#BookReview Saoirse by Charleen Hurtubise @CeladonBooks #SaoirseNovel #CharleenHurtubise #CealdonReads

#BookReview Saoirse by Charleen Hurtubise @CeladonBooks #SaoirseNovel #CharleenHurtubise #CealdonReads Title: Saoirse

Author: Charleen Hurtubise

Published by: Celadon Books on Feb. 24, 2026

Genres: Literary Fiction

Pages: 256

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Celadon Books

Book Rating: 9/10

For readers of Colm Tóibín and Claire Keegan, Saoirse is a powerful novel set between the United States and Ireland about a woman who runs from her traumatic past and the secrets she carries to survive.

In Michigan, Sarah’s childhood was defined by fear and silence. As a teenager, she saw a chance to escape and took it. Now, in 1999, she is an artist living on the rugged coast of Donegal, Ireland, where she is known as Saoirse (pronounced Sear-sha)—a name that sounds like the sea and means freedom in the language of her adopted country. And free is precisely how she is finally beginning to feel. Her partner and two beloved daughters are regular subjects of her paintings, and together they have made the safe home she always longed for. But Saoirse’s secrets haunt her. No one must learn of the identity she has stolen in order to survive; they cannot know of the dangers that she crossed an ocean to escape.

When her artwork wins unexpected acclaim at a Dublin exhibition, the spotlight of fame threatens to unravel the careful lies that hold her world together. Journalists and admirers begin to ask questions about the mysterious artist from Donegal, and she fears the unwanted publicity will expose all that she has done.

Saoirse is an evocative, suspenseful exploration of the intimate relationship between art and life and the lies we tell ourselves in the name of reinvention.


Review:

Simmering, layered, and dramatic!

Saoirse is an immersive, compelling tale that draws readers into the life of Sarah Roy, a young woman from Michigan who, after a traumatic childhood, reinvents herself in Ireland using a stolen identity until the secrets of her past begin to surface, threatening the new life and the love she has built.

The prose is nuanced and rich. The characters are strong, conflicted, and secretive. And the plot unfolds into a captivating story of life, loss, love, trauma, abuse, betrayal, family, friendship, heartbreak, resilience, art, mystique, and courage.

Overall, Saoirse is an intricate, absorbing, intriguing novel by Hurtubise that’s perfect for readers like me who enjoy multi-timeline stories with a touch of mystery and a dab of romance.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to Celadon Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Charleen Hurtubise

Charleen Hurtubise is author of The Polite Act of Drowning. Saoirse is her US debut novel. She has a graduate degree from Trinity College in Dublin and an MFA in creative writing from University College Dublin, where she has facilitated creative writing seminars. Born in Florida to a French-Canadian father and an Irish mother, she spent much of her childhood in Michigan, her early adult years in Boston, and has now lived half of her life in Ireland, which is home. She lives in Dublin but the pull of Donegal and its mesmerizing landscapes influence both her writing and her visual arts practice.

Photo Credit: Donnchadh Ó Dúill & Sarah Jane Hurtubise

#BookReview The Afterparty by Ruth Kelly @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #TheAfterparty #RuthKelly #PGCBooks

#BookReview The Afterparty by Ruth Kelly @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #TheAfterparty #RuthKelly #PGCBooks Title: The Afterparty

Author: Ruth Kelly

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Feb. 3, 2026

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 7.5/10

She was your best friend. Now she’s missing. And everyone suspects you.

People drift apart. You and Georgie were inseparable once; she knew you better than anyone. But that was then.

Now, out of the blue, Georgie’s back. She’s inviting you to a glamorous New Year’s Eve afterparty in Amsterdam – a chance to relive the good old days and the fun you used to have.

You go. You laugh. You remember.

But then Georgie vanishes.

And just like that, you’re the prime suspect.

She knows all your secrets – the ones you’ve managed to bury. But as the clock ticks and the accusations mount, you’re left with one terrifying how well do you really know her?


Review:

Menacing, dark, and suspenseful!

The Afterparty is a tight, sinister tale that draws us into the life of Becca, a young woman who, after reconnecting with an old friend on New Year’s Eve, suddenly finds herself the prime suspect in a possible murder when her friend disappears without a trace during the night’s festivities.

The prose is intense and ominous. The characters are troubled, vulnerable, and secretive. And the plot, told from multiple perspectives, unravels briskly into an unpredictable story of deception, lies, drama, manipulation, abuse, desperation, and the obsessive nature of social media.
 

