Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

#BookReview Right Where We Left Us by Jen Devon @kisscrafter @smpromance @StMartinsPress #JenDevon #RightWhereWeLeftUs #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers #StMartinsPress

categories: 8.5/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Right Where We Left Us by Jen Devon @kisscrafter @smpromance @StMartinsPress #JenDevon #RightWhereWeLeftUs #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers #StMartinsPress Title: Right Where We Left Us

Author: Jen Devon

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jun. 18, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Temperance Jean Madigan and Duncan Brady have never gotten it right. After one radiant, secret summer together when they were eighteen, they’ve been on-again off-again ever since. Now, despite red-hot chemistry and TJ’s closeness with Duncan’s family, they’re virtually strangers, only capable of adversarial banter, awkward small talk―and the occasional messy hookup.

When a wedding at the Brady’s vineyard lands TJ there for the summer, their mutual avoidance strategies prove impossible. The last thing TJ wants is to be under those angsty, heated glances Duncan thinks he hides. And for Duncan, having fiery TJ constantly close is the ultimate distraction that he absolutely can’t afford. When forced proximity begins to chip away at their armor, buried tensions resurface, old wounds urge confrontation, and once-in-a-lifetime love demands one last chance to finally get it right.

Review:

Big-hearted, sweet, and engaging!

Right Where We Left Us is an emotive, second-chance romance between the driven, successful Temperance and the dependable, hardworking Duncan as they discover that beneath all the miscommunication and past secrets is a deeply-rooted friendship, sizzling attraction and unconditional love that is still smouldering and certainly worth fighting for.

The writing is fluid and warm. The characters are caring, hesitant, and appealing. And the plot is a push-pull tale of relationship dynamics, familial expectations, introspection, acceptance, forgiveness, friendship, love, romance, and new beginnings.

Overall, Right Where We Left Us is a charming, rich, tender tale by Devon with characters I couldn’t help but root for, a storyline with a nice mix of drama and passion, and a happy-ever-after ending that left me with a smile.

 

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 – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jen Devon

Jen Devon wrote her first romance when she was eight. Now she writes vivid, cinematic love stories about imperfect people finding their perfect match. A former biology academic and lecturer, she currently works in the tech industry and dreams of writing full-time. She’s an avid gardener, photographer, and boardgamer, a thrift store enthusiast and unapologetic nerd. She’s a mom of six (three kids, three rescue mutts) and lives in central Ohio with her engineer husband. Bend Toward the Sun is her first book.

Photo Credit: Maya D Photography

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#BookReview Given Our History by Kristyn J. Miller @KristynJMiller @smpromance @StMartinsPress #KristynJMiller #GivenOurHistory #smpromance #smpinfluencers

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Given Our History by Kristyn J. Miller @KristynJMiller @smpromance @StMartinsPress #KristynJMiller #GivenOurHistory #smpromance #smpinfluencers Title: Given Our History

Author: Kristyn J. Miller

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Aug. 27, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Assistant professor Clara Fernsby is nothing if not driven. She’s wanted to teach history since she was fourteen, and she hasn’t let anything stand in her way—not even the love of her life. And it all paid off in the end, because she landed a well-paid position at a private liberal arts college fresh out of grad school, and this year, she’s finally up for tenure.

When Theodore Harrison is brought on for the fall semester as a visiting scholar, it’s an unwelcome blast from Clara’s past. She hasn’t spoken to Teddy since a falling out ten years ago. Now that he’s here, she’s reminded of their shared history at every autumns spent at a sleepaway camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she traded battered books and burned CDs with a quiet, dark-haired boy—and fell in love with him.

That boy might’ve been her best friend, but the man teaching HIST-322 is a total stranger. But as they spend evenings working on a shared project and brainstorming over drinks at a college bar, Clara realizes she’s at risk of falling all over again. Given their history, she knows there’s every chance he’s not interested. But history’s all down to interpretation, and this time around, she’s got no intentions of repeating it.

Review:

Cute, hopeful, and romantic!

