The Throwaways by. Greta Kelly | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Throwaways

Author: Greta Kelly

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 10/20/26

Publisher: Sideways Books

Categories: Mystery, Spy Thriller, Suspense, Cozy

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Sideways Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Calloway women are notorious for three Olympic-level banter, an inexplicable fear of dolls, and secrets.

And one of these things is going to get them killed.

Aster Calloway only sold her grandmother’s Fabergé music box on eBay to finance her mom’s mayoral campaign. It’s not like Poppy Calloway has any real business running for office, but the only other candidate is her book-banning high school nemesis—and she’s in the lead. But what Aster doesn’t realize is that selling the heirloom has toppled the house of lies her grandmother, Iris, has been living in for the past forty years.

Because hidden inside that jewel-encrusted music box was a list of names—names that protected defected KGB operative Iris, her daughter, and her granddaughter. Now the list is gone, and a creepy doll is on Poppy’s doorstep, which can only mean that the list is in play…and the three most dangerous spies in the world are on the

The one who broke Iris’s heart.

The one who gave her Poppy.

And the one who wants all the other spies, and especially those bickering Calloway women, dead.

Content Warning: violence

+ I was offered this book to read and review but it’s not usually what I would pick up to read – I tend to read more romance. But the synopsis sounded intriguing and sure enough this was a fun spy thriller read.

+ I love the three generations of women in this story. There are three POVs: Iris, Poppy and Aster. Aster is in college, Poppy is her mom and running for mayor and then there is Iris, Aster’s grandmother and we learn that she’s been hiding secrets for a very long time. Iris is an elderly woman who can kick ass – it was fun getting to know her and her secrets.

+~ Though this isn’t the type of book I usually read I enjoyed the different generations of the women and all the action. It’s rare to see an older woman actually carrying out the action in action scenes, go Iris! I did feel Poppy’s frustration with her mom though when she wasn’t being up front with her, especially with them being gunned down at every turn. I mean, imagine learning about all these secrets while being shot at and meeting all these people from your mom’s past you never knew about. There is a lot of drama between Iris and Poppy because of the secrets that are revealed throughout the book.

Final Thoughts:

This is basically a cozy spy thriller, which sounds like it won’t work and is totally out of the realm of my comfort zone, but I still think this was a fun read. Definitely check this out if you like the sound of a non-traditional spy thriller.

Read if you like:

funny yet action packed spy thriller
three generations of family
secrets

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Whatever the Case May Be by. Kara Collins | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️.5

Title: Whatever the Case May Be

Author: Kara Collins

Pages: 378

Format: ebook (kindle+)

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Lawyer Romance, Second Chance Romance

Shira Wexler has had her fair share of trials (maybe tribulations too, whatever those are).

But now, at thirty-two, she’s on track to make partner at her law firm. Her perfect-on-paper boyfriend just handed her an engagement ring. She’s finally embraced life as a New Yorker and has *almost* forgotten about her former life in rural, small-town Texas.

Then she’s assigned to a career-changing case in Dallas, and the opposing counsel is all too familiar—Cole Wilson, Shira’s first-ever courtroom rival during the mock trial competition in high school. He was her first… well, a lot of things. And now Shira’s carefully planned future is clear as mud.

Cole hasn’t heard a word from Shira since she mysteriously fled Texas as a teenager, breaking his heart in the process. Sixteen years later, he’s facing a pending divorce while suffocating under the impossible task of trying to prove himself at his father’s law firm. The realities of adulthood mean he’s far from the hopeful romantic he used to be.

But coming face-to-face with Shira forces them both to examine the outwardly perfect lives they’ve built.

As they battle each other by day and relitigate their past by night, old feelings begin to emerge, and long-buried truths come to light.

Both really need a win right now, but focusing on work isn’t easy when you’re staying in the same hotel as the one who got away.

Content Warning: suicide attempt

+ Shira is a lawyer trying to make partner at the law firm she is working at and is determined to get on a case that will help her do that. She’s also 32 and ready to settle down with her perfect boyfriend, Miguel, except things are really perfect with him. It’s something she has to deal with but her career comes first. But when this case has her working oppose her ex high school boyfriend, old memories and feelings come up and this time Shira can’t run away from these problems, it’s time to face it. I like that this story is a romance with depth because although it’s a second chance romance, Shira and Cole are also trying to find their way through challenges in their personal lives.

