Excerpt Reveal: The Flirting Game by Lauren Blakely

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the final standalone hockey romance in her Love and Hockey series, THE FLIRTING GAME! This sexy, revenge fake dating, neighbors-to-lovers, workplace hockey romance is filled with unexpected surprises while spying on the neighbor, fake-turned-very-real sleepovers, and all the feels, spice, and heat you’ve come to expect and love from a Lauren Blakely sports romance! Available on Audible now, THE FLIRTING GAME releases in eBook and paperback on December 12th and will be free to read in Kindle Unlimited! Check out the excerpt below and pre-order your copy today!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/flirtinggameAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/FlirtingGameAUD
Listen Now! Brooke Bloomingdale & Sean Masters Narrate in Duet!

About THE FLIRTING GAME (Coming 12/12/2025):

Revenge was the plan. Falling for the hockey star next door wasn’t.

My new neighbor is a hot, grumpy hockey player who works out shirtless on his porch every morning. But it’s not technically spying if I just happen to be on my patio at the same time … right?

Imagine my surprise when the sexy grouch turns out to be the client who just hired me to redecorate the house he’s giving his mom.

What’s a ray of sunshine like me to do? Pretend I’ve never noticed his abs while we pick out furniture—since I’d never date a client. And Ford’s made it clear this is his final season, and he wants zero distractions.

Which means I need to exercise some serious resistance …

To his cool blue eyes that track my every move.
To that deep voice that makes me shiver.
And to the mouth that shuts me up one night in our shared backyard with a scorching kiss.

We agree it’s a one-time slip-up—until my cheating ex invites me to a party, and Ford insists on being my revenge date. Our fake night out turns into a very real sleepover.

Now the press and fans think we’re a couple, so we keep it up. One fake date at a charity gala turns into another at a hockey game, and somewhere between fabric swatches and porch picnics, I stop pretending.

But how do I convince Ford that with me, he can have both love and hockey?

Tropes: Neighbors to lovers, hockey romance, workplace romance, revenge fake dating, romantic comedy. This is Ford and Skylar's romance!

Read the Excerpt:

“Can I come in?” he asks, a new urgency in his voice. “Or are you going to be late?”

“I have ten minutes before I have to go.”

“To catch the bus?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll drive you.” It comes out like a command.

“I still only have fifteen minutes.”

“That’s fine.” The click of the door shutting activates guard-dog mode. Simon barks, then hustles his little wiggling body down the stairs. He rushes over immediately, whimpering and circling Ford like they’ve known each other for years.

I think of Landon. Of the times he ignored Simon. Of the other guys I dated who didn’t care, didn’t even ask to see a photo on our first dates. But Ford? He crouches down and strokes Simon’s long, soft ears with this gentle reverence that melts my heart.

“Hey there,” he murmurs. “You’re a good boy, aren’t you? A very good boy, helping your mom with the bills.”

My brain short-circuits.

He called me Mom. A dog mom, sure, but still—I love it too much. The stupid, silly designation that we dog lovers use is doing unfair things to my insides.

Once Simon trots off to his living room bed—shaped like a cupcake—Ford rises slowly, his gaze locking with mine. “If we’re going to fake date,” he says, “we should probably…” His eyes drift to my mouth.

I feel it. The shift in the air. The way every nerve in my body goes on high alert. The pull.

He doesn’t have to finish the sentence.

But he does.

“Fake kiss.”

And all I can think is yes, please, and now.

“Don’t make it fake.”

ABOUT LAUREN BLAKELY:

A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Her books have been featured in US Weekly and People. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party. 

Connect w/ Lauren:

Website: laurenblakely.com 

NL Signup: http://laurenblakely.com/newsletter  

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks

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New Release Review: Duke by Jessica Peterson

Duke by Jessica Peterson is now live in audio!

Narrated by: Lila Winters & Stephen Dexter

One chance meeting on a Texas ranch.

One wild, too-charming cowboy.

One snowed-in night that changes everything.

Wheeler Rankin isn’t here for romance—she’s come to Lucky River Ranch to visit her best friend, wrangle a business deal, and prove herself to everyone who ever doubted her. But when she collides with Duke Rivers—resident heartbreaker, restless cowboy, and brother to her best friend’s new flame—sparks fly hotter than a Texas summer.

Duke has always dreamed of more than dusty trails and small-town life. He’s itching to see the world, but one unforgettable night with Wheeler changes his course. When a blizzard and a business road trip leave them stranded together, their no-strings flirtation ignites into something deeper.

But passion brings complications—and unexpected news threatens to upend everything Wheeler’s built. As family pressures, old wounds, and new dreams collide, Duke is determined to stand by her side, ready to forge a future neither of them ever imagined.

Can two fiercely independent souls trust in love, face their fears, and find home in each other’s arms? Or will the ghosts of the past keep them apart for good?

