By The Dawns' Early Light (Stars, Stripes and Hockey Nights series)

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Synopsis (from Amazon):  A librarian accidentally falls for a hockey player.

The problem?

Hadley doesn't know a thing about hockey. So, when she realizes the charming man she met in a bookstore is actually a pro player in town for the Stars and Stripes hockey tournament, she panics.

It was hard enough letting her guard down when Bryce was just a funny, charming guy passing through. Now? She has to decide if she's willing to risk her carefully organized life for a long-distance relationship with a man whose world is nothing like hers.

Bryce has spent his whole life playing hockey. After going pro, he learned quickly that most people see the jersey first and the man second. So meeting someone who has no idea who he is? That's a breath of fresh air.

He's only in town for the tournament, but that doesn't stop him from pursuing her. Spending time with her is easy. She makes him laugh, sees through his goofy facade, and suddenly two weeks in DC doesn't feel like enough.

If you love:
❤️ Slow burns
🏒 Golden Retriever heroes
❤️ Bookish heroines
🏒 Found family
❤️ Witty banter
🏒 He falls first
❤️ Hockey romance

This is the book for you!

By the Dawn's Early Light is a sweet hockey romcom featuring a Golden Retriever hero, a book-loving heroine, found family vibes, laugh-out-loud banter, and all the butterflies without the spice.


Stars, Stripes, and Hockey Nights: A sweet hockey romantic comedy series where hockey isn’t just a game—it’s an American tradition. This summer, celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday with the swooniest hockey all-stars as they take the ice in a festive exhibition tournament.

When USA’s top NHL stars arrive in Washington, DC, they’re competing for more than a championship title. Between face-offs and slap shots, these all-American heroes find themselves taking their biggest risk yet—falling in love. Expect prank wars, locker room banter, fireworks—on and off the ice—and sparks that light up more than the scoreboard.

Each book in this closed-door romcom series is a complete standalone, featuring a different hockey hero taking his shot at forever. Because love isn’t just won in the arena—it’s written in the stars and stripes of the heart.

Let the fireworks begin!

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  By the Dawn's Early Light was my first Tia Marlee novel and it won't be last.  So happy to have found a new author!

I absolutely loved Hadley and Bryce's story.  It was nice to see Hadley become more confident in herself and her relationship with several people as I progressed through the book.  

Great characters, engaging story, left me wanting more (can't wait for Paige's story) and clean romance. 

As a mother of son who is a college hockey player, I love reading hockey rom-coms!  I am really excited for the Stars, Stripes and Hockey Nights series -10 amazing authors who have come together to write stand-alone novels.

Tia Marlee enjoys delivering swoon worthy HEA's in her clean and wholesome romance novels. A small-town girl at heart, Tia's stories have that small-town, Hallmark charm with a dash of real life, and a laugh thrown in for good measure. 

Tia is the author of the Piney Book Wishes series featuring unexpected love stories based in small-town Piney Brook, Arkansas. She is also proud to be part of the multi-author romcom series The Coffee Loft season one and two.

Tia resides in Texas with her husband and three teenaged children. When she's not writing or reading, you can find her standing barefoot in her front yard, loving on her 80 pound lap dog, or hauling kids from one activity to the next.

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Just Frankie, Actually

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Synopsis (from Amazon):  I came to Serenity Cove to disappear. Falling for the hot single dad was never part of the plan.

For the first time in my life, nobody wants anything from me beyond a fresh pot of coffee and a slice of pie.

Not the regulars at the diner where I work under a fake name.
Not the small town that’s slowly, stubbornly starting to feel like home.
And not Cal Holloway—the local veterinarian, devoted single dad, and the one man who looks at me like I’m just Frankie.

Not Hollywood’s former darling.
Not a billionaire’s disappointment.
Not a woman with a past she’s trying to forget.

Just Frankie.

Which would be a whole lot less terrifying if Cal weren’t kind, steady, and the sort of man who’s deeply inconvenient to a woman trying not to want anything. Or if his little girl didn’t keep sneaking past my defenses. And if being part of their world didn’t feel so dangerously close to everything I’ve ever wanted.

Serenity Cove was meant to be a place to lie low. Keep my head down. Stay out of trouble. Easy enough—until Cal. Now this town, this man, and his little girl are getting under my skin in ways that feel equal parts lovely and reckless.

But hiding doesn’t last forever. And when the life I left behind comes calling, I have to decide whether to go back to the future everyone expects of me . . . or stay in the one place that’s started to feel like mine—with the man who sees me more clearly than anyone ever has.

