True North Book 8: Waylaid by Sarina Bowen Cover Reveal!

True North Book 8

It’s a tale as old as time: the bad boy meets the good girl. He makes a daring proposition. Then the boy gets a mysterious head injury and loses a year of his life…

The first time I meet Rickie, I don’t know what to make of him. The second time we meet, he doesn’t remember the six hours we spent together. Or standing me up afterward.

I’m not the same, either. I’ve got secrets. I’ve told lies. Bad boys aren’t my type, anyway. Even the ones with troubled gray eyes.

But now we’re roommates. Cue the awkward moments in the hallway when he’s wearing only a towel and a smile. He’s determined to win me over, and his talented hands weaken my resolve.

It’s all fun and games until my past rears its ugly head and his secrets come to light, shaking our fragile connection, maybe even breaking it…

Note: this is Daphne Shipley's story. Contents include Vermonty ice cream flavors, nerdy awkwardness, tattoos, and a playboy grandpa.

RELEASE DATE:

JULY 20TH, 2021

VENDORS

Amazon: https://geni.us/AmazonWaylaid

Apple: https://geni.us/AppleWaylaid

Kobo: https://geni.us/KoboWaylaid

Nook: https://geni.us/NookWaylaid

Google: Coming soon!

Audio: Coming Soon!

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook

 

Moo U Hockey Books #4-7 Out Today!

Moo U Hockey Book 4

GAMETIME BY JAMI DAVENPORT

Release Date: April 26, 2021

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2KPbDLO

Purchase here: https://geni.us/AmazonGametime

AudioBook: https://geni.us/AudibleGametime

Moo U Hockey: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/moo-u-hockey/

Cover Design: Christine Coffey

BLURB:

One drunken night and one case of mistaken identity turn a friendship inside out...

You’ve seen the hockey twins around campus--they look identical, but you can tell them apart by their actions. Patrick is the one who’s busy charming women. Paxton is the one in the library.

Until one night when Paxton parties a little harder than usual. Next thing he knows, he’s waking up naked next to Naomi, the girl of his dreams. He bares his heart before an awful realization sets in. He’s not the twin she thought he was...

Naomi is the only child of a hockey legend. Partying hard is the best way she knows how to rebel against her controlling father. After a particularly crazy night, she realizes her big mistake. Her hookup isn’t the guy she’s been crushing on. It’s Paxton, her friend, the guy who gets her, who she can always count on. The guy she’d never want to hurt. And yet, the sex was good. Better than good.

Now she’s wondering if the wrong twin might be the right one after all . . .

Check Out My Review Here:

https://myfuture-mybooks-mylife.blogspot.com/2021/04/moo-u-hockey-book-4-gametime-by-jami.html

Moo U Hockey Book 5

OVERTIME BY KAT MIZERA

Release Date: April 26, 2021

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2Mot7if

Purchase here: https://geni.us/AmazonOvertime

Audiobook: https://geni.us/AudibleOvertime

Moo U Hockey: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/moo-u-hockey/

Cover Design: Christine Coffey

BLURB:

Hotshot hockey star Patrick Graham has been groomed for the pros since before he could walk. Fast forward to his junior year of college, and he’s having the time of his life. What could be better than pucks, partying, and having his pick of campus women? But if Patrick doesn’t buckle down and get his grades up, he could find himself benched for the championships. Could a beautiful brainiac be the solution to his problems?

Nineteen-year-old Master’s student Ellie McGinn could do so many things with her biology degree, but her mother is pushing her toward a future she doesn't want. Tutoring a hockey hottie seems like the perfect opportunity to start making her own choices and living life on her own terms.

When learning turns to yearning, will they be ready to face the heat and heartache that love can bring?

Check Out My Review Here:

https://myfuture-mybooks-mylife.blogspot.com/2021/04/moo-u-hockey-book-5-overtime-by-kat.html

Moo U Hockey Book 6

HALFTIME BY KIM FINDLAY

Release Date: April 26, 2021

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/39YYUyC

Purchase: https://geni.us/AmazonHalftime

Audiobook: https://geni.us/AudibleHalftime

Moo U Hockey: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/moo-u-hockey/

Cover Design: Christine Coffey

BLURB:

There’s no halftime in hockey, but maybe there’s one in love…

Drunk dialing your girlfriend to tell her that you didn’t really cheat is a bad idea--a lesson Seb Hunter learned the hard way. It was no surprise when she cut him completely out of her life. Now he’s finally moved on, and he’s looking forward to sophomore year at Moo U. Until his ex arrives on campus.

