Review - - Get Lost With You

Get Lost With You

by Sophie Sullivan

Rock Bottom Love - Book 2

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: February 11, 2025

Reviewed by Santa

Jillian Keller took the long route to her best life, but is now happily settled in her hometown of Smile, raising her little girl alone while helping her brother run Get Lost Lodge. A lover of structure and routine, she doesn’t need anyone disrupting her carefully curated life.

After chasing and achieving his culinary dreams, Levi Bright realizes he’s still missing something he can’t find in a big city. Returning home to Smile, he intends to build a different future for himself, including reconnecting with family and friends, and creating elevated comfort food for a town he loves.

When Levi and Jilly run into each other, past feelings that never had a chance to bloom flare between them… but she’s been hurt before, and falling for her older brother’s best friend seems like a recipe for drama. But sometimes, a second chance at love leads you right where you’re meant to be.

Santa Says:

Get Lost With You by Sophie Sullivan is the second book in her Rock Bottom Love series. Don’t worry, this five star book can be read as a stand alone, too. The book takes place in the idyllic small town of Smile. Everyone and everything about the island makes you want to take the ferry over and have a slice of pie at Pete’s.

Jillian Keller came home again with her daughter Oliie after a disastrous marriage and divorce. Her focus is on her daughter and her brothers’ restoration and launching of The Get Lost Lodge. They hope to attract groups to the lodge to take advantage of the surrounding hiking trails, group activities and great food the lodge would offer. Jillian is not looking out for herself. She is still hurting from her marriage to trust anyone else.

Levi Bright returns to Smile after going off to culinary school. He carved out a very good living. He was head chef in a successful restaurant in Burlington, Vermont but something was missing. He really didn’t connect with anyone there. Levi comes back to Smile to figure out what the next steps look like. As soon as he set foot there again he really felt like he was home again. 

Jillian and Levi run into each other very quickly. Kind of hard not to when Levi was the best friend of Jillian’s older brother. Immediately sparks fly. Levi was Jillian’s school girl crush. Levi had started to have feelings for her before he left.  Levi would like nothing more than exploring those sparks. Jillian is a bit more cautious. However, the fates, and we readers, want to see if second chance romances are real. Circumstances both personal and professional toss these two together more and more.

I, for one, was all for it. Sophie Sullivan writes so beautifully about how love approached with caution and care can bloom into something gorgeous. This is what Jillian and Levi’s relationship was like. Two people with very human traits and faults still able to overcome obstacles that really were no match against their blooming love. 

Review - - There's Something About Mira

There's Something About Mira

by Sonali Dev

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Release Date: February 1, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

Mira Salvi has the perfect life—a job she loves, a fiancé everyone adores, and the secure future she’s always imagined for herself. Really, she hasn’t a thing to complain about, not even when she has to go on her engagement trip to New York alone.

While playing tourist in the city, Mira chances upon a lost ring, and her social media post to locate its owner goes viral. With everyone trying to claim the ring, only one person seems to want to find its owner as badly as Mira does: journalist Krish Hale. Brooding and arrogant, he will do anything to get to write this story.

As Krish and Mira reluctantly join forces and jump into the adventure of tracing the ring back to where it belongs, Mira begins to wonder if she is in the right place in her own life. She had to have found this ring for a reason…right? Maybe, like the owner of the lost ring, her happy ending hasn’t been written yet either.

PJ's Thoughts:

There's something special about There's Something About Mira. It's my favorite of all the books Sonali Dev has written. I usually enjoy her stories but this is the first one that has kept me reading until 3:00 in the morning and still thinking about the characters many days later.

Mira is so intriguing. I thought I knew everything about her in the first chapter of the book but, no, there are many, many layers to be discovered about this character. Layers of which even Mira is unaware. I love the moment of fate that projects Mira's life in a different direction from the one that has been directed by her parents since birth, leading to new friendships, unexpected adventures, healed relationships, opportunities to carve her own path in life, and a deep, enduring love. 

The journey Mira embarks upon is eye-opening, emotional, heart-wrenching at times, joyful at others, but ultimately empowering, uplifting, and so very, very good. Dev brought these characters to life in such a way that I never once felt like I was reading about them. I was with them, all of them (primary and secondary), every step of the way experiencing the highs and lows of the obstacles life - and the people in their lives - placed in their way. 

If you enjoy a beautifully nuanced story about parental expectations, social issues, fate, finding yourself, and opening your heart to both love for yourself and the love others choose for themselves, pick up a copy of There's Something About Mira. It's one of the best books I've read in a while. 

