This story was a lot deeper and more serious than I thought it would be, but I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for the next book. Kylian is the main character: star football player at the local college, mom is going through cancer treatments, and politician father who just wants to use him in his campaign. He has a lot on his plate and finding Gia on his boat is another one or could be the answer. Gia ran away from an abusive ex and is hiding out in a new city on a boat that has been empty. Yes, it is Kylian’s boat and he catches her one night when he takes it out to clear his head. They strike a bargain, she gets to stay on the boat if she pretends to be his girlfriend then wife to make his mom happy as she is dying. They are trying to make it work, they are getting to know each other, and Gia is getting to know his mom. Then Kylian’s father tries to ruin everything and Gia tries to call off the deal. This book had great twists and turns and was not all happy and sunshine, but I truly enjoyed it!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-10-16 23:39:422024-10-23 06:32:50Quarterback Keeper: A College Sports Romance (Fall Lake Ballers, Book 1) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Audrie Harrington
What a sweet story – I loved Tasha and Caleb. Tasha is a nurse who loves birds but has a dark past and bad history with men. Caleb is a biologist and the new IFC at the wildlife refuge that Tasha often tours and is recently divorced. There are sparks from the beginning, when Tahsa meets Caleb on a Wednesday tour of the whooping cranes. I love the silly bird banter. I loved the setting and would love to visit just to hear the birds and watch them take flight. I loved the connection and love story. I loved how they shared thoughts and feelings, including all the dark things from the past. They were meant to find each other so they could help each other overcome the darkness. I also really liked the side story of Tahsa’s friends who are struggling to get pregnant. I can’t wait for more of this series to come out.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-10-14 19:38:262024-10-22 19:05:49Tasha and the Biologist (A Better Man, Book 2) by Amy Q. Barker – Review by Audrie Harrington
This was a really cute, clean high school romance! Holland moves to a new town and is starting a new school. Her grandma hurt herself and so the family moved from Colorado to Arizona to take care of her. Holland is running late on her first day and luckily runs into Asher. He shows her around the school and they sit and talk during first period in the library. He ends up giving him her number and she texts him a few times without hearing back from him. They are both a bit nerdy and she is totally overthinking every text. Then she meets Chandler a few days later when she is fighting with her locker. He helps her open it and stays until she can do it on her own. He asks her out with his friends later that night which turns into a bit of a disaster. But when he invites her to hang out at the lake with his family she goes because he is hot and so sweet. Well, turns out Asher and Chandler are twins and are always competing for something, this time it is her. I loved the story line and all the quirky characters, I would definitely recommend!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-10-06 09:48:392024-10-21 14:50:18A Tale of Two Crushes by Cori Cooper – Review by Audrie Harrington
I have really enjoyed this fantasy series – fae, magic, goblins, vampire, and so much more! The main character in the series, Queen Titania, is dead. Or at least all but a few of her closest and most trusted guards think she is. She is hiding out in a cabin and staying hidden from Sonia to keep her people safe, or at least she hopes to. She is staying away from the witches and the upper realm because she doesn’t want to be detected. Quinn has been named king but she is missing her family fiercely and doesn’t think her parents should have had to lose all of their children. Queen Titania is tough, she is a fighter, and she is going to do everything in her power to keep her realm safe from the darkness that seems to be coming. I cannot wait for the final book of the series! Each book has been better than the one before so I’m sure the final will be amazing!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-10-03 20:51:302024-10-21 14:37:02To be a Fae Rogue (Realm Chronicles Series) by Tricia Copeland – Review by Audrie Harrington