For goalie Faith Devereaux, cheating is a hard pass. She grew up knowing all too well how destructive infidelity can be. She’s gotten over Seb and picked the college of her dreams. The fact that he’s a student there will not be a problem. Hockey is her priority. Not guys, not dating, definitely not exes.

But when an exhibition game forces them into close proximity, it isn’t long before their old attraction flares. Regaining trust is hard, though, when the heart plays a good defensive game.

But when the goal is love, one more shot might be all they need.

Check Out My Review Here:

https://myfuture-mybooks-mylife.blogspot.com/2021/04/moo-u-hockey-book-6-halftime-by-kim.html

Moo U Hockey Book 7

DARKROOM BY KATE WILLOUGHBY

Release Date: April 26, 2021

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2KHVqI4

Purchase: https://geni.us/AmazonDarkroom

Audiobook: https://geni.us/AudibleDarkroom

Moo U Hockey: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/moo-u-hockey/

Cover Design: Christine Coffey

BLURB:

As a top draft pick from a family of hockey royalty, I'm under so much pressure that I’m losing my edge on the ice. I need something to snap my brain out of this self-destructive stress-loop. That’s where Indi Briscoe from my photography class comes in. She’s flirtatious and funny one moment, sweetly shy the next. 

But she’s cagey. She has secrets. Also? She’s a virgin. Did I mention the pressure thing? Maybe I’m crazy for starting something with her. But we can’t seem to help ourselves...

Warning: this standalone novel contains heat, heart, familial expectations, extreme milkshakes, and a hamster with deep thoughts.

Check Out My Review Here:

https://myfuture-mybooks-mylife.blogspot.com/2021/04/moo-u-hockey-book-7-darkroom-by-kate.html

 

Witches of the Island Book 1: A Wicked and Beautiful Garden by Katie McGarry

Witches of the Island Book 1

Twenty-eight year-old Cassie Strega can’t escape fate.

All she wants is to live a normal, quiet life delivering the babies in her small town. But when she discovers she comes from a lineage of witches, her life becomes extraordinary—in the gravely dangerous type of way.

Then, she’s reunited with her first love.

Orion, the sultry Fae warrior who broke her heart years before, is searching for a baby. Not just any baby, but the queen of the Fae who will one day lead them in their final battle against the demons determined to rule the world. The same baby who has been calling to Cassie for help in her dreams.

Fighting the intense attraction of their former blood bond, Cassie and Orion work together to find the child. But when the heartbreak that nearly destroyed Cassie nine years before looms once more, she’ll have to decide whether getting involved in the supernatural war is worth losing everything, including her life.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57652527-a-wicked-and-beautiful-garden

*********

My Review: 5/5 Stars 

Different from anything Katie McGarry has written before, she explores not only writing an adult book but one that has a lot of urban fantasy in it. And it was great! The story follows Cassie, a healer who has spent the last 9 years, grieving for the man she loved, working hard to become a nurse and midwife, and handling her empathic abilities after the accident that almost killed her and killed the man she loved. But everything changes when she begins getting visions of a baby not yet born who needs her protection. Not only that, Orion, the man she thought had died, has come back into her life. Not only is she shocked to see him but he has the same goal as her: find the baby. This world they are living is a magical one. Orion is a Fae and Cassie soon learns that she is a witch. And discovering this part of her comes at a cost. One where a lot of Fae and demons want to kill her and there is a curse on her and Orion, which was why he had to leave her all those years ago. So much goes down in this book. We have the complicated love and hate relationship between Cassie and Orion in the sense that Cassie is so angry that he left her behind and how she had been when she was young and thoughtless. But she still has this strong pull to Orion. Meanwhile, it broke Orion to have to leave her but at the time he knew he was being selfish and that he had to let her go to protect her. Their so called curse was one where their futures would lead to pain and suffering and then their deaths. How could they change it? And if their relationship status wasn't complicated enough this magical world they live in has angels, demons, fae, witches, and so many other magical entities. And it boils down to a chess match between God and Lucifer. They are in their final moves, a game that started so, so long ago. And the biggest pieces involve a queen yet to be born to the Fae. A queen that has chosen Cassie to protect her and it is also Orion's duty to protect the Fae queen. If, they can find her before she is born and the demons get them. A lot of info in this book, but overall such a different magical world than what I've read before. McGarry takes so many of those magical elements and crafts them into a world so unique and definitely her own. I loved this story and with an ending like that, I definitely need book two soon!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 19: Lover Unveiled by J.R. Ward

Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 19

The #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series returns with Sahvage, a powerful MMA fighter with a buried secret that can change the world of Caldwell forever.

In this heart pounding installment in J. R. Ward’s #1 New York Times best-selling series…a long lost member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood finds true love-and evil incarnate-in Caldwell, NY.

Sahvage has been living under the radar for centuries-and he has every intention of staying ‘dead and buried.’  But when a civilian female sucks him into her dangerous battle with an evil as ancient as time, his protective side overrides his common sense.

Mae has lost everything, and desperation sets her on a collision course with fate.  Determined to reverse a tragedy, she goes where mortals should fear to tread- and comes face to face with the Brotherhood’s new enemy.  She also discovers a love she never expected to find with Sahvage, but there can be no future for them.

Knowing they will part, the two band together to fight against what Mae unknowingly unleashed- as the Brotherhood closes in to reclaim one of their damned, and the evil vows to destroy them all…

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54396772-lover-unveiled

********

My Review: 5/5 Stars

The Omega may be gone but that doesn't mean the danger has passed. A new threat has definitely arrived and after knowing what she can do (thank you Fallen Angels series), take me back to the Omega problem. Because Davina is way more psycho. Back in the BDB world and I love it as always. This story follows Sahvage and Mae. Mae has lost almost everyone she loves and she is not ready to lose her brother just yet. A bit crazy and super desperate, Mae has a plan. A plan that involves the Book (something that screams bad, bad magic) and resurrection. And she will not be stopped. Then her path crosses with Sahvage and things take a complicated turn. Sahvage was once part of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, but when everyone thinks he is dead, he takes advantage of it. He failed to protect his charge centuries ago and he just does not want to be bothered anymore. Yet, he finds his way to Caldwell and things change. A lot goes down in this book. The main plot though is around the evil Book that everyone wants to get their hands on. Mae to bring back her brother, Sahvage to destroy it, Devina to use it for evil things, and the Brothers to prevent it from getting into Devina's hands. In the ends it's truly a game of who will find it first and who will be the one to actually keep it. 

Like I said, a lot goes down in this book aside from the main Book plot. For one thing, there were a lot of points of view which may seem like too many at one point, but then you realize, as usual, that they are all connected and leading up to something. Or even hinting at the future. We have crazy Devina, our villain, on a rampage. We get a lot of the Bastard, Balz, which ends up being great because we can see that his full story has to be coming soon, but his role in this book was pretty vital. We also visit a lot with Murhder's adopted son, Nate. Who Nate interacts with in this story ends up being an important piece of the puzzle. And one that definitely will continue in future books, seriously cannot wait for that. There was so much to love about this story. The pieces that are setting up the future, the cameos from favorite characters, we finally get to learn about the mysterious coffins, and so much more. Sahvage is definitely another favorite Brother of mine. Absolutely hilarious. This world keeps getting better and better. And I cannot wait for more!

Moo U Hockey Cover Reveal Books #8-10!

Moo U Hockey Book 8

PLAYMAKER BY SIERRA HILL

Release Date: June 7, 2021

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3iFVKDT

Pre-Order here: https://geni.us/AmazonPlaymaker

Moo U Hockey: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/moo-u-hockey/

Cover Design: Christine Coffey

BLURB:

There’s no faking it in love or hockey...

Transferring to a new school under false pretenses is harder than I expected, especially when my cocky new housemate, Callan Thomas, annoys me at every pass. He’s treated like a god and revered by everyone on campus. Too bad he made me feel like a rejected fool the first night we met.

But that doesn’t stop me from accepting his offer to become his fake girlfriend, because he has skills that I need. Only Callan can help me improve my game and make the USA women’s hockey team.

