The Alpha And The Baker by Roxie Ray

 

Blurb:

A grumpy-sweet alpha. A broke but brilliant baker. One emergency cake order that might just be fate.

When Castiel’s pack reunion turns into a frosting-fueled disaster, the last thing he expects is to find salvation in the form of a tiny bakery—and the fiery, flour-dusted woman who runs it.

Felicia’s barely keeping her business alive, her heart is still healing, and she has zero time for distractions—especially not the ridiculously hot country guy begging for last-minute cakes. But with a hundred people waiting for dessert and a cash offer she can’t refuse, she says yes.

One rushed bake. Three ruined ovens. A van full of dreams.
And a connection that neither of them saw coming.

She’s a human with a whisk.
He’s an Alpha with responsibilities.
But when their worlds collide, it’s anything but half-baked.

Fans of small-town shifter romance, soft alpha energy, and banter that melts frosting will devour this slow-burn standalone with found family, first shifts, and the sweetest damn love story this side of the forest.

 

My review:

Rarely have I fallen for a couple so fast. Felicia is a hard working woman trying to make her dreams come true. Her bakery is barely getting by. Cas is a sweet cinnamon roll of an alpha who isn’t perfect but he’s still amazing. I was prepared for a quick rom com but got so much more. Theres a deeper sub plot that I truly enjoyed. Another fantastic read by Roxie Ray.

 

Buy link:

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Provoking Camden (Surrender Book 15) by Becca Jameson

 

Blurb:

Simone
I’ve spent four years provoking Camden.
He was my professor and never crossed the line.
Now that I’ve graduated, maybe he’ll see me.
One fateful night changes everything.
I shouldn’t have been out alone in the dark.
I should have screamed louder, fought harder.
Now I’m a shell of my former bubbly self.
Camden tries to pick up the pieces.
But I’m not sure I can ever shake the nightmares.

Camden
Simone has been under my skin for four years.
I’ve stood firm, not crossing any ethical lines.
She’s a brat, a tease, such a naughty girl.
But now she has graduated.
Before I can make my move, tragedy strikes.
Heart in my hands, I bring her into my home.
She’s hurting and broken.
I’m determined to reach her, though.
I won’t give up until she’s mine.

 

My review:

 

We met Simone in Controlling Natasha (Surrender Book 14). She’s been crushing on Camden for four years but he was her professor, and she was too young. She’s now a graduate and tired of waiting for him to make a move. When she gets attacked on the way home from Surrender it motivates Camden to finally make his claim age differenced be damned.

Simone is a fun character as different from Natasha as can be. A sassy brat with a heart of gold. Learning her story was worth the read.

 

Buy links:

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Her Cover Model Daddy by Cooper McKenzie

 

 

Blurb:

She has an eye for art.
He has an eye for her.

The first time cover model Drake saw Lacy, he was intrigued.

The second time he saw the petite photographer's assistant, she commanded his full attention.

As their worlds and bodies twist and intertwine, her passion begins to melt the walls of ice he has built around his heart.

While their lives remain hundreds of miles apart, he is faced with choices he never thought he would have to make. And Lacy may not like the path he ultimately chooses.

He's sure he has found a little girl to make his own, but has she found the Daddy she's always needed?

 

My review:

Her Cover Model Daddy by Cooper McKenzie is a sweet snack for the imagination. Our hero is a sweet silver fox and our leading lady is a shy photographer. Their story makes you feel like a fluffy blanket, a cup of tea or a warm hug.  

 

Buy link:

Amazon

 

That Time I Accidentally Took Over The Mafia by Rebekah Sinclair

 

 

Blurb:

You know those jokes that are like a cat, a dog, and a hamster walked into a bar?

My life's a lot like that, except it's actually... my step-brother, my ex-fiancé, and my boss walked into my kitchen... and then I accidentally took over the mafia.

This is my story.

*****

I was living the dream—writing taboo romance novels, living in Seattle, and staying as far away as possible from my estranged father’s massive empire. Then, one morning, I find out my dad’s dead, and surprise—I’m now the heiress the Caputo mafia family.

