Two Can Play

 Title: Two Can Play

Author: Ali Hazelwood

eBook (but paperback and hardcover are available, there’s even large print!)

Pages: 208

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

ISBN: 9798217192342

Release Date: 02/10/2026

Book Details: I read the eBook version, so I was able to customize my reading experience.

Where To Find It: I got my copy from Libby but it looks to be for sale everywhere you get books.

Time that the story takes place? Current day

POV? First Person

What caught your eye? I saw this on the Barnes and Noble website and I don’t what exactly caught my eye . . . but after reading the sample chapter, I had to read more. Shockingly my wait was short as I was the second one in line to get the book next on Libby.

Did you enjoy it? I really did. I wasn’t sure if I would, because I famously hate, loathe, and despise first person narrative, especially in a romance. But this worked. It was great.

Was it predictable? Not really, no. I was kind of in unfamiliar waters here. But I was a bit shocked how things played out and then how it ended. Awesome!

Was it sexy? Tame? I found it rather sexy. Charmingly sexy.

Did you find it funny? Entertaining? I did. I actually did laugh out loud at many of the descriptions.

Would you read it again? I would.

Is this part of a series? It doesn’t appear to be.

Would you add this to your home library? I think I would, yes. Absolutely.

Okay, first off, if you know me, one of the things I dislike most in a romance is a first-person narrative. Followed very close by first person alternating viewpoints*. However, as it always happens, by some odd quirk of luck and curiosity, I read the sample chapter and was all, “I HAVE to know what happens next!”

And promptly put my name on the wait list at the library via the Libby app.

And another fun fact about me, I seldom, if ever, actually read anything that just came out. Some people are book influencers who read everything the weeks before it hits the shelves. While I have done that as I used to work in a bookshop, I can’t live like that any longer. I sometimes don’t read a new book until it’s been on my home shelf or out in the wild for months, usually years.

So, the fact that this just came out? Progress for me.

The book is pretty straightforward. We have two rival game designer firms/companies, I don’t know what you call them, all you need to know is, these two companies DO NOT like each other. Hate is too soft a term for the emotional feelings of both groups. 

However, both companies have been tapped to work on this super amazing new game based on a book series that is deeply personal to our Leading Lady, Viola Bowen. 

Viola needs to work on this game. This is her dream job, what she’s been working for. She’s also pretty darn good at her job. 

As this is a first-person story, she’s our lead everything. However, Viola is never boring. She’s charming, she’s normal, she feels real. Yes, she’s into games and gaming, she’s got a healthy and hefty nerd flag to fly, but as she’s quick to point out at several points in the story, not all nerds live in a basement like trolls never to emerge into the real world.

I felt so seen.

Our love interest is Jesse Andrews. A few years older, certainly the most imposing figure in the room and also the smartest. He is the true enigma that Viola cannot get a read on. 

They first meet when she’s interviewing with some company (I forget the name) and the CEO is a complete and total ass. Jesse who is sitting in on the interview, chases after Viola when the CEO insults her during the interview and she storms out. Jesse talks with her, assures her that her portfolio is awesome and then suggests another company that is going to be hiring very soon and that she should totally apply.

The two meet off and on again throughout a five year history that we don’t see all of, Viola only tells us the highlights. They do have some mutual friends which is always bringing them together in hopeful yet unfulfilled meetings.

In fact, Viola is absolutely, 100% certain that Jesse hates her. Especially after one disastrous meeting at a family engagement party and right up until that point, Viola had been fostering a serious crush on Jesse. But after this incident? Not so much.

Jesse now works for a kick ass game design company . . . the rival company that has been tapped to help design this super amazing game. However, the main company is hesitant to hire the two indie firms to work on this as the beef between the two is well documented. 

Viola and Jesse are the lead designers at the respective companies, and both have personal reasons for wanting to work on this particular project. 

So, the two rival companies are to go on a five day retreat up in the mountains to see if they can get along. However, things don’t go smoothly at first, as one would expect. No one wants to talk to each other; no one wants to be around each other. 

And this is where our Viola finally gets a chance to ask Jesse, “What’s your deal?” As every meeting that she’s had with him in the last five years has been met with some underlying hostility. Viola is shocked as when they first met, he was so nice and charming, so helpful and thoughtful, that his behavior now is downright rude.

What was great about this story is that it isn’t just Viola and Jesse, other relationships are mentioned and seen through Viola’s eyes and they’re all charming and endearing. 

One of my biggest complaints about first person narratives is that they never seem to be done well. When I was a kid, most of the stories I read were in first person and I never really noticed. It didn’t bother me. It’s only been in the last decade or so that the number of romances told in first person has been overwhelming, so much so that it’s nearly put me off all romances as so many tried and true authors I follow suddenly started doing it.

And not doing it well, I might add.

Ali Hazlewood is very good at what she does. In fact, she’s awesome at it. She’s able to construct fully rounded characters without us seeing a single thought from their heads, their spoken dialogue combined with what Viola tells us, really fills in the gaps nicely. The story feels fully formed and enjoyable. I’ve read a few other things from Hazlewood and I’ll be honest, all of them have been enjoyable. But I think it’s also from the fact that Hazlewood is that girl, you know? I think she’s a bit of a scientific nerd girl who gets that not all of us nerds look like what is being portrayed in the media. 

We’re normal. Mostly.