Overall, The Afterparty is a complex, twisty, gritty thriller by Kelly that serves as a chilling reminder of just how low some people will go for a little taste of fame and fortune.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to PGC Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Ruth Kelly

Ruth Kelly is an award-winning journalist who has ghosted a string of Sunday Times top ten bestsellers - most recently The Prison Doctor, which sold over 250,000 copies, and The Governor, which went straight in at number one on the Amazon charts and number five in the Sunday Times bestseller list. The Villa is Ruth's debut thriller. She's drawn inspiration from her years working as a reporter for national newspapers as well as her experience writing for TV shows, most notably with Endemol, the creators of the original reality show Big Brother.

#BookReview The Winter Witch by Jennifer Chevalier @SimonSchusterCA #TheWinterWitch #JenniferChevalier #SimonSchusterCA

#BookReview The Winter Witch by Jennifer Chevalier @SimonSchusterCA #TheWinterWitch #JenniferChevalier #SimonSchusterCA Title: The Winter Witch

Author: Jennifer Chevalier

Published by: Simon & Schuster on Jan. 27, 2026

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada

Book Rating: 8/10

Two sisters set sail on a bride ship from Normandy hoping to leave a curse behind them and find better lives in the wilds of 17th-century Quebec, only to meet a mysterious witch who forces them to confront the truth about magic—and their past. For fans of Emilia Hart, Sarah Penner, Alix E. Harrow, Ami McKay, and Roberta Rich.

Élisabeth Jossard boards a bride ship to New France with her sister Marthe, forced to start a new life after a scandal in her village in Normandy. She’s harbouring a dark secret and hopes that by coming to Montreal—the holiest place in the world, she’s been told—the saints will hear her pleas and lift the curse that plagues her.

When Élisabeth’s prayers go unanswered and she is unable to banish the spirit she believes is tormenting her, Marthe encourages her to turn to a powerful witch for help, the enigmatic stowaway Jeanne Roy. But Jeanne has secrets of her own, and when she refuses to help, Élisabeth’s resentment kindles a dangerous fire.

Inspired by the tales of Canada’s Filles du Roi, The Winter Witch examines how lies, arrogance, and ignorance can lead to witch hunts in any society.


Review:

Atmospheric, mysterious, and immersive!⁣

The Winter Witch is a rich, fascinating tale set in seventeenth-century Quebec that draws readers into the lives of Élisabeth and Marthe Jossard, two young sisters from Normandy who journey to New France in the hope of leaving behind their losses, secrets, and curses.

The writing is eloquent and descriptive. The characters are resilient, layered, and compelling. And the story is an engaging blend of life, loss, hope, family, female friendship, betrayal, misfortune, witchcraft, and love.

Overall, The Winter Witch is a vivid, compelling, absorbing tale by Chevalier inspired by real-life events that sheds light on an often overlooked chapter of Canadian history and the struggles, resilience, and hardships of that time.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jennifer Chevalier

Jennifer Chevalier worked for several years at the BBC in London before moving home to Ottawa where she is currently the showrunner for CBC Radio’s long-running weekly political affairs program, The House. The journalism and documentaries she’s led have won a Gracie, several RTDNAs, and a CAJ Award for investigative journalism. She lives in Ottawa with her husband and two children.

Photograph © Angela Gordon.

#BookReview Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #SunkInLove #HeatherMcBreen #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

#BookReview Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #SunkInLove #HeatherMcBreen #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Sunk in Love

Author: Heather McBreen

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 27, 2026

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 432

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 9/10

A second chance at love sets sail when a couple on the verge of divorce pretends they’re still together for one last family trip, from the author of Wedding Dashers.

Roslyn and Liam met nine years ago and have been the perfect couple ever since. Through every up and down, every milestone—from Liam’s residency to the publication of Roslyn’s debut romance—they’ve been each other’s rock. Until now.

Pulled apart by the untimely death of Roslyn’s mom and the undertow of grief, they’re now navigating the final wave in their marriage: divorce.

Heartbroken and unsure how to tell her family she’s called it quits with everyone’s favorite son-in-law, Roslyn keeps the impending split to herself. But when Roslyn’s grandparents ask if Liam can officiate their vow renewal ceremony aboard a Hawaiian cruise during their annual vacation, Roslyn needs to tell the truth or figure out a way to keep her secret. A week trapped at sea with her ex isn’t ideal, but neither Roslyn nor Liam want to rock the boat, so they concoct a plan—they’ll fake it.

