Thursday, November 20, 2025

ARC Opportunities November 21, 2025


 If you are looking for a new author/your next read consider being an ARC reader/reviewer I have been doing a lot of ARC reads this year and finding a lot of new to me authors with amazing books that don't always get the hype that the more popular authors get.  

Leaving reviews matter especially for Indie authors the more reviews that a book has the more it gets shown to others as an option to read.  

Thank you for supporting Indie Authors πŸ’“

If you are an author with an upcoming ARC opportunity and want me to place it in my next ARC opportunities blog post let me know!  

I've added good reads links for if you are interested in the book but can't commit to the ARC read and review timelines.   These ARC opportunities were taken from the authors original posts. 

*I try to not submit duplicates from week to week but I have been doing the arc opportunities post for a few months now and I'm sure that a duplicate might slip in from time to time.

Marly Monroe:  The Spell of Us

Did not see a good reads link yet

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-yQAOu4dM4eJVTUww81jX9dA_ewHgBwbU7ZF4jxpVLOKiLQ/viewform

 Her magic is a mess. Her fighting? Even worse.

Maelis has spent her life hiding a forbidden gift in a realm where magic is outlawed. Bound by duty to her family and a fate she never chose, she’s spent years following rules written by others.

Being a God comes with perks. Touch-starvation isn’t one of them.
Auretheos, God of Wisdom and Cunning, is sworn to purity. Chained to an ancient prophecy, his destiny lies in silence, solitude, and sacrifice. The last thing he needs is a stubborn, enticing and utterly chaotic mortal with a mind of her own.

But when a rising force of zealotry threatens to consume both divine and mortal realms, only the unlikely bond between Theo and Maelis can stop it. Love wasn’t part of the plan, but destiny doesn’t care about plans.

In a world where even the Gods are bound, The Spell of Us asks: 

Do we shape Fate, or does Fate shape us?

Madison Juno:  Sweet Carnage

Did not see a good reads link yet

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCT2HrrwzFj1XOeDQNBWa2WgjfOuUmN502Fxk-4nt2rA7DYQ/viewform

He didn’t need love, only leverage. Until she ran, pregnant and broken.

Five years ago, I made a deal with the devil. Bratva heir Artyom Petrov.

Ruthless. Filthy rich. Fourteen years older.

“Everything has a price, little thief,” he whispered in that dim room. “This is what my mercy costs.”

His powerful touch made my breath hitch, raw and irreversible. But when those two pink lines showed up, I ran — driven away by the hissing nest of vipers that surrounds him.

 

Now I’m back in the city and I thought he’d forgotten me. Oh how wrong I was — he might have ruined me, but I consumed him. He spent five years protecting me in the dark shadows of obsession.

And as the bullets fly around us, he puts a ring on my finger. Shattering my doubts with his rough hands and possessive words.

I’m his.

 

Which means there’s a blood-soaked target on my back. But his twisted plan will protect us. It has to.

Because our daughter’s life is at stake if he can’t win this battle…

Arianna Quinn:  Fresh Start

Did not see a good reads link yet

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclAv6MIN7aCDN0P9TcwW3Kpm-4NrHmbRLaPhfg_Sub0Ztoxw/viewform

 

Blurb:

“I didn’t tell him my full name for a reason … If he looked me up, he’d know who I am.”

Mila

Building a media empire required years of sacrificing family time. Selling it is my fresh start.

When my stupid ex threatens to destroy my life’s work, I make an emergency trip to Nashville to catch country music’s biggest band and stop a career-ending secret from getting out.

The last thing I need is a distraction. Especially from a sexy silver fox who steals my seat at a roadside bar.

Patrick proves he can handle a woman like me, but can he handle the truth when he finds out who I really am, and where I’m going?

 

Patrick

After my daughter calls me in crisis, I drop everything and hit the road.

I expect to make good time to Nashville. I don’t expect to burn up the sheets with a firecracker from LA.

Neither of us are looking for more. But I can’t get Mila or her sinful body out of my head.

When I find out our lives are tangled in more ways than one, I’m forced to choose between this new love and protecting my daughter. Family comes first, even if it means missing out on forever with the one.

 

Fresh Start is a mature romance and a standalone novella in the Country Stars Forever Series with a guaranteed HEA. After only one night, the sparks between Mila and Patrick heat up in this spicy short story featuring a silver fox and a badass executive on an unforgettable road trip.

