From New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne comes a brand-new story about two women, a family secret and a lost manuscript that changes everything…
Raised by her literary icon father Carson Wells, Alison Wells always felt loved, even though her mother died when she was a teen. But when she takes a DNA test on a whim and discovers she has a sister she never knew about, it’s clear there are things her father didn’t tell her before he died. Determined to meet Juniper—her half sister—and unravel the truth of what happened all those years ago, Ali finds herself taking a job as Juniper’s intern. She’ll eventually figure out a way to tell Juniper the truth of their relationship. But she never could have imagined what would happen next…
Juniper Connolly has always been incredibly healthy…until she wakes up in the hospital after experiencing cardiac arrest, with her new—and recently fired—intern to thank for saving her life. It’s clear June needs to de-stress her life a little, so when Ali offers her the use of her family’s cabin in a small Wyoming town, June has no reason not to go. But when she arrives, her life will never be the same.
Under the wide-open spaces of the Wyoming summer sun, Ali and June will untangle the secrets and lies their lives were built on to discover who they really are and what family really means. But even more than that, they’ll build a real relationship with one another and finally become sisters.
This heartwarming story explores themes of family and second chances through the journey of two unlikely sisters.
When Allison’s famous author father passes away, she discovers through DNA testing that she has a half-sister named Juniper living in Seattle. Fresh out of law school and studying for the bar exam, Allison decides to get to know Juniper before revealing their connection. She secures an internship with Juniper, planning to work alongside her sister while figuring out how to share the truth.
However, Allison proves to be a disaster as an intern. Just as Juniper is about to fire her, she suddenly collapses from a heart attack. Allison’s quick thinking with CPR saves her sister’s life until paramedics arrive.
Facing a long recovery from her heart condition, Juniper needs time away from her high-powered executive lifestyle. Allison seizes the opportunity, convincing Juniper to recuperate at the Wyoming cottage where her father wrote his books—an offer the literary fan can’t refuse. Life on the ranch is a stark contrast to Juniper’s fast-paced world.
The peaceful ranch setting forces Juniper to slow down and confront her new health limitations. As she helps Allison sort through their father’s papers for donation to the university library, she also encounters Beck Hunter, Allison’s neighbor. Beck is a former San Francisco trial lawyer with a formidable reputation, and Juniper initially despises him based on her preconceptions. However, she gradually discovers he’s far more complex and caring than she first believed.
Meanwhile, Allison struggles with finding the right moment to reveal their sisterhood. The truth becomes more complicated as Juniper grows attached to the ranch and its people, particularly Beck. When Allison finally shares their family connection, Juniper is shocked but ultimately able to embrace the news positively, having already formed deep emotional bonds with her new life in Wyoming.
As the sisters navigate their newfound relationship, Allison makes her own romantic discovery—realizing she has feelings for Xander, her childhood best friend who now works as a travel vlogger.
While romance weaves through the narrative, the true heart of the story lies in the sisterhood that blossoms between Juniper and Allison. This charming tale will appeal to fans of Hallmark movies, combining small-town warmth, found family dynamics, and closed-door romance into an engaging read.
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE LOST BOOK OF FIRST LOVES by RaeAnne Thayne.Canary Street Press. (June 3, 2025). ISBN: 9978-1335476067. 352p.
Swoon-worthy romances with lovable characters, loads of humor, and a healthy dose of drama on the way to a happily ever after.
The Blue Moon series by Lucy Score is a contemporary romance series set in the small town of Blue Moon Bend, in upstate New York. Each book features a different couple finding love amidst the quirky, close-knit community, often involving second chances, matchmaking meddling, and plenty of small-town charm. The series is known for its heartwarming, humorous, and steamy romance stories with engaging characters facing real-life challenges.
Blue Moon Bend is a character in itself, with its gossipy, but ultimately loving, residents and a strong sense of community. Rumor has it that a bunch of hippies got lost after leaving Woodstock and settled in Blue Moon Bend, creating a town that many years later is full of aging hippies and every stereotype you can think of associated with that time: VW buses abound, vegetarians, nudity, astrology, vintage clothes, and more.
Each book focuses on a different couple, but they are interconnected through the town and recurring characters and are best read in order (see author’s note about book 7). The series balances lighthearted humor with heartfelt moments, exploring themes of family, forgiveness, and finding love.
“She’s a woman, not the last piece of f**king pie. And yes, I’m calling dibs if it keeps your hands off her.”
Carter Pierce wants to spend his days tending the family farm he inherited, and that’s about it. After a tour of duty and a few bullet holes, he’s looking forward to some peace and quiet in his hometown. Unfortunately, Blue Moon doesn’t believe in peace and quiet. And his nosy neighbors sure as hell don’t know how to mind their own business.
