As my long time readers know, I have been having trouble with my eyes for years now. I have a somewhat unusual form of glaucoma, called Narrow Angle Glaucoma, that has been treated fairly successfully. I’ve had numerous surgeries along the way, and my next is scheduled for mid-October. That one is a fairly common procedure, but with a twist – I have a cataract in my left eye, but it has somehow attached itself to my iris. My surgeon says it’s just a few more steps for him to take, and that he can do it in his sleep – which I begged him not to do!
Due to surgery to repair a hole in my macula, I ended up with a small blind spot in my right eye. It is due to scar tissue, which I discovered when I had to take the vision test to renew my driver’s license. I had to read some lines, and when I finished, the woman at the DMV asked me to please read the last column. But I didn’t see another column! I had to get a letter from the eye doctor to renew my license, in which I learned a somewhat scary fact – you can actually be legally blind and still allowed to drive, provided you have a note from the doctor.
I know as I age, it is only going to get worse, not better. I have pretty much given up on reading print books, and thank God for the Kindle. I feel so blessed that this is happening to me now, when there are digital options available. If this had happened to me in a previous generation, I would have been screwed. With all that, I decided I had best learn to listen to audiobooks.
Over the years, I’ve tried many times to listen, but I always found my mind wandering. I would be driving along and realize I had no idea what was happening in the book I was listening to. I ended up successfully listening to some children’s books, and read the entire Harry Potter series on Audible. Then I graduated to the Outlander series. I had read all the print books, but my BFF Judy told me to try the audiobooks, too – she loved the reader. Davina Porter is the narrator, and she is Scottish but completely understandable (not always the case!), and she really added depth to the stories. Not only did I listen to them all, but so did my husband! I also watched the series on Starz, with subtitles because Scottish/British accents are not always understandable to me. Porter has retired with only one book left in the series, so the publisher has entrusted it to one of the stars of the TV series, Kristin Atherton, who plays the new Jenny, starting in season 7 (IYKYK). Not only will she read the last book in the series when (???) it comes out, but she has reread the entire series. You can now listen to either narrator. I haven’t tried them yet, though I will definitely be listening to the last book in the series that she reads.
Meanwhile, I have finally found that I can listen to romances on audio successfully. Makes sense, that’s what I read, primarily, so why not listen to them too? That said, I have found many books that I love, and several others that I just couldn’t listen to. Sometimes it was the narrators, sometimes it was the story itself.
Recently, my friend Nora suggested I try the Lucky River Ranch series by Jessica Peterson. I snagged the first book, Cash, from Hoopla, my favorite library audiobook app. I listened to the first few chapters and had to stop. I love Western romances, but apparently, I don’t like Western accents! I grabbed the ebook instead and loved it. I haven’t tried that with most of the audiobooks I’ve stopped, however, because they weren’t recommended by someone I trust but rather suggested by the publisher or algorithm.
I am privileged to have access to advance copies of upcoming titles and have started many audiobooks that way. I have also not finished many of them. There are also many audiobooks that I borrowed from my library but didn’t finish, but unfortunately, I didn’t keep records of those.
They are divided into two camps: books that I just didn’t like the story enough to keep going, and you can tell those by how far I got. And books that I didn’t like the narrator, and you can tell those by how far I didn’t get.
If you’ve read my audiobook reviews, you know that there are some narrators who irritated me, but I pushed on and listened to them anyway. I guess sometimes I have more patience than other times.
I remember when I worked for the public library prior to listening to audiobooks, I had patrons who selected audiobooks by the narrator and didn’t really care about the author or even the genre. I haven’t tried that yet, but it seems like most of the narrators I like generally read in the romance genre, so maybe that wouldn’t help me spread my wings, so to speak.
Is there a narrator that you love? Will listen to anything they read? Or a narrator you hate and wouldn’t listen to even if your favorite author had the narrator reading their book? I’d love to hear about your audiobook experiences! I am looking for suggestions as I travel along my audiobook journey. Please leave comments below. I read them all. Thanks!
