Sunday, August 30, 2026

ARC Bkfunnel-AUG 20/ Forced Marriage to the CEO by Brenna Cole

 Forced Marriage to the CEO: A Forced Proximity Opposites Attract Billionaire Romance

  hello@brennafiction.com

amazon 

I received an ARC from the author and these are my honest thoughts. 

Friday, August 28, 2026

Arc Bksprout- Aug 25/ The Favorite Mistake by Juliett Key

   Bksprout 

I swore I'd never fall for my enemy…then I discover he's the billionaire who's been secretly saving my bar.

Thatcher Duvall is arrogant, impossible, and somehow turns arguing with me into his favorite hobby.

Every time he strolls into my dive bar, I remind myself he's the last man I'd ever fall for.

Until I find myself with him in the back room.

That lie gets harder to believe every time he steps between me and danger. 

He catches me before I fall, and looks at me like I'm already his.

Just when I finally admit I've fallen for my enemy, I uncover the truth.

Thatcher isn't just another customer.

He's my silent partner.

 One reckless night turns insults into forbidden kisses... and leaves me staring at two pink lines.

Now the man hunting Thatcher's empire is coming after everything he loves.

If I can't trust the only man who's ever fought for me first, I'll lose my family, my bar  and the only future I've ever wanted.


Mature
2000 pages
English
Contemporary Romance Romantic Suspense Forced Proximity Opposites Attract Hidden Billionaire He Falls First Enemies To Lovers Revenge Love Forbidden Love Surprise Baby Alpha Male
Must review on:
Amazon

MY 5 STAR Review TITLED: He thought he could manage her
 
I loved feisty  Raisa  Tilling who doesn't take any guff off of anyone. Hey, she can't afford to. She has as struggling bar, bills barking at her door and she's supporting her grandmother who needs her medicine and a growing, teenage brother named Lucas ! So is she impressed with Thatcher shows up in her bar? Not a bit. I loved that she looks at his expensive shoes and comments often that they found their way into the wrong place ! But he keeps coming back, for her cheap beer, and her insults !  He became the man "with the shoes!" I loved how he always over tips and uses the same stool at the bar when he comes back. Almost like it has his name printed on it ! Raisa refuses to be "managed" in the guise of help because that's come back to bite so many times in her life. 
Dominic is an evil piece of work, who years ago helped found the Media company with Thatcher.  But now he's primed to kick out and dismantle the company and rake in the profits. Even poking into Thatcher personal life to help him get there. Jerk. 
Cole Merritt is a reporter, friend of Raisa's and has shown up at her bar for several years.  He's in love with her, and she knows it but he doesn't stand a chance especially when Thatcher shows up. Still he helps but also waits for verification of truths ! He's an honest reporter !
Thatcher has a great assistant that helps him so much and is a straight shooter and doesn't put up with his nonsense. She helps him so much with Raisa too !  Thatcher slowly learns not to try to manage Raisa. It's funny but also heart warming !
It gets really intense almost down to the minute but has a great outcome! I loved the eBook cover and the name of the bar.  

 I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Bksprt Aug 25,26/ Falling for Miss Fortune Again: Small Town, Second Chance, Secret Identity Sweet Romance by Katy Lee Hart

  Bksprt 

 Note from the Author

Clean and wholesome romance, no real references to the occult in this "fake fortune teller" story. 

 I had one dream: get on TV.

Preferably as a serious news anchor.
But I would have settled for weather or traffic.
Even standing beside a prize pumpkin with a microphone.
Instead, my agent got me a gig as Madame Miss Fortune at a traveling fair.

What can I say. I had to pay the rent.
So I made up funny fortunes, hid behind a black wig and veil, and tried not to think about how far this was from my big break.

Then the fair came to my hometown.
And Reed walked into my booth.
My ex. The man who broke my heart. The man I never quite got over.

One viral video later, my fake act became a real TV opportunity.
But the more my dream came true, the more my lies tangled around Reed.

Now my future depends on telling the truth, before Miss Fortune costs me everything.
General
386 pages
English
Contemporary Romance Rom-Com Small Town Romance rom-com small town romance clean and wholesome romance sweet romance closed-door romance second chance romance secret identity
Note from the Author

Clean and wholesome romance, no real references to the occult in this "fake fortune teller" story.

Must review on:
Amazon
File(s) available:
EPUB (Send via email & download) 
 
My 5 STAR Review: TITLED:  Unusual & Special !
I fell in loved with this quirky, emotional story ! Lucy was a hoot ! And the story started 5 years earlier with Lucy and Reed being in love. But he was charming and he got careless with Lucy and her love !  She got tired of the excuses and they had a huge fight ! He retaliated by saying he never knew what Lucy he was talking too. His pride kept her from calling her back until the next afternoon. And just like that they were over !
Fast forward now to current times ; which where the story stays. 
The job that Lucy took to pay her rent was hilarious! And she was good at it. Dottie and Earl who hired her fell in love with how good she was at it ! They also cared about her. 
The dialogue between Lucy and Reed was off the charts great' Humorous much of the time but also painful when the truth begins to come out. I kept wondering throughout her Carney Act  ..just when was it all going to blow up? And of course it does, in the most painful, dramatic way. After all, why not Lucy has always been accused of being dramatic ! 
I loved how the story came to an emotional end. I also thought the eBook cover was an excellent choice that fit nicely with the story !
 I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Aug 23/Bksprout ARC/betrayed by the brotherhood by Carmella Knight

   Booksprout 

 

I saw too much at a biker murder scene—and now I’m hiding with the man everyone thinks did it.

