Archives for April 2026

* Review * THEO by Victoria Denault

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THEO by Victoria DenaultTheo by Victoria Denault
Series: Hockey Royalty #6
on April 17, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

I don’t deserve a second chance at hockey, or a first chance with Lola. I’m taking both anyway.

Theo
It took falling off a roof and doing catastrophic damage to my family, my body and my career, but I’m sober —and want to stay that way. My future is bleak until, out of nowhere, I’m given a second chance to be a hockey player. Problem is, I don’t know how to be a sober hockey player. I don’t know how to do anything sober. The last thing I expected, on top of everything else, was to trauma-bond with Lola Casco, the beautiful sister of not one but two of my teammates.
Her bold smile, her sweet laugh, her sometimes brutal honesty – it’s apparently what turns on sober me. But good things aren’t meant for me, I don’t deserve them, and Lola is the best of the best. So I should walk away. Do I have the guts to do it?

Lola
I used to think I had the worst luck with men, but after the last guy, I’m beginning to think it’s not luck —it’s me. I attract all the wrong men… except Theo. He’s one of the good guys. So when he needs a little help getting his confidence back in the bedroom, I volunteer as tribute. This is just be a friend helping a friend —no strings. So why can’t I stop thinking about him? Can I get him to realize that he may not be perfect, but he’s perfect for me?

 

Emotionally addictive and oh so satisfying! If you’ve read Denault before, you will more than likely recognize some of the key players in this book. An intermix of the kids from some of hockey royalty from years past is always a great chance to get to see those players and spouses that you fell for years ago step in as the supporting or judgmental parent to the current hero/heroine. I always love a second gen story for that very reason. This particular story delves into Theo who bombed his life and finally had to realize he needed to get sober and pick up the pieces scattered around him in a healthier manner. The heroine Lola is closely connected to family and friends around him, so when he steps in to help her out of an awkward situation, it doesn’t take long for them to get cozy and allow fate to intervene with continual situations of throwing them into each other’s orbit. His storyline is powerful and while the author didn’t get super angsty and dark with her rendition of his recover, she did bring meetings into play often and kept it front and center as a part of his daily life. I walked away enjoying their story and feeling a connection with their love and healing. Great characters, well developed side stories and a sweet reconnection. Only thing missing was getting to see Pete go down!

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a hockey romance filled with family hockey dynasties, great player camaraderie and sexy as all get out love stories!

five-stars

* Review * SOMEONE TO KEEP by Michelle Major

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * SOMEONE TO KEEP by Michelle MajorSomeone To Keep by Michelle Major
Series: The Skylark Series #7
Published by Romilda House on April 16, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

AVAH:

When I walked away from my abusive ex, the last person I expected to carry me out of the wreckage was my best friend's billionaire brother.

Jeremy Winslow might be brilliant at business, but he's terrible at people. Trust me, I've been on the receiving end of his arrogance since the day we met.

Only now he's looking at me like I'm worth saving even though I've stopped believing it. I'm stress baking my way through life one cinnamon roll at a time, and I don't need complications.

But the man who can't make small talk seems to know exactly what to say to tear down every wall I've built.

JEREMY:

Avah Harris is the first person who seems to want me for more than my money. I know the men in her life have let her down--her ex with his fists and her father with his lies. She has every reason to keep me at arm's length, and she's damn good at it.

But something changed when I carried her off that beach, and I can't stop showing up whenever she needs someone in her corner. I've never been good at taking no for an answer, especially from her.

Her secrets could blow us apart, but I don't care. If she gives me a chance, I'll spend every day proving I'm the man who deserves to keep her.

Someone To Keep is Book 6 in The Skylark Series. A steamy small-town standalone with a guaranteed HEA. Forced proximity, one bed, billionaire romance, he falls first, humor, heart, and a black cat heroine who finally meets her golden retriever match.

 

Just about everything we could want in a romance … and more! Avah’s snark has been a humorous highpoint of getting to know the ladies in the Skylark, Colorado book club. We all knew there was something wrong in that relationship she had … we just didn’t know exactly how it was all going to play out. I absolutely loved Avah and Jeremy and how they got together, but there were definitely some holes left that could have made for an even more powerful story … seeing her Dad get his, getting justice from the Jon situation, getting at least one angsty scene between he and his sis to see how they worked on getting to a better place in their relationship, etc. Did it take enough away from this happily ever after to dock it though, absolutely not … just could have made it even more powerful. Overall, great characters who both had emotional backstories, an easy connection in what should have been awkward and such a heartwarming take on seeing two people who deserve it the most work out into a beautiful relationship. Loved every minute of them! I cannot wait for Sloane’s story!