As it turns out, neither does the big city journalist who arrives to interview him for a magazine article. Summer Lentz is out of place with her designer wardrobe and workaholic schedule. She asks too many questions and gets under his skin with her smart mouth and those denim-blue eyes. She’s also typing his family’s story a mile a minute at his kitchen table and sleeping in the bedroom across the hall. Carter’s only chance for peace is to scare her away from farm life so he can go back to his comfortable, solitary existence.
But Summer’s got a stubborn streak and secrets of her own. And once Carter starts pulling at those threads, he’s not so eager to send her packing. Will a nudge from the matchmaking Beautification Committee result in a happily ever after or a homegrown disaster?
From the BookBitch: This is a wonderful introduction to the kooky town and its inhabitants, along with a smart, sexy romance. It was so good I immediately started reading the next book, and the next – I ripped through this series in about a week, and with my vision problems, that was no small feat! These romcoms bring the sweet and the heat, and I was all in. This first book is a close proximity, opposites attract romance and it worked.
“Your kids are great,” he said, changing the subject.
“Don’t be sweet. I can’t resist sweet,” Gianna warned him.
“Your kids are monsters, and I hate your face.”
Beckett Pierce is the most eligible bachelor in the nosiest small town in upstate New York. But after his last girlfriend handcuffed herself to his porch and set his welcome mat on fire, he’s not looking for any more romance.
Especially if it lands right in his own backyard. And has miles of red hair.
Gianna Decker has her hands full—no, overflowing—with problems. With two kids, a useless ex, and a brand new yoga studio, the last thing on her mind is finding a man who’ll demand more of her time.
Fantasizing about her hot, broody landlord? Mistake. Lusting after the sexy mayor of her new town? Terrible idea. Getting naked with the “favorite” son of her father’s new lady friend? N-O. Getting involved with Beckett has disaster written all over it.
Those stolen kisses were accidental. A few moments of strings-free, sizzling passion couldn’t possibly cause any trouble. At least, not until tempers flare when their families complicate things and the interfering citizens of Blue Moon step in with their special brand of chaos.
From the BookBitch: Blue Moon’s “Beautification Committee” is, in essence, a group of busybody matchmakers whose ideal is the pairing off of everyone in town so they all can live their best lives. They often go too far with their shenanigans, but everyone is always forgiven because you can’t argue with results. Great character development throughout the series hooked me, but the romances are what kept me coming back for more.
There are two things Joey Greer is great at: Raising horses and holding grudges. Eight years ago, her high school sweetheart abandoned her, skipped out on his family, and fled to Hollywood of all places. She vowed never to forgive or forget.
Now big-shot screenwriter Jackson Pierce is back in Blue Moon demanding another chance. No place is safe from him. Not the stables. Not the only bar in town. Not even the clawfoot tub on her own deck.
No matter how good it feels when he sneaks past her defenses to land a kiss or a compliment, she is determined to pretend he doesn’t exist. Except maybe when he’s naked in her bed.
Jax can’t tell Joey the truth about the night he left. It would ruin far more than just their relationship. All he can do is sweep her off her reluctant feet with orgasms, flowers, bacon, and a rescue dog. Oh, and maybe handcuff himself to her for charity too.
The Beautification Committee has a few tricks up its devious sleeve where Jax and Joey are concerned. Tricks that will either leave the past in the past or ensure these two lovebirds can never be in the same room again.
From the BookBitch: This is a second chance, enemies-to-lovers romance, and Score nailed it.
“He’s the kind of man who would talk you into dropping your panties in a coat closet at a party, dole out orgasms like after-dinner mints, and then never call you again.”
Photographer Nikolai Vulkov is a love ’em and leave ’em bad boy with a leather jacket, motorcycle, and sexy-as-sin grin.
He is not Emma Merrill’s type. The feisty brewery manager isn’t impressed by Niko’s charm or his “no strings attached” offer. She’s the kind of girl a man settles down with. And the small town of Blue Moon is where she and her sisters have decided to put down roots.
In Niko’s experience, relationships only lead to heartache. Besides, he’s only in town until he finds a way to get his creative mojo back. He and Emma are completely wrong for each other. Even the matchmaking Beautification Committee agrees. They should definitely stay in the friend zone.
Okay. So maybe they gave in to their attraction that one time. Fine. Five times. Who’s counting? But once Emma’s ex-boyfriend shows up in town, she’ll come to her senses, and Niko will go back to New York. Right?
From the BookBitch: This book centered on a newcomer to town, but the Beautification Committee is on top of it. While Niko may have spent years as a man whore, he’s fallen hard and isn’t quite sure how this whole relationship thing actually works, but it’s so much fun watching him figure it out.
“I want to be upfront with you. No surprises, no secrets. I want you, Eva. And I think you might be it for me.”
Romance novelist Eva Merrill is a hot mess running from her past. She doesn’t mind telling a fib or two to protect her secrets and her family. It’s too bad that she moved to the nosiest small town in the world with Sheriff Sexy—the tall, built, human lie detector. He’s showing way too much interest in her and treating every conversation like it’s an interrogation.
