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One Night Stand Romance

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-12-25

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Home Cooked Books for providing the ALC!

Rowan’s one night stand turns out to be a coworker at her new job. Chance wanted to have a little fun for New Year’s Eve but found more than he bargained for.

Single Chance is the third book in the Single Dads of Dragonfly Lake series. Any of the books in this small town romance series can be enjoyed as stand-alones and they do contain open-door content.

Pregnancy (not a spoiler, it’s in the blurb) storylines can be so tricky but the author does a great job portraying the good and the bad of their situation. The MCs do have great communication and they are both straight forward with each other from the beginning. Due to the circumstances of the MCs relationship, the book is quite fast paced but it makes sense for this kind of trope.

I highly recommend the audiobook. Emma Wilder and Sebastian York do a wonderful job bringing all the Dragonfly Lake characters to life. They kept the voices distinct and really captured the rollercoaster of emotions that the MCs (and Chance’s daughter) go through.

Single Chance is a great addition to this single dad romance series. Each of the plots are so unique from each other (aside from the MMC being a single dad), I look forward to seeing which of the dads’ stories readers will get next.

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Single Parents Christmas Romance

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-30-24

Single mom Emerson agrees to move in with her late husband’s best friend Ben while looking for a home to buy. Ben, also a single dad, has harbored feelings for Emerson since highschool but is going to have to find a way to keep them buried.

Single All the Way is the second book in the Single Dads of Dragonfly Lake series. It can be enjoyed as a stand-alone. This holiday romance does contain open door content.

This sweet and slightly spicy romance has all the longing without the angst. Also llamas…did I mention the llamas? Neither of the MCs is looking for love but forced proximity and an already established friendship creates the perfect environment for this pair of single parents. Ben is a darling cinnamon roll of an MMC and Emerson deserves nothing less (and she knows it).

The audiobook for Single All the Way is artfully performed by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker and Patrick Zeller. Both are consistently great narrators and their work here is no exception.

Single All the Way is an excellent addition to this series and I can’t wait to see who’s love story we will get next.

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Realistic Depiction of Anxiety

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 06-13-24

Grayson has been struggling with his mental health for some time and it finally catches up with him the weekend of his friend’s wedding. He begins to journal the feelings and experiences surrounding his anxiety along with the events of meeting the woman that would ultimately lead him to find the help he needs.

My Story of Us: Grayson is the third book in the My Story of Us series. It can be read as a stand-alone but as the series does cover a group of friends, there is some overlap. This novella is just shy of 100 pages. (The audio runs just over 2 hours.) Content/Trigger Warning - There is discussion of anxiety throughout the book including an “on page” anxiety attack.

This book has one of the most genuine depictions of an anxiety attack that I have come across in a romance book. The MCs journey from “what is happening to me?” to an actual diagnosis is both raw and realistic. There is a lot of emotional labor thrown onto the unnamed FMC, especially in the beginning when Grayson is still processing everything.

I highly recommend the audio as the whole series is best suited to be listened to. I do suggest listening to it at standard/1x speed though. There are sound effects and background noises added throughout that don’t sound quite right if the audio is sped up.

Although there is a romantic element to this story, the majority of the book is focused on Grayson’s personal growth and health journey. As someone who struggles with anxiety, I appreciate the thoughtful way in which the MCs struggles are shown.

Overall, Grayson’s book is a nice addition to the My Story of Us series. I look forward to seeing which friend’s story we get next.

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Age Gap Romance

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 06-04-24

Neither Harper nor Max are looking for a serious relationship. What starts off as a single date brought on by a bachelor auction turns into a secret “no strings attached” fling.

Singled Out is the first book in the new Single Dads of Dragonfly Lake series. This small-town, contemporary romance has a little bit of everything: single dad, boss’s daughter, age gap, and more. There is open-door content.

