Time to Shine by Rachel Reid

 

A merry and bright hockey romance about finding your place, finding your people and finding your way back to the one you love the most. 

For Landon Stackhouse, being called up from the Calgary farm team is exciting and terrifying, even if, as the backup goalie, he rarely leaves the bench. A quiet loner by nature, Landon knows he gives off strong “don’t talk to me” vibes. The only player who doesn’t seem to notice is Calgary’s superstar young winger, Casey Hicks.

Casey treats Landon like an old friend, even though they’ve only interacted briefly in the past. He’s endlessly charming and completely laid-back in a way that Landon absolutely can’t relate to. They couldn’t have less in common, but Landon needs a place to live that’s not a hotel room and Casey has just bought a massive house—and hates being alone.

As roommates, Casey refuses to be defeated by Landon’s one-word answers. As friends, Landon comes to notice a few things about Casey, like his wide, easy smile and sparkling green-blue eyes. Spending the holidays together only intensifies their bromance-turned-romance. But as the new year approaches, the countdown to the end of Landon’s time in Calgary is on.

********

My Review: 4/5 Stars

When Landon is called up to be the new backup goalie for Calgary, it is both exciting and terrifying. This is his chance to play in the NHL, even as a backup and he doesn’t want to mess it up. He’s a quiet guy who likes to observe and keep to himself. So when Casey, the most social and chattiest of the team, is determined to make friends with Landon, he is unable to do anything but go along with it. Especially when Casey offers him a room at his house. And when Landon develops a crush, well he knows he is in trouble. Casey is a big people person and hates to be alone. And he is determined to get Landon to like him. The last thing he imagined happening was falling for his new roommate. But somehow, the quiet goalie just understands Casey is more ways than one. Their friendship starts to feel like there could be so much more with them. If, they are brave enough to try. This was a fun opposites attract romance for sure! We have a ray of sunshine and our quiet shy guy, yet they work together perfectly. A fun hockey romance for sure!

Hades x Persephone Book 7.5: A Christmas of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair

 

Hades x Persephone Book 7.5

From #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Scarlett St. Clair comes a holiday surprise set in the world of Hades and Persephone.

The halls are decked.

The souls are caroling.

And Hecate, Goddess of Witchcraft, is warding the Underworld against a Kallikantzaroi invasion. For years, she’s kept the menacing gremlins at bay. But this year, Hermes makes a mistake that could ruin Christmas for everyone in New Greece.

Now, as Hades and Persephone prepare to celebrate Yuletide, the Underworld descends into chaos. Can the gods restore order before it’s too late—or will their holiday be destroyed?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245693036-a-christmas-of-chaos

********

My Review: 5/5 Stars

I’ve missed this world! This was the perfect holiday novella for this series. While everyone is preparing for the holidays, Hades and Persephone are preparing for the birth of their twins. They are set to arrive any day now and in the meantime, Persephone is determined to make it a perfect holiday season in the Underworld. But while Hecate is warding the Underworld against the Kallikantzaroi, well, Hermes happens. And you know what that means. The gremlins are on the loose in New Greece and in the Underworld and everyone is scrambling to get rid of them before they destroy Christmas. But can they do it? Loved this story! We get to not only catch up with Hades and Persephone but others as well! We get a nice Ariadne and Dionysus update as well as other characters and what is going on with them at the moment. It was a perfect story to catch up with our favorite characters during a magical time of year. And of course the bit of chaos that always seems to find the gods. Loved this story and it made me excited for the day when we finally get the spinoffs we were promised! Hopefully the wait won’t be too long now!

Blood and Ash Book 6.5: A Crown of Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

Blood and Ash Book 6.5

When everything falls apart, the truth of who they are is revealed.

Poppy has fallen into stasis, her body broken and power spent, carried beyond the mortal realm. While she lies suspended in dreams, Casteel faces a world without her—raw, wrathful, and altered in ways he doesn’t yet understand.