I was so excited for another book in this series! This book follows Nico, the goalie for the hockey team, who is in a custody battle to get to see his daughter. Chloe is a widow and used to be a 3rd grade teacher but she is moving back to Tampa to be near her father and start her own hockey league for kids. They don’t know each other but travel to Toronto for the All Star Game and meet in a bar and share an amazing kiss. Life happens and so they don’t take it any further. Chloe knows who he is but Niko does not know she is his coach’s daughter. When they are back in Tampa, they keep running into each other. He doesn’t have time for a relationship and she is trying to start a new life, but he calls for help when he needs a nanny to show the court he is ready for custody of his daughter. Chloe jumps right in to help him. I love Niko’s Russian sayings that don’t always make sense. I love how Chloe fits well into Niko’s family with his daughter. I love the slow burning romance becoming a few spicy scenes. I love that these characters are in their 30s and 40s. I hope that more keep coming out because this has been an awesome series!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-09-26 19:00:332024-10-01 08:08:48Night Sweats and Hockey Nets (Hot Flash Hookups Series) by Sylvie Stewart and Marika Ray – Review by Audrie Harrington
I have loved every book that I have read set in Buckeye Falls. The characters are relatable and the plot lines and conflicts are so true to life and families and love. This book followed Mallory, one of the Lawson kids and Beckett, one of her and Evan’s best friends growing up. Mallory is a nurse in the ER and living an ok life. She has friends and loves her family but she has been pining over Beckett since they got “married” at 12 years old. Beckett just lost his grandpa from cancer and is moving home. He broke Mallory’s heart unintentionally a few years before and then just traveled the country. They keep running into each other and with Evan planning to propose they are thrown into the planning. They are having a hard time keeping their feelings from showing and they really don’t want Evan to know. Mallory needs to make it through the engagement and maybe something can happen with Beckett. I hope there is more to come because I just can’t put these books down!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-09-08 21:47:422024-09-27 13:29:51Forever to Fall (Buckeye Falls Book 5) by Libby Kay – Review by Audrie Harrington
This is the complete series of short novellas that go together to become a great story. The main character Bella thinks life is great until her husband of 12 years tells her he doesn’t want to be with her anymore. It turns her life upside down and she needs to learn who she is without him. In the first novella she talks through her separation and meets a guy named Liam who she calls her sex coach. She needs to feel wanted and Liam is a great coach. She decided to join a few dating sites to meet men. The rest of the novellas each talk about a guy that she gets involved with. Bella is strong, she is surrounded by some amazing friends, and she is learning what she needs in life. She also has a really witty inner monologue that sometimes comes right out of her mouth. So she is sometimes awkward and she also has some meat on her bones. This is a pretty steamy romance but it was funny and a page turner! I had read the first box set of four and was so excited to finish the series!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-09-02 17:53:332024-09-27 12:48:30The Human Mating Site, Complete Series (The Human Mating Site Series) by B.L. Wilde – Review by Audrie Harrington
The world building in the one was amazing! Gillian leaves her home to find a way to help her brother who is dying from a sickness. She overhears her mother talking and leaves in the middle of the night to try and find the witches in the shadowlands for a cure. She is found by Roman and tries desperately to return home but he won’t help. She is to become the mate of his father, the Great Dragon, and he is determined to get her to his father. There are new creatures and new worlds and magic in this book that I enjoyed. Gillian has unknown powers, she is wanted and lusted after by many, and all she can think about is escaping and returning home. This was a great YA enemies to lovers fantasy. It kept me hooked and I hope more is to come!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-09-01 22:49:242024-09-27 12:32:14Dark is the Wood (Enchanted Tales with Dragon Scales Series) by Kristin Ward – Review by Audrie Harrington