After five years of marriage, they can figure out how to pretend for jungle hikes and mai tais, right? But when reality and make believe starts to blur, and old feelings begin to resurface, Roslyn and Liam have to decide whether it’s sink or swim for their marriage.


Review:

Romantic, hopeful, and sweet!

Sunk in Love is a charming second-chance romance that draws you into the life of Roslyn, a floundering, grief-stricken woman reeling from the tragic loss of her mother and the decision to step away from her marriage until a trip to Hawaii with her extended family forces her to share a cabin with her husband and pretend to still be happily married.

The writing is warm and fluid. The characters are kind, caring, and endearing. And the plot unfolds as a touching tale of family, friendship, self-discovery, healing, communication, new beginnings, tender moments, gentle drama, and heartfelt revelations.

Overall, Sunk in Love is a tender, uplifting, emotionally satisfying read by McBreen that beautifully balances poignant dilemmas with plenty of lighthearted fun, and I absolutely loved it.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Heather McBreen

Heather McBreen currently lives in Seattle, WA, but spent the best year of her life living in London where she completed an MA degree in arts and cultural management. When she's not writing or reading books about kissing, she can be found surfing the web for travel deals and plotting her next adventure. Wedding Dashers was her debut novel.

Photo by Almodine Thompson.

#BlogTour #BookReview The Dragon’s Daughter by Jade Everhart #TheDragonsDaughter #JadeEverhart #TheVillainsOfWolfHollowSeries #KindleUnlimited #DarkRomance

#BlogTour #BookReview The Dragon’s Daughter by Jade Everhart #TheDragonsDaughter #JadeEverhart #TheVillainsOfWolfHollowSeries #KindleUnlimited #DarkRomance Title: The Dragon's Daughter

Author: Jade Everhart

Series: The Villains of Wolf Hollow #2

Published by: Independently Published on Jan. 19, 2026

Genres: Dark Romance

Pages: 531

Format: Paperback

Source: Jade Everhart

Book Rating: 10/10

I knew the score when I came to Wolf Hollow.
Get in, get out with as much cash and treasure as possible. Easy, simple and nothing that I haven’t accomplished before.
Except somewhere along the way I made a wrong turn.
Now I’m trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the most vicious and captivating woman I have ever met. It’s a race to the finish line and I’m not so sure I will make it out of this one alive.
I thought being the wolf meant I’m the bad guy. Now I know I was never at the top of the food chain.
That spot has always belonged to the hunter.
And Calista Drache just so happens to be looking for a new fur coat.


Review:

Enthralling, sensual, and gritty!

The Dragon’s Daughter is a spicy, seductive tale that plunges you into the dangerous world of ruggedly handsome Christopher Deville who, after heading to the notoriously perilous Wolf Hollow to pull off the biggest heist of his life, encounters a slight wrinkle in his plan when he collides with the merciless, viciously bad girl Calista Drache.

The writing is titillating and intense. The characters are multilayered, obsessive, impulsive, and combustible. And the fast-paced, unapologetically salacious plot brims with danger, desire, drama, temptation, tenderness, mystique, scorching chemistry, deception, secrets, and a sizzling, high-stakes romance.
 

I honestly don’t know how to fully convey how much I loved The Dragon’s Daughter. It completely blew me away. Exceptionally detailed, darkly intense, and wildly creative, this is a standout tale by Everhart featuring a vivid cast of quirky characters I absolutely devoured. It’s a highly recommended read and one which will undoubtedly remain one of my favourite books of 2026.

This novel is available now in paperback & KINDLE UNLIMITED.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

 

Thank you to Jade Everhart for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jade Everhart

Jade Everhart writes heart-warming romances with flawed characters and laugh-out-loud banter. When she's not using her own terrible meet-cutes as inspiration for her next novel, Jade spends her time listening to loud music and tearing up dance floors from the prairies of Southern Alberta to the glistening beaches of Miami.

