Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

Narration by Zachary Webber & Vanessa Edwin

Rose Hill, Book 1

From the author:

Rosie Belmont has been driving me wild for years. The good kind of wild. The bad kind of wild. But mostly the kind of wild that comes with wanting your best friend’s little sister and knowing you can’t have her.

After living in the city, she comes blasting back into Rose Hill like a storm. Beautiful, messy, and chaotic.

And one wide-eyed desperate plea for a job is all it takes for me to hire her.

Forbes may have labeled me the World’s Hottest Billionaire but all I care about is opening my new recording studio. Something that comes to a screeching halt when I end up face-to-face with a young girl who claims I’m her biological father.

Now I spend my days balancing business with parenting a sullen twelve-year-old all while trying desperately to keep my hands the hell off my best friend’s little sister.

I vow to keep Rosie at arm’s length. I try to stick to scowls and grumpy one-liners. But with her verbal sparring is merely foreplay—friction that turns to blistering heat.

I know damn well I shouldn’t cross that line.

But shouldn’t and can’t are two very different things.

And the only thing I truly can’t do is resist her.

https://amzn.to/4vcXWqB

Elsie Silver kicks off her Rose Hill series with a charming small-town romance that blends humor, longing, family dynamics, and emotional growth. The narration really adds to the story; these readers brought these characters to life and made this book hard to put down.

Ford Grant has retreated to Rose Hill—the place where he spent his summers as a teenager—to focus on launching his recording studio and escape the spotlight that comes with being named Forbes’ hottest billionaire. His carefully controlled life is turned upside down when a twelve-year-old girl named Cora arrives, claiming to be his daughter.

As Ford struggles to balance fatherhood and business, Rosalie Belmont returns to town after leaving her high-powered corporate job. Rosie has always been the responsible one—the people-pleaser determined to make everyone proud—but beneath that polished exterior is someone messy, funny, and still figuring out who she wants to be. When she needs work, Ford hires her as his assistant, unable to say no to the woman he’s secretly loved for years.

The highlight of the novel is Ford’s relationship with Cora. Their awkward but heartfelt father-daughter moments are genuinely sweet, and Cora often steals every scene she’s in. Rosie also develops a wonderful bond with Cora, creating some of the book’s most touching moments.

Ford and Rosie have spent years pretending to hate each other, exchanging sarcastic banter while burying their feelings. Their childhood-frenemies dynamic provides plenty of humor, especially through their email exchanges, but at times the constant back-and-forth feels drawn out. Ford’s years of pining—including wearing the key to Rosie’s childhood diary around his neck—make his hesitation to pursue her frustrating, especially when much of the conflict centers on his fear of upsetting his best friend, who also happens to be Rosie’s brother.

While the romance delivers plenty of tension, longing, and “he falls first” energy, the chemistry didn’t fully click for me until late in the story. The unnecessary breakup and Ford’s tendency to overthink every decision occasionally slowed the momentum. I also wish Silver had explored Rosie’s experience with workplace sexual harassment in greater depth. It’s an important part of her backstory and motivation for returning home, but it remains largely surface-level when it could have added more emotional weight to her personal growth.

Despite those shortcomings, Wild Love is an entertaining start to the series. Fans of grumpy-sunshine romances, brothers-best-friend tropes, single-dad stories, workplace romances, and small-town settings will find plenty to enjoy. Between the witty banter, years of unresolved tension, and the lovable presence of Cora, it’s easy to fall hard for this new series.

5/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WILD LOVE by Elsie Silver. Narrators: Zachary Webber & Vanessa Edwin. Self-published. (April 9, 2024). ASIN: ‎ B0CXYLNXKN. Listening Length: 11 hours and 26 minutes.

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Duet Narration by JF Harding, CJ Bloom, with Teddy Hamilton, Sean Masters, Connor Crais, Erin Mallon, Willa Jaymes, Meg Sylvan, & Austin Stone

The Dugout, Book 1

From the author:

Raising my cousin’s three kids wasn’t in my five-year plan.

Actually, it wasn’t in any plan.

One minute I’m a single labor and delivery nurse living a quiet life and the next, I’m navigating guardianship hearings, meltdowns, and homework I’m pretty sure requires a math degree.

Enter Hayes Carlisle.

My best friend’s older brother.

