Lena Knight: Nothing's fair in Love & Marriage

Book 2 Fostered H(E)ARTS series

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249046287-nothing-s-fair-in-love-marriage-fostered-h

Book Blurb:

What happens when you meet the right person, at the right time, but under the wrong circumstances?

Well, let me tell you all about it...
You end up with a lot of sleepless nights filled with guilt. Why? Because she's verboten. I should leave it at that. Yet, I can't. She has infiltrated my psyche, my mind, and soul, not to mention the old ticker. I earned her friendship, her trust, but all that did was make me want more. Alas, I am not a selfish person. In this scenario, she comes first. And I would never do anything to hurt her, even if it breaks me. And by the looks of it, I am already halfway there, especially since I have to watch from the sidelines, acting like I don't see her pain, don’t notice what he is doing to her, to that little boy who took my heart with one simple smile.

********

Stuck in a hamster wheel, going nowhere, the daily loop just keeps rinsing and repeating. I have a purpose: my family, and I live for that purpose. Somehow, I didn’t realize I lost myself on the way. One interaction changes it all, makes me question everything, shatters the rose-colored glasses, revealing the truth that is my life. 

Tropes:

*forbidden love  *personal struggle  *Autism representation (FMC son) *single mom while married

*Toxic relationship *Blue Collar MMC *Teddy Bear MMC  *MMC and FMC with difficult childhoods 

*Love triangle *Marriage in trouble  *Found Family *he falls first  *some spice  *no cheating  

*Right person wrong time

*friends --> more  *State Challenge Mass (duplicate state) *Indie Author *ARC read *Book Sirens

Thoughts:

Nora (FMC) has a heart of gold her past has shaped her present growing up she always wanted a loving family and when she met her husband Rick and they had their son Declan she thought she would finally have that.  Nora goes out of her way to please others (even when they don't deserve it) and even though she's a stay at home mom she does what she can to keep up around their home and take care of their special needs son... Unfortunately Rick doesn't notice, or maybe does he just doesn't care about Nora's efforts and over the years has built up distance between them with harsh words and actual distance (he is sleeping on the couch).

Luka (MMC) has a troubled past but thankfully was taken in by a loving woman in foster care and along with his foster brother's they have built a close family of their own.  Luka has always wanted a family of his own to love and care for he is the perfect book boyfriend kind, caring, loyal, and fierce when needed, I read the first book in this series and loved him then but love him even more in his own book he's such a sweet teddy bear! 

Nora and Luka meet by chance on Nora and Declan's walk, Luka works construction and Declan while mostly non-verbal is very into the construction vehicles a fast friendship forms between the three of them and then they continue to come together throughout the book due to having more in common than they thought their friend Ryan.  (This part might just be me but when Ryan was introduced into the story I was kind of like "Who?" but I caught on quickly enough after it was explained that they were both friends with him).  

This book continues to follow Nora as she deals with her crumbling marriage with Rick goes back and forth between feeling guilt that she made a commitment to this man that she loves deeply but feels that he is taking advantage of her at all points and her deep sadness over this has even dulled her spirit she is a brilliant musician and singer but hasn't done either in forever because Rick doesn't like it.  Nora is turning into a shell of who she used to be and while her friends have noticed she lost herself somewhere along the way and didn't even notice when it began.

Luka falls in love with both Nora and Declan over the course of the book but struggles with his internal battle to keep at least some distance, he knows it's wrong she's married to another man and she might never be able to be his... but he still can't help falling for her anyways he never acts on these feelings while she is with Rick out of respect towards Nora even though he knows that she is not being treated well in her current situation he wants to be in her life even if that will always be on the sidelines.  

Throughout the book Nora attempts to work with Rick on their marriage and discuss hard topics with him while he continues to make no changes, it's so sad to read about but felt very real as many people deal with these very real changes to their relationships where they grow apart and no longer fit like they used to. 

Don't worry if you don't like a cheating trope there is no actual cheating in this book Nora and Rick's marriage comes to a natural end as that's the way it was heading and Nora allows herself time for just herself and her son.  Nora has given herself time to basically find herself again and in that way it makes the point in the story when she finally goes after what she wants (Luka) so much better!

