BOOK REVIEWS: Later On We’ll Conspire by Kortney Keisel & The Christmas Letters by Jenny Proctor

February 17, 2026 / Jen / 0 Comments

Later On We'll Conspire by Kortney Keisel
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Everyone loves a Christmas surprise––just not when it's a spy in disguise.

Lacee:

I'll be home for Christmas...alone was the plan, but everything changes when I bump into a handsome stranger who always seems to be in the right place at the right time. So there's a new plan, a plan that involves a casual holiday fling. Merry Christmas to me.

But spending the holidays with Park Bradshaw in my charming hometown turns into Mission Impossible when I find out his knife skills go way beyond carving the Christmas ham.

Now I'm on the run, living out my own Christmas version of Die Hard, where making it home in time for Christmas is the least of my worries. I just want to make it home alive ––and hopefully not lose my heart to the one man I'm not sure I can trust.

Because as the countdown to Christmas ticks on like a bomb, I'm left wondering which side he's on.

◆ Later On We'll Conspire is a laugh-out-loud, closed-door romance full of sizzle, chemistry, and witty banter that might require you to suspend a little disbelief.

◆ Enjoy the other books in the Christmas Escape series that can be read in any order:

Christmas Baggage by Deborah M. Hathaway
Host for the Holidays by Martha Keyes
Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel
A Newport Christmess by Jess Heileman
A Not-So Holiday Paradise by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Later On We'll Conspire by Kortney Keisel
Cotswolds Holiday by Kasey Stockton

Review:

Later on We’ll Conspire was a duet narration that I absolutely adored! Their meet cute was memorable, and I could already feel the tension between Lacee and Park! Lacee cracked me up with her thoughts, she was hilarious and made me laugh out loud so many times. And I loved how protective, charming, and sexy Park was! While they were running for their lives, I couldn’t help but laugh even during life or death moments, this book was so much fun! It was set during Christmas time and filled with all the Christmas cheer! The epilogue gave us a peek into the future, and I was smiling at their happily ever after. It was so perfect! I recommend this if you’re looking for a different type of Christmas romance that will have you giggling and smiling at over the top antics and fun!

The Christmas Letters by Jenny Proctor
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Can an old letter spark a new flame?

When Tess Ravenel gets herself stuck inside a bathroom stall in one of Charleston’s most historic buildings, she isn’t exactly thinking about her dating life. But then the paramedic who comes to her rescue has a voice that sounds like butter and enough charm to make her forget she’s seconds from having a panic attack.

If only he were interested.

Andrew McKay has a mysterious Christmas pen pal, a woman who replied to a newly found letter he sent to Santa back when he was a kid. After weeks of correspondence, it’s clear she’s funny, smart, interesting...and an awful lot like Tess Ravanel—the woman he’s already blown off twice for good reason.

Tess and Andrew couldn’t be more different, but when their worlds collide, fate (and a little Christmas magic) set them on a crash course for love.

The Christmas Letters is a closed door sweet holiday romance with lots of chemistry but no spice. This book was first published in 2019 but has been heavily revised and updated.

Review:

Christmas Letters was an epistolary, second chance at life story that was so heartwarming! It started off with a bang with how Tess and Andrew met, I would have definitely been hyperventilating! But there was also a letter writing element, where they didn’t know who the other was. And I loved watching how they started to fall for the other. So when it all came together I was screaming and couldn’t stop smiling. They were both so adorable and deserved all the happiness. I loved both of these characters, and Andrew’s grandma was hilarious. This was a heartwarming holiday romance, and I’ll definitely be reading more books by Jenny Proctor in the future!

BOOK REVIEW: The Halifax Hellions (Halifax Hellions #1 & #2) by Alexandra Vasti

February 15, 2026 / Jen / 0 Comments

The Halifax Hellions by Alexandra Vasti
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
From USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Vasti comes The Halifax Hellions: a pair of sexy, hilarious romps in which the most scandalous ladies in London finally meet their match.