Ronan Vale is the kind of man I should run from.

Dangerous. Bloody. Accused of murdering one of his own brothers.

I’m just the crime-scene cleaner who noticed the evidence didn’t add up. Now I may be his only chance to prove he’s innocent—and stay alive.

He doesn’t trust me.

I don’t trust him.

Then bullets start flying, his club puts a death sentence on his head, and suddenly the safest place in the world is behind the man everyone calls a killer.

He shields me with his body.

He touches me like I’m something precious.

He looks at me like trusting me hurts worse than any wound.

And God help me, somewhere between cheap motel rooms, whispered truths, and running for our lives, I fall for the fugitive I’m supposed to fear.

But the real killer knows what I saw.

And Ronan may be innocent of murder…

But he’s guilty of something that could destroy us both.


Explicit
212 pages
English
Contemporary Romance Romantic Suspense Young Adult / New Adult Romance biker alfa male enemies to lovers romantic suspense forced proximity Protector Romance Wrongfully Accused Hero Forbidden / Dangerous Love Witness in Danger Ride-or-Die Love
Note from the Author

I hope you love reading it as much as I loved writing it !

Review on at least 1:
Amazon
File(s) available:
EPUB (Send via email & download) 
 
My 4 Star Review TITLED: Relentless  
There is an intense start to this story when Mara Quinn, the crime scene cleaner finds a young man named Eli Mercer dead in a warehouse. Some things just don't look right and things start going REALLY bad from there on. Decan is the middleman who hired Mara for the job and he's clearly not 100% n the up and up.  Turns out Eli is the youngest son of the prince of the Iron Titans Motorcycle Club. 
Ronan Vale is the enforcer for the Titans and has done some really bad things for them. He's bled for the Titans and he's covered for them for years too.  Jax is the father-like leader of the Titans and the father of Eli.  A kill order goes out and there are relentless chases to kill not only Ronan but also the witness Mara. I loved the two of them together and how Mara has been clever and although scared, she was also brave. Ronan and Mara do have some spicy times but there is no over the top violence in the story. That's something that I liked too !
Jax has definitely underestimated Mara, and I really liked how she wasn't shy on saying I really hate that man !!!
 Great ending ! 
 I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
-----not included in Review Silas was a smooth talking evil main high up in the Titans----

Monday, August 24, 2026

Aug22ARC Bksprout/ The Bratva King by Clara Dunn

 The Bratva King Bksprt 

 I ran from the Italian mafia with its heir. Then the Bratva king of Las Vegas found us.

I was eighteen when I married a monster.

A year later, I watched him burn.

I took his secret and ran.

For five years, I’ve been nobody. A dyed blonde. A casino uniform. A quiet life built around one thing: keeping my autistic son safe in a city that never sleeps.

Then Nikolai Sokolov noticed us.

I know what his tattoos mean. He belongs to the same world I escaped.

But Luke doesn’t fear him.

My son doesn’t trust easily. Nikolai learns his routines, understands his silences, and never once asks him to be different.

I know better than to trust a man like that.

I trusted one once.

But the past I buried is clawing its way back, and Nikolai may be the only man who can stand between my son and what’s coming.

The problem is, he has no intention of letting either of us go.

I escaped one monster.

I’m not sure I’ll survive falling for another.

Explicit
450 pages
English
Contemporary Romance Romantic Suspense Dark Romance dark mafia romance Russian mafia romance Bratva romance age gap romance alpha male romance single mom romance neurodivergent romance touch her and die possessive alpha male kidnapping romance
Note from the Author

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review my newest release. It truly means the world to me. If you have any questions or happen to spot any grammatical errors, please feel free to message me directly. I’d love the opportunity to correct anything before my release on August 22. Much love, Clara

Review on at least 1:
Amazon
Goodreads

My 5+Star Review TITLED:  I loved every bit of it !! 10 Stars
Matteo Castellano is the one who burned up in a car bomb and then a pregnant Gabby ran. She had turned information into the FBI that caused many of those mafia people in the family to go to prison. Their memories are long!  Gabby went into WITSEC for long years with her son Luke.  Greg is her handler who cares about them both a and helps them a lot even after she left the program.  Gabby feels she has to stop running for her son's sake because he is different and needs routine and stability.  So now she is hiding in plain sight in Vegas. No way she's going back to New York!  
Nikolai turns out to be one of the best surprises too. He lets very few people in other than family and his best friend, trusted right hand man, Pasha who is like a brother to him. And see things that others often miss. I adored both of them and the Sokolov family. The men's father had been a monster, they don't miss him and don't know the half of what Nikolai endured when the man was alive. When Nik meets Luke, he recognizes what the boy needs and they bond quickly !!! He begins to love him like a real son. So sweet !
Things keep cropping up. The Castellano Mafia family is messing with Nik's new project.  But things start coming at Gabby as well. White Roses in a large vase show up several times triggering  painful memories of Matteo always sent them to her after being especially cruel to her.  I kept thinking, "Girl, when are you going to 'fess up to who you really are?" 
I loved the tension, the tenderness, the sometimes misunderstanding between Gabby and Nikolai and the bedroom scenes between them were well done. He explains he's not good with words and she understands he's kind of like Luke. His actions speak louder than his words. He does our step his protection a few times and she sets him straight. 
The ending is awesome as is the Epilogue.  
 I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Saturday, August 22, 2026