Chicago Colts newest catcher.

And the man I once kissed and immediately pretended I didn’t.

So, when the custody battle I’ve been dreading becomes a reality, I shouldn’t be surprised that Hayes swoops in with a wild idea—a fake relationship. According to him, pretending we’re together will polish his image and prove to the court I’m not taking on an instant family alone.

But pretending to be Hayes’ girlfriend is a terrible idea.

Because he remembers how to make me laugh.

Because he looks at me like our kiss wasn’t a one-time mistake.

Because the kids start asking him to read bedtime stories.

Because my heart starts wanting things my life doesn’t have room for.

I can manage the chaos. I can fight for these kids.

But pretending not to fall for Hayes Carlisle?

That might be the one thing I can’t do.

https://amzn.to/4tKmA0C

I love duet narration, where each narrator consistently voices their own character instead of simply alternating chapters. The full cast narration made this even more fun—especially with this lineup, which includes some of the best voices in the romance audio world.

Rayne has built an entire fictional Chicago sports universe, beginning with The Nest, a four-book hockey series centered on the Chicago Falcons, followed by the Grizzlies football series. The Dugout, the newest series, shifts into the world of baseball. While the series overlap a bit, you can easily jump into any of them without feeling lost—though longtime readers will catch plenty of fun Easter eggs along the way.

Hayes is the catcher for the fictional Chicago Colts baseball team and has secretly been crushing on his sister’s best friend, Leighton, for years. He’s never acted on it because he doesn’t want to risk disrupting their friendship. Leighton, meanwhile, is a nurse whose life is turned upside down when her cousin unexpectedly passes away and names her guardian of their three children. She steps in immediately — she’s been part of their lives for so long that the transition, while heartbreaking, is relatively smooth.

Things become more complicated when the children’s uncle and his wife contest the will and seek custody themselves. After struggling to have children, they see this tragedy as a chance to finally build a family of their own. But Leighton refuses to give up the kids she loves without a fight.

Hayes immediately steps in to support her. When the judge suggests that a single woman raising three children alone may struggle compared to an established married couple, Hayes impulsively claims that he and Leighton are in a committed relationship, which they absolutely are not. At least, not yet.

Being a professional baseball player means Hayes spends long stretches on the road, but whenever he’s home, he’s fully invested in building a life with Leighton and the kids. The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to deny their feelings. There’s some family drama, challenges with the children, and the inevitable third-act breakup, but the journey to their happy ending is warm, charming, and fun. I’m already excited for the next book in the series.

There are a few things that came up that drew me out of the story, like Leighton’s ability to open her cousin’s cell phone, not to mention the husband’s cell phone, plus his secret, hidden cell phone. Not sure what world that happens in, and while I am usually happy to suspend my disbelief and move on, I found it annoying. And…

Note to the authors! If you are going to write baseball romances, yay! But please keep in mind that there are elements in this book that are just plain wrong – having a “surprise” pitcher show up in the middle of a game after a trade that no heard about? That would NEVER happen. It couldn’t happen. And the baseball award is called the Gold Glove, not the Golden Glove, which is awarded in boxing and soccer. Feel free to ask if you have any baseball-related questions – I’m no expert, but I am a librarian, and if I don’t know, I can find out. Thank you.

5/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE HOTSHOT by Piper Rayne. Duet Narrators: JF Harding, CJ Bloom, Teddy Hamilton, with Sean Masters, Connor Crais, Erin Mallon, Willa Jaymes, Meg Sylvan, & Austin Stone. Piper Rayne Inc. (February 13, 2026). ASIN: B0GNB77X7R. Listening Length: 8 hours and 48 minutes.

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Narration by Jason Clarke & Angelina Rocca

Boston Bobcats, Book 1

From the publisher:

He’s the plot twist she didn’t see coming . . .

Maya Silver doesn’t believe in happily ever afters, nor does she want one. She’s too busy managing the Book Nook, a cozy Boston bookstore where romance novels fly off the shelves. After one too many disappointments, she’s learned that love is unpredictable, and most promises don’t last. So love in real life? That’s a story Maya’s shelved for good.

Enter Nicholas “Cole” Barrett, the Boston Bobcats’ star player. He’s built his whole life around the game, and it’s paid off. He’s got his routine perfected until Maya crashes into it with stories, sarcasm, and a smile he can’t stop thinking about. She’s not chasing a puck or a paycheck, and for once, he’s not thinking about the next practice or game, he’s thinking about her.