What. The Actual. Fuck.

Oh, and did I mention my three exes are all part of the mafia? And they’re boyfriends? They’re back in my life being controlling and annoying. Because nothing says ‘romantic chaos’ like the guy who ghosted you after you gave him your V-card, the one who left you at the altar for a four-year prison stint, and the one who screwed your brains out all weekend and then fired you on Monday. Assholes.

It gets better. My home gets blown up (thanks, guys), my best friend’s a mafia spy who’s trying to kill me. (I admit I didn’t see that one coming.) And I have five days to get across the country. Oh, and by the way, my dad was probably murdered, there’s a mafia war going on, and I’m definitely on several hit lists.

Fantastic. It’s just another Sunday morning.

Filled with bad decisions, steamy encounters, and a whole lot of sarcasm, *That Time I Accidentally Took Over the Mafia* is the wildest, most absurd ride you’ll take this year.

Delaney Caputo didn’t go looking for the mafia life. The mafia life went looking for her.

 

My review:

 

That Time I Accidentally Took Over The Mafia by Rebekah Sinclair is a dark, steamy and laugh out loud romp that kept me flipping pages. This tale can’t be pidgeon-holed into any one genre. I fell head over heels for Delaney and her men.

 

Buy links:

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Witched and Hitched in Seattle : The Case Of The Phantom Spy And The Haunted French Fry (Witched and Hitched in Seattle Mysteries Book 3) by Dakota Cassidy

 

Witched and Hitched in Seattle : The Case Of The Phantom Spy And The Haunted French Fry (Witched and Hitched in Seattle Mysteries Book 3) by Dakota Cassidy

 

 

Blurb:

Stevie and Win here, back in the mystery solving saddle again!

Cary Donahue, owns Pretty Fly for a Fry Guy, a new place in Eb Falls, where all manner of the most decadent crispy French fry combinations this side of the planet are made. Imagine tender brisket, smoked and sliced to perfection on a bed of cheesy fries, topped with tangy barbecue sauce.

To say I’d found my new home away from home is an understatement, much to the dismay of Win and my cholesterol. But when Cary is quite suddenly unalived, all of Eb Falls is in shock.

Who would harm the man who served bits of fried, starchy Heaven with a smile and a kind word?

Of course, Cary appears to us from the afterlife, looking for our help to solve his murder, but in a strange turn of events and quite suddenly, I can hear him and Win can see him. Taken aback by this new twist in our ghostly communications, we’re even more surprised to find Cary isn’t communicating in choppy sentences and vague appearances the way most entities we deal with do. He's clear as a bell, so solving his murder should be a piece of cake, right? Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.

But there’s just one small problem, Cary isn’t in possession of the entirety of his memories—as in, almost any of his past or much of what he remembers weeks before he was murdered.

Figures, right? But we jump in feet first anyway, and as we peel back the layers of Cary’s life, we discover far more than we bargained for.

A hidden past, tawdry secrets, lies, powerful people in high places, and more murder than you can shake a stick at!

 

My review:

Another wacky Scooby-doo adventure with Stevie, Win and the gang.  Our victim is a nice guy loved by all but the murderer. This case hits a little too close to home for Stevie and Win and they are determined to find out why Stevie’s favorite fry guy is cooking in the ever after.

Filled with love, danger and laughter this is a terrific addition to the series.

 

Buy links:

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Stand By Your Djinn (Destiny of a Middle-aged Witch #3) by Renee George

 

Stand By Your Djinn (Destiny of a Middle-aged Witch #3) by Renee George

 

Blurb:

I'm Marigold Everlee, a middle-aged eclectic witch who doesn't have to look for supernatural trouble because supernatural trouble finds me. Especially now that I have been bonded to a fiery ifrit in a way that has the entire djinn world quaking in their bottles.

My life takes a sizzling turn when a malevolent supernatural creature comes after me, hell-bent on unraveling the secret to my bond with Zev. As the dark force closes in, I have to summon every ounce of my magical prowess to protect our bond and keep out of the creature's grasp.