This was a lovely story. It was funny, charming, relatable, adorable, and I’d even say rather true to life. It felt real and yet it felt like a lovely fairytale. 

If you like Ali Hazelwood books and haven’t read this one, absolutely give it a go. And if you’re a gaming nerd, I think you’d really enjoy this as well.

*I’m sorry but these alternating viewpoints have got to stop. Not all of us get to finish a chapter before putting in the bookmark, and it’s so annoying to come back and try to figure out which head I’m in. Especially if I’m reading an eBook. That’s seriously the second thing I look at when I read sample chapters now, right after seeing what POV we’re in. When I see those alternating chapters . . . nope, nope, nope. Sorry, I can’t do it.

How to Court a Rake

 Title: How To Court A Rake

Author: Bronwyn Scott

Paperback 

Pages: 268

Publisher: Harlequin 

ISBN: 9781335540034

Release Date: April

Where To Find It: Wherever books are sold!

Time that the story takes place? Late June 1826

POV? Third Person

What caught your eye? It was written by new my favorite author Bronwyn Scott.

Did you enjoy it? God yes.

Was it predictable? Actually no. 

Was it sexy? Tame? It was sexy alright, but intellectually sexy. Smart sexy.

Did you find it funny? Entertaining? Wildly entertaining.

Would you read it again? You betcha!

Is this part of a series? It is, Wed Within A Year

This is seriously one of the best books I’ve read this year. Which is really saying something as the last “best book I’ve read this year” was from the same author. What can I say, this lady knows how to write. What truly infuriates me is the fact that this book is one of the Harlequin Monthly offerings . . . as in, get it while it’s out because there’s no promise of getting a hard copy once the supply is depleted. This book deserves to be at the counter at every major bookseller with candles and wreaths of gold surrounding it.

All weekend I’ve been telling my husband the blasphemous line, “If Jane Austen were writing today, this is the stuff she’d be writing.” And I don’t care if I’m being overdramatic, this book is pure gold.

Now, even though this is a review, there’s a great deal I’m hesitant to speak of as I don’t want to ruin any surprises. On the other hand, I wish I had the time and space to go chapter by chapter to point out the wonderful details of the glorious book. 

Caine Parkhurst our truly fearless hero, is a spy. He and his three brothers are The Four Horsemen, doing whatever is needed and necessary to protect King and Country, though entirely out of sight. The four brothers are considered rakes and unsuitable for any lady.

Lady Mary Kimber is our leading lady and she’s had the misfortune of having “lost” a couple of dukes as prospective husbands in the last few Seasons. Sadly, the young lady has a very loathsome set of parents. Sorry, but they are. Especially her father, yikes.

As there are already several reviews online detailing the meat of this story and all covering the same bases of what this book is about, I’m going to bypass all the talk of spies and intrigue and having to find a spouse by the end of the year and talk about what really made this book wonderful. At least to me. 

The relationship between Caine and Lady Mary is so pure and natural. From their first meeting at a ball and making obligatory small talk before he asks her for a dance—which turns out to be a disaster when he has to literally leave her on the dancefloor—to their second meeting at yet another ball, where he asks her dance again and this time finishes it.

Not only to do they finish it, but they go for a stroll in the garden and end up sneaking into a room not in use during this party and have a bit of a chat. Chapter Six, I must say that was one of the most delightful chapters in the book. And it I think it’s because at this point, there is no motive. There is no scheme to woo or court Mary, and she has no real romantic interest in him, they are merely friends sharing a quiet moment and a drink together. It was a chapter that really sets the tone for their budding relationship, they are able to simply talk to each other. Not only that, but they also seem to enjoy each other’s company. 

One of the things I love the most about Bronwyn Scott’s writing is the fact that she creates intelligent characters. Her women are smart with more than one interest and are accomplished. Lady Mary is an excellent horsewoman and damn good shot when it comes to archery. The men are equally smart and don’t ply their women with nonsensical sweet nothings, they are protective, sensitive, and have the ability to totally beat your ass if you cross the line.

At one point in the book, Caine and Mary are having a competition in jumping horses over various obstacles. Never once is Caine annoyed or upset that Mary is going to beat him in this friendly competition, he’s actually proud and impressed with her skill. He knows he’s a good rider and clearly doesn’t mind being beaten by a woman.

In so many novels, one struggles to see beyond the lust and haze of romance to understand why and how these two people fell in love. Not here, you can absolutely see why they fell for each other. While of course we could argue that it’s obvious from the start of the novel that these two will end up together, it isn’t obvious to our leads, and that’s the joy of it. Watching Caine come to Lady Mary’s aid on more than one occasion, the inside jokes between them, the athletic relationship between them, and of course the sensual relationship is perfect.

You can see them finding a solace and peace in each other and I found that to be more romantic than anything else. 

Do yourself a favor and pre-order this book at once. It is delightful. Delightful, charming, romantic, suspenseful, and all at the same time. I was never bored for one minute, and the epilogues! Yes, plural: epilogues! I felt as if I were watching a period drama and all that was needed was a true fade to black with the words “To be continued,” scrolled across the screen.

I thank Madam Scott for sending me this book. I have enjoyed every single book of yours I’ve read thus far and I’m certain I’ll enjoy all the rest. You are a truly gifted author.