Maya’s not interested in being won over, but Cole is used to pursuing things worth winning. And as they spend more time together, the harder it is to ignore the fiery pull between them and the way their connection feels like something more. But having spent her whole life believing true love was only found in books, will Maya be brave enough to begin a love story of her own?

https://amzn.to/4dCp38k

This open‑door sports romance pairs Maya, a bookstore manager who lives and breathes stories, with Cole Bennett, a professional hockey player carrying more emotional weight than he lets on. Maya is the kind of person who can talk about romance tropes for hours, which made her instantly relatable. She loves reading about happily‑ever‑afters but doesn’t believe in them for herself.

Cole changes that. He falls first—and hard—and is willing to take things entirely at her pace. His patience, his steadiness, and the way he genuinely listens make him incredibly endearing. Maya, meanwhile, has trust issues rooted in her past, and the book does a great job showing why she doesn’t open up easily.

Their meet‑cute is refreshingly simple: two strangers at a party, one reading in a corner, one intrigued. No best friend’s brother, no coach’s daughter—just two people who click. They become friends first, sharing meals, conversations, and eventually feelings they can’t ignore. When the romance finally turns physical, the chemistry lands beautifully.

The miscommunication trope is present, but it aligns with their emotional arcs rather than feeling contrived. Cole’s family tragedy and Maya’s fear of abandonment both shape how they move toward each other. The side characters add humor and warmth, giving the story a strong found‑family feel, and even the dog is a standout.

The narrators did an excellent job of bringing me into the story and keeping me there. Overall, it’s a light, sweet, low‑drama hockey romance with great banter, a patient male main character, a bookish female main character, and a relationship that feels genuinely earned. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

5/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ICE ICE BABY by Carly Robyn. Narrators: Callie Dalton & JD Tomlinson. Dreamscape Media. (February 24, 2026). ASIN: B0G61BC98L. Listening Length: 9 hours and 40 minutes.

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Narration by Jason Clarke & Angelina Rocca

Chestnut Springs, Book 5

From the author:

Beau Eaton is the town prince, a handsome military hero with a tortured past. I’m the outcast bartender, a shy girl from the wrong side of the tracks.

He’s thirty-five and all man, and I’m twenty-two and all . . . virgin.

He’s also my fiancé. Correction: my fake fiancé.

We start out as a bet. He doesn’t believe that anyone holds my last name against me. So he offers me his to prove a point.

It’s win-win. He gets a break from his concerned family’s prying, and I get a chance to shed my family’s reputation while I save up to ditch this small town.

He says all I have to do is wear his ring, follow his lead, and pretend I can’t keep my hands off of him in public.

But it’s what happens between us in private that blurs all those carefully drawn lines.

It’s what transpires behind closed doors that doesn’t feel like pretending at all.

This engagement was supposed to be for show. This agreement? It has an end date.

He once told me he’d never fall in love.

And yet here I am, head over heels for my fake fiancé.

https://amzn.to/42nS01D

If this hadn’t been the final book in a series I’ve really enjoyed, I probably would have skipped it. I’m not a fan of twenty-something virgin storylines, and this one didn’t change my mind. I didn’t love this book, but I have to give credit to the narrators. They did a really good job, despite the material they had to read, so kudos to them.

Beau has appeared throughout the series, so I was looking forward to his story. He comes across as genuinely kind, with some PTSD that adds a bit of depth. His motivations made sense, which helped—but I struggled with Bailey. The age gap wouldn’t have bothered me on its own, but her immaturity and lack of emotional control made her hard to connect with.

Bailey has a rough background. Her father and brothers have been in and out of jail, and the small town judges her for it, regardless of how much distance she tries to keep. She finally gets a job bartending, where she deals with constant insults because it’s the only work available.

One night, Beau gets drunk at the bar, and Bailey takes his keys, serving him tea until he sobers up. That moment pushes Beau to rethink his drinking. He starts coming in regularly, sticking to tea and quietly looking out for her. Their connection grows into a tentative friendship, until Beau proposes a fake engagement—believing his good reputation might offset her bad one. Bailey agrees, mostly to prove him wrong.