From the day of their debut, when Matilda smoked a cheroot and Margo tied a cherry stem in a knot with her tongue, the Halifax twins have flouted convention at every turn. But when Matilda runs off with the dangerous Marquess of Ashford―who has every reason to hate her―she may have gone a bit too far.

Determined to stop Matilda’s inexplicable elopement, her sister Margo turns to her oldest friend for help: because if anyone can get her to Scotland in time, it’s starchy solicitor Henry Mortimer. But the road to Scotland is paved with secrets. Beneath his buttoned-up exterior, Henry is ardently, wildly, miserably in love with Margo. And Matilda and Ashford’s relationship too may not be quite what it seems.

Between salacious engravings, secret identities, and demanding feral cats, nothing about the journey goes as planned. With the Halifax Hellions at the reins, a week in a carriage is exactly enough time to turn the world upside down . . . and, perhaps, find the love stories they never expected.

For the first time ever in print, The Halifax Hellions brings together Margo and Matilda’s novellas, along with a swoony new epilogue.

Review:

The Halifax Hellions was hilarious, charming, steamy, and had a fun and flirty vibe! There are two novellas in this story, one for each twin, Margo and Matilda. Here are a few of my thoughts….

Physically, Henry was in hell, which was unfortunate, because spending every second of every day with Margo was fucking wonderful.

Margo:

He wanted to tell her he loved her. He wanted to tell her that he’d always loved her, that he would sell his soul to be inside her once more.

This friends to lovers, older brother’s best friend romance was my favorite! We alternated between Margo and Henry and I adored both of their thoughts. Especially Henry, because while he tried to be rational and a good friend, he wanted her so badly. And Margo was lusting after Henry too. With steamy and descriptive scenes, I loved watching them cross that line of friendship into more! And they both got a beautiful and HEA!

Matilda:

She wanted to tease him until he said it again, wanted to fray his control until he turned her over his knee.

This steamy, age gap romance was swoon worthy! Matilda was clever and so easy to love! And Ashford could seem so buttoned up, but he definitely had a different side to him too. He had such a big heart, and I loved watching as he slowly let Matilda in. This story overlapped with Margo’s, and I was shocked how things truly unfolded. It kept me on my toes! With a memorable cat, and a beautiful ending that wrapped up alongside her sister and Henry, I adored this book!

I want forever, any way I can get it.

If you’re looking for a steamy historical romance that will also have you laughing out loud, definitely pick this one up!

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

BOOK REVIEW: Christmas With a Crank by Courtney Walsh

February 14, 2026 / Jen / 0 Comments

Christmas With a Crank by Courtney Walsh
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A second chance with your first crush.

Doesn’t happen often.

For Liam Fisher, that first crush was his next door neighbor, Olive Witherby.

Childhood was lazy summers, treehouse stargazing, and endless games of hide and seek at Pine Creek, the Christmas tree farm that’s been in Liam’s family for generations.

When Liam moves away, he and Olive say goodbye the only way they know how—with a fumbling first kiss neither of them will ever forget.

Even though twelve-year olds’ promises of keeping in touch feel eternal, time and distance eventually make Olive and Liam practically strangers.

Twenty years later, Liam’s parents announce they’re retiring and selling the tree farm.

Twenty years later, Pine Creek is the last place grown-up Liam wants to be. Inherit this legacy? Not on your life.

And twenty years later, grown-up Olive is stuck.

Her work life is a lot like her love life—floundering. After a humiliating business failure, loads of debt, and one too many laughable first dates, she’s in no hurry to put herself out there again, in business or in romance.

When Olive is hired by Liam’s parents to rekindle the lost magic of the farm one final time before it’s sold, she sets out to make this the last, best Pine Creek Christmas, for the town and for a very cranky, not-so-talkative, surprisingly attractive Liam.

Part of her mission? Convince the crank to fall in love with Christmas.

The other part? Not fall head over heels in the process.

Christmas With a Crank is a low spice grumpy/sunshine, childhood crush, opposites attract romance with plenty of sizzle but none of the steam.

