Sweet Reads and Treats - Mere

A fantastic second chance

Reviewed: 01-07-25

I’ve had Rival Hearts on my TBR for too long and was so excited to start this read after seeing that it encompasses several of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, second chance, and sports workplace romance. The banter between Madison and Quentin was fantastic since she was determined to be professional while still being mad at Quentin and he decided to do anything to get her back, including jumping through any hoop in her quest to improve his reputation and she asked without complaint in her PR quest to improve his reputation and get the city to love him after his trade. I loved how as they spent time together, Madison started to see the man she knew years ago and Quentin got a second chance. There was some amazing drama and feels on their journey to their HEA and I was here for every moment.

This story in audio was hard to put down. Amy Hall and Lance Greenfield were fantastic, driving the drama, passion, and heat all the way to the end. I loved the longing Quentin had for Madison and their HEA was so very satisfying. I never fail to fall for good guys determined to show everyone who they are and strong and sassy heroines who fight for what’s right. This story has all that and more with just the right amount of steam and amazing banter. The ending of this story was so satisfying and left me wanting Bea’s story which thankfully I dove right into. I hope this series continues and can’t wait to see what else may be in store for this team.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Sweetly perfect

Reviewed: 10-03-24

I really enjoy sweet and steamy romance and always know Melanie will deliver a fantastic read. The weather has turned cool here so I just cozied up and enjoyed their love story as it unfolded. I adored both Joe and Mabel. From their meet cute on a bumpy flight, fate wanted Mabel and Joe to connect. Then their lives turned more complicated when two pink lines showed up after they shared a hot one night stand. As they navigated what this new turn of events meant for their lives, we dug in deep with these characters. I loved how the characters evolved and how Joe realized that there is more to love than hockey. This sports, one night stand, accidental pregnancy, mile high meet-cute, opposites attract romance is a must read on your TBR AND it works well as a standalone story so you can skip around and jump right in if this story catches your eye. In audio, Connor Crais and Kirsten Leigh only made me enjoy the story more. They were perfect for the characters and gave fantastic performances.

Mabel hates flying and when she embarrassingly word vomits all the things she hasn’t done in life to a handsome stranger during some bad turbulence, she never thought she would see him that weekend at a wedding. He is charmed and is determined to help her check one thing off her list, they share a steamy one night stand. What they never expected was a surprise in 9 months.

This story was a very sweet, steamy romance story with great banter between the MCs, something that always makes me enjoy the story more. Normally, accidental pregnancy isn’t my favorite trope, but I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Mabel is a realistic character and Joe is an NHL hockey player who doesn’t act too over the top wealthy. They both have their flaws but are two people trying to do the best they can in their situation. Their romance unfolds slowly over the 9 months through sweet moments and shared interests. They are kind and people you’d like to have as your friends. I loved that the conflict between them wasn’t anything dramatic, just the struggles two people face when making adjustments to include someone else in your future. We also get a fantastic grand gesture that isn’t over the top at all. This title made me love this series even more than I already did.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A great story and audiobook

Reviewed: 08-01-24

Do Me a Favor was my first by Cathy Yardley and it will not be my last. When my friend recommended this book, I was so excited to read. A second chance, opposites attract romance for two mid-life characters, sign me up! This story was sweet, so very funny, and had so much heart. I loved how different the characters were and how gently Hudson’s family nudged them together when they needed a little push. From a runaway dog to an incident with a skunk, Willa and Hudson slowly went from having mutual crushes to falling for each other. I loved how each built the other up, and accepted who the other person was unconditionally. After both of them were a bit battered by their first relationships, this love story was exactly what each needed and had me rooting for their HEA.

After her husband’s death, Willa moves into her aunt’s house on Marre Island to start her life fresh. Left with debts, she desperately needs to kick start her career again as a cookbook ghostwriter. When she gets a new project for a cooking influencer, she’s hopeful but quickly finds herself stuck and uninspired. Meeting her sexy new neighbor might just be the inspiration she needs. Hudson is the island handyman and a single father who long ago gave up on love. But when he meets Willa, they both slowly start to realize that they might be each other’s future.

I absolutely adored how cute their endless back and forth of favors kept bringing them together when they really didn’t even need an excuse in the first place. I enjoyed so many moments of this story and Noodle the dog lived up to his name. I couldn’t put this story down and thankfully was able to listen and read. Teddy Hamilton was fabulous as always and a great choice for Hudson. Elyse Dinh was new to me and drew me right into all the emotions of this story right down to the tears falling after the skunk situation. I enjoyed this thoroughly and can’t wait to see what other fun stories Cathy has written!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

My heart!

Reviewed: 07-14-24

This series stole my heart with that first fender-bender and Hold Me Until Morning was no different. Hailey was the perfect mix of strength, vulnerability, and sweetness – just as all of A.L. Jackson’s FMCs are. Cody has grit, loyalty, and strength and made me fall for him instantly. He’s an extremely good guy at his core, but who doesn’t mind doing what needs to be done or getting his hands dirty to help and protect his loved ones. This second chance, opposites attract, forced proximity, single parent romance has a heroine in distress and a good guy with a dark past, and neither of them can resist the inextricable pull between them.