I did wish that the book didn't focus so much on the crumbling marriage aspect since it was clear from the start that Nora needed to ditch Rick and get her life back even if it was hard (since she was worried about losing his families support which is all she had).  Once Luka and Nora finally got together there was not much left of the book for our main couple to actually "be together" but it did feel more natural and not just she left Rick and now she's with another man the next day I appreciated that she left herself time to grow and find herself. 

Declan was a huge part of the book and you could see how much Nora loved him throughout, it's always nice if there is a kid in the book and they arn't just "taking a nap" and never in the book.  

I loved that Nora and Luka were able to find each other they were each other's missing pieces and finally becoming whole once together and they both deserved so much love after all they had both been through.  

Another great read from this author and I'm looking forward to the next in the series!  Thank you to Lena and BookSirens for this early copy.  

Kristin Cast: The Lovers

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223395162

Book blurb: 

Gemma Summers is broke, burnt out, and about three weeks from moving back in with her parents. Her career has imploded, her confidence is circling the drain, and the last thing she needs is a run in with Alder Hawke—the dangerously charming ex who still haunts her dreams and could buy her a new life with just his pocket change.

When a magickal tarot card sends them spiraling—literally—into another realm and they land in the steampunk inspired Kingdom of Cups, Gemma is forced to rely on the man who shattered her trust, broke her heart, and somehow still makes her weak in the knees.

But survival in the world of Towerfall is anything but simple, especially when she's caught between the ex who wants to own her and a roguish former king who sees through every one of her defenses.

With secrets mounting, identities unraveling, and her heart very much on the line, Gemma must decide: will she cling to the version of herself she built in the real world… or risk everything to become the woman she was always meant to be?

One enchanted tarot card. Two infuriatingly hot men. And a modern woman who refuses to be anyone's damsel.

Thoughts: 

Kristen Cast The Empress

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210484327-the-empress

Have you read this?  what did you think? 

Rina Kent: Twisted Kingdom

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/225100340-twisted-kingdom

blog post for book 1 in this series:  https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/2026/02/rina-kent-deviant-king.html

book 2: https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/2026/03/rina-kent-steel-princess.html

Book 3 Aiden & Elsa's story --> read in order

Book Blurb:

The kingdom isn’t supposed to fall.

The truth screws you over before it sets you free.
Masks drop. Secrets unravel.
Elsa’s race after the past blinds her from the present.
I’ll fight for her. I’ll bring her back.
I’ll protect her even if it’s the last thing I do.
We made a promise.
She’s mine.
Are you ready for one final game, sweetheart?

*Sports romance (football/soccer) *High school bully  *spice *enemies --> more  *miscommunication/no-communication    *touch her and 💀 *Dual POV  

 *check your trigger warnings there are loads  *repressed memories  *PTSD  *Possessive MMC

*lots of secrets  *family drama

Thoughts: 

I did enjoy this book more than the 2nd in the trilogy but truly feel like this story line did not need to be split into three books it was repetitive with their on again off again push and pull not moving forward with the plot but then coming back together for spicy times while not resolving any of their issues.

Aiden and Elsa both have a shared tragic past that even though Elsa can't remember what happened she is still drawn to this boy... who is very possessive, jealous, and throws extreme temper tantrums if he doesn't get his way... this being said this whole series has thrown me off that these people are still in high school but they are trying to act so much older.  Aiden and all of his friends need mental health help they have all the red flags.

This book finally gave us more of the back story of what happened as Elsa gradually regains her memories that she's been cut off from for so long and things were wrapped up by the end... I was skimming through more of the spicy parts to get to the end faster and don't see how they could get in the mood to do certain things when they were in certain situations like... there is no time for that right now!  The 3 books were over 900 pages and didn't need to be.  

This series for me has been like a reality tv show... is it the best out there?  no... but I have to keep reading this it's over the top dramatic and I can't stop myself from wanting to know what happens next. 