Aug20,2026Bksprout/ The Don's Brother's Bride Book 255 by Ivy Lenox

   

amazon is this the right link? says Claire Kirby 

Three men have died before they could marry me. After my third fiancé was shot at our altar, I married his brother to stop a mafia war. Falling for him was never part of the deal.

Lorenzo D’Amato is ruthless, controlling, and the last man I should trust. But marrying him puts me under his roof and close enough to uncover the truth about my fiancé’s death.

His final words were a command: finish it. So I start digging.

Lorenzo takes a bullet meant for me. He trusts my strategy over his capos. When grief breaks me, he’s the one who holds me together.

Then he kisses me like our marriage is real.

Somewhere between secrets, bloodshed, and nights spent too close, the husband I never meant to want becomes the one man I can’t lose.

Then I discover Lorenzo has hidden the truth about my life for years.

The man I finally trust to protect me may have been part of the lie all along.

Explicit
263 pages
English
Crime Fiction Contemporary Romance Dark Romance Dark Mafia Romance Forced Proximity Marriage of Convenience Touch Her and Die possessive protective hero Dead Fiance's brohter strong intelligent heroine murder mystery romance Forbidden romance
Review on at least 1:
Amazon
Goodreads
Bookbub 
 
My 4 Star Review TITLED;  Deep Secrets, Humor & Spousal Hotness
 
The plot idea is what drew me to this story; it was unusual !  However, I gave it a slightly lower rating because I kind of got confused with some of the deep mysteries and accountings ! It was intense though. However, I kept reading because I loved the main characters.  Some of their interactions were really funny and Valeria was one clever, tough woman and is going to get down to the nitty gritty.  It was observed that she was the most dangerous, woman in the room and people has been underestimating her for years. Her father is one of those people too. He does offer her an escape when it comes to marrying Lorenzo. He said he will take the fallout. She refuses because she knows what the cost will be. Many deaths that equals war ! She also wants to know what happened to her third husband, Giulio.  And that opening scene at the altar with him was out of this world wild. I ended up loving Lorenzo and his patient ways with Valeria.  He could be charming and he could laugh. Not bad for a tough Don !
19 year old Tazio becomes her guard and the terms that  Lorenzo lets her about that is something else. She sure knows how to be a tough negotiator.  I loved how the two of them haggled!  Tazio was a sweet young man and added a lot to the story as did several others.
When Lorenzo and Valeria rescue a wet feral kitten and name it Soldo adds unexpected charm.  
It ended up being a story worth reading. 
 I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Friday, August 21, 2026

Aug 20,26Bksprout/The Runaway Bride's Billionaire by Nora Daniels

  Bksprout

 

I ran away from my wedding.
Now I'm waking up in a billionaire's bed... already pretending we're a family. 

I came to Sinclair Cove to disappear.
Instead, I collide with Ethan Sinclair.
Bossy. Protective. Completely impossible.


I tell myself I'm only passing through.
Then my sister dies.
She names me guardian of her five-year-old daughter. 

I barely know how to hold my life together.
Somehow Ethan starts holding us together. 

He remembers the little things.
He makes Ava laugh when she forgets how.
Every day, he gives us one more reason to stay.

One kiss and the man who controls everything loses it.
He takes me apart every night and puts me back together by morning.
Somewhere between wanting him and playing house…

I fall.

Then I discover loving Ethan could cost me everything.
His life is headlines.
Mine has to prove stability.

The one man who makes us feel like a family...could be the reason we never become one.

A steamy, emotional standalone billionaire romance with a grumpy protective hero, a heroine worth staying for, and a found family you'll never want to leave. Guaranteed HEA. Open door, explicit. 

