Tag: Contemporary Romance (Page 2 of 96)

BOOK REVIEW: The Odds of You by Kate Dramis

February 13, 2026 / Jen / 0 Comments

The Odds of You by Kate Dramis
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Sage Collins knows a thing or two about odds. A year ago, she was a data analyst until she burned it all down to pursue her dream of becoming an author. One whirlwind bestseller and a struggling second book later, and Sage isn’t sure she’ll ever write a novel again.

But then an accidental encounter with an irritating passenger on the flight to Comic Con leaves Sage in an untested position. That passenger is Theo Sharpe: a breakout actor on the cusp of fame. And, unfortunately, the paparazzi have mistaken her for his girlfriend.

Armed with signature British charm and a smile that could tame oceans, Theo wears fame like a well-fit coat…though Sage can see there’s something deeper held in his eyes. But his fans are too involved in the drama, the pressure to deliver the next bestseller is on, and Sage and Theo both must agree there’s nothing between them. They don't have to acknowledge that saying it doesn't make it true.

When Sage decides to flee to Scotland to clear her head and write her novel, she expects to find fresh air and the stillness to think. What she doesn’t expect is Theo Sharpe to come back into her life…and how he may be her greatest miscalculation of all.

An emotionally-charged novel in the vein of Ashley Poston and Yulin Kuang, The Odds of You is a smart and sexy first contemporary novel from bestselling romantasy author Kate Dramis.

Review:

The Odds of You was a celebrity romance set with a beautiful background. With a quaint little town I want to visit someday, I loved the scenery in this book! I adored the golden retriever MMC, but I unfortunately struggled with Sage. She could be her own worst enemy. Her negative thoughts and her fixation on things affected my mental health reading this book. So, I faltered when connecting to not only Sage, but the romance too. Connecting to the main characters and romance is a must for me to truly enjoy or love a book. Even though I struggled, this steamy romance had a lot of heart, and a wonderful happy ending that readers will adore.

It’s never going to be enough because you want everyone to love you, to tell you that you’re good enough, that you’re worth it, but you don’t even believe that you are!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: Dirty Hit by Livy Hart

February 5, 2026 / Jen / 0 Comments

Dirty Hit by Livy Hart
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Gender-bent TED LASSO meets THE DEAL in a new grumpy/sunshine hockey romance from bestselling author Livy Hart.

When a career-ending injury forces hockey superstar Sadie Rivers to hang up her skates, she never expects to be the NHL’s first female coach. The Portland Fury are the league’s worst team—and Sadie has one season to turn the franchise around. Critics of her “soft touch” coaching style make no secret of their skepticism, but Sadie has never bucked a challenge, on or off the ice.

Defenseman Leo McLaren is hockey royalty. Or he was, until a dirty hit last season left him with a shoulder injury and migraines that have destroyed his game. When he’s traded to the Fury, it feels like the end of his hockey dreams. That is, until the new head coach names him captain—and asks for his help getting to know the team, who resist her personal approach.

Secret coach-captain meet-ups lead to a tentative friendship that quickly turns into sizzling chemistry hot enough to melt a hockey rink. But with the season and both their careers on the line, Sadie and Leo will have to decide if love is a risk worth taking when the game they’re playing demands all they have to give.

Review:

Dirty Hit was a grumpy sunshine hockey romance that pulled me in from the beginning. I was excited for the position that Sadie found herself in, but horrified with the team dynamics and how they treated her. She was the first female NHL coach, and the team she was hired to turn around just had 59 losses. Brutal. They also added a new player, Leo who was a hockey god. But saying he had a rough last year was an understatement. With Sadie’s uphill battle, and Leo’s personal body becoming his own worst enemy, I kept my fingers crossed that Leo, Sadie, and this underdog team could defy the odds!

I should use the five or so feet left between us to talk myself out of making a mistake. But maybe the mistake was already made long ago, and now I’m just living the consequences.

