Review - - Outlaw Lake

Outlaw Lake

by MaiseyYates

Rustler Mountain - Book 2

Publisher: Kensington

Release Date: September 30, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

True to their family name, the Wilders of historic Rustler Mountain, Oregon, have an outlaw lineage and a wild nature to match. But when it comes to love, an untamed heart might know best . . .

Carson Wilder and Perry Bramble have been best friends forever, starting with their painful childhoods. As far as romance, Carson always knew he wasn’t good enough for her. And by the time they were grown, their bond was too important to risk messing up. Now, Carson is grieving the death of his wife. And like always, Perry is his rock. He can’t imagine life without her. But he may have to.

Perry has loved Carson since she was 7 years old. He never showed a hint of interest in her beyond friendship, but two-plus decades later, he’s still the most important person in her life. Maybe too important. Inspired by the diary of an ancestor who left everything behind to come west as a mail order bride, Perry stuns Carson with a decision: She’s moving to a neighboring city to expand her florist business—and to find love and start a family.

Carson hates the idea, but he’ll do anything for Perry’s happiness. He’ll even help get her historic home fixed up for sale. She can stay with him at his ranch house on Outlaw Lake in the meantime. What ensues are dinners filled with laughter, dating app disasters—and Carson wondering why he’d look for another woman when the one he loves is right here. His answers may lie in the letters he finds from the man who married the mail order bride. . . . But can he finally gather the courage to be true to his wild heart—before it's too late?

PJ's Thoughts:

It's not an exaggeration to say that the strong bond between Carson and Perry is what got them through unstable childhoods, teenage confusion, and long-distance separations. It even got them through Carson's ill-advised relationship and Perry's broken heart because of it. Nothing has ever broken their friendship but they've reached a crossroads, at least Perry has. Something has to give and her decision to move away will either be the straw that breaks their bond or the incentive to forge a new path toward happiness, not heartbreak.

Maisey Yates' stories always take me on an emotional journey but Outlaw Lake takes that experience to a new level. So many feelings with these two. They really put me through the wringer. Both Carson and Perry are multi-layered characters with significant emotional baggage. Yates has crafted them beautifully, showing the many layers that impact their choices, their feelings, and their fears. I felt as if I knew each of them personally, experienced their emotional upheavals and struggles with a visceral fierceness, and could not have pulled more strongly for them to make it as a couple. They made it impossible not to invest myself in their happiness with my whole heart. 

Each chapter of the book opens with an entry from the diary of Perry's ancestor, a mail-order bride who wed a widower and suffered the same unrequited love that Perry has dealt with for years. The two couples, living more than 100 years apart, share journeys that parallel one another in significant ways with the words of both Mae and her husband opening hearts and minds in present day in unexpected ways. I loved these entries and enjoyed the perspective and rich texture they added to Carson's and Perry's story.

As with book one of this series, Yates surrounds the main couple with family members and local citizens who both support and challenge the lead characters. It was fun getting to know Carson's siblings better (their books are coming) as well as a brother and sister from a rival "outlaw" family in town (I have hopes for both of them!). 

If you're looking for a friends-to-lovers, contemporary romance with complex characters, family dynamics, strong emotional depth, and hard-won happy endings, give Outlaw Lake a try. I highly recommend it as well as book one in the series, Rustler Mountain (Carson's brother Austin and Millie, the town librarian - click to read my review). 

Review - - Take Me Home for Christmas

Take Me Home for Christmas

by Tracy Solheim

Chances Inlet - Book 5

Publisher: Sun Home Productions

Release Date: December 12, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

In the quaint coastal town of Chances Inlet, Christmas is a time for rekindling lost connections . . .

Elinor “Elle” McAlister is on the brink of a big-time promotion that will finally put her on equal footing with her overachieving siblings. The catch? She has to babysit a notoriously prickly war reporter who’s late delivering his memoir. As if that weren’t enough, her editor banishes them both to Elle’s hometown on the Carolina coast to get the job done. Spending the holidays in Chances Inlet might have been fine—if only she hadn’t wrecked the most important relationship in her life during her visit last Christmas.

