Weekly Spotlight - If Love Series

 

If We Ever Meet Again
One year is all it takes for strangers to become lovers...
 
19-year-old Farrah Lin is going to fall in love for the first time during her year abroad in Shanghai. She's sure of it.
 
The only problem? Her would-be leading man is her new friend’s boyfriend.
 
There’s nothing worse than being in love with someone you can’t have...or at least, she thinks it’s love.
 
But if that’s true, why can’t she stop fantasizing about someone else, specifically the cocky blond athlete with the world’s biggest ego (and greatest dimples)?

***

Blake Ryan is—was—a college football star who shocked the sports world when he quit after his third national championship. Instead of dealing with the fallout, he escapes to Shanghai, where he vows to keep life simple.
 
No football. No commitments. No romance.
 
But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t keep a certain beautiful brunette off his mind...or out of his heart.
 
What starts as a physical attraction develops into something much deeper as Blake and Farrah get swept up in the magic of Shanghai—and each other. But they only have one year, and there are forces outside their control that threaten to rip them apart.
 
Can their relationship survive the test...or was it just not meant to be?
 
WARNING: This is the first book in a duet. It's a full-length novel with no sudden cliffhangers, but Blake and Farrah’s story concludes in book two, If the Sun Never Sets, which takes place five years later.
 
If We Ever Meet Again is a steamy strangers to friends to lovers romance. Recommended for 18+ due to adult language and explicit content.

My Review

If the Sun Never Sets 
Five years ago, he broke her heart. Now, he’ll do anything to win her back.

When Farrah walked into her lunch meeting, she didn’t expect to see him. Blake Ryan. Her first love, her first heartbreak, and now, her first client as a freelance interior designer.

It’s been five years, but she’ll never forget the way he shattered her. He whispers pretty words, but she’ll never believe him. Her body craves his, but she’ll never give him her heart.
Not again. Not ever.

***

Money. Looks. A booming sports bar empire. On the surface, Blake has it all, but inside, he's haunted—both by nightmares of a tragic loss and dreams of the girl he once betrayed.

When fate reunites them, he sees it as a sign: it’s time to get the love of his life back.
No matter what it takes.

If the Sun Never Sets is book two of the If Love duet. It's a steamy second chance romance with plenty of groveling.

My Review

If We Were Perfect

Two exes, one house. What could go wrong?

Olivia had a plan: MBA, Wall Street VP by thirty-two, marriage and two children (preferably twins because #efficiency).

Not in her plan? Losing half her belongings in an apartment flood and being forced to turn to her ex for help.

Definitely not in her plan? Moving into said ex’s house and watching him walk around shirtless, bake her cupcakes, and look at her with those smoldering—

Wait, what was she talking about again?

***

Between his bakery and meddling family, Sammy had enough on his plate without bringing the ex he’d never been able to forget into the mix.

But when Olivia asks for his help, he couldn’t say no. He could, however, make her regret breaking his heart—as long as he doesn’t do anything foolish, like sneak into her room and kiss her senseless…

As passion slowly replaces their dislike for each other, Sammy and Olivia discover their past isn’t what it seems and their future is anything but certain. Can they overcome their pride and give love a second chance, or is history doomed to repeat itself?

If We Were Perfect is a steamy second chance/roommate romance. It's book four of the If Love series but can be read as a complete standalone.

Recommended for 18+ due to explicit content and adult language. 

My Review

Grim Tidings

  

Grim Tidings
by B.K. Borison
 
Book: Ghosted #2
Publisher: Avon
Pub Date: September 15, 2026
Genre: Romance, Holiday, Paranormal
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop

From #1 New York Times bestselling author B.K. Borison comes a new whimsical, haunting romance. When a runaway grim reaper tries to save a life, she clashes with a skeptical Guardian, forcing them to form an unlikely partnership beyond the grave.

Darcy Moore is tired of death. Which would be fine and good ... if she wasn’t a Grim Reaper. Determined to outrun her designation as the villain, Darcy decides she won’t be dragging her next assignment to the underworld. She’ll be saving him instead.

Unfortunately for Darcy, there’s a complication in her plan. Guardian Angel Gabriel Aetos doesn’t tolerate threats to his little corner of the world, and a Grim Reaper showing up at his bar is as deadly as it gets. But when he realizes Darcy is not as she seems, Gabriel must decide if he can trust his growing feelings or hold on to his long-standing grudge.

But magic doesn’t come without consequences. And the Department of Hauntings & Spirits will eventually come calling for their missing Reaper.

A spooky yet simmering enemies-to-lovers tale to keep you warm this fall.

 

My Review: Well... This book was boring. 

Everything about this book sounded so good and had all the elements of things I loved but this book fell soooo short of what it could have been. 