As negotiations were made and Sadie and Leo spent more time together, I started to fall for them. They were both attracted to each other, and it led to a forbidden romance filled with tension and longing. But Sadie could be too nice sometimes to the men on the team who treated her like an inconvenience. And while Leo could be sweet, caring, and protective of Sadie, his grumpy closed off persona shined brightly. Along with his internal struggles. With guilt, steamy moments, and the beginnings of a found family starting to form, this book was a quick and easy binge! While the ending wrapped up a little too quickly for my liking, I was left with a smile on my face and I’m excited to read the next book!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

January 23, 2026 / Jen / 1 Comment

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room two days before Christmas.

Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt:

She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery.

He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy.

She hates his guts.

He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.)

But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at a snowbound English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself.

That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.

She vanished in a classic locked-room mystery, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that mansion she can trust?

As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue in this cozy holiday mystery will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor.

Assuming they don’t kill each other first.

Review:

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year was a mystery that kept me intrigued, and had a tiny bit of Christmas sprinkled throughout. The characters were so easy to like, and the narrators did a fabulous job of bringing this story to life. There were a lot of hints that made almost everyone look guilty, so I had fun putting the clues together. It gave me old school Agatha Christie vibes! And while I guessed the mystery correctly, I still enjoyed listening to this one because I had no clue if I was right or wrong till all was revealed.

I adored Maggie Chase from the beginning with her sass and take no bs attitude! And I couldn’t help but be intrigued by Ethan Wyatt. He seemed to have a lot more going on then he showed us or Maggie. So as we got to know both of them better, and see moments from their past, I was a goner. I wanted to just push them together. They were perfect for each other. And Ethan even made me shed a few tears, I loved him!

Yet, I had to take away a star, because I personally struggle with loose ends. I’m someone who likes to have things wrapped up in a bow, and this ending was not that. I had so many unanswered questions. Yes we were given a HEA, but I desperately needed answers, sigh. So while I’m not sure if I’ll read this author again, this was fun and a nice change up from the Christmas romances I typically read in December!

BOOK REVIEW: The Sleight Before Christmas (Holiday Hijinx Series #2) by Kate Stewart

January 22, 2026 / Jen / 0 Comments

The Sleight Before Christmas by Kate Stewart
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
My kids are a**holes.

Yeah, I said it. I said the thing no father is supposed to say about their children, and I’ll say it again because I miss my wife.

Serena’s checked out and now resides in ‘yes dear’ robot mode, complete with a new eye twitch. Reason being, the impish elves we spawned are currently sucking the life out of her—daily. Thanks to Gracie and Peyton, my patience is hanging by the last orange bulb on a very thin green wire. Thank God we’re headed to Triple Falls. A week of Ruby’s eggnog and a little change of scenery could be just what the woman I love needs to find her way back to herself—and to me. But the closer we get to packing up, the shorter my fuse becomes . . . and the more I’m starting to get ideas of taking drastic measures.

And by drastic, I mean our little goblins won’t be the only ones making Rudolph’s naughty list. I’ve had enough. I’m not giving in this time. No amount of alligator tears or fake apologies are going to cut it.

Ironically, the more I man up and take charge, the more Serena and I are starting to reminisce about the good old days, which is quickly adding up to some heated nights.

Come hell or high water, this Christmas, our kids are going to learn to appreciate the parents they’ve got because I’m getting my girl back . . . even if the two little hellions we created have to pay to bring her back to me—little f*ckers.

The Sleight Before Christmas is book #2 in The Holiday Hijinx series. While it can be read as a stand-alone, it is highly recommended that you read The Plight Before Christmas first.

Review:

The Plight Before Christmas is one of my top favorite holiday romances. So when I saw that Serena and Thatch were getting their own story, I was beyond intrigued. What unfolded was the most entertaining mess ever. Serena was losing it, their kids were a shit show, and Thatch was at his wits end taking away Christmas presents from kids that they spoiled and never disciplined. My only bit of advice is take this book with a grain of salt, because yes it’s fiction but oh wow, I never could have guessed what was going to happen!