Deputy Sheriff Hayden Lovell has known Elle was his person ever since she swiped his purple crayon back in kindergarten. Through every twist and setback, her steady friendship has been his anchor, especially after he returned from combat with wounds that run deep. But everything changed last New Year’s Eve when Elle surprised him with a kiss, stirring feelings he didn’t realize he had. Now that she’s back in town and keeping her distance, Hayden wonders if that moment meant as much to her as it did to him.

Chances Inlet has a knack for bringing people together. With Christmas around the corner, can Elle and Hayden rewrite their story before the holiday spirit fades? Join them in a heartwarming tale of love, friendship, and the magic of second chances in a town that knows how to celebrate Christmas like no other.

PJ's Thoughts:

I can always count on the books in Tracy Solheim's Chances Inlet series to be brimming with a strong sense of community, quirky characters, relatable family dynamics, emotional depth, lovable animals, and heart-tugging happy endings. Take Me Home for Christmas is no exception.

I enjoy the friends-to-lovers romance trope. Throw in messy emotional baggage, a currently strained relationship, family complications, a potential new love interest (championed by his mother), and careers in different locations and you have a book that kept me flipping pages right up until the end. 

Solheim really brings these characters - as well as the town of Chances Inlet - to life. I could easily envision the noisy family gatherings and festive holiday events around town. Secondary characters add richness, humor, and texture to the story, enhancing without detracting from the main couple. I love how seamlessly family and friends weave in and out just as people do in real life. 

Elle's and Hayden's individual journeys as well as their romantic one feel authentic and relatable. I enjoyed the growth of both characters as they navigated the changing landscape both of their personal goals and dreams and their deepening feelings for one another. 

The children in this book are a particular delight, especially their relationship with the curmudgeonly author Elle's publisher has tasked her with babysitting (for lack of a better term). West (the author) has an interesting evolution of his own, one that intersects with Elle's and leads to unexpected opportunities for both of them.

Take Me Home for Christmas is the fifth book in Solheim's Chances Inlet series. Fans of the series (like me) will no doubt enjoy all the catch-up cameos by couples from earlier books while readers new to the series should be able to enjoy Elle's and Hayden's story on its own. Whichever camp you fall into, Take Me Home for Christmas delivers a sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant, heartwarming tale of family, community, and finding that one person who completes you in all the right ways. 

Review - - Wilde Abandon

Wilde Abandon

by Jennifer Ryan

A Dark Horse Dive Bar Novel

Publisher: Jennifer Ryan

Release Date: August 6, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Broken and betrayed, Fox Bridges escaped Blackrock Falls 16 years ago, vowing never to return. But when his mom is diagnosed with terminal cancer, there’s no escaping it. Making the best of a bad situation, he goes back to face his past and set up a program to help foster kids who age out of the system like him. But more importantly— to reunite with the best friend he had to leave behind.

Melody Wilde never got over the loss of her childhood best friend. She saved his life… but it cost her Fox. He left town and never looked back, hating her for revealing his secret.

So when Fox walks back into town—right through the front door of her bar—she realizes he’s the man she’s been falling for online. He could be her chance at forever.

But Fox has secrets, and there are those who will do anything to bring him down. They’ll exploit any weakness. And he’s just given them the biggest one yet—Melody.

PJ'S THOUGHTS:

Wilde Abandon showcases everything I love and have come to expect from a Jennifer Ryan novel: well-developed, relatable characters, family dynamics, heart-tugging romance, and breath-stealing suspense. 

Fox and Melody pulled me in and refused to let go, immersing me into their lives from the get-go and keeping me hanging on every word right up until the end of their journey. I pulled so hard for these two. They certainly didn't have an easy path to their HEA but that's the emotional depth - and complex family dynamic - that Ryan brings to her stories. She doesn't hold back when it comes to life-threatening and life-altering obstacles that life sometimes throws in her characters' paths. 

As with the earlier books in this series, Wilde Abandon brings readers a twisty, danger-filled, contemporary romance story that took me on an emotional journey while also delivering a satisfying, hard-earned happily ever after. 

I'm deeply invested in this close-knit, Wyoming ranching family and eager to discover what Ryan has in store for her next Wilde couple.