Jessica Carriere:  Whispers of the Past (?)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241468590-whispers-of-the-past

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeTAL62VNl9buaI3R71AH2R4opOI9Tjoj9Xu7Ahw0sQM2kE4A/viewform

 

Tropes:

Friends to Lovers
Pr!mal Play
Sassy MFC
D!rty Talk
P0ssessive/Obs3ssive MMC

 

Blurb:
Working on it...

Content Warnings:
πŸƒπŸΌ‍♀️Primal Play (Chase through the woods) 🫣 /-\nal πŸ™…πŸ» Toxic Family Dynamics ‼️ Rough (Possibly violent depending on opinion) S3x

 

D.R. Brooks:  A Killers Obsession:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241603052-a-killer-s-obsession?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_24

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfbMEr5xsoB-rpIT5NL9TwCxxoMvA9zOBb4LfN3VRQwNSN0Ew/viewform

 

She’s spent her life studying serial killers—

Now, one is obsessed with her.

Raelynn Carson thought she understood darkness. Her mother was the final victim of a killer known as The Butcher—a case that shaped her life and drove her to study Criminal Justice. Now, in her final year of college and working as a police intern, she’s ready to face the monsters most people run from.

But when a new string of brutal murders shakes the city, it becomes clear these victims aren’t random—they’re people she knows. And the chilling messages left behind point to one terrifying

This isn’t random.

It’s a game.

And she’s the prize.

The only person standing between her and the edge is Officer Emilio Perez—a man whose presence draws her in and whose devotion makes him willing to risk everything to keep her safe.

But the closer they get to the truth, the more dangerous the game becomes.

Because the killer is watching.

And he’s just getting started.

 

Lila Sharp:  Brutal Games

Didn’t see a good reads link yet

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8G7wvcCRjr3yJp-s0bLypRIvUQxieEajcLp4bwZyzeo7mDQ/viewform

 

I’m excited for you to read my new mafia romance! Brutal Games is a scorching hot mafia romance standalone with forced proximity, a morally grey MMC, and the only woman who can break down his walls. Alisa and Dmitri have crackling chemistry, and I can’t wait for you experience their journey from hate to love.

 

 

Alicia Ramos:  Merry Little Secrets:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/244079353-merry-little-secrets?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=gh1XRj3Zj7&rank=1

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2alv9UvzP9WtRevzrx0i7oQlaAMYLXmdObkCOXSkWjNrL0w/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawOMY1xleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFob2NpOFp2T0MwUmR1MEt2c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmFLWS6A4rJYql4-KbUIXRnAucNUuTsQ0QTEjkE4krO0TLuyzOaLaOTnaE2G_aem_IGiV49RTuVpEhwNf09l3lg

 

Lucy had it all-

A successful career as an adult toy designer. A wonderful boyfriend who gives her everything. An incredible older brother.

Then, Mr. Perfect turns out not to be so perfect and she finds herself single and alone for the holidays. So she does what any self-respecting thirty-something-year-old woman would do and chooses to spend the weekend at the cabin with some of her company's latest designs.

The last thing she expects is a surprise visit from Sam, her brother's best friend and the man who'd shattered her heart all those years ago. Find out in this spicy holiday novella if Sam will remain loyal to his best friend, or blur the lines and make Lucy his.

 

This is an interconnected standalone Holiday Novella that will have a crossover in characters from Best Christmas Ever by Deann Soleil

Deann Soleil:  Best Christmas Ever

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243417988-best-christmas-ever

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2alv9UvzP9WtRevzrx0i7oQlaAMYLXmdObkCOXSkWjNrL0w/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawOMY1xleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFob2NpOFp2T0MwUmR1MEt2c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmFLWS6A4rJYql4-KbUIXRnAucNUuTsQ0QTEjkE4krO0TLuyzOaLaOTnaE2G_aem_IGiV49RTuVpEhwNf09l3lg

 

Ava expected another ordinary day at the office full of the usual sales work, until an email from her boss changes everything.

 

The company is in need of volunteers to test out their new collection of holiday toys. She’s immediately intrigued, but she has one choice to make. Should she take on the task alone, or invite the man she’s been wanting for months…

 

Demetrius Miles.

 

The charming man a few desks away.

 

How far can she go until the professional line becomes too blurred to see?