Left to steady a kingdom trembling under the weight of loss, Kieran shoulders what he cannot say aloud, even as the fractures between gods, mortals, and fate widen around him.

In the days that follow, grief becomes a guide, loyalty a burden, and love the only thing holding the realms together.

These are the pieces that fill the silence. The moments of wrath, ruin, resolve, and the spark of what must come next.

A Crown of Ruin reveals the unseen moments of love, loss, and change that happened between The Primal of Blood and Bone and The Throne of Bone and Ash.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245804344-a-crown-of-ruin

*********

My Review: 5/5 Stars

This surprise novella was much needed after the ending that was The Primal of Blood and Bone. Taking place after that book but before the new book that is yet to come out, we get some much needed info and scenes in the aftermath. Told from Poppy, Casteel, and Kieran, these three are not having a good time. Poppy has fallen into stasis after her fight with Kolis. Casteel is well… you can imagine what Casteel is going through without her. And all the power he has now and how he is coping. And Kieran is trying his best to hold everything around him together and try to show Casteel he is there. We can some interesting information from this novella. But it definitely made me excited for the final book that is hopefully coming soon. You definitely don’t want to miss this!

Angel Domino: A Mike Bravo Ops Duet by Eden Finley

A Mike Bravo Ops Duet

 ANGEL

I love my life, but seeing my Mike Bravo teammates find their happily ever afters reminds me of how much I want my own. Why is it so hard to find a woman who loves me and respects my job? Be there for me on my terms, when I want, and then leave me to do my thing on a mission. Is that so much to ask?

JAMIE

Raffy and I just broke up … again, but unlike the millions of other times it’s happened, I’m able to find perspective. In a gay bar, no less. That perspective comes in the form of a very intimidatingly gorgeous woman whose services I could use. With my boss’s band going on tour, we need tighter security. Angel and her Mike Bravo team are perfect for the job. So what if I assign her to be my protector just so I can see her again? That is completely normal behavior. Isn’t it?

Angel is a short FF novella from the Famous/Mike Bravo universe.

DOMINO

I’m not looking for love, especially with a woman I really shouldn’t have eyes for. This bodyguarding gig was supposed to be an easy job, but being around Maggie is harder than I thought it would be. Even if it’s inappropriate to lust after her, it’s impossible to stop.

MAGGIE

I don’t need a bodyguard, thank you very much. But when a figure from the past comes walking through the door, maybe I can take something for myself for once. Being a single mom isn’t easy, especially when the childrens’ father is famous, and if I’m going to be forced to go on tour, the least I can do is make the most of it.

Domino is a short MF story from the Famous/Mike Bravo universe.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242919804-angel-domino?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=02zZlELdoN&rank=1

********

My Review: 5/5 Stars

It’s been a while since I’ve read a Mike Bravo Ops story and I’m glad to see we get two short novellas following Angel and Domino! In Angel’s story, she is really struggling to find the right partner for herself. Nothing seems to work out right and with her job, she has to find someone who can just get it. Never does she expect that to be Jamie. Jamie surprises her at every turn. Especially when Jamie hires Angel to be her bodyguard (and other Mike Bravo Ops) during Eleven’s latest tour. Jamie has had a recent wake up call and that’s in part thanks to Angel. But she is ready to not apologize for the job she loves or go after what she wants. And what she wants now is Angel. Then in Domino’s story, between his friends and Maggie’s friends, well, these two didn’t stand a chance to stay away from one another. And it’s clear when they meet why that is. There is definitely a spark between them. As well as a familiarity by someone in their past. But for Maggie, she is ready to be selfish for once. To be more than just a mother. And she has her eyes on Domino. And lucky for her, Domino can’t resist Maggie. Not when he feels a pull to her too. Both of these novellas were short and sweet and just a lot of fun! We see familiar faces and watch these amazing characters get their happy endings at last!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Desert Football Book 3: Blitz Replay by Christie Gordon

Desert Football Book 3

Breaking eye contact on the fifty-yard line would’ve been smart. Instead, I saw him—pom-poms, perfect smile, and the only boy I’ve ever loved.