I had to put this book down a few times and took me nearly a month to finally push through it when I really should have DNF it. 

Darcy is a reaper and until now, all things have been going as it should but now she is wanting more. Perhaps even to save people instead. 

Gabriel is a guardian and is tasked with keeping folks safe. Goes without saying that keeping folks safe from reapers is part of the job. 

When they first meet, its sparks flying and a kiss to remember. Until they learn what the other one is and suddenly Gabriel is all business and wants Darcy out. While Darcy is trying to explain it isn't what he thinks it is. 

Things being taking a turn when Darcy saves a dog. The was the first bump. Then she saves the one she is there for and well that was the last straw for the big guy in charge. Although, things didn't end up too badly in the end. 

But overall, I needed so much more. This book was painfully slow, mind numbingly so. The chemistry and romance was seriously lacking. This could have basically be listed as clean romance as it was so lackluster. You get one good scene and that's about it. 

Also, Gabriel is really hard to like. I hate his treatment of Darcy and even if they fell for each other in the end, it still doesn't throw away how he treated her regardless of the reasons. He just was really hard to like. 

I'm not sure I would give this author another chance after this book. 

 

My Rating:

✪

Weekly Spotlight - November Anticipated Reads

 

Peculiar Stars

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros comes a slow-burn romance about love, family, and what it means to become the truest version of yourself.

Callista Moran has spent a lifetime putting her own plans aside to care for other people. Once she and Darren Knight announce their engagement, she thinks her future is finally set. But when a routine sailing trip goes tragically wrong, a cyclone blows those carefully made plans away.

Stranded on an island for the next eighteen months alongside the crew and her fiancé’s cousin, Callista discovers a strength she never knew she had. And begins to question the life she always thought she wanted. With Dominic, an ex–army medic, she finds true peace―and a version of herself that she doesn’t need to explain. They resist their connection at first, but as months wear on, and the hope of rescue fades, something real starts taking shape, built on who they are when everything else is stripped away.

When they’re finally found, the world hasn’t changed. But they have. In the height of a modern media frenzy, learning to live as the people they’ve become will challenge not only their definition of survival, but love.

Get it Here

 

 

Captive Traitor King

Brigid Kemmerer returns with the sizzling, high-stakes sequel to the #1 international bestseller Warrior Princess Assassin—where the betrayals are deeper, the magic burns brighter, and love might be the most dangerous weapon of all.

CAPTIVE. Asher has always sworn loyalty to Jory, the princess he’s loved from afar—but now the King of Incendar has claimed a place in his heart too. Someone wants them both dead, and only Asher’s blade can keep them safe. Yet his past won’t let him go, and he must decide if he can break free—or remain prisoner to his old scars.

TRAITOR. Princess Jory of Astranza agreed to marry the King of Incendar to secure peace, but betrayal runs closer than she ever imagined. With her own brother unmasked as her enemy, two kingdoms teeter on the edge. To protect her people, she must take the throne. But there are still dark secrets to unravel that will force Jory to confront where her true allegiance lies.

KING. Maddox Kyronan has discovered trust—and something more—with his reluctant bride and her deadly protector, but the fragile alliance between their nations threatens to unravel. His people are starving. His enemies are circling in. Torn between the crown and his heart, Ky risks losing it all.

As buried truths surface and tensions reach a breaking point, Jory, Asher, and Ky must confront the desires that could save their kingdoms—or shatter them forever.

Get it Here

 

  

The Fall of the Crowned King

THE FINAL WAR BEGINS, AND THE CONSEQUENCES CAN MEAN COMPLETE DESOLATION.

As Nismera grapples with the promise of victory after her greatest enemy is seemingly defeated, a new, darker threat arises. As the power of the universe shifts and accords are struck, no longer is it gods against gods, but a fight against monsters.

An unlikely alliance forms when Dianna, Kaden, and Isaiah are thrust into a reality not their own. Forced to work with those from their pasts will either make or break the three of them. In searching for a way back, they discover that an old relic may be the key to survival across the realms.

A RACE AGAINST TIME ITSELF IS SET IN MOTION FOR THEM TO RETURN TO THEIR WORLD BEFORE THERE IS NO WORLD LEFT.

Get it Here

 

Dangerous Impulses 

The Naturals are BACK!  #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Lynn Barnes delivers the highly anticipated new installment in her beloved Naturals series. 

Cassie Hobbes joined the FBI’s Naturals program at seventeen because she had an incredible ability to read people. Since then, Cassie, fellow profiler Dean, emotion‑reader Michael, lie‑detector Lia, and statistical genius Sloane have caught serial killers, outsmarted masterminds, and saved countless lives.