It was a fun Vegas getaway—until I woke up married to my ex-fiancé’s brother.
After Watson brother #1 ditched me at the altar, I stopped believing in happily-ever-afters. So I have no clue how I ended up saying “I do” to Brooks—Watson brother #2—somewhere between tequila shots and bad decisions.
Okay, that may not be true.
Sheriff Watson has been a charming thorn in my side ever since his brother left our small ranch town in his rearview mirror. He’s a little too steady, a little too sweet, and way too intuitive because he sees through my facade. But no matter how tempting he is, he’s still a Watson.
I demand an annulment. He refuses, bargaining four real dates before he signs.
Fine. I’ll sabotage each one and keep my heart safely locked away. It’s easier this way because he has no idea the secret I’m keeping.
Of course, Brooks doesn’t go down easy—he has enough faith for both of us. He tackles my fears at every turn, making me wonder what would happen if I went all in.
But trusting the wrong man once nearly ruined me—doing it again might finish the job.
I first read the third book in this series, The One I Didn’t See Coming, and intended to circle back to the earlier ones—but forgot. Then this newest installment popped up in my Hoopla feed—bless the algorithm, because it turned out to be an absolute delight.
The drunken Vegas wedding is romance novel gold, and this story executed the trope perfectly. Lottie’s backstory provides the emotional foundation: Holden Watson left her at the altar, devastating her ability to trust—both men and herself. So when she wakes up married to his brother, Brooks, after a night she can’t remember, mortification doesn’t begin to cover it. An immediate annulment seems like the only solution.
Brooks, however, has secretly harbored feelings for Lottie for years. Once Holden claimed her, Brooks stepped aside. But now that fate has thrown them together, he’s not letting go without a fight. His parents are furious, hers are curious, and Brooks—small-town sheriff and son of the mayor—is determined to prove he’s the right man for her. He negotiates four dates before he’ll agree to an annulment. Those four dates change everything.
This is a slow-burn romance packed with angst, humor, heart, and heat—plenty to keep the pages flying. My only complaint is the cover design, which I found genuinely off-putting. But Piper Rayne, the writing duo behind the book, never disappoints—and this one’s no exception. I’ve downloaded the first two books in the series, so expect those reviews soon!
9/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
CHASING FOREVER by Piper Rayne.Narrators: Vanessa Edwin & Stephen Dexter. Piper Rayne Inc.. August 22, 2025. Listening Length: 8 hours and 35 minutes.
An utterly delightful and sexy second-chance romance between a black cat and golden retriever with Mazey Edding’s signature sparkling voice!
Eva Kitt never expected to be the host of Sausage Talk, interviewing B-list celebrities over lukewarm hot dogs, instead of pursuing the journalism career she dreamed of. But when Eva’s impromptu public call out of her college ex goes viral, she’s thrust into the spotlight. It doesn’t help said ex is Rylie Cooper, a beloved social media personality that has built a platform on deconstructing toxic masculinity and teaching men how to be good partners.
Forced to confront Rylie on a live episode of Sausage Talk, he offers Eva a deal: allow him to take her on a series of dates to make up for his toxic behavior, then debrief them on his channel to show he’s changed. Eva refuses to play nice, but agrees to the scheme to advance her own career and continue defaming Rylie’s good name. When these manufactured dates start to feel real, Eva has to wonder if the boy that broke her heart has become the man that might heal it.
“Edding’s latest rom-com is a second-chance enemies-to-lovers romp that nails her signature style, combining razor-sharp wit with an unexpectedly earnest story.” ―Booklist
“Witty… The setup is clever and the eventual love scenes are sensuous. The author’s fans will not be disappointed.” ―Publishers Weekly
“Readers who enjoy remarkably strong women leads and crave emotionally redemptive story arcs will adore this radiantly hot enemies-to-lovers romance from Eddings.” ―Library Journal
The female lead, Eva, hosts a quirky podcast where she eats hot dogs with guests—apparently a riff on the YouTube channel Chicken Shop Date. She works for a media company that dangles the promise of a real journalism job to keep her compliant. Eva’s personality is a tough sell: she’s petty, mean, and whiny, which makes her hard to root for.
