New Release Review: Christmas Staycation by Meghan Quinn

Christmas Staycation

by Meghan Quinn

Release Date: October 20, 2026

Amazon Link: https://link.amazon/B0dpz8WvM

TROPES

Holiday Romance

Ex’s Brother

Baseball Romance

He Falls First and Hard

Opposites Attract

Spicy Romance

Small Town Romance

Rom Com

BLURB

Nothing says Merry Christmas like fake fiancés, family pressure, and accidentally falling for your ex's brother.

Nolan never met a spotlight he didn't like. As a major league baseball player with a filthy mouth, an ego the size of the North Pole, and zero interest in behaving, he's perfectly happy breezing into Christmas in Kringletown like the charming disaster everyone expects him to be.

Taran, on the other hand, has made an art form out of keeping the peace. She's polished, careful, and so committed to making everyone else happy that she's somehow agreed to a fake wedding with her ex just to keep her family's holiday from imploding.

There's only one problem: the ex in question is Nolan's brother, and Nolan sees right through her. He knows Taran deserves better than pretending her way through life.

And he'd really like "better" to be him.

Now Taran is juggling family expectations, holiday chaos, and a man who is far too cocky, far too funny, and far too determined to bulldoze every wall she's ever built.

But with Christmas closing in, secrets snowballing, and one very fake engagement threatening to blow up in spectacular fashion, this holiday season is about to get messy. And someone's sure to end up on the naughty list.

My review: 4 stars

Oh Lord. This was totally unhinged- Nolan!!!!! Nolan and Taran's story was chaotic and hilarious and just plain crazy. Author Meghan Quinn was at her best, over-the-top self with Christmas Staycation.

New Release Review: Scouting the Single Dad by Sara Ney

 

Scouting the Single Dad by Sara Ney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Scouting the Single Dad was so cute! I adore the grumpy/sunshine trope (Hayes and Layla fit into these categories so well!), and throw in a darling match-making 9 year old daughter named Benny and you've got all the ingredients for a delightful and hilarious romance. My favorite part was the 9 months later epilogue from Benny's POV- such a hoot!

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New Release Review: I've Got a Crush on You by Lauren Blakely

 He's all business.

She's pure sunshine.

Their chemistry refuses to stay professional.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes I’VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU, the next standalone small town romance in her bestselling Darling Springs rom com series! This spicy, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, workplace, forbidden small town romantic comedy answers the question: what happens when the guy you had a super hot one-night-stand with turns out to be your grumpy new boss/landlord! I’VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU is now available in all formats and free to read in Kindle Unlimited! Check out the excerpt below, and one-click your copy today!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAudible
✦ Other Retailers ➜ https://www.sourcebooks.com/9781464228841-ive-got-a-crush-on-you-deluxe-edition-tp.html

🐾Small Town Rom Com
🧡Workplace Romance
💚Grumpy/Sunshine
🐾Forced Proximity
🧡Forbidden
💚Quirky Side Characters
🐾Fighting the Feelings
🧡Oops! My one-night stand is my new coworker
💚Swoony Dance Lessons
🐾Opposites Attract
🧡He Cooks for Her
💚Mixing Business with Pleasure
🐾Hot Mess Heroine
🧡Jealousy Moments
💚One Heck of a Meet Cute
🐾Secret Identity
🧡Blackmail but Make it Flirty
💚Banter for Days
🐾All the Dogs!

About I’VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU:

My secret workplace romance starts innocently enough at a birthday party.

But when a rowdy partier knocks me into a lake and a sexy stranger comes to my rescue – my night becomes one to remember.

A night so steamy I almost forget why I’ve sworn off men after a failed workplace romance.

Trouble is, the brand new doggy daycare in Darling Springs that I’ve contracted with is owned by none other than my sexy stranger. Thanks, fate.

Sawyer turns out to be a total grump in a tailored suit, no matter how sunshine-y I am. Even when he squeezes that hard body past me as I bring donuts to work. Or when he pretends he’s not roaming his dark eyes over me as I teach Fido to sit, stay and come.

But I’m focusing on my shiny new future—my dog-training business is suddenly the hottest thing in town, thanks to a new actress client. And when I’m roped into a charity dance number, I smell an opportunity, especially when I learn my hot landlord has an alter ego and a fandom.

Turns out Mr. Serious Boss is up for dance lessons.

Then the entire Dirty Dancing experience.

Giving into our chemistry once won’t hurt. Two might be pushing it. By the seventh, it’s undeniable–I’ve got a crush on him too.

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAudible
✦ Other Retailers ➜ https://www.sourcebooks.com/9781464228841-ive-got-a-crush-on-you-deluxe-edition-tp.html 

My review: 4 stars!

Adorable and fun and full of swoon! I adored Chloe and Sawyer's journey from one night stand to workplace romance. Author Lauren Blakely loves animals, and I am always so happy she includes furry friends in her books- they always add so much cuteness to the story! Narrators Vanessa Edwin and Connor Crais were just fantastic- they are two of my favorites and their performances are always top-notch. Overall, this was paw-sivitely a perfect summer read!