The Duke Gets Even

 Title: The Duke Gets Even

Author: Joanna Shupe

Paperback (also available in eBook and audiobook)

Pages: 384

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN: 9780063045071

Release Date: 1-24-23

Book Details: 4.10x6.50

Where To Find It: I got my copy at Barnes and Noble

Time that the story takes place? Late 1800's

POV? Third Person

What caught your eye? First saw it on NetGalley and then promptly went to pre-order it through B&N.

Did you enjoy it? OH MY GOD YES!

Was it predictable? Not one little bit. Like, not even a bit.

Was it sexy? Tame? Don’t read this on public transport, around your mother, your father, children under the age of twenty, service dogs trained to sense your state of mind, or whilst attempting to cook oatmeal. Yes, it was sexy, is there a word stronger than sexy? This was a reeducation of human sexuality. I’m never going to be the same, how the hell am I just supposed to walk around knowing this book exists?

Did you find it funny? Entertaining? I should really change funny to amusing, because this book certainly was. Funny, amusing, entertaining, delightful, pure joy to read.

Would you read it again? Gentle reader, I will most likely buy every single version available to me. Paperback, hardcover, eBook, if there’s a Manga version I’ll buy it.

Is this part of a series? It is! The Fifth Avenue Rebels. This is the next book after The Bride Goes Rogue.

Okay, full disclosure, I originally got this book through NetGalley back in September of 2022 in exchange for a fair and honest review. The truth is, the minute I requested it on NetGalley, I ordered my copy. So, yes, I did get an advance, but I also bought this baby. 

I don’t even know where to start, gentle reader, this book was so delightfully unexpected that I want to tell you every little detail and at the same time, tell you nothing just so you have the joy in reading this with zero input. 

Eleanor “Nellie” Young is our fearless, and I do mean that, fearless Leading Lady. She is full of life and is set on experiencing every last minute of it. Andrew, The Duke of Lockwood (or is it Duke Lockwood? How do titles work?) is our hero, who is searching for a wealthy heiress to save his crumbling estate back home. He’s also been jilted a few times by this point. “Hey ladies, want to make that man who refuses to commit jealous? Go out with this guy!” I mean not really, but kind of.

Anyway . . . 

This story starts out with Andrew having a midnight swim in the ocean, the poor man has a faulty heart and needs the exercise to keep it strong. In the process, he notices a vision of a woman, naked, swimming in the surf as well. 

As it is dark, the woman confuses Andrew for the man she was planning to meet. She swims up to his back, wraps her arms around him and tells him that she thought he’d never get here. And then the big reveal! It’s not her intended tryst, but Andrew! 

This entire scene is so beautifully written that it’s just breathtaking. We already see the connection between them. The heat, the attraction, even the intellectual connection. He invites Nellie back to his room, which she refuses.

The first three chapters of the book take place immediately following the midnight encounter at a house party where Andrew is fixing to propose to his latest heiress selection, with chapter four picking up four months later. That’s my way of not telling you what happened. Trust me it’s all wonderful, but what a set up!

Andrew is yet again looking for his heiress, with several women making the cut. During a dinner party the two meet up again, where not only do they admit slyly to the other that they recognized each other at the French Ball (The Bride Goes Rogue) but also discuss his search for an innocent scandal free bride. Their banter back and forth is delightful, you can see how well they already know each other just from the little time they’ve already spent together. 

Now clearly, all of Andrew’s potential candidates for a bride don’t always work out. As sweet and charming as most of the women are, they are much to . . . well, innocent. They’re boring. Sure, they’re wealthy and will save his family estate from being sold and provide heirs for the future, but the reality is, he doesn’t want them. He wants Nellie. 

Nellie however isn’t exactly marriage material. She likes men and isn’t afraid to admit that she’s out to sample as many as she can before she dies. Now, I don’t want you to get the impression that she’s out there just sleeping with every Joe on the street, she’s just not afraid of sex. She’s not afraid of enjoying sex or admitting that she likes it. And because of this, there are a lot of wild rumors circulating about her. Some are true, some are not, and we as the reader are never told what is fact or fiction, nor does Andrew ever ask for confirmation. He never onces brings up her sexual past, which I actually found refreshing. Finally a hero that isn’t obsessed with being “the first”. 

At one point in the story, Nellie reflects about her own debut into society and how she was courted by a suitor. While it is never stated outright, the writing suggests that Nellie became pregnant during the relationship and reads as though she had an abortion. The entire scene is written so delicately and with such care that you could probably draw several conclusions of the outcome. Abortion? Miscarriage? None of this is spoken aloud, again, she’s just thinking about all the new batch of young women that are introduced into society every year and what had happened to her and how she bore it all alone and in silence.

One also gets the idea that because of that relationship, Nellie is reluctant to brave another adventure into love. Again, while she loves men and enjoying them, she’s keeping them at just enough distance to protect herself.

However, Nellie is a very warm and compassionate person. She loves her friends, adores her father, has close ties with her mother’s people (an Irish gang called the Saints) and goes to visit them in Hell’s Kitchen at least once a month. She’s an avid gardener, she knows how to fence (seen more in The Bride Goes Rogue), and is a lovely singer, as is demonstrated at one point in the story.

Nellie is at her friend’s supper club, loitering in the back when she sees that Andrew is there with a young woman and her parents. Everyone at the table looks bored, especially Andrew, and knowing that the young woman plays the piano, sends a friend to fetch Andrew’s date. Moments later, the owner of the supper club comes out on stage and tells everyone that while they will still have their scheduled performance tonight, they have a special treat for everyone. And out comes Nellie with Andrew’s date. 