Will we burn brighter together, or will this infernal enemy snuff out our love for good? Hold tight, because in the Everlee family, survival is never just a spark—it's a full-blown inferno.

 

My review:

I don’t know how this one got lost on my tbr pile but I am really glad I found it. I devoured this story and loved every second of it.

I love Mari and Zev and this installment of their story is just as manic and crazy as the inside of Mari’s mind.  

You really need to read the previous books to get the full impact of this story.

 

Buy links:

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Shift of Heart (Shifter Lords Book 1) by S.E. Babin

 

 

Blurb:

In-hiding hedgewitch florist by day. Powerful demigoddess by blood. Shapeshifting immortal by accident.

After a terrible divorce left her blindsided, all Evie Quinn wants is a relaxing girls' trip to Scotland, not a fight for her life with a Chimera shifter—an ancient, secretive enemy with the power to shapeshift into anything with a pulse.

Surviving the attack is a plus, but her goddess mother drops a bomb on her: Living will change everything.

And…it does.

Now she's hiding out in a small town running a popular flower shop, doing her best to resist the urge to gnaw on raw meat every chance she gets, and badly pretending she's the same ol' lovable hedgewitch she always was.

Except, spoiler alert: She's not.

When a foraging trip reveals a dying shifter in the woods, Evie breaks all the rules to heal him and vanishes before he wakes up. Cue immediate panic when that dangerously attractive shifter walks into her shop a few weeks later, and she finds out he's the Alpha of every single shifter in the state.

Eep.

Fortunately, he's only looking for a florist, not Evie. Not yet. But divine magic brews in the skies, and the wild gods are on the prowl, searching for the source of a long forgotten ancient magic they sense stirring once again.

As Evie's secrets claw their way to the surface, she realizes she may have to team up with the one man who can save her life.

If he doesn't destroy it first.

 

My review:

Incredible! A different kind of FMC with terrific supporting characters. I love how she takes no crap from our MMC. A total Alpha he needs to recognize when a witch says no she means it. I loved the interactions between these two. I can’t wait to see where the author takes them in the next book.

 

Buy links:

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For the Record by Emma Lord

 

 

Blurb:

Once the most notorious rivals in the music scene, pop princess Mackenzie Waters and punk rockstar Sam Blaze electrified audiences as their bands clashed on stage. But behind the scenes, their simmering tension grew into something more — until suddenly both bands fell apart, and the idea of Mackenzie and Sam did, too.

Two years later, Sam has traded the rockstar lifestyle for a quiet life raising the son he didn’t know about. Meanwhile, Mackenzie is dealing with a postoperative change in her voice by only singing under a pseudonym. The only way to revive their public careers? A joint comeback album.

With fans over the moon and their futures on the line, Sam and Mackenzie face their biggest challenge yet: giving up their old rivalry and learning to work together. But as old sparks fly and new secrets emerge, they set off a chain reaction neither of them could have anticipated — one that proves that sometimes, the greatest hits are the ones yet to be written.

 

My review:

Oh, how I enjoyed this book. Mack & Sam are destined but it is a rocky road to happy for them both. Mack comes off as peppy and up but she’s so much deeper than that.  Sam is the charming bad boy but he too has layers. Like an onion we get to peel the layers back and might shed a tear or two but in the end we get a delicious dish.

 

Buy links:

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The Soldier (Alpha Cove Book 1) by Susan Stoker

 

Blurb:

In this steamy contemporary romance about family, unforeseen circumstances, and unexpected love, an ex-military man and a down-on-her-luck woman find more than they bargained for when they find each other.

When Chad Young moves home, it’s not a decision he makes lightly. A former military man, he doesn’t make any decision lightly. But his father’s passing has left the family—and their business—reeling. Now more than ever, they need to stick together.

Britt Starkweather moved to Maine with her boyfriend, never imagining he’d abandon her there. With no money and nowhere to go, she accepts the Youngs’ offer of a job and room on their property. What more does she have to lose?