+ This second chance romance between Shira and Cole had it’s ups and downs. They had an innocent high school love but something came between them that ended things, some of these things were things Shira kept secret which sucks for Cole. I can see why Cole was so hurt, but I can also understand that Shira was young and a mess with what was happening in her family life. I love how they reunite, the lawyer stuff brought the tension since they are on opposing sides. There are lots of unresolved issues between them but it was nice seeing them work things out eventually because there is undeniable sparks between them.

+~ The story is told with flashbacks to 16 years ago when Shira and Cole first met and fell in love in high school. I didn’t mind the flashbacks. There are a lot of things happening in Shira and Cole’s personal lives. She’s trying to make partner, she’s estranged from her mother, and now Cole is back in her life. Cole is going through a divorce, working for his father (and hates it because his dad is awful), he’s a dad and now Shira is back in his life. So these adults have a lot going and I think at times the pacing was off because of it. A lot of the lawyer stuff were so detailed and some things just went over my head. I kept thinking, wow, this author must have been a lawyer or they did their research very well! (btw, She’s a lawyer!). Though the pacing felt off at times, everything is tied up nicely at the end – I just wish some things weren’t rushed, like her talking to her mom again. There are some dark times in this story which I did not expect.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was an engaging read that was hard to put down. I enjoyed the second chance romance between Shira and Cole and loved how they were lawyers on opposing sides. Some of the lawyer stuff was so detailed it went over my head, and sometimes the pacing felt off because there is a lot going on in the story – there are family issues, things unresolved from the past, and the characters going through changes in their life path. But I’m glad Shira and Cole get a happy ending. Definitely check this out if you want to read a lawyer romance. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Read if you like:

lawyers
second chance romance
family issues

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Deal Breaker by. Susie Tate | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Deal Breaker (Aristocrats of London, #2)

Author: Susie Tate

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 328

Publication Date: 11/3/26

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Categories: Sports Romance, Contemporary, Series

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From the USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author comes an enemies-to-lovers, brother’s best friend, age-gap, grumpy/sunshine contemporary romance featuring family secrets, red carpet drama, and a hero who will move heaven and earth to protect his girl.

Everyone loves Poppy. She’s pure sunshine with an infectious snort-laugh, and nobody is immune to her outrageous flirting. Nobody, that is, except her much older brother’s best friend, former Scottish rugby star and grumpy fun-sponge, Rory Wallace.

The last thing Rory wants is a woman who represents everything he cameras, chaos and constant attention. The irony is that although Lady Poppy Sterling flirts with the world, the man she’s had a crush on since childhood can’t stand her. At least that’s what he tells himself…

It’s only when Rory’s betrayal leaves Poppy vulnerable to both paparazzi and predators that he realizes too late what he stands to lose. Her celebrity lifestyle might be his dealbreaker, but his failure to protect her? That’s hers.

Content Warning: harassment, paparazzi

+ I thought this started off well – I love the FMC Poppy who is extroverted, bubbly, the life of the party and a light in many people’s lives. She is awesome. Now the guy in love with her, Rory is a former rugby player who won a championship – he’s a wanker – literally. He is possessive, insecure, grumpy and just mean sometimes. Poppy is helping Rory and his friends do a fundraiser to raise money for a friend of his who has a terminal disease, so this forces them to spend time together after time apart.

+ I love Poppy and I hated seeing people judge her because of her outgoing personality. They think she’s stupid, when she’s not. I’m glad she stands up to Rory at least, even if she doesn’t stand up to her parents and brother. I enjoyed a lot of the side characters. And even though this is a series and I never read book one, which I assume is Rafe and Clara’s story, I didn’t feel totally lost.

~ I tried to like Rory but I don’t think he went through enough pain and groveling to deserve Poppy. He’s mean to her, scolds her, demeans her (to her face!) and then is apologetic for being an ass to her. And this is a cycle, it’s not a one time thing – he lets her down countless times. He’s lucky that Poppy is in love with him, because I did not love him. I felt like he was emotionally abusing Poppy, with his back and forth. I just kept thinking what is wrong with him? Is it the age gap that he think he can treat her like that? He acts pretty immature for an older guy. Did he redeem himself at the end? Not enough in my eyes. I did like the bonus chapter though, which finally shows his softer side. I think this is the first time I really disliked an MMC this much though, which is too bad.