I try to keep despising him, but he keeps proving my first impression was wrong. And the more time I spend with him, the more complex my feelings become. I need to tell him the truth about who I really am before anyone finds out and things go too far.

Problem is, I think they already have...

Moo U Hockey Book 9

SNOWBALLED BY MELANIE TING

Release Date: June 7, 2021

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/366wdyu

Pre-Order here: https://geni.us/AmazonSnowballed

Moo U Hockey: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/moo-u-hockey/

Cover Design: Christine Coffey

BLURB:

She needs Prince Farming . . . but she got me instead.

Sure, life’s been easy for me. Growing up in an oceanside house in SoCal, playing top-level college hockey, driving a luxury car with a generous allowance—sounds like the dream, right? Turns out what I didn’t have was freedom. And when I decided to transfer to Moo U for my last year of hockey, my controlling father cut me off. 

No money, no car, no friends. I’m just another student struggling to make ends meet. The only place I can afford to live is the Meyers’ farm, where I’ll work in exchange for room and board. Farm work is so exhausting that I don’t even have time to wallow in the crappy turn my life has taken. Zoe Meyers is a hot blonde Amazon with all the energy of a chipmunk on crack. And her positivity is making me realize how lucky I really am, even though I’m broke. Too bad she’s not impressed by a guy who can’t figure out which end of a goat to milk.

Because suddenly I want to impress her. I want to do a lot more with her too . . . if I can get her out of the barn and into my arms.

Moo U Hockey Book 10

GOALKEEPER BY ANDI BURNS

Release Date: June 7, 2021

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/39Xy4H2

Pre-Order here: https://geni.us/AmazonGoalkeeper

Moo U Hockey: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/moo-u-hockey/

Cover Design: Christine Coffey

BLURB:

Winning games has always been his focus, but will winning her heart become the ultimate goal?

Everyone at Moo U knows the party doesn’t start until Paige Underwood arrives. Not only is she beautiful, she’s fun and charming too. Guys want to date her, and girls want to be her best friend. All Paige wants is to have a good time and make videos for her beauty channel--and maybe get that girl down the hall to do her eyeliner correctly. Is that too much to ask? 

According to her parents, yes. They’ve said the party’s over and that it’s time to get focused.

Spencer Briggs knows all about focus. He’s had one goal since he set foot on the ice as a kid: make it to the NHL. After years of hard work and endless practice, he’s the starting goalie for Moo U and mere steps away from his dream. He can’t afford distractions, and isn’t interested in relationships. And he definitely can’t afford to flirt back with the gorgeous girl in his lit class. 

He needs to stay serious. She needs to get serious. But now serious sparks are flying . . .

 

A Blood and Ash Novel Book 3: The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout

A Blood and Ash Novel Book 3

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book three in her Blood and Ash series…

She's been the victim and the survivor…

Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she’s found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It’s a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed. The true ruler of Atlantia. She carries the blood of the King of Gods within her. By right the crown and the kingdom are hers.

The enemy and the warrior…

Poppy has only ever wanted to control her own life, not the lives of others, but now she must choose to either forsake her birthright or seize the gilded crown and become the Queen of Flesh and Fire. But as the kingdoms’ dark sins and blood-drenched secrets finally unravel, a long-forgotten power rises to pose a genuine threat. And they will stop at nothing to ensure that the crown never sits upon Poppy’s head.

A lover and heartmate…

But the greatest threat to them and to Atlantia is what awaits in the far west, where the Queen of Blood and Ash has her own plans, ones she has waited hundreds of years to carry out. Poppy and Casteel must consider the impossible—travel to the Lands of the Gods and wake the King himself. And as shocking secrets and the harshest betrayals come to light, and enemies emerge to threaten everything Poppy and Casteel have fought for, they will discover just how far they are willing to go for their people—and each other.

And now she will become Queen…

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55240343-the-crown-of-gilded-bones

********

My Review: 5/5 Stars 

Amazing. Insane. I have no words after finishing that book. This series legit gets better and better. Just when you think it can't be topped, it does. This one is my favorite so far. There was so much to love about it and there way just so much going on and revealed. And that ending... dang. The book picks up right where the last one ended. The same moment. And it doesn't turn out as anyone would expect. The first several chapters were completely insane. So much stuff happened. So much HUGE and life changing things happened. I couldn't believe it was only the beginning of the book. For that much to happen and the changes that come with it. And things only spiral from there. 