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a small town romance with a set of characters who really catch your attention from the very beginning of the series and hold it throughout. A great sisterhood of friends who stumble upon the love of their lives along the way.

five-stars

* Review * IN THE SPOTLIGHT by K E Osborn

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * IN THE SPOTLIGHT by K E OsbornIn the Spotlight by K E Osborn
Series: The Sunshine & Sparks Duet #1
on April 13, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

From the moment I laid eyes on her in that ridiculous giraffe onesie, I knew my world would never be the same.

Effa isn’t just any woman, she’s the lead singer of Luminous, the world’s hottest all-female rock band. And I’m Kaden ‘Mercs’ Mercury, their new lighting tech, stepping into a spotlight far brighter, and far more dangerous, than I ever expected.

Touring with Luminous might sound like a fantasy, but these women are fierce, unapologetic, and impossible to intimidate. And then there’s Effa. The blonde firecracker who owns the stage and somehow owns me too, even as my life offstage threatens to unravel.

Everything is spiraling. Old debts. Family pressure. A past that refuses to stay buried.

But through the chaos, Effa becomes my anchor… and my undoing.

Then an all-male opening band joins the tour, and suddenly the tension isn’t just onstage. Jealousy ignites. Boundaries blur. And the spotlight isn’t the only thing burning.

She makes my heart race.
The question is—am I strong enough to hold on when she does the same to mine?

 

Attention grabbing and fast paced! The first book in Osborn’s re-released rockstar duet (former The Luminous Rock Duet, now The Sunshine and Sparks Duet) was quick to catch my attention. If you read the series about the Recoil band previously, you will recognize the heroine of this book Effa from her songwriting/opening act days in that series. The sparks that fly when her new lighting director Kaden joins the tour is addictive, and I loved seeing their relationship develop. I did feel like there was a bit of a disconnect in that she was revealing her all and putting herself into this relationship full force, but he was keeping major secrets and endangering parts of his life that he should have trusted her with. The characters are very easy to like and become invested in, and there’s a cliffhanger at the end that will leave you ready for book two immediately. I enjoyed them, I just wanted more from Kaden to make the investment in their love mutual. Don’t miss the conclusion in the next book!

Previously published as Pulse, Luminous Rock Duet #1

four-stars

* Review * FALLING FOR REAL by Carly Phillips

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * FALLING FOR REAL by Carly PhillipsFalling for Real by Carly Phillips
Series: A Dare to Fall Novella #2
Published by CP Publishing on April 16, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

One canceled date.
One overbooked hotel.
One fake boyfriend who feels way too real.

I arrive at a family wedding expecting maid-of-honor chaos—not to share a room with Tristan Hayes, the devastatingly charming nightclub owner I’ve crushed on for too long.

When the hotel runs out of rooms, Tristan gives his to an elderly couple without hesitation, and I see the kind of man he is.
So I offer to share my king-sized bed.

Just for the weekend. It’s totally innocent.
Until my ex shows up with a date.

Suddenly Tristan’s hand is on my waist, his smile lethal, and he becomes my fake boyfriend. It's temporary and perfect.
Except the chemistry isn’t fake.
And wedding weekends don’t last.

Or do they?

A fun, flirty wedding-weekend romance featuring fake dating, forced proximity, one bed, and a hero who always shows up—with a guaranteed HEA.

 

Fast paced and adorable! The second book in Phillips’ Dare to Fall series is again novella length, so moves quickly and is easy to devour in one sitting. Kaylee has been crushing on Tristin, and a situation at their mutual friend/family wedding makes for an interesting situation when they’re sharing one room with one bed before they know it. The characters are both easy to like, the chemistry between them is sweet and steamy and I liked them together a lot. No a huge amount of development into either of their back stories greatly, or in their relationship because of the short novella length, but I left enjoying the time spent with them.

four-stars

* Release Blitz/Review * KACE by Sawyer Bennett

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * KACE by Sawyer BennettKace by Sawyer Bennett
Series: Pittsburgh Titans #20
Published by Big Dog Books on April 7, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Kace Elliott is the hockey player with a genius IQ and a secret side hustle in applied physics. He’s falling for his research partner, but she doesn’t know who he is outside of the lab. Now, the closer they get, the harder it becomes for him to keep his two worlds from colliding.

