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Dream Harbor, Book 4

From the publisher:

Every book in the Dream Harbor series can be read as a standalone.

As a world-renowned chef, single dad Archer never planned on moving to a small town, let alone running a pancake restaurant. But Dream Harbor needs a new chef, and Archer needs a community to help raise his daughter, Olive.

Iris has never managed to hold down a job for more than a few months. So when it’s suggested that Archer is looking for a live-in nanny, she almost runs in the opposite direction.

Now, Iris finds herself in a whole new world. One where her gorgeous new boss lives right across the hall and likes to cook topless… Keeping everything strictly professional should be easy, right?

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House is a cozy romance with a single dad and found family dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed!

https://amzn.to/3Dwq42u

This is such a fun series, and I love that each book stands alone. This story centers around Archie, a renowned chef, who discovers he is the father of a five-year-old girl named Olive after her mother’s untimely passing. To secure full custody, Archie relinquishes his prestigious career in Paris and relocates to Dream Harbor, where he takes a position at a local diner. His goal is to demonstrate his ability to provide a stable environment for Olive.

However, Archie faces numerous challenges as he adjusts to his new life. The townspeople resist the changes he makes to the diner’s menu, Olive initially refuses to talk to him, and the elderly ladies of the town frequently visit – daily – to assess his parenting skills. Overwhelmed, Archie desperately needs assistance.

Enter Iris, who is struggling to maintain employment, is facing financial difficulties, and is about to be evicted. Becoming Olive’s nanny seems like an ideal opportunity for her, despite the challenges of working with Archie, who is both gruff and captivating, and the fact she’s never worked with or really been around children; Iris figures her experience dealing with senior citizens is close enough. Iris has never had a serious relationship, or really any kind of relationship, past a couple of weekends of sex. Archie has been so focused on his career that he, too, has never been in a relationship.

As Iris navigates her role, she finds herself increasingly drawn to Archie, but both are aware that pursuing a romantic relationship could jeopardize their goals. Archie is committed to being a good father and securing full custody, while Iris cannot afford to lose another job, especially one that offers stability. However, a purely physical relationship could be an option…

As time passes, the attraction between them intensifies despite the promise of trouble if they continue. The question arises whether this connection could evolve into something more meaningful, potentially forming the kind of family neither had envisioned nor really ever wanted. Could these two individuals, each facing their own struggles, come together to create a lasting and fulfilling family unit?

The story incorporates the forced proximity, grumpy meets sunshine, and opposites attract tropes. Additionally, the themes of a single dad, found family and slow-burn romance are skillfully woven throughout, making it incredibly engaging and impossible to put down – I read it on a Sunday, and it was the highlight of my weekend! (To be fair, the bar was set pretty low; my usual highlights are cooking, cleaning, and laundry.) If you haven’t read this series, this is a good place to start, although reading the first book that introduces the town, the element that ties these books together, is also a good idea. If you like small-town romances with a bit of heat, give this series a look. I love it!

3/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE STRAWBERRY PATCH PANCAKE HOUSE by Laurie Gilmore. HarperCollins (March 13, 2025). ASIN: ‎B0DDSVS6MY. 345p.

Paperback (note: paperback doesn’t come out until 3/18/25)

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Marked Men, Book 6

From the publisher:

A Police Officer Falls for a Bad Boy Criminal in this Spicy Romance Novel
from the Series That Inspired the Upcoming Film “Marked Men: Rule and Shaw“

Jay Crownover’s New York Times and USA Today bestselling Marked Men series continues with the much anticipated story of southern charmer and certified criminal Asa Cross.

Starting over in Denver with a whole new circle of friends and family, Asa Cross struggles with being the man he knows everyone wants him to be and the man he knows he really is. A leopard doesn’t it change its spots and Asa has always been a predator. He doesn’t want to hurt those who love and rely on him, especially one luscious arresting cop who suddenly seems to be interested in him for far more than his penchant for breaking the law. But letting go of old habits is hard, and it’s easy to hit bottom when it’s the place you know best.