Just Frankie, Actually is the fourth book in the Love in LA series but can be read as a stand-alone. Perfect for fans of Notting Hill and Katherine Center and readers who love single dads, celebrities in hiding, quirky small towns,and flamingos.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  This is my second book in the Love in LA series.  I still need to read book 1 (Britta and the Beach Boy) and 2 (Terms of Un-Endearment), which means book 3 (Fa-La-La-La Land) and Just Frankie, Actually are truly standalone books.  I still want to read book 1 and 2!

In Just Frankie, Actually, we are introduced to Frankie - who appears to be an ordinary girl, working an ordinary job.  As we learn through the book, Frankie is actually very famous child actress and surfer.  She was the star on Surf City until her ex-husband and father caused her to run away from all.  She has been hiding out in Serenity Cove and working as a waitress in a local diner.  She befriends Cal, the local veterinarian and his 3 year old daughter.  

She is there to help Cal when needed, and boy did he return the favor when Frankie needed it.  One day she is recognized by an out-of-towner.  Based a video posted online, the reporters come rushing to Serenity Cove and Cal helps Frankie out by bringing her to his families farm. Frankie ends up failing even more in love with Cal and his entire family.  She knows that she must run or risk hurting them all.  At the same time she finds out her father is dying.  Fleeing to home, she finds herself and what she needs to make her happy.  In the meantime Cal is struggling with his want/need for Frankie and knowing her lifestyle isn't the same as his.

In the end love wins!  Just Frankie, Actually had great characters who grew along the journey in a beautiful way, great story line leaving you wanting to read one more chapter, and unpredictability along the way keeping you engaged.  

Brittany Larsen is an Idaho girl who's spent the last twenty plus years in California raising daughters, reading just about anything, and writing--not necessarily in that order. Hot yoga is her happy/uncomfortable place. She loves a good romance, whether it's set in modern-day, nineteenth century England, or the Old West, as long as it's got a feisty heroine and makes her laugh and/or sigh. 

Follow her on insta: https://www.instagram.com/brittanylarsen.books/

Check out her website: https://www.brittanylarsenbooks.com/

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Someone to Keep

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Synopsis:  

AVAH:

When I walked away from my abusive ex, the last person I expected to carry me out of the wreckage was my best friend's billionaire brother.

Jeremy Winslow might be brilliant at business, but he's terrible at people. Trust me, I've been on the receiving end of his arrogance since the day we met.

Only now he's looking at me like I'm worth saving even though I've stopped believing it. I'm stress baking my way through life one cinnamon roll at a time, and I don't need complications.

But the man who can't make small talk seems to know exactly what to say to tear down every wall I've built.

JEREMY:

Avah Harris is the first person who seems to want me for more than my money. I know the men in her life have let her down--her ex with his fists and her father with his lies. She has every reason to keep me at arm's length, and she's damn good at it.

But something changed when I carried her off that beach, and I can't stop showing up whenever she needs someone in her corner. I've never been good at taking no for an answer, especially from her.

Her secrets could blow us apart, but I don't care. If she gives me a chance, I'll spend every day proving I'm the man who deserves to keep her.

One (or more) Sentence Summary: Michelle Major did it again!  LOVED IT! I have been waiting for a story about Avah, and Michelle delivered it.  I knew there had to be something was wrong with her relationship with Jon based on the previous novels.  Now we know for sure! 

Avah being as strong as she is, walks out on him in Bora Bora with nothing, literally nothing. In walks Jermey, Sloane's (the organizer of the Skylark, Colorado bookclub) millionaire brother and is instantly pulled to Avah.  Jermey is in Bora Bora trying to meet the founders of The NorthStar Way, a healthcare platform for cancer patients and their families. 

I really appreciated the connection between The NorthStart Way, Jermey's childhood experience with cancer, Sloane's current journey through cancer treatments tied in with the kick-@ss strength of Avah.  The combination worked and made a greats story.

Love the ending on the airplane! 

Another amazing novel by Michelle Major.  Below are links to my reviews on previous books in the Skylark series.  They are stand-alone, but if you haven't read one.....start from the beginning and you will not regret it.

See my review for Someone to Love, Someone to Tempt, Someone to Have, Someone to Hold, and Someone to Stay.

USA Today and Top 5 Amazon Bestselling author Michelle Major writes swoon-worthy stories full of heart, heat, and guaranteed happily-ever-afters. When she’s not dreaming up romance, you’ll find her hiking the trails (or avoiding housework) in her home state of Colorado.

Connect with her at her website or come say hi on Instagram and Facebook.

Facebook @MichelleMajorBooks

Instagram @michellemajorauthor

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Cover Reveal - Hexy Beast by Avery Flynn

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HEXY BEAST

Avery Flynn

Release Date: September 8

Blurb:

An impulsive witch and a buttoned-up werewolf discover love is its own beast in this spicy rom-com from USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn.