*Wilde Abandon is the third book in Jennifer Ryan's Dark Horse Dive Bar series and the first to be self-published. The first two books (published by Avon) are Wilde Love (read my review) and Wilde for You (read my review). Avon opted to not continue the series. I'm thrilled that Ryan has decided to continue the series on her own. There's at least one more couple begging for their story to be told and I'm looking forward to reading it in Wilde In His Arms, due to be released later this year. 

Content Warning:

Child abuse, sexual assault, kidnapping

Review & Giveaway - - The Sweetheart Crush

The Sweetheart Crush

by Miranda Liasson

Blossom Glen - Book 3

Publisher: Entangled:Amara

Release Date: October 3, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

 

Photographer Viv Montgomery’s dreams were bigger than her small hometown of Blossom Glen. Following them meant leaving everything and everyone behind—including her sweet and funny best friend, Logan Matthews. Now, twelve years later, the town’s “sweetheart” is back, broke, and…well, working in the town’s famous Christmas store until she figures out her next move.

Enter her former best friend who she hasn’t seen or talked to in years. Only the cute, funny guy she remembers is gone—replaced by a famous, bestselling author who seems aloof, jaded, and is much, much hotter than any book nerd she’s ever seen. Seeing him in the news is one thing, but up close and person? Whewf, it’s warm in here.

Now he’s offered her a job she desperately needs (blissfully free of Santas), and suddenly it’s like no time has passed at all. Their friendship is just like it was…with one very unexpected difference. Because somewhere between the blossom festival and snuggling in front of a crackling fire, their friendship is definitely turning into some more. Only, Logan’s been hiding the secret of his enormous success…and the sweetheart of Blossom Glen is about to read all about it.

PJ's Thoughts:

Miranda Liasson has taken two of my favorite tropes - second chance romance and friends to lovers - and molded them into a charming, heart-tugging journey to love for youngest Montgomery sister, Vivienne and her former best friend, Logan. 

It's hard to say which of the books in this trilogy I've enjoyed the most. Each brings its own special flavor to the page but what they all have in common is the strength, support, and love of family. In this one, it's both families - Viv's and Logan's - who play roles in the evolution of both characters as well as their romantic relationship.

Another facet of their story that I enjoyed is the friendship upon which their love is built. Yes, they've been estranged for twelve years but that foundation that was carefully built from childhood through high school still exists, lending critical support to the deepening feelings between them. There may be cracks here and there but love, growth, and communication go a long way in repairing them and moving their relationship forward. 

The sense of community is strong in all three books with the author evoking a spirit that is easily relatable, whether you've lived in a small Midwest town or not. Secondary characters bring additional texture, conflict, humor, and emotion to the page, blending seamlessly with Viv's and Logan's journey without detracting from it. 

If you're looking for a low-steam contemporary romance with plenty of feel-good charm and emotional depth, I recommend giving The Sweetheart Crush a go. It stands well on its own (Logan isn't introduced until this book). It's my opinion that you'll have a greater appreciation for the nuances of the Montgomery family dynamics as well as the growth of the Montgomery women and their partners if you read the three Blossom Glen books in order, however, wherever you choose to begin you'll find a heartwarming journey worth taking. The Blossom Glen books, in order, are: The Sweetheart Deal, The Sweetheart Fix, and The Sweetheart Crush. All three are available for purchase or to download from Kindle Unlimited if you're a subscriber. I loved them all. 

Have you read Miranda Liasson yet? Any favorites?

Are you happy jumping into a series at any point or are you a "must read in order" person?

What's your favorite romance trope?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, October 25 will receive a print copy of The Sweetheart Crush.

*U.S only

*Must be 18

Review - - The House on Mulberry Street

The House on Mulberry Street

by Jeannie Chin

Blue Cedar Falls - Book 3

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: March 7, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

For these two small-town best friends, sharing a kiss might be the worst mistake of their lives—or the best thing that's ever happened to them.

Between helping at her family’s inn and teaching painting, Elizabeth Wu has put her dream of being an artist on the back burner. But her plan to launch an arts festival will boost the local Blue Cedar Falls arts scene and give her a showcase for her own work. If only she can get the town council on board. At least she can rely on her dependable best friend Graham to support her. Except lately, he hasn’t been acting like his old self, and she has no idea why.