Review:

Christmas With a Crank was a grumpy sunshine, holiday romance that will capture your heart! When Liam’s parents announced that they were selling the family tree farm, they hired Olive to help them have one last fabulous Christmas. Liam and Olive used to be neighbors and best friends. So the tension between them was fabulous, and the storyline was beyond adorable. This festive book was impossible to put down!

Liam is endearingly handsome when he doesn’t talk.
That thought makes me laugh to myself. Great guy, good- looking, but a total jerk when he opens his mouth.
The kind, soft, tender side of Liam has to be in there somewhere, right?

Olive was one of my favorites! She was hilarious, energetic, so happy, and I loved spending time with her! She made me laugh out loud so many times! Whereas Liam was the ultimate grump. But I’m so glad that we got to hear both of their points of view! Liam could come across as rude to others, but he just got lost in his thoughts. Listening to where his brain would take us, oh my heart, he had so much going on. I loved him! He did listen, and I loved that he showed that he cared too!

I meet her eyes— “It’s always been you, Liv.”

Watching their friendship slowly snap back into place with Olive’s kind heart and persistence was beautiful to watch. With homemade ice cream sandwiches, Christmas trees galore, forts, and lots of family charm, this Christmas romance was heartwarming and memorable! I listened to the audiobook and was completely lost in this story! It ended happily and left me hoping that Liam’s sister, Lacey, gets her own book. I have all my fingers crossed!

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: We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood #1) by Stacia Stark

February 12, 2026 / Jen / 0 Comments

We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood #1)
by Stacia Stark
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.

Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.

She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.

With her brothers’ lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart… and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.

To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…

Review:

With gladiator vibes and deadly trials, this book held me in the palm of its hand. The characters were so effortless to love and cheer on! Especially since Arvelle would do anything for her younger brothers. As this story unfolded with a slow burn, second chance romance, not everything was as it seems. With fun twists and turns, We Who Will Die was another huge hit and instant favorite by Stacia Stark! If you love romantasy, you desperately need this book in your life!

A chill slides down my spine. Every move I’ve made was to ensure I’d never have to fight for the emperor again. It’s bitterly ironic that those very steps have led me right back to this exact situation.

I was terrified for Arvelle’s journey. She was so smart and refused to give in, even with her past haunting her at every turn. But she lived in a deadly world. While it was Roman-inspired with magic, I loved that it was filled with vampires, magical creatures, and gods. I found myself screaming, crying, and clapping. And with mystery swirling through the pages, it made this story impossible to put down! One of my favorite things about Stacia Stark’s books is that her characters are always so effortless to connect to. There were so many that you couldn’t help but love, and others that will make you rage.

When he moves toward me, any pretense of civility is gone. This is the man who disemboweled his enemy the first time I saw him.
He was always this man.

With sacrifices, deals made, steamy moments, jealousy, and more, We Who Will Die was so easy to love. And while I guessed a few of the twists correctly, a few of them I definitely didn’t. Now here’s the struggle, I usually talk about the romantic interest in my reviews. But I think you need to discover this on your own. I’ll just say….while my brain is torn, my heart is leading me solidly down one path. And that path makes me nervous! So, with countless shades of gray and not everything is as it seems, this story left us at a fabulous spot. You’ll be able to breathe, somewhat. I can’t wait to start that next book!

Other Favorite Quotes:

The pain of loss never ends. It never gets better. Anyone who says it does is lying.

The stars are blocked by the Primus as he looms over me. He doesn’t offer to help me up. Instead, he crouches down. And when he dips his chin, the movement is suddenly so familiar, my heart stutters in my chest.

“All this time I thought leaving you smashed my heart into pieces, and I’d be picking shards out of my chest until the day I died. But my heart wasn’t smashed. I left it with you, and you’ve held it hostage ever since.”

He tastes like lost dreams and a thousand sleepless nights. He tastes like young love and bitter heartbreak.

“I missed you more than I miss the sun,” he says hoarsely.

“You never should have come here. And I’m a selfish bastard because I’m so fucking glad you did.”

Nothing else exists except this moment. These sensations. Us.

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