Have you read anything by this author?  Have you read this series?  what did you think?  

Rachel Hochhauser: Lady Tremaine

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/231126977

Book Blurb:  

A breathtaking reimagining of Cinderella, as told through the eyes of its iconic "evil" stepmother, revealing a propulsive love story about the lengths a mother will go to for her children

A widow twice-over, Etheldreda is now saddled with the care of her two children, a priggish stepdaughter, and a razor-taloned peregrine falcon. Her entire life has become a ruse, just like the manor hall they live grand and ornate on the exterior, but crumbling, brick by brick, inside. Fierce in the face of her misfortune, Ethel clings to her family’s respectability, the lifeboat that will float her daughters straight into the secure banks of marriage.

When a royal ball offers the chance to secure the future she desperately desires, Etheldreda must risk her secrets, pride, and limited resources in pursuit of an invitation for her daughters—only to see her hopes fulfilled by the wrong one. As an engagement to the heir of the kingdom unfolds with unnerving speed, she discovers a sordid secret hidden in the depths of the royal family, forcing her to choose between the security she’s sought for years and the wellbeing of the feckless stepdaughter who has rebuffed her at every turn.

As if Bridgerton met Circe, and exhilarating to its core, Lady Tremaine reimagines the myth of the evil stepmother at the heart of the world’s most famous fairytale. It is a battle cry for a mother’s love for her daughters, and a celebration of women everywhere who make their own fortunes.

*Fairy Tale Retelling (Cinderella)  *Step Mother  *Historical  *Netgalley ALC *2026 *Fierce FMC *Momma Bear FMC  *drama with the queen  

*Some trigger warnings (not sure if there is a warning but it does discuss SA  & DV towards the end of the book) 

Thoughts:

I was drawn to this story by the blurb alone I enjoy a good fairy tale retelling and I wasn't disappointed this tells the story of Cinderella... but it isn't the one we grew up with it's real and raw and told from the "evil" Step mother's point of view.  In this story we learn more of her life growing up and how she is just a woman on her own after out living 2 of her husband's the second husband left her with a falling down estate and no funds to take care of it... also a young step daughter Ellen she also has 2 young girls of her own what is she to do?

The story flips back and forth between telling a bit of Ethel's past and the present.  In this we find that she's just a woman trying to live and give her daughters the best life possible with limited resources she's hardworking and resourceful and teaches her 2 girls to be the same, while she tries with Ellen she's kind of at the end of her rope with her as Ellen still tends to believe everything is going to fall into place and some man is going to sweep her off her feet, she has her head in the clouds and seems to not notice the crumbling down estate and the struggles of her step mother, step sisters and the few staff members they have left and when asked to do her part to help she doesn't put much effort into anything including things that she would directly benefit from.

Ethel is heartbroken when her step daughter (who has never treated any of them like family) is invited to the prince's upcoming ball and knows that this would be a huge opportunity for all of her daughters.  Using a bit of scheming Ethel ends up with an invitation for all the girls but things go down hill shortly after that and she doesn't know how much more she pretend that they are still well off at home with most of their valuables sold and relying on her bird Lucy to help hunt for their daily meals.

While there were no cute talking mice, magical pumpkins or fairy godmothers what it did have was a lot of heart and Ethel isn't evil after all she's just a woman trying to do the best she can to provide for herself and all of her daughters (even if she feels a little more reluctant towards her step daughter after so many years of her lack of assistance with their situation).  

When the prince makes a decision maybe fairy tales don't have a happily ever after, after all.  I enjoyed the narrator she did a great job!  What I would say is that some of the story felt a little bit on the slower side due to the repetitive nature of topics like how she was just trying to be a good mother (which we could see throughout the book).  I also think that it read more towards historical fiction with a side of fairy tale retelling.  Thank you Netgalley, publishers and the author for this ALC. 

Rina Kent: Steel Princess

 Royal Elite Book 2 --> Part 2 of Aiden & Elsa's story 

blog post for book 1 in this series:  https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/2026/02/rina-kent-deviant-king.html

goodreads link:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/225098842-steel-princess

Since this is a series of 3 books I'm just going to put the book blurb here then my thoughts about the book at the bottom:

The princess isn’t supposed to dethrone the king.