Explicit
367 pages
English
Contemporary Romance billionaire romance runaway bride forced proximity found family guardian romance alpha male protective hero he falls first high heat romance touch her or die
Hosted by Nora Daniels
Note from the Author

Thank you so much for reading The Runaway Bride’s Billionaire! I hope you fall in love with Ethan and Lily’s story...and with little Ava, too. I’m so grateful you chose to read their story, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to share your honest review. ❤️

Review on at least 1:
Amazon
File(s) available:
EPUB (Send via email & download) 
 
MY 5 Star Review TITLED: 3 Lives that are being re-built 
I could easily see why she ran from her wedding 3 days before it was supposed to happen.  Her fiance might not have meant to be controlling but between her mother and his family? She could feel herself disappearing and remembered how and where her loving sister had escaped their controlling mother.  Lily felt numb, hollowed out and realized she didn't even love her fiance!  So she runs ! Good for her ! Lily and her sister Emma,  had a huge fight and they didn't really speak for 6 years ! Now Lily is so over head with not only grief but with no idea how to help her niece Ava. Ethan helps her a lot in those areas. Before they manage to sneak out and have some hot, tender spicy times.
Against his own boundaries Ethan felt himself drawn to Lily. He recognized her stillness, her numbness and her pain.  So he slowly begins to help her and then Ava practically "adopts" Ethan because she likes him. Ethan lost both of his parents when he was 12 years old and understands some of her losses. His grandfather Harrison took him in which added another interesting person. Marcus who is Ethan's right hand man at the resort turns out to be a tattle tale when it comes to telling Ethan's information to the grandfather.  But his grandfather truly cares for Ethan and wants to see him happy again.
 Ethan really sees her and Lily starts to slowly trust him. Her mother and rich fiance Daniel keep trying to reach Lily at the resort but Ethan keeps her stay confidential because of his protocol and because he wants to protect her !
 You just know that they are going to keep messing with her. Lily becomes Ava's temporary guardian because that was Emma's desire but it's not finished when it came to the court recognizing it ! Oh, oh. I could just imagine some of the problems that are headed their way !
The friendship between Lily and Ethan and was so sweet as was their mutual attraction.   And Ava was a 5 year old doll, who loves her stuffed rabbit and has a fascination for gathering small rocks.  It has to be just the right ones too ! Emma had given her little girl a lot of love and wisdom. It made me wonder who her father was.  I kept thinking don't let Lily and Emma's controlling mother get a hold of that sweet child and mess her up  !
Harper is Lily's loud, best friend who shows up when Lily needs her and I adored her !
This was one of the sweetest stories  that I have read in a while.  And the ending was the best !
  Btw, I also loved the choice of the  person on the eBook cover. It fit !
 I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.


Thursday, August 20, 2026

ARC Aug 10/ The Duke's Midnight Bride by Elizabeth Everly updated ARC on 8-7-26

 Book cover  For any other questions, please contact:
Elizabeth Everly <elizabeth@elizabetheverly.com>

 Lord Voss is without a doubt the evil villain of the piece. Charming and all.  Every one in the Duke's house that needs to know; see Voss clearly.  Ravenshaw hates Voss with a passion and wished that he acted on Lady Julia's behalf so much earlier.  Now, no matter what happens he will NOT back down. Even when Voss begins to up the ante with innuendo and gossip spreading at events! Ravenshaw regrets shutting himself in a cold house and pushing everyone away ! Ravenshaw says he never smile and has no sense of humor. Turns out he can smile and has a dry wit ! It didn't really take long to like him either. 

The events are intense and I love  how the whole household of the duke's begins to feel warmer and more welcoming ! They all fall in love with Beatrice, Ned and even the housekeeper has respect for managing, bossy Martha,  Even one of the main gossiper in their social circle is won by Beatrice and she helps turn the tide in their favor too ! I loved that part too.  

I loved the ending and the extended Epilogues !

I was give an ARC by the author and was so glad that I read it ! 

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

ARC Bkfunnel/ Luna's First Misadventures by L.L. Gray

   

Before Havenwood, there was Luna, a sharp-tongued moon rabbit who never meant to stay on Earth. She definitely never meant to get involved. But when trouble crosses her path, Luna discovers that being small, overlooked, and underestimated makes her very good at solving problems no one else can.

From suspiciously fluffy situations to a radish-related incident that spirals wildly out of control, and one unforgettable cabbage catastrophe, these three cozy magical tales reveal how Luna became the rabbit no one sees coming and no one forgets.

My 4 Star Review: Titled: Cute

Although not my favorite story; it was charming, unusual and creatively written.  I received an ARC of this book. 

Sunday, August 16, 2026

ARC-aug 15/Bksprout/ Kidnapped by the Bratva King (Kings of Blood) by Sasha Cross

   Bksprout

I watched the Bratva king execute a man.

Instead of killing me...

He decided I was his.

Now I'm trapped inside Aleksei Sokolov's mansion with the most feared man in New York.

He's ruthless. Possessive. The kind of man who could snap a neck without blinking... then pin me against a wall just to remind me I'm his to protect.

Every day I tell myself I'll escape.

Then he stitches me back together with those same dangerous hands. Watches every man in the room like he's already planning the funeral. Makes it impossible to remember I'm supposed to be planning my escape.

Somewhere between midnight confessions, bruising kisses, and realizing the safest place in the world is in my enemy's arms...

I fall for the man who stole my freedom.

Now a rival Bratva wants me dead.

A traitor is hiding inside his empire.

And the only man dangerous enough to burn the world to keep me alive...

May be the same man I have to betray to save us both.