Given Our History is a playful, lighthearted, second-chance romance featuring the intelligent, handsome Theodore Harrison, who broke his best friend’s heart when he never seemed to be interested in being anything more, and the spirited, driven Clara Fernsby, who is too busy trying to obtain her professorship and keep her life moving forward to ever open herself up for more heartache from the visiting scholar who once upon a time owned her heart.

The prose is fluid and warm. The characters are lovable, kind, and empathetic. And the plot is an uplifting, engaging tale about life, love, family, friendship, awkward situations, tender moments, self-discovery, happiness, community, and new beginnings. 

Overall, Given Our History is a heartwarming, entertaining, enjoyable treat by Miller with oodles of endearing characters and small-town charm.

 

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 – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Kristyn J. Miller

KRISTYN J. MILLER is the author of Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts and other novels. A lifelong history nerd with a background in museum work, she finally earned her M.A. in history and museum studies at University of New Hampshire in 2023. In between novels, she spends her free time wandering peat bogs, sampling craft beers, and restoring her old colonial house in rural Maine with her husband.

Photo Credit: George H. Miller IV

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#BookReview That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee @smpromance @StMartinsPress #ThatPrinceIsMine #JayciLee #smpromance

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee @smpromance @StMartinsPress #ThatPrinceIsMine #JayciLee #smpromance Title: That Prince is Mine

Author: Jayci Lee

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jul. 30, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

A love-averse Korean royal court cuisine instructor in search of a perfect-on-paper husband is waylaid from her practical, heartbreak-proof plan when she meets a gorgeous professor—and prince in disguise—who will do anything to prove to her that love and happily ever after can be theirs.

Emma Yoon runs a small business as a culinary instructor in Los Angeles teaching Korean royal court cuisine to young ladies striving to marry into the exclusive upper crust Korean families. She has built her business alongside her renowned Korean matchmaker godmother, which brings her one step closer to her dream of opening up a culinary school on her own. But when her godmother’s fellow matchmakers decide to meddle in Emma’s love life in a bid to sabotage her godmother, and indirectly push Emma’s dream out of her reach, she must go on a series of arranged first dates and find herself the perfect-on-paper husband to help save both, her godmother’s reputation and her dream–even if she’s not ready for love. But when she meets Michel Aubert, a professor at USC, after a series of disastrous first dates, she wonders if she might reevaluate her position on love.

Prince Michel Aubert is bound by duty and responsibility to his country, but an arranged marriage is the last thing he wants. If he is going to spend the rest of his life in service of his people, then he at least wants someone he loves and trusts by his side while doing it. He needs to find a woman who loves him for who he is before his engagement to his handpicked bride is announced. Emma Yoon might be just the woman he is looking for.

Review:

Amusing, heartwarming, and spicy!

That Prince is Mine is a sweet, engaging tale that mixes the independent, devoted Emma, who is more than content spending her days trying to turn her Korean cooking classes into a full-blown culinary school, with the confident, respected Michel Chevalier, who is determined to make the next three months he’s been given to work in America seriously in order to find someone who actually owns his heart before he returns home to take over his role as crown prince of Rouleme and marry the woman he’s been promised to since childhood.

The prose is fluid and smooth. The characters are caring, supportive, and endearing. And the plot is a push-pull tale of relationship dynamics, familial expectations, introspection, acceptance, friendship, responsibilities, love, romance, and new beginnings.

Overall, That Prince is Mine is a charming, tender, lighthearted tale by Lee that has characters you can’t help but root for, a storyline with a nice mix of passion and drama, and a happy-ever-after ending that leaves you with a smile.

 

This book is available now. 

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

       

 

 

Thank you to SMP Romance – St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jayci Lee

JAYCI LEE writes poignant, sexy, and laugh-out-loud romance every free second she can scavenge and is semi-retired from her fifteen-year career as a defense litigator. She loves food, wine, and travelling, and incidentally so do her characters. Jayci lives in sunny California with her tall-dark-and-handsome husband, two amazing boys with boundless energy, and a fluffy rescue whose cuteness is a major distraction.