Elsa
He said he’ll destroy me, and he did.
I might have lost the battle, but the war is far from over.
They say it starts with one move to dethrone the king.
No one mentioned he’ll yank me with him on the way down.

Aiden
If Steel’s little princess wants a war, then war it is.
There’s only one rule: my rules or none at all.
By all means, show me what you got, sweetheart.

*Sports romance (football/soccer) *High school bully  *spice *enemies --> more  *miscommunication/no-communication    *touch her and 💀 *Dual POV  

 *check your trigger warnings there are loads  *repressed memories  *PTSD  *Possessive MMC

*lots of secrets  *family drama

Thoughts:

This book starts off where the last book ends Elsa has overheard a conversation that she was never meant to hear between a few people close to Aiden and begins to spiral while she tries to separate herself from Aiden he is relentless between playing mind games with her and telling her that she is going to be with him forever... seriously over the top for a teenage boy.

Elsa wonders about her past and overhears conversations between her guardians (aunt & uncle) related to her past and memories might be coming back and begins to wonder if anyone is telling her the truth in her life.  She has repressed memories and goes to her psychiatrist to see if she can try to unblock these memories as she's been getting glimpses in her dreams (nightmares).

While in this book we do get a bit more of her back story... it really isn't enough as most of it is spent with spicy times between our leads... oh to be young again!  To be honest the actual plot progression wasn't all that much and led me to wonder why their story line needed to be spread over 3 books since the spice was over powering.

I did ruin what happened for myself in this book and the next one because I'm a mood reader and skipped ahead to the 4th & 5th books which give away some of the story from these books but I also did this because some of the trigger warnings were hard for me to read through.

Aiden and Elsa's relationship thru this one is on the toxic side they both make each other jealous throughout the book get upset, sometimes give each other the silent treatment for a bit... then they meet back up and go at it like rabbits.  

While I'm invested in this series at this point and plan to continue to read the third book in their story line this book felt like filler a lot of repetitive scenes with the same outcomes and we are back to square 1 again.  

Sadie Kincaid: The Auction

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239453876

Imogen never had a choice with how her life has gone her parents lost their lives when she was young after her father "betrayed" the "brotherhood" a secret society of wealthy men who do depraved things including collect women to auction off to the highest bidder.  Her grandfather trying to spare her life talks the brotherhood into allowing him to keep and raise his grand daughter to the age of 21 where he willingly will hand her over to the brotherhood to auction off.

Imogen is naive in... pretty much everything she lived a very sheltered life at her wealthy grandfather's estate where she was not allowed to watch tv, listen to music, leave the estate grounds or have any friends her own age, she was tutored at home and had "training" by a housekeeper on what to expect to happen after she was given over for the auction.

Lincoln is a scarred and very reclusive billionaire he keeps to himself, he doesn't get out much and most people don't know the true him... in fact the real him "died" years ago in an accident.  While he actually might be the monster that most people believe him to be he has his reasons and he's finally found what he's been looking for... Imogen.  He does it to protect her and takes her to his home going against what he should do by setting her up in another safe location.  

Imogen after finding out who her highest bidder was should be scared... even she has heard about how dangerous he is... but if this is the case when she's taken to his off the grid home in the middle of no where why does she feel so safe... and even more so why does she feel even safer in his arms.  Once all she thought of was surviving long enough to find a way to escape but soon she's feeling there is no where she'd rather be.  

*Dark Romance *Beauty and the Beast vibes  *touch her and 💀 *ALC  *2026 read  

*Masked MMC  *Forbidden romance  *Age gap  *sassy FMC  *spice *secret society

*Trigger warnings --> check them  *gothic mansion  *many Secrets (MMC) *hidden identity  *Netgalley

Thoughts:

Imogen is a sweet but sheltered girl who has spent most of her life fearful raised to believe that when she's turned over to "the brotherhood" she will be living in terrible conditions... and for most of the girls in this auction that is the case, she's been taught to be obedient and to do whatever the "buyer" wants... but Lincoln is unexpected she doesn't feel like an object that is owned he makes her feel special, cared for, maybe even loved. 