Putting Andrew’s date at the piano, front and center on the stage, Nellie stands behind—out of the limelight—and sings while the other woman plays the piano. While the parents are mortified, Andrew is charmed. He realizes that Nellie has done this not only for him, but for his date as well, giving her a chance to shine and show off her talents. Trying to make her look more appealing to Andrew.

While he appreciates the effort, the fact remains, he still longs for Nellie. These little touches are peppered throughout the book. The little things, the little gestures, all that show us how these two have fallen for each other long before they admit it to themselves.

The other big aspect of Nellie’s life is educating women on reproductive health. This is her cause, her crusade, and she does it with absolute joy and love. She risks jail to actually purchase birth control products from a midwife and sits down with each woman (she’s buying products for women who work in a kitchen) and encourages them to ask questions while assuring them that nothing is out of bounds. She’s there to help.

I don’t know how long it took Joanna Shupe to write this book or exactly when she wrote it, but it reads like a love letter to female reproductive rights. The way Nellie speaks so passionately about helping women, educating them in secret on how to use birth control and just how human bodies work and how sex works, is so endearing. Nellie truly loves women, she wants them to have the same rights and privileges of men, which includes being able to enjoy sex without worrying about conceiving a child. The author notes at the back are shocking to read, just when you think we’ve come so far in some areas, you see that not much has changed.

Looking at my page count on my word processor, I see I’ve reached a rather high word count. And I’ve barely scratched the surface of how wonderful this book is. It is a truly passionate tale of love and there wasn’t a moment where I wanted to put the book down. I am a solid fan of Joanna Shupe and I suspect by the time this book is released I will have read a few more and hopefully have collected all the rest.

Do yourself a favor and GET THIS BOOK! Your brain will thank you for it. 

And possibly a few other organs as well.

Taming The Beastly MD

 Title: Taming The Beastly MD

Author: Elizabeth Bevarly

Paperback (at this time only eBook is available)

Pages: 177

Publisher: Silhouette (Now Harlequin)

ISBN: 0373765010 (ISBN on Paperback) 9781426886140 (eBook)

Release Date: Originally April of 2003 (ebook version 12-27-10)

Book Details: Standard paperback dimensions

Where To Find It: I got mine in a small bookshop that is no longer in business. However, it appears that all the books are available in eBook form.

Time that the story takes place? Present Day, at least in 2003 present day.

POV? Third Person

What caught your eye? The title. I have a collection of Beauty and the Beast stories, and I saw this one and added to the collection.

Did you enjoy it? I really did.

Was it predictable? No.

Was it sexy? Tame? Considering this a Silhouette Desire, the heat level is a touch more than their other lines at the time. Honestly, by today’s standards, it’s pretty tame.

Did you find it funny? Entertaining? Not funny, but certainly entertaining.

Would you read it again? I would and I did.

Is this part of a series? It is! This is part of Dynasties: The Barones. This was the first book I noticed in the series and the first of any series like this. Each month a new book by a different author would come out following another member of the Barone Family or someone involved in it. I remember vividly seeking out and collection all twelve books and enjoying the story arc immensely. 

As I mentioned the other day, I’ve been scanning all my books into Library Thing. The problem with all this scanning is that I’m going through all the books and having to pause every other book to study it and remember that I enjoyed it and now must read it again. 

Taming The Beastly MD is a delightful spin on the classic Beauty and the Beast trope. We have Dr. Matthew Grayson, a wickedly talented cardiologist who isn’t known for his warmth and compassion. Heavily scarred from a lion attack when he was a child and on safari with his parents, Matthew’s scars have kept just about everyone away. Even as a teenager, the scars have garnered looks and inspired revulsion.

Nurse Rita Barone is the sunny and bubbly nurse working under Matthew and unbeknownst to her, has been carrying a torch for the pretty nurse for some time now. 

When a homeless man is brought into the emergency room, it is Rita who calms the man down, assures him that all will be well, and that Dr. Grayson is the very best man to care for him. To Matthew’s surprise, she sounds as though she means every word of what she’s saying to the man.

A gift is left for Rita, with no note. A pewter heart with a Band-Aid over it. She wears the pin in the hopes that the secret gift giver will reveal themselves. As time goes on, more gifts are left, none of them with a note. While Rita at first thought the gifts were cute and sweet, she’s now starting to wonder if she has a stalker and confesses her concerns to her sister.

During all of this, the Barone company: Baronessa Gelati is having a big fancy shindig and Rita is going stag. Which she’s fine with, no big deal. While waiting for her sister, Rita encounters Matthew in the hospital lounge and the two sit and have a chat. When Rita’s sister comes to pick her up, she looks at Matthew, points and says, “Why not ask him?”

While Rita tries to give Matthew an out as she figures such a function wouldn’t be interesting to someone like, he surprises everyone by saying he’d love to go with her. 

The two have a lovely time together at the party, so much so that Rita ends up going home with Matthew. The shocker of the evening is Matthew’s discovery in the moment, that Rita is a virgin. The huge misunderstanding that ensues is actually rather believable. 

Rita didn’t tell Matthew she was a virgin because she honestly didn’t think it mattered. He on the other hand is offended by those words because he believes that she thinks he wouldn’t care—that it wouldn’t matter to him.