Now, eight months after the most twisted, traumatizing case of their lives and still dealing with the psychological fall-out, the Naturals decide to take on a joyful mission for playing matchmaker. With Christmas fast approaching, how hard could it be for an emotion‑reader, a deception detector, two profilers, and a statistician armed with a wealth of data on romantic relationships to secure a happily ever after for two people who are already very obviously in love?

Turns out…very. Because to bring their FBI mentors back together, the Naturals will first have to solve the mystery of why Special Agent Veronica Sterling can’t let herself have the very thing she wants the most. Profiling a profiler is tricky business, and it soon becomes clear that to solve this mystery, the Naturals need to uncover the past. Add in a puzzling series of interconnected crime scenes, an UNSUB with a fondness for snow, and a cold case on the verge of heating up, and it’s shaping up to be a killer Christmas.

Get it Here

Reading Challenge Survey

                  

Hello Lovely!

November is here and that means we’re a month away from our last 2026 Reading challenge!   

 

Let's create the next reading challenge together!

Tell us what you liked about this year’s challenge, what you didn’t, what you want to change, etc. We’re all ears. 

Just fill out this survey by December 25th, 2026

November Reading Challenge

 

Let's get reading! November Reading challenge is here!  

Here is a list of books to help you get started:

Accidental Pregnancy:

Seven of Hearts by Maggie Gates

Bloody Heart by Sophie Lark

Pucking Sweet by Emily Rath

 

Happily Ever After:
Taking Chances by Molly McAdams

Under an Endless Moon by A.L. Jackson

The Selection by Keira Cass

We welcome you to comment with your suggestions and tell us which bingo spot you’re most excited about this month!

Gathering Deep

 
 

Gathering Deep
by Lisa Maxwell
 
Book: Sweet Unrest #2
Publisher: Flux
Pub Date: October 8, 2015
Genre: Fantasy, YA, Gothic, Thriller
Format: Print
Source: Bought
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon
 
When Chloe Sabourin wakes in a dark, New Orleans cemetery with no memory of the previous days, she can hardly believe the story her friends tell her. They say Chloe was possessed by a witch named Thisbe, who had used the darkest magic to keep herself alive for over a century. They tell her that the witch is the one responsible for the unspeakable murders that nearly claimed the life of Chloe's friend, Lucy. Most unbelievable of all, they say that Thisbe is Chloe’s own mother. As she struggles with this devastating revelation and tries to rebuilt her life, Chloe wants nothing to do with the magic that corrupted her mother…especially since she feels drawn to it.

Now, a new series of ritualistic killings suggests that Thisbe is plotting again, and Chloe is drawn unwillingly back into the mystical underworld of the French Quarter. To stop Thisbe before she kills again, Chloe and her friends must learn what they can from the mysterious Mama Legba. But when her boyfriend Piers vanishes, Chloe will have to risk everything and embrace her own power to save the one person she has left… even if that means bringing down her mother.
 
 
My Review: This was soooo good! 

Chloe has a road a head of her to get back to normal. After finding out her mother is a witch, she was possessed by her, hurt Lucy's brother, etc. It was a lot and she is slowly come around to everything.

Piers is extra cautious with Chloe and it's driving her mad. She may have gone through a bad thing but it doesn't equal to babying her and treating her like she is so fragile and it took pretty much until the end for him to finally come around. 

Chloe knows she needs to help put a stop to Thisbe, even if that means she has to be the one to do it herself. Well she is about to do just that. When she beings to have visions about Thisbe's past, things start to come to light about why Thisbe did what she did, why she is still around, etc. 

When bodies start showing up with strange markings, Piers goes missing and more. Chloe knows more than ever what she will have to do. 

The ending though, was done so well. One of the best closings to a series. The whole book had me hooked and I couldn't put it down until the last page. So worth the read, just wish it hadn't sat on my TBR for so long.  

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪✪

Sweet Unreast

 
 

Sweet Unrest
by Lisa Maxwell
 
Book: Sweet Unrest #1
Publisher: Flux
Pub Date: October 8, 2014
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy
Format: Print
Source: Bought
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon   
 
Lucy Aimes has always been practical. But try as she might, she can’t come up with a logical explanation for the recurring dreams that have always haunted her. Dark dreams. Dreams of a long-ago place filled with people she shouldn’t know…but does.

When her family moves to a New Orleans plantation, Lucy’s dreams become more intense, and her search for answers draws her reluctantly into the old city’s world of Voodoo and mysticism. There, Lucy finds Alex, a mysterious boy who behaves as if they’ve known each other forever. Lucy knows Alex is hiding something, and her rational side doesn’t want to be drawn to him. But she is.