Rylie, the male lead, undergoes an unconvincing transformation from villain to hero. He and Eva had a disastrous one-night stand in college, after which he ghosted her—hardly an uncommon college experience, yet the story treats it like a major betrayal. Rylie has reinvented himself with a successful podcast about dismantling toxic masculinity, which infuriates Eva. Fueled by jealousy, she goes live to publicly recount their college hookup, criticizing his bedroom skills and questioning his right to call himself a “good guy.”
That live stream goes viral, and Eva’s boss wants to capitalize on it. They convince Eva and Rylie to do a podcast together and hash out their issues. He uses that to basically force Eva into dating him, and we learn that he really feels bad for the way he acted in college and still harbors feelings for Eva.
Despite being marketed as a romantic comedy, this book delivered neither romance nor comedy. Their chemistry doesn’t spark until they sleep together again, and suddenly everything clicks. What was meant to be witty banter often felt like Eva being cruel and whiny, while Rylie inexplicably adored her for it. I just couldn’t grasp their dynamic. And while I’m heaping on, let me add that Rylie constantly calls Eva “kitten,” which I found annoying at best.
I chose to read this book because it was selected for the August LibraryReads list, written by a Hall of Fame author I hadn’t tried before, so I was genuinely excited to dive in. This was one of the rare LibraryReads picks that didn’t work for me.
I kept pausing to read other books—actually finishing two entirely different audiobooks before returning to this one. I struggled to reach 75%, then gave up. I tried again and stopped at 89%, then finally forced myself through the last 11% out of stubbornness. It didn’t improve.
The narrator, Crow, did a solid job with the material, so I don’t fault the performance. If you’ve read this and loved it, I’d be curious to hear your take. It’s sitting just below four stars on Goodreads, and I did browse some of the positive reviews, but none of them changed my mind.
9/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
WELL, ACTUALLY by Mazey Eddings.Narrator: Ariela Crow. Macmillan Audio. August 5, 2025. Listening Length: 11 hours and 33 minutes.
It’s not every day you ask your older brother’s teammate to be your fake boyfriend. But desperate times call for gorgeous, impulsive measures.
Miles Garrett is a pro basketball player with a heartstopping smile and infamous cocky charm. But to me, he’s always been more than a celebrity. Miles is the guy who puts friends and family first…and my college crush.
When my sorority sister decides to bring my ex to our reunion, I need a plus-one who can have my back and save my pride. Asking Miles is the perfect solution.
Until he raises the stakes for both of us.
He says he’s only playing to win. He’ll be the best fake boyfriend I’ve ever had.
But his gaze hunts mine across a crowded room. He protects me with a fierceness that steals my breath. Our just-for-show kisses ignite a wildfire inside me.
I’m fighting feelings that have been simmering for years. Soon our pretend relationship starts feeling dangerously legit…Because it’s hard to fake what’s always been real.
Tropes include: teammate’s little sister, brother’s best friend, fake dating, pro athlete hero, cinnamon roll hero, he’d do anything for her, sassy heroine, college crush, only one bed.
Hard to Fake is a pro basketball romance with banter, spice, and all the swoony vibes. It’s the first book in the Denver Kodiaks series. You’ll want to binge Miles and Brooke’s entire addictive story today!
Want even more Denver Kodiaks? Listen to the King of the Court series for Clay and Nova’s story! (It is NOT necessary to listen to King of the Court before listening to Denver Kodiaks):
1. Game Changer 2. Shot Taker 3. Play Maker 4. Game Day
This author was new to me, as was a basketball romance. I tend to love sports romances, especially hockey, football, and baseball, as those are the sports I watch. I am not a basketball fan, but I’ll watch when the Miami Heat or the NY teams make it to the playoffs.