Graham Lewis has been secretly in love with Elizabeth forever, but it’s past time that he faces the cold, hard truth: vivacious, amazing Elizabeth will never see him as anything but a platonic pal. He’s going to help her get the festival off the ground, but after that he needs to forget his one-sided crush. Until one impulsive kiss changes everything. Can they really rebuild their entire relationship—and the festival—from the ground up? Or will it all come crashing down?

PJ's Thoughts:

Jeannie Chin brings her Blue Cedar Falls series to a conclusion with the story of youngest Wu sister, Elizabeth and her best friend, Graham Lewis. I've been looking forward to this one and am happy to say it did not disappoint.

I've enjoyed all three books in this series. I love how Chin balances the romantic journeys of the three sisters with the evolving relationships within the Wu family as well as those within their small community. She brings the citizens of the community - and the Wu family unit - together, helping each sister find her place in a realistic way without sugar-coating the challenges faced by these Chinese-American women in a small North Carolina mountain town. I especially enjoyed the dynamic among the sisters and how it changes over the course of the series.

Of the three sisters, Elizabeth probably has the most growing to do. I found her journey to be realistic and relatable, especially as it pertains to her place within the Wu family. It's easy to be pigeon-holed into the family position we're given at a young age and, to be fair, she hasn't done a lot up to this point to convince her family that she's no longer the flighty irresponsible baby of the group. But she has plans. It was so enjoyable to watch her overcome her vulnerabilities, claiming the self-confidence, leadership, and pride in herself that only Graham had recognized. And Elizabeth isn't the only one who evolved during this book. 

I loved Graham's journey, how he put himself out there by claiming his future, finally stepping out from beneath his father's expectations, and moving forward with firm steps to find the happiness he deserves, even if that means relinquishing his dreams of a happily ever after with Elizabeth. These two. The push and pull between them, the confusion, anger, yearning, and whoa, the chemistry when they finally step out of the friend zone. Chin gives them time, and no easy answers, in their progression from friendship to romance to happily ever after. I loved it.

Readers could enjoy this book on its own but because of the overlapping characters and storylines, this is a series I recommend reading in order. The three books are: The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane (June and Clay), Return to Cherry Blossom Way (May and Han) and The House on Mulberry Street (Elizabeth and Graham). There's also a novella, Only Home with You (Han's sister, Zoe and his best friend, Devin). 

 

Review & Giveaway - - Kiss Me Now, Cowboy

Kiss Me Now, Cowboy

by Dylann Crush

Cowboys in Paradise - Book 1

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: August 23, 2022

Reviewed by PJ

Forzas aren't quitters. That's the motto professional bull rider Justin Forza's dad has drilled into his head since the first time he climbed into the bucking chute. After a serious injury, doctor’s orders are to stay out of the arena. But if Justin can win one more championship, he’ll be able to continue the family legacy, set himself up for life, and finally confess his love to his best friend Emmeline. 
 
Emmeline Porter lives by one rule: never date a bull rider. She’s seen the damage a bad ride can cause. As a last resort to stop Justin from returning to the rodeo circuit, she convinces him to take a trip to Paradise Island, a tropical haven off the coast of Texas. She hopes cutting Justin off from the pressure his dad is laying on him will give her best friend the clarity he needs to walk away for good.

The close quarters and island adventures put their friendship to the test, and it’s not long before real feelings surface and threaten to sweep them both away.

PJ's Thoughts:

This was my first book by Dylann Crush and one that I enjoyed. I'm partial to the friends-to-lovers trope and Crush navigated it well. I liked the comfort level between Justin and Emmeline, the familiarity, history, and solid foundation of a lifelong friendship. The transition from friends to lovers may seem sudden in the context of this story but the fact that it was actually years in the making kept it realistic for me. Sometimes, friends are meant to be only friends but there are other situations where deeper feelings that have been simmering for years can suddenly vault to the surface unexpectedly. Knowing this from personal experience, I was able to buy into Emmeline's sudden "awakening" with full conviction. It also makes her initial conflicting feelings and "misunderstanding" about Justin's career plans easier to understand. Both she and Justin need to do some growing before they can claim their HEA. Happily, the author gives them the opportunity to do just that. 