Maybe that’s because she accidentally showed him her boobs in the middle of downtown Blue Moon. Or maybe it’s because he thinks she’s about to commit a crime. It’s definitely not that he’s attracted to her. That only happens in her novels.
Donovan Cardona loves his nice, quiet hometown, and he’s got some pretty strong feelings when it comes to a certain klutzy redhead too. But his gut says she’s hiding something. Just when he starts to peel back those layers to get to the naked truth, the entire town loses its collective mind—and inhibitions.
Can he save the girl from her past and the town from itself?
From the BookBitch: This was my least favorite book in the series. It actually reminded me of Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich, where she has a giraffe roaming the streets of New Jersey. This book was equally silly. The premise is that once every thirty-something years, the whole town goes bonkers, due to astrological phenomena and Uranus (but more for the fun of saying it.) Silly, but I did love the romance at the heart of it.
Davis Gates. Naked. Tossing her a handful of orgasms like he was on a lust-themed parade float.
Innkeeper Eden has got it all. Well, mostly. She’s cornered the hospitality market in Blue Moon offering visitors a place to stay in her hippie-dippie hometown. Business is booming, she’s close—but not too close—to family, and she’s got her dogs and her friends to keep her company.
Unfortunately, she also shares a property line with the crush who broke her teenage heart.
Davis spends his days wrestling control of the family winery from his father’s semi-retired hands. He doesn’t have time for things like dating or dealing with his grudge-holding next-door neighbor. Besides, they’re just the latest generation to participate in their families’ fifty-year feud.
When the Beautification Committee resorts to an unprecedented—and disastrous—matchmaking scheme, enemies Eden and Davis join forces to take them down. These two frenemies can survive being fake lovers for a few weeks if it means teaching their neighbors all’s not fair in love and war.
From the BookBitch: Another second chance romance with some forced proximity thrown in, and once again, a terrific read.
“This would be a lot easier if you had a sense of humor.”
“This would be a lot easier if you were a man.”
John Pierce has plans for these two hundred rundown acres. He sees a farm, a family, a future here. He’s not about to drag someone in on the ground floor. Not before he’s put in the work to turn rubble into a home. But his nosy neighbors have other ideas.
Now, he’s saddled with a grad student who was supposed to be a he. But the curvy, opinionated Phoebe is a smart-mouthed woman who seems to do nothing but question his every move. She’s ruining his nice, quiet life. And if she doesn’t finish her thesis and get out of his guest room soon, he’s going to have to scare her off.
Phoebe desperately needs this degree and the money it will bring. What she doesn’t need is this stubborn farmer’s attitude and his pathological need to avoid her. She’s trapped in this tiny hippie town, trying every trick in the book to get the stalwart John to open up. Her future is on the line. Her family needs her. And she’s not going to let a stubborn farmer stand in her way.
Very intense author note: John and Phoebe’s story is a prequel to the Blue Moon series. It follows the heart-warming, hilarious story of how they met, fell in love, and raised their boys together. But do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT read this book first. Read it sometime after book four. I’m protecting your reader experience here. I promise.
From the BookBitch: Totally agree with that author’s note! I was a bit trepidatious about reading this prequel because I don’t always love them, but this turned out to be my favorite book of the series and left me bawling more times than I care to think about. I am the first to admit that I rarely read a series in order, not because I don’t want to, but usually because I hear about a new book and I don’t realize that it is part of a series. That said, this series is best read in order, including this prequel coming in at book seven.
“Just because I don’t run around with a stupid grin on my face all day every day doesn’t mean I’m grumpy.”
Ryan Sosa, grumpy former corporate accountant, has had it up to here with surprises. He didn’t see getting fired coming. And he certainly didn’t anticipate flying across the country to the world’s hippie-est, happiest, most annoying town to save his great-uncle from some mysterious emergency.
Not only is there actual snow on the ground, it also appears that elves on psychedelics have decked Blue Moon’s halls. But he doesn’t have time to be snarky about the impending Winter Solstice and Multicultural Holiday Celebration—whatever the hell that is. Not when he’s got a farm to save, a free-range sheep that he may or may not have nudged with his stupid microscopic rental car, and some small-town veterinarian telling him she can’t take the animal off his hands.
Dr. Sammy Ames has a practice to manage and a fundraising crisis to attend to. She doesn’t have time to deal with a big-city grouch who doesn’t remember being her first kiss ever. Especially not since he wants to dump a sheep named Stan on her. So not happening. No matter how cute—and pantless—Ryan is when he’s drunk.
Besides, as soon as he solves his uncle’s problem, he’ll be on the first flight out of Blue Moon, never to return again.
It will take a Winter Solstice Miracle or perhaps some matchmaking interference from the Beautification Committee to get these two to see eye-to-eye under the mistletoe…unless he’s the wrong Ryan after all.