Poppy learns a great deal more about Atlantia and the history. She learns a great deal more about herself and exactly where she comes from. It is a theme that is slowly unraveled throughout the book. It is a story of her and Casteel deciding what next on their mission to retrieve their brothers but also stop a war. As a whole, this book was a story about revelations. And plot twists on plot twists. Just when you think one thing is figured out, a new piece of information changes the game. My mind kept trying to piece it all together and keep up. 

And then there were the emotional pieces. Poppy and Casteel continue to be just the amazing and strong couple we fell in love with since the beginning. We see more beloved characters and meet some pretty awesome new ones. The humor is another piece of love to these stories. Between Poppy's constant questions that drive Kieran insane and Casteel's knack of being totally inappropriate at the most absurd times. With every heartbreaking emotional moment that comes, it is nice to have the humor that lightens it. 

This story had so much. You learn so much about Atlantia and the gods and bloodlines. I feel like Poppy when I say I still have so many questions. And the ending. Wow, if you thought the previous book was a cliffhanger, this one was in a way worse to me. A a few earlier chapters before broke me, but then the last one or so changed the game and sent a message no one will forget. I need the next book asap. And the wait will be torture but I know worth it. I loved this book. It had everything I wanted and more. Despite the fact that the ending made me want to cry. If you are loving the series so far this one will not disappoint at all. 

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle

Can you find real love when you've always got your head in the clouds?

Maybell Parish has always been a dreamer and a hopeless romantic. But living in her own world has long been preferable to dealing with the disappointments of real life. So when Maybell inherits a charming house in the Smokies from her Great-Aunt Violet, she seizes the opportunity to make a fresh start.

Yet when she arrives, it seems her troubles have only just begun. Not only is the house falling apart around her, but she isn't the only inheritor: she has to share everything with Wesley Koehler, the groundskeeper who's as grouchy as he is gorgeous—and it turns out he has very different vision for the property's future.

Convincing the taciturn Wesley to stop avoiding her and compromise is a task more formidable than the other dying wishes Great-Aunt Violet left behind. But when Maybell uncovers something unexpectedly sweet beneath Wesley's scowls, and as the two slowly begin to let their guard down, they might learn that sometimes the smallest steps outside one's comfort zone can lead to the greatest rewards. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54660653-twice-shy

********

My Review: 5/5 Stars 

So I have to say it took me a hot minute to get into the story. I wasn't sure how I felt at first reading it, but then next thing I knew I was sucked in. It was a pretty adorable romance. So Maybell is definitely a dreamer and hopeless romantic. Stuck at a job she doesn't like and with a coworker who was cruel enough to play an awful trick on her then pretend everything was fine, Maybell escapes reality by escaping into her own head and creating daydreams where she gets swept off her feet by a handsome prince or whatnot. Then when she is told that her Great-Aunt Violet has passed away and she has inherited her large home manor, Maybell doesn't hesitate to leave her current life behind and start fresh. What she doesn't realize is when she gets there is that she actually has to share the property with Wesley, the groundskeeper who was there for Violet in the end. It becomes a battle of wills as the two of them clash and argue over what to do with the major fixer upper property. But despite their many battles, bit by bit they let their guard down and actually get to know another. Perhaps underneath their masks are two people who could match up perfectly. I loved this story. There was so many great surprises. Like Wesley. He appeared to be this grouchy, scowly, and quiet guy. But really that was him trying to deal with his extreme case of social anxiety. He wasn't prepared for Maybell. But it's so sweet to see when he starts to get comfortable around her and realize that he can be himself and she won't judge him. And as for Maybell, she has struggled to stand up for herself and prove that she can go out and accomplish things despite no one giving her a chance. She marches to the beat of her own drum and loves the stories she creates in her head. And she finds she can share them with Wesley. In the end, they bring out the best in one another and as they work together to fulfill Violet's wishes and achieve their own dreams, they realize that together is the best way to do it. Great, great story. Such a fun read! I look forward to more of Sarah's books in the future. 

