ARC Review: Come Break My Heart Again by CW Farnsworth

When I saw that CW Farnsworth was reworking and republishing Come Break My Heart Again, I was both excited and a bit anxious. I liked the story the first time I read it, but I will admit that there were a few things I struggled with. I loved the changes that were made here though, and I really felt like the story was still true to the original but so much stronger here!

Elle and Ryder are from opposite sides of town and there are many differences between their upbringings The two of them find themselves drawn to one another, but Ryder ends up breaking Elle’s heart both at fifteen and eighteen. Seven years later, their paths cross again and while Elle is still questioning things, the one thing that hasn’t changed is the pull that is still between them. 

I loved the connection between these two and the undeniable chemistry they had. You could really feel what was between them and the feelings that never went away. My heart breaks for them and all they each experienced. I really felt like I was able to understand some of the decisions better this time around and I’ll admit I liked Ryder a lot better here! I truly felt these two were meant for one another and that I was connected to them from start to finish. 

I am so glad that I got to read this new version of Come Break My Heart Again and I think readers are going to really enjoy this one! CW Farnsworth has become an author that I look forward to reading and I think her writing continues to get better with each book she writes. Elle and Ryder’s story is one that I really enjoyed and while I liked it before, I loved it this time around! I highly recommend checking this one out whether or not you have read it before. It has everything I look for in a good contemporary romance and I am already anxious to read this one again, as well as more from Farnsworth after finishing this one!

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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ARC Review: Forbidden King by Laura Pavlov

The Magnolia Falls series by Laura Pavlov has quickly become one of my favorites! Each book is a standalone story, but they are so good I recommend all of them! I honestly could not wait to get King’s story and I was not disappointed! Forbidden King was great from start to finish!

I loved King and Saylor right from the start. Each of them had real and genuine personalities, and were characters that you felt like you could relate to. They had such a strong connection and I honestly loved the history they had that even those closest to them didn’t fully know about. The chemistry and attraction was there between them as well, which just made them even easier to love and root for. 

Their story was one that I loved the journey and I felt like I was right there with them. I have to say with each book in this series, my love for one character just continues to grow! I absolutely love Cutler/Beefcake and honestly he just steals the show every time! He is just everything amazing and I can’t wait for the next book in this series to get more of him! Definitely pick this one up if you love small town and/or friends to lovers romance stories. This one is great!

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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ARC Review: Mr. Wicked by Marni Mann

I couldn’t wait to read Mr. Wicked by Marni Mann after reading Mr. Hook-Up! Mr. Hook-Up was one of my favorite reads from 2023, so I will admit my expectations were high here. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with this book like I did the first in the Hooked series. Each book is a standalone, and honestly the feel of this book was completely different to the first. While there were things I liked here, I just didn’t enjoy this story as much as Mr. Hook-Up. 

I struggled to get into this story and that continued for the entire first half of the book. I felt like Grayson was just too much of an asshole. Usually I am able to find some redeeming qualities when a hero starts off this way, but honestly Grayson was just that bad. I didn’t understand why Jovanna felt the way she did. Her insta-love feelings didn’t make sense to me. She gave him so much leeway and he frankly didn’t deserve it. When he finally did make the switch, that didn’t make sense to me either. His reasoning for it didn’t seem believable to me. 

Once things changed for these two, it was like a switch had flipped and all of a sudden things went into overdrive. The whole second half of the book things felt rushed. I just really couldn’t get on board with the flip to their relationship and things didn’t feel genuine. While these two had chemistry and it was clear the attraction was there from the start, I just really felt like the relationship didn’t feel authentic to me. The big secret fell a bit flat for me, with things exploding when the truth was learned to quickly be swept under the rug because of circumstances that felt a bit manufactured just to clear things up and put them into perspective. Usually Marni’s stories are some of my favorites, but this one just felt forced and as though each thing that happened was manufactured to drive something else. There wasn’t the natural flow I am used to from Marni and I had to keep picking this one back up. I wasn’t anxious to keep reading, but it was more of a mission to finish. I still love Marni’s books and am looking forward to the next one. Unfortunately Grayson and Jovanna’s story was a miss for me.

**ARC Provided by Netgalley**

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ARC Review: Older by Jennifer Hartmann

Age gap and forbidden romance are definitely my jam, so when I first saw Older from Jennifer Hartmann, I knew this one was going to be good! She definitely didn’t disappoint! Older had me hooked from the very first page to the last and I was unable to put this one down. If you are looking for a captivating story that will have you feeling all the feels, look no further!

Reed and Halley meet and share a connection right away, before Reed learns that Halley is younger than she originally said. Turns out that besides the large difference in their ages, Halley is also best friends with Reed’s daughter. These two know they need to keep their distance, but circumstances keep bringing them together and as they continue to grow closer, lines become blurred and they find themselves more drawn to one another.

I absolutely loved these two. Their connection was so natural and genuine right from the start. They just had an ease about them that felt right. I loved how Halley was so strong and able to overcome all that she had been dealt in life both individually and with the support of Reed, Tara and Whitney. Reed was a great guy all around, trying to do his best by Halley as well as his daughter. He was caring and kind, and I loved that he was so passionate about helping others. Reed and Halley’s circumstances might not have been ideal for anyone involved, but the chemistry and connection were undeniable, and you could feel the love between them growing.

I will say that my rating on this one was based mostly on feeling and the fact that I know this book won’t be far from my mind for quite awhile. This one is definitely one of my favorites from Jennifer Hartmann, but I do wish we had been given a bit more to this ending. It felt a bit rushed and I wanted to see more of them actually being a couple after everything they’d been through. Ultimately though, I loved this book and thought it was a five star read. I highly recommend this one, and I already can’t wait to go back and read it again.

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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ARC Review: Wild River by Laura Pavlov

 

I am loving the Magnolia Falls series by Laura Pavlov, and I couldn’t wait for Wild River! This one was really good, and I enjoyed it from start to finish. Laura Pavlov is a great writer and this series is one that I think contemporary readers will love!

River and Ruby were so good together. I loved that they were different, yet worked perfectly. These two were independent and strong on their own, but I enjoyed seeing them let the other in. Things didn’t always go easy, but the connection and chemistry was there and it was easy to see that they made a great pair. 

The thing I love most about this series is this group of characters.They are just so lovable and their friendship and bond is truly a testament to family being those that you choose at times vs. the family you were born into. I just can’t get over the dynamic here and these characters never stray far from my mind! The one that absolutely steals the show 100% of the time though is Cutler/Beefcake! This kid is beyond the best and honestly I just can’t get enough of every moment he is around! He alone is worth reading this series for! I can’t recommend this series enough though, it is one I am enjoying so much and I just have so much fun each time I get to read one of these books in this world Laura Pavlov has created.

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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ARC Review: Is This Love? by Kaylee Ryan

Is This Love? Is the second book in the Everlasting Ink series by Kaylee Ryan. Each book in this series is a standalone story, though you do get to see characters from previous books as the series continues. I loved the first book in this series and this one was just as good! Kaylee Ryan is an author that never disappoints, and I think readers are going to love this one!

Legend and Monroe were everything. I loved them so much! They were so sweet and had tons of chemistry! I loved seeing them take their friendship to more. It was such a natural progression and just felt so genuine. They were so good together and it just felt right. 

I felt so invested in their story from the very first page and didn’t want to put this one down. I am absolutely loving this series and already can’t wait for the next one. I highly recommend this one, Legend and Monroe are just so easy to love and root for. They are the kind of couple that makes readers love romance stories!

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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ARC Review: The Surrogate by Penelope Ward

I always hoped that Penelope Ward would give us Sig’s story after finishing The Aristocrat, so I was so excited when she announced The Surrogate! This book can easily be read as a standalone story, though you do meet Sig in The Aristocrat and Leo and Felicity’s story will be a bit spoiled if you don’t start there. I highly recommend reading The Aristocrat if you haven’t as it is one of my all-time favorites and I just loved it so much that I have read it multiple times now.