 

This is an interconnected standalone (holiday novella) that will have a crossover in characters from Merry Little Secrets by Alicia Ramos.

Shay Maddox:  Veil of Lies

Couldn’t find a good reads link yet

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeM7fznOpTkwAF73W5gab1hwz-uQN5SMm-JpzVY6ltCih-g4g/viewform

 

ELARA BELLINI has always believed in truth. Following in the footsteps of her papΓ , she dreams of a future built on justice. She had everything: the perfect family, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect life.

 

Until one night shatters it all.

 

On her twentieth birthday, heartbreak leads her into Club Fuego, where she crosses path with Ryan. But he isn't just any man, he's been watching her long before she has ever set foot in his club.

 

RYAN SÁNCHEZ thrives in a world built on power and deception. Winning has always been his game, until Elara becomes his unpredictable opponent. She was supposed to be a pawn, but soon she becomes the one thing he can't control.

 

As past lovers, buried secrets, and a deadly ultimatum of one-eighty days threatens to destroy his empire, neither of them realizes the cruelest twist of fate is yet to come.

 

Lies has bound them.

Betrayal has shaped them.

Can their love survive when the truth is another lie?

 

 If you love books that include:

 πŸ”₯ Enemies-to-Lovers

 πŸ–€ Forbidden Romance

πŸ”₯ Opposites Attract

πŸ–€ Age-Gap (He's 27 | She's 20)

πŸ”₯ Multiple POVs

πŸ–€ Cartel Mafia in Italian Setting

πŸ”₯ Hidden Identity & Secret Agenda

πŸ–€ Criminal v/s Justice

πŸ”₯ Touch Her and Die

Kate Rozy:  Auld Lang Wish

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243883390-auld-lang-wish?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=nHrjartgWl&rank=1

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeyWIsaI6xZFs0kR-s0M2kvvgDEyBrQDxTHjMV2FZ0vEW0-Qw/viewform

Twelve New Year’s Eve grapes. One stranger who shouldn’t exist.

 Rae doesn’t do resolutions. She pours drinks, dodges creeps, and counts tips, not blessings. But when a midnight manifestation ritual brings a stranger named Alan into her life, everything starts glitching in ways even magic shouldn’t allow.

Alan is steady, patient, and exactly the kind of man Rae stopped believing in a long time ago. He shows up when she needs him most, says all the right things, and makes her wonder if maybe the universe is finally cutting her a break. But the more perfect things become, the more she suspects something isn’t right.

Because wishes aren’t supposed to last forever, and when the clock strikes midnight, Rae might lose the one thing she never wished for but always needed.

Perfect for fans of The Holiday Swap and spicy rom-coms with magical twists, Auld Lang Wish is a laugh-out-loud, heart-melting New Year’s novella for anyone who’s ever wanted one last chance to believe in love again.

Saturday, November 15, 2025

Christina Diane: Avoiding the Merry Viscount


 2025 ARC read

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242472316-avoiding-the-merry-viscount

Elias (MMC) Viscount Snowden is a rake and has sworn off love from an early age his parents were a love match which was pretty rare for matches in the Ton.  At a young age around Christmas time Elias's mother dies tragically after an unfortunate accident his father is heartbroken and he makes a vow at that time to never fall in love after seeing how his father has been grieving the loss of his mother and has never remarried Elias decides it would be too painful to "love" and keeps his relationships simple not tying himself down to anyone and to play the field... yes he is a Rake. 

Lydia sees herself if not in love on her way to loving her betrothed at the beginning of the book and seeing as they are getting closer to her wedding with the man of her dreams she feels that she figures it's close enough to let him take some liberties with her.  Sneaking out of her home in the middle of the night and into her fiancΓ©'s home she finds more than she bargained for when she catches him in a compromising situation... never again will she fall for a smooth talking rake.  Thankfully Lydia's father is able to cancel any further arrangements with this cad.  Lydia has decided she will marry for love or not at all she needs a man to be faithful not a playboy heartbreaker.

The holiday season is here and everyone loves a good house party so Elias finds himself at his families country estate where his sister (with the assistance of an older family member) is hosting the event.  His sister has made sure to invite his friends and hers along with some other members of the Ton that were nice to her this season... but one of them happens to be a young widow that Elias had previous relations with but he ended a few years prior she just hasn't got the hint that things are over. 