Photograph by Nichanh Nicole Photography.

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#BookReview Rules for Second Chances by Maggie North @mnorthauthor @smpromance @StMartinsPress #MaggieNorth #RulesForSecondChances #smpromance #smpinfluencers

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Rules for Second Chances by Maggie North @mnorthauthor @smpromance @StMartinsPress #MaggieNorth #RulesForSecondChances #smpromance #smpinfluencers Title: Rules for Second Chances

Author: Maggie North

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jun. 25, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Brimming with heart and heat, Rules for Second Chances explores the hardest relationship question of all: can true love happen twice…with the same person?

Liz Lewis has tried everything to be what people want. But she’s always been labeled different from everyone else in the boisterous world of wilderness expeditions—that is, if anyone notices her at all. Her marriage to popular adventure guide Tobin Renner-Lewis is a sinkhole of toxic positivity where she’s the only one saying no. In a mountain resort town built around excitement, introverted Liz gets…spreadsheets.

When she gets mistaken for a server at her own thirtieth birthday party and her last line of communication with Tobin finally snaps, Liz vows to stop playing a minor character in her own life. The (incredibly well-researched and scientific) plan? A crash course in confidence…via improv comedy class.

The catch? She’s terrible at it, and the only person willing to practice with her is a certain extroverted wilderness guide who seems dead set on saving their marriage one bonkers improv scenario at a time. But as Liz and Tobin get closer (…again), she’s forced to confront all the reasons they didn’t work the first time, along with her growing suspicion that there might be more to her social awkwardness than anyone realized. Liz has just eight weeks to learn improv’s most important lesson—”yes, and”—or she’ll have to choose between the love she always wanted and the dreams that got away.

Review:

Romantic, hopeful, and sweet!

Rules for Second Chances is a charming second-chance romance that takes you into the life of the introverted, timid Liz Lewis who, on her thirtieth birthday, suddenly decides to shake up her humdrum existence by stepping away from her marriage, taking steps to obtain the career she’s always wanted, and enrolling in some improv classes to finally gain the confidence she so sorely lacks.

The writing is sweet and smooth. The characters are kind, caring, and endearing. And the plot is a touching tale of family, friendship, self-discovery, happiness, healing, taking chances, growth, revelations, tender moments, light drama, promises, selflessness, dreams, and new beginnings.

Overall, Rules for Second Chances is a tender, heartfelt, uplifting read by North that did a lovely job of mixing some heart-tugging dilemmas with more than a dab of lighthearted fun.

 

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 – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Maggie North

MAGGIE NORTH lives in Ottawa, Canada with the man she met in ninth grade, their kid, and a rotating cast of hypoallergenic aquarium friends. Her hobbies include long-distance open water swimming, saving the world, and being relentlessly Canadian. She enjoys being autistic a lot more since she received her diagnosis as an adult. Rules for Second Chances is her first novel.

Photo Credit: Lindsey Gibeau

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#BookReview The Seaside Sisters by Pamela Kelley @PamelaMKelley @smpromance @StMartinsPress #TheSeasideSisters #PamelaKelley #StMartinsPress #smpromance #SMPInfluencers

categories: 8.5/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview The Seaside Sisters by Pamela Kelley @PamelaMKelley @smpromance @StMartinsPress #TheSeasideSisters #PamelaKelley #StMartinsPress #smpromance #SMPInfluencers Title: The Seaside Sisters

Author: Pamela M. Kelly

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jun. 4, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8.5/10

One summer can change everything.

Brooklyn-based Hannah is a bestselling author struggling to write her second book after personal losses. Her older sister, Sara, still lives in Chatham, Cape Cod, where they grew up, and is married with four children. Once a dedicated librarian, Sara dreams of reviving her love affair with literature, but instead, she is stuck with too many family responsibilities and a fizzling marriage.