Royal Hastings is quickly learning what the bottom looks like after a tragic situation at work threatens not only her career but her partner’s life. As a woman who has only ever had a few real friends she’s trying to muddle through her confusion and devastation all alone. Except she can’t stop thinking about the sexy southern bartender she locked up. Crushing on Asa is the last thing she needs but his allure is too strong to resist. His long criminal record can only hurt her already shaky career and chasing after a guy who has no respect for the law or himself can only end in heartbreak.

A longtime criminal and a cop together just seems so wrong . . . but for Asa and Royal, being wrong together is the only right choice to make.

“Crownover wraps up her Marked Men series in safe mode, giving Asa Cross—maybe the baddest of her bad-boy heroes—a convenient redemption plot . . . What might have been an edgy plot with spiky sex is instead predicable and tame.” –Publishers Weekly

“The final book in Crownover’s popular Marked Men series tells the story of the cop and the criminal . . . Crownover has created a well-developed cast of strong and realistic characters who are living interesting lives and dealing with compelling contemporary issues.” –Booklist

https://amzn.to/41EXbus

This is the last book of the Marked Men series, and I’m sorry to say it ended with a whimper. “The Marked Men” series is based around a group of friends, most of whom work in a tattoo shop in the Denver area and have various body modifications. This book centers around Asa and Royal.

Royal is a cop so that automatically makes her of no interest to Asa. Asa’s sister, Ayden, is married to one of the Marked Men, Jet, but Asa and Ayden had a terrible childhood that carried over to adulthood. Asa had spent most of his adult life as a con man and crook, and his past finally catches up with him when he steals from a drug cartel. They beat him senseless and leave him for dead, but somehow, he survives. He moves to Denver to recuperate, and Ayden’s friend hires him to bartend. He’s good at it and finally realizes he needs to change, or he will die. It’s not easy, but Asa becomes a straight-up good citizen, despite all the drama thrown in his direction.

Royal has issues of her own. Her best friend/partner was hurt on the job, and she is trying to deal with her feelings of guilt about it. She doesn’t really have any other friends until she befriends her neighbor’s girlfriend, or rather, she is befriended. Royal has the hots for Asa, but after she arrests him for fighting, he is just not interested. Turns out the charges against him were phony and were dropped. Royal starts hanging out in the bar where he works, and the more time they spend together, the more difficult it becomes for Asa to resist the gorgeous woman in uniform.

This book felt drawn out and somewhat repetitive to me. There wasn’t enough drama here, and what there was just felt manufactured rather than real. I loved this series, but if this is the way it ended, I’m glad it did. I’m hoping that the next series, The Saints of Denver, will be more in line with the first several books of this series.

The Marked Men Series:

1. Rule
2. Jet
3. Rome
4. Nash
5. Rowdy
6. Asa

2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ASA by Jay Crownover. Avon (March 30, 2015). ISBN: 978-0062333070. 379p.

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Marked Men, Book 5

From the publisher:

A Spicy Forbidden Ex’s Older Sister Romance
from the Series That Inspired the Upcoming Film “Marked Men: Rule and Shaw“

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling Marked Men series continues with this sizzling, sexy story of love, heartbreak, fate, and second chances.

After the only girl he ever loved told him that he would never be enough, Rowdy St. James knocked the Texas dust off his boots and set out to live up to his nickname. A good ol’ boy looking for good times and good friends, Rowdy refuses to take anything too seriously, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. Burned by love once, he isn’t going to let himself trust a woman again. But that’s before his new co-worker arrives, a ghost from the past who’s suddenly making him question every lesson he ever learned.

Salem Cruz grew up in a house with too many rules and too little fun—a world of unhappiness she couldn’t wait to forget. But one nice thing from childhood has stayed with her; the memory of the sweet, blue-eyed boy next door who’d been head over heels in love with her little sister.

Now, fate and an old friend have brought her and Rowdy together, and Salem is determined to show him that once upon a time he picked the wrong sister. A mission that is working perfectly—until the one person that ties them together appears, threatening to tear them apart for good.

