ARC Review: Steal My Heart by Laura Pavlov

If 2024 was good for anything, it was solidifying my love for Laura Pavlov! Her Magnolia Falls series was my favorite of the year, and I loved every single book from start to finish. Meeting Easton in his sister’s book had be chomping at the bit for his story. Steal My Heart was absolutely everything I had hoped it would be and more! Steal My Heart is the first book in the Rosewood River series, and can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the Magnolia Falls series if you haven’t already read it!

Steal My Heart is Easton and Henley’s story, and I knew from the first page I was going to love it. These two had so much heat and chemistry, but it was their connection that had me unable to put this one down. I loved seeing them get to know one another as they didn’t get off on the right foot. There was a lot that made these characters who they were, especially Easton, but seeing them grow and move forward was so rewarding. I loved how kind, supportive and patient Henley was. She was absolutely everything you would look for in a strong female lead. 

Laura’s books are always filled with genuine and relatable characters, and Steal My Heart was no exception. Besides the amazing characters though, you can’t help but fall in love with the journey and story right along with the characters. I love how this book made it okay to not only sometimes need help, but also be able to ask for it. It is so nice to see things like this normalized. It was absolutely okay to mess up and apologize and not have it be some huge deal breaker. I just can’t recommend Laura’s books enough, and I loved this one so much! I highly recommend checking Steal My Heart out, and I already can’t wait for the next one!

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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ARC Review: Finding Hayes by Laura Pavlov

I have loved the Magnolia Falls series from the very first book and so it was a little bittersweet reading Finding Hayes as I just wasn’t ready for this series to finish! Laura Pavlov has written such an amazing group of characters with this series and I have to say she definitely finished it off as strong as ever! Finding Hayes was amazing, I just loved this book from the first word to the last.

Finding Hayes features Hayes and Savannah, and I couldn’t get enough of these two. These childhood best friends  spent years apart after a misunderstanding and find themselves suddenly back in each other’s lives here. They had such a strong connection and it was great to see them get to know one another here after growing up. The chemistry was off the charts and I just never wanted it to end. 

The reason this series has been such a standout to me has absolutely been this cast of characters. I have never felt so connected to a group of characters where I was genuinely so excited for each book of the series. This group is filled with lovable and genuine characters who feel so real and relatable. Truly a case of family is what and who you make it, not what you are born into. The support and love between them is unlike any I’ve read about before. Hayes and Savvy’s book was a strong finish and I loved it just as much as I loved the previous books. The real star of the series though for me was Cutler. Beefcake stole every scene he was in, and I was so glad that he was still a huge part of this story after his dad’s book. I can absolutely picture him leading the next generation forward as the rest of the characters got their HEA’s and are settling into married life. 

I am also really looking forward to getting Easton’s book as the start of a new series from Laura Pavlov. At this point, I will read whatever she writes and cannot recommend her books enough. If you haven’t read the Magnolia Falls series, you are seriously missing out. Each book is a standalone story but I believe that each book is worth the read and starting at the beginning is definitely the way to go if you can. One of my all-time favorite series and I already can’t wait to read them all again!

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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ARC Review: Play the Game by SJ Sylvis

Play the Game is book one in the Blue Devils Hockey series by SJ Sylvis. This book is a standalone story, but fans of her Bexley U series will recognize some familiar faces here. I really enjoyed this one, and I think a lot of readers will as well.

Emory and Scottie’s story starts off to a not so great start, but they quickly find themselves in a marriage of convenience. She needs money and he needs help cleaning up his image. Soon they find themselves having very real feelings for each other though. 

There is a ton of chemistry between these two. I felt it right away and it just got stronger throughout this book. I really liked both Emory and Scottie. They were strong and independent, yet worked perfectly together. They were so hot together, and the amount of “my wife” moments in this book was everything you could possibly hope for! Emory is definitely the kind of character romance readers can’t help but fall for right along with the heroine. 

Overall, another great read from SJ Sylvis! I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait for Rhodes to get his story next! Hot single dad and nanny, sign me up! I know this series is going to be just as fantastic as Bexley U was, and I can’t recommend SJ Sylvis and her hockey hotties enough!

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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ARC Review: Beating Heart by Laura Pavlov

 

I absolutely love the Magnolia Falls series by Laura Pavlov! Each book is an interconnected standalone story. While each can be read on its own, I highly recommend starting at the beginning if you haven’t already started this series. Not only are each of these books fantastic, but you really get to know the characters and their personalities throughout the series and see the growth and progression for each one. This has definitely been one of my all-time favorite romance series to read, and each book just keeps getting better!

I have to say that I had such high hopes for Beating Heart seeing as my favorite character from this entire series has been Cutler! I knew his dad Nash’s story would heavily feature him, and I couldn’t wait for it! It not only delivered all I had hoped for, but so much more! This one was just such a great story even beyond Cutler and Nash being front and center. I loved Emerson so much, she has definitely been my favorite heroine of the series! This book  just delivered the perfect amount of heat and steam, but also a genuine and undeniable connection between the characters. I really felt like I was invested from page one and right there with each of them through every triumph and struggle. 

I wish I could go back and read this one again for the first time as it is definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year as well as my favorite of the Magnolia Falls series. I seriously cannot recommend this book or series enough. Nash and Emerson were everything  you could hope for, and Cutler is seriously my favorite fictional kid ever. Every scene he is in, he just steals the whole show! I hope we continue to get more of him, because I honestly can’t picture a world in which we aren’t getting little bits from him and seeing how he continues to grow up and tackle the world. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series, but while I wait, I know I'll be reading this one again! Beating Heart is a must read!!

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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ARC Review: Frisco by Tijan

I love Tijan’s books and its been a bit since I’ve read an MC book, so I was really excited for Frisco! This one definitely didn’t disappoint and once I started, I didn’t want to put it down for anything! MC books just hit different, and this one had everything you could hope for. It was gritty, suspenseful and full of possessive men that would do anything for their club and their women.

Shane  was great! I loved him from the start and the chemistry between him and Kali was so strong. I loved that there was a bit of a second chance here, and it was so interesting to see how their past and present came together. These two not only had a ton of heat between them, but you could see and feel the connection growing as well. It felt so real and like you were right there with them. 

One of the things I love most about Tijan’s books is that while this one can be read as a complete standalone, her worlds are linked. It is so much fun as a reader to be able to get glimpses of familiar faces and/or places and no one does that better than Tijan! Not only that, but her secondary characters are just as easy to become attached to as the main characters and that was definitely the case here. I felt so invested in how everything would turn out, and I think readers will love this one like I did!

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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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: 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: 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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