And honestly, I thought that bit of writing was awesome. So often in some of these books, virginity is treated like some sacred status that can only be breeched by The One. Rita doesn’t hold this status as precious. If anything, it just wasn’t something she’d ever gotten around to. She works a lot and the hospital isn’t exactly a place to meet men.

Matthew’s pride is stung because he’s touched by the honor of being Rita’s first, he’s taking is seriously. After years of being looked at with disgust by his fellow humans, the woman that he’s secretly loved for years gave him the ultimate gift and she didn’t think it would matter. 

The two do not speak for at least two weeks, even though they are working in the same hospital.

A wicked blizzard has hit the city, and Matthew is worried about Rita walking the fifteen blocks back to her house. He convinces her to come home with him as he only lives just around the corner. 

The two talk and end up making love, having resolved the misunderstanding. Matthew even asks Rita to stay the weekend with him, until the storm ends.

The ending is predictable in that Matthew confesses he’s the mysterious gift giver, but it only started out by accident with the first gift as he accidentally forgot to leave the note, and it wasn’t until later he’d realized what had happened and was too self-conscious to come forward. 

Now as I stated above, this is part of a twelve book series that follows this family and the sabotage attempts against the company. I remember enjoying the entire series and for the life of me, I have no idea where I put the remaining books.

Have any of you read this series? Are you familiar with the author, as I honestly can’t say if I’ve read any of her stuff before, but I really enjoyed her style. It was easy to read and conveyed so much with so few pages. I actually read this twice over the weekend. Also, has anyone read any of the other Dynasties? I see there are several out there. Let me know 

Dear Jane

 Title: Dear Jane

Author: Marissa Clarke

eBook

Pages: 109 (on my phone it says 137, Entangled website says, 147. There’s an excerpt for the next story in the series. The entire story was about 109 pages.)

Publisher: Entangled

ISBN: 9781633758599

Release Date: 1-9-17

Book Details: eBook, customize your reading experience.

Where To Find It: I found this on the Entangled website and bought it from Barnes and Noble

Time that the story takes place? Current day (most likely in 2017)

POV? Third person 

What caught your eye? I had read Love Out Loud and loved it, saw the sample chapter and the price was very reasonable.

Did you enjoy it? I did.

Was it predictable? No, not really.

Was it sexy? Tame? In an odd way, I feel that this was tamer in the sex department than Love Out Loud. It has a very 'friends to lovers' feeling, but it never felt forced or silly. It worked.

Did you find it funny? Entertaining? I found it amusing that a seemingly accomplished woman can’t seem to get a second date . . . I say that with a smile as Jane, for all her smarts and talent, things just happen. Sweet things, but she does seem to have some bad luck on first dates.

Would you read it again? I probably will.

Is this part of a series? This is the first book in the Animal Attraction series. The other two books are Love Out Loud and Three Day Fiancée.

Disclaimer: I had trouble focusing on this book not because the book was poorly written, life was happening at record speed and I read this book as a “break” from life. If my review seems less than it normally it is, that’s why.

Dear Jane. First of all, it is adorable. Yes, it’s sexy and sweet and has some seriously hot moments, but at the core of this book it was adorable.

This was the second book I’ve read of Marissa Clarke and the thing that I’ve appreciated in both Love Out Loud and Dear Jane is the believability and naturalness of the characters and the relationship that’s developing. Nothing feels rushed, if anything, these two are taking their time . . . the reason for that is made clear in the first few pages of the story.

Jane Dixon works at her father’s law firm. She comes from a family of lawyers, her father, her brothers, are all lawyers. She’s good at what she does and always seems to need to prove herself to her father.

Eric Blackwell is up and coming lawyer also working at the Dixon law firm. He puts in long hours, gives up weekends, and is up for junior partner. Everything he’s ever wanted is months away: becoming junior partner.

Jane calls herself the One Date Wonder, she hasn’t had a second date since grad school. And it isn’t that she’s a bad date, things just happen: accidentally spilling ice water in her date’s lap, knocking over a candle and setting the table on fire, you know normal stuff. Or, she goes out with a man that can’t handle art and giggles at nude sculptures or the guy who played a video game on his phone during the entire date and didn’t even notice when Jane left to go to the bathroom . . . and had dinner at the place next door and only came back to her date to get her coat. You get the picture.

Eric is one of those gents that strives for security in life because he never had it as a kid. His father died young and the marriage between his mother and father was not awesome. Protecting and providing for his mother has been a huge part of why he does what he does and why he is the way he is. Also, tears are his undoing, he can’t cope with a crying woman, it breaks his heart.

If you read the sample chapter from Entangled, you’ll see that Eric is just trying to help out the frazzled receptionist at the beginning of the story and deliver an arrangement of flowers to Jane. And Eric is stoked, he’s had a crush on Jane for two years, however . . . the company has a strict no dating policy so he couldn’t make a move if he wanted to.

Jane is shocked and delighted by the sight of Eric coming in with flowers. Until he says that they’re not from him. Reading the card, Jane is pissed and hurt, another Dear Jane letter (or card if you will) and she’s had it, tears are forming, voice is choked and Eric can’t handle a woman breaking down.

This is when she tells him the disastrous track record she has with dating.

So, he does what feels right, he gives her a hug to comfort her. Only he’s feeling those great curves, and his noble brain is short circuiting. He tells Jane that he knows lots of guys that would love to date her.

