Jessica Stapleton

Sweet Romance

Reviewed: 07-30-24 Listener received this title free

Hadley’s beautiful, smart, shy…and a 30 year old virgin, a secret she’s kept from even her closest friends. She’s lived vicariously through their dating lives while building her bed and breakfast, a business left to her by her grandfather.

Enter Foster McKenna, a professional football player for the Branston Bandits. His two best friends and teammates have found love and settled in town. Foster is ready to put down roots, too. He’s having a home built and needs a place to stay long term, so he books a room at Hadley’s B&B. He’s very attracted to Hadley, but she screams ‘relationship’ and Foster doesn’t do relationships. One night, a drunken confession about her virginity changes how Foster approaches her. Hadley decides that if Foster won’t be her first, she’ll find someone who will. But when Hadley starts dating, all bets are off. Foster makes his feelings for Hadley known and they begin to build something real.

Cecily Foster and James Amherst did a wonderful job bringing life to Hadley and Foster. I’ve truly enjoyed this series.

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I love a second chance romance!

Reviewed: 07-30-24 Listener received this title free

Maverick and Holly had a once-in-a-lifetime love. They were married for 12 years and raising their two children. Maverick was the President of the North Carolina chapter of The Satan’s Knights MC and he and Holly ran a scrap business together. But there came a point when Holly was done with their family coming second to the club. Even though it broke her heart, she divorced Maverick.

Eight years later, things are very different. Maverick is still President, and he and Holly are co-parenting their kids. Holly has remarried. She and her new husband, Colt, have a young son, Theo. Holly and Maverick still love each other. He knows letting Holly slip through his fingers is the biggest mistake of his life. Colt is a good man and he loves Holly and the kids, and that’s really all Maverick can ask for. But when financial difficulties arise, Holly tries to alleviate some of the pressure by asking Maverick to reopen their business with her. He agrees, and then gives Holly enough cash to cover their mortgage for 3 months. His kids live in that house after all. Unbeknownst to Holly, Colt has made a deal with the club to run guns on his next long haul for extra cash. She also doesn’t know that she pocket dialed Colt when Maverick was giving her money and discussing reopening their business venture. Holly decides not to disclose any of the financial plans with Colt, and one night, he’s had enough of the lies and walks out on her. Theo gets very sick later that night. Holly continuously tries to contact Colt, but he doesn’t answer any of her calls or texts. Theo is hospitalized, Holly’s barely holding it together, and Colt’s AWOL. Maverick and the club are up to their necks in a brewing war. Who will end up being collateral damage?

This was my first Janine Infante Bosco book, but it won’t be my last. I loved Maverick and Holly. They’re a couple you can truly root for, hoping they’ll get it together and fix things. Michael Norman Johnson and Sarah Puckett were both new-to-me narrators and did a fantastic job bringing Maverick and Holly to life. If I had one complaint about the book, it’s that it seemed to end rather abruptly, then we were given a very brief epilogue. I would’ve liked to have seen more of the relationship after they reunited.

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The Den of Sin - 3.5 stars

Reviewed: 07-30-24 Listener received this title free

One night in college, Isabella’s best friend/roommate’s much older brother, Vasili, takes her home after a party. Isabella has been crushing on Vasili since she met him a few years ago. When Isabella gives Vasili her virginity that night, she thinks it’s the start of something she’s wanted for so long. The next morning, he crushes her hopes by making it clear that it was a one time thing and pushing her away. Vasili knows long kept secrets affecting both of their families. He knows he can’t ever be with Isabella, so he took the one night he could have with her.



Five years later, Isabella is in a good place. She’s a doctor now and in a relationship with her long-time boyfriend. Vasili has returned to her life and turned everything upside down. Those long kept secrets Vasili knew are about to come to light. Isabella’s life is about to be burned to the ground and Vasili is holding the match. But Vasili isn’t the only one with secrets now…



Troy Duran and Mackenzie Cartwright did an excellent job bringing Vasili and Isabella to life. They are two of my favorite narrators. However, in the middle of the audiobook, suddenly there was background music and sound effects. It didn’t start until around Chapter 12 and disappeared just as quickly at Chapter 20. It was very distracting and pulled me out of the story because it was unexpected. I kept thinking another app was playing at the same time. If an audiobook is going to be dramatized, it should be done throughout the entire book.

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Miles & Roxy - FWB Catch Feelings

Reviewed: 07-13-24 Listener received this title free

When “Roxanne” meets “Blake” at the restaurant where she works, sparks fly immediately. The two share a night together that neither of them will forget. She slips out while he’s still sleeping, thinking that she won’t see him again.