Eli

Football is my future, and nothing can shake me.

Until Wren Lewis shows up on the Spirit Squad.

My high school boyfriend.

The one I lost because I stayed silent when he needed me most.

Now he’s back, flipping across my field, and I’ll do anything to prove I’ve changed.

I’ve spent four years wishing I could undo that day.

I’ll earn his trust back inch by inch.

Flowers, apologies, and maybe a kiss I’ve been starving for since our senior year of high school.

Wren

I swore I’d never forgive him.

One silence shattered us.

Then fate sticks us on the same sidelines, the same flights, the same hotel lobbies.

And he shows up with apologies I didn’t ask for…and a smile I never forgot.

But Eli is relentless—bigger, steadier, and still looking at me like I’m his whole world.

I want to resist. I need to.

But one slow dance, one stolen touch, and my walls start to crumble.

I crave the man who held me like I was everything.

Blitz Replay is book 3 of the Desert Football series, featuring a protective linebacker and the gymnast-turned-cheerleader he lost and can’t stop fighting for. second chance, jock/cheerleader, hurt/comfort, past betrayal + real grovel, jealousy done right, found family teammates, on-field adrenaline, and plenty of steam.

Buy now and let a linebacker tackle your heart, because some plays are worth running again.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242178640-blitz-replay

********

My Review: 4/5 Stars

Eli’s focus on football is what he needs right now. This is the year he will be drafted, so he needs to make sure he isn’t distracted. But the biggest distraction hits him when he sees his ex on the sidelines. His first love and only love, the man he let he down years ago when he needed him most. Eli never thought he would see Wren again. To make up for hurting him. But now he has a chance to make things right. And not only that, maybe even give them a second chance. Because the truth is, it may have been years since their break up, but Eli never stopped loving Wren. And he will do whatever he can to prove that he isn’t the same guy he was in high school. Wren’s never forgiven Eli for not standing up for him. Their break up devastated him and he has done his best to forget Eli and hold on to his anger. But it all comes almost crashing down when he sees Eli again. But even more so when he realizes that Eli isn’t the same boy he was in high school. This version of him is more confident and out and proud. And maybe there were a few things Wren didn’t fully get back then about Eli. But completely forgiving and trusting Eli again with his heart? Well that’s gonna take some time. And he may just let Eli do it. This was a sweet second chance romance. It’s clear that Wren and Eli still love one another and now that they are older and wiser, they have a real chance of being something once more! It was sweet to watch them fall for one another all over again. 

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Virdian Falls Book 1: Hands Like Ours by River Hale

Virdian Falls Book 1

 Jackson Ellis

My world shifted when I realized I wasn’t completely straight, all thanks to the crush I’ve developed on my professor. My girlfriend dumped me, and I had to move back in with my dad. Worst of all, the professor who awakened something in me now seems to despise me for it.

Isaac Kendall is brilliant and passionate and maybe a little mysterious if there’s any truth to the rumors about his dark past.

In a town like Viridian Falls, everyone has their secrets. But his are the ones that keep pulling me closer until I might just be leaning too far.

Isaac Kendall

For too long, I’ve carried the weight of mistakes this town refuses to let me forget. Rumors cling to me like shadows I can’t shake. My classroom is the one place where I still feel in control, at least until Jackson Ellis walks in.

He’s all bright eyes and temptation. Eager to learn. And far too curious about the parts of me I’ve spent years burying.

But desire is a dangerous thing in a town that feeds off whispers. The closer Jackson gets, the more I fear the past might come back to claim us both.