Although they just met, Chad makes Britt feel safe in a way no one has before. And she makes him feel things he’d given up on finding. But even as they grow closer, Britt realizes that something is amiss at Lobster Cove…and Chad will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

 

My review:

The Soldier tells the tale of Chad Young former Army sniper who returns home to Lobster Cove to help his widowed mother run her varied businesses. But it is also so much more.

It also features a down on her luck FMC, a spunky widow, and some slimy bad guys.

Come along and watch as Chad falls for our down on her luck FMC and keeps the bad guys from bilking the widow out of the last of her savings.

I really enjoyed meeting Chad and his brothers (and look forward to their stories as well) and fell for Britt alongside Chad. I absolutely loved Evelyn and am looking forward to seeing how she sets up the rest of her boys. I fell for Lobster Cove and can’t wait to return.

 

Buy links:

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He Who Sleeps by Dagmar Avery, Aurora Maris

 

 

Blurb:

For the past three years Petra Franklin has a standing
engagement with masked mystery men starting on devil’s
night and ending on All Souls.

Two nights of exploring dark passions, and even darker
needs. Two nights at the mercy of these strangers
willingly.

Ever since the night she made the pact, three years ago.
Witnessing something she shouldn’t have she was given
a choice.
Two Nights. Dirty deeds from her darkest fantasies.
Fantasies she didn’t even know she had.
Every year, to save another life.
Refuse, and the deaths are on her head.

And after three years, refusing isn’t even a
consideration anymore.
The deaths of strangers don’t matter anymore.
Because her need for these men trumps all need to save
innocents.

And two nights a year isn’t enough. Petra wants to know
them.

And unmasking them is the first step.

 

My review:

WOW! A total genre busting rollercoaster ride! This is rh but not just a story of how she met and collected her men. There is also several mysteries to solve. This tale features several morally grey characters and a sexually adventurous woman with a huge heart. This story may contain triggers but I found it worth it. Get ready for something completely different.

 

Buy links:

Amazon

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Tying Little Tay (Littles of Rawhide Ranch) by Ellie Rose

 

 

Blurb:

The only thing Tay loves more than ice cream, is the woman who makes it…

For years now, Tay Martin has kept their adoration for Chef Guilia hidden. After all, Guilia is their boss, and everyone knows workplace romances are messier than a room full of Littles getting into Chef Guilia’s homemade ice cream.

Which, ironically, is exactly the prank that finally forces Tay to come clean about their feelings for Guilia.

And for Guilia to admit she’s been waiting for just the right opportunity to take her rightful place as Tay’s Daddy.

With every commanding touch, every sweet kiss, every knot in Guilia’s ropes, Tay falls harder for their new Daddy. And it isn’t long before they come to realize that the only thing better than getting tied up… is being tied down. Forever.

 

My review:

This book was the first I’ve read about a non-binary person falling in love. Tay is more than non-binary they are also ADHD, RSD and little. Reading this was an eye-opening experience and I couldn’t help but fall for Tay and Guilia.

 

Buy link:

Amazon

Montana Delta Rodeo Cowboy: Bodyguard Protector by Debra Parmley

 

 

Blurb:

In the heart of Big Sky Country, where the rugged beauty of Montana surrounds her, Emma Pearl Smith finds herself on the run from one of the most dangerous Mexican cartels operating in Montana. With a target on her back and nowhere to hide, she seeks refuge in the one place she never expected - with a rodeo cowboy who lives by his own code of honor.

Her boss is killed by the cartel, just as she is about to begin her vacation in Bozema, and her escort, Nathan Smalls, helps Emma go on the run, changing her name to Pearl Hayes.

On their way to Billings, Montana, cartel members catch up to them on the highway and begin shooting. Surprised by a DEA task force set up to stop semi shipments from the cartel, Emma and Nathan escape being killed. But with gunshot serious wounds, they are sent to the Billings Clinic.

Enter Destry Walsh, a battle-hardened Delta Force veteran whose life has revolved around keeping others safe. He's working as an RN when a young woman is brought in with a gunshot wound and sent into surgery, and the ICU, his floor. With a police guard on her door and knowing she'll need protection once she is released, he volunteers to hide her and protect her at his ranch.