Explicit
235 pages
English
Contemporary Romance Dark Romance mafia romance Enemies to Lovers Romance Forced Proximity Opposites Attract Protector Romance Touch her and die romance Possessive alpha hero romance Captive romance Forced marriage romance Russian mafia romance
Must review on:
Amazon
File(s) available:
EPUB (Send via email & download)

My 5 Star Review Title: Layers of danger & Mysteries 
30 year old Natasha Miller  is a Forensic Accountant who is smart as a whip and she reports to a man in the FBI named Dean Wilson; he is her contact.  And the man above him is also mentioned. I wasn't sure that I totally trusted with one of them. The FBI and IRS want to nail the Sokolov Bratva.  Natasha was orphaned young and the only other relative that she has is her sister Anna. She will do what she has to so that she can protect not only herself but also her sister !
Aleksei has a whole lot of people to keep a handle on. His inner group is Nikolai, Ivan (the dangerous man with a quick wit and grin) and Vlad. His sister, Irina also shows up in the story.  I really liked this group a lot and Aleksei grew on me quickly because although dangerous; he was a man of his word.  His older brother Grigori through tradition should have been the Pakhan but his late father decided differently ! I didn't like or trust him from the get go !! But then again I thought that maybe this was just a false rabbit trail !
Aleksei's council and his brother are pushing for him to eliminate Natasha but that only made me think that someone close to him is really afraid that Natasha is getting to close and they REALLY want her gone ! 
The puzzle is deep and at times I did get lost in some of the details of the trails but it is intense and made me really want to know who that close traitor is.  And I really wanted to see Natalia and  Aleksei not only catch the thieves/traitors and to also make it out alive to live and prosper together !
 I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Aug15 Bksprt/ The Pakhan’s Accidental Bride Sins of the Bratva by Ariana Cooper

 Bksprt

 

I lied about having a fiancé.
Now I'm being forced to marry a Pakhan.

One desperate lie.
One crowded nightclub.
One dangerously handsome stranger.

To escape my abusive ex, I pointed at a man across the room.
Wrapped my hand around his arm.
And claimed he belonged to me.

I expected him to play along.
I expected him to walk away.
I expected a lot of things.

I never expected Emil Nikitin.

The most feared Pakhan in America.
A man built from violence and power.
A man nineteen years older than me.
A man who always gets what he wants.

And now...

He wants me.

One reckless lie turns me into the Pakhan's Accidental Bride.

My brothers are furious.
My stalker ex refuses to let me go.
And Emil refuses to let anyone near me.

He places guards outside my door.
Shadows my every step.
And looks at me like I'm already wearing his ring.

I should be terrified.

Instead, I'm falling.

For the dangerous man beneath the designer suits.
For the lonely soul hidden beneath the scars.
For the Pakhan who would destroy anyone who threatens what's his.

But loving Emil was never the real danger.
Trusting him is.

Because while I'm planning a wedding...

Emil is keeping secrets.

Dark ones. Violent ones.

The kind that could shatter everything between us.

And when I finally learn the truth about the man I'm about to marry...

Walking away may be impossible.
But staying could destroy me.

Author’s Note: A steamy standalone romance featuring a possessive Bratva Pakhan, a forced marriage, an age-gap romance, an abusive ex, protective hero vibes, family drama, danger, suspense, and enough obsession to make your heart race.
No cheating. No cliffhanger. Guaranteed HEA.

Mature
451 pages
English
Contemporary Romance Romantic Suspense Dark Romance bratva romance forced marriage age gap romance mafia romance alpha male forbidden romance organized crime arranged marriage marriage of convenience
Hosted by Ariana Cooper
Must review on:
Amazon
File(s) available:
EPUB (Send via email & download)
My 5 star review TITLED: Emil & Fiery Kiera
Keira's ex, Arnie is a dangerous stalker. He's been abusive, controlling in one of the reasons she left him. But he still won't leave her alone. So of course, she chooses Emil Nikitin not knowing who you really is. She was there at the bar dancing with her friends Jess and Sarah. They wanted to get her out of the awful way of life she been forced into while she was trying to avoid Arnie! 
I have to admit that I had a love hate relationship when it came to her brothers. They were so overprotective of Kiera get it almost made me want to scream!  Her brothers were really a buzz kill. Early in the chapters,  I said out-loud "I want to slap her in the head . she's so dumb!!" I threw my kindle down for awhile. So I can safely say yes, I got emotional involved. Her brother Jack is going to be a problem. He's a cop and he starts to work into the activity of Emil and the organization. He's been warned multiple times but this could get him , & the family killed. Emil is trying to protect them all. He's got his hands full, even though Luca, his right hand man is there for him, even when he's amused by some of the antics. I really liked Luca, he added a lot of the story!
The story is intense, emotional and Emil turns out to quite the surprise and I liked him and Kiera fighting to be together. Often fighting each other at times. Hot scenes between them too.
The ending is great as is the Epilogue.
 I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Friday, August 7, 2026

Bksprt Aug 6/ Her Father's lawyer- Book 1 of The Daddy's Best Friend Club BY Alice Newgate

  Bksprt

 

He had me against the wall before I could say a single word about my divorce.

His hands were warm through my dress. His voice was low enough to make me forget why I was there.

“Eden.” Just my name. That was all it took.