Sig’s story is an emotional one, and I was fully invested right from the start. I think even if readers are new to Sig, they will be just as drawn in as I was. Sig has been through a ton, and I felt so much for him. Abby was exactly what he needed and I instantly loved her. She has such a kind heart and was a heroine that you can’t help but fall for right along with the hero. While these two were ones that I felt like I could relate to, their journey is anything but easy. Their situation is unique and honestly unlike any i’ve previously read about. Things are a bit messy, but the ride was so worth it. These two are just such great characters that I never wanted their story to end. 

Penelope Ward never disappoints, but The Aristocrat and The Surrogate are some of my absolute favorites of hers. I just felt so connected and invested in all these characters and they are definitely ones I think of often. I know i’ll reread this one again, and I think that fans will love this book. It is emotional, heartfelt and while it wasn’t always smooth sailing, it was filled with hope and some really funny moments as well. Penelope is one of my all-time favorite authors and The Surrogate is a must read!

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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ARC Review: Against All Odds by CW Farnsworth

 

Against All Odds is the second book in the Holt Hockey series by CW Farnsworth, but can be read as a standalone story. I couldn’t wait to get Aidan’s story after reading the first book of the series, and I highly recommend reading Famous Last Words if you haven’t already. This series is one I am loving and I think not only sports romance readers, but just romance readers in general will enjoy this series as much as I have!

This is Aidan and Rylan’s story and I couldn’t get enough of these two! These two first meet and have what they believe to be a one-night stand, but when Rylan shows up at Holt University where Aidan goes, they quickly realize that there is more between them. Things are further complicated by Aidan being on the Holt hockey team that Rylan’s dad coaches. Rylan is tasked with tutoring Aidan and soon they are both finding it harder to keep things platonic than they thought it would be. 

Aidan and Rylan had so much chemistry, right from the start! The heat and steam between them was clear, but it was the connection they were building that kept me flipping the pages and not wanting this one to end! I loved seeing them get to really know one another, and there were so many sweet moments between them as well as steamy ones! I loved seeing familiar faces here, and I am already anxious to get Hunter’s book next. This one was such a great read. Definitely recommend for sports romance fans, but even if sports aren’t your thing, there is something for all romance readers here!

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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ARC Review: Stay Present by Kaylee Ryan

Stay Present is a standalone story in Kaylee Ryan’s Kincaid Brothers series. This one is the sixth book, but can easily be read without having read the other books. I hadn’t previously read this series and had no issues starting here. That said, I enjoyed this one so much that I can’t wait to read the previous books!

Ryder and Jordyn were so good together, and I loved them each on their own and together as a couple! I really loved that during their time apart they were loyal to one another. They had so much love for one another, it was clear that their separation was due to circumstances and not feelings. They had so much chemistry between them, but it was their connection that made them special. These two were absolutely meant for one another, and it really showed throughout the entire book. 

I will say that while I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was on the sweet side. There were several moments that were a bit overly sweet and a tad cheesy. That didn’t stop me from enjoying this one though. It was honestly refreshing to see feelings being acknowledged so openly with characters willing to talk and work things out and not just assume the worst. I recommend this one and can’t wait to read more from Kaylee Ryan!

**ARC Provided by Give Me Books**

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ARC Review: Eleven Eleven by Micalea Smeltzer

I will admit that the love I have for this book started with the cover! It is so gorgeous and honestly was what sold me on this book. But as beautiful as the book is on the outside, the contents are even more so! This book is by far my favorite I’ve read so far this year, but also in a really long time!

Micalea Smeltzer captivates you with her words and story-telling from the very first page with characters Reid and Via. These two were just so easy to love and feel connected to. They had so much chemistry and a clear attraction from the start, but it was the connection between them that had me unable to put this one down! This is a reverse age-gap, which isn’t usually my jam, but with these two I couldn’t help but fall in love right along with them! I loved them both so much and honestly Reid is what book boyfriends are made of! He was so mature and patient for his age, and I couldn’t get enough. He was perfect for Via.

Overall, I cannot recommend this book enough. It was just such a great read that I constantly found myself wanting to keep reading to see what would happen next, but also slow down and savor it. I am also really excited that we are going to get another book in this world featuring two characters I really liked from Eleven Eleven! I already can’t wait for that book next! In the meantime, I’ll be re-reading this one! This one is a must read!

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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