When he takes on the job of Emma's bodyguard, he quickly discovers that protecting her is more than a duty - it's a fierce, unyielding passion that ignites in the face of danger. As they get to know each other, the line between shy protector and the shy secretary becomes blurred, igniting a connection neither of them can resist.

With the cartel closing in and a shadowy past that threatens to unravel their fragile sanctuary, time may be running out.

When he takes her to her first rodeo at the Buffalo Bill Cody Stampede in Cody, Wyoming, on the fourth of July, on their first date, she makes one fatal mistake.

In the dusty stands of the rodeo ring beneath the star-studded skies of Cody, Wyoming, love and danger collide, forcing them to fight for their future.

Montana Delta Rodeo Protector: Bodyguard Protector is a heart-racing romantic suspense that will leave you breathless and rooting for a couple forged in adversity, where loyalty and love are tested against the most formidable odds. Will they find the strength to survive, or will the past tear them apart forever?

 

My review:

This book has it all - danger, action, romance. Our heroine is a little naive at the start but she wises up fast. Our hero really is a hero. Former Delta Force, former rodeo rider and currently a RN he is swoony from the start and just gets better on every page. They say you show the real you when in danger and these two will steal your breath. A terrific romantic suspense.

 

Buy links:

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Scythe (Devil Daddies MC #2) by Pepper North

 

 

Blurb:

If you want something moved, you’ll have to check with Scythe.

Scythe comes from old-fashioned country life. His word is his bond, and he challenges any wrong he encounters. Lying to Scythe is not a good idea. When he spots a heavily made-up woman wearing an obvious disguise, he knows something’s up. Why is she pretending to be someone she isn’t?

Winnie Bradley can’t believe she made it into Inferno after being turned away by the bouncer twice for being too churchy. So what if her clothes don’t flash all her body parts? Or any of them. Tonight’s borrowed outfit is too drafty to be comfortable. She just needs to broker a deal for her stepdad’s collection before her nerve evaporates. If only that hot biker wouldn't scowl at her!

 

My review:

A hot morally gray biker and an innocent second grade teacher. They couldn’t be more different nor more perfect for each other. I thoroughly enjoyed watching these two fall for each other. Winnie is so much stronger than she appears.

 

Buy links:

Amazon

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He Falls First (Colburn Brothers Book 1) by Jill Shalvis

 

 

Blurb:

No one is going to convince her to fall in love again...

Ryder Colburn has his hands full running the family business and caring for the ailing father who’s a virtual stranger from the cold, heavy-handed man he used to be. He’s got zero free time for hobbies or women. Or so he thinks until one walks into his life… and the path of an oncoming car.

Ryder doesn’t mind playing the hero for the skittish, scarred chef Penny. Maybe it’s the secrets in her eyes or the scar on her chin. Whatever the reason, he’s compelled to get closer.

Penny’s learned her lesson and now she’s paying the price. That’s why she’s sharing a dilapidated house in a tiny California town with her feisty grandmother and tween brother living off the leftovers from her catering job. It’s a far cry from her dream life. But who needs dreams… or love… or sex when there’s amateur plumbing projects to tackle and breakfast casseroles to bake?

One thing’s for sure, she’s never falling in love again. Not even with the sexy, snarky contractor who keeps testing the walls she’s built.

 

My review:

Another laugh out loud heartwarming tale that will leave you smiling. Two troubled souls find love and a new path for a happy future. This story features two quirky families with all the drama that entails. Ryder is a unicorn that will steal your heart.

 

Buy links:

Amazon

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Defended by the Bodyguard (Crooked Pass Security Book 2) by Caridad Piñeiro

 

Blurb:

He only intended to protect her

But wound up falling…hard!

After a series of scary social media threats, cyber tech expert Robbie Whitaker decided to lend his services to Selene Reilly. Soon, however, the intimidation toward the lovely musician turned physical, and reality set in. Though he wasn’t trained to be anyone’s bodyguard, in the short time he’d known Selene, Robbie was certain he’d do anything in his power to protect her. And while Selene seemed determined to keep some secrets, the unexpected guardian within Robbie was taking no chances. He’d be defending her day and night.