This was a fun dual point of view sports romance book. Chessly is a science nerd and RA at her college. Finn is one of the starting football players for the college. They hit it off from the start but then he acknowledges the wrong girl. A girl that Chessly doesn’t like and has had issues with before. They are both super smart science nerds. Chessly finds him really hot but isn’t sure she wants to get involved because of the company that he keeps. Finn tries to win her over but is awkward and makes all sorts of rookie mistakes. She tries to deny feelings as he keeps trying to win her over, you are hoping they work it out. Many of the football players live together and they seem to be all hooking up with a friend group. Seems perfect! This was a fun page turner that had a story that flowed well. The characters were very relatable and I can imagine all that is happening. I missed the first book in the series (I didn’t realize it) but really liked the second and third books and will have to go back and read it.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-08-31 18:21:212024-09-27 11:56:30Offsides (Game Time Series) by Tam DeRudder Jackson – Review by Audrie Harrington
I really ended up liking this book. Claire is the main character and she is headed home to Pismo Beach after her mom dies. She has a teenage sister who she is now in charge of and has to figure out life. Her life is in LA and she has to sell her childhood home in order to afford taking care of Alexis, her little sister. There is a lot of emotion and grief they have to work through which I connected to personally. Claire meets David, Alexis’s orthodontist, and she is swooning. They both try to deny feelings because she is moving, but it makes them miserable. They need to try and figure out if they can make it work. I loved hearing about the beach town and loved their slow romance. I didn’t realize this book would have so many religious comments, but it wasn’t overly religious. I would read more from this author!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-08-30 14:15:132024-09-27 11:53:54Picking Pismo by Emi Hilton – Review by Audrie Harrington
Matthew was a part of the main family of vampires in the last book, but after the death of his soulmate he retreats from those he is closest with and lives in the mountains by himself. He was struggling with his fire element and can only use it when he already has a fire going. He has become friends with some mortals, the Medici brothers, and has started working for them. He is able to hide that he is a vampire and helps when there is trouble in Rome. Valentino is trying to take control of more cities and Matthew becomes a protector. He saves a new vampire, Leo, and sends him to live with a vampire acquaintance. Matthew needs to keep using his powers and pulling from his former group for power to keep him safe. He starts to realize that he is not alone and he does have humans and vampires in the Resistance who are wanting to help him, he just needs to start trusting others. I liked that this book was similar in the series but focused on a new character.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-08-24 22:52:272024-09-27 10:49:37An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Audrie Harrington
This first book in the box set was action packed and felt like so much information, action, and events in one book! Ian troy is the main character and I truly enjoyed getting to know him. He is a Shinree magic user who after finding the crown of stones accidentally killed off two armies. Learning about the use of magic through the stones was very interesting. Ian wakes up to the devastation, hides the crown, and leaves the kingdom. Ian then taught himself how to stop using magic and we find the story comes back 10 years after the battle. There are so many other likable characters like Jarryd and Malaq, his two companions on his way back home to help the Rellan palace and the Queen battle against the Langorians. Sienn and Neela are strong willed women in Ian’s life and keep the story moving. The kingdoms that have been created and described in this book are amazing and sound like ancient times with castles, men on horses, and a lot of sword fighting. Ian finds himself in so many battles and it seems that the fates are against him. I liked it so much I moved onto book 2 immediately!
The world building in the second book was just as good as the first! The places the characters go are so well thought out and described, I feel like I was right there with the characters. The castles, the prison, the ancient cities are all vividly written. I like that this book is told in the first person so you really get to know the main character, Ian Troy, even better in this one. Ian is coming off of the drug used to keep his magic suppressed and is having a lot of flashbacks to his time before being in prison and since then, it fills in holes in the story well. I really liked Captain Krillos in this book and the banter that he has with Ian. There were many of the same characters from the first book with even more added in this one. The story line is soooo good and kept me up late into the night reading so I could see what happened next. There is action, magic, death, romance, and so much more. On to book three immediately!