I enjoyed the banter that Elias shared with his 3 younger sisters and his father you could tell how much they loved each other.  Lydia and her parents have also joined the house party while initially Lydia is determined to stay far away from the handsome rakes at the party.  

Diana (the sister) has set up many activities to get the single men and ladies to work together and get to know each other better and Elias has his eyes on Diana's beautiful friend Lydia... but even though she finds herself drawn to Elias and knows his reputation would it be more than a house party flirtation... he has been getting around and she wants true love would he ever give up his rakish ways for one woman? 

Some extra drama occurs when the young widow gets involved in a plan to try to separate Lydia and Elias thinking that it will push Elias towards her again.  When Lydia finds herself in a dangerous situation with her spurned ex will Elias be able to realize his feelings in time to come to the rescue or is their relationship doomed from the start?  

This was an enjoyable quick read and once I got into it I couldn't put it down.  This was a shorter book so while I know everything had to happen quicker I did find it a bit unrealistic for our Rake to go from "not going to wed for years" to "all in" in a matter of a few days leaving an insta lust/love feel.  Lydia once deciding that she couldn't avoid Elias and stating she didn't expect anything more from him then what he could give very soon after was acting jealous and wanting to know how he felt about her you two just met a day or so ago give him time lady!  

I did enjoy the leads together and the book had a lot of fun side characters that I hope will make appearances in the rest of the series.  Looking forward to the next book in this series!  

*Netgalley  *reformed rake  *quick read  *historical romance  *spice *house party *holiday romance 

*Grief (loss of mother MMC) *insta lust/love  *strong independent FMC  *drama with exes (ex lovers)

*happy ending

Thursday, November 13, 2025

ARC Opportunities: November 14, 2025

 

If you are looking for a new author/your next read consider being an ARC reader/reviewer I have been doing a lot of ARC reads this year and finding a lot of new to me authors with amazing books that don't always get the hype that the more popular authors get.  

Leaving reviews matter especially for Indie authors the more reviews that a book has the more it gets shown to others as an option to read.  

Thank you for supporting Indie Authors πŸ’“

If you are an author with an upcoming ARC opportunity and want me to place it in my next ARC opportunities blog post let me know!  

I've added good reads links for if you are interested in the book but can't commit to the ARC read and review timelines.   These ARC opportunities were taken from the authors original posts. 

*I try to not submit duplicates from week to week but I have been doing the arc opportunities post for a few months now and I'm sure that a duplicate might slip in from time to time.

1.      Alexa Michaels:  Silent Night Sins

a.      No good reads link yet

b.     https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeM8Lvv-iNACN1Cap3MPgYhxscHnzD9qavr42Hw-LNkB6PRTQ/viewform

c.      Silent Night Sins is a dark novella set in the criminal Underworld of Alexa's mafia romances. It is a standalone story. 

Releasing November 21st, 2025. ARCs are expected to go out the Monday before; they will be delivered via Book Funnel.

 

* Break-In

*Chasing

*Dark Fantasy Fullfillment

*Creative Use of Christmas Decorations

*Masked Man

*Primal Play

*Bondage

*Impact Play

*Adult Language

*On Page Adult Holday Fun (Smexy Time)

*Underworld Violence

2.      J.L. Koontz:  A Frostwood Christmas Mystery

a.      https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240134515-a-frostwood-christmas-mystery?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=fbpvGfa7cK&rank=1

b.     https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdacr0rXkCnxID0Yvs7pliYBUPirPlpO73UoBHC5zoLqRYVBw/viewform

c.       She was looking for a new start. She found a town with a deadly secret.

Investigative journalist Grace Carrington's life is in pieces. After losing her high-profile job in Nashville, she inherits a house in the picturesque, Christmas-obsessed town of Frostwood, Minnesota, from a grandmother she barely knew. Seeing it as a sign, she packs her bags, ready for a quiet life of small-town charm and cozy winters.

But Frostwood's idyllic facade cracks when the town's beloved Santa Claus, a man who is the heart of their holiday traditions, vanishes without a trace.

Grace's journalistic instincts ignite. Teaming up with the handsome, by-the-book local deputy, Jack Manning, she begins to peel back the layers of Frostwood's cheerful exterior. She soon discovers that her grandmother's past is deeply entangled in the town's most cherished secrets, and that a dangerous conspiracy lurks beneath the festive lights.