As she tries to uncover Alex’s secrets, a killer strikes close to home, and Lucy finds herself ensnared in a century-old vendetta. With the lives of everyone she loves in danger, Lucy will have to unravel the mystery of her dreams before it all comes to a deadly finish.

 
My Review: Loved this book! Finally tackled this older TBR and I wish I had done it sooner, it was so much fun!

Lucy at first is so no thrilled to be in Louisiana. She is set on making it her mission to go back to Chicago and finish out her senior year there instead. Though, her dreams may end up keeping her around. 

Lucy begins to have dreams again. Only this time, it's a little different than usual. She is dreaming of this couple. During the dream she is the lady herself who is struggling with her feelings for this guy and wanting to make sure his love is true ends up going down a bad road. This leads to Lucy learning about who this woman is, how she relates to her and that the guy she has been speaking to on the property is not who she initially thought to be and turns out he is the one from her dream as well.

Basically a love that stood the test of time and now that Lucy has found him in this lifetime she has to make the difficult choice of helping him break this curse and finally be able to move on despite the heartbreak it will leave her.

The entire story had me captivated and I read through it, in one sitting. I loved Lucy and Alex. I loved the twists and surprises. It was a truly amazing book and I'm already starting on the next one.

So, don't be like me and let books sit on your TBR longer that you want to admit. Because you may be missing out on some good ones, like this book!

 

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪✪

Weekly Spotlight - Spooky Reads

 

Halloween Season

Halloween is the most wonderful part of the year for many of us. For dedicated fans, the season begins when the leaves start turning autumn colors and doesn't finish until Hallowtide ends in November. With it comes a whole lot of fun: scary movies and stories, haunted houses, seasonal sweets, spooky decorations, costume parties, and of course trick or treat. But Halloween is also a deeply spiritual time for some; it's an opportunity to remember and honor loved ones who have passed on.

Master storyteller Lucy A. Snyder has filled her cauldron with everything that Halloween means to her and distilled it into a spell-binding volume of stories. Within these pages you'll find thrills and chills, hilarity and horrors, the sweet and the naughty. 

One of the best things about Halloween is you don't have to be yourself. So go ahead and try on a new mask or two ... you may discover hidden talents as a witch, a pirate, a space voyager, a zombie fighter, or even an elf. This is the perfect collection to celebrate the season of the dead or to summon those heady autumn vibes whenever you like. You may even find a couple of tales that evoke a certain winter holiday that keeps trying to crowd in on the fun.

In the worlds within this book, every day is Halloween!

Get it Here

 

 

Doorbells at Dusk

Carve your pumpkins and turn on the porch light, Halloween frights begin with the sound of… Doorbells at Dusk. 

Doorbells at Dusk is a treasury of brand-new Halloween tales from both modern masters and rising stars of dark fiction, horror and suspense.

Halloween has always gone hand-in-hand with horror. The holiday gives many children their first taste of terror, the discovery and overcoming of fears. For those who find they love a good scare, that first taste can grow into a voracious appetite.

That might be why you’re looking at this book right now. If so, you’ve come to the right place.

These are the thrills you crave, packed into a collection that’s pure Halloween.

Get it Here

 

 

Coraline

The day after they moved in, Coraline went exploring....

In Coraline's family's new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thirteen of the doors open and close.

The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.

Only it's different.

At first, things seem marvelous in the other flat. The food is better. The toy box is filled with wind-up angels that flutter around the bedroom, books whose pictures writhe and crawl and shimmer, little dinosaur skulls that chatter their teeth. But there's another mother, and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Other children are trapped there as well, lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline is their only hope of rescue. She will have to fight with all her wits and all the tools she can find if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.

Critically acclaimed and award-winning author Neil Gaiman will delight readers with his first novel for all ages.

Get it Here

 

 

Escape from Sleepy Hollow: Headless in New York

The Headless Horseman has returned, and what happens in Sleepy Hollow doesn't always stay in Sleepy Hollow.
Hammy Nash grew up reading stories about the Headless Horseman, but he never expected to confront the diabolical beast in real life.

When a pair of school bullies steal Hammy’s valuable antique copy of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Hammy has no choice but to accept their fiendish challenge: spend Halloween night in an eerie cemetery with his two best friends.
The evening soon becomes a nightmare when a headless horseman appears out of the darkness and into their lives.

The galloping beast chases the young trio through the graveyard and onto the streets of Sleepy Hollow, all the way to the Tarrytown Train Station where they find themselves trapped. Hammy and his friends have no choice but to board a train that spirits them into the dark heart of New York City. Their plight only gets worse when they discover their nemesis is still hunting them. Hammy and his friends must find a way to stop the headless horseman before it’s too late… if they can survive, that is!

Get it Here