The third book in the series has so much action and suspense it kept me turning the pages. There is so much history written in such vivid detail that it makes you think it is real and not fantasy. After three books I love the characters, Ian, Jarryd, and Malaq are the main trio and they fight and love and tease each other. Ian has to fight to stop his father, has to fight to figure out the Crown of Stones, has to fight to keep all the people around him safe. He often makes the wrong choice and bad decisions, but he overall wants to do good so you find yourself cheering for him. I love the magic in the series too, using stones to have powers. Ian is an erudite so he can do all, most people only have one magical ability. The description and thought that goes into the magical part of these books are amazing. This book is suspense, danger, steamy romance, and so much more. It was an epic ending to an epic series. As the third and final book in the series, I didn’t want it to end, so I was excited to see there are more books set in the same world!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-08-24 12:36:052024-09-27 10:47:41The Crown of Stones Trilogy Box Set (The Crown of Stones Series) by C. L. Schneider – Review by Audrie Harrington
This was a fun book with romance, famous people, and a lot of music. I liked the playlist at the end! Lucy runs into her school girl crush at the airport when she is 17. She is moving to LA from Chicago to become an actress. Her cousin Sera has been like a sister since her parents were killed when she was young. I thought the book would go into some of the mafia backstory but it only focused on the present. Sera talks for Lucy as she is stunned at meeting the lead man for the band Falling Down, Jesse Kingston. He is on the same flight so he walks them to the gate. He has a moment with Lucy who finally is able to talk a little. Fast forward six years, Lucy is an Academy Award winning actress and Sera is a well known model. They are working on a set for a music video but they don’t know which band. Lucy and Sera were in a band in high school so they decided to jam to pass time, when suddenly a guitar and singer joined them. Low and behold, it is Falling Down and Jesse Kingston, and he remembers her! The sparks fly and he invites her to stay the weekend, but she is not sure if she can handle saying goodbye. The story was great, the characters were fun, there was a ton of banter with all the band mates, and I laughed a lot. This was a fun read and it looks like there are 20 more books in this series that I now need to look into adding to my Kindle.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-08-12 18:04:462024-09-27 08:19:49Falling Down (The Rockstar Series) by Anne Mercier – Review by Audrie Harrington
This was a fun story and I liked the music industry part of it too. Tyler Robertson is a music manager but is kind of stuck in her job since her boss hates her. She is trying to find new bands and make more for herself but is struggling without the support and the ability to sign girl bands. Cary Kingston is a rockstar who is the number one musician under Tyler’s company. He shows up to the office and they get to chatting. He has a crush on her but doesn’t know how to ask her out and she also has a crush but doesn’t believe he would ever like her back. Cary asks Tyler out to a wine bar but then mentions work so she isn’t sure what the deal is. As they get to know each other, Tyler has to decide if she is going to break her “no dating musicians” rule. Cary needs to figure out how to balance touring, writing music, and a relationship. This was a fun, he falls first, romance and I would definitely pick up another book by this author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-08-07 20:13:012024-09-27 08:27:05Rock Crush and Roll by Hunter Snow – Review by Audrie Harrington
I have never wanted to travel to the Virgin Islands more!! I enjoyed this book, especially the setting. It starts off in Chicago where Hope is working at a hotel and hoping for a big promotion. She is the best choice for the job but gets passed over for a younger man. She walks into the office and quits, even after her boss tries to backtrack and get her some type of incentive. Little does she know, her sister had signed her up for a raffle to win a dive resort in St. Croix. On her birthday, while feeling down and not sure what to do with her life, her sister calls to let her know that she WON! She has 48 hours to decide if she is ready to leave the cold and dreary Chicago. No job, no boyfriend, what does she have to lose? She gets to the resort only to find out the owner bailed instead of staying to help her transition. She is freaked out and doesn’t make a great impression on the dive master, Alex. He has been working at the resort for five years and was stunned when the owner and his closest friend just left. He is angry and raises his voice and also doesn’t make a great first impression. Hope, being the hard worker that she is, jumps right in to learning the ins and outs of the resort the next day. Alex and Hope start to get to know each other and are keeping their distance since they both have troubled pasts that they don’t want to share. As they become friends, and try to avoid their attraction to each other, they start to open up. When Hope’s sister visits, we learn a little more about Alex. They boat, swim, dive, and share some meals while deciding if they trust each other enough to start a romance. As soon as I finished, I got onto KU to download the next book!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-08-06 23:38:152024-09-27 07:41:22Finding Hope: A Small Town Beach Romance (Half Moon Bay Series) by Erin Brockus – Review by Audrie Harrington