I also have a very tall brother (6’5″) who loves basketball and only stopped playing recreationally after a couple of hospitalizations, when his doctor insisted on it. My nephew is 6’7″, although he played baseball until he finally decided he didn’t want to play it professionally.
I was invited to a dinner at the annual American Library Association conference several years ago and was seated next to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. They actually had to move the room where the cocktail party started because the ceiling was too low for him – these guys are tall! Just FYI, Jabbar writes a terrific mystery series based on Sherlock Holmes’ brother, Mycroft Holmes. Anyway, I mention all this because the main character, Miles, is a professional basketball player who I believe was described as being 6’4″, which is on the short side for a pro.
Brooke is our female protagonist—a struggling influencer whose mother has just cut off her financial support. Her brother plays for the fictional Colorado Kodiak NBA team, and his best friend and teammate is Miles.
Initially, I found Brooke difficult to connect with. She came across as whiny and entitled, two traits that really grate on me as a reader. However, she’s also hardworking and clearly going through a difficult period, so I decided to stick with her story. As an influencer desperately needing to secure a major account to stabilize her finances, Brooke gets a promising opportunity when one of her sorority sisters, who runs a wildly successful clothing line, begins looking for new influencer partnerships.
Brooke was already planning to attend her sorority reunion weekend when disaster strikes—she discovers that one of her sorority sisters is bringing Brooke’s ex-boyfriend as her date. This sends Brooke into full panic mode. The weekend is crucial for her career prospects, but now she feels she needs a fake date to help her save face when confronting her ex.
Enter Miles—her brother’s best friend, teammate, and the man Brooke has harbored a crush on for years. To her amazement, Miles readily agrees to the fake dating scheme. As they spend time together preparing for the weekend, genuine feelings begin to develop between them. Their chemistry felt authentic and compelling, and I found myself genuinely invested in their relationship.
Unfortunately, this investment made the ending all the more frustrating. The book concludes with a cliffhanger, completely violating romance’s cardinal rule: the guaranteed happily ever after (HEA). This kind of ending is enough to make me swear off both this series and this author entirely.
On the audiobook front, the narration was excellent. Tim Paige, whom I know from his work on Rebecca Yarros’s romances, delivered another solid performance. Simone Lewis was new to me, but she also did outstanding work—I’d happily listen to both narrators again in future projects.
9/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
HARD TO FAKE by Piper Lawson.Narrators: Simone Lewis & Tim Paige. Piper Lawson Books. August 1, 2025. Listening Length: 5 hours and 32 minutes.
A steamy new novella from the USA Today bestselling author of The Nanny—available only in audio!
Shy, awkward Cade Monroe must be the only man in Florida who hates the beach. But when the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen kisses him unexpectedly one summer night, he might be forced to change his mind. A year later, and he’s still pining after her. The only catch? She doesn’t seem to remember the kiss. In fact, Cade isn’t sure she even knows he exists.
Nora Whitfield has definitely noticed Cade, the dark-haired, hot-in-a-scowly-way guy who gets coffee from her every morning. But with a past full of heartbreak, Nora isn’t looking to get involved—especially not with a man who barely speaks except to order.
When Cade finds himself desperately needing a new roommate, fate intervenes, thrusting them together. As secrets surface and sparks fly, Cade and Nora must decide if they’re ready to risk their hearts for a second chance at a first kiss.
Room for Two may be a short novella, but it packs a delightful punch. The story follows Cade Monroe, a shy and awkward man who is not a fan of Florida’s beaches, but has never forgotten a magical kiss he once shared with Nora Whitfield on that very beach—but she doesn’t even remember their encounter.
When their meddling friends orchestrate a meeting, neither Cade nor Nora knows what they’re walking into. Cade believes he’s interviewing a potential roommate, while Nora thinks she’s on a blind date with a customer she’s been secretly crushing on for a year. This clever deception sets up a wonderfully awkward beginning that had me completely invested from the start.
As the date-slash-interview unfolds and they realize they’ve been set up, sparks inevitably fly. Secrets begin to unravel, and feelings they’ve both kept hidden become impossible to ignore.