Lochguard Highland Dragons Book 8: The Dragon Collective by Jessie Donovan

Lochguard Highland Dragons Book 8

Over the last ten years Lachlan MacKintosh has kept his sobriety through hard work, focus, and strict routines. Then he meets one dragonwoman a year prior, a woman with easy smiles and humor, and he starts to wonder if his routines are enough. When he’s assigned a major project on Lochguard, one to bring together human and dragon artists, he’s forced to live with the dragon-shifters and work with the woman who caught his eye all those months ago. He tries to resist her, knowing temptation could be his downfall, but instead he falls more under her charm with each passing day, making him wonder if he’s strong enough to overcome his demons so he can have her.

Despite Cat MacAllister’s never-ending schedule of helping her family, art is her true passion and so when she’s asked to help with a major human-dragon art collective, she jumps at the chance. The only downside is the human male in charge—he’s the one she met the year before and has been constantly sketching every since. She attempts to keep their relationship professional, but soon she asks him to kiss her, changing her life forever.

As the pair try to figure out if they fit together, they not only have to face Lachlan’s past but a new threat emerges before the start of the art project. Will they find a way to stay together, or will Lachlan have to give up everything to protect those he cares about?

Full-length book with a happy ending.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55428190-the-dragon-collective

********

My Review: 5/5 Stars 

I love diving back into this world. It's always such a fun one to revisit. The dragon shifter world just keeps getting bigger. In this latest book, we are back in Lochguard with Cat and Lachlan. They are asked to work together to put together a human and dragon art collective in the hopes of of furthering bringing better relations between humans and dragon shifters. Cat and Lachlan meet a year earlier and ever since then she can't stop thinking about the human male. Though she tries to keep their relationship professional, she can't help but wonder if he is her true mate. Meanwhile, Lachlan is going ten years sober. His past was rough and every day he works hard to keep in control and never slip back into the worst version of himself. But when he is around Cat, all he wants to do is be the best version of himself, if that is even possible. And thanks to Cat believing in him, he feels that maybe he can be happy for once and his future may not be so lonely after all. Cat and Lachlan are such opposites. Cat is this outgoing people person and artist who wears her emotions on her sleeve. Lachlan is this DDA event coordinator who keeps himself in control at all times and relies on his schedules and careful planning. It is a mask to protect himself and those around him, but Cat finds ways to get through to him in the best ways. I loved their dynamic and their story as a whole. I also loved that we had more hints here and there of other potential couples for even more books. Plus! It is also nice to see so many of past couples and characters. Another great one in this series. Looking forward to more!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vino & Veritas Book 13: Heartsong by A.E. Wasp

Vino & Veritas Book 13

"It just figures that the first guy I’m bringing back to my place is cute, single, and totally off-limits..."

Sean Anderson has spent his life waiting to get the hell out of West Virginia. His plans got derailed when his dad shipped him off to “pray the gay away,” but he’s over it, ready to prove that he’s a grown-ass man who can take care of himself. Of course, he’d have a better chance convincing himself if he could stop lusting after his grumpy roommate.

Army veteran Cooper Hill returned to Vermont minus one leg and one career, but determined to build a new life. When an army buddy asks Cooper to keep an eye on his nephew, a junior at the local college, Cooper can’t say no. He’s expecting a sheltered kid. What he gets is a gorgeous young man whose brilliant poetry gives voice to everything Cooper’s been trying to express. He wants Sean more than he’s ever wanted anything. And somehow, miraculously, Sean wants him too.

But wanting each other isn’t the same as being good for each other . . . especially when past pain threatens to write its own verse in their song.

A stand-alone novel in Sarina Bowen’s True North world, Heartsong contains first love, found family, kisses around the campfire, and two caring men who discover they make beautiful music together. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57501196-heartsong