#BookReview The Castaways by Lucy Clarke @atlanticcrime @PGCBooks #TheCastaways #LucyClarke #PGCBooks #AtlanticCrime

#BookReview The Castaways by Lucy Clarke @atlanticcrime @PGCBooks #TheCastaways #LucyClarke #PGCBooks #AtlanticCrime Title: The Castaways

Author: Lucy Clarke

Published by: Atlantic Crime on Jan. 16, 2026

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Long Bright River meets Lost in this adrenaline-fueled thriller of a missing plane, a remote island, and two sisters torn apart when a vacation turns unthinkably deadly

Two years ago, a small plane disappeared over Fiji. For Erin, it’s been two years of obsessing over every detail, refusing to move forward even as life does. Her sister Lori was on that plane, and Erin was meant to be, too, but after a bitter argument, she failed to show. Everyone thinks Lori is dead, but Erin can’t let go.

Just when Erin is on the verge of losing hope, the pilot of the missing plane turns up still in Fiji, seemingly with no memory of the crash. In a final bid to find her sister, Erin travels there herself—but what she discovers is beyond anything she could have predicted.

A sharp-edged, darkly propulsive novel following two sisters whose lives are upended when their vacation of a lifetime goes disastrously awry, The Castaways is another scorcher from “queen of the destination thriller” (Claire Douglas) and million-copy bestselling author Lucy Clarke.


Review:

Simmering, gripping, and atmospheric!

The Castaways is an ominous, character-driven thriller that follows Erin Holme, a young woman determined to finally uncover the truth about what happened to her sister when the pilot of the aircraft her sister was on suddenly turns up alive two years after the plane went down somewhere in the South Pacific.

The prose is brisk and tight. The characters are determined, tormented, and impulsive. And the plot is a darkly menacing tale full of twists, turns, intrigue, drama, duplicity, manipulation, danger, deduction, secrets, lies, suspicion, survival, and murder.
 

Overall, The Castaways is a tortuous, addictive, unnerving tale by Clarke that is deliciously sinister, excessively deceptive, and absolutely bursting with misdirection and tension.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to PGC Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Lucy Clarke

Lucy Clarke is the Sunday Times bestselling author of eight destination thrillers. Two of her thrillers, The Castaways and No Escape, have been adapted for screen and are now streaming on Paramount+. Her novels have been published in more than 25 territories worldwide.

Photo by James Bowden.

#BookReview Caste in the Stars by Leylah Attar @doubledayca @PenguinRandomCA #CasteInTheStars #LeylahAttar #PenguinReads

#BookReview Caste in the Stars by Leylah Attar @doubledayca @PenguinRandomCA #CasteInTheStars #LeylahAttar #PenguinReads Title: Caste in the Stars

Author: Leylah Attar

Published by: Doubleday Canada on Dec. 16, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House Canada

Book Rating: 8/10

For fans of Becka Mack and Ana Huang comes a heart-stopping and utterly romantic story about two people from opposite sides of the world who dare to risk the odds to be together.

She did everything right—until her life fell apart.
The last place Priya Solanki wants to be is back at the funeral home her parents have run for decades—a place tied to a caste legacy the world says is long gone, but that her family carried from India to Canada and never let go of. Her traditional parents call it fate—proof that her path was written in the stars, just like the generations before her. But to Priya, it’s a life she never chose, and one she’s spent years trying to outrun. Her plan is simple: regroup, reset, and finally break the cycle.

Then Ethan Knight reappears.
Once the reckless, motorcycle-riding boy next door, he’s now a full-blown Hollywood star—older, incredibly handsome, and impossible to avoid. Adored by millions and followed everywhere by flashing cameras, he’s renting out the funeral home to prepare for a role—and flipping every piece of Priya’s plan upside down.

And finally, the stars align.
Trapped in close quarters with the boy she once loved in silence, Priya can’t escape the heat, the history, or the ache she’s buried for years. But falling for Ethan doesn’t just mean risking her heart; it means stepping into a world that was never built for someone like her—and daring to believe she belongs in it anyway.

But even if she takes the risk, what happens when Ethan leaves? Because, inevitably, he will.

Loving him wouldn’t just destroy her—it would destroy everything she’s trying to rebuild.


Review:

Heartwarming, hopeful, and sassy!

Caste in the Stars is a cute, romantic story that takes you into the life of the hardworking, dependable Priya Solanki as she navigates a recent divorce, an unwanted move back into her parents home, difficult conversations surrounding the financial stability of the family-owned funeral home, and an unexpected resurgence of feelings for a famous movie star, once her teenage crush, who is now briefly back in town.