“You’re on!”

Thus begins a series of dates that Eric sets up for Jane. However, on the first date, he receives a text from Jane “Mayday! Mayday!” The date was a disaster and the two talk, watch a movie, have popcorn and beer, whilst Eric bonds with her grumpy cat Gandalf. 

This goes on for weeks. Terrible date, Friday night movie at Jane’s.

Eric has fallen head over heels for Jane and can’t continue this platonic torment and sends her a text that he’ll have to miss their Friday movie, he’s got work to do.

From here the story takes the natural course of action. Sexy time. Cuddle time. It’s all good.

I won’t give the whole story away, but rest assured, it ends really well. While I saw certain aspects of the story coming, at the same time, I didn’t see them coming the way they did. A touch of whimsy, but overall, the story felt very organic and legit. I really felt like these two people were relatable and people either you know or would want to know.

It was a quick and easy read. I read this entirely on my phone and had no issue reading the screen. Never had to enlarge it or anything.

But absolutely give this one a go. I also got the third book in this series and I’ll be reviewing that just as soon as I finish a few other things.

Happy reading!

Love Out Loud

 Title: Love Out Loud

Author: Marissa Clarke

eBook

Pages: 218

Publisher: Entangled

ISBN: 9781649373526

Release Date: 9-6-22

Book Details: It was an eBook, so you can customize your reading experience.

Where To Find It: I got an email from Entangled about new releases and this title was mentioned, I read the sample chapter on the Entangled website. I bought it from Barnes & Noble.

Time that the story takes place? Current day.

POV? Third person omniscient 

What caught your eye? The sample chapter and the price was pretty reasonable.

Did you enjoy it? It was excellent!

Was it predictable? Not at all. I mean, you’re expecting the HEA, so that was pretty predictable . . . I saw the set up for the final push, but as far as the story goes, no, I didn’t find it predictable.

Was it sexy? Tame? It was smart sexy. It was cute sexy. Plus, it was just cute.

Did you find it funny? Entertaining? Very charming and very entertaining.

Would you read it again? Oh, yeah.

Is this part of a series? It is. The other two books are Dear Jane and Three Day Fiancée. 

Sometimes a book just hits all the right notes, and this book certainly did that for me. Marissa Clarke is a new author to me, I wasn’t familiar with her work, but I will certainly check her other offerings out after this.

The story is pretty simple and straightforward. Fiona, our leading lady, is a vet who has won an award for working with pets that belong to the homeless. She’s shy, introverted, but still spunky. She’s more comfortable working and talking to animals than humans.

Now with this award she’s being given, she’s expected to make a speech, which is just a huge ass NO for her. It’s not happening, she doesn’t speak in front of people. Her feelings on the matter are very relatable.

Enter Jacob, the hot guy that lives in her building that she’s been crushing on for a while. And guess what? He’s the speech coach that’s been hired by the vet clinic to help Fiona prepare for this speech. 

Jacob is afraid of dogs.

Already the set-up is excellent. Shy girl doesn’t speak in front of crowds and loves dogs. Confident man is very comfortable with people and is terrified of dogs.

The story flowed really well. I mean, just shockingly well. I kept waiting for all the normal crap that such a set-up would involve. And thankfully, none of the normal stuff happened. 

One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Fiona goes to her first session with Jacob not knowing that this would be a group session. She’s not pleased, at all. And she informs Jacob that immersion therapy doesn’t work for her. Her parents are shrinks and have put her through these paces before. She’s also upset with her friends for trying to “help” her with this phobia. Jacob replies that he would be grateful and happy if his friends tried to help him with something he’s struggling with.

Fiona calls his bluff and tells him to meet her tomorrow morning for an outing, she’ll text him the time and place.

The next morning, Fiona takes Jacob to the AKC Meet the Breeds, visiting several of her clients in the process. Jacob, who is terrified of large dogs, begins to have a panic attack and tries all the techniques and tricks that he teaches to his clients when they feel panic coming on. Only to realize that none of it works. 

(This is where I feel in love with the author, because finally, someone said it. I have battled anxiety my entire life, panic and anxiety attacks are something I deal with on a regular basis, and all the tips and tricks the shrinks have ever given me have never worked. Ever. And it was so validating to actually read that part of the book. All I could think was, “Ha! It doesn’t work!”)

The other great thing about this story was the approach to sex. Fiona tells Jacob that she’s “shy, not dead.” I think so often we believe that shy and introverted people, especially women, are nervous virgins in the bedroom. She also makes this same kind of claim about her bright and humorous shirts, just because you’re introverted doesn’t mean you don’t enjoy wearing certain things or even doing certain things.

The story flow is very believable and just easy. It was never a struggle to read, I never had that moment of, “what the hell?” it was all believable. Jacob was a lovely hero who slowly comes to realize where his fear dogs comes from and decides that dogs aren’t all that bad . . . he just needs a bit more time. Fiona is a very understanding and gentle in how she helps Jacob through this. She never judges him ever; she understands his issues.

I loved Fiona and was able to relate to her on just about every level. Everything she did and said I could get behind. She was smart and delightful. Jacob was confident but not overly arrogant. He’s a good and decent guy with a good heart.

I know some people don’t enjoy reading eBooks, and I admit, I’m not always a fan. However, via the B&N Digital Library feature on their website, I was able to read this book on my desktop, laptop, and of course through the Nook app on my phone.