As they spend more time together, living under the same roof but in separate rooms, feelings begin to shift. Bailey pushes boundaries, Beau resists, and eventually realizes he’s fallen for her.

In the end, this was my least favorite book in the series. It’s not terrible, just underwhelming, with pacing issues and a heroine I never warmed to. If you’re a completionist, it may be worth finishing—but otherwise, this is the weak link. On to the next series, though – Rose Hill waits for me.

5/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HOPELESS by Elsie Silver. Narrators: Jason Clarke & Angelina Rocca. Self-published. (June 10, 2023). ASIN: B0C5F3Q8QV. Listening Length: 9 hours and 58 minutes.

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Narration by Joe Arden & Savannah Peachwood

Chestnut Springs, Book 4

From the author:

He’s scorching-hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package. And he’s looking at her like she might be his next meal.

Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies’ man. Winter Hamilton knows exactly what it means when he eyes her like that. But she’s almost free of her toxic marriage and has sworn off men entirely. So all she sees when she looks back at Theo is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak. The man is hard to trust–but, it turns out, even harder to resist.

Make that impossible. Because Theo is persistent. And no matter how hard Winter tries to freeze him out, he melts her icy exterior and pulls apart all her defenses. Over a drink in a small-town bar, she finds herself blurting out her deepest, darkest secrets. Then, she spends the singular hottest night of her life with the man she never thought she’d say yes to.

He worships her body. He makes her blush. She comes alive beneath his hands. Then she tells him to forget it ever happened. She wants simple, and with him it all feels complicated.

It was supposed to be a one-time thing. A secret.

But that little plus sign is going to make this secret impossible to keep.

https://amzn.to/4cQ2vQ1

We first met Winter in Flawless as Summer’s cold, distant sister. Their relationship has always been strained, and despite wanting to reconnect, neither has been able to bridge the gap. When Winter’s marriage begins to unravel, she retreats to Chestnut Springs, hoping proximity might help her rebuild her bond with Summer. Newly free from a toxic marriage, Winter has sworn off men—until she meets the irresistible Theo Silva.

The narrators here really brought these characters to life and had me invested from the start. Considering I didn’t like Winter much in Flawless says a lot, and her redemption arc here is phenomenal. Even tropes I don’t always love—surprise pregnancy, secret baby, one-night stand—completely worked for me. The miscommunication hurts, but it adds real weight to the story.

This story is deeply emotional, raw, and authentic, with a strong focus on self-discovery, acceptance, and love. Beneath Winter’s icy exterior is a vulnerable, distrustful woman who has never believed love was meant for her. Getting her point of view makes everything click—her walls, her distance, her pain. Watching her slowly open up, rebuild relationships, especially with Summer, and grow into herself is genuinely moving. Her relationship with her daughter Vivi is especially tender and grounding.

Theo, meanwhile, is everything. Known as a playboy, he sets out to become someone worthy of Winter—not just any woman, but her specifically. He’s charming, funny, and fiercely loyal. He never pushes, never plays games—he simply shows up, consistently, with patience and care. His love for Winter, and his immediate devotion to Vivi once he learns the truth, is genuinely heart-melting. The pain of the months he unknowingly missed with his daughter is palpable.

Theo is a mama’s boy, a loyal brother, and a man who never pressures Winter but quietly earns his place in her life. Winter, often labeled an ice queen, is actually a woman who has never known unconditional love. Her strength, her guardedness, and her fierce devotion to Vivi make her easy to root for. Theo sees her—truly sees her—in a way no one else ever has.

The found-family elements shine, especially Theo’s sweet, welcoming mother. The epilogue is everything—no unnecessary third-act breakup, just payoff and warmth. Their dynamic is electric—equal parts tension, playfulness, and emotional depth. Nothing about their relationship feels rushed; it builds naturally, with Theo proving himself every step of the way. Together, they create something that feels real: a family built on trust, healing, and choice.

It’s funny, emotional, messy, romantic, and very hot. One of the most unexpectedly moving reads—and easily a standout in the series.

Time for the last book of the series, Hopeless.

5/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

RECKLESS by Elsie Silver. Narrators: Joe Arden & Savannah Peachwood. Self-published. (June 10, 2023). ASIN: B0C5F3Q8QV. Listening Length: 9 hours and 58 minutes.

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