********

My Review: 5/5 Stars

Definitely another favorite of mine from this series. Sean is ready to leave West Virginia. He heads to Burlington to stay with a friend of his uncle's to take some classes from Moo U and just learn to be himself. Something we learn he never really had a chance to do. The moment he arrives in Burlington, everything changes. His first day starts off with a bang when the car in front of him hits a dog and takes off. Sean can't leave the poor puppy alone, so he picks her up and heads into the diner where he is supposed to be Cooper. The moment Cooper and Sean lay eyes on one another though, sparks are flying. There is no denying the chemistry between them and for them they feel like they have known one another their entire lives. Cooper thought Sean was going to be a kid he was going to basically babysit when he was asked if Sean could stay with him. And though Sean is younger than him, there is nothing kid like about him. His innocence and naiveté may show his age a bit, but when he is confident he is a lot older than he looks. Cooper immediately realizes that he is in trouble when it comes to Sean. And for Sean, he is new to it all. Dating, relationships, just being himself as a gay man. But he wants to learn and he wants to learn it all with Cooper. But they both carry their own baggage. For Cooper, it's his continual learning of living without a leg after an accident when he was in the army. And as for Sean, it turns out his past is a lot darker than anyone truly knows. His hurt and anger was pushed down so deep after some trauma caused by his father a few years earlier and now, bit by bit, it is starting to resurface. Lucky for Sean, Cooper is there to catch him when he falls. As long as Sean will give him the chance. I really did love this book. It had such a deep and emotional pull. Some parts were heartbreaking to read when you realize some of the horrible things Sean has been through. But it was so sweet to see him fall for Cooper anyway and how Cooper was there to help Sean through it. Really another great addition to this series.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Vino & Veritas Book 12: Daybreak by Kate Hawthorne

Vino & Veritas Book 12

When a sunny young musician gets stranded with a grumpy mechanic during a snowstorm, a lack of heat is the least of their problems…

Liam Luckett is on an adventure. He's dropped out of his Master's program without telling his overbearing parents and set off on a road trip across the country. Armed with little more than his guitar, he’s looking for his best life. He never expected his car to break down in the middle of nowhere Vermont with a huge storm pending, leaving him stranded and at the mercy of a hunky local mechanic.

Jasper Cunningham is in a holding pattern. Three years after the death of his husband, he still hasn’t moved on. A hot, younger stranded tourist is exactly the sort of complication this mechanic has been avoiding. But he also can’t leave him in the snow. He brings Liam home and lets him sleep on the couch. The air is heavy with more than snow, and when the power goes out, the two men become closer than either of them expects.

Every silken note Liam sings on that guitar thaws Jasper’s heart a little. Suddenly, Liam’s itchy feet aren’t so eager to move on. When their feelings get too big to ignore, the bond they’ve formed is tested. Will daybreak leave them going their separate ways?

This opposites attract, hurt/comfort romance features a grumpy widower who is only soft for one specific blue-eyed musician, a remote farmhouse, a friendly dog, and enough snow to knock the power out until love catches fire.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56278586-daybreak

********

My Review: 5/5 Stars 

I was so glad to see that Jasper was one of our main characters for this book. We met Jasper in Unguarded. He was a friend of Emmett's who we learned had lost his husband three years earlier and was still grieving for that loss. Jasper is still in many ways grieving but when he meets Liam, he finds himself drawn to someone for the first time in a long time. Liam left California without a word to his parents and just drove. He can't find a way to tell them that not only is he gay, but he doesn't want to take the path his father pushed him on. He's been happy to find himself on the road, playing the guitar and singing in bars. And when he arrived in Vermont, he finds he has no choice but to stay when his car breaks down. But despite the unlucky break, it is actually more than he could have hoped for. He didn't think it would be possible to fall for Jasper, who is a bit of a grump and a man of few words. But little by little he sees past the armor Jasper has on and finds himself falling hard. And it doesn't hurt that the two of them are stuck together in Jasper's house with a snow storm. I really enjoyed their story. This one brought back a lot of characters we met in previous books and I definitely wanted to see Jasper get a happy ending after learning about him in Unguarded. And Liam was also another great character, who was this ray of California sunshine but had his own problems of trying to figure out what he wants in his life. Another great addition to the Vino & Veritas series.  

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vino & Veritas Book 11: Insatiable by Rhys Everly

Vino & Veritas Book 11

It was just a bet . . . until feelings got involved.

This job sucks but someone’s got to do it. My readers expect me to chronicle my very real, very steamy encounters in my novels. I’d never want to disappoint my fans, but the creative well has run a bit dry. Burlington, Vermont, seems like a good place to fill it up. This town offers a tempting array of artists, craftsmen, farmers, lumbersexuals . . . and so many beards.

But no one prepared me for Brody. He’s young. He’s hot. He’s definitely a grump. And he's getting under my skin. Where I want him is under my bed sheets.