Lincoln is a hardened man once a part of the very brotherhood he is looking to take down he now has big goals and they arn't what most people think, he never wanted to have to keep Imogen safe by "buying" her from the auction but if that's what keeps her safe he's fine with that (kind of).  He's torn with his growing feelings towards Imogen considering who he is to her and his past.  

Lincoln tries to keep himself distanced from Imogen as best he can often taking many "work" related trips and leaving her on her own with his friend and butler Pierre who was also wronged by the brotherhood and develops a friendship with our FMC.  It's nice to see Imogen step out of her comfort zones of being submissive throughout the book and even get a bit on the sassy side towards the end.

While I didn't dislike the story and found it enjoyable enough to keep listening I never felt a true connection with Imogen who was so sheltered she was almost childlike at times and it got old kind of quick she didn't know who Bruce Springteen was and spent many days watching the marvel movies with Pierre and only wanted plain oatmeal because "it's nutritious".  Lincoln is as I previously said hiding so many secrets that we only get to know him on a surface level and I get that his cause is kind of "noble" but tell your girl already!!  It also didn't help that we as the reader were constantly reminded of how wrong Lincoln feels his changed relationship status with Imogen is.  

Lincoln was out of the house a lot on his secret missions where he is trying to find and "take care of" members of the brotherhood and other missions.  It seemed to me for a majority of the book Imogen had a better relationship with the butler... but she was super drawn to the hot older brooding man and once the spice happened it was all the time and some of the stuff was a bit over the top for me... especially the tampon situation 😬

I do plan to read the next in the series and hopefully we will get more backstory on Lincoln and the brotherhood in the next one and I need to know what happens next since it ends in a cliffhanger.  

Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss: The Escape Game

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236226582-the-escape-game

This story starts several seasons into a popular reality TV game show competition where teenagers work in teams to solve escape rooms and compete against several other teams.  While filming the season four finale tragedy strikes when a beautiful and popular contestant Alicia Angelos is found in one of the props dead... but who could have done it?  

Even with the tragedy from last season in their minds the show continues to gather cast members for season 5 including Beck who creates their own escape rooms at home and has a bit of a family secret, Adi the handsome son of a woman who used to be a celebrity and will do anything to get back in the lime light... even if it means getting there thru her son; Carter a math whiz and influencer (but only thru a character she's created as her alter ego... she's shy and awkward in person) and last but certainly not least Siera Angelos sister of Alicia --> everyone knows that she didn't get along with her sister and even though they were not able to prove her guilt they believe she is the culprit... but it does make for higher ratings with this "surprise" return contestant.

Sierra while she has a tough girl image and wants to keep that appearance she's not just there to play this season she wants answers... she didn't hurt her sister no matter what anyone else believes and she knows if she gets a chance she can help solve her sisters case since the police clearly have focused on the wrong person this whole time.

What started out as fun and games this season quickly becomes dangerous as the team has to learn to work together and trust each other to escape these rooms and as they begin to uncover more clues and get closer to solving the mystery of what happened to Alicia... the more they have to worry about being next.  

*Young Adult  *Mystery *Murder mystery *escape room *puzzles *2026  *ARC NetGalley

*game show  *Reality TV  *State Challenge:  California  *multiple POV  

Thoughts:

I really enjoyed the premise of this book a mystery inside of an escape room game show.  The authors did a good job explaining the puzzles and the outcomes but at times it almost felt like reading a play with the sets and puzzles being maybe too detailed leading to it being a bit slower in places and since I wasn't actually in the room with them I had a harder time following the puzzles they were trying to solve.  

I enjoyed the multiple POV aspect and watching all of the kids get to know each other better and come together as a cohesive team by the end of the book.  