Miles Blake is a professional football player for the Branston Bandits. His best friend and teammate, Riggs, has recently become engaged to his girlfriend, Tessa. Riggs has recently moved in with her, so his house next door is going on the market. Miles makes an offer on the house and Riggs sells. He’s thrilled to be living next door to Riggs and Tessa. Miles decides to throw a housewarming get together with a few teammates, including Riggs. Tessa invites a few of her friends over, including her best friend, Roxy. When they see each other at the party, Miles and Roxy realize they’ve met before. Yep, the one night stand of “Blake” and “Roxanne”. Things are about to become complicated.

Roxy is convinced that nothing else can happen between her and Miles because when it will inevitably end, it will make things uncomfortable within their friend group. Tessa is finally getting her happily ever after, and Roxy doesn’t want to stand in the way of her happiness. If she ends up dumping Miles later, it will cause problems between Tessa and Riggs. So, at Roxy’s urging (despite Miles’ objections), they decide to just be friends.

As time goes on, Roxy and Miles find themselves drawn into one another’s orbit. They’re spending quite a lot of time together, forming a real friendship, while fighting their growing feelings for one another. Roxy confides in Miles that she doesn’t want to be a waitress forever and she’s trying to build her side hustle, baking sweet confections, into a sustainable business. Miles knows she’s an excellent baker; he’s spent enough nights at her house helping her. One night, they give into their feelings again. They decide to chance the rules – they’ll be friends with benefits until they decide to stop, then they’ll go back to being friends. Simple, right? Ahh, the best laid plans…

I loved Roxy and Miles together. He was supportive and levelheaded every time Roxy started to spin out. Because of her past, Roxy wasn’t banking on a forever with someone, so Miles took her by surprise. I can’t wait to see what happens next for this friend group.

Cecily Foster and Josh Innerst were the narrators for this installment of the series and, again, I really enjoyed their performance.

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A Second Chance Romance for Tessa and Riggs

Reviewed: 07-13-24 Listener received this title free

Riggs Malone is going home. After a long, successful career as a professional quarterback, he’s now the captain and face of the new expansion team, the Branston Bandits. He’s happy to be moving back, especially if he has a chance to make amends with the only girl he’s ever loved, Tessa White.

Tessa White was less than thrilled to hear that Riggs is coming home. She’s downright livid to learn that he’s bought the house next door. She’s worked hard to build her dream to own her coffee shop/bookstore, Beans & Books. She picked up the pieces of her heart after she learned that Riggs had asked her out in high school as part of a bet with his teammate to take her virginity. Both Tessa and Riggs had fallen hard, but after overhearing about the bet, she broke up with him and refused to speak to him. Riggs wanted to explain himself, but Tessa was done. Riggs left for college twelve years ago and, as far as Tessa’s concerned, he should’ve stayed gone.

After a less than friendly interaction at Beans & Books (and a night of too many margaritas with her girlfriends), Tessa unwittingly fires the first shot of what will be a hilarious, escalating prank war. As the war rages on, Tessa and Riggs find themselves having fun and laughing together. Will Tessa be able to truly forgive him once he explains the circumstances surrounding that fateful bet twelve years ago? Will they be able to pick up where they left off all those years ago?

I loved that Tessa didn’t just roll over and forgive Riggs right away. I loved that Riggs didn’t give up on Tessa, even though he knew he hurt her so badly in the past. I was laughing out loud when Tessa arrived home to find her yard full of goats. I enjoyed the side characters and can’t wait to see each of them get their own happily ever after.

The Turnover was brought to life by Cecily Foster and Josh Innerst. This was the first time I’d listened to either of these narrators and enjoyed their performance.

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What’s not to love?

Reviewed: 01-05-24 Listener received this title free

What’s not to love about a beautiful second chance romance? Kinsley and Hayden were high school sweethearts. He left Kinsley and Valentine, TX behind for Houston, leaving her heartbroken. Ten years later, following his Dad’s unexpected health issue, Hayden is back in Valentine to run their family owned book store. His first day back in town, he runs into Kinsley…and it does NOT go well. It seems everyone in Valentine expects Hayden and Kinsley to get back together…well, except Hayden and Kinsley.

Vanessa and Aaron are fantastic narrators who truly brought Kinsley and Hayden to life.

I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Harrison and Grace!

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I LOVE this new series!

Reviewed: 11-12-23 Listener received this title free

Summer has always dreamed of owning her own B & B, so when the ranch next to her parents’ ranch goes up for sale, she’s certain this is her chance to turn the old farmhouse into her dream. Beckett and his family own the ranch on the other side of the property, so he has plans to expand the horse training business he runs with his brother, Harrison. Summer’s best friend is Beckett’s little sister, Kinsley. She knows Summer and Beckett have a complicated relationship, as in they want each other, but neither of them will admit it, and they love to drive each other crazy. So when the bidding for the ranch pits Summer and Beckett against each other, they’ll have to decide if they’d rather fight each other or take a chance on having it all.

I read this book a few months ago (as well as Book 2 - Spill the Sweet Tea) and I was really excited to listen to the audio. Honestly, the narrators only made this story even better!

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