When Hannah gets the chance to retreat to her aunt’s oceanfront house in Chatham for the summer, it seems like just the thing to get her creative juices flowing. And she’ll be able to spend more time with Sara, who is eager to find her way back into the workforce, to do something rewarding and book-related. The pair will spend the summer making friends, rekindling romance― especially Spencer, an old acquaintance from high school-turned very hot grump― and opening themselves up to the magic of books and the beach.

Perfect for fans of Mary Kay Andrews, Susan Mallery and Brenda Novak, The Seaside Sisters will delight and charm you as easily as an ocean breeze.

Review:

Quaint, tender, and sweet!

The Seaside Sisters is a lighthearted, engaging tale that takes you on a journey to Cape Cod and into the lives of two sisters; Hannah, a successful writer who, since the loss of her mother, is struggling to pen her next tale, and Sara, a married mother of four boys who is ready for just a little bit more in her life than laundry, carpooling, and taking care of those she loves.

The prose is light and smooth. The characters are hesitant, determined, and multilayered. And the plot is a heartfelt, hopeful tale full of life, love, family, friendship, community, self-discovery, embracing change, taking chances, and finding happiness.

Overall, The Seaside Sisters is another charming, absorbing, heartwarming tale by Kelley with characters I couldn’t help but root for and an ending that left me more than a little satisfied.

 

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 – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Pamela M. Kelly

Pamela Kelley is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of women's fiction, family sagas, and suspense, such as The Restaurant and The Hotel. Readers often describe her books as feel-good reads with people you'd want as friends. She lives in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod. She has always been an avid reader of women's fiction, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cook books. There's also a good chance you might get hungry when you read her books as she is a foodie, and occasionally shares a recipe or two.

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#BookReview Brooklyn by Tracy Brown @IAmTracyBrown @StMartinsPress #BrooklynTheBook #TracyBrown #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview Brooklyn by Tracy Brown @IAmTracyBrown @StMartinsPress #BrooklynTheBook #TracyBrown #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers Title: Brooklyn

Author: Tracy Brown

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Feb. 27, 2024

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 9/10

Tracy Brown crafts a tale about a master manipulator and serial survivor, who will scorch earth to get what she wants. The question isn’t who murdered her; the question is who wouldn’t?

Brooklyn Melody James has finally gotten the punishment she deserves after leaving a web of lies, heartache, and betrayal behind her. As her life slips away, Brooklyn remembers the events that shaped her into the cold, calculating creature she became.

Brooklyn learned the art of hustling from her parents who used the church to get money. Idolizing her father and despising her mother, Brooklyn’s determined to be the type of woman who makes her own rules. When her back’s up against the wall, she sacrifices her family, takes the burnt offering that remains, and runs away. In NYC, young Brooklyn charms her way into the inner circle of hustlers and stick-up kids, learning tricks along the way. She catches the eye of a major player in the drug game, Hassan, and they have a breathless love affair. Brooklyn becomes integrated into his operation, earning the trust of Hassan and his associates. But when she gets the keys to the kingdom, driven by unfettered ambition and a ruthless desire to survive, Brooklyn snatches the pot of gold, leaving bitter retribution promises behind her.

From DC to Maryland, Brooklyn burns bridges and breaks hearts. What she doesn’t realize is that someone is prepared to end her reign of terror. As she faces her killer and her fate, Brooklyn’s stunned that justice comes from the least likely place.

Review:

Brisk, tight, and immersive!

Brooklyn is a gritty, absorbing tale that takes you on a journey into the life of Brooklyn Melody James, a young woman whose life spirals out of control when her selfishness and ambition lead her to destroy every caring relationship she ever has while simultaneously leaving a slew of hurt, angry people in her wake who are just waiting for her to get her own back.

The prose is crisp and tense. The characters are self-assured, brazen, and ruthless. And the plot is a fast-paced, captivating tale of life, love, loss, family, friendship, deception, lies, drama, manipulation, jealousy, secrets, revelations, tragedy, vengeance, and betrayal.

The sudden passing of Tracy Brown in May of last year was a tremendous loss for the literary world, and it was an honour to be able to read her final novel. Brooklyn is a dark, cunning, enthralling page-turner that I devoured in one sitting and was an excellent reminder that life is truly what you make it.