When Hailey moved into the small house in her hometown, she had no idea the man next door was a man from her past. She and her daughter are trying to escape her ex and all the evil that man carries with him. Cody finds himself drawn to Hailey, but refuses to taint her or her little family with the sins of his past. When Hailey’s ex shows up to town, Cody moves in to keep them safe. As they spend more time together, it’s impossible to avoid falling for each other. But both their pasts refuses to stay buried and threaten all they might have together.

This story is the perfect combination of sweet and gritty which is one of the reasons I always love reading A.L. Jackson’s books. I enjoyed the slow burn romance as these two try to avoid the inevitable, but it’s oh so sweet when they do finally give in. Love is never easy and Amy makes her characters work for their future. When the past comes for their future, this story races to the end making it so hard to put down. In audio, it was an amazing listen narrated by Stephen Dexter and Erin Mallon. I loved being able to switch between reading and the audiobook so I could truly binge read this amazing story.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A fantastic new series!

Reviewed: 07-14-24

Thank you #partner Catherine Bybee, Over the River PR, Montlake, and Netgalley for this advanced read. ~ Mere

After finishing the D’Angelos series, I was excited to see what was next and couldn’t wait to read All Our Tomorrows. This story was worth the anticipation. This story has intrigue, family drama, rich characters, and slow burn romance. With so many engaging elements, this story had me hooked from page one. The intriguing story about the missing heir to the family fortune and all the secrets the Stone patriarch kept me riveted. I had to grab the story in audio so I didn’t have to put it down! Meg Sylvan was fantastic solo narrating the myriad of characters. This billionaire, office, forbidden romance is a must have on your TBR. There are a few other tropes that also come into play too, but no spoilers here!

When Aaron Stone dies, his two estranged children are surprised to learn he named them his heirs, and shocked to learn they have a brother they never knew existed. Trying to find their long lost brother and run the Stone Enterprises, Chase and his sister Alex know they need help. Piper was his father’s assistant extraordinaire who was abruptly fired. Chase asks her to come back and she does so reluctantly so long as his son is better behaved than his father. As they spend time uncovering more of his father’s secrets, things between them slowly grow and things both at work and between them get really complicated.

Both Chase and Piper were characters you could easily like (and love) with rich backstories and fantastic banter. The scenes where they are alone had me smiling and also swooning, especially when they were fighting their growing attraction. I adored the strength of Piper’s character and tell-it-like-it-is personality. Despite what life hands to her, she does the best she can like we all do. Chase is a total golden retriever who I fell for right along with Piper. He’s impossible not to like! Their romance is a sweet slow burn that progresses right along with the hunt for the missing heir. I can’t wait to see what comes next for the Stone siblings and their eventual stories.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

A satisfying conclusion

Reviewed: 05-30-24 Listener received this title free

After a tantalizing cliffhanger, I immediately started The Symphony of Us. The guys may have found Aerin but they are far from whole. Their journey to their HEA continued to pull at my heart and the revelations about the past had me deep in my feels. With 3 fantastic narrators taking turns telling the story, this audiobook was as much a treat as the first. Aaron Shedlock, Erin Mallon, and Lee Samuels all give a unique voice to their characters portraying strength and vulnerability as they navigated their pasts and found peace on their way back to each other.

Overall, this duet was an amazing story with unexpected revelations, plot twists, chemistry, and poignant writing. I adored Claudia’s way of incorporating a musical quality into her prose and is one of the many reasons I enjoy her writing. The need these three characters have for one another is palpable directly from the page and I adored how the story unfolded. Just when you think you know all the secrets, something else will be revealed. The heavy subject matter and angst are balanced by the sweetness and beauty of their love story. I’m so fortunate to have been able to binge this duet and it left me wanting even more from the Decker family. Thankfully, I have several stories waiting for me to indulge in.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

An angsty second chance romance

Reviewed: 05-30-24 Listener received this title free

I always know that when I start a book by Claudia Burgoa that I’m going to get in touch with my deep feelings. She never fails to make me sympathize for her characters and fall in love with them more and more with each page. Claudia was so rough on Greyson and Sanford. It made me want to hug them both which is usually a sign that means I adore the story. Their story is not an easy read and Claudia never shies away from putting her characters into horrific situations, but does so with care to further the plot. This story is layered and slowly reveals itself, which is why I won’t summarize it in my own words. This angsty second chance, MMF polyamorous romance switches between the present and past, with glimpses of the past told in epistolary style as the men read a tell-all biography. It will steal your heart.