Welcome back to Hartsville, where family is found, love is hard-won, and every cowboy has a story worth telling.

Listen today!

Audible: https://bit.ly/3Kh7fUn

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3K7K8vx

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/49DQopk

My review: 4 stars

I finished the audiobook for Duke with a smile on my face- the Lucky River Ranch bunch is such a fun group to read about! Accidental pregnancy is not a trope I seek out, but I knew that author Jessica Peterson would write a story I'd enjoy. Duke is the definition of a green flag man- he's just a fantastic guy and I really loved all the cowboy boot business detail! The epilogue was just a treat. The audiobook is narrated by Stephen Dexter and Lila Winters and I really enjoyed their performances.

Free Holiday Book Surprise!

It’s the season for gift giving!

Six FREE standalone holiday short stories!

The Twelve Dates of Christmas  - Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

I somehow got roped into my matchmaker best friend’s holiday dating event, The Twelve Dates of Christmas. The only part I actually enjoyed was shamelessly flirting with her brother, who had a front-row seat to every disaster from behind his bar. Four-years-younger Tucker was infuriatingly hot and always off-limits. It turned out while I was looking for holiday sparks in all the wrong places, Tucker was the one lighting me up. 

My Favorite Time of Year – Elizabeth O'Roark

She's all business, he's all charm – until one holiday in Paris rewrites the rules.

For years, Kelsey Cabot and billionaire Hawthorne “Hawk” Boudreaux have bantered over the phone—while he secretly imagines far more than her polished photo allows. Their first in-person meeting in Paris crackles with holiday magic, but can two lives three time zones apart find a happily-ever-after?

Don't Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle – Laura Pavlov

He's the wild cowboy who just wants to have a good time. She's the type A, overachiever who has always gotten under his skin. But when they get into an argument over the last Christmas Tree on the lot--things take an unexpected turn. 

A Most Divine Christmas  - Monica Murphy

Lola only wanted  a peek inside the Divine estate’s legendary holiday bash. Instead, she runs into Easton Divine himself—irresistibly handsome, infuriatingly charming and suddenly very interested in her. Crashing the party was easy. Escaping him? Not so much.

Elfing Around – Avery Flynn

Nothing could be worse than playing department store elf to my grinch of a boss’s Santa…at least that’s what I thought. Until a sudden blizzard makes us take shelter for the night in a tiny B&B with only one room with only one tiny twin-sized sleigh bed. That would be the worst—the absolute worst.

Bel's Christmas Wish – J. L. Beck

An invitation to Christmas with the Benedetti family promises glittering lights, lavish dinners, and traditions older than snow. But behind the gilded halls and holiday cheer lies something far colder: a legacy of betrayal, power, and blood. For Bel, the gathering is more than a holiday—it’s a chance to meet the father she never knew. Yet the Benedettis don’t give without taking. 

COVER CREDIT:

Cover designer:  Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative

 

Grab your free copy today, before it goes away! 

Available for only a limited time! 

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/h2pb3a78tc

New Release Review: That Girl by Jillian Dodd

 

That Girl: Damon + Ainsley #2 by Jillian Dodd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been a fan of author Jillian Dodd’s That Boy series for years and it’s been fun to experience the next generation! Ainsley and Damon’s romance is so very sweet and I just love how much he adores her and knew from the instant he met her that she was his forever. This book takes us into Damon’s first college football season while Ainsley finished her last college semester and I loved how they made it work long-distance. Looking forward to the next book to see how their love story ends!

View all my reviews

Cover Reveal: The Exception by Vi Keeland

 

Title: The Exception

Author: Vi Keeland

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Boss/Intern, Dominant Hero, Billionaire

Cover Design: Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative

Photographer: Michelle Lancaster

Model: Shaun Collins

Release Date: January 11, 2026

BLURB

He lives by a set of rules. She might be his one exception.

I just wanted a distraction, something to take the edge off before facing a wedding I was dreading. So on the flight back to New York, I signed up for a dating app. Harmless enough, right?

Wrong.

Turns out, it wasn’t just any app—it catered to people with very specific tastes. By the time I realized it, I was already on my date.

Tall, confident, and sinfully handsome, Jagger Langston seemed like the full package. The chemistry between us was instant—electric enough to burn the whole city down. Though things took a turn when we figured out I’d misunderstood who should join the app. We laughed it off, said goodbye, and went our separate ways.

Or so I thought.

Until I walked into my new internship Monday morning, ready to put the weekend behind me, and there he was—my boss.

Now I’m caught between the rules he lives by—and the temptation to make him break every single one of them.