“We’ve failed, haven’t we? We’re failing,” she sighs, a thin tear trailing down her cheek.

One of my favorite things about this book was how much Thatch loved his wife! Watching how determined he was to rekindle their romance was sigh worthy. And as we got to see moments from their past, it showed how their whole story was messy and emotional. His dirty mouth and steamy moments made it impossible not to love him!

“We’ve changed probably half a dozen times in our marriage, and I’ve fallen in love with every single version of you, Serena . . .

With unforgettable family members in the mix, I loved having them all back together under one roof. Because this story was laugh out loud hilarious time and again! Girls night was probably one of my top favorite moments, I was laughing so hard I was wheezing and crying at the same time! But there were also deeper, emotional parts too. I definitely cried a few times, especially with the kids involved. And with Christmas sprinkled throughout this story, it made it so entertaining! The Sleight Before Christmas ended with a beautiful happily ever after, even though the road to get there was very rough. And I was left with only one question – what book were they referencing about the grapefruit juice?????? I am so curious, see the quote below lol!

“Hockey books,” I deliver point blank, palming his shoulder. “Look for hockey books on her Kindle. And whatever you do,” I look between them, “do not let them f*ck you with a grapefruit. No matter what they say.”

BOOK REVIEW: Love in Plane Sight by Lauren Connolly

January 9, 2026 / Jen / 2 Comments

Love in Plane Sight by Lauren Connolly
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
With her brother’s grumpy best friend—and her longtime nemesis—as Beth’s flight instructor, her pilot lessons could be a plane disaster or their first-class ticket to forever.

Mayday. Mayday. Engine failure.

When flying with George Bunsen, the last thing Beth Lundberg wants is to be horny in the cockpit. But when her first ride-along dives toward disaster, the perpetually stoic George is forced to execute a skillful emergency landing, and Beth is horrified to find herself with an adrenaline-fueled crush on the pilot. She’s even more shocked when her brother’s best friend offers her discounted flight lessons—possibly out of guilt for almost killing them.

And despite George’s annoying habit of departing any room the moment Beth enters, she really wants to accept. No matter that it’s an egregiously expensive hobby, or that her waitressing wages go right toward her mother’s medical bills, or that she’s already in debt up to her eyebrows. Flying is Beth’s dream, and she could use her private license to earn real money.

The more time they spend navigating the sky, the more the turbulence between George and Beth dissipates. But Beth has seen the burning wreckage that comes from mixing business with pleasure—plus, she’s been keeping a secret that, once revealed, will send all her relationships into a tailspin. Can she really take a risk on romance when her pilot career isn’t even off the ground?

Review:

PS I Hate You is one of my top favorite books ever. So I went into this story thinking I’d at least like it, oh how wrong I was. While the beginning had me hooked, as the story unfolded I struggled to like Beth. She assumed and judged more than I could handle. When you add that to her internal thoughts being depressing, it was impossible for me to connect to her. Plus some of her decisions had me struggling, and I hated how she cared what other people thought who didn’t have her best interest at heart. Beth was someone I couldn’t find myself rooting for.

The guy could compete at an Olympic level in the sport of pretending I don’t exist.

I truly wish there was a different heroine, because I loved George. As her brother’s best friend, he was everything! I loved trying to figure him out and watch as he slowly started to open up. He was kind, caring, thoughtful, and saw so much. Plus I adored her brother too, he was a golden retriever that was impossible not to love! So while the epilogue was fabulous, I just couldn’t find it in my heart to care. Love in Plane Sight was a huge miss for me, BUT I will definitely try another Connolly book because I still constantly think about PS I Hate You all the time. This one just not for me.

“Sometimes the things you love are scary.”