~ Also, the conflict between Rory and Poppy was rooted in an event that he misremembered, and yet he held a grudge against her for 5 years because of it, ghosted her…so it’s basically a miscommunication trope that I did not like. Add that to the list of why I didn’t like Rory for Poppy.

Final Thoughts:

I read this pretty quick and it would have been a 4 star rating if I liked the MMC. But I couldn’t stand his back and forth, being mean to Poppy then telling her he loves her, just to disappoint her again and again. He was so clueless, he was annoying me. And I guess it’s realistic that some men are that way, but I didn’t want him for Poppy, because she’s right, she deserves someone who loves everything about her. Does he try to make amends? Sure, but he lost me after his one too many mean remarks about her. So outside of the MMC, I loved Poppy and the secondary characters and the heartfelt story about Connor raising money to help cure the disease he had. So overall, I enjoyed the story, just not the MMC.

Read if you like:

sports romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Love, Lies and Too Many Guys by. Erica Lucke Dean | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️

Title: Love, Lies and Too Many Guys

Author: Erica Lucke Dean

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 313

Publication Date: 10/20/26

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, New Adult

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A college student has more to lose than she can imagine in a funny and heartfelt romantic comedy by the author of Chasing Stardust.

Twenty-year-old Kennedy Beaman is a virgin, and she’s fine with that…most of the time. But her mother, who is full of regrets after a bad marriage, won’t stop pushing her to “experience life” while she can. So Kennedy and her best friend, Nicole, make a list of guys who get her heart racing. It’s all fun and games until the list goes missing.

When Kennedy’s “get laid” list goes viral, she’d rather own the campus-wide spectacle than be a victim. Nicole convinces her to turn her humiliation into a reality show–style competition—the last man standing will be her first after the spring formal. An online feminist magazine ups the ante by offering Kennedy a scholarship in exchange for her story.

But as she weathers one bad date after another, Kennedy finds herself drawn to Jordan Keller, a sullen, faux-hawked Mr. Wrong who didn’t even make the list. Can she figure out what she really wants in life before the final round? Otherwise, she may lose something she’ll miss more than her virginity—her heart.

Content Warning: attempted sexual assault

+~ The premise of this story was intriguing but I can see how some people will be turned off by some things in this book. Kennedy’s mom is really encouraging her to lose her virginity in college and date tons of guys so that she doesn’t end up like her mom, divorced and unhappy with not living up in her younger years. It’s a strange thing for a mom to promote but Kennedy’s best-friend Nicole comes up with a plan and make a list of guys she could potentially hook up with. When the list goes missing and viral, that’s when things get crazy.

~ I think the story of Kennedy and her virgin status is relatable for younger girls. But it’s crazy that in this story, this situation turns into a competition and there are guys lining up to be the one who takes it from her. Yikes. Even worse it turns into a competition that goes viral and a feminist blog will award Kennedy a scholarship prize when she picks the guy who will deflower her. And it’s Nicole her best-friend who actually turns this situation into a competition. I liked her at first, but knowing how she thought of Jordan and what she said about him – the guy Kennedy kind of liked, was such a turn off. And Jordan (a guy Kennedy liked), was right about the dangers of this competition and there was a scene depicting that. Also her mom trying to push her to lose her virginity was strange to me, I mean I’m glad she was very open with her daughter but shouldn’t she be supporting her daughter for not having lost her virginity yet?

+~ I did like the romance between Kennedy and Jordan, it’s a dislike to like situation where he turns protective and things get heated between them. It leads to a steamy scene between them. I like how protective he was of her but there is a twist in that relationship also that was bad and was the cause of their conflict. Both of them were wrong, but they do work things out and that was cute.

+ I’m a child of the 80’s so I recognized the John Hughes movie references and I thought that was cute. I think some of the things that happened in those movies would not work favorably in today’s society. The 80’s were really a different time!

Final Thoughts:

I think her virginity and losing it to someone special is a very relatable thing girls and guys feel in college, but there were just some things about this story that didn’t sit well with me like her friend Nicole. Also, I didn’t like the fact that turning losing her virginity into a competition for a scholarship could have been a dangerous situation. I did love Kennedy and Jordan’s romance though. I love how she liked his different style and I like how protective he got of her even after he didn’t like her at first. This was an easy, quick read and I’m glad not all the guys who were in the competition were awful but it was a very interesting read.