While I know I'm not the target audience for this book (it's definately YA) I had a really hard time with the fact that these were teenagers and felt the book would have made a bit more sense if the kids in the book were even 18+... these kids were sent to stay by themselves in a villa that the show put them up at I highly doubt that the parents would not come with these underage kids while filming this show and I really don't think they would be ok with letting them stay to continue after it appeared they could truly be in danger... I don't even think the show would keep going at that point considering it would be a huge liability.

Going on with that line of thinking I had a hard time suspending my disbelief I don't see how the show was brought back for a 5th season given that season 4 ended up with the death of a contestant with law enforcement no closer to finding who did it... and people think it was the sister and they bring her back to the show!!?  What??

There were twists, turns, betrayals and sabotage who can you trust in this game?  Can you even trust your team mates?  Some of the twists I could predict and some I couldn't mainly because it kind of comes out of Left field and the motive felt pretty flimsy at best. 

I did find the book entertaining enough to keep me turning pages and I do plan to read the next in the series.  

Thank you netgalley and the authors for letting me read an advance copy of the book! 

Daniel Georgiev: Sun Catchers

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237781424-sun-catchers

This book starts in an unknown time period where the world our characters are living in has frozen over all survivors are now living in a tower like structure with an elevator leading to different levels, the top most layers have the most resources and the highest chance of survival, bottom layers get limited resources including coveted sunlight which produces power for the level.

Sol lives in layer 5 this is now the bottom most layer as all layers below have become too cold to inhabit and/or the top most layers have "Discontinued" the layers to protect the upper most layers.  Sol Gathers sunlight in his Suncatcher to bring back to his level only recently the higher levels have not been approving the gathering... in fact there are concerns that level 5 might be discontinued soon... will the population of this level be relocated to remain safe?  

Sol and his team from level 5 often go on missions to scavenge resources from lower levels... and at times put themselves at greater risk trying to get to the top of the tower... with patrols out frequently trying to cut them off from all supplies, time and hope are dwindling at level 5.

One of the missions leads to a possible new source of power... but learning to control this could turn into a problem.  Clare (Sol's girlfriend) finds that this new power has given her new abilities... she doesn't understand them fully and is not sure if she will be able to control her new found power... this could be a blessing but it could also create more chaos.  

With time running out, friends turning into enemies, and losing even more precious resources maybe the answer isn't going up towards the sun... but going down towards the unknown.  

*Indie Author  *Dystopian World  *multiple POV  *Ruined world  *Scarcity of Resources  

*high tech gadgets  *Found family *heirarchy in the tower *light romance *2026

Thoughts:

This is another time where I'm branching out from my usual romance reads, I found this book from an indie author post and the plot sounded interesting Dystopian world coming to the end of resources and in need of some changes in order to help with survival, if anyone liked the Movie or Show Snowpiercer you will like this book.

The book was action packed and sometimes harder to follow but I was rooting for all of the level five population to make it to the end even when the upper levels have left them on their own basically to just "make it" as long as they can and every day or any mission taken could be their last prior to missions the team members create what they call a "fiver" that they want printed in rememberance of them if they do not return.

The author does a great job with world building and I could see the landscapes of the levels as described as I was reading the book, I loved the found family feel and had anxiety right along with them that the higher levels were cutting them off and they were running out of time to save their level.  

I enjoyed this read there were twists and it ended in a bit of a cliffhanger would be interested to see what happens next in this world.  With dystopian reads there are plenty of hard times and heartache as tough decisions are made and life as they know it will never be the same.  

Jennifer Hartmann: Still Beating

Cora out for the night celebrating her sisters birthday party declines leaving with her sister and her sister's irritating fiance Dean... seriously what does she even see in that guy?  She maybe has a few too many drinks and finds herself in need of a ride home but her wallet has been stolen, making a few phone calls the only one to answer is the last person she should have called to begin with... Dean.  

Surprisingly Dean shows up for her when she needs him the most getting her away from some creep who stepped up next to her offering her a ride home... no thanks her ride has arrived.  Only neither of them gets home safely that night they wake up the next morning locked to pipes in a madman's basement... the last person Cora ever wanted to have to see on a daily basis is now her only hope of surviving this horrible situation.  