Cade is the kind of hero you can’t help but champion—quiet and grumpy on the surface, yet soft, loyal, and deeply caring underneath. His longing made my heart ache in the most wonderful way. Nora perfectly complements him: she’s strong and relatable, though still healing from past heartbreak. While cautious about opening her heart again, her warmth and playful banter create a natural balance with Cade’s reserved nature, making their chemistry feel both authentic and compelling.
Despite its shorter length, this novella delivers complete satisfaction. The author beautifully crafted the dynamic of two characters secretly pining for each other, allowing their relationship to develop organically within the condensed format. Romances often ask us to suspend our disbelief – can two people really form such a strong connection in one night? I’d like to think so, and Ferguson convinced me.
Narrated in dual POV by Samantha Summer and Teddy Hamilton, the performance adds an extra layer of charm. Their voices breathe life into Cade and Nora, infusing the story with warmth, personality, and emotional depth.
Note: this is only available as an audiobook right now. There is no indication that print versions will be published.
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
ROOM FOR TWO by Lana Ferguson.Narrators: Samantha Summers & Teddy Hamilton. Spotify Audiobooks. August 19, 2025. Listening Length: 3 hours and 42 minutes.
A sweet and sizzling summer romance about a woman who takes a job at a bookstore in Nantucket and gets involved with the man who turns out to be her boss: a billionaire bent on knocking the store down.
When book lover Jade Taylor applies to manage the Little Bay Book Shack on Nantucket Island over the summer, the last thing she needs is the distraction of billionaire resort owner, Liam Haven.
But things take an unexpected turn when Liam becomes Jade’s boss—a man who only reads contracts for pleasure….
In a bid to save the bookshop from being absorbed into the Haven resort, Jade is determined to teach Liam that there’s more to life than acquiring real estate. And if she can make him realize happily ever afters do exist, might she be able to save the island’s bookshop in the process?
Jade, stuck in an entry-level publishing job doing grunt work, jumps at the chance to run a bookshop for the summer on Nantucket—a world away from her small English village. While her loving family supports her American adventure (even if she feels like the family disappointment), she secures a leave of absence and sets off for what promises to be the experience of a lifetime.
Her first encounter on the island is with Liam, whom she assumes runs the ferry service. She quickly discovers the “ferry” is actually his private yacht—because Liam is a billionaire, albeit a grumpy one. Where he’s all sharp edges and cynicism, Jade radiates pure sunshine and optimism. Their instant chemistry leads to a passionate one-night stand, but their summer fling takes a dramatic turn when Jade learns that Liam has purchased the bookstore from her boss. His plan? Tear it down and replace it with luxury cottages for his resort.
Both characters carry emotional baggage, with Liam particularly struggling to overcome childhood trauma. Despite being on opposite sides of the bookstore battle, their magnetic attraction proves impossible to ignore—this is pure, electric insta-lust rather than gentle romance. Jade convinces Liam to give her a chance to boost the shop’s sales, and he reluctantly agrees. But as he gets to know her better, the thought of losing her becomes unbearable. If he closes the bookstore, she’ll have no choice but to return to England.
The central tension drives the story forward: Jade finds herself torn between her undeniable physical attraction to Liam and her disgust at his plans for the bookstore. This internal conflict ultimately forces both characters to confront their feelings and work toward their well-earned happily ever after.
Mary Jane Wells delivers an exceptional narration that elevates the entire story. Her ability to create distinct voices makes it effortless to follow the dialogue between characters. Most impressive is her seamless transition between Jade’s British accent and Liam’s American accent—never once breaking the spell of the story. Wells’ skilled performance transforms the book from a simple read into a vivid, immersive experience that makes for thoroughly engaging listening.
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
BOOKED FOR THE SUMMER by Kathryn Freeman.Narrator: Mary Jane Wells. HarperAudio. July 29, 2025 Listening Length: 9 hours and 59 minutes.
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.
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.
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.
Posted by Stacy Alesi 
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