Reminders of Her was an absolute treat in audio. With 4 top narrators bringing the story to life, you can’t help but get lost in the story. Lee Samuels and Aaron Shedlock didn’t shy away from Grayson and Sanford’s difficult love story that has enemies to lovers vibes, but they never really hated each other. Tragedy has a way of twisting the past and splitting people up. Their journey back to one another was amazing. The story splits between the present and the past read by Samantha Brentmoor. Without spoiling anything, I will say that she embraced her role and it was magical. With Erin Mallon rounding out the cast (again no spoilers), this story couldn’t have been better cast and was one I’m so glad I got to experience in audio. I immediately dove into book 2 at the cliffhanger, desperately needing to know what happened next. This duet stuck with me long past the ending and was a reminder of why I always enjoy reading Claudia’s stories.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Book 1 was so fun I needed more

Reviewed: 05-22-24

After binge reading my way through The Graham Effect, I knew I would be excited for whatever came next in this series. And when I started reading, I quickly realized that The Dixon Rule was an even better read. I adored Diana and Shane. Their forced proximity, enemies to friends to lovers, fake dating story was cute and a very fun read. When Shane proposed a FWB relationship, I laughed knowing Elle was setting them up for a delightful failure. These two were meant to be. I also grabbed the audio to switch between listening and reading. Just like the previous book, The Dixon Rule was an amazing audiobook with narration by Covin King and Erin Mallon. Erin has long been one of my favorites for her comedic nuance and Corvin King is quickly becoming one of top narrators. They made me laugh and swoon, making it the perfect audiobook for me!

Diana is a busy woman who works hard to make her own way in life. When Shane moves into the apartment next door, she quickly sets some ground rules to keep his party boy lifestyle in check this summer. As the two spend more time together, staying annoyed with each other becomes harder and harder. When Shane’s ex shows up with her new boyfriend, Shane begs Diana for help. She reluctantly agrees to be his fake girlfriend, but their little lie slowly becomes more as the weeks pass. Neither was looking for a relationship with the other, but will they be able to keep things fake for long?

I thoroughly enjoyed the love story in The Dixon Rule, but I will say that there were plenty of laughs to be had as well. Between Shane and Diana’s friends, HOA meeting shenanigans (if only real HOA meetings were this enjoyable), nosy neighbors, and bonding over reality TV, this story was light and fun even if both characters had exes to deal with before they could really settle into their HEA. Both Shane and Diana were easy characters to like and I adored how they teased each other. This series has once again proven to be a super fun read and a wonderful love story that makes me look forward to whatever comes next for the series.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A light listen

Reviewed: 05-09-24

I love a second chance romance and Fake-ish adds in a fake relationship into the mix. This was a light and fun read that even though it touched on some heavier topics, it really did a good job of staying light. I enjoyed how it switched between the past when they met and the present day as Winter reveals both timelines of their relationship. It left me intrigued to see how they went from having it so right but at the wrong time to a year later and everything being so wrong. Their chemistry lingers in every moment they spend together and the whole time I just wished Briar could tell him what was going on.

When they meet in a tropical paradise and bond over their mutual dislike for the institute of marriage, Dorian and Briar had no idea their weekend together would stick with them both long after they returned to their lives, promising to reconnect in two years. When Briar is offered a chance to solve all her financial problems by posing as her boss’s fake fiance, she had no idea visiting his family home on a private island would put her face to face with Dorian and unable to tell him it’s all fake. But secrets don’t stay secrets forever…

I wanted to love this story but I settled on like. In audio, the narrators Stefan Cordova and Kathryn Lynnhurst definitely helped me like the story more by giving voice and life to the characters, but honestly there were a lot of unlikable characters in this story. I honestly only liked Briar and the grandfather, only sometimes liking Dorian. Everyone else I loved to hate and I’m usually a big fan of side characters. I think for me, this took some of the joy out of the story but did make me root even more for Briar and Dorian amd their HEA. Overall, I did enjoy the story and liked the overall premise, but I think there was just something missing for me.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Loved this story

Reviewed: 04-05-24

When I first started this series in audio, I knew I wanted the rest of it immediately. These stories are so perfect for audio. Unfortunately for me, I had to be patient and wait for this story to release, but it was well worth the wait. Nora and Colson’s story was sweet and steamy, with a wonderful side frustration for Nora that everyone treated her as if she wasn’t able to take care of herself. While Stefan Cordova gave an excellent performance with all of Colson’s grumpy gloriousness, June Bronson stole the show. Her performance of Nora’s full range of emotion from frustration to passion and love made me love this story so much more. This opposites attract, enemies to lovers, neighbor, small town MF romance was such a fun story from start to finish.

Colson works for Nora’s father who babies her in all aspects of her life, much to her frustration. When she buys her first house, it only gets worse. As her parents prepare to retire, her father tells Colson to take care of Nora and he’ll have a shot to take over the business. Colson has treated Nora with derision, but when a storm takes down a tree in her yard and cuts the power, Nora is left with no choice. When she sneaks into his house, Colson finds her cozy warm in his tub much to both their surprise. But when he offers to let her stay and then feed her, Nora doesn’t know what to trust or believe. Then he keeps trying to help her…

I was right with Nora as she was equally baffled and grouchy at Colson’s sudden change of heart toward her after her dad secretly laid down his terms. She went from being his annoying neighbor to someone he went out of his way to help and you could feel the whiplash. I loved Nora’s determination to pave her own way even though she only did so with mild success. Colson’s revelation later in the story wasn’t unexpected, but I loved it anyway. The ending to their tumultuous enemies to lovers romance was just what I needed for this story. I can’t wait to start Saving the Single Dad.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!