Dog-Eared Daydreams

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author. Over and Above  is the fourth full-length novel in the Annabeth Albert-penned Mount Hope  series, and this is the book that has our widower, single father of four (Maren, Rowan, John, and Wren), and paramedic Eric finding love again. If you've read the previous books in the series, it would have been difficult for you to have missed Magnus, also a single father (to Diesel), fur dad (to Ben and Jerry), and owner of The Heist, a bar and grill in Mount Hope. (Side note: I'm a wee bit frustrated that I can't recall if their last names were mentioned at any point in the series or in this book of theirs. I have a thing about main characters needing surnames, but that's just a quirk of mine.) Magnus doesn't make it a secret that he's interested in Eric, even though he respects the latter's need for time and space as he continues to grieve his late husband's passing and dealing with life in the a...

Stolen Vows (Avalon Falls #3) by Penelope Black Release Date: February 27, 2025 About Stolen Vows Graham Carter: ethical hacker, resident grump of Avalon Falls, and the man who’s about to make me his wife. For convenience, of course. I need an escape plan—fast. My family expects me to marry a man I can’t stand, and Graham needs a wife to secure his inheritance. A simple deal, no emotions involved. Just one year of marriage, and we both walk away with exactly what we want. But living with Graham isn’t easy. He’s infuriatingly perceptive, impossible to ignore, and fiercely protective in ways I never expected. Every touch feels too real. Every glance lingers too long. And every threat from the man I left behind pulls me closer to the one I secretly wished for all along. This was never supposed to be more than a transaction. But the longer we pretend, the harder it is to remember what’s real. And the most dangerous thing about Graham Carter? I think he might want me, too....

Little Pieces of Light by Emma Scott Release Date: October 7, 2025 Bloom Books About Little Pieces of Light “The love I felt for Emery could not be measured or formulated into an equation. It wasn’t a finite particle but an infinite wave that rippled out into forever.” After meeting at ten, a lonely genius and a kind-hearted girl promised to stay in touch. But Xander’s letters never reached Emery, leaving them both feeling betrayed and heartbroken. Seven years later, Xander returns to Castle Hill and crosses paths with the girl he never forgot. The academy’s rowing team offers a diversion from caring for his ailing father—but can it distract him from her? Emery Wallace is popular and wealthy, yet beneath her flawless exterior, she is crumbling under her father's high expectations. He controls her life with an iron grip, while her mother disappears into alcohol, drowning in grief over losing her eldest son. When their worlds collide again, neither can ignore the mag...

Paper Roses (Confetti Hitched #3) by Lily Morton narrated by Joel Leslie Date Released: February 13, 2025 About Paper Roses Jed Walker thinks he’s having a midlife crisis. The only trouble is that it feels too good to stop. Widowed at a young age, he’s spent his life since then avoiding any relationships that might end up hurting him again. He has his successful wedding planning business, Confetti Hitched, and a series of uncomplicated hookups, and that’s all he needs in life. The one person disrupting this controlled stoicism is his younger assistant, Artie. He’s sweet and kind and has a funny way of calming Jed’s mind. So, when Artie comes to him with a problem, Jed moves heaven and earth to help, which is how he finds himself entering a fake marriage with the younger man and catching feelings. Too bad it’s all pretend. Or is it? From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a story about how love can completely derail the best-laid plans. This is the third book in the bes...

Mr. Swoony (The Nest #3) by Piper Rayne Release Date: February 25, 2025 About Mr. Swoony Hockey players were never my type. At least, that’s what I thought—until I met Conor Nilsen. In truth, I didn’t know he was the goalie for the Chicago Falcons when he struck up a conversation the night of my bachelorette party. He proved he wasn’t just some hot guy looking to score when he helped me get my drunk bridesmaid safely back to our hotel. That’s when he discovered my 30-before-30 bucket list—a list I hadn’t managed to check a single item off. What was meant to be a night of stargazing turned into so much more. The chemistry between us was undeniable, and after one innocent night together, I started to question everything—especially my upcoming wedding to a man I wasn’t sure loved me. Fast forward to my wedding day, and just as I’m standing at the altar, Conor bursts through the church doors to object. And now, somehow, I’m his roommate. Yikes. Read my 4.5-starred revi...

Best Friends for Never by Teagan Hunter Release Date: February 25, 2025 About Best Friends for Never The movie star and the small-town girl he left behind. They have a lot of catching up to do in an emotional and rousing romantic comedy about fame, second chances, and making dreams come true. Parker Pruitt’s dream is to restore her small town’s long-shuttered theater—one to be named in honor of Noel Carter, the boy who followed his dream from Emerald Grove, Washington, to Hollywood…and broke Parker’s heart. Now he’s back to attend the kickoff ceremony, and for Parker, that means smiling through a swell of mixed emotions at seeing her former best friend for the first time in a decade. Noel may be one of the hottest actors in the world, but he’s still touched by the tribute. And a little nervous about seeing Parker again. But when his weekend jaunt extends into a six-week stay, long-repressed memories and feelings come rushing back. As the simmering attraction between them buil...