From the BookBitch: Just what this series needed, a holiday-themed book! I loved how all the holidays were celebrated and how, once again, the Beautification Committee struck gold. Loved it!
From the author: Go back to Blue Moon to find out how our favorite hippie dippy small town was handling the pandemic. And of course I threw in a hilarious little romance… and goats. I also included your suggestions. Deputy Layla and Guidance Counselor Huck are trapped together. Layla is on the verge of being kicked out of her rental for rescuing too many pets. Huck was just given news meant for someone else!
NOTE: This is a fun short story/novella (50 pages) and is available to read for free on the author’s website. I linked to it in the title above.
If you haven’t read the series and want a tiny taste, you can start here, but it is probably better to read it last. That said, this entire series is available through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited subscription. I got a three month free subscription during Amazon’s Prime Days last month. It doesn’t pay for me to purchase a subscription as I have access to review copies for free, but when they offer a free subscription, I almost always take them up on it and find something good to read, like this series! For a monthly fee ($11.99/month), subscribers can borrow up to 20 titles at a time, enjoying unlimited reading and listening without due dates, as long as their membership is active. It’s a good deal if you like the books they have, many of which are new, bestsellers, etc. I haven’t tried any of the audiobooks – I can’t figure out how that works exactly, and I’m not a magazine reader, so I haven’t bothered with those. But I can see this being a worthwhile subscription if you read at least a couple of books a month.
A Steamy Small-Town Rivals-to-Lovers Romance Filled with Witty Banter and Unlikely Romance at a Destination Wedding
Alone and Looking to Bone! Loudmouthed Mountain Man Seeks Fiery Woman to Grow Old With.
I might look like a tall, tattooed, bearded neanderthal…but like an onion, I have layers. Swipe right if you like a proud cat daddy who catches feelings after direct eye contact.
All I wanted was a casual plus-one to my brother’s destination wedding, but those idiots on my family tree hacked my dating profile and sabotaged my quest for the perfect weekend fling. Now I’m stuck on a tropical vacation with only my hand to keep me company.
Until I’m forced to share a room with the bane of my existence: my sister-in-law’s best friend.
Dakota has hated me for the past seven years. I wasn’t losing much sleep over her screaming rants because she was some other guy’s problem. Or she was, until she got divorced.
Being stuck in paradise with a woman who loathes your very existence doesn’t sound hot, but after an unexpected moment in our shared palapa, she starts screaming at me in a different way.
What happens in paradise stays in paradise. That is, until Dakota shows up on my mountain with a proposition: be her wingman to help her regain her pre-divorce confidence.
Suddenly, Dakota’s not just the person I love to fight with. She’s the woman I want everything with.
After enjoying the first book in this series, Nine Month Contract, this sequel was a disappointment. While that book was a bit far-fetched, I was able to suspend my disbelief and get swept up in the story. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case here.
Calder is the brother of the mountain man from the first book. Seven years ago, he met Dakota when he did renovations on her home—his first solo job, which didn’t go smoothly. Dakota was incredibly hostile toward him during the project, but since her best friend is now his sister-in-law, they’re forced to maintain contact. When his other brother plans a destination wedding in Mexico, circumstances force Calder and Dakota to share a palapa* with only one bed.
After a night of passionate sex, they return to ignoring each other. This arrangement works until they’re back home, where Dakota—fresh from a painful divorce—decides to visit a sex club to rebuild her confidence. When things go badly, Calder, who happens to be a member, comes to her rescue. From there, these two can’t keep their hands off each other until they eventually find their happy ending.
The problem is that this book felt like 80% sex scenes and only 20% actual plot development. I never got to know either character well enough to invest in their relationship, which for me, is a fatal flaw in a romance novel. Without that emotional connection, even the steamiest scenes fall flat.
The same narrators from the first book returned, and while I thought they did excellent work previously, I found their performance here deeply frustrating. I had to pause the audiobook multiple times before finally pushing through to the end. Mallon delivered a sing-songy reading that became increasingly irritating, while Hamilton sounded perpetually angry throughout the entire book. Their performances did nothing to elevate the weak material.
While this wasn’t my favorite, I’m still willing to give the next book in the series a chance. Sometimes authors hit rough patches, and I’m hoping the series will get better.
*Palapa was a new word for me, which came in handy while I was playing the NY Times Spelling Bee!
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitchSEVEN YEAR ITCH by Amy Daws.Narrators: Erin Mallon & Teddy Hamilton. Harlequin Audio. June 17, 2025. Listening Length: 10 hours and 47 minutes.
Ted Lasso meets How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days in this steamy sports romance about an infamous star soccer player who is forced to fake date a Hollywood starlet, only to develop real feelings for her—just as she learns he was pretending and vows to get even.