 

Winner - - A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print copy of

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera is:

SusanK

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winners - - Coming Attractions

 

The randomly chosen winners 

from February's Coming Attractions are:

Cherie J

Sharlene Wegner

Mollie W

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Tour Review & Giveaway - - Spiral

Spiral

by Bal Khabra

Off the Ice - Book 2

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 28, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

He’s on edge while she’s en pointe in this fake-dating sports romance from the author of the smash hit Collide.

Elias Westbrook, a newly drafted hockey player for the Toronto Thunder, is facing the challenges of fame and media scrutiny. With a growing fan base and too many expectations on his shoulders, he’s struggling to make his first career goal. The tabloids are reporting on his every move, including which woman he was last seen with, but all he wants to do is escape the spotlight.

Enter from stage left Sage Beaumont, an aspiring ballerina with dreams of joining the Aurora Ballet Theatre, but her lack of popularity online leaves her at a major disadvantage for securing the lead role. When Sage finds herself with the perfect opportunity to make her dreams come true by fake dating Elias, she takes her shot.

PJ's Thoughts:

Spiral is my first book by this author but the hockey-ballet romance angle had me eager to dive in. I hadn't clued in to the fact that the main characters are early twenties until I started reading. I admit, I tend to lean more toward older couples so it took me a bit to settle into this story but once I did, it proved to be an enjoyable read that took me on a satisfying journey...and brought back a few memories of how it felt to be newly out of college and beginning my adult life.

Sage and Elias are good together. I really like the way they support one another, especially the way Elias supports and encourages Sage's professional dreams as well as her individual worth. Their banter sparkles and their chemistry is on pointe (pun intended). I enjoyed the caring friendship that develops between them during their fake dating that provides a solid foundation leading into their slow-burn romance. There are times when they seem very young but also others when they feel older than their years. Life has thrown some wrenches at them that have given them more depth than usually found at their age yet they also feel like they're still figuring things out. It makes them feel authentic and relatable. 

I appreciated the epilogue that takes readers a few years into the future, giving us a look at the growth of the main characters as well as their relationship. 

If you enjoy New Adult romance with snappy banter, complex family situations, friend groups, endearing romance, and an added bonus of hockey and ballet, you may want to give this one a try. 

Are you a hockey fan? Do you enjoy sports-themed romances? Have you read any recently that you would recommend?

How about ballet? Have you read any romances that feature a ballerina? 

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 9 will receive a print copy of Spiral.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Tour Review & Giveaway - - A Tropical Rebel Gets The Duke

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke

by Adriana Herrera

Las Leonas - Book 3

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: February 4, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

He's not like other dukes…

Paris, 1889

Physician Aurora Montalban Wright takes risks in her career, but never with her heart. Running an underground women’s clinic exposes her to certain dangers, but help arrives in the unexpected form of the infuriating Duke of Annan. Begrudgingly, Aurora accepts his protection, then promptly finds herself in his bed.   

New to his role as a duke, Apollo César Sinclair Robles struggles to embrace his position. With half of society waiting for him to misstep and the other half looking to discredit him, Apollo never imagined that his enthralling bedmate would become his most trusted adviser. Soon, he realizes the rebellious doctor could be the perfect duchess for him. But Aurora won’t give up her independence, and her secrets make her unsuitable for the aristocracy.

When dangerous figures from their pasts return to threaten them, Apollo whisks Aurora away to the French Riviera. Far from the reproachful eye of Parisian society, can Apollo convince Aurora that their bond is stronger than the forces keeping them apart?    

PJ's Thoughts:

Adriana Herrera saved the best for last. A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, book three in Herrera's Las Leonas trilogy, is a steamy, compelling, endearing, action-packed story I could not put down. 

I adored Aurora. As an heiress, she could have led a life of leisure in the Caribbean. Instead, this physician escaped the gilded cage of her privilege, using her medical skills to care for the oppressed, underserved women of 1880's Paris. She's a rebel, a scandal, a feminist, a woman more concerned with the care of others than of herself. She's also stubborn, self-contained, and keeping devastating secrets. She won't relinquish her heart easily and when she does you can be certain it will only be to a man who earns it. 

Enter Apollo César Sinclair Robles, Duke of Annan. The Black Duke of Annan. I suggest keeping a fan handy because this man is smokin' and when he and Aurora get together? Whoee! But first, they clash. Two strong personalities determined to change the world in which they live, their priorities don't always align. At least, it seems that way to Aurora but, just maybe, they can do more good together than apart? And, just maybe, the fiery chemistry between them is a pre-cursor to deep, lasting, once in a lifetime love. Apollo snagged my heart as surely as he did Aurora's. He's a complex man with a fair amount of emotional baggage to sort through who does a good job of keeping his true self hidden. Herrera does an excellent job of slowly unveiling his layers to the reader, as well as to Aurora. 