“The characters of Crownover’s Marked Men series are all outlandishly colorful and irresistably passionate, while still being so genuine that their stories become unforgettable. This fifth installment, which reunites old friends and lovers, is no exception.” — RT Book Reviews (top pick)

“Full of intimate yet spicy scenes, this novel takes readers on an emotional ride. Though it is mostly lighthearted, Crownover’s frank novel does addresses domestic violence and abuse.” — Booklist

https://amzn.to/41gvGpk

This is the fifth book of the Marked Men series and I just can’t stop reading them. “The Marked Men” series is based around a group of friends, most of whom work in a tattoo shop in the Denver area and have various body modifications. This book centers around Salem and Rowdy.

Rowdy is a tattoo artist, and Salem is hired on to run their new store. Rowdy and Salem, and Salem’s younger sister Poppy, all grew up together and all had unhappy childhood homes. Salem ran away when she turned 18, leaving her sister and Rowdy behind to struggle along as best as they could. They ended up going to college together, but then a rift occurred, and Salem doesn’t know why. Rowdy acts like Poppy was the love of his life, but he is Salem’s true love, so she is happy to be working with him. Until she finds out he proposed to her sister.

I don’t generally like sisters vying for the same man, but even though it sounds like that, it isn’t. Crownover takes it in a different direction, and it makes sense. Salem’s parents were super religious, and she was a constant disappointment to them, while Poppy did everything they wanted of her, with some dire results. Salem and Rowdy find their way to friendship and more, with a lot of heat and fun interactions until they reach their happy ending. But there is a lot of drama before that happens, making this another unputdownable read. I can’t wait to read the last book in the series, but I’m also sad it is ending. Luckily, Crownover has many more series to explore.

The Marked Men Series:

1. Rule
2. Jet
3. Rome
4. Nash
5. Rowdy
6. Asa

2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ROWDY by Jay Crownover. William Morrow Paperbacks (October 21, 2014). ISBN: 978-0062333056. 416p.

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Marked Men, Book 4

From the publisher:

A Second Chance, Former School Bully Romance
from the Series That Inspired the Upcoming Film “Marked Men: Rule and Shaw“

From New York Times bestselling author Jay Crownover comes the fourth book in the Marked Men series.

Saint Ford has worked hard to achieve her childhood dream of becoming of nurse. Focused on her work and devoted to her patients, there’s no room for love. She doesn’t need a guy making waves in her calm, serene life—especially when he’s the unforgettable hottie who nearly destroyed her in high school. Dark, brooding Nash Donovan might not remember her or the terrible pain he caused. But he turned her world upside down . . . and now he’s trying to do it again.

Saint has no idea that Nash isn’t the cocky player he once was. Uncovering a devastating family secret has rocked his world, and now he’s struggling to figure out his future. He can’t be distracted by the pretty nurse he seems to meet everywhere. Still, he can’t ignore the sparks that fly between them—or how she seems so desperate to get away from him. But the funny, sweet, and drop-dead gorgeous Saint is far too amazing to give up on—especially since she’s the only thing in his life that seems to make sense.

When Nash discovers the truth about their past, he realizes he may have lost her heart before he could even fight for it. Now, Saint has to decide: is Nash worth risking herself for all over again?

https://amzn.to/41vgAOn

This is the fourth book of the Marked Men series and I just can’t stop reading them. “The Marked Men” series is based around a group of friends, most of whom work in a tattoo shop in the Denver area and have various body modifications. This book centers around Nash and Saint. Nash is one of the tattoo artists in the shop, and Saint is a nurse in the hospital where Nash’s Uncle Phil has been taken. He has cancer, which he neglected to mention to Nash, and he is devastated. He runs into Saint and doesn’t really remember her at first, but boy, does she remember him. They went to high school together, but ran in very different crowds. Saint was overweight and bookish, and Nash ran with the wild bunch. But senior year their lockers were next to each other, and Nash, unlike the rest of his crowd, was always friendly and kind to her.

What Saint doesn’t know is that Nash always thought that she was out of his league – too smart for the likes of him. What Nash doesn’t know is that Saint had so few friends that his kindness was a big deal to her, and she had a major crush on him. When he asked her if she would be at a party one Friday night, she took that to be an invitation and said yes. But when she got there, he was drunk and making out with someone else. Distraught, she took off, only to overhear him talking to his friends. He made some very disparaging remarks about a girl, and she assumed it was her he was talking about. It devastated her to the point where she still had no self-confidence, even though she was a grown woman. Childhood traumas can be lasting, that’s for sure, especially during the teen years.