 

Atlas Cain is the sharpest divorce attorney in Connecticut and my father’s closest friend. He’s been in every photograph from every birthday I’ve ever had.

He never looked at me. Until I walked into his office with a shattered engagement and a file that made even him go quiet.

He tried to keep this professional. Twice. I watched him lose that battle both times.

“You’re my client.”
“Then act like it.”
“I’m trying.”

He isn’t.

His son is in high school. My father plays poker with him every Tuesday night.

There are exactly zero reasons this doesn’t destroy everything.

We found every one of them. Then locked the door anyway.

 

He’s been off-limits her entire life.

Find out what happens when she stops letting him pretend otherwise.

Grab your copy of Her Father’s Lawyer — available now in Kindle Unlimited.

READER’S NOTE

A scorching forbidden romance between a powerful attorney and his best friend’s daughter. Expect dominant heroes, slow-burn tension, and heat that doesn’t quit. Age gap · daddy’s best friend · forbidden · single dad. Standalone HEA. No cheating. No cliffhangers.

Explicit
420 pages
English
Contemporary Romance Young Adult / New Adult Romance Inspired Romance single dad older man romance best friends dad romance novel steamy age gap romance books secret romance off limits man possessive older man romance Age gap Steamy romance New Adult Romance Older man romance
Review on at least 1:
Amazon
File(s) available:
EPUB (Send via email & download)
PDF (Send via email & download) 
 MY 5 STAR REVIEW TITLED: Her mother Eve, knew before anyone else 
 
 26-year-old Eden goes to lawyer 46-year-old Atlas to ask for his help and getting a divorce. Her husband Tristan Beauchamp cheated on her with her best friend. And she had caught them in act. They don't know yet that Eden had seen them! Eden's father the senator, with someone an Atlas had known for years and Atlas called him Chip. At least when they were in private. There are at least nine other men who gather at the Senator's estate where they have a time together and play over and drink some.  Eden has several sisters in a super sweet housekeeper that has known all of them since birth. She's watching what's going on and often smile secretly. Eden also starting to notice some things. What's going on with Hadley and Sterling? Aspen & Hawk? Sloane being watched by Cole? 
I absolutely adore her mother Eve and all the memories and her plans. In fact I loved the whole family & the extended guys too ! 
Tristan her soon to be ex & his family are a piece of trash. So is the opposing senator Vivienne and some of her staff. I loved how Foster digs deep and roots out all the deep betrayals.  I had questions about Atlas's ex Helena and her next husband. But that all gets sorted out but it takes a while. I absolutely loved the sweet careful romance between Atlas & Eden. And the year later Epilogue.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

bksprout Aug 7-20,26/ Mafia Don's Inked Bride: An Age Gap Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance by Piper Raven

  Bksprout

My father always told me that ink never lies.

The day he finishes the championship tattoo on Miami's most celebrated MMA fighter, he places his battered sketchbook in my hands and tells me never to let it out of my sight.

By sunrise the next day, I'm a wife.

By sunset, my father is dead.

Now I'm married to Mickey Barbetti—the ruthless mafia don I've spent years trying to avoid. He's ten years older. Dangerously possessive. Relentlessly protective.

And bound by a promise he made my father long before I had any say in my own future.

I should hate him.

Instead, I'm trapped beneath the same roof, sleeping beside the same man, while trying to unravel the only thing my father left behind.

His sketchbook.

At first, the pages hold nothing but tattoo designs. Until I realize the ink is hiding something far darker.

A message. A warning. A death sentence.

My father uncovered a deadly conspiracy buried beneath Miami's championship fighting world—and someone will do anything to keep it hidden.

Now they're coming for the sketchbook. They're coming for me.

And the only man standing between me and the grave is the husband I never wanted.

But somewhere between Mickey's possessive protection, stolen kisses, and the dangerous secrets pulling us deeper into a world of blood and betrayal...

I stop pretending this marriage is temporary. Because Mickey Barbetti may have married me because of a promise. But now I'm carrying his heir.

And he'll burn Miami to the ground before he lets anyone take his pregnant wife from him.

And I'm beginning to realize... I might do the same for him.

Explicit
460 pages
English
Crime Fiction Contemporary Romance Dark Romance arranged marriage age gap surprise pregnancy forced proximity alpha male bad boy with a good heart protector kidnapping enemies to lovers touch her and die
Hosted by Piper Raven
Note from the Author

Sizzling Mafia Romance that will make your heart skip a beat. Plot driven and intense with twists and turns that will make you become a professional page turner. Reader discreation is advised! Note: You may receive a copy that contains unedited sections.