When my friend bets I’ll never be able to get Brody there, I make winning my mission. Turns out being with Brody is more than a plot device. He’s so very wrong for my life . . . but is he right for my heart?

Insatiable is a standalone book in the Vino & Veritas series by Heart Eyes Press and contains a big/small, grumpy/sunshine pairing, a bed-hopping author, a jilted sugarmaker and a reluctant fake relationship.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57501544-insatiable

********

My Review: 5/5 Stars 

A bet. A fake relationship. So many things that definitely screams disaster when it comes to our two heroes of this book. Logan is a writer who comes to Vermont to be inspired for his next book. Definitely a player, he has no problem finding a hook up. But when he comes across Brody, he has definitely met his match. Brody is still hurt after his fiancé left him at the altar a few months earlier. Grumpy is the definition of who Brody is and he does not want to put up with Logan. Yet a small bet and a little fake relationship to save Brody from his jerk of an ex, leads to more than either could have predicted. Though we all know nothing ends well when a bet, no matter how small, comes to play. But! This story had so many twists that made the story really not that predictable. Along with some things that had me laughing. First off, Logan and Brody are opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to personality. Their banter was hilarious because Brody just didn't put up with anything. His grumpy nature and he tendency to talk to himself, left him with so many great lines. They clashed so much, but opposites really do attract in this story. That is after getting past one another's shields. Because underneath it all the two of them really just wanted someone to love and care for them. In the end, they made each other better. This was a short and sweet story added to the Vino & Veritas series. And definitely a great one!  

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vino & Veritas Book 10: Unguarded by Jay Hogan

Vino & Veritas Book 10

Another rollicking Vermont romance is coming your way!

I fled Boston, and my cheating jerk of an ex, with three hundred dollars and a lip gloss in my pocket. Waking up the next day in Burlington, Vermont, with a crick in my back and a frozen ass hadn’t exactly been my plan. If there was one. Which there wasn’t. Story of my life.

Three hours later, I’ve somehow got myself hired as temporary help in the local veterinary and grooming clinic. I might know zip about animals—but I do know I’m crushing on the sexy, absent-minded vet I work for.

My life is a hot mess, and the last thing I need is another relationship. Emmett pushes all my buttons, but he isn’t out. He's overwhelmed with a business to run and a son to look after and the kind of domestic life I never thought I wanted.

I should walk away. But Emmett believes in me, and I'm beginning to believe in myself. As different as we are, is it possible we're exactly what the other needs?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56758557-unguarded

********

My Review: 5/5 Stars

Definitely another favorite of mine from this series! I can't believe I'm on book 10 already (and that's knowing I have the next three from this series waiting for me to read them). Our leads in this story are Tai and Emmett. After catching his boyfriend cheating on him (again), Tai has had enough. He doesn't stop to pack, he just gets in his car and drives and ends up in Burlington. With only a couple of hundred dollars in his pocket and no other money (thanks to the jerk of the now ex-boyfriend locking him out of his bank account), Tai needs a plan. Lucky for him, he landed in a pretty great place with some decent people. With the help from Briar from Vino and Veritas, Tai finds a temporary job with the local veterinary who is in desperate need of a receptionist. One look at Emmett though and Tai knows he is in trouble. Emmett is the complete opposite of his jerk of an ex and by the looks Emmett is giving Tai, he knows he isn't the only one feeling the connection. Meanwhile, Emmett hasn't been in a relationship since his wife died a few years back. His focus has been keeping his life together and raising his son. But when Tai enters his life, everything he changes. He feels ready to date again and by date he means only with Tai. But there are some complications. Like the fact that he never told anyone (besides his wife) that he was bisexual. He never meant to hide it, he just fell in love with his wife and that was it. Now, he feels a connection to Tai so similar to his wife. When Emmett falls for someone, he falls hard and fast. A relationship between Tai and Emmett won't be easy, no matter their connection. Tai is still hurting from being treated so poorly by his ex and he wants to make sure he can stand on his own two feet and not take any charity. And Emmett needs to find a way to tell his son about his feelings for Tai. Just a bit complicated. But I loved Emmett and Tai's story. The two of them were such great characters. And we got to see more connections to other characters that we've met in previous books. I couldn't put this book down! You can't help rooting for Emmett and Tai as you read and hoping that they figure out how to be together. Another great book for this series!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.