It’s a good, quick, and easy read. I highly suggest getting this one. It was just lovely, and I look forward to reading the other two books in this series.

Three Day Fiancée

 Title: Three Day Fiancée

Author: Marissa Clarke

eBook

Pages: 168 (Entangled says 228 pages, however there is an excerpt for another book. My ebook file says 184 pages. However, 168 was the complete content of the actual story.)

Publisher: Entangled

ISBN: 9781640635074

Release Date: 5-14-18

Book Details: It was an eBook, so you can customize your reading experience.

Where To Find It: I found it on the Entangled website and then purchased it from Barnes and Noble

Time that the story takes place? Current day

POV? Third person.

What caught your eye? I’d read the other two books in the series and had to see how the third one went.

Did you enjoy it? I really did.

Was it predictable? Not really. I mean with all romances, you kind of get a sense of how a scene might play out, however this author has a lovely knack for making you think the predictable will happen and then turn the whole thing on its head. I love that.

Was it sexy? Tame? It was pretty sexy. Nothing tame about this one. I can’t believe the snow didn’t melt in the one scene!

Did you find it funny? Entertaining? A very amusing read. I never laughed out loud, but I was certainly smiling on certain scenes.

Would you read it again? Absolutely.

Is this part of a series? Yes. This is part of the Animal Attraction Series. I read them all out of order! The other two books are Love Out Loud and Dear Jane.

I love discovering an author that already has some backlist going, I hate waiting for the next offering. Thankfully this entire series was ready to go, so I burned through them pretty fast.

First off, I have to say, I love, absolutely LOVE the fact that all three books were vastly different. There were no similarities in the three stories. Sometimes an author will get bogged down with one or two ways to fall in love and develop a relationship and it always comes out feeling manufactured. Not this author, all three books just felt so wonderfully different and refreshing. And as I stated above, I didn’t read them in order, and I never felt I was missing out on anything.

We’ve got lovely Caitlin, a woman who’s getting her life back together after her divorce from a crappy husband. She’s back in New York with her two best friends and working at Animal Attraction as a dog walker while she studies for her CPA test so that she can be the accountant for the company.

Taylor is a helicopter pilot who never seems to have time for anything. Even dating. The poor man is being run ragged by his bosses flying them everywhere and anywhere at the drop of a hat. And he has a giant St. Bernard who just swallowed something very valuable and precious. An engagement ring. His grandmother’s engagement ring.

He needs Caitlin to stay with the giant dog all day in case a biological action takes place and the ring is expelled, and well . . . you get it. 

Caitlin is not having it. She doesn’t take orders from anyone and refuses to stay, she’s got other clients to care for and on top of that, she’s had the worst morning ever, she doesn’t need to wait for a ring to appear.

Taylor skips out while Caitlin is on the phone with Jane (from Dear Jane and one of the co-owners of Animal Attraction) and leaves her no choice but to stay with the dog.

Thankfully, Caitlin notices that the dog is acting like his mouth is bothering him and discovers the engagement ring around a back molar. After cleaning the ring, Caitlin tries it on and it gets stuck. Wickedly stuck, we might have to chop off a finger stuck, okay not that bad. But that sucker is stuck.

Enter lovable Grams who has popped over to see her grandson and believes that Caitlin is engaged to Taylor. “You all were going to wait and tell me at the anniversary party!” No matter how much Caitlin has protested that she’s not marrying Taylor, Grams thinks it’s all a cover up.

Of course, Taylor sees this as a golden opportunity to finally get his grandmother off his back about dating and getting married. He convinces Caitlin to come with him, just pretend to be engaged to him for the weekend. To make his sweet grandmother happy. It’s only a weekend.

Yeah . . . we all know how this is going to turn out.

Of course we could say this was predictable. They’re attracted to each other, they have their own cabin, they’re surrounded by a picture perfect Hallmark movie set up, things are going to happen. And happen they do. In the best possible ways. It’s hot.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed about Marissa Clarke’s work is that while the main characters change, they don’t change so much that they’re completely different from how they started. Growth is happening (for the betterment of the characters) but it’s never so drastic that you’d scoff and go, “Yeah, no one changes that fast for anyone.” All the change happens in such small amounts that it’s all believable.

A key scene that sticks out for me is just before Caitlin and Taylor are about to engage in some sexy time. Caitlin has snow pants that are stuck over snow boots; however Taylor is not letting that slow him down. Caitlin is in a bit of a stunned/shocked/this is funny emotion and tells Taylor, “No.” And at once, Taylor stops what he’s doing and sits back on his haunches as he thinks that Caitlin is telling him no (as in, no sexy time). He’s patient and waits and of course is immensely relieved when she means that she can’t make love or fool around with her snow pants trapped around her ankles.

If you liked the film, While You Were Sleeping, I think you’d probably like this. Granted there is no one in a coma, there’s no other brother that macks on the leading lady, however if you enjoyed the family dynamic of While You Were Sleeping, then you’ll enjoy the family in this book. They were lovely, simply lovely.

Reflecting on all three of the books, the one thing that I just realized is: for once (at least in my reading experience) the men are the ones that make the big sacrifice/the big change. The men are the ones gambling on love. They’re the ones that realize that they need something more out of life, that they’re missing out on life, and that they want all the stuff they’re entitled to in life. Normally it seems like the women are always giving something up for the men, so they can all live happily ever after. Not here. Marissa Clarke has written lovely men with believable flaws, quirks, and insecurities who are going to go after that woman they’ve always been searching for.