Against all odds they both make it out of the basement alive after 3 weeks of being in a nightmare situation... but in that 3 weeks their whole lives have changed they survived something no one should ever have to go through and they did it together, they were each other's life lines in the darkest days of their lives and no one understands what they are going through or who they are now a the end of this horrible situation... in many ways they are still in that basement clinging to each other for light, hope, and the will to live when other options might seem easier.

They are drawn to each other in ways that feel so natural, but it shouldn't be like this them being together would hurt everyone around them... especially Cora's sister.  What can they do when they at this point feel like they need each other like they need air?  

*2026   *enemies --> more  *sister's fiance  (Taboo)  *Spice  *horror  *dual POV *

*Trigger warnings --> check these before reading  *Trauma  *PTSD  *survivors  *very dark themes 

Thoughts: 

This started off like a horror movie or an investigation discovery episode, it's truly scary that there are people out there who have done these types of horrible things and I'm sure that the survivors are never the same after.  That being said I usually wouldn't be a fan of this type of relationship in a book due to the fact that our MMC has been in a long term relationship (15 years) and is currently engaged to the FMC's sister but the fact that they went through this situation together and had such an intense experience it really changes the dynamic.

This was a really emotional read they are both torn knowing that they need each other so badly after returning to civilization but can never truly be together because they know how much pain it would cause the sister.  I was at times really upset with the sister (Mandy) she made statements throughout the book like she was trying to be "supportive" and "give them time" but she was actually forcing them into things quicker than they wanted at one point she was bringing her sister out on a double date with her and Dean to the same place that they were at the night they got taken, a few times she mentions to Dean that she doesn't understand how he could "change so much" he was just down there in the basement for "3 weeks"... that's 3 weeks longer than anyone should be there and you can't rush this healing process it takes time and a lot of mental health support.  

Cora said she hated Dean but through flash backs you see that there was always a kind of "flirty" vibes before hand through that it always felt there was something more there and I did feel that part was kind of unfair to the sister long term since they were both dismissing those potential feelings for years leaving it seem like perhaps Dean should have asked Cora out to begin with instead of her sister.  

Cora frustrated me at times because she was stuck on pranks played on her in high school by Dean so much so that when she woke up locked in a basement with him she wanted to continue to hold this grudge... like girl set that aside immediately he's your partner to get out of this place... worst escape room ever!  

I did enjoy this book over all it was darker than I usually read but my heart went out to Cora and Dean and I did root for them to have a happy ever after they needed it after what they went through.  

Liz McCoy Hamilton: Frailty of Fact

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245205014-frailty-of-fact

Blurb:

SOME FAMILIES KEEP SECRETS. HERS TRIED TO BURY HER WITH THEM.Elodie Winters wakes in the family lake house with blood on her hands and no memory of how it got there.

Her sister is in the ICU. Her brother is fighting for his life. And everyone believes Elodie finally snapped.

But Elodie knows the her siblings have been trying to kill her for months—revenge for the testimony that sent their father to prison twenty years ago. The severed brake lines. The pillow over her face. The poison in her coffee.

Now, with no evidence, a "mental history" her family manufactured, and memories she can't fully trust, she must prove she's not the monster they've spent decades creating.

In a family built on lies, the most dangerous thing isn't what they did.

It's what she can't remember.

For fans of Verity and The Woman in the Window

*2026  *Psychological Thriller *unreliable narrator  *Gaslighting  *Isolation *Memory Loss *Toxic family *descent into madness  *Trigger warnings  *Paranoia  *Indie Author

Thoughts:

I usually read romance but occasionally branch out to a few other genre's I recently asked for Indie author recommendations and this author recommended their book to me right away the blurb was intriguing and I put it on my TBR I finally got a chance to read it and I'm so glad I did I was hooked from the very beginning of the book.

Elodie wakes up in her family’s lake house covered in blood with her brother and sister both have very clearly been attacked but she has no memory of what happened with her brother and sister now in the hospital in critical condition due to her mental state she finds herself in the hospