We moved across state lines. And between planning, packing, loading, unloading, and trying to get settled again, the blog went quiet for a while. Sorry!
Books were the one thing that kept me steady through it all, so I'm sharing the romance reads that kept me steady the last three months.
Rom-Com and Contemporary Romance Books
1. The Hotshot by Piper Rayne
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶🌶 (3/5)
Tropes: baseball romance, fake dating, single guardianship, best friend's brother, family responsibility
A nurse suddenly finds herself raising three kids she never planned for, and her best friend's brother refuses to let her carry all of it alone. I liked the found-family setup here, and the slow burn gave the story a soft emotional center. This one felt warm, sweet, and easy to read.
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶🌶 (3/5)
Tropes: baseball romance, fake dating, single guardianship, best friend's brother, family responsibility
A nurse suddenly finds herself raising three kids she never planned for, and her best friend's brother refuses to let her carry all of it alone. I liked the found-family setup here, and the slow burn gave the story a soft emotional center. This one felt warm, sweet, and easy to read.
2. The Wild Card by Piper Rayne
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶🌶 (3/5)
Tropes: baseball romance, surprise pregnancy, one-night stand, brother's best friend, forced proximity
The Wild Card has chaos in the setup and charm in the execution. Callie and Foster are messy in a fun way, and the surprise pregnancy angle adds pressure without making the story feel too heavy. It moved quickly and kept the romance front and center.
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶🌶 (3/5)
Tropes: baseball romance, surprise pregnancy, one-night stand, brother's best friend, forced proximity
The Wild Card has chaos in the setup and charm in the execution. Callie and Foster are messy in a fun way, and the surprise pregnancy angle adds pressure without making the story feel too heavy. It moved quickly and kept the romance front and center.
3. The Love Haters by Katherine Center
Spice rating: Closed-door romance
Tropes: workplace romance, forced proximity, small-town, healing
Katherine Center can host a masterclass in romance. She writes stories reminiscent of 90s romcoms. It hooks you with the chemistry and witty banter between characters. While Katie's internal monologues slow down in the middle and the climax strains believability, the book's focus on body positivity, self-love, and healing compensates. George Bailey, the lovable Great Dane, steals the show.
Katherine Center can host a masterclass in romance. She writes stories reminiscent of 90s romcoms. It hooks you with the chemistry and witty banter between characters. While Katie's internal monologues slow down in the middle and the climax strains believability, the book's focus on body positivity, self-love, and healing compensates. George Bailey, the lovable Great Dane, steals the show.
4. The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Spice rating: Closed-door romance
Tropes: grumpy-sunshine dynamic, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, workplace romance
Two screenwriters rewriting a rom-com script while navigating through their differences. The Rom-Commers is charming and fun to read. Charlie is a lovable grump, and Emma is a smart, fierce heroine. The book blends humor with emotional depth. Definitely worth binge-reading.
Tropes: grumpy-sunshine dynamic, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, workplace romance
Two screenwriters rewriting a rom-com script while navigating through their differences. The Rom-Commers is charming and fun to read. Charlie is a lovable grump, and Emma is a smart, fierce heroine. The book blends humor with emotional depth. Definitely worth binge-reading.
Small-Town and Emotional Romance
5. Wishes on the Waves by Catherine Michaels (ARC)
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3.5/5)
Spice rating: Closed-door romance
Tropes: single mom x single dad, dealing with grief, small-town setting
I wasn't expecting to feel this much from a beach read. I thought it'd be light and easy, but Annie totally wrecked me. It looks simple, like a cute coastal romance, and it is. But it's also deeper. The story shows that healing isn't avoiding pain; it's choosing to live fully despite it. I struggled to stay engaged with the story, but it was well wrapped up in the end.
6. Among Wildflowers by C. Ellan Rose (ARC)
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶 (2/5)
Tropes: city girl x small-town vet, opposites attract, slow burn, emotional healing
A small-town romance with a sweet, slow-burn feel that reminded me a little of a Hallmark movie. The town had so much charm. The wildflowers, the cozy vibe, the sense of community. A place you want to call home. I like Ali's bestie, Misha. I just wish there were more redemption and vindication for Ali.
A small-town romance with a sweet, slow-burn feel that reminded me a little of a Hallmark movie. The town had so much charm. The wildflowers, the cozy vibe, the sense of community. A place you want to call home. I like Ali's bestie, Misha. I just wish there were more redemption and vindication for Ali.
7. Crazy in Love by Laura Pavlov
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶🌶 (3/5)
Tropes: enemies to lovers, billionaire romance, he falls hard, verbal sparring, small-town setting
Laura Pavlov's small-town romance pulls you in, making you want to be part of the characters' circle and move there yourself. It's about a grumpy billionaire who meets a woman determined not to back down. The pace is lively, romantic, and filled with enough tension to keep you hooked. For those of us who've read the Rosewood River series, we finally get some answers to that mystery from the first book. Honestly, though, I feel like Laura's earlier series were a lot stronger than her recent ones. It's like she's lost that special touch she used to have. Or maybe I've just gotten used to her style.
Laura Pavlov's small-town romance pulls you in, making you want to be part of the characters' circle and move there yourself. It's about a grumpy billionaire who meets a woman determined not to back down. The pace is lively, romantic, and filled with enough tension to keep you hooked. For those of us who've read the Rosewood River series, we finally get some answers to that mystery from the first book. Honestly, though, I feel like Laura's earlier series were a lot stronger than her recent ones. It's like she's lost that special touch she used to have. Or maybe I've just gotten used to her style.