This is three novellas in one book. It was my first time dipping my toe into these tropes and it was both interesting and eye opening. I really liked the characters and the stories in all three books even though they are all stand alone. In the first one the quiet librarian, Penny, gets a few gifts left at the library for her and is told to meet X at a hotel. She is curious so she goes to see who he is and ends up liking being submissive to X. He teaches her and dresses her, but she becomes more confident in her skin. In the second book, Courtney signs up for training at The Commander’s Club because she is trying to find her coworker who sent a text and is believed to be one of the slave girls. Coutrney’s master is a man she has been thinking about since she saw him at her office earlier in the week. Ty Dragon is undercover and they are trying to take down the owner of the club. They both start to develop feelings and they need to take down the club before she is sold off to another master. The last book follows Laura in Paris. She is accused of theft and then mugged and decides to become a temporary courtesan to earn money to get her back to the states. She is nervous and excited and hopes that a particular gentleman in the crowd is going to buy her but then he gets up to leave. Nick is there to make his sister in law happy since she says he needs to move on after his divorce six years before. He is taken by her and doesn’t want anyone else to get his hands on her, she seems so new and innocent and he knows the types of men in the room. Laura is sent to her master’s summer home, a mansion in the country, and is happy to see that it is Nick. He tries to make her submissive but he is not too hard on her and sometimes even she takes over. He is hoping to save her and hoping for her to stay. I know that not all bdsm stories probably have love and happy endings, but I enjoyed these!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-07-23 11:16:022024-09-26 12:36:17Taste of Honey (Taste of Honey Series) by Julie Castle – Review by Audrie Harrington
A great second book that follows the loves of Cadence and Damien. Cadence is the best friend of Blake, the main character in book one. This was another dual point of view story and I loved it. Cadence is stuck in a job that she doesn’t really like with a boyfriend that she has had since college. Her eyes are opening and she starts to see that he isn’t the man she fell in love with but she keeps trying and hoping to bring that fun, loving boy back into her life. Cadence meets Damien, the lead singer of a rock band, when her sister Jade drags her to a show one night. Instart sparks fly with just a look but Cadence is in a relationship and therefore off limits. Damien is the lead singer of a rock band that is still trying to make it big. He is tattooed and pierced and brooding. He seems to hold everything close to him and doesn’t really open up or let anyone in. Cadence needs to choose what is going to make her happy and Damien needs to keep his family safe. This book was a page turner and I hope that there are more to come in the series!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-07-21 14:11:582024-09-26 13:32:15The Music That Ties Us (Love Ties Us Series) by Nicolette Terry – Review by Audrie Harrington
I loved this book! I loved the characters and the conflicts and the military background. This is a second chance romance with alternating point of view chapters/sections. Blakely and Jamie were high school sweethearts until he joined the Air Force, started pulling away, and then broke off their engagement. Blakely moved on, bought a house, has her dream job at the local paper, and is dating again. She is still hurt and doesn’t understand why he left but she thinks her anger will protect her heart from feeling more. Jamie hasn’t been home in years, but he comes back for his friend’s funeral. It was a friend he grew up with, ran into again in the Air Force and became close again, and now Jamie feels responsible for his death. Jamie and Blakely are thrown together over and over and she tries to keep her distance while he tries to not show his true feelings. Jamie is hurting, he is struggling, he is closed off from everyone around him. Being home and around his friends again he starts to heal and hopes to heal the hurt he caused Blakely too.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-07-21 14:04:572024-09-26 13:32:08The Story That Ties Us (Love Ties Us Series) by Nicolette Terry – Review by Audrie Harrington
This book had chapters but was also broken into places, dates, and times. The beginning was a little confusing with so many flashbacks during different times and places, but once I got in a bit then it really started flowing and was easier. I really liked the story between Jessie and Cam. They have known each other their entire lives and when Jessie turned 14, Cam finally saw her as a girl and started to have feelings for her. They saw each other off and on between her going to Boston to skate and him going to college (he was two years older than her). Then when they were supposed to meet one night Jessie disappeared and Cam didn’t know why. It is two years later and she is in town for her friend’s wedding. Cam is seeing someone else but Jessie is the one he feels he is supposed to be with. Then the book turns into a mystery that needs to be solved. Why did Jessie leave? Who was behind the letters and photos that she received? Why is she still getting threatening messages to stay away from Cam and leave town? The group of friends work together to solve the case so Jessie and Cam can finally be together! It was a great romance story with some mystery written in too and I really enjoyed the small town too. It says this is book 1 of 15 so I will have to keep reading the series to get to know what happens to the other characters.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-07-15 08:42:292024-09-26 12:16:51From Darkness into Love (Hope & Hearts from Swan Harbor Book 1) by Sophie Bartow – Review by Audrie Harrington