In a town where everyone knows your name, but no one is telling the truth, Grace must unravel the mystery of the disappearing Santa before the Christmas magic of Frostwood is lost forever. But in a town hiding so many secrets, is there anyone she can truly trust?

3.      Tilly Tait:  Unwrapping Christmas

a.      https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243155603-unwrapping-christmas?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_15

b.     https://booksprout.co/reviewer/review-copy/view/243798/unwrapping-christmas-a-hartwood-bay-christmas-novella?fbclid=IwY2xjawODJ21leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF0M05kdjV0bWNiTXJNM0NCc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHum9yrq8VqwTvEgGLc36PfYhj9Sz0uWk7Ei6baUtwQQPf-kCd9f8RPIiLNYr_aem_ny0mDOu1zVSMZyeIwnOHcg

c.      Patrick Nable moved back to Hartwood Bay following the breakdown of his loveless marriage. With the single minded determination that has seen him become the well respected high school principal that he is, he focuses on raising his teenage daughter, Cora. He likes his routines and his life in order, unlike that annoyingly alluring neighbour of his.

4.      LO Gold:  Frost

a.      https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243143921-frost?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_13

b.     https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mdr7tOmbc5elWletLQWxZuwkIw7H5w_q6Q381s1UooU/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawODJ7lleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF0M05kdjV0bWNiTXJNM0NCc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHkeI2pbSavqtYLKBn4RWJAA6DWLv4i6w0DTxrkT2U4eqZ4ThFsjvg5CM2zX6_aem_4fs-HWnySqQ17jZmK3RBYA&edit_requested=true

c.      Jack I’m a monster, a beast, a creature of shadow and legend, something children are warned about while they snuggle up by the cozy fire. I am cold, frigid, lifeless death. I’m Jack Frost.

Cursed to an eternity of wandering the woods, reaping the souls of worthless humans once every year, my existence is bathed in blood and isolation. Until her — my litill snΓ¦r. Her presence in my woods brings light to the dead of Winter for the first time in a long time. But could she truly learn to love a beast?

Elisa I hate Christmas. All these cheery, happy, nuclear families huddled around the fire make me nauseous. It’s a time to celebrate with the ones you love. But everyone I loved died, leaving me alone. Which is why I decided to travel this year for the holidays. I thought that getting away for a while might help bring some holiday cheer back into my life.

I’ve never been more wrong. Now I’m stranded half way around the world with a man I’ve never met, isolated in a snowed-in cabin. And there’s something out there, something lurking in the shadows of the woods, something watching me

Frost is a dark Christmas story featuring a monster that falls for a mortal. While the story does end with a sweet HEA, the path there is bathed in blood. Proceed with caution.

5.      A.A. Fairview:  Aliens in my stockings

a.      https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241835277-aliens-in-my-stockings?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=jkoqqUbe8N&rank=1

b.     https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5xDVI2nolTImR2pUL0nVhkG6gexbrYSV5ts6tP5aKl5BdTQ/viewform

c.      Home for the holidays, Temperance would rather be anywhere else in the world– or off it. Alien abduction is a dream come true. Her alien captors, Chyme and Ivx, should follow protocol and release the Earthling

Except Chyme is absolutely sure this woman needs their help. Why else would she be so calm about her abduction? Ivx prefers to follow the rules that Chyme loves to break, but as they travel the stars it’s clear the duo is better as a trio.

There’s one big Temperance travel onboard the ship breaks intergalactic law. Once they reach their destination, it’ll take a Christmas Miracle to keep them all together.

6.      Erin Graves:  Nine Holidays Falling

a.      https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242544337-nine-holidays-falling?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_16

b.     https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeml4eL0-0dgCWgGrZYEg4pvk9UG6dRftxB2QErT_-FVVJhXg/viewform

c.      Sadie Winslow

I never expected to run into my sister’s ex-boyfriend at that New Year’s Eve party. I should’ve known it was a possibility—I mean, it was his hometown—but I never thought he’d be at THAT party.

Then the Valentine's date from hell—not even close to his hometown? And the Memorial Day barbecue and Fourth of July festival? What was happening?

It was a surprise when my sister told me they split up, but I understood it after the stories she told. Now though? I’m struggling to believe he’s really as bad as she said.

Nothing’s adding up anymore.

Reid Alexander

Running into my ex’s younger sister wasn’t on my bingo card for the year, but I’d never hold the sins of my ex against Sadie. Just because her sister was a witch doesn’t mean she is.

And with every run-in, it’s getting harder and harder to deny that Sadie might be the Winslow sister I was always supposed to be with.

If only I could figure out why she hates me so much…

7.      Amy Ressa:  Inherit The Stars

a.      Did not see good reads link yet

b.     https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdAmuhlnakzjzAnjDyJTb-BlvpXXFWTqliJiw9FnPXLfFRPXA/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawODKrxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF0M05kdjV0bWNiTXJNM0NCc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhQeJ4UCxgW4zH6YpOtR09q3Q4Tgt9auPv5fJejCo8tEhuSDUau-D5eAb411_aem_PWDrawmHgGwrYw476Q9RZA

c.      She was born in the shadow of a tyrant. Now she must rise into the light - or be consumed by it.

Cyra is a gifted healer with an addiction to using her own dangerous magic. When her mother vanishes and a royal summons drags her into the militant court of House Mars, she’s forced to confront the truth she’s spent her entire life hiding - about her power, her bloodline, and the legacy she was born to inherit.

Lord Zevran, the brooding and battle-worn ruler of House Mars, suffers from a mysterious affliction only Cyra can soothe. Their nightly healing sessions begin to blur the line between duty and desire, binding them in ways neither of them expects.

But when a masked stranger made of darkness itself saves her life, Cyra is drawn into a web of secrets, seduction, and betrayal.

With a Conclave looming and the solar system teetering on the edge of destruction, Cyra must decide who to trust, who to love - and whether to embrace or destroy the monsters she’s heir to.

8.      Glenda Horsfall:  Angelo

a.      https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/154020082-angelo?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=rezVKzKcqu&rank=4

b.     https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScoYqthEZlIxKFWH8jxDAovKnuIttXAICoB0W2qKpBOR0sFYA/viewform

c.      Angelo is the new head of the Russo Famiglia, a job that he has been working for his entire life. He’s always known he will be married to a woman of his father’s choosing, but that didn’t stop him sowing his oats beforehand, right?

 

When he meets a woman in the club who takes his breath away, he’s delighted to see her a few weeks later when being introduced to his new fiance.

 

Cin wants out of her abusive relationship and after a night with Angelo, she knows she wants more. He is her ticket out of her life, if he’ll accept her..

 

When their wedding turns bloody Angelo will do anything to save his new wife. No one threatens his family and gets away with it.

 

Can Angelo find who shot his wife? Will he give them a reprieve? How will Cin feel about it?


Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Terra Weiss: Send Off


 Beaver County Prequel 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241103502-send-off

This story starts out with a heartbreaking loss Sawyer McDavid is a NHL star and in the middle of a game when he gets some of the worst news he could ever get from his twin sister's best friend who was at the game waiting for her arrival... she isn't coming she passed away suddenly while at ballet practice and now neither of them will ever be the same she was the light in their world.

While everyone deals with grief their own way Sawyer has been going through the motions he played out the end of his contract but now that it's ended what's next?  He really feels that nothing has had much meaning since losing his twin sister all she wanted was for him to come home for Christmas and he told her he couldn't make it and now she's gone, feeling it might be time to hang up his skates everyone wants to know what he's doing and he just wants to shut himself away at his parents house and forget everything else exists.

Dylan has been grieving in her own way as well putting more and more of herself into her work as a corporate lawyer and feeling really unfulfilled with a boss that could rival Scrooge she sees news that Sawyer has disappeared from the hockey world while he's still at the top of his game, feeling that she owed it to her best friend to not let her brother fall so deep into grief she does something unexpected in the middle of a big case she tells her boss she has a family emergency and goes to her bestie's childhood home to get Sawyer out of his funk.

Dylan has never been super close with her own strict family but she has always felt welcome with Eleanor's family and now that she is staying with them getting closer to her college nemesis (Sawyer) she is really seeing that he might not be as bad as she used to think... especially after their rocky past.

Next thing you know they are doing things they never in a million years thought to be doing when they find Eleanor's present to both of them that they were supposed to receive the year prior, wanting to honor her memory they find themselves going along with the scavenger hunt that she planned for them where every day they are given a new task that pushes them out of their comfort zone and closer together when they complete a task they get a code to unlock a lock to the next days task.  

Both are very competitive and not one to back down from a challenge even when it involves wearing tights for several tasks they want to find out what Eleanor had planned for them and doing what she planned for them to do last year helps them both feel like she's still with them in a way.