Nash is strongly attracted to the beautiful nurse, but she wants no part of him. But they keep running into one another, and the kindness that she can’t help but show him leads to real sexual tension between them. They are at Rule and Shaw’s wedding when Saint has a bit of a panic attack and leaves. Nash goes after her, and the next thing you know, they are in bed together. He gets her off, and she is so shocked that she orgasmed with a man that she bursts into tears and takes off, leaving him, shall we say, unfulfilled.

Nash is the only man Saint has ever had real feelings for. There is a great scene when her boss pressures her into going out to a party with the hot doc at the hospital, and she agrees, only to walk out on him and his pretentious friends. I liked seeing Saint grow a bit of a spine, which carries over to her relationship with Nash. Eventually, they find their way to one another, but it is a difficult journey for both of them.

This book wasn’t as good a read for me as the previous books in the series, but it was still very enjoyable. I’m looking forward to Rowdy’s story next!

The Marked Men Series:

1. Rule
2. Jet
3. Rome
4. Nash
5. Rowdy
6. Asa

2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

NASH by Jay Crownover. William Morrow Paperbacks (April 29, 2014). ISBN: 978-0062333032. 400p.

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Ballers and Babes, Book 1

From the publisher:

When the hot new quarterback desperately needs a fake girlfriend he turns to his best friend’s sister, only to find that she may turn out to be the woman of his dreams even though she’s been right there all along…

When I enter the Most Valuable Playboy charity auction, my goal is simple―be the player who goes for the most dough. But when trouble shows up at the auction, I need a whole new play.

Enter Violet―she’s my best friend’s sister and she’s my close friend too. With a smile as sweet as cherry pie and a mind that runs quicker than the 40-yard-dash, Violet saves the day with the highest bid. I don’t even give her a two-minute warning before I kiss her in front of the whole crowd and then announce that she’s my girlfriend. 

Which would be fine except my agent tells me we’ve got to keep up the act while he’s negotiating my contract. Violet takes one for the team and pretends to be mine, and soon our boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage quickly turns into a full contact sport.

But falling for her wasn’t in the playbook…

“A Lauren Blakely book is a guarantee of a good time.” ―Meghan Quinn, New York Times bestselling author

https://amzn.to/3QbC0JU

Cooper doesn’t mind being auctioned off for charity. In previous years, the NFL star was the top money draw, and he had interesting one-night stands with the winners. But this year he is in trouble. There is a local radio talk show host who has been talking about him in terms that make him very uncomfortable. Cooper is panicking that she might win him in the auction, and he really needs to avoid that.

Violet is Cooper’s best friend’s sister, and the three of them have been friends for most of their lives. Violet is at the auction to do hair for the players, so when Cooper realizes what is afoot with the auction, he begs her to bid on him with his own money. Once Vi sees what’s happening, she’s happy to step up, and she wins the auction. To really seal the deal, Cooper kisses her in front of the crowd and announces that she is his girlfriend, hoping to keep that talk show host at bay.

Cooper’s contract is up for renewal at the end of the season, and his agent thinks he needs to keep Violet as his girlfriend to help with the negotiations. Since she won him at the auction, Violet’s hair salon has been super busy with people trying to catch a glimpse of the football star, but her landlord is giving her a hard time about a new lease. They come to an agreement; they will fake-date until his contract is signed and her lease is renewed. But of course, pesky feelings get in the way.

This was a super flirty read with terrific banter and some steamy sex. Another hit for Blakely!

2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY by Lauren Blakely. Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 18, 2025). ISBN: 978-1464228865. 336p.

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Marked Men, Book 3

From the publisher:

A Sweet and Spicy Grumpy Military Hero Romance
from the Series That Inspired the Upcoming Film “Marked Men: Rule and Shaw“

Sometimes the wrong choice can be just right . . .

Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed “bad boy” friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won’t let herself get burned again. She’s waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.

Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He’s stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he’s returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome’s used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he’s just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray.Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . .

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller

https://amzn.to/4hzaVfN

This third book of the Marked Men series is just as compelling a read as the first two. “The Marked Men” series is based around a group of friends, most of whom work in a tattoo shop in the Denver area and have various body modifications. This book centers around Rome and Cora. Rome’s brother Rule (first book in the series) is a tattoo artist, and Cora manages the store and does all the body piercing for their customers.

Rome is an Army veteran, recently retired and not sure what to do next. He had a big fight with his parents and hasn’t spoken to them in a while, but he and Rule are tight. Rome is suffering from PTSD and is mostly choosing vodka as a coping mechanism. Cora and Rome get off to a rocky start; she calls him Captain No-Fun and dumps a beer over his head. He takes off and finds himself in a dive bar, and the owner, Brite, recognizes something of himself in Rome. Rome gets pretty drunk, ends up in a fight with some bikers, and Brite calls the tattoo shop, hoping that Rule will take him home. Rule isn’t there; Cora is alone, closing up, and she decides she’ll pick up Rome so he can avoid more family drama with his brother.

Rome is a big guy, and Cora is tiny but strong, and somehow she maneuvers him into her bed. She’s planning on sleeping on the couch, but somehow Rome passes out on top of her, pinning her to the bed, and that’s how they stay. Until he wakes up and kisses her. Cora thinks Rome is the hottest guy she’s ever seen, and she is fine with a one-night stand. Cora had a bad breakup in her past, and she is determined to find what she calls Mr. Perfect; Rome is a long way from that.

Rome is smitten with the little pixie, who is nicknamed Tink, short for Tinkerbell. She is inked and pierced all over, and is surprised that Rome finds her attractive as he is straightlaced Army as they come. They continue sleeping together because the sex is so good, and he knows he is not her Mr. Perfect. But the more time they spend together, the more Cora realizes that perfection comes in many forms, and maybe Rome is perfect for her.

There is a lot of drama going on with the bikers and the bar, which adds a lot of tension to the story. This was another unputdownable read, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

The Marked Men Series:

1. Rule
2. Jet
3. Rome
4. Nash
5. Rowdy
6. Asa

2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ROME by Jay Crownover. William Morrow Paperbacks (January 7, 2014). ISBN: 978-0062302427. 384p.

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Marked Men, Book 2

From the publisher:

A Spicy Opposites-Attract Rockstar Romance

With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl’s rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. She’s afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire.

Jet can’t resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he’s tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships.

Will the blaze burn into an enduring love. . . or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes?

https://amzn.to/4aWlxmb

This second book of the Marked Men series is just as compelling a read as the first. “The Marked Men” series is based around a group of friends, most of whom work in a tattoo shop in the Denver area and have various body modifications. This book centers around Jet and Ayden, neither of whom works there but are part of the friends circle.

Ayden is from Kentucky, and no one, not even her closest friends, knows much about her background, and she likes it that way. She is a college student and cocktail waitress at the bar where they all hang out, mostly because of the live, heavy metal music that is featured there. Jet fronts one of those bands, but his real love is in finding new talent and helping them create the best album they can in his studio. When Ayden first sees him perform, she is immediately drawn to him. But she is determined to change her past, and that includes dating bad boys. Instead, she’s been dating a classmate who is a really nice guy, despite his preppy clothes. Sadly, Ayden just doesn’t feel any kind of attraction to him, even though he is everything she has decided she needs; kind, steadfast, smart, and driven to succeed. Best laid plans and all that…

Despite all the drama in their lives, Jet and Ayden eventually realize that they are made for each other, and find their happy ending, but there are some crazy obstacles along the way. These characters have really interesting backstories, which lends a lot of depth to the story. Another excellent addition to this series – I’m looking forward to the next book for sure.

The Marked Men Series:

1. Rule
2. Jet
3. Rome
4. Nash
5. Rowdy
6. Asa

2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

JET by Jay Crownover. William Morrow Paperbacks (November 19, 2013). ISBN: 978-0062302410. 394p.

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