Hands Like Ours was originally a 22k word novella that first appeared in the We Shall Rise anthology. It has been revised and extended into the first full novel of the Viridian Falls series—a dark MM series where desire and danger blur, the shadows are always watching, and some secrets refuse to stay buried.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242700177-hands-like-ours

********

My Review: 4/5 Stars

Picking up this book it took me a minute to remember that I had in fact read a shorter version of it before. So if the story sounds familiar to you, that is why! The story has been expanded which once I familiarized myself with what I originally read, I was excited to see more details given to the story. Everything changes for Jackson when he realizes he is in fact not straight. And it starts with a crush on a professor. But too bad for Jackson, acknowledging that meant that his girlfriend dumps him and then the whole campus finds out. And no one is treating him that great except his two best friends. Even Professor Kendall. The man not only Jackson has a crush on but the one who Jackson had a great connection in class. But even he is treating him different. Isaac knows he has to keep his distance from Jackson. Rumors have spiraled about him in the past when his last relationship with a student ended when the student disappeared without a word on why he left. With threats to his job, Isaac has kept in line. But Jackson threatens Isaac’s control. And with the chemistry between them, well, it makes it harder and harder to keep it. As they try to navigate this growing things between them, there are outside threats of not only about them but the threat of history repeating itself. Can Jackson and Isaac stop that from happening? This had such a good suspense feel to it on top of being a romance. It made it so easy to get lost in the story and fuel your need to find out what happens next. I’m interested in seeing where this series goes and I have a feeling on who is up next!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sanctuary: A Star Wars Bad Batch Novel by Lamar Giles

 

Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Omega gamble on a mission to help rebuild Pabu in this thrilling adventure for The Bad Batch.

A good soldier knows that life is all about change—whether it’s on or off the battlefield. Surviving, living, means adaptation. Hunter is well acquainted with this lesson. He’s on the run from the Empire, Echo’s off on a mission with Captain Rex, and Crosshair is . . . still Crosshair, but amidst all the change, Hunter still has Tech, Wrecker, and Omega.

And it seems that his small family might have finally found a safe place to land, far from the increasingly vigilant eyes of the Empire: Pabu. But their potential new island home is in desperate need of resources if there is any hope for the fledgling community to recover from a devastating sea wave. That’s where Phee Goena, self-proclaimed liberator of treasures, comes in, with a couple of jobs she swears will get them the funds they need. Despite Hunter’s concern with Phee’s precarious plans, the rest of the crew is fine following her lead.

Things go wrong almost immediately, as Phee’s droid blows the crew’s cover at a high-stakes auction, and they barely make it out with the relic they’d been paid to acquire. Hunter insists they finish their first mission and deliver the relic before taking on more work, but Phee and the others push forward with a second job: ferrying a couple on the run, one of whom is due to give birth at any moment. Hunter worries that they’re risking too much, especially when their mysterious new passengers cling to lies and secrets that trace back to an Imperial Security Bureau officer hot on their trail.

As Hunter tries to get the crew back on a stable, safe path far, far away from anything to do with the Empire’s watchdogs, their overlapping missions only invite more danger and chaos. On the verge of failing both their desperate passengers and their community on Pabu, the Batch must remember that the only way they succeed, the only way they survive to fight another day, is by trusting each other.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221805141-sanctuary

*********

My Review: 4/5 Stars

The Bad Batch are my favorite Star Wars characters. So when I saw a book about them, I couldn’t resist! We follow Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, and Omega on their latest mission. Phee promises them it will be easy. Get a relic to help restore her home, Pabu and give some refugees a ride. Easy. But Hunter knows that with his crew, nothing is easy. And naturally everything goes wrong. Just like every mission with these guys. But they survive and adapt the best they can. While they barely make it out alive with the relic from their first mission, their second mission proves a surprise. The couple they are carrying didn’t mention that the woman was pregnant and due any day. Or the fact that the ISB are on their trail. Hunter just wants his family safe. And he’ll do whatever he can to guarantee everyone makes it out alive. It’s exactly what you would expect out of Clone Force 99. Chaos and humor and everything in between. This was really fun to read especially that I’ve been missing the show now that it is over. If you love this group as much as I do, you’ll definitely want to check this out!