Read if you like:

college romance
dislike to like

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Museum of Modern Love by. Mariko Turk | ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Museum of Modern Love

Author: Mariko Turk

Pages: 304

Format: audiobook

Listening Hours: 7 hrs 35 min (approx.)

Narrator (s): Morgan Dalla Betta

Publisher: Macmillan Young Listeners

Publication Date: 10/13/26

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Audiobook, Romance, Art

Disclaimer: **I received this book free on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Macmillan Young Listeners for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Tonight, inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art—somewhere between the hours of 8 PM and 5 AM—Auden Peck will fall in love with Miki Kawamura.

That’s Miki’s plan, anyway. And the plan is destiny.

See, Miki’s grandparents fell in love after accidentally being locked in the Met overnight in 1965. And now, after too many almost-confessions, hopeless romantic Miki will finally tell her best friend Auden that she loves him by retracing the path through the museum that her grandparents took that fateful night.

But destiny has other plans. For it’s not Auden who joins Miki on her midnight tour, but Lou McSweeney—the world’s most jaded cynic, and Miki’s ex. How can she possibly confess her feelings for Auden when she’s stuck sparring with this arrogant jerk? And is it possible that her original plan was not destiny’s true course after all?

Content Warning: divorce, strained family relationships

+ Miki has a plan to tell her best friend Auden that she has been in love with him for awhile now. Her plan is to follow the story of how her grandparents fell in love in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She thinks this is a foolproof plan and once she confesses, he will also love her back. But plans go awry when she is task to take her ex-fling, Lou, on a tour of the museum.

+ The narrator for this book had a very clear voice and I think she did a fantastic job bringing the story to life.

+ I loved how Miki is a lover of art! I learned a few things and even made me remember the one time I went to the Met years ago. It’s such a beautiful museum and all of it is conveyed in this story. Miki not only is a lover of art, but also talks about her grandma’s experiences as a Japanese-American during World War II and being put in a camp. I love how Miki tied art and life experiences together.

+~ So when Lou, Miki’s ex comes into the story, I kind of already knew where this was going. And everything happens in a whole night spent at the Museum – which I can imagine is very magical, but she does go from being in love with Auden and ready to confess to him to falling for Lou by morning. I’m not mad about it, and I did like her and Lou together, I thought their interactions were funny but we really got no feel for Auden at all.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this audiobook was such a fun listening experience and I would totally watch this if it ever became a movie. It’s got appreciate for art, and NYC, a girl who is a romantic, a second chance romance, and it even touches on deeper topics like Japanese-American history and even some complicated family relationships. Overall, I thought this was a cute story and it’s a quick read also.

Read if you like:

young adult romance
art
second chance romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Who Needs Mistletoe? by. Sarah Estep | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Who Needs Mistletoe?

Author: Sarah Estep

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 9/29/26

Publisher: Entangled: Amara

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Holiday Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from Entangled Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Entangled: Amara for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Full of sparkling wit, swoon-worthy romance, and toe-curling heat, Who Needs Mistletoe? is a small-town, girl-next-door romance that will wrap your holiday season in big fun and bigger heart.

Ivy Weaver learned the hard way that some confessions are better left unsaid―like the one meant for her longtime crush, Austin, that was accidentally delivered to his older brother, Grant, instead. His brutal reaction made leaving town easy. Staying away for ten years? Even easier.

Until now.

When Ivy’s parents announce they’re leaving Coeur-de-Lac for good, Ivy can’t avoid the inevitable. She’ll return just long enough to celebrate the Christmas season while packing up her parents’ house, and her past, for good.

Grant Underwood has spent his life doing exactly what was expected of him―taking over the family business, keeping everything running smoothly, never making the same mistake twice. But when Ivy comes back to town, he sees a second chance he didn’t think he’d get.

The problem? Ivy has spent the past decade thinking she was in love with the wrong brother.

Between a chaotic family holiday, Austin’s sudden interest in Ivy, and one extremely mischievous orange cat, Grant is running out of time before the Christmas season ends and he loses his chance to prove the boy Ivy once loved isn’t the man she was meant to end up with.

It’s going to take more than mistletoe to seal this love story with a kiss.

Content Warning: strained relationship with parent

+ Ivy had a crush on her neighbor Austin for years and one day she thought to confess it to him but instead told his older brother Grant (her co-worker and friend). He told her Austin would never notice her and it broke her heart. Years later she is finally coming back home to Wisconsin to help her parents pack up since they will be selling the house. And now she has to face Austin and Grant.