Found family is a strong element in this book, in all three books. I loved the relationships that formed and continued to evolve throughout the trilogy, among the women but with the men as well. If you're a stickler for reading a series in order, begin with book one, A Caribbean Heiress in Paris. If you prefer starting with A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, I think it stands well on its own and can be thoroughly enjoyed without having read the other books first. I do, however, enthusiastically recommend all three. 

Have you read any of the Las Leonas books?

Do you enjoy books that include geographical transitions, as is the case of Herrera's Caribbean heroines in Paris?

Historical romances are struggling a bit within traditional publishing these days so, tell me, what historical romances have you recently read and enjoyed. What titles are you looking forward to reading? Let's give our HR authors some love. 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 8 will receive a print copy of A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - Accidentally Amy

Accidentally Amy

by Lynn Painter

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 14, 2025

Reviewed by Hellie

Isabella Shay is usually a very honest person. But when she’s running late for her first day at her dream job and the barista yells for “Amy” three times with no answer, she does the unthinkable.

Izzy takes that PSL.

It’s the exact drink she ordered and paid for, only way further ahead in the queue—and she’ll take whatever bad karma is coming for her; she’s desperate and very late. But when she turns around and runs directly into the most attractive man she’s ever seen, spilling the drink all over his made-for-GQ shirt and tie, she ends up having the ultimate meet-cute. Karma who? Sparks fly and things feel beyond promising, until he says to her: “See you tomorrow, Amy.”

Izzy reasons she can just straighten things out the next day, no biggie. Only when she gets to her new office and meets the VP of her department, it is none other than Blake Phillips—the hottie from Starbucks. And the man might’ve been charming to “Amy,” but he is an arrogant grump to Izzy, an arrogant grump who does not find her explanation funny at all. But day by day, an attraction simmers between them and they’ll have to find a way to work together without ripping each other’s heads—or clothes—off.

Hellie’s Heeds

My people, Lynn Painter just gets better and better. You may recall I recommended a previous book by her, Happily Never After, where I cackled all the live long day while reading it. Accidentally Amy is just as funny, just as sweet, and just as sexy, and I suspect if I went back and read her other books, Mr. Wrong Number and The Love Wager, I would also have to admit I cackled all the way through the pages. Lynn Painter is funny as hell and honestly I think we all need a bit more of laughter to get us through the rest of this Winter of Oh-Hell-Not-Again (which happens every January, the longest Monday of the year.) While I’m a bit delayed for a January recommendation, February is also sure to have its share of grey, cold days and this is the warming cup of hot chocolate you need to make it to Spring. 

That was my summary for you TL;DR (too long; didn't read) peeps. For the rest of you, I will add more details like both characters own cats–and they are the cutest and most adorable cats you’ve ever met, even your own. Also the fact that the hero has adopted two special needs cats: one blind and one diabetic–has put him in the running as the most swoonworthy hero of 2025 and we’ve barely started. (I mean, despite the fact January feels a 1000 days long, technically we’re just underway of this year and reading, as a reminder.)

The sex scenes were sexy–and admittedly I’ve gotten older and crankier so sex scenes don’t generally impress me much anymore. If anything, I’ve started rolling my eyes and skimming pages–and I don’t like that because I love a well-crafted sex scene–but my friends, I savored every word. I dogearred a couple pages for my Hubby. The scenes were both vivid but also felt not unnecessarily explicit, which *chef’s kiss* not everyone can do–but Lynn Painter can. The characters are well-developed…and honestly I’m looking forward to my coffee date at Scooter’s next week with Isabella Shay as I make her my new best friend, she’s that real. (I won’t order any Pumpkin Spice Lattes though….)

So run…add this book to your TBR pile for 2025. It’s worth the spend, in my opinion, and while you’re at it, check out her backlist if you haven’t already. Top Dish. 

Review - - Where the Creek Bends

Where the Creek Bends

by Linda Lael Miller

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: December 31, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Madison Bettencourt has tried to assemble all the pieces of a perfect life, but nothing fits quite the way it should. She’s moved back home to Montana to care for her grandmother, who is slipping further and further away. And she’s called off her wedding, and worries her dreams of a family are fading with it.