 

This book is available now.

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

        

 

 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Tracy Brown

Tracy Brown is the Essence bestselling author of Boss; White Lines, White Lines II: Sunny, White Lines III: All Falls Down, Aftermath, Snapped, Twisted, Criminal Minded, Black and Dime Piece. She passed away two days after turning in Brooklyn—her final, and arguably best, book. The African Americans on the Move Book Club bestowed their Urban Classic Honor Award on Tracy's White Lines series in celebration of her legacy and impact on the literary world.

Photo Credit: Ashley Williams

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#BookReview Second Duke’s the Charm by Kate Bateman @katebateman @smpromance #SecondDukesTheCharm #KateBateman #HerMajestysRebels #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Historical Romance
#BookReview Second Duke’s the Charm by Kate Bateman @katebateman @smpromance #SecondDukesTheCharm #KateBateman #HerMajestysRebels #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers Title: Second Duke's the Charm

Author: Kate Bateman

Series: Her Majesty’s Rebels #1

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Dec. 26, 2023

Genres: Historical Romance

Pages: 314

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Meet Her Majesty’s Rebels: three brilliant women who run King & Co., London’s most exclusive investigative agency…

The wedding-night death of her much older husband left Tess Townsend the Dowager Duchess of Wansford—and still a virgin. Now she and her two best friends investigate London’s most scandalous crimes, and while Tess longs to experience physical pleasure for herself, she can’t risk losing her treasured independence…

Cynical shipping magnate Justin Thornton never expected to inherit a dukedom, but he’ll do his duty. When the ravishing woman he kissed at a party turns out to be the Dowager Duchess, Justin sees an obvious solution: a marriage of convenience that will suit them both.

But the passion that sparks between them is anything but convenient. As Tess works on a new case at the request of Queen Charlotte, her increasingly suspicious behavior makes Justin question her motives—and her past. The infuriating woman clearly can’t be trusted, but Justin doesn’t believe in love, so there’s absolutely no danger of him falling for his own wife…is there?

Review:

Enticing, amusing, and entertaining!

Second Duke’s the Charm is a heartwarming, playful romp that sweeps you away to London during 1816 and into the lives of the independent, spirited widow, Tess Townsend and the dashingly handsome, newly appointed Duke of Wansford, Justin Thornton, as they navigate a sensual meeting, undeniable attraction, a marriage of convenience, a mission for the Queen, and strange, suspicious behaviour that could ruin it all.

The prose is smooth and light. The characters are passionate, secretive, and hardworking. And the plot is an enchanting mix of friendship, family, societal expectations, tricky situations, tender moments, desire, and romance.

Overall, Second Duke’s the Charm is a charming, seductive, delightful tale by Bateman that’s without a doubt a promising, enjoyable start for this new Her Majesty’s Rebels series.

 

This novel is available now.

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

            

 

 

Thank you to SMP Romance – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Kate Bateman

Kate Bateman, (also writing as K. C. Bateman), is the #1 bestselling author of Regency, Victorian, and Renaissance historical romance. Her Renaissance romp, The Devil To Pay, is a Romance Writer’s of America 2019 RITA® Finalist and her Regency-set A Counterfeit Heart (Secrets & Spies series) won the 2018 Book Buyer’s Best contest for Best Historical Romance.
Kate wrote her first historical romance in response to a $1 bet with her husband who rashly claimed she’d ‘never finish the thing.’ She gleefully proved him wrong. Her books feature her favourite intelligent heroines, (badasses in bodices!) wickedly inappropriate banter, and heroes you want to both strangle and kiss.
When not travelling to exotic locations ‘for research’, Kate leads a not-so-secret double life as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several TV shows in the UK, each of which has up to 2.5 million viewers. Before writing romance, Kate was director and valuer at her own UK Auction House, Batemans in Stamford, Lincolnshire. She currently splits her time between Illinois and her native England and writes despite three inexhaustible children and that husband . . . who still owes her that dollar.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Website.