This one hooked me from the very beginning. Between the juicy plot and the excellent narrators, I listened through most of the book in one day. The chemistry is palpable from the very beginning and it only grows stronger as the storyline progresses. I do appreciate that even when both characters are all in on whatever their relationship is becoming, they are willing to toss it aside if it is detrimental to Max’s child. There is some slight conflict (more like self sabotage) but it resolves itself quickly.

I highly recommend the audio if audiobooks are something you enjoy. Erin Mallon and Sebastian York narrate it and they’re both incredibly talented. I think this is the first book that I’ve heard them both narrate but they sound wonderful opposite of each other. The audio is about 7 ½ hours long.

Singled Out is a great start to a fun new series. I don’t think I’ve come across another romance series that is all about single dads so I’m excited to see where the author takes it. I look forward to reading the rest of the books.

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Winston Brothers Reimagined

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-16-24

After moving back to Moonlight Valley, TN, all Alice Aymes wanted to do was get away from it again. She has big dreams of starting her own business but needs to raise the funds first so she’s stuck back in her hometown. Alice has had a crush on Atticus Boone for as long as she can remember, in spite of his grumpy twin Ford (who always seems to get in the way). When she finally thinks she has a shot with Atticus, nothing is as it appears and she has her eyes opened to a whole other side of Moonlight Valley.

Truth or Wolf is the first book in the Wolf Brothers series. This a paranormal retelling of Penny Reid’s Truth or Beard. Truth or Wolf can be read as a stand-alone and you do not need prior knowledge of the Winston Brothers series.

Anne Marsh has done a fantastic job of retaining the overall flavor and plot points of the original story while infusing it with plenty of fun new twists. I do like that the story is set in its own fictitious town of Moonlight Valley rather than Green Valley. All of the scenes flowed well without anything seeming forced. The chemistry between Alice and Ford is undeniable from the very beginning.

I was truly unprepared for how much I was going to love this book. If you’ve never read a paranormal romance but you’re curious, this could be a great first option for you. If you love the Winston boys, I think you’ll fall just as hard for the Boone brothers.

I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. The incomparable Joy Nash and Chris Brinkley are back to voice all of Moonlight Valley. No one else could have brought this reimagining to life.

This is the first book that I have read from author Anne Marsh and it definitely will not be the last. I plan to check out her whole backlist while I “patiently'' wait for Wolf Brothers book 2.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. I purchased a copy of the audiobook separately. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Saving a Marriage in Trouble

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-24-24

Workaholic Thomas is struggling to connect with his wife and to be present for his family. As he journals through his thoughts and frustrations, Thomas begins to see the various paths his decisions have made and he reminisces on key memories of his past.

This is the second book in the My Story of Us series. The books in this series can be read as stand-alones and in any order. The concept for this whole series is distinctive in that each of the books is told exclusively from the man’s point of view. The stories are also unique in that the women aren’t directly named and are even described physically. Readers are left to their own imaginings.

“Marriage in trouble” is one of the more rare romance tropes that I’ve come across. Having Thomas’s story told from the husband’s perspective in this epistolary style gives readers a one of a kind look at a failing marriage. I’m thankful that the MCs issues were not linked to indiscretion. (I was already mad at him enough through the 1st part of the book. I would have tossed my phone across the room if his problems had been related to another woman.) Thomas goes through tremendous personal growth throughout such a short story but the impact shows.

I highly recommend the audio (read by the author) and would suggest listening at the standard 1x speed. There are some sounds and background noise sprinkled throughout the audio that sound weird if sped up. The audiobook is a little over 2 hours long.

So far there are three books: Zach, Thomas, and Grayson and while the formats are the same, the tropes are vastly different. I look forward to reading and listening to more work from the author in the future.

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Action Packed

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-14-24

Tuscan Blood is the second installment of the Ali Falco series. This mystery can be read as a stand-alone.

I highly recommend the audiobook. It is solo narrated by Marnye Young and she does a fantastic job bringing this mystery to life.