Must review on:
Amazon
File(s) available:
EPUB (Send via email & download) 
 
MY 5 STAR REVIEW TITLED: Hot & Unexpectedly Tender often at the same time
Olivia Rossi's father Antonio has left her quite the legacy. In memories of a life time and the precious tattoo sketchbook. It holds untold mysteries. As of yet ! Miami is the setting and Mickey Barbetti is the one that enters the picture when Antonio wants Olivia protected.  Mickey has high regard to Antonio and doesn't know what's coming but promises to marry Olivia.  The best protection that he can offer. He meets a FURIOUS bride at the altar but they get married anyway.  I loved the dual P.O.V.'s and his family and staff were the best. His mother Isabella I fell in love with really quickly and his brother Rico the fighter was hilarious, loud and faithful to his family and his craft.  Olivia's best friend Chloe was a hoot and I enjoyed her part in the story as well. Toni is on his protection detail and Sophie is someone who works in the house. All great additions!
I loved the humor in the family especially between Olivia and Mickey; they develop into quite a team. And Mickey and Olivia quickly have hot times of marital scenes as well.
Victor is a very dangerous, clever, rich man who is moving Rico like a chess piece.  I was afraid Rico was going to be killed.
 The action is intense, the tattoos holding so much when it came to working out the hidden clues.  Great pacing, mysteries with an outrageously good ending and an even better Epilogue !
 P.S. I loved the whole idea of a story that surrounded so much around tattoos and the unique way the story ran. 

 I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

-------- 

Not in the review- His mother lets it slip on purpose that Mickey is actually named Michelangelo.

 

Monday, August 3, 2026

Jun 02 2026 Netgalley Read Now/Marion by Leah Rowan

 book cover for Marion Netgalley Link

 Pub Date Jun 02 2026 | Archive Date Jun 16 2026

 St. Martin's Press

 General Fiction (Adult) | Horror | Mystery & Thrillers

 

A twist on Hitchcock’s iconic classic Psycho—where the leading lady doesn't die, but instead turns the knife on Norm, kicking off a crime spree that turns the silver screen victim into a heroine for our times.

NORMAN WAS HER FIRST.

Marion is in deep. She's stolen money from the Manhattan ad agency where she works in a desperate bid to help her sister escape an abusive marriage, but the bus breaks down before she can make it to Saratoga Springs. It's late at night, and the only place with vacancies is an old set of cabins on the outskirts of town. She pays for a room in cash, and ends up chatting with Norm, the young innkeeper who's handsome, charming and a touch hung-up on his elderly mother. Back in her room, she steps into the shower, scrubbing off the late-summer heat, when the curtain is pulled back...

Norm Billings is there with a knife. He raises his arm to strike, but before he does, Marion knees him in the balls, grabs the knife, and stabs the life out of him. Now, she's covered in blood, and she's a woman on the run—not just a thief, but a killer, too. Where will she go? How will she save both herself and her sister? And what mysteries will she uncover as she does?

In Psycho, Hitchcock shocked audiences when he killed off his protagonist. But what if the leading lady had fought back? Marion offers an alternate history of the most famous dead blonde to ever grace the silver screen. Only this time, the knife is in her hands—and she's no victim.


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781250416469
PRICE $29.00 (USD)
PAGES 336
My 4 Star Review TITLED: Odd, Tense Story
 I liked the eBook cover, it caught my attention. 
The story starts o July 28, 2023  and starts out pretty normally. Marion has a big sister Lauren who is 5 years older who adores Marion even before she was born. And Marion adores her too and acts almost more like the older sister than Lauren. The phrase that repeats in Marion's brain and thoughts is to protect Lauren because she is the stronger sister.   And will she will ANYTHING that it takes to do just that especially when she finds out Rob is abusing Lauren.  Marion had always felt that Rob was like an older brother because things started out so well for years. Then suddenly Marion began to  see things about her sister's marriage that scared her.  Lauren could end up dead. Not on her watch !
But before things escalate, she does something stupid because her boss talks her into it. Now she's on the run with a lot of money !  Now people are after her for that money. Of all the worse times to meet Norm ! He's handsome, charming and helpful. But for me he gave me a creepy feeling like a Norman Bates feeling !!
Suddenly a woman named Hannah shows up in the story and I was wondering how does she figure in?   Turns out she's looking for a missing woman named Emily Stockton and this could be her big break if she finds her.  
This was a twisted, tense story with Marion's mother's thoughts in her head.  Turns out Marion is no beauty queen with no skills. She is clever and she plans on getting out clean.   The surprises just keep coming. I was a bit confused towards the end because things were a bit unclear on the timing until I realized the story was switching between time lines. That part I didn't like so much.
I read this book through Netgalley and it was a wild ride.  

 

Friday, July 31, 2026

ARC Bksprt Aug 1,2026 Ruthless Mafia Oath by Helen Blume

 Ruthless Mafia Oath Booksprout  

 

I witnessed a murder.
Now I'm under the protection of the only man I should fear.


Ava

One late-night shift at my neighborhood coffee shop changes everything. One terrified glance through the window leaves me face-to-face with Gianni Moretti.

The Family's consigliere.

I should hate him for destroying my life.

Instead, he slowly puts it back together.

Every stolen glance across the coffee shop. Every lingering touch that steals my breath. Every quiet moment when he lets me see the man beneath the consigliere everyone fears...

...makes it impossible to remember why I was ever afraid of him.

He stops being the man I should fear.

He becomes the only place I've ever felt safe.


Gianni

She was supposed to be a witness.

I've spent my life planning for every outcome.

I never planned for her.