As Madison rattles around her family home, childhood memories come flooding back. Bliss Morgan transformed eight-year-old Madison with her loyalty, and for a while, the two girls were as close as can be. But Madison never understood why Bliss suddenly vanished, leaving only a friendship bracelet and a message etched into a matchbook.

Before she can begin again, Madison must uncover what happened to Bliss, and Liam McKettrick—a widowed dad trying to repair his relationship with his two children—becomes her unlikely ally. He, too, understands the pang of regret. Yet there are mysteries that Madison hesitates to explore with anyone, and strange energies in Bettencourt Hall that blur the lines between past and present.

Poignant and utterly captivating, Where the Creek Bends shows that finding yourself begins with following your heart, no matter where it leads.

PJ's Thoughts:

I began reading Miller's McKettrick books more than twenty years ago. I loved the historical romances but it's been a while since I checked in with this family so I decided to give Miller's newest, Where the Creek Bends, a try. I was not disappointed.

This story is an enjoyable blend of women's fiction, sweet contemporary romance, and time-slip fiction. It's poignant, complex, and heart-tugging with well-placed bits of humor to prevent it from tilting too heavily to the angsty side though there is plenty of emotion. 

I enjoyed the time-slip facet of the book with the author telling the inter-connected dual timeline stories of Bliss and Madison. I was surprised - but pleased - by the direction that part of the story took.

I was in Liam's and Madison's corner from the moment she charged into his saloon in a wedding dress. They were both so likeable, so deserving of a happily ever after, and carrying so much emotional baggage. I liked that Miller gave them time to work through their individual issues while getting to know one another. 

My heart hurt so much for Liam and his children. I just wanted to hug them all; they had so much grief, anger, confusion, and forgiveness to work through. I was pleased that they were given the time and tools to make strides in a realistic way. No easy fixes. 

Though the book ended on a hopeful note, I would have liked an ending that wasn't quite so abrupt. Maybe an epilogue. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am hoping Miller has plans to return to Montana for more McKettrick stories. And I wouldn't be at all disappointed if we got to catch up with Liam, Madison, and the kids along the way. 

Coming Attractions & Giveaway - - February

 

Whew! Anybody else feel like January sped by at the speed of light while also lasting three years? I'm thankful for all the good books that kept me company. Speaking of good books, we're ushering in the month of love with more titles that made me laugh, made me sigh, and kept me up reading way past my bedtime. Here's what we'll be sharing during the month of February.

We kick things off on Tuesday, February 4 with a review of Where the Creek Bends by Linda Lael Miller. I've been following Miller's McKettrick family for many years. This newest story is set in present time but with mysterious time-bending elements. 

Hellie will be here on Wednesday, February 5 to share her thoughts about Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter. Get ready for gushing. 

Join me on Thursday, February 6 for a tour review and giveaway of A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera. This third book in Herrera's Las Leonas trilogy is a steamy, compelling, historical romance with vividly drawn characters and relevant issues that had me in its clutches from the get-go. Perfect for Black History Month (or any month) reading. 

Friday, February 7 brings a tour review and giveaway of Spiral by Bal Khabra. This interracial romance between a ballerina and a hockey player had me eagerly flipping pages. 

Sonali Dev's newest novel, There's Something About Mira, just may be my favorite of all the books she's written. I turned the final page of this heart-tugging story at 3:00 AM this morning. Need I say more? Check out my review on Monday, February 10.

Santa joins us on Tuesday, February 11 with a review of Get Lost With You by Sophie Sullivan. This second-chance, small-town romcom is book two in Sullivan's Rock Bottom Love series.

Stop by on Wednesday, February 12 for a review of Celebrity Crush by Christy Swift. Such a fun read!

Thursday, February 13 brings a tour review of The Secrets of the Rose by Nicola Cornick. This dual-timeline, historical fiction novel is one I'm eager to dive into. 

Stop by for more hockey romance on Monday, February 17 with Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey. 

I'll be sharing my thoughts about Susan Sands' A Georgia Christmas, a new novella in her sweet, small-town Moonshine series on Thursday, February 20. This one brings a bit of mystery and a lot of heart. 

Rounding out the month on Tuesday, February 25 will be a review of Rustler Mountain by Maisey Yates. This enemies-to-lovers, good-girl-bad-boy romance launches a new series from Yates. I'm already hooked. 

That's what's on the Dish schedule for February. What books are on your reading list this month?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 5 will receive a print copy of The Secret Keeper of Main Street by Trisha R. Thomas. 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 5 will receive a print copy of A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby by Vanessa Riley.

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 5 will receive a print copy of Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18