As the eldest daughter of the magical Sherwood family, I’m supposed to have everything together. Well, joke’s on them—I, Effie Sherwood, am chaos incarnate, and you’ll never be ableto guess my next move.

Like jumping on the back of Darius Aetos’ motorcycle. Not only is Darius grumpy, gruff, and hot, he’s also the head of the Aetos werewolf pack. My spur of the moment decision has quickly become a much bigger commitment, because a pack elder is convinced this hunk of a man (or wolf, depending on the hour) is my fated mate.

Even though I’m a witch and he’s a werewolf, we’re stuck together until we can find our way out of the tricky pack politics. But under the light of the blue moon, it’s almost starting to feel like Darius doesn’t want to stay away from me. And I’m not sure if it’s my magic going haywire or the starlit skies, but I can’t imagine leaving his arms either.

Pre-Order Link:

https://averyflynn.com/books/hexy-beast/

Avery Flynn is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling romance author. She has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip.

She was a reader before she was a writer and hopes to always be both. She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are as good with a quip as they are with their *ahem* other God-given talents. Her heroines are feisty, fierce and fantastic. Brainy and brave, these ladies know how to stand on their own two feet and knock the bad guys off theirs.

Connect with Avery Flynn:

https://www.instagram.com/averyflynn/

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The Sunshine Offensive

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Synopsis (from Amazon):  

She worked hard to keep her life quiet. She didn't expect a hockey player to blow it wide open.

Juliette Gianelli has built her world on intention—her small plant shop, her carefully managed routine, and the fierce love she has for her ten-year-old son. After one very public heartbreak involving a jumbotron at an ice hockey game, she's learned her lesson: be invisible, stay quiet, and whatever you do, stay away from hockey. Plants don't make headlines. Hockey players? They are the headlines.

Then the city assigns NHL star Sawyer Stockton to her shop for a mandatory community outreach program—whether she wants him or not.

He's 6'3" with an easy smile, relentless optimism, and the kind of charm that probably works on everyone else. He's loud. He's public. He's everything she's spent years avoiding. And he keeps almost knocking over her succulents.

But here’s the problem: Sawyer isn't actually the disaster she thinks he is.

He shows up on time. He learns the difference between a pothos and a philodendron. He's patient with her son, who thinks he's the coolest person alive. And somewhere between teaching him how to repot a fern and watching him win over her most skeptical customers, Juliette realizes she might be in trouble.

Because the more time they spend together, the harder it gets to remember why she swore off this kind of risk. But when old wounds resurface and the spotlight threatens to return, she must decide: keep hiding in the quiet—or trust that this time, she won't be standing in it alone.

The Sunshine Offensive is a closed-door grumpy sunshine hockey romance filled with sizzling chemistry, undeniable tension, and all the heat—without the spice!

Tropes in The Sunshine Offensive

Grumpy / Sunshine

Opposites Attract

Forced Proximity

Single Mom Romance

Golden Retriever MMC

Black Cat FMC

Found Family

Protective Hero

Ice Hockey Romance

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  Anne did it again!  Another amazing story with great characters. I loved that she brought back some folks from her other series! What I really loved was the plant shop. My mother was 3rd generation of a flower shop and a single mom of four.  I know who hard (and scraping by) that work can be and Anne nailed it! 

Hockey is also a big part of life as my son just stepped off the ice for his last time as a collegiate player (and her come the watery eyes).  For 19 years it has been such a huge part of our lives.  Anne did a great job capture the hockey side as well.

I admire the strength of Juliette when it came to ex-husband. I laughed when she didn't swoon over Sawyer, given all his female followers.  Their relationship grew naturally not because of his fame. She was also a very strong, support and firm mother and balanced her behavior regarding her ex-husband in front of her son and didn't bad mouth him.  In fact she was very classy on how she handled herself about the whole matter. 

Sawyer, love the connection he kept with his father (no spoil alert). Made me have to swallow that lump in my throat every time.  He took immediately to everyone in Juliette's life and was just an overall great guy.  He was not pushy, flashy, or expected things because of his fame.  He wanted an ordinary life with an amazing woman (and her son). 

I really enjoyed The Sunshine Offensive, like have with all Anne's books.  This one tugged at my heart a little bit more due to the setting. 

Anne Kemp is a bestselling author of romantic comedies. She loves reading (and she does it ridiculously fast, too!), gluten-free baking (because everyone needs a hobby that makes them crazy), and finding time to binge-watch her favorite shows. She grew up in Maryland but made Los Angeles her home until she encountered her own real-life meet-cute at a friend's wedding where she ended up married to one of the groomsmen. For real.