The prose is smooth and light. The characters are fun-loving, supportive, and endearing. And the story is a heartfelt, witty mix of awkward situations, tender moments, self-discovery, fresh starts, friendship, family, culture, community, expectations, happiness, and love.
 

Overall, Caste in the Stars is a charming, flirty, feel-good read by Attar, with characters that are impossible not to root for and a swoon-worthy ending that left me smitten, satisfied, and eagerly anticipating whatever she whips up next.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to Doubleday Canada for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Leylah Attar

LEYLAH ATTAR is an award-winning Indo-Canadian author. Her self-published work has appeared on the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal's bestseller lists. A recipient of the Writer's Digest Award and the IndieReader Discovery Award, Leylah writes stories that reflect her diverse influences and heritage, and have sold over 150K copies across formats. Caste in the Stars is her traditional publishing debut. She lives in Toronto with her husband, son and the most adorable Yorkshire Terrier on the planet.

#BookReview Murder Your Darlings by Jenna Blum @harperbooks #MurderYourDarlings #JennaBlum #HarperBooks

#BookReview Murder Your Darlings by Jenna Blum @harperbooks #MurderYourDarlings #JennaBlum #HarperBooks Title: Murder Your Darlings

Author: Jenna Blum

Published by: Harper on Jan. 13, 2026

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 368

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Harper Books

Book Rating: 8.5/10

For every woman who’s ever fallen for a bad man comes a hilarious and eviscerating tale of love, loss, and deadlines from New York Times bestselling author Jenna Blum.

Known for such brilliant historical novels as Those Who Save Us and The Lost Family, A Mighty Blaze co-founder and New York Times bestselling author Jenna Blum now offers a contemporary, suspenseful novel about love, loss, and revenge in the world of books.

Simone “Sam” Vetiver is a mid-career novelist finishing a lukewarm publicity tour while facing a deadline for a new book on which she’s totally blocked. Recently divorced, Sam is worrying where her life is going when she receives glowing fan mail from stratospherically successful author William Corwyn, renowned for his female-centric novels. When William and Sam meet and his literary sympathy is as intense as their chemistry, both writers think they’ve found The One.

But as in their own novels, things between Sam and William are not what they seem. William has multiple stalkers, including a scarily persistent one named The Rabbit. He lives on a remote Maine island, where his writer life resembles The Shining. And when writers turn up dead, including from The Darlings support group William runs, Sam has to ask: Is it The Rabbit—William’s #1 Stalker? Another woman scorned? Can William be everything he seems?

Narrated by Sam, William, and The Rabbit, Murder Your Darlings is a wickedly witty look at today’s literary landscape and down-the-rabbit-hole tale of how far people will go for love.


Review:

Creepy, atmospheric, and ominous!

Murder Your Darlings is an unpredictable, fast-paced thriller that follows Sam, a young writer paralyzed by writer’s block, whose life is upended when she becomes entangled with the charming and highly successful author William Corwyn who, although seemingly generous and supportive, soon reveals a darker aura that includes an unsettling number of stalkers and an alarming trail of dead acquaintances.

The prose is sharp and relentless. The characters are devious, obsessive, unscrupulous, and vulnerable. And the plot, told through alternating perspectives, builds nicely to create tension and suspense as it exposes layers of manipulation, questionable motives, duplicitous personalities, and parasitic relationships.
 

Overall, Murder Your Darlings is a cleverly plotted, eerie, compelling page turner by Blum that chillingly illustrates just how easily people can be psychologically and emotionally exploited.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to Harper for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jenna Blum

JENNA BLUM is the New York Times bestselling author of The Stormchasers. Jenna is of German and Jewish descent and spent four years working for Steven Spielberg's Shoah Foundation, interviewing Holocaust survivors. She teaches fiction for Grub Street Writers.

Photo by Janna Giacoppo.

#BookReview Most Eligible by Isabelle Engel @YouHadMeAtHEA @StMartinsPress #MostEligible #IsabelleEngel #YouHadMeAtHEA #SMPInfluencers #SMPRomance

#BookReview Most Eligible by Isabelle Engel @YouHadMeAtHEA @StMartinsPress #MostEligible #IsabelleEngel #YouHadMeAtHEA #SMPInfluencers #SMPRomance Title: Most Eligible

Author: Isabelle Engel

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jan. 13, 2026

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Miss Congeniality meets The Bachelor in this action-packed rom-com debut about an investigative journalist who sneaks onto reality TV only to fall for the wrong guy.