Abigail Hunt’s Hollywood dreams could best be described as slow burn…but she’s about to graduate from TV sidekick to dramatic actor. When the esteemed director of her breakout role suggests a deep dive for her part by shadowing the head of a struggling pro soccer team, she jumps at the chance to prove she’s ready.
Getting asked out by notorious grump and gorgeous star player Luke Wolfe wasn’t in the plan, but suddenly her research is getting a lot more…hands-on. Their relationship quickly sets social media on fire, and Luke seems determined to prove he’s more than his villainous reputation. But just when Abigail is happier than ever—her name in lights and her heart in good hands—the other cleat drops: Luke’s been coerced into faking their relationship to improve the team’s ticket sales.
Furious, Abigail refuses to give Luke the satisfaction of dumping him—she decides to get even. Over-the-top dates, treating his games like fashion shows, and befriending the fan club he hates? Count her in. It’s only a matter of time until she pushes the right buttons.
She just didn’t expect him to keep putting up with it—or to say I love you.
If you love “Ted Lasso” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”, this book is tailor-made for you—it cleverly weaves together plotlines from both.
Luke is the archetypal grumpy soccer star with a heart of gold. He’s devoted to his cancer-stricken mother and even fosters kittens in his spare time. Though he plays for Los Angeles, he desperately wants a trade to his hometown of Seattle to be closer to his mom during her treatment.
Abigail is a TV actress recovering from public humiliation, determined to land a career-defining movie role. The film centers on a professional soccer scandal, so producers arrange for her to shadow the female owner of a local soccer team. The team owners see an opportunity: they convince Luke to fake-date Abigail for positive publicity and ticket sales, dangling that coveted Seattle trade as an incentive. Luke agrees—until he actually meets Abigail.
The arrangement becomes complicated when Luke genuinely falls for her. Their first date is magical, but he can’t bring himself to reveal the arrangement’s true origins. As their relationship deepens and social media buzz grows, everyone’s happy with the results. Then Abigail discovers the truth about how their romance began.
Channeling Andie from “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” Abigail launches into hilariously over-the-top, cringe-worthy behavior designed to force Luke into breaking up with her. Chaos ensues until Luke finally comes clean about everything, confesses his true feelings, and they find their way to a happy ending.
This is a fun, fast-paced rom-com with plenty of humor, a touch of heat, and a whole lot of heart. It reads like the first in a series, with hints of the next couple waiting in the wings. A quick, light-hearted read that’s perfect for a weekend escape.
American journalist Ethan Fletcher traversed the globe to claim his late uncle’s Fleet Street print shop, only to find his unexpected inheritance is shackled by ruinous debt. To save his business and finally direct his own course, he needs to raise capital, and quickly. Good fortune comes in the form of Belinda Sinclair, the eccentric daughter of a respected London judge—and she just so happens to be a beautiful failure of a novelist.
Bruised by scandal, Belle has spent years writing a gruesome courtroom mystery no respectable publisher will touch. Until she meets Ethan—barely respectable, barely a publisher, but with two broad hands that can work a press and an enterprising spirit that breathes new life into her pages. Emboldened by the prospect of seeing her story in print, Belle agrees to Ethan’s plan: she will transform her grisly manuscript into a serialized penny dreadful, and he will sell it as a means to settle his accounts.
In the close confines of the print shop, Ethan and Belle discover their partnership is conducive to far more than fiction. Helpless to deny their deepening devotion, they dare to compose a future free of his financial burdens and her social constraints. But when a series of punishing obstacles jeopardizes the story they’ve been writing off the page, they must confront how much they are willing to lose… and what it will take to save everything.
This author was new to me, and while the book was published last year, and it made the Washington Post’s list of the best romances of 2024, it’s been sitting in my to-be-read pile ever since. This historical romance was a delightful departure from the typical nobility-focused novels that dominate the genre. Instead of the usual parade of dukes and earls, it centers on ordinary people navigating their extraordinary circumstances—a refreshing change that offers insight into how ordinary people actually lived.
Ethan, an American, arrives in London after he inherits his uncle’s print shop, only to discover he’s inherited crushing debt along with it. Having spent nearly everything on the journey, he faces losing it all unless he can find a way to pay what’s owed.
Belle, the daughter of Justice Sinclair, has an unusual passion: she loves eavesdropping on her father’s courtroom proceedings, drawing inspiration for the gory mystery novel she’s writing. Unfortunately, no publisher will touch her work, and she’s already considered a social outcast after breaking off her own engagement.
When chance brings them together, they strike a mutually beneficial deal. Ethan will serialize Belle’s novel as penny dreadfuls, using the profits to escape his debts. His ultimate dream is starting a newspaper like the one he worked for in Boston, but England’s punishing newspaper taxes make such ventures financially fraught and out of the reach of the masses.
What unfolds is a beautifully crafted story of forced proximity and shared ambition. Working side by side, Ethan and Belle gradually recognize the deepening connection between them. Their relationship develops with tender respect and genuine hope—each shared moment drawing them closer to love, each thought colored by care for the other’s dreams and happiness.