Though there are some weighty topics involving both Emmeline's and Justin's families, Crush keeps the story itself from being weighted down. There's emotional depth, yes, but also well-placed humor to keep things balanced along with sizzling chemistry. And then there's Rocky. Who knew a class rock could have so much personality and end up being one of my favorite "characters" in the book? 

Justin and Emmeline have found their happy ending but their other two best friends, Knox and Decker are still evolving. Here's hoping their stories will be featured in the next two books of Cowboys in Paradise. I'm already invested and will definitely be returning for the rest of the series. 

Do you enjoy friends-to-lovers romances?

Do you have a favorite romance trope?

Have you ever been charmed by a non-human character in a romance? 

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, August 24 will receive a print copy of Kiss Me Now, Cowboy.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

*Void where prohibited

Review - - Booked on a Feeling

Booked on a Feeling

by Jayci Lee

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: July 26, 2022

Reviewed by PJ

 

Lizzy "Overachiever" Chung, Esq. has her life mapped out neatly:
* Become a lawyer. Check.
* Join a prestigious law firm. Check.
* Make partner. In progress.

If all goes to plan, she will check off that last box in a couple years, make her parents proud, and live a successful, fulfilled life in L.A. What was not in her plans was passing out from a panic attack during a pivotal moment in her career. A few deep breaths and a four hour drive later, Lizzy is in Weldon for three weeks to shed the burnout and figure out what went wrong. And what better place to recharge than the small California town where she spent her childhood summers with her best friend, Jack Park.

Jack Park didn't expect to see Lizzy back in Weldon, but now he's got three weeks to spend with the girl of his dreams. Except she doesn't know of his decades-long crush on her--and he intends to keep it that way. She's a high-powered attorney who lives in L.A. and he's a bookkeeper at his family's brewery who never left his hometown. He can't risk their friendship on a long shot. Can he? When Lizzy decides that the local bookstore needs a little revamp, of course, Jack is going to help her bring it back to life. But the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore there might be more than just friendship among the dusty shelves and books...

Sometimes the path to the rest of your life has been in front of you all along.

PJ's Thoughts:

What a fun, feel-good story! This one had me grinning pretty much the entire way. I just loved these two so much! The way Jack looks at Lizzy, the way he thinks her quirks are so adorable, the way he is always there for her, the way he understands and appreciates her love of books... Is it any wonder I fell for him as hard as Lizzy does?

Friends-to-Lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes and one this author does very well. Jack and Lizzy have been best friends for twenty years, since the age of ten. It's evident in the comfort level they share, the freedom to tease and joke around, their rock-solid support and belief in one another, the deep affection, and the openness and honesty that is the foundation of their relationship. Well, except for that one little thing: the fact that Jack Park has been in love with Lizzy Chung for almost his entire life. 

Lee guides Jack and Lizzy through this journey with almost flawless execution. Their unexpected, gradual transition from friends to lovers occurs alongside their individual journeys of personal growth in a way that feels real and authentic. Each of them is at a professional crossroads, with looming decisions that will impact family expectations as well as personal relationships. Lee allows the gravity of those decisions to play out with necessary emotional introspection, giving it the gravity it deserves while also balancing it with the lightness, humor, and sweetness of the ever-deepening dynamic between Lizzy and Jack. 

As with her previous books, Lee also immerses the reader in the Korean-American culture of her main characters. I enjoy the inside view of these families; their traditions, expectations, food (yes, I drooled), and differences. The dichotomy between Jack's parents and Lizzy's is quite striking. 

I also appreciate the approach the author takes with Lizzy's anxiety and Jack's feelings of unworthiness, issues so many people deal with. It makes these characters even more relatable and it makes their growth, as evidenced by their eventual life-changing decisions, and ultimate HEA, even more satisfying. 

I'm already excited to discover what Jayci Lee has in store for readers next. In the meantime, I enthusiastically recommend adding Booked on a Feeling to your summer reading list.   