I loved how Sawyer and Dylan while working together on their hunt, discussing their grief and seeing each other in a new way (or perhaps just realizing deeply buried feelings that they have always had) are able to help each other see what is truly important in life.  It's time for both of them to make important career decisions but what will they do when one choice could change everything.    

Could they really be together outside of this magical holiday vacation?  Or does their time together have an expiration date and this will just be a cherished memory to think back on?  

This is a really sweet cozy holiday read that will have you rooting for them to realize that they were made for each other.  I love how Dylan helps heal Sawyer and his parents too she was just what their family needed and she needed them just as much.  

This book will give you all the feels πŸ’“.  While it is a hockey book there is minimal hockey involved (more at the beginning and end with brief discussions about what Sawyer's future plans are) but that didn't take away from the story which focused more on a great loss and how to move forward in a healthy way while still dealing with grief. 

*Hockey Romance  *Best friends twin brother *holiday romance  *dealing with grief 

*hallmark meets spice  *Book Sirens ARC read  *Forced Proximity  *Grumpy/Sunshine  

*frienemies to more *banter  *small town

Fake off (next book in series):  https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/2025/09/terra-weiss-fake-off.html

Anyone who needs mental health-, suicide- or substance use-related crisis support, or who has a loved one in crisis, can call, text, or chat 988 (as long as telephone, cellular or internet services are available) and reach a crisis counselor who will provide skilled, caring support.

Monday, November 10, 2025

L.B. Dunbar: The Holiday Post


 Hideaway Harbor Book 4 - 2025

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241057938

To begin we have Lumi who is in her early 40's she's always been used to taking care of others first her younger sisters then working hard to take care of her son as a single mom and now she is facing her first holiday season as an empty nester since her adult son is out in the world living his life and has told her he can't make it home for Christmas so she has thrown herself into her work as the postmaster in town and working for her families auto shop. 

Saint (it's his nickname but it fits) is a silver fox Santa look alike anyways he is driving in his luxury vehicle heading home where he's needed most as it's a busy time of year for his families business when he gets caught in a snow storm in the middle of nowhere and runs into a sign (so he doesn't hit the town's dog... it's a thing his owner passed away so he just goes where he feels like in the town and the people take care of him).  Now he is stuck spending the night in his car with limited cell service the next morning in comes Lumi to pick up his car and bring it to her shop. 

Saint needs multiple expensive and hard to get parts to fix his car he is now in a place where he has to extend his stay unexpectedly but all the rooms at any local hotel/motel/Inn are full, working out a deal with Lumi is his best option... she reluctantly at first allows him to take her spare bedroom her son isn't coming home and he offers to pay very fairly for the room.  

There are hints throughout the book as to what Saint and his family do for work, but it's never actually 100% told to us as the readers leaving us to wonder is he or isn't he?  Our couple gets close quickly during Saint's extended stay leaving to it feeling like an insta lust/love situation towards the middle of the book.  A lot of repetition surrounds the topic of our couple really liking each other a lot but he is leaving soon and she has always wanted to travel but never had the opportunity being stuck in this town.  Can they make their relationship work long term when they know already there is an expiration date on his time in town?  Will she ever be able to take time for herself and let herself go on those amazing trips she always wanted to go on?  Could they go together?  

This is the second in this series that I was able to get as an ARC read and it didn't disappoint it's exactly what I want from a holiday romance warm, friendly, sometimes cheesy (it's part of the charm) with a little holiday magic mixed in it was a super sweet quick read! 

There are mentions of some other characters from other books in the series but you don't need to read the books in order as they are complete stand alones.  If you are looking for a book (s) to kick off your holiday reading make sure this series is on your list!  

Have you read any of the books in this series?  Which one was your favorite?  

*Netgalley ARC read  *Age Gap  *couple over 40  *Spice  *holiday magic  

*small town romance *forced proximity *2nd chance for romance  *single mom (adult son)/empty nest

*hallmark vibes  *cozy read  *rom com  *secret identity  *insta lust/love  

Other ARC read in this series blog post : https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/2025/10/evie-alexander-holiday-fakers.html

*Possible spoiler


-->  I was hoping that the dog would end up going home with Saint  

ARC Opportunities November 21, 2025

  If you are looking for a new author/your next read consider being an ARC reader/reviewer I have been doing a lot of ARC reads this year an...