+ This holiday romance had so many things I love: gay best friend (for both Ivy and Grant), childhood crushes, small town, girl/boy next door, family, Christmas, friendship. I could not put it down! It’s one of those books I wish they would make into a holiday rom-com movie. Even the family drama with Grant and his dad fit into the story because Grant is the older one and responsible one but needs to break free from all the pressure. That’s so relatable.

+ Grant is so down bad for Ivy and she is clueless about it because she was never that girl in high school plus she was into his brother. She wasn’t popular, not noticeable, but Grant had always noticed her. I loved their romance and how both Ivy and Grant needed help from their gay best friends to kind of get the ball rolling! It had humor, family drama and fun spicy scenes. I loved all the good vibes from this romance!

Final Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this holiday romance! It had everything I wanted from the setting, the winter and Christmas vibes, humor, cozy family times, family drama, friendship and a fun and sweet romance! I had a fun time reading this one. Definitely check this one out if you want to read a holiday romance.

Read if you like:

holiday romance
friend to lovers
small town romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Dangerous Haven by. Luna Pierce | ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Dangerous Haven

Author: Luna Pierce

Pages: 464

Format: audiobook

Listening Hours: 15 hours (approx.)

Narrator (s): M.K. Blackwood; Kayden Lukakis

Publisher: Keeperton Audiobooks

Publication Date: 9/22/26

Categories: Dark Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Billionaire Romance, Series

From Amazon bestselling author Luna Pierce comes Dangerous Haven – a standalone dark romance and book one in the Brothers of Sin series. From the first reckless kiss to a wildfire of forbidden desire, Dangerous Haven draws you into a shadowed world where survival means risking everything… especially your heart.

London Gardella is running; broken, bruised, and desperate for safety. When she arrives in New York City, she’s clinging to the last hope she has left; finding sanctuary with a stranger who wants nothing to do with her.

Archer Sin is a reclusive billionaire hacker—tattooed, brooding, and razor-sharp— he thrives in the shadows. He reluctantly agrees to keep her safe, but only if she follows his two rules:

No touching his computers.

No falling in love.

Archer’s inked fingers rarely leave his keyboards, but his eyes never stop watching London… stalking her every move, sparking a fire neither can ignore. Then comes a reckless, forbidden kiss.

Rules shatter. Walls crumble. Desire ignites.

Trust is a risk neither can afford, but survival means facing the truth: sometimes, the safest haven is the most dangerous place of all.

Content Warning: death, violence, stalking, being sold into marriage

London is running for her life and finds safety with Archer Sin, who is a hacker and very, very grumpy billionaire.

London is from a crime family but Archer’s family was more interesting because they are a crime family also, but it’s a found family. He and his siblings are from foster homes, and though each one has their own quirks, one even being a little insane, I loved their interactions. Soon London finds that she likes them too.

Though London is hiding out from her soon to be husband and healing from the injuries and trauma inflicted on her, I felt like most of this story was about the dark romance between her and Archer. And in that sense, I felt like the story moved slow and not a lot happens until the end of the book but I did like the twist. Most of the book is about London and Archer in a dislike to like relationship, he’s stalking her every move to keep her safe but the more he keeps an eye on her the more his desire grows. She’s meeting his family and she’s trying to make a life for herself and making new friends. Archer is so grumpy and anti-social but I did love how he took care of her and fell in love with London, even though he fought it so hard. London, is a survivor and wasn’t afraid of Archer or his family since she was raised by a monster. The third act break-up was a little dramatic but that’s how Archer is – so dramatic with his big feelings. I will their spice was spicy but also emotional which I appreciated.

This story is told between 2 POVs, Archer and London, and I did listen to the audiobook. For the most part I enjoyed the narration but there were times the voices just weren’t doing it for me. I think the narrator doing Archer’s voice was grumpy yes but like I said, kind of too dramatic. I liked him doing Seven’s voice for some reason but everyone else’s was just okay. So I kind of wish I read the ebook instead.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a pretty good billionaire dark romance, mafia vibes story but I think I would have enjoyed it better reading then ebook than listening to the audiobook. Archer’s grumpy, stalker personality clashed with London, but I like how she could handle him, it made things entertaining. I do think the second half of the book was better because that’s when things started happening and I liked the plot twist. Overall, I think if you like dark romance with mafia vibes and billionaire romances, you will like this one.