8. In a Heartbeat by Laura Pavlov
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶🌶 (3/5)
Tropes: childhood best friends-to enemies-to lovers, workplace romance, it's always been youSecond-chance romance can be tricky, but this one landed for me. A cowboy reconnecting with his estranged best friend after she returns home down on her luck has all the ingredients for a good emotional read, and the story makes the most of them. It was tender, a little aching, and very readable.
9. Whisper Sweet Nothings by Laura Pavlov
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶🌶 (3/5)
Tropes: single dad x nanny romance, age gap, forced proximity, slow burn
Archer's internal war between his fierce paternal protectiveness and his undeniable magnetism toward Winnie creates a beautifully restrained, high-tension slow burn that makes the eventual open-door payoff explosive. The web of cameos from Laura Pavlov's series might confuse newcomers, but the reveal of the town's gossip columnist rewards loyal fans. It's a comforting finale that will make you long for the next story in Pavlov's world.
Archer's internal war between his fierce paternal protectiveness and his undeniable magnetism toward Winnie creates a beautifully restrained, high-tension slow burn that makes the eventual open-door payoff explosive. The web of cameos from Laura Pavlov's series might confuse newcomers, but the reveal of the town's gossip columnist rewards loyal fans. It's a comforting finale that will make you long for the next story in Pavlov's world.
10. Wild Card by Elsie Silver
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶🌶🌶 (4/5)
Tropes: ex's dad, age gap, forced proximity, forbidden loveA grumpy firefighter and a sunny yoga instructor stranded together is already a strong start, and Elsie Silver knows how to make the most of it. This one had humor, heat, and enough emotional weight to keep it from feeling too light. It was playful in places, but it still delivered the feelings. It made me wonder how they'll make it, but Elsive has always delivered HEA, and this one didn't disappoint.
Romantic Suspense and Mystery
11. Captivation Creek by Claire Kingsley (ARC)
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶 (2/5)
Tropes: work best friends to lovers, close proximity, romantic suspense, small-town romance
Best friends turned roommates turned amateur murder investigators is a very good pitch, and the book fully commits to it. I liked the balance here between the mystery and the romance. The feelings were big, the pacing stayed sharp, and this was one of those reads that kept me saying I'd stop after one more chapter.
Best friends turned roommates turned amateur murder investigators is a very good pitch, and the book fully commits to it. I liked the balance here between the mystery and the romance. The feelings were big, the pacing stayed sharp, and this was one of those reads that kept me saying I'd stop after one more chapter.
12. Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles (ARC)
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶 🌶🌶 (4/5)
Tropes: romantic suspense, grumpy x sunshine, reclusive hero, neighbors, single mom, morally gray MMC, missing person
Catherine Cowles excels at emotional suspense romance, and this book reminded me why I keep coming back for her stories. A woman returns to the town that broke her to find her missing best friend, and the guarded neighbor gradually becomes her most trusted ally. It was tense, emotional, and hard to put down. Catherine keeps you guessing, and every guess will be wrong. You'd want a bestie like her. Her unwavering dedication to Nova's memory and her determination to find her, while raising a single mom, made it impossible not to root for her. She's here for answers, and nothing will stop her.
Catherine Cowles excels at emotional suspense romance, and this book reminded me why I keep coming back for her stories. A woman returns to the town that broke her to find her missing best friend, and the guarded neighbor gradually becomes her most trusted ally. It was tense, emotional, and hard to put down. Catherine keeps you guessing, and every guess will be wrong. You'd want a bestie like her. Her unwavering dedication to Nova's memory and her determination to find her, while raising a single mom, made it impossible not to root for her. She's here for answers, and nothing will stop her.
Romantasy (Romance + Fantasy) Books
13. War of Fire and Fury by Marion Blackwood
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶 🌶🌶 (4/5)
Tropes: fated mates, fae x dragon shifter, enemies to lovers, political intrigue
Final books have a lot to carry, and this one had the job of bringing a huge conflict to a close. Selena is leading a last, desperate war against centuries of cruelty and tyranny, so the stakes stay high throughout. The finale gave the series a strong finish.
Final books have a lot to carry, and this one had the job of bringing a huge conflict to a close. Selena is leading a last, desperate war against centuries of cruelty and tyranny, so the stakes stay high throughout. The finale gave the series a strong finish.
14. Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Spice rating: 🌶 🌶 (2/5)
Tropes: slow burn, world-building, secret identity, multiple POV
This sequel completely blew my mind. As soon as I finished reading the book, I wanted to start again because I felt like I had missed so much that was just in front of me. A queen separated from the man she loves, hunted through a cursed world, and pushed toward a destiny she never asked for made for a tense start. The pacing stayed strong, the world felt rich without slowing the story down, and the plot twist caught me off guard in a way I genuinely appreciated.
This sequel completely blew my mind. As soon as I finished reading the book, I wanted to start again because I felt like I had missed so much that was just in front of me. A queen separated from the man she loves, hunted through a cursed world, and pushed toward a destiny she never asked for made for a tense start. The pacing stayed strong, the world felt rich without slowing the story down, and the plot twist caught me off guard in a way I genuinely appreciated.
What are you reading?
This reading stretch had a little bit of everything I usually want when life feels busy and loud: comfort reads, slow-burn romance, small-town emotion, sharp banter, suspense, and a fantasy sequel that fully delivered. Some books felt soft and steady. Others had more tension, more mystery, or more heat. All of them helped make a hectic season feel a little easier to manage.
What are you reading or up to lately?
This post contains affiliate links. If a purchase is made through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost. Some of these books were received as Advance Reader Copies and are marked as ARC.
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