Tuesday, June 23, 2026

New Release Review: Married to the Scottish Player by Sara Ney

 

Married to the Scottish Player (Axes & Endzones, #2)Married to the Scottish Player by Sara Ney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was so charming! It was fast paced and fun and made me smile. Callum was all green flags to me and I adored he and Annabelle together. Their banter and chemistry was so good. I loved that this book was light on the drama and filled with hilarity.

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Friday, June 19, 2026

Cover Reveal: The Fall Affair by Vi Keeland

 



Title: The Fall Affair
Author: Vi Keeland
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Opposites Attract/Found Family
Cover Design: Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative
Photographer: Mark Mendez
Release Date: August 18, 2026


BLURB

She’s counting down the days until she leaves Tuscany. He’s counting on making her stay.

Some people go to Tuscany to find themselves.
I went to escape—New York, my ex’s new relationship, and a career that derailed the moment I was passed over for partner.
My plan was simple: settle my eccentric Italian grandmother’s estate, sell whatever wasn’t nailed down, and return to the life I’d worked too hard to lose.
Instead, I walked into a mess—a crumbling antique shop, two hundred acres of leased vineyard land, and one infuriating clause in the will: Live and work in the shop for three months, or inherit nothing.
Then there’s the neighbor I clash with instantly. Matteo Lucchese is the infuriatingly handsome winemaker who leases my family’s land and refuses to be impressed by my credentials—or my attitude. He’s rugged and stubborn, stuck living in a time that has long passed us by, and the word rush isn’t part of his vocabulary. Basically, we’re exact opposites.
But as the days stretch into weeks, Tuscany chips away at the armor I didn’t realize I was wearing, and Matteo shows me the appeal of slowing down, of staying rooted, of wanting something other than climbing the corporate ladder.
I came to Tuscany to escape.
But now that the countdown to going home was on, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to leave. And the life I was falling for came with a looming expiration date.







WHAT TO EXPECT

Opposites Attract
Under the Tuscan Sun Vibes
Found Family
NYC Heroine x Italian Hero
Late-summer Magic




PRE-ORDER LINKS


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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, 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.


AUTHOR LINKS



Wednesday, June 17, 2026

New Release Review: Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell

 

Cherry BabyCherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Anytime a new Rainbow Rowell book comes out, that book will automatically be at the top of my TBR list. Rowell just has a special way of telling a story that always feels like a masterclass at storytelling. Cherry Baby was a bit different from her other works, but still amazing. It's more than a romance, more than a soul-searching journey for her main character Cherry.... just MORE overall. I do think it's beneficial to go in blind to this one - that's what I did myself (because I really don't need to know anything more than the fact that Rowell wrote it to know I'll enjoy it) and as the story shifted from what I thought was going to happen for Cherry to something different from what I expected, I was pleasantly surprised. The narration from Rebecca Lowman, as always, was spectacular.

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Wednesday, June 3, 2026

New Release Review: Just Playing for Keeps by Lauren Blakely

A dirty-talking, grumpy hockey player MMC that takes his cat on walks??? Say less.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the next standalone hockey rom com in her Hockey Ever After series, JUST PLAYING FOR KEEPS! This spicy, fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, only one bed in a room, opposites attract hockey rom com is filled with all the steamy tension, yearning, and heat! JUST PLAYING FOR KEEPS is now available in all formats, including the special edition hardcover, and free to read in Kindle Unlimited. Check out the excerpt below, and one-click your copy today!

✦ Audible ➜ Erin Mallon & Jason Clarke narrate in duet with a full cast!


About JUST PLAYING FOR KEEPS:


Ever hear the story about the dating coach who got dumped on the hockey arena’s jumbotron?

Everyone did. But I lived it. Including the moment when the team’s broody, tattooed star Lake Axelrod swooped in on skates to rescue me from public humiliation.

Even more surprising? When the famously grumpy (and ridiculously sexy) hockey player insists on being my fake boyfriend for my sister’s high-profile wedding. It’s the perfect sweet revenge plan since my ex is the best man. Bonus – I might even salvage my professional reputation.

We need rules though.

To pull this off, everyone from his teammates to my boss has to believe we’re a real couple.


That means swoony touches and knee-weakening kisses are required.


When it ends, we walk away.

But the intensity in Lake’s eyes after every post-game kiss makes me wonder if he’s pretending. With each whispered secret, the line between fake and real bends. Until it shatters one night in a hotel room.

Soon, he isn’t just playing the protective boyfriend—he’s the only one who truly sees me.

If I’m not careful, I’m going to break the most important rule of all: don’t fall for your fake date.

This is Lake and Remy's romance. Tropes include: grumpy/sunshine hockey romance, fake dating, workplace romance, best friend's brother, obsessed hero


ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

✦ Audible ➜ Erin Mallon & Jason Clarke narrate in duet with a full cast!




ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/JustPlayingAMZ


✦ Audible ➜ Erin Mallon & Jason Clarke narrate in duet with a full cast!
http://blkly.pub/JPFKAudible

My review: 5 stars!

Just Playing for Keeps was an absolute delight! Grumpy/sunshine will always be my favorite trope, but I loved seeing our grumpy male lead Lake have such a sweet spot for our heroine Remy. Fake dating is always so fun and I love seeing couples gradually realize they are experiencing the real thing! The chemistry and banter between the couple was so fun. Narrators Erin Mallon and Jason Clarke were so well-cast- I especially thought Clarke's gruff voice fit Lake perfectly. 

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.