page and I delighted in watching them develop into a relationship. I loved them together!

* THE RANCHER’S UNEXPECTED FAMILY by Maisey Yates *

4 1/2 STARS!

Really sweet and emotional! Ellie and Clark each love their sibling and have tried for years to support their addiction and toxic relationship before having to distance themselves from the destruction. The last thing either of them expect is a call stating there is a newborn who needs them. I liked both characters a lot. They each have loved and supported their sibling through a lot, and still are willing to step up when their niece needs them. The connection they forge over the love of this baby is really sweet. I admired their ability to have an open dialogue and forgive each other for their part in previous conflict. This was a novella, so not a lot of time for huge development of the past or their relationship, but I left feeling fulfilled with their love and loved getting to see a glimpse into how the future worked out.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * FEARLESS by K E Osborn

March 11, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Fearless by K E Osborn
Series: Las Vegas Defiance MC #2
on March 16, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Three identities. One man. Zero truth.

As Vice President of Las Vegas Defiance MC, I’ve spent years keeping my worlds separate—the biker who protects his brothers, the Uber driver who craves normalcy, and the secret billionaire who resents his fortune. I’ve worked too damn hard to keep these identities from colliding.

Then she climbs into my backseat on the worst night of her life, mascara running, heart shattered by an asshole who never deserved her. Marley Wren. A voluptuous firecracker with red hair and vintage band tees, who tips me twenty dollars for restoring her faith in decent humans.

I should keep my distance. Stay in my lane and let her heal.
But she’s pure sunshine wrapped in curves I can’t stop thinking about, and when her ex publicly humiliates her, I offer the one thing I shouldn’t—a fake boyfriend to make him regret ever letting her go. One night at a gala, pretending we’re in love. Simple. Except nothing with Marley is simple.

One wrong move and I lose her trust.
One right move and I might lose myself to her instead.
Some lies are meant to protect. Some loves are worth the truth.
But with Marley, I’m risking it all.

Quite the endearing man for an MC VP! We see many of the key players for the motorcycle club throughout the book, but this particular one centers more on Nitro’s outside life than on the MC inner workings. We get a background into him and what made him who he is today, the doll that is his grandma Queenie and the adorable meet cute that brings Marley into his life. I adored their story from start to finish … though there was a section where I wanted to wring Marley’s neck for a time. I can’t help that I’m protective of my sweet Nitro! The characters are both attention grabbing, their past is well developed and their instant connection is really sweet and addictive. I was rooting for them from the start.

I highly recommend this book as well as the prior book in the series to anyone who enjoys an MC that has a whole lot of heart … not just among members, but for their significant others too. I can’t wait for the next book!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * FAMILY LIES by Karen Rose

March 11, 2026 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Family Lies by Karen Rose
Series: The San Diego Case Files #4
Published by Berkley on March 31, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

The fourth nerve-shattering installment of the San Diego Case Files from New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose sees Kit McKittrick’s sister caught in a maelstrom of deadly family secrets.

As an infant, Kit McKittrick’s foster sister Akiko was abandoned at a firehouse. Now 32, Akiko has received an unsettling phone call from a woman who says that she knew her birth mother but refuses to divulge any details except in person. Akiko is nervous but also thrilled at the prospect of finally learning about her blood relations.

Kit has a bad feeling about this and insists on accompanying Akiko to meet the woman. Sure enough, as they stand on Mary Sherman’s doorstep, shots are fired and Kit is hit...and inside the house is a corpse: Mary Sherman herself.

Although she’s on medical leave and forbidden to work the case, Kit cannot rest. With police psychologist Sam Reeves, she undertakes a covert investigation into the mysterious Mary Sherman. Was she Akiko’s birth mother? Why did she reach out after all these years? And who had a motive to kill her?

As more bodies pile up, Kit starts to put together the pieces of the frightening puzzle that is Akiko’s birth family, and she’ll come to wonder whether some secrets should stay buried after all.

Karen Rose delivers non-stop turmoil and angst in this action packed continuation of The San Diego Case Files series! Readers familiar with the series will be able to dive back into the McKittrick family very quickly as Kit continues to want answers about Wren’s disappearance during their youth and steps up to help Akiko finds answers when she’s contacted by someone out of the blue about her bio family. We’re taken on quite a ride as pieces begin to fall into place as danger lurks around every corner and secret after secret is revealed. There are many key players coming to the forefront, so you really have to stay on your toes to keep them straight, but the mystery was really interesting and held my attention throughout. I’m looking forward to more to come in the series, seeing Kit and Sam continue to develop their relationship and seeing her finally get some real answers about Wren.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a found family of adoptive parents and all of the fosters they took in and brought into the fold of their life throughout the years. There’s lots of love and emotion surrounding this fam, and Kit’s job always brings the drama and mystery.

Filed Under: Book Reviews