This emotionally rich novel is utterly unforgettable. For readers seeking a love story built on longing, mutual respect, and the slow, authentic unfolding of true connection, this one is a must-read.
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE FINEST PRINT by Erin Langston.Erin Langston (self-published). (September 26, 2024). ISBN: 979-8988316534. 364p.
Help Wanted: Grumpy mountain man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only. Surrogate must be impervious to grunting as the form of communication and nosy brotherly neighbors. Rustic mountain range housing available upon request.
I wanted to pummel my irritating brothers when they posted their own version of a wanted ad to help me with my life. But I can’t fault the results once the right woman lands in my lap. Becoming a single father is not a decision I made lightly. In fact, it’s the biggest decision of my entire life.
Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect. Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect. She’s the exact type of person I was holding out for.
And to my great horror, I realize on our first night of attempting this baby-making dance—when the lights are low, the cheap wine is flowing and the home-insemination supplies are laid out on the kitchen counter—I want to do a lot more than just make her my surrogate. I want to make her mine.
This romance offered a premise I hadn’t encountered before. At 38, Wyatt has sworn off relationships after experiencing romantic trauma. He lives on a mountain near his brothers, and his devotion to his teenage niece, Everly, sparks a desire for a child of his own. However, with no interest in finding a traditional partner, he decides to pursue surrogacy.
Wyatt approaches a reputable agency but finds none of their candidates appealing. When his brothers place an ad that proves equally fruitless, his enterprising niece takes matters into her own hands. While visiting the agency, she literally runs into Trista, a 28 year old woman the agency had rejected because she weighs over 200 pounds, despite being otherwise healthy.
When Everly tells her about Wyatt, Trista agrees to meet with her uncle. Trista herself has no interest in relationships or children. Her true passion is rescuing wild animals, and her dream is to open a wildlife refuge—but she needs money to make that happen. Surrogacy offers the perfect solution: she can help Wyatt while funding her dream.
Facing eviction along with her pet potbellied pig, Trista gratefully accepts Wyatt’s offer of an apartment above his barn. His lawyer draws up the paperwork, and everything is set—Trista just needs to get pregnant. She suggests using her own egg instead of a donor’s, and they opt for the “turkey baster” method she’s read about in lesbian forums. The process adds some humor to the story, and it works.
Once pregnant, Trista thrives, gradually adopting more animals despite Wyatt’s lack of enthusiasm for her menagerie. His soft heart prevents him from refusing either the animals or Trista’s requests. As they spend more time together, both develop feelings they’re determined to resist. However, their hearts ultimately override their heads, leading to their happily ever after.
My one concern involved Trista’s frequent self-references as a “cow.” While clearly intended as breeding terminology rather than body-shaming, I found it uncomfortable despite her supposed body positivity. The author introduces what’s apparently called a “breeding kink”—new territory for me in romance—but the backstory and rationale were well-developed enough that I could embrace this element.
The narration enhanced my enjoyment significantly. The readers effectively drew me into the story and brought both characters to vivid life. I’m looking forward to the next installment in this series.
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
NINE MONTH CONTRACT by Amy Daws.Narrators: Erin Mallon & Teddy Hamilton. Harlequin Audio. October 29, 2024. Listening Length: 10 hours and 50 minutes.
She returned to prove her father’s innocence, but there’s no telling what she’ll find…
It’s been fifteen years since Lucy Sinclair saw her father. Fifteen long years since she sat in a courtroom and watched him sentenced to life in prison. He murdered three victims—all people she knew—which ruined her life at just seventeen. But now she’s back in Virginia to talk to him, wondering if there’s more to the story of what happened that fateful night.
An old flame, Ford Wagner, makes his own return to North Hampton Beach, fleeing a marriage that seems destined for divorce. He’s wary of Lucy and her digging into the past, but the more time they spend together, the closer they get and the more he finds himself reconsidering the truth behind the death of their mutual friend that summer. Problem is, there are plenty of those in this small coastal town who would prefer things stay quiet…
Lucy was seventeen when her father was convicted of murdering three people in their small town. The conviction shattered her world—the townspeople turned against her, and she felt forced to flee. She hasn’t returned home or spoken to her father in fifteen years.
Now, haunted by unanswered questions about that terrible summer, Lucy decides to return to uncover the truth she’s never understood.
The town has always drawn wealthy summer residents to their sprawling beachfront homes, and Ford is among them this year. He’s come back to prepare his family’s house for sale while grappling with his impending divorce. Fifteen years ago, he and Lucy had shared an intense but brief romance during that fateful summer. Though they’d fallen hard for each other, Ford abandoned Lucy when his family pressured him to cut ties after her father’s arrest—a decision that has haunted him ever since.