On the ice, I’m Kace Elliott—starting goalie for the Pittsburgh Titans, fighting to prove myself in the playoffs. Off it, I’m William—a scientific researcher, quietly holding on to the academic world I’ll return to when hockey is over. Both versions are real, they just aren’t meant to overlap.

Until Dr. Laurel Kent.

Laurel is brilliant, principled, and deeply rooted in a world where transparency matters. She knows me online as William, her intellectual equal, the man who shares her passion for data, late-night collaboration, and easy, unexpected chemistry. William is very much her type whereas athletes are not.

I need her to like the bigger part of me—the hockey player. When she meets me in person, as Kace, I make the choice to let her see the type of man she’s sworn off from ever dating. She gets the Titans goalie and all the craziness that comes with the playoffs. But here’s where it gets complicated: I make the dangerous decision not to tell her Kace and William are the same person.

By some stroke of luck, Laurel agrees to give Kace a shot, and our time together is more than I ever hoped for. The closer together we grow, the less she talks about William, and I convince myself I’ll tell her the truth when the timing is better, once I’m able to prove I’m more than the label she’s written off. But timing has a way of unraveling even the best intentions.

As the pressure of the playoffs intensifies, the boundary I’ve relied on becomes impossible to maintain. When Laurel discovers how closely intertwined my worlds really are, I’m faced with the cost of asking someone to love only part of me.

And winning on the ice means nothing if I lose the woman who made me want to stop dividing my life in two.

 

A hockey hunk AND a smarty pants?? Yes please! Kace is quite the adorable over-achiever! Bennett delights her Pittsburgh Titans series fans with Kace’s story. He’s not just an ace hockey player, but he’s also got a serious brain on his shoulders and the tenacity to want to achieve greatness all the way around. The book is fast paced and both main characters are very easy to like and their connection is a fun one. He keeps his truth a secret for longer than he should, but she has her own moments of doubt, but I enjoyed them a lot, and the only thing that would have made it all even better is some type of team reveal that showcased his secret life. I’m not sure if this is the final book of the series or not, but I’ve loved the entire series and will keep reading forever if Bennett wants to keep rotating new guys in!

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a hockey romance with lots of heart, humor and emotion. The series came to be from a tragedy, but the heart they all put into forming a ragtag team worked out beautifully all the way around.

 

 

KACE
Sawyer Bennett
Release Date: April 7

Blurb:
Kace Elliott is the hockey player with a genius IQ and a secret side hustle in applied physics. He’s falling
for his research partner, but she doesn’t know who he is outside of the lab. Now, the closer they get, the
harder it becomes for him to keep his two worlds from colliding.

On the ice, I’m Kace Elliott—starting goalie for the Pittsburgh Titans, fighting to prove myself in the
playoffs. Off it, I’m William—a scientific researcher, quietly holding on to the academic world I’ll return to
when hockey is over. Both versions are real, they just aren’t meant to overlap.

Until Dr. Laurel Kent.

Laurel is brilliant, principled, and deeply rooted in a world where transparency matters. She knows me
online as William, her intellectual equal, the man who shares her passion for data, late-night
collaboration, and easy, unexpected chemistry. William is very much her type whereas athletes are not.
I need her to like the bigger part of me—the hockey player. When she meets me in person, as Kace, I
make the choice to let her see the type of man she’s sworn off from ever dating. She gets the Titans
goalie and all the craziness that comes with the playoffs. But here’s where it gets complicated: I make
the dangerous decision not to tell her Kace and William are the same person.

By some stroke of luck, Laurel agrees to give Kace a shot, and our time together is more than I ever
hoped for. The closer together we grow, the less she talks about William, and I convince myself I’ll tell
her the truth when the timing is better, once I’m able to prove I’m more than the label she’s written off.
But timing has a way of unraveling even the best intentions.

As the pressure of the playoffs intensifies, the boundary I’ve relied on becomes impossible to maintain.
When Laurel discovers how closely intertwined my worlds really are, I’m faced with the cost of asking
someone to love only part of me.

And winning on the ice means nothing if I lose the woman who made me want to stop dividing my life in
two.


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

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
(sawyerbennett.com/signup).


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

five-stars

* Release Blitz * RYDER by Jessica Peterson

* Release Blitz * RYDER by Jessica Peterson

Ryder by Jessica Peterson is now live!

One hard fall in the rodeo ring.
One maddeningly gorgeous cowboy.
One chance at love she swore she’d never take.

Billie Wallace has spent her whole life trying to prove she’s more than the Wallace Ranch’s “wild” only daughter. All she wants is a shot at barrel racing—and a purpose beyond crunching numbers in her daddy’s office. But when her very first run ends in disaster, Billie lands flat on her back with Ryder Rivers—her childhood crush, her brother’s best friend, and the town’s notorious heartbreaker—hovering over her.

In all the years she’s known him, Ryder has never entertained Billie’s shameless flirting. But after her fall, he’s suddenly everywhere—showing up to help her when she’s hurt, staring at her across the honky-tonk when she’s trying to move on with a bronc rider, and encouraging her to explore her dream career.

Before either can really register what’s happening, their partnership sparks into much more than just dust and arguments.
Late nights turn into stolen kisses. Stolen kisses turn into something that feels dangerously like forever. Ryder swears he’s not the staying kind, but the way he looks at Billie like she’s the only woman in the world makes everyone start to wonder if he’s ready to stop running…

RYDER is an interconnected standalone book in the Lucky River Ranch Series.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://bit.ly/4oCMSQo

Purchase the deluxe edition paperback!

https://bit.ly/4v0GrdE

The Deluxe Edition is available in North America with designed edges and spot gloss!

Amazon Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4bWoEwE

Audible: https://bit.ly/47fLIUu

Narrated by: Lila Winters & Stephen Dexter

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/489QyDr

* Release Blitz/Review * THE WILD CARD by Piper Rayne

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * THE WILD CARD by Piper RayneThe Wild Card by Piper Rayne
Series: The Dugout #2
Published by Piper Rayne Inc. on April 2, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Getting pregnant after a one-night stand with my brother's best friend was never part of the plan.

We're talking about Foster Davis here.

Chicago Colts closing pitcher.
The broody king of one-word answers.
And the man everyone knows keeps one foot out the door.

Surprisingly, when two pink lines turn my world upside down, Foster doesn't run. He steps in, he shows up, and he insists we do this together.

Pretending we're fine is easy. Pretending this is just about the baby? Not so much.

Because Foster is gentle when no one's watching.
Because he looks at me like I'm something worth protecting.
Because the walls he's built start to crack—and I'm the one he's letting inside.

Our arrangement was supposed to be simple. Boundaries were set. Co-parents and no catching feelings.

Okay, maybe a few sex lessons were added in too. Bad idea, I know.

Because the more time I spend with Foster Davis, the harder it is to remember why I ever thought he was the risky choice.

 

Angsty sexy goodness from start to finish! I’m loving this series so hard! The characters are really easy to like with lots of humor and team camaraderie mixed in throughout and there’s always entertaining back stories that bring a lot of emotion to the storyline. This book is Foster and Hayes’ sister Callie’s story and it packs a punch. It’s emotional, it’s angsty and it’s really endearing. I loved seeing him step up and want to be a dad the second she tells him they are pregnant regardless of how bad his childhood was. He might have been afraid of it all, but he was really good at pushing through and supporting from the very start. Great characters, humor mixed in and a really sweet love building to that happily ever after. I’m so looking forward to more in the series.

I highly recommend this book as well as the previous one in the series to anyone who enjoys a sports romance with a humorous cast of characters as each guy finds their forever love.

 

 

The Wild Card by Piper Rayne is now live!

Getting pregnant after a one-night stand with my brother’s best friend was never part of the plan.

We’re talking about Foster Davis here.

Chicago Colts closing pitcher.
The broody king of one-word answers.
And the man everyone knows keeps one foot out the door.

Surprisingly, when two pink lines turn my world upside down, Foster doesn’t run. He steps in, he shows up, and he insists we do this together.

Pretending we’re fine is easy. Pretending this is just about the baby? Not so much.

Because Foster is gentle when no one’s watching.
Because he looks at me like I’m something worth protecting.
Because the walls he’s built start to crack—and I’m the one he’s letting inside.

Our arrangement was supposed to be simple. Boundaries were set. Co-parents and no catching feelings.

Okay, maybe a few sex lessons were added in too. Bad idea, I know.

Because the more time I spend with Foster Davis, the harder it is to remember why I ever thought he was the risky choice.

Download today or read for FREE with #kindleunlimited

https://books2read.com/twc

Duet Narration by: Sean Masters & Erin Mallon

Also Featuring: CJ Bloom, JF Harding, Teddy Hamilton, Connor Crais, Meg Sylvan, Austin Stone & Willa Jaymes

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3IWsHxd

five-stars