Anne now lives on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand, and even though she was married at Mt. Doom, no…she doesn’t have a Hobbit. However, she and her husband do have a terrier named George Clooney and when she’s not writing, she’s usually with them taking a long walk on the river by their home.

You can find Anne on her website - come say hi! She’d love to hear from you: www.annekemp.com

On Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest: @missannekemp

On TikTok: @annekempauthor

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Someone to Stay

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What It's About:   

PIPER: NFL superstar Felix Barlowe was never supposed to be the one. He's my brother-in-law's brother and my nemesis—until one unforgettable night changed everything. I thought it would get him out of my system, not leave me with a secret.

I'm hiding out in a secluded cabin, pregnant and panicking, when Felix shows up with a two-year-old and no idea how everything is about to change. So I do something reckless and offer to help as his temporary nanny.

It seems like an easy way to buy myself time. But watching him bake sourdough at dawn and read bedtime stories on repeat, not to mention those late-night kisses, I start to fall for him in a way I never saw coming.

Felix Barlowe thinks he's not built for forever. I think he might be perfect for me.

FELIX: Piper Hart has hated me from day one. She's all spark and sass and completely immune to my charm. But now she's helping with a little girl I never expected to raise, and I can't seem to get the night she spent in my arms out of my mind.

I've failed at love three times—definitely not relationship material. But Piper makes me want to believe again.

And when I discover her secret, I'll do whatever it takes to prove I'm not a man who leaves. I'm the one who stays.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  I love all the books in the Skylark Series and I thought Someone to Have was my favorite......but now it's Someone to Stay.  I just loved this book. Piper and Felix have gone through so much when they were growing up that it makes them think they are incapable of love and family.  

When Piper runs to her sister's and brother-in-law's cabin to escape her ex and his new partner, she was surprised by Felix's unwelcome drop by late one night. Only to discover he was there with his Goddaughter trying to figure out what to do knowing he couldn't raise her. Piper is carrying her own secret that would rock his world. Little does he know, how he handles Ellie will not only change her life, but everyone's around him, including Piper.

I really liked all the friends and support they both have. If you've read any of my other Skylark Series reviews, you know that I would love to be part of a bookclub like Piper.  The bond between the ladies is very strong and they are there for each other, no matter what.

I can't wait for another Skylark book - I hope that there will be more to come featuring Avah and Sloane.  

Another must read from Michelle Major!!

See my review for Someone to Hold, Someone to Have,  Someone to Love and Someone to Tempt

USA Today and Top 5 Amazon Bestselling author Michelle Major writes swoon-worthy stories full of heart, heat, and guaranteed happily-ever-afters. When she’s not dreaming up romance, you’ll find her hiking the trails (or avoiding housework) in her home state of Colorado.

Connect with her at her website or come say hi on Instagram (@michellemajorauthor) and Facebook (@MichelleMajorBooks).

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Love in Plane Sight

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Synopsis (from Amazon):  With her brother’s grumpy best friend—and her longtime nemesis—as Beth’s flight instructor, her pilot lessons could be a plane disaster or their first-class ticket to forever.

Mayday. Mayday. Engine failure.

When flying with George Bunsen, the last thing Beth Lundberg wants is to be horny in the cockpit. But when her first ride-along dives toward disaster, the perpetually stoic George is forced to execute a skillful emergency landing, and Beth is horrified to find herself with an adrenaline-fueled crush on the pilot. She’s even more shocked when her brother’s best friend offers her discounted flight lessons—possibly out of guilt for almost killing them.

And despite George’s annoying habit of departing any room the moment Beth enters, she really wants to accept. No matter that it’s an egregiously expensive hobby, or that her waitressing wages go right toward her mother’s medical bills, or that she’s already in debt up to her eyebrows. Flying is Beth’s dream, and she could use her private license to earn real money.

The more time they spend navigating the sky, the more the turbulence between George and Beth dissipates. But Beth has seen the burning wreckage that comes from mixing business with pleasure—plus, she’s been keeping a secret that, once revealed, will send all her relationships into a tailspin. Can she really take a risk on romance when her pilot career isn’t even off the ground?

One (or more) Sentence Summary: This was my first Lauren Connolly novel and it will not be last.  I really enjoyed it.  I am hoping there is a book two with Shawn as the main character!

 

Love in Plane Sight was a quick and refreshing read.  Great story line, loved the characters, enemies to friends (well more than friends), caring for parents, blended family and much more.

Looking forward to exploring more of Lauren Connolly's books!

Lauren Connolly is an award winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance stories. She’s lived among mountains, next to lakes, and in imaginary worlds. Lauren can never seem to stay in one place for too long, but trust that wherever she’s residing there is a dog who thinks he’s a troll, twin cats hiding in the couch, and bookshelves bursting with stories written by the authors she loves.

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