When Ford discovers Lucy has returned, his protective instincts flare. The townspeople make their hostility clear, especially as Lucy begins asking dangerous questions about the past. What begins as renewed friendship deepens into something more as Ford joins Lucy’s search for answers.
While a bit slow and somewhat repetitive in the beginning, as the story unfurls, it becomes much more engaging. This second-chance romance weaves together mystery and passion as two former lovers investigate the crimes that tore their world apart. The combination of coastal intrigue and rekindled love creates a compelling story of redemption, truth, and the courage to face the past.
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE SUMMER THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING by Brenda Novak.MIRA (June 3, 2025). ISBN: 978-0778360162. 368p.
Sleeping with the best man at my cousin’s wedding felt right at the time—he was a hot, available firefighter, and I was the tipsy maid of honor. It’s a rite of passage.
No regrets… until two pink lines flipped my world upside down.
Now I’m wildly unprepared and trying to hide my pregnancy in my small Alaskan town where privacy is a myth and gossip spreads faster than frostbite.
But wait, it gets worse.
Baby Daddy just came back to town—with a fiancée in tow.
And guess who she wants to plan their wedding?
Me.
Keeping the secret was hard enough.
Keeping my distance from the father of my baby? Impossible.
Just when I think I have it all figured out, he reveals his own secret that changes everything.
Authors Note: There is no cheating in this book. Gasp! We would never.
Harper Bailey runs a thriving wedding planning business in the small Alaskan town of Lake Starlight. After serving as maid of honor at her cousin’s wedding, she has an unforgettable one-night stand with Finn, the best man. Despite taking precautions, Harper discovers she’s pregnant. With Finn living thousands of miles away in Vermont, Harper knows she has to tell him, even though she expects nothing in return.
While summer keeps her busy with destination weddings, Harper never expected fall and even winter to become so popular for Alaskan weddings, with couples choosing Alaska’s scenic beauty over traditional sunny destinations. When a new client arrives for a consultation, Harper is stunned to see that the woman’s fiancé is Finn. Unable to risk losing clients in her growing business, Harper decides to stay quiet about their situation for now.
During the couple’s return visit to tour venues, only Finn shows up—his fiancée is swamped with work and has left the wedding decisions to him. As Harper guides him through potential locations, she finally reveals her pregnancy. Finn’s reaction is far more supportive than she anticipated from what was supposed to be just a one-night encounter.
After returning to Vermont and telling his fiancée the truth, Finn’s engagement ends. The relationship had complications from the start, involving a family inheritance and his family’s struggling ski resort that needed financial help. Determined not to be an absent father, Finn decides to relocate to Alaska. As a firefighter, he’s confident he can find work there.
Harper is amazed when Finn expresses his desire to be actively involved in their child’s life. Though the attraction between them remains strong, they agree to focus on friendship and co-parenting rather than complicate things further. In tiny Lake Starlight, Finn struggles to find long-term housing, so Harper offers her guest room as a temporary solution. She also asks her uncle, an Anchorage firefighter, to recommend Finn to both his station and the local Lake Starlight department.
Living under the same roof intensifies their connection and the undeniable chemistry between them. Pregnancy hormones add fuel to the fire, and eventually, they give in to their physical attraction. When Finn gets hired at the local fire station, a colleague mentions his rental property becoming available. As they tour the place together, Harper impulsively admits she doesn’t want him to move out.
In the end, Harper and Finn choose to be together and find their happily ever after.
The narrators brought this story to life brilliantly and kept me engaged throughout. It’s an entertaining tale with just the right amount of heat, and now I’m eager to find the earlier books in this series. Piper Rayne never disappoints!
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE COMPLICATION WITH THE BEST MAN by Piper Rayne.Narrators: Scott Rose & Willa Jaymes. Piper Rayne Inc. June 20, 2025. Listening Length: 7 hours and 32 minutes.
From New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean, a razor-sharp, wildly sexy novel about a wealthy New England family’s long-overdue reckoning . . . and the one week that threatens to tear them apart.
Alice Storm hasn’t been welcome at her family’s magnificent private island off the Rhode Island coast in five years—not since she was cast out and built her life beyond the Storm name, influence, and untold billions. But the shocking death of her larger-than-life father changes everything.
Alice plans to keep her head down, pay her final respects (such as they are), and leave the minute the funeral is over. Unfortunately, her father had other plans. The eccentric, manipulative patriarch left his family a final challenge—an inheritance game designed to upend their world. The rules are clear: spend one week on the island, complete their assigned tasks, and receive the inheritance.
But a whole week on Storm Island is no easy task for Alice. Every corner of the sprawling old house is bursting with chaos: Her older sister’s secret love affair. Her brother’s unyielding arrogance. Her younger sister’s constant analysis of the vibes. Her mother’s cold judgment. And all under the stern, watchful gaze of Jack Dean, her father’s intriguing and too-handsome second-in-command. It will be a miracle if Alice manages to escape unscathed.