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#BookReview Love, Naturally by Sophie Sullivan @smpromance @StMartinsPress #SophieSullivan #LoveNaturally #smpromance #smpinfluencers

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Love, Naturally by Sophie Sullivan @smpromance @StMartinsPress #SophieSullivan #LoveNaturally #smpromance #smpinfluencers Title: Love, Naturally

Author: Sophie Sullivan

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jan. 16, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Presley Ayers is not the woman you bring on a camping trip. An accomplished concierge at an exclusive hotel in Great Falls, MI, she knows more about the top ten places for champagne and caviar than she does about the best hiking boots to go stomping around near Lake Michigan. But when she surprises her boyfriend of eight months with a vacation to the Get Lost Lodge and he dumps her instead, Presley decides to rough it solo and take the trip herself.

When Beckett Keller helps the gorgeous woman off the rickety boat and onto Lodge territory, it’s clear she’s made a mistake. She doesn’t like hiking, fishing, or nature in general, so why did she go on this trip?―but he’s got other things on his mind. A crumbling lodge, and his own plans and dreams that are forever deferred―so he doesn’t have time for Ms. Fish-Out-of-Water. But neither Beckett or Presley can help that inexplicable draw they feel towards each other. He’s all rough stubble and plaid shirts, while she’s all high heels and brand-name athleisurewear.

But you know what they say about opposites.

A charming opposites-attract romance, Love, Naturally is for anyone who ever stepped outside their comfort zone and found that all the best things can happen when you take a chance.

Review:

Sweet, heartfelt, and fun!

Love, Naturally is a lovely, character-driven rom-com that sweeps you away to Get Lost Lodge and into the lives of the easy-going, kind Presley and the hardworking, considerate Beckett as they discover that opposites do attract, and there may actually be more to their relationship than just fake dating, surface feelings, and a short-term fling.

The prose is fluid and smooth. The characters are helpful, attentive, and charismatic. And the plot is an engaging mix of friendship, family, light drama, tender moments, humorous situations, snappy dialogue, introspection, support, sizzling romance, and new beginnings.

Overall, Love, Naturally is an amusing, captivating, charming novel by Sullivan that was a delight to read with its irresistible characters and heartwarming storyline.

 

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 – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Sophie Sullivan

SOPHIE SULLIVAN is a Canadian author as well as a cookie-eating, Diet Pepsi-drinking, Disney enthusiast who loves reading and writing romance in almost equal measure. She writes around her day job as a teacher and spends her spare time with her sweet family watching reruns of Friends. TEN RULES FOR FAKING IT is her romcom debut novel, but she's had plenty of practice writing happily ever after as her alter ego, Jody Holford.

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#BookReview Hedging Your Bets by Jayne Denker @JDenkerAuthor @smpromance @StMartinsPress #JayneDenker #HedgingYourBets #smpromance #smpinfluencers

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Hedging Your Bets by Jayne Denker @JDenkerAuthor @smpromance @StMartinsPress #JayneDenker #HedgingYourBets #smpromance #smpinfluencers Title: Hedging Your Bets

Author: Jayne Denker

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jan. 9, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Opposites attract in this enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy of feuding neighbors and dueling hearts from Jayne Denker, the author of The Rom-Com Agenda.

When small-town neighbors go head-to-head, better start Hedging Your Bets.

Gillian has been happily divorced for several years and, after trying a few dating apps, prefers to stay that way. Navigating her way through dates with fat shamers and lackluster men has left her with no desire to do anything other than work in her garden in her spare time. Who needs rude comments and awkward first-date conversation when soft roses and vibrant tulips are so much better?

Noah West has just moved to Willow Cove. After a rough breakup that leaves him looking to get far away, he relocates to the same small town he spent summers in as a teen―and moves right next door to Gillian. A big believer in minimalist design and that the best kind of plants are non-flowering, he knows as soon as he meets his neighbor that they are going to clash on just about everything. Now if only he could keep his eyes off her too. That might be helpful.