 

My review:

Selene Reilly has been through some serious storms and come out the other side shaky but still standing. She is starting to make a name for herself with her music and even has a deal in the works. So of course here comes the rain again in the form of a creepy stalker.

Robbie Whitaker is a tech god white hat hacker. He is smitten by Selene and will do whatever he can to keep her safe and make her feel safe enough to give him a chance.

I felt so bad for Selene. Her life has been one trauma after the next. She really needs someone to love and protect her and Robbie is volunteering for the job. That is if he can keep them both alive long enough to fall in love.

Love, danger and excitement. This tale has it all.

 

Buy links:

Amazon

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Alpha Unchained (Wolves of Wild Hollow Book 2) by Delta James

 

 

Blurb:

I left to protect her.

Now she’s mine—and in more danger than ever.

Five years ago, I walked away from everything. My pack. My birthright. And Elena—the only woman I’ve ever loved. I thought staying would destroy her. So I vanished into the shadows and bled for a cause that never gave a damn about me.

But when the cartel came for Wild Hollow, instinct took over. I claimed my mate. I marked her.
Then I disappeared all over again, believing it was the only way to keep her safe.

Now Elena’s pregnant. Newly turned. And caught in a power struggle that could tear this town apart. My pack wants the heir she’s carrying. My cousin wants my throne. And Elena? She doesn’t want anything to do with me.

Too bad. Because she’s mine.

And this time, I’m staying.
I’ll burn the Hollow to the ground before I let anyone take her from me again

 

My review:

The problem with alpha men /wolves is that they always think they’re right. In this case Luke thinks that leaving the woman he loves, claimed and knocked up was the best way to protect her. Idiot! He didn’t ask her input or explain that by mating her she would gain a wolf of her own or what to do when shifting or when or if he would return.

Elena is righteously pissed. No woman likes having her emotions played with.

Now Luke is back and expects Elena to just let him back into her life as if he didn’t leave her alone and pregnant. He has some major groveling to do. Not an alpha skill.

They say that this can be read standalone and it can but I highly recommend reading the first book Alpha Unbound to understand the backdrop against which these events are happening and the Kate/Hudson relationship.

This is a really enjoyable story filled with love, angst, intrigue and danger.

Buy links:

Amazon

 

 

Alpha Unchained (Wolves of Wild Hollow Book 2) by Delta James

 

Blurb:

I left to protect her.

Now she’s mine—and in more danger than ever.

Five years ago, I walked away from everything. My pack. My birthright. And Elena—the only woman I’ve ever loved. I thought staying would destroy her. So I vanished into the shadows and bled for a cause that never gave a damn about me.

But when the cartel came for Wild Hollow, instinct took over. I claimed my mate. I marked her.
Then I disappeared all over again, believing it was the only way to keep her safe.

Now Elena’s pregnant. Newly turned. And caught in a power struggle that could tear this town apart. My pack wants the heir she’s carrying. My cousin wants my throne. And Elena? She doesn’t want anything to do with me.

Too bad. Because she’s mine.

And this time, I’m staying.
I’ll burn the Hollow to the ground before I let anyone take her from me again

 

My review:

The problem with alpha men /wolves is that they always think they’re right. In this case Luke thinks that leaving the woman he loves, claimed and knocked up was the best way to protect her. Idiot! He didn’t ask her input or explain that by mating her she would gain a wolf of her own or what to do when shifting or when or if he would return.

Elena is righteously pissed. No woman likes having her emotions played with.

Now Luke is back and expects Elena to just let him back into her life as if he didn’t leave her alone and pregnant. He has some major groveling to do. Not an alpha skill.

They say that this can be read standalone and it can but I highly recommend reading the first book Alpha Unbound to understand the backdrop against which these events are happening and the Kate/Hudson relationship.

This is a really enjoyable story filled with love, angst, intrigue and danger.

Buy links:

Amazon