This book is about average length for the genre but it is packed with content. It is fast paced from start to finish but it flows well. The MCs background is sprinkled throughout the storyline so there’s no info dumping. The mystery/case itself progresses realistically and there’s just enough suspense to keep readers from putting the book down. The audio is about 7.5 hours long and I listened to about half in one go. I was hooked from the very beginning even without being previously familiar with the MC.

Tuscan Blood is the first book that I have read from Jeff Carson but I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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It’s Like Listening to a Love Letter

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-26-24

It's the start of a new year and Zach decides to start a journal to chronicle what could become his love story.

This is the first book in the My Story of Us series. The books in this series can be read as stand-alones and in any order. The concept for this whole series is distinctive in that each of the books is told exclusively from the man’s point of view. The stories are also unique in that the women aren’t directly named and are even described physically. Readers are left to their own imaginings.

I would consider this an epistolary romance. While it does not contain letter writing, Zach is writing these journal entries as though this woman will someday read them. There’s something very sweet about the way Zach details his crush and subsequent relationship. (I smiled a lot while listening. I may have giggled at least once…maybe twice.)

I highly recommend the audio (read by the author) but would suggest listening at the standard 1x speed. There are some sounds and background noise sprinkled throughout the audio that sound weird if sped up. The audiobook is about 2 hours long.

So far there are three books in this series: Zach, Thomas, and Grayson and each are very different. I think there are supposed to be two more at some point and I look forward to listening to all of them.

I purchased my copies of this book and the audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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He’s Not Too Beastly

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-13-24

With his family’s reputation in shambles, Miles Ravage needs to save face by finding a wife. Estelle Deveraux needs money to launch her clothing line and agrees to marry the bad-tempered Miles for one year in exchange for what she wants. Miles soon finds that this exchange make work more in his favor than originally planned

Marry Lies is the second book in the Ravaged Castle series. I have not read the first book in the series but this one reads perfectly well as a stand-alone. The book has vague Beauty and the Beast undertones but the MMC is just an irritable human. There is explicit content throughout.

The MCs start out seeming like opposites but the further into the story, you realize how deeply flawed and vulnerable they both are. They find a certain balance in each other. While the spicy scenes are plentiful, I think the bond that grows between them goes beyond the physical.

I was not previously familiar with either of the narrators but I think they did an excellent job. Sometimes with explicit content, narrators will over act to the point of awkwardness, but that is not the case here. Both Fiona Hardingham and Michael Gallagher did well differentiating between all the characters. The accents along with the French pronunciations were done well.

This is the first book that I have read from author Amanda Richardson but I plan to look into more of her backlist.

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Friends to Lovers

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-18-23

**Updated Review**

At 28, Casey is tired of being a virgin but her dating life has been less than stellar. She decides to ask her close friend and roommate Gareth to help her with some “hands on “ lessons so she can gain some confidence. Gareth has never been one for relationships so he thinks a friends with benefits situation will help both of them out. It’s not long before things become a little more than just friendly.

Kilt to Order is a spin-off of the author’s popular King Family series. While some of the characters from the original series are featured in this book, Kilt to Order can be read as a stand-alone.

I adored puffin-loving Casey from the very first chapter. I was a little unsure about Gareth and his motives but he just turned out to be a big marshmallow. Susannah’s books are always so cleverly written with such relatable characters. Readers will find themselves bonding with MCs they have nothing in common with but would willingly fight to see them get their HEAs. Friends to lovers can be tricky if too much angst builds up but Kilt to Order has just the right mix of sweet and spicy scenes.

The audiobook is dual narrated by Callie Dalton (Casey) and Lee Samuels (Gareth). These are both narrators I was previously familiar with and they were perfectly chosen for this book. Callie Dalton has the sweetest voice and expressions. She sounds exactly how I could hear Casey when I did my first read though.

Susannah Nix never disappoints! This book had me giggling into the early hours of the morning because I could not put it down. I can’t wait to see who’s story we get next.

I voluntarily read, listened to, and reviewed an advanced copies of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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