Review - - The Love Con

The Love Con

by Seressia Glass

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: December 14, 2021

Reviewed by Nancy

 

He’s cosplaying as her boyfriend but their feelings for each other are real in this romantic comedy from Seressia Glass.

Sometimes Kenya Davenport believes she was switched at the hospital—how else could a lover of anime, gaming, and cosplay come from STEM parents? Still, Kenya dreams of being able to turn her creative hobby into a career. She finally has a chance to make it big when she joins the reality show competition Cosplay or No Way.

There's just one catch: the challenge for the final round is all about iconic pairs, and the judges want the contestants' significant others to participate. Unfortunately, Kenya is as single as can be at the moment. Luckily her best friend, Cameron Lassiter, agrees to be her fake boyfriend for the show.

Roleplaying a couple in love will force them to explore what they're hiding under the mask of friendship. Can Kenya and Cam fake it until she makes it, or will she be real about her feelings, knowing it could cost her the best friend she’s ever had?

Nancy says:

The Love Con is a brilliant melding of romance, geekdom, and reality TV with a touching friends-to-lovers romance at its core. Kenya is attracted to Cameron but says nothing lest she ruin their friendship. He’s attracted to her but says nothing because the one time he tried, years before, she shot him down. 

Since then, the timing hasn’t been right even though they’ve shared an apartment for years. They’ve also worked together at Cam’s fabrication shop, Make It Worx, where Kenya is a silent partner. Now, though, neither is dating anyone, they’re thrown together for the cosplay contest (think Project Runway for geeks), and they’re pretending they actually are in the relationship they both secretly yearn for. 

The cosplay contest is the external plot, but the romance dominates the story. The romantic arc has complications, of course. Kenya’s parents disapprove of her cosplay interests, which Cam has always shared. They believe she should get a real job, meaning one in her field, engineering, and outgrow this childish cosplay stuff. 

On top of that, one of the three contest judge seems to have it in for Kenya, always emphasizing the downsides of what she does and implying criticism of her weight. As you can tell from the cover, Kenya is a plus-size heroine (who also loves pink). Kenya deals with this woman’s borderline-snide comments by emphasizing her work on the project. She knows any show of temper will have her branded the Angry Black Woman. Her awareness of this potential trap permeates her reactions to the judge and to the equally critical producer who leads the camera crew following Kenya as she prepares for the final round. 

Glass handles Kenya’s reactions in a way that makes me aware of the problem and sympathetic to Kenya but without letting Kenya’s concern over the stereotype dominate the story, or even the conflict. 

The developing romance interweaves emotion and very hot sexual tension with tenderness and trust as Kenya and Cam take the first tentative steps toward making their pretend relationship real. When Cam’s ex tries to make trouble, the camera crew gets it all on film, and the things she says make Kenya question whether what she and Cam believe they feel is genuine. A subsequent conversation with her parents makes her doubt worse. 

Kenya’s parents are my only quibble with the book. She agrees to give up cosplay and get an engineering job if she doesn’t win the contest. I have a little trouble with a self-supporting adult making a bargain like that, but parental disapproval, the desire to prove oneself, can be a powerful motivator. The parents’ attitude about comic books and all things related was common when I was growing up, so I can see how someone really devoted to those interests could feel pushed into a corner. 

As a lifelong geek, I recognize many of the references to comics and science fiction in the book. Readers who aren’t familiar with those references, however, will know what they relate to, and that’s more important than the particulars. I especially like the reference Anubis, which reminds me of Glass’s use of Egyptian mythology in her wonderful Shadowchasers urban fantasy trilogy. 

The story moves at a good pace, with interesting details on cosplay costume creation sprinkled through it. The supporting cast are well drawn, especially Kenya’s friend Janelle and the two guys who work at Make It Worx, Mack and Javier. One judge is petty and mean, but the other two are fair-minded and positive. Even Kenya’s parents, unsympathetic as they are to her goals, are clearly doing what they think best out of concern for both Kenya and Cameron. 

The Love Con melds a clever concept with engaging, sympathetic characters, sexual tension, and a nicely twisty plot. 

Highly recommended ~ 4.5 stars 

~Nancy