I liked this story of Declan and Anne. This is an age gap romance as Declan is about 10 years older than Anne. Declan works at his father’s company and is told that he needs to stop being a player and settle down. Declan says his dad can choose a wife because he doesn’t believe in love, but he wants 10 years. Anne moved to the US from the UK after her dad died and her mom had a breakdown. She is guarded and doesn’t really trust many people, but is one of Declan’s sister’s friends and when their eyes meet during a ride home, they both feel it. They meet one more time at a party and he’s hoping to get her out of his system with a kiss. A few years later he still thinks about Anne often. She is finished with college and they decide to meet up. The book follows their relationships over many years. He is sometimes demanding and overprotective and she is naive but also independent. I struggled a bit with some missing background. Declan often refers to his brothers, but he isn’t talking about his actual brother Julian, it is a group of friends that have known each other and worked together for years. He’s definitely written as an alpha, almost like the mafia or a motorcycle club but he doesn’t ride.
The second book in the series was just as good as the first! I got to learn more about Rachel, Ryan’s twin, and her story. Ian and her broke up and now she is back trying to find love. She doesn’t have a great history with men and starts on a dating app again. When she is stood up on a date, the owner of the restaurant steps in and makes her dinner. They talk and get to know each other better and she realizes this is not their first encounter. Miguel introduced himself at her sister’s engagement party months before. He is the new owner and is intrigued by Rachel. After dinner and a few bottles of wine, he takes her home. He is excited about spending time with her but is he over the woman he has been pining after for years, he doesn’t know. These books seem to be set in a small town because everyone seems to know each other, even outside of the family, but it is set in LA. The characters are like friends and the stories are so easy to connect to. I can’t wait to read the next one to see what happens with Rose and Cole.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-07-02 18:09:162024-08-20 12:39:24Finding Love (Clumsy Little Hearts Trilogy Book 2) by Julie Navickas – Review by Audrie Harrington
I want to be friends with the characters and families in this book and I want to live close to them. Tess has a history but is trying to move on and do better. Ryan swooped in and taught her new things about herself while trying to get past his past as well. Their first date in a hardware store turns into so much more. He invites her on a family camping trip which is so out of her wheelhouse. She is a city girl who loves her heels and doesn’t want to wear sneakers because they are ugly. She learns to fish, sleeps under the stars, and starts to feel all the feels about Ryan. He was cheated on and is still not over the broken heart more than a year later. Tess opens his eyes and his heart again and his family loves her, but she is still holding onto a big secret that could tear them apart. The characters and storylines are relatable and I couldn’t put it down!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-07-02 18:02:442024-08-20 12:39:15Trusting Love (Clumsy Little Hearts Trilogy Book 1) by Julie Navickas – Review by Audrie Harrington
This book is a dual point of view switching between Adeline and Owen. Adeline is a new young widow who decides to buy a fixer upper in a small town. She needs to start somewhere new when she realizes everyone around her is not supportive. She literally almost runs into Owen on her first day in town when she is lost and trying to find her house. She doesn’t know his name and overhears people talking about Wally. Owen is a contractor and seems to always be helping the people in the community. When Adeline realizes she is over her head in the house projects she calls Owen to come help and is surprised it is Wally who has walked in. They clean up the water (broken sink) and finally get introduced. Owen is a grump but only around Adeline. She is grieving but also trying to keep her heart open. As the house is being fixed, so is she and they become friends. I loved all the side characters and friends in this book and the small town setting too. This book was funny and hopeful and I truly enjoyed it! I see that the next book in the series follows another couple and I can’t wait to read it.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-06-26 09:28:462024-08-20 13:06:53By Your Side (Willowbrook Lake Series) by Ashley Erin – Review by Audrie Harrington