Ava

Now the greatest threat isn't outside the Family.

It's already inside.

If Gianni chooses his oath to the Family over me...

The next murder I witness could be my own.


Explicit
289 pages
English
Contemporary Romance Romantic Suspense Dark Romance mafia romance forced proximity alpha romance books betrayal romance possessive alpha male romance touch her and die romance protector romance mafia romance book spicy mafia obsession mafia protector romance
Review on at least 1:
Amazon
File(s) available:
EPUB (Send via email & download)
PDF (Send via email & download)

My 4 Star Review TITLED: The pursuit is slow but dangerous
 
Ava has worked as a barista for Marco Vitelli for about 4 years.  He became really ill and she has been the managing person for several years now. She's holding it all together beautifully.  She definitely doesn't expect the turn of events that happen.   It's pretty interesting how Ava and Gianni meet and interact. Turns out that they both have something in common. They observe carefully and take mental notes of things early that others often miss. Ava learned it through years of not belonging anywhere for long and Gianni learned it at 24 years old when he was captured and tortured. They both just want to be wanted for themselves. A permanent place. 
Gianni is a quiet, careful man who works for Don Enzo DeLuca. The Don's oldest son Benedetto is the heir but I could see early that he was going to be a BIG problem ! I loved that Gianni is a man who wears glasses and it isn't something you always see in these kind of stories.  
 Dante is the man that Gianni assigns to safeguard Ava and he's a man of few words but interesting all the same.  Sal is another man that adds to the story who benefits Gianni a lot.  Things move slowly, with plenty of emotions and purpose. 
 I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
 
___not included in review was the fact that Gianni lost two fingers during his capture and now has 2 ceramic fingers.  

Thursday, July 30, 2026

aug 1, 2026 Bksprt/ The Bride The Don Chose Sloane Blackwell

  Booksprout

 

I was never meant to be the bride.

I was only supposed to stand beside her.

Until Chicago's most feared Don looked past my cousin at the altar—and chose me instead.

"Her."

One word.

Everything changed.

Damiano Vitale doesn't negotiate. He commands.

Cold. Ruthless. Dangerously patient.

He ends wars with a single order and always gets what he wants.

Now he wants me.

I've spent my whole life proving every man who underestimated me wrong.

I never imagined the only one who would truly see me would be the man I was taught to fear.

But behind Damiano's ruthless reputation is a code—and once he decides I'm his, nothing will make him let me go.

When his enemies come for me, they discover exactly why Chicago fears the Don who chose me.

The Bride the Don Chose is an enemies-to-lovers arranged marriage mafia romance featuring a fiercely intelligent heroine, an obsessive Don who falls first, explosive chemistry, and a guaranteed HEA.

Explicit
2000 pages
English
Crime Fiction Contemporary Romance Dark Romance Morally Gray Hero Obsessive Hero Arranged Marriage Forced Proximity Enemies to Lovers Touch Her and Die Rival Families Dark Mafia Virgin Herione Strong Herione
Review on at least 1:
Amazon
File(s) available:
EPUB (Send via email & download) 
My 5 Star review review TITLED:  It kept me hooked all the way through 
 
What a great opening scene !! And the surprise on Lottie's face is priceless! She may be quieter, but she's a watcher and she's no pushover ! And she knows how to survive in a Mafia household, having grown up in a ruthless one !  Just one more time of others not asking her what she wanted and treating her like furniture ! The emotions in this book were off the chart and I loved it.   I already want to read it again.  
 Damiano had seen a grainy picture of her before the first altar and had been intrigued with her fierceness captured in that picture.  She was beautiful yes, but there was fire there and when he had her investigated? She came up clean. She was different from the rest of the family.  And he knew she wasn't going to like what was coming! Bingo! He was right on the money on that !
Damiano had 4 different faces as Lottie will say later in the story. And she was right. He was so much more and better than she had been told. Oh yes, there was violence in him when needed but he never used it on her.  She wasn't afraid of him, didn't trust him and didn't budge an inch.  He let her get away with a lot and Lottie was continually surprised by him.  The first big surprise after the wedding was when she said they wouldn't be sleeping together that night?  She got the bed and he slept in the room on the chaise.  For many nights.  His only demand was that she always be honest with him. And he would do the same.  He actually was also courting her if you look at it from a different angle. I loved how the two of them were together and the way they talked to each other.  The different, getting to know you  kind of seduction  finally works. When they do get together it is of course, hot !
Lottie's cousin Bianca was a different kettle of fish. Beautiful, clever and not to be trusted and Damiano doesn't and keeps digging into to her and Lottie's uncle Enzo.  Lottie does kind of trust Bianca for a while but also suspects that there is something cold shifting under all that sophistication.  Good call because Bianca and Enzo have some deep plans that aren't good for their family, Damiano's family and the Caruso family!  
The evil goes even deeper than I suspected and I loved how the truth gets unraveled.  It was also great to see the people who weren't on Bianca and Enzo's side. Lottie and Damiano have plans too and it's for the good of all the families and I loved how they start building a New Family. A New Empire. Great ending and great Epilogue ! Great eBook cover by the way. 
 I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.