A smart and tender story about the transformative power of grief, love, and family, this luscious novel explores past secrets, present truths, and futures forged in the wake of wild summer storms.
“A gripping inheritance drama, wrapped around a swoony summer romance.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Longtime fans of MacLean’s historical novels will recognize her singular romance prowess in this tale of twisted family drama and unfortunate connections.”—The Washington Post
“In her contemporary fiction debut, a glamorous, scandalous picture of a messy family whose wealth has given them everything except for love.”—Library Journal, starred review
“MacLean’s dedicated readers will recognize her strong characterization and her ability to spin a tight plot with enough surprises to keep the pages turning.”—Booklist, starred review
“MacLean’s first foray into contemporary family drama has notes of Succession along with the steamy romance she’s known for in her historical novels.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Alice Storm has been estranged from her ultra-wealthy family for five years, but when her father dies, she’s summoned back to the family’s private island. She hasn’t spoken to her parents or siblings in all that time, but plans to pay her respects and leave quickly—or so she thinks. But her father has one final surprise waiting.
Jack Dean, her father’s trusted second-in-command, delivers shocking news to the assembled family. Their patriarch has left explicit instructions for the week ahead: everyone must remain on the island and complete specific assigned tasks. If anyone fails or leaves early, no one inherits a dime. With so much money at stake, everyone reluctantly agrees—except for Alice, who has built a life completely independent of the family’s fortune. Yet, under pressure and guilt, she stays to see her father’s strange, week-long challenge through.
The setup creates fertile ground for exploring years of unresolved emotional baggage. The story dives deep into the tangled web of family resentments and secrets, reminiscent of the power struggles in Succession. But unlike the rest of the family, Alice is a grounding force—practical, self-aware, and resistant to the family’s toxic pull. Meanwhile, Jack is there to judge the competition, but sparks fly between him and Alice, leaving her uncertain whether getting close to him is wise. The novel expertly balances intense family drama with a compelling romantic subplot that never overshadows the main story.
This is MacLean’s first novel outside the historical romance genre, and she absolutely nailed it. The premise is fresh and compelling, the characters vividly drawn, and the story itself impossible to put down. Highly recommend!
Personal note: This book brought back a lot of memories for me. It was reminiscent of my family dynamic, in particular my father, who had money and thought he could control everyone that way. It worked, for the most part, except with me. We didn’t get along; our values, morals, and ethics were just too disparate. In fact, I hadn’t spoken to him in more than thirty years when he passed away.
Unlike the father in the book, mine didn’t leave behind a set of challenges after his death. Instead, a few years earlier, when his wife was seriously ill, she convinced him to give her children a lot of money. Not sure how much, but one of my step-siblings described it as “never having to work again” money, so not insignificant.
As for me, I never cared about his money, and he could never understand that. I used to joke that my father’s side of the family put the “dys” in dysfunctional, and truthfully, I was much happier living my life without them.
Fortunately, I had a wonderful mother, and when she eventually remarried, her husband became so much more than just a stepfather—he truly was my dad in every way that mattered. He also became my husband’s best friend. I miss them both terribly.
7/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THESE SUMMER STORMS by Sarah MacLean.Ballantine Books (July 8, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593972250. 400p.
From USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros comes a friends to lovers romance novella set in her Legacy world.
It only takes a spark . . .
In Legacy, Colorado, I buried my father alongside his elite Hotshot team. Ten years later, I’ve followed in his footsteps—fighting fires in the mountains of Alaska with my brother.
Amid the flames, nothing ignites me like Avery Claire. She’s stubborn, strong, sexy as hell, and my best friend. She also has no idea that I’m in love with her.
But Colorado is calling me home, needing every Legacy-born firefighter to successfully rebuild our fathers’ team.
One night will change everything between us, but she’s tied to Alaska, and my future is in Colorado. Now I’m torn between what my honor demands, and what my heart can’t live without.
After their father died fighting a fire, River and his brother left Legacy behind. Though they followed in their father’s footsteps as hotshots, they relocated to Alaska to escape painful memories and start fresh. When they learn they’re needed to help resurrect the Legacy Hotshot team, they realize it’s finally time to go home.
Avery, River’s best friend, has long wished their friendship could become something more—unaware that River feels the same way. But Avery is bound to the small town by the responsibility of caring for her abusive, alcoholic father. When she and River finally confess their feelings, Avery finds herself torn between staying to care for her father and following her heart. There is a way forward, but the path is anything but smooth.
Even shorter than the series’ first novella, Point of Origin, this book felt rushed because of its brevity. While I generally prefer full-length novels over novellas, I enjoyed this story despite feeling it would have benefited from more development and expansion.
7/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
IGNITE by Rebecca Yarros.Narrators: Carly Robins & Tim Paige. Tantor Audio. March 26, 2024. Listening Length: 3 hours and 37 minutes.
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