The other thing that I really loved in all three of these books is that while growth happens with both lead characters, it isn’t so much that they’re unrecognizable by the end of the book. The introvert isn’t magically transformed into a raging extrovert. The klutz isn’t transformed into a graceful never-miss-a-step swan. And the woman trying to get her life back on track after the bad divorce manages to stay on track to become a CPA.

Again, all of the characters are believable and likeable. Seriously, I wish I knew these people, they seem like a blast to be around. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author, I’m really loving her.

As a series: two big fat thumbs up, five gold stars, all the awards possible, and in the end . . . 

READ THIS SERIES. Trust me, you’ll enjoy them. 

A Touch of Darkness

 Title: A Touch of Darkness

Author: Scarlett St. Clair

Paperback (Available in Hardback, Paperback, eBook, and Audio.)

Pages: 379 (Even though B&N is saying 400 pages, the actual story is 379, you have author notes, excerpt from A Game of Fate.)

Publisher: Sourcebooks

ISBN: 9781728258454 (Paperback Edition)

Release Date: 8-13-21

Book Details: Paperback, 5x8, it was a bit of a heavier feeling book and the paper used is very nice. The cover has a touch of tackiness to it, it’s textured but not overly so.

Where To Find It: I got my copy through Barnes & Noble. Though I do see it is available at other retailers and Indie Bookstores

Time that the story takes place? An alternate current day.

POV? Third person limited viewpoint. Told entirely through Persephone’s perspective. 

What caught your eye? I’m a sucker for Hades and Persephone stories. I mean, what more can I say? God of the Underworld in love with the Goddess of Spring? Yes, please. I can’t lie, if you give me the alleged ‘villain’ who falls in love with a good person, I’m going to pick it every single time. I know it’s a trope, and I don’t care.

Did you enjoy it? I did, more than I actually thought I would.

Was it predictable? Honestly, no. I didn’t see half the stuff coming at me. There were a couple of points in the story where you’d kind of see the thing coming, but it wasn’t one of those eye rolling moments of “Duh, that’s been so done.” Lots of good twists and turns on what you might have been expecting.

Was it sexy? Tame? It was very sexy. A bit too sexy in a couple of places. Which shocked me at first, because honest to goodness, I thought this was a YA novel and I was doing the whole shifty eye whilst thinking, “Is this what the kids are reading now? Holy beans and cheese, wasn’t like this when I was a kid!” However, I was quickly assured that this was in fact written for adults.

Did you find it funny? Entertaining? It was absolutely entertaining. Funny or humorous? Perhaps in places, but I would say the book was more charming than anything. 

Would you read it again? I most likely will as this is part of a series, and I like to keep track of details.

Is this part of a series? *points to above* This is the first book in the series. It also looks as though there a secondary parallel series where Hades is the main head we live in. *Edit, just checked a couple of websites, and indeed this looks as if we have the same story told from two different POVs. I’m cool with that. Here’s the big question: Do I read all of the Touch Of series as they were released or do I go ahead and read the Hades book; A Game of Fate next?

I had no idea what to expect with this book. I’m a mythology nerd like a lot of people, but this was absolutely a new take on the Hades and Persephone story, and I was digging it. 

The Gods and Goddesses living among the mortals like rock stars. They’re owning night clubs and stuff. They are watched much like the Royal Family, reported about in gossip magazines and have revealing articles written about them. I just loved how normal this all was, that’s why I’m calling this an alternate current time as you have all the modern tech we enjoy as our lowly regular selves, but then there’s a truckload of Gods and stuff.

I can’t even do justice to this . . . the book was great. It had everything you could want: A lovely girl trying to prove herself to get out from under her mother’s thumb. The God of the Underworld . . . do I even need to go on there? You’ve got bitches and snarky dudes. You got contracts with Gods, you got some blackmail. You got glamour and glitz and then places that don’t even exist in our world. And the author does a great job of making you feel and see those places, I was immersed, truly from Chapter 2 (you know how that first chapter can be, we got to settle into things, get to know each other).

As stated above, this is a romance with a good deal of sexy sex in it. Those that don’t like graphic content, be warned, this is pretty explicit. The F-word is used during love making or rather pre/post coital, which at times I find a bit distracting. Now don’t get me wrong, I use that four letter word whilst making my morning toast, I’ve just never enjoyed seeing it in a moment of passion. However, the use of it in this story, wasn’t enough to distract me completely from the action. With that being said, the sex in this is pretty intense.

As this is only the first book in the series, I’m sure we’ll get more relationship stuff, but in this book, I felt it was more lust than love. Persephone is clearly attracted to Hades, even when she tries to hide it, she can’t. Most of the time, I felt as if they’re barely keeping it together. “Let’s try and pretend we’re normal lovers,” before they transport to the under realm and rip off each other’s clothing. There are tender moments, and you do see that Hades does care for Persephone’s well being, so it’s not all sex.

But man is it intense!

I tried to post links for Sourcebooks and for the author’s website, however, that was not to be had this day of posting. Sourcebooks kept giving me error messages and from what I can see, Scarlett St. Clair only has a Tumblr site. I won’t link to it in case this isn’t the actual author.