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAudible
✦ Other Retailers ➜ https://www.sourcebooks.com/9781464228841-ive-got-a-crush-on-you-deluxe-edition-tp.html 

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

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

 

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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New Release Review: Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell

 

Cherry 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.

View all my reviews

New Release Review: Killing Me Softly by Sandie Jones

 

Killing Me Softly by Sandie Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I adore mystery thrillers with possible unreliable narrators and throughout this whole book I wasn't sure if Freya or Charlie (or both!) were to be believed. The ending really took me by surprise!

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New Audiobook Release Review: Show Me by Adriana Locke

 

Show Me by Adriana Locke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was hooked right from the meet-cute (meet-surprise?) and really enjoyed this bad boy/good girl small town romance. Audrey and Brooks had great chemistry from the start, and I really liked how Brooks brought shy Audrey out of her shell and helped her find confidence. The audiobook was narrated by Shiloh James and Connor Brown, who were both new to me, but both gave great performances. I have loved this series and am looking forward to the next book!

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New Release Review: My Kind of Guy by Sarina Bowen

 

My Kind of Guy by Sarina Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm going to admit something- everything I know about ice hockey I learned from reading books by Sarina Bowen! This was a fun grumpy/sunshine MM hockey romance. Goalie Beck was such a awkward quirky mess and he was just such a great guy and it was so fun watching him succeed on the ice. Single dad bar owner Forest has not been lucky in love so he's a bit hesitant and closed-off, but meeting Beck brought him out of his shell. His son Charlie was such a great character and stole quite a few scenes! I listened to the audiobook narrated by Teddy Hamilton (perfection!) and Brandon Francis and their performances were top-notch and this was a great listen.

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 When a film crew descends on my flower farm to shoot a romcom, my stress levels shoot through the roof.  A secret fling with my hot, origami-loving bodyguard is exactly what I need to blow off steam… and exactly what I can’t have.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA, the first standalone small town romance in her upcoming Darling Springs rom com series! This sexy, only one bed, forced proximity, forbidden small town rom com answers the question: what happens when a lavender farmer gets a bodyguard who just happens to be the sexy grump from her one-night-stand who got away! IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA is now available in all formats and free to read in Kindle Unlimited! Check out the excerpt below, and one-click your copy today!

https://laurenblakely.com/book/it-seemed-like-a-good-idea/ 

⛅Grumpy/Sunshine
🏡Small Town Shenanigans
💙He’s Her Bodyguard
💋Forced Proximity
🛏️Only One Bed in the Room
🏃‍One-Night-Stand Who Got Away
🚫Forbidden
😄Romantic Comedy
❤️‍🩹Hate to Love
💟Protective Hero
🪻She Owns a Lavender Farm
😜Banter for Days
🩵"You're Mine" Swoon
😍DIY Toys
⛔"We Can't Keep Doing This" Vibes

About IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA:

He ghosted me once, now he’s supposed to protect me?

I don’t need a bodyguard—I run a small-town lavender farm, for bee’s sake. But when my identical twin sister lands the movie role of a lifetime that’s being shot in my hometown I get one anyway.

And guess which broody, tattooed protector the studio sends to keep the paparazzi off my porch?

Last month’s almost one-night stand.

The guy with the wicked mouth and heated eyes who slipped out before the fun even started. But turns out the sexy jerk is excellent at rescuing me from sneaky photographers at the market. Then the coffee shop. I’m trying hard to stay mad after the third time my new bodyguard saves me.

To top it all off, he’s staying in the cottage at my farm. With me. And there’s only one bed.

Maybe if we finally give in and finish what we started, it’ll relieve the tension? But one night quickly turns into another. Then into late-night secrets and soft confessions we shouldn’t say out loud. Especially since he’s leaving and I’m staying, and there’s no way we can be more than a summer romance that ends far too soon.

Escape into a spicy and hilarious forbidden small town rom com from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely!

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

https://laurenblakely.com/book/it-seemed-like-a-good-idea/ 

My review: 4 stars

This was a super-fun setting- a movie set in a small town where our lavender farmer heroine Ripley only needs a bodyguard (Banks) because she looks just like her actress twin. These two had immediate, fiery chemistry and their witty banter was trademark Lauren Blakely. I listened to an early audio copy and Erin Mallon and JF Harding were simply 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

New Release Review: Try Me by Adriana Locke

 

Try Me by Adriana Locke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As an avid podcast listener, I really enjoyed the setting of Try Me- it was so cool to see behind the scenes of the industry! Drake Bennett was all green flags to me and totally swoon-worthy. I loved seeing Drake take fake dating Gianna so seriously- it was so refreshing to see a guy with so many positive characteristics. As always, author Adriana Locke wrote the best banter between these two- they were so different, yet still so well matched and great for each other.

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New Release Review: Falling for the Fake Lumberjack by Sara Ney

 

Falling for the Fake Lumberjack by Sara Ney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely devoured this on the airplane and I am 100% sure I snorted with laughter way too many times to count! Author Sara Ney never fails to make me laugh, and Lucy and Harris's story was a hoot! This was light and frothy and funny and just a delight! Bonus points for no third act break-up drama!

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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.

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!