ADD TO GOODREADS

PRE-ORDER LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

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AUTHOR BIO

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated in twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria, Israel, and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films by Passionflix, and two of her books are currently optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

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GOODREADS

New Release Review: Honeymoon Phase by Amy Daws

 

HAPPY HONEYMOON PHASE RELEASE DAY to Amy Daws! Get ready for this slow burn, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience rom-com, now available in Kindle Unlimited and DUET style audio!! 💙💙💙 Addison “Roe” Monroe needs to be married to inherit her father’s lumberyard, so she decides she’s going on a husband hunt at the local lumberjack competition. Her best friend, Luke Fletcher can’t stomach watching Roe hitch her wagon to some hulking ax wielder who might be a serial killer. So he’s decided to do whatever it takes to get her to marry him instead…even if that means becoming a lumberjack himself. On the surface, he's offering a marriage of convenience. But secretly, Luke is hoping for a chance at forever. 🐓 Grab the Deluxe Print Edition ➙ https://geni.us/HoneymoonPhase-ALL 🎧 Listen to Duet Audio Here ➙ https://geni.us/HPAudio My review: 4 stars I have really enjoyed this series so much- each Fletcher man is a catch! Friends to lovers is a favorite trope of mine, and Luke and Roe's story was so fun! I loved seeing how the other wives took Addison "Roe" in and how much being a part of their family meant to her- it was amazingly sweet. I listened to the audiobook and narrators Erin Mallon and Teddy Hamilton's performances were top-notch. And now I am so ready for Everly's book!

New Release Review: Thrown for a Loop by Sarina Bownen

 

Thrown for a Loop by Sarina Bowen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yay for a new hockey series from one of my favorite authors, Sarina Bowen! I really enjoyed Zoe and Chase's story, told through alternating past and present chapters. I believe this is the first time I've read about a former ice skater-turned-skating coach and this was super fun since ice skating is one of my favorite sports to watch. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the performances of Brooke Bloomingdale and Ryan Hudson. The genuine camaraderie of the team and the friendship that formed between Darcy and Zoe was amusing and super fun to read.

View all my reviews

New Release Review: Merry Little Kissmas by Lauren Blakely

 Fake dating my brother’s best friend during the holidays?

I'll take that bet.

My teammates got me a matchmaker for Christmas... But now all I want under the tree is her.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes a sexy, standalone holiday romance, MERRY LITTLE KISSMAS! This spicy, small town, fake dating, matchmaker, single dad hockey player romance will Christmas-seduce you! MERRY LITTLE KISSMAS is now available in all formats, and free to read in Kindle Unlimited. 

And there’s more good news! 100% of sales for the first week of release across all formats will go to animal rescue charities, including pre-orders. So together we can help homeless pets find homes this holiday season! And all you have to do to help make that happen is read or listen! One-click your copy today!

✦ Signed & Personalized ➜ https://laurenblakely.com/shop/
✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/KissmasAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/MLKAudible
Performed in duet by Vanessa Edwin & Connor Crais with a FULL CAST!

 

About MERRY LITTLE KISSMAS:

Dear Santa,
When I asked for a fresh shot at love for the holidays, I didn’t mean fake dating my brother’s grumpy best friend.
Especially since he’s also my new client.

As a professional matchmaker, my biggest job this holiday season should be simple: find a date for the sexy single dad hockey star—aka my brother’s best friend—for his team’s fancy Christmas Eve gala.

Sure Rowan’s hot as a crackling fire and spicier than a gingerbread man, but he hasn’t just sworn off romance. The Christmas hater has made a bet that I can’t find him a holidate.

What’s a matchmaker to do?
Win, of course. Even if it means fake dating the grinch myself to get him ready for the real thing.
Only…these fake dates at Christmas tree farms and hot cocoa competitions in the snowy small town of Evergreen Falls start to feel a little too real as I get to know the man behind the scowl. Somewhere between kisses under the mistletoe and a snowed-in night in his cabin curled up by the fire (where the stockings aren’t the only thing hung), I realize I’m in over my elf-loving head.
And when Rowan opens up to me at last about his painful past, I’m determined to give my brother’s best friend the holiday he deserves.
But what if the only gift I want him to unwrap this season is… me?

Tropes: Holiday romance, brother’s best friend, fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, small town, Christmas competition, matchmaker romance, workplace romance

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

✦ Signed & Personalized ➜ https://laurenblakely.com/shop/
✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/KissmasAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/MLKAudible
Performed in duet by Vanessa Edwin & Connor Crais with a FULL CAST!

My review: 5 stars!

I absolutely adore author Lauren Blakely's writing and Merry Little Kissmas was a delight! The banter between main characters Rowan and Isla was perfection and I am always here for when fake-dating turns real. The setting was festive and fun and the Christmas competition was the cherry on top. I listened to the audiobook, narrated in duet by Vanessa Edwin and Connor Crais with a full cast joining it- it was fantastic!

ABOUT LAUREN BLAKELY:

A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Her books have been featured in US Weekly and People. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party. 

Connect w/ Lauren:

Website: laurenblakely.com 

NL Signup: http://laurenblakely.com/newsletter  

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks

Instagram: http://instagram.com/laurenblakelybooks

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@laurenblakelybooks