When a gardening contest brings out the competition in Gillian and Noah, dueling plant arrangements and fiery banter ensues. But is it possible that beneath all their differences, they might just be perfect for each other?

Review:

Heartfelt, engaging, and fun!

Hedging Your Bets is a spirited, heartwarming, enemies-to-lovers romance that introduces us to both the sexy, kind Noah who, after having his heart broken, is hoping that a move to the small town of Willow Cove, Ontario will be the perfect place for him to settle down and create a new life, and the insecure, passionate Gillian who, after a somewhat dismal foray into the world of dating since her divorce, is more than content spending her days helping the people of the community with their pharmaceutical needs and working on her beautifully cultivated garden.

The prose is amusing and light. The characters are quirky, supportive, and sweet. And the plot is a playful, flirty blend of tricky situations, tender moments, awkward mishaps, self-discovery, friendship, kindness, support, happiness, chemistry, misunderstandings, undeniable attraction, and romance, 

Overall, Hedging Your Bets is a charming, humorous, enjoyable treat by Denker that is a delight to read and a wonderful reminder that true love is always worth the fight.

 

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 – St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jayne Denker

Jayne Denker is the author of romantic comedies, including The Rom-Com Agenda and the Welcome to Marsden series. When she's not hard at work on another novel (or, rather, when she should be hard at work on another novel), she can usually be found frittering away stupid amounts of time on social media.

Photo by Elizabeth Torgerson-Lamark.

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#BookReview The Wedding Ranch by Nancy Naigle @smpromance @nancynaigle @StMartinsPress #TheWeddingRanch #NancyNaigle #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview The Wedding Ranch by Nancy Naigle @smpromance @nancynaigle @StMartinsPress #TheWeddingRanch #NancyNaigle #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers Title: The Wedding Ranch

Author: Nancy Naigle

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Dec. 6, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Two people get a second chance at love in this heartwarming story by author Nancy Naigle, The Wedding Ranch…

When Lorri Walker’s husband gifted her with a mastiff puppy on Valentine’s Day, she believed he was recommitting himself to their marriage after going astray. Six months later, he left both her and their dog for someone else. Since her recent move to Dalton Mill to unbraid herself from the past, Lorri’s graphic design business is now flourishing, her growing mastiff, Mister, has plenty of space to romp, and her ex in Raleigh can fade to a distant memory.

Ryder Bolt is haunted by the tragic loss of his wife and young son seven years ago. Thankfully, ranching keeps Ryder busy, and spending time with his niece and nephew—whose venue, The Wedding Ranch, has become a popular tourist destination—keeps him from getting lonely.

When Lorri and Ryder met, love was the last thing they were looking for. When they’re together, smiles come easier and burdens feel lighter, and both are embracing the possibility of something deeper.

But when a long-buried revelation surfaces, the fate that brought them together threatens to tear them apart.

Review:

Quaint, absorbing, and sweet!

The Wedding Ranch is a heartfelt, uplifting tale set in the small town of Dalton Mill that takes you into the lives of Ryder Bolt, a young widower still grappling with the loss of his wife and young son and the all-consuming grief that is preventing him from moving on, and Lorri Walker, a newly divorced woman looking forward to starting a new life in a new home with her beloved mastiff, Mister.

The prose is genuine and smooth. The characters are relatable, hesitant, and kind. And the plot is an addictive, alluring mix of friendship, family, life, loss, grief, introspection, support, forgiveness, community, new beginnings, furry friends, and the power of love.

Overall, The Wedding Ranch is another cosy, heartwarming, delightfully enchanting story by Naigle that reminds us to surround ourselves with those we love and to always live life to the fullest.

 

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 – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in an exchange for an honest review.

 

About Nancy Naigle

USA Today bestselling author NANCY NAIGLE whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. Now happily retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and the occasional spa day with friends. A native of Virginia Beach, she currently calls North Carolina home. Nancy is the author of Christmas Joy and Hope at Christmas, both of which have been turned into film for Hallmark Channel.

Photograph by Adam Sanner.

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