I have devoured every book I have picked up by this author! The characters are real with messy lives and emotions and they are older, like in their 30s and 40s. Kenna learns that her husband has been cheating on her and her aunt passed away right before a big promotion meeting. The meeting doesn’t go well and she ends up threatening her boss. She ends up heading to Florida to meet with her aunt’s lawyer and also ends up meeting Dec. Dec has been living next door to Maeve, Kenna’s aunt, for 10 years and they have become close friends. Kenna is a hot mess and angry and Dec is sarcastic and rude, obviously they do not hit it off. Kenna and Dec learn that they have to run Maeve’s boat club for a year before selling. Without much happening in San Francisco she decides to stay and fix up her aunt’s house, learn how to run the boat club, and get to know herself in this new life. Dec is a fisherman and trying to live a quiet life. He is hiding a big secret that only a few close friends know. Of course he is also a protector and seems to keep helping Kenna. I loved the Florida setting and would really enjoy visiting a place like Sunshine Key or any of them really!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-06-18 17:55:452024-08-15 14:33:06Salt Love by Marika Ray – Review by Audrie Harrington
I was so excited to read this one because it gives the background of Ian Troy. I really wanted to know what happened before he had the crown of stones. I have enjoyed this setting and the characters and I really liked getting to read the prequel to the other books in the series. This is an action packed fantasy book with magic users set in an almost ancient time. Ian has been sent to be in Queen Aylagar’s army by the king. He is Shinree and no one looks at him, no one talks to him, no one trusts him, all because of the magic within him. He is chosen as one of a small group of soldiers to go on a secret mission. While on the road, he is able to cast and use his magic as needed so that he is not feeling deprived and weak. Magic does give him a bit of a high and he can have magic blackouts so he needs to make sure he can control his use. When his group picks up some small children after a wolf attack, the Commander is not sure what to do with them. Ian is getting to know that other people in the group and some trust is starting to be built. He is hoping that this mission can change how people see him and magic users and maybe he can also live up to the warrior that he is meant to be. I hope there is another one between this one and the next to fill in some more gaps!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-06-08 21:16:172024-08-15 13:47:21Troy: A Crown of Stones Origin Story by C. L. Schneider – Review by Audrie Harrington
This was a prequel to a series I read a bit ago. I really enjoyed the story but I am not sure how it ties to the rest of the series. Amanda is in a car accident one night and wakes up to see Gene (Dr. Rowland) trying to take care of her as he was the car driving behind her. She swears that she swerved so she didn’t hit a terrified girl but no one really believes her and just thinks she had hit her head. She doesn’t have anyone to take care of her and talks Gene into staying overnight to watch her. He has a doctor’s mind and keeps assessing her as a patient but he does have some feelings stirring as does Amanda. Gene is just coming home after taking a sabbatical at the ER and spending time in Costa Rica. He is going to be working with the small town doctor and is not really sure what the next steps are for him. Gene and Amanda become friends and have some memories pop up from their high school days as they keep searching for the girl. This was more than a romance, it was also a suspenseful mystery.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-05-19 18:33:222024-07-10 10:29:18Healing Hearts: Gene & Amanda’s Story (The Echo Series) by C.R. Alam – Review by Audrie Harrington
What a fun idea for a book! Kaia is a mega pop star, big enough to have only one name and is finishing a world tour. Her real name is Abigail and she has just finished up her degree and needs to complete student teaching in order to finally become a teacher. Her team sets her up to student teach in a small town in Maine but when she gets there she learns that her mentor is on bed rest and she will have to jump into teaching. Everett is the nerdy science teacher and part time vice principal of the school. He and the principal are the only ones that know that she is also Kaia. Abigail and Everett don’t like each other. His fiancé broke their engagement to follow money and so he doesn’t trust Kaia/Abigail. Abigail is so used to calling all the shots around her and always being in control. Then they start to learn that they have more in common than they think, both have secret jobs (his working for the EPA) and they both grew up around foster kids (his parents fostered and she was a foster kid). I loved both main characters and all the friends that surround them. I read in the acknowledgments that this is the third book in the series so now I need to go back and read the first two!!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-05-05 16:43:122024-05-16 06:55:46Will You (Pretend) Marry Me (Swan Cove Series) by Christi Barth – Review by Audrie Harrington
What a great introduction to Portugal – the people, the wine, and the land! This series was a great read and I loved getting to know all the characters and learning more about the culture. In the first book, the main character, Julia, is a widow who is running a vineyard during a time when it was done only by men. She is independent, tough, headstrong, and willing to do anything to keep her vineyard going. When Griffin Maxwell comes to town to check in on his own vineyard, there is an instant connection. Julia teaches him about the culture, the stories, the food, and the grapes. Griffin is helping her find a cure to the plague spreading through vineyards, teaching her son how to ride a horse, and opening her up to new love. The setting is beautiful and the characters are very relatable. This was a page turner and I had to keep reading to see what decisions would be made and what obstacles they would have to overcome.
I was reluctant to read the second book because I did not like Pedro after reading the first book in this series. I am so glad I gave it a chance because I loved learning more about Pedro as a character, about his past, what motivates him, and how he can change. A chance encounter brings Anne into Pedro’s home and the chaos of his past. Pedro doesn’t know who she is in the beginning and then learns that she is Anne Maxwell, the sister of Griffin whom he hates for taking his Julia away. They are drawn together and as she learns more about Pedro (sometimes through his brother Cris) she starts to open up to him too. This is war, hate, revenge, family, love, and romance all swirled together in a wonderful read!
This is the third book in the series and follows some new characters. Isabel is the princess of Portugal and loves her country. Her brother, the king, sends her off to visit her cousin and find out what is happening in Spain. Henrique is selling his land and moving out of the country, but agrees to accompany the sister of his good friend (the king) to Spain. Henrique is witty and charming and knows how to woo the ladies. Isabel has been protected and doesn’t agree with his philandering, but she sees a different man underneath the façade. In Spain, they are busy with many events planned by her cousin, but also in a lot of political meetings. The true king of Spain is invited to the palace and tries to sweep Isabel off her feet in order to get back to his rightful throne. The story kept me guessing and I learned so much about life in the 1800s.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-05-05 09:20:362024-05-16 06:54:22The Winemakers Box Set (The Winemakers Series) by Giovanna Siniscalchi – Review by Audrie Harrington
I have loved this series so far!! I think it is because I connect to the characters a little more as they are older, like me (45 *gasp*). I really enjoyed book one and couldn’t wait to hear another story in this hockey world. Banks and Kaitlyn’s story is an enemies to lovers with all the feels. Ben and Kaitlyn mee at the airport one evening and hit it off, only to learn that Banks (aka Ben) is a hockey player on the same team as a young player she is an agent for. Banks makes a comment that he thinks is funny and Kaitlyn takes it the wrong way and they become enemies. Ten years later and now Banks is looking for a new agent as he is nearing the end of his career and she decides to help him out to make her ex-boss look bad. This book is funny, full of banter between characters, some really sweet moments as we get to know Banks better, and a peek into Kaitlyn’s past too. Kaitlyn is trying to make him look good, going through some major mood swings, and trying to stop herself from falling for him. This is a fun, fast paced, story with s sweet romance and a bit of spice. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Audrie Harringtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAudrie Harrington2024-05-02 22:56:202024-05-16 06:37:09Mood Swings and Hockey Flings (Hot Flash Hookups Series) by Sylvie Stewart and Marika Ray – Review by Audrie Harrington
This book was an interesting story on falling in love. Chloe is the main character and it follows her from college into working adulthood and all the romances that she has in between. The story is told in different parts through Chloe’s point of view as she dates and falls in love. Each man and relationship is different but each one leads her to where she is in life and her career. Some of the stories overlap and then you may rewind and have to reread a part in a different way. Chloe is relatable and inspiring and so are each of the men that she dates. This story is completely her journey, she knows what she wants in life, and she gets to make all the decisions hoping to get her happy ending.
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Quarterback Keeper: A College Sports Romance by Isla Vaughn