Georgia Rose is not going on the hit reality dating show Love Shack to find love. She’s there to write a killer exposé on the producers, which will guarantee the journalism job of her dreams. But when Georgia’s unforgettable one-night stand from the year before, country singer Rhett Auburn, steps into the Malibu mansion as the season’s new host, all of her carefully crafted plans unravel.

Caught up in the drama of backstabbing contestants, producer blackmail, and death-defying dates, Georgia must keep her identity—and history with Rhett—a secret. Despite the lies between them, it isn’t long before Georgia and Rhett’s heated behind-the-scenes moments start to feel more genuine than the romance Georgia’s faking for the cameras. But with her assignment unfinished and the executive producer on her tail, a second chance with Rhett could be her riskiest move of all.


Review:

Charming, light, and amusing!

Most Eligible is a witty, engaging tale that introduces Georgia Rose, an investigative journalist who, after agreeing to go undercover as a contestant on the reality dating show Love Shack to uncover what really goes on behind the scenes finds her plan quickly going sideways when she discovers that this season’s host is none other than Rhett Auburn, the sexy country music star she once shared an unforgettable one-night stand with.

The writing is warm and humorous. The characters are competitive, quirky, and impulsive. And the story delivers a captivating blend of life, love, drama, friendship, emotion, competition, secrets, deception, gossip, fantasy dates, snappy dialogue, sizzling chemistry, tender moments, and steamy romance.

Overall, Most Eligible is a cute, cosy, entertaining tale by Engel that was a true delight to read.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to SMP Romance for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Isabelle Engel

Originally from New England, ISABELLE ENGEL (she/her) now lives and works in Washington, D.C. She has an MA in English literature from George Washington University. When she’s not imagining ways to make reality TV even more dramatic, she can be found reading, doing dance fitness, and petting other people’s dogs. Most Eligible is her debut novel.

Photo by Nicole Marie.

#BookReview Axe and Grind by Taylor Hutton @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #AxeAndGrind #TaylorHutton #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

#BookReview Axe and Grind by Taylor Hutton @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #AxeAndGrind #TaylorHutton #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Axe and Grind

Author: Taylor Hutton

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 6, 2026

Genres: Dark Romance

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 7.5/10

In this decadently dark romance, a virtual dating experiment spins into a deadly web of obsession, greed, love, and passion.

Josie Greene has always been a glass half-full kind of girl. But after a messy breakup, she’s broke, betrayed, and barely getting by. Even her trusted tarot cards point to chaos in her future. And they’re Axe MacKenzie needs her help.

As part of the tech CEO’s latest covert mission, Axe has been developing a simulator to create any user’s “Perfect Match,” and bubbly Josie is the ideal woman to test his product. When the gorgeous, reclusive billionaire makes her an offer—fake date him so he can launch his groundbreaking AI dating app—Josie’s in no position to refuse.

But Axe’s two worlds collide as the criminal underworld corrupts their experimental fling. What started as steamy role-play quickly spirals into a very real threat, leaving both Josie and Axe no choice but to uncover their well-buried pasts. With her life on the line, Josie will have to trust the man who has created the ultimate virtual illusion—and who might be hiding the most sinister truths of all…


Review:

Seductive, edgy, and menacing!

Axe and Grind is a tantalizing, provocative tale that plunges readers into the lives of Josie Green, a hardworking, spiritual young woman shaped by hardship and heartbreak, and Axe MacKenzie, a tech CEO who spends his days building an AI-driven dating app and his nights moonlighting as a vigilante, exacting brutal justice on society’s most depraved.

The writing is intense and charged. The characters are troubled, impulsive, and vulnerable. And the plot weaves an alluring mix of friendship, family, drama, danger, expectation, desire, vengeance, self-discovery, and lingering childhood trauma.

Overall, Axe and Grind is a tight, erotic, sinister novel by Hutton that is dark, layered, and entertaining.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Taylor Hutton

Taylor Hutton is the pseudonym of a pair of writer friends, one of whom has twice been a finalist for the National Book Award and the other who is a New York Times bestselling author and Edgar Award finalist. Between the two of them, they have written over forty books. When they are not passing their latest sexy thriller back and forth on Google Doc, they are browsing bookstores, sending each other ridiculous memes, walking their dogs Trudy and Potato around their Los Angeles neighborhood, and making their children cringe with their TikTok videos.

Photo by Indy Flores