Read if you like:

dark romance
mafia romance
billionaire romance
grumpy MMC

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The House That Eats the Dead by. Max Doty | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The House That Eats the Dead

Author: Max Doty

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/18/26

Publisher: Bantam

Categories: Horror, Suspense, Haunted House

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Bantam for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A family moves into their dream home—only to discover that it hides an insatiable hunger—in this dread-laced and darkly outrageous domestic horror novel.

The new house is a fresh start for Claire and her family. It’s a move away from the cityscape of a declining San Francisco and towards the quiet suburban life she has craved since her turbulent childhood; a step up the corporate ladder for her husband, Tom; and a safe haven for their two children.

Yet as they unpack their boxes, she senses something is wrong. Fresh flowers dry up, store-bought eggs are inexplicably hollow, and her daughter’s favorite toy disappears. Claire soon confronts a series of impossible The house is hungry. It’s devouring anything that was once alive. And only Claire and Tom, the owners of the house, will remember that this “food” ever existed.

When Claire exploits the house’s power in a moment of weakness, she and the house forge a fragile bond. But as its hunger intensifies and Claire loses control, she fears who else might be drawn to her home—and what sinister appetites they’ll bring.

Content Warning: violence, death, gore

+ Claire and her husband Tom, with their two kids move into a new house. But this house eats things so naturally Claire wants to move because what if the house wants to eat them? But Tom feels like this house could be a tool for them. So they stay until things get really crazy.

+ This story has it’s creepy and gory moments, but it wasn’t too scary that it freaked me out. Actually I was surprised that the more I read about this house eating things, I was like Claire and thought of the house like a house pet! This story was actually fun to read. The house had different tastes but it sure did love a dead body. Yikes! But it’s not only a house that ate things, when the house ate a person, even the memory of said person is erased from everyone not tied to the house. I thought that was really interesting and made me question a lot of decisions that Claire and Tom made. I also questioned was it the house making them more bloodthirsty or was it just them?

+ This is a horror story but I love how spot on this author captured Claire who went from being an artistic young woman, to now a wife and mother. It felt so relatable, down to the issues she had being married to Tom but never voiced out loud. I thought the ending was very interesting!

+~ I think I went into this one thinking I wouldn’t be able to read it at night, so I was surprised that it wasn’t that kind of horror. So halfway into the book I was expecting more horror and thrills and it wasn’t living up to my expectations in that sense, but it’s not a bad thing because I actually had fun reading this book.

Final Thoughts:

This one has its creepy and gory moments but it’s also kind of funny. How did I end up being scared of a house and then in the end kind of sympathize and care about it? That’s what happened while I read this very interesting and usual horror story. I actually want to read more of this type of horror, so I look forward to see what this author writes next.

Read if you like:

haunted house
horror

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Full Throttle by. J.K. MacLaren | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Full Throttle (Love in the Fast Lane, #1)

Author: J.K. Maclaren

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 8/18/26

Publisher: Dell

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Sports Romance, Racing Romance, Second Chance Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Dell for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

She’s the first-ever female driver. He’s her biggest competition. They broke each other’s hearts. Can they survive a cutthroat Formula 1 season . . . as teammates?

When Juliette Marchmont becomes the first female driver in F1, she knows it’s her one shot to prove she has what it takes to win. She has sceptical managers, rivals, and fans to prove wrong, all while driving the worst car on the grid…and her teammate is the man who broke her heart.

Dominic Hastings is the Prince of F1, but all his composure and accolades couldn’t stop his own father from firing him after a disastrous performance last season. He’s desperate to show his distant, secretive father and the rest of the racing world that he’s far from finished…but can he survive working with the woman who destroyed his life?

Forced to train in close quarters, Dominic and Juliette butt heads on and off the racetrack. As the competition grows ever more heated, and their connection undeniable, they start to wonder if the bruised love between them might be repaired after all…but they can’t afford distractions. Teammates or no, only one driver can emerge as world champion, and each is willing to do whatever it takes to cross the finish line first.

Content Warning: complicated parental relationship, harassment, misogyny

+ This second chance sports romance is filled with tension, complicated relationships, some spice and of course racing. All of it made a good combination and an entertaining read.

+~ The story is told with a dual timeline, the present and the past, it goes back and forth to show us how Juliette and Dominic met and why they are where they at in the present. I don’t usually like flashbacks but I actually liked how this dual timeline played out. I loved the peek into the racing world and I thought the racing scenes were fun and dramatic enough. The rivalry between racers added to the tension and high stakes of the racing world. The secondary characters were great also, but I do think Juliette’s twin brother could’ve had her back a bit more.

+ Juliette is a rising star in the racing world but she’s female so that means things are harder for her. If she wins they say she slept her way to the top, if she loses it’s because she’s female and not good enough. All she wants is to prove to everyone she has what it takes and I was cheering her on. Dominic is the Prince of Racing, he comes from a family of racing and winning but he hasn’t won a championship yet – but he’s come close. He feels that isn’t enough to please his father. So with Juliette back in his life and hating his guts, he has to make a choice eventually…racing or Juliette. I think Dominic’s story had more depth because of his relationship with racing and his dad but I totally sympathized to Juliette’s challenges being a woman in a male dominated field also.

+~ I think the second chance romance was well done. Juliette and Dominic are on bad terms but get thrown together as teammates. In the past timeline we see how Juliette is a student and Dominic is her instructor, so there is that trope. We do have to wait a little to figure out what went wrong between the two of them, and there is a little miscommunication but they eventually sort things out. I do wish we saw more of their past relationship and how in love they were before things went wrong. But I did enjoy their second chance among the drama of the racing world.

Final Thoughts:

This has romance, family drama, racing rivalries and even exciting races. It explores the women in sports theme and I enjoyed seeing Juliette prove them all wrong. Definitely check this one out if you like car racing romances!

Read if you like:

racing – sports romance
second chance romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Best I Never Had by. Amy Buchanan | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Best I Never Had

Author: Amy Buchanan

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/18/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Second Chance Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

They staged a romance, faked a breakup, and this time around, anything can happen—even something real.

Thea Pappas has always been the storm in her own life—fiery and unpredictable—traits that led her and her younger sister, Addy, through a series of foster homes. But with Addy’s whirlwind engagement, Thea is determined to be the perfect maid of honor, even if she finds it odd that she hadn’t heard of the fiancé until the ring was on Addy’s finger. She believes she can survive a week in the Blue Ridge Mountains with a group of strangers without causing any trouble.

But upon arrival, Thea realizes these aren’t strangers. Among the familiar faces is Owen Hayes—the man who, three years ago, paid her to pretend to be his girlfriend at a family wedding. Now, he’s looking at her with the same panicked expression.

Owen’s life has always been about control—managing his mother’s matchmaking schemes, his family’s expectations, and the career path he never truly chose. Thea was his one rebellion, a beautiful lie that ended with a “heart-destroying” fake breakup. Now, with his younger brother’s wedding underway and his mother on the prowl, Owen begs Thea to reprise their roles. One week. Same fake breakup. No feelings.

But as old sparks reignite and the lines between pretense and reality blur, Thea and Owen will have to choose: carry on their greatest performance yet or admit the truth—that it was never fake at all.

Content Warning: complicated family

+ I thought this was a fun second chance romance! Thea and Owen fake dated in the past when Owen needed a date and now her sister Addy is engaged to Owen’s brother Harrison. So now they have to fake their relationship again so that Owen’s mom doesn’t find out and get upset.

+ The best thing about this story was the theme of family. Thea and Addy had a hard childhood and went into foster care, so they have only one another. Thea is the older sister and is overprotective about Addy. Owen became the man in his family after his father died and he does everything for the family business and tries to keep everyone happy. Both Thea and Owen know the burden of taking care of family and trying to please them, which makes them bond. And like any family, there are complicated relationships. Owen’s family is large and fun but can also be a pain, it was funny to see their interactions.

+ The romance was sweet with some spice. Owen is someone always taking care of people so being with Thea makes him feel a bit more free. Whereas Thea feels safe and taken care of by Owen. I thought they were cute together and I thought it sucked that they had to hide their feelings because of Addy and Owen’s mom!

~ I didn’t like Addy, especially how she acted towards Thea and asking Thea to stay away from Owen so that nothing bad happens to ruin the wedding. But honestly the both of them had a lot to work through when it came to their sister relationship.

Final Thoughts:

This was a cute read and it was interesting to see what happens after you fake date and are caught in the lie. Thea and Owen were cute together and actually deserve some happiness with one another. I didn’t like Addy and Owen’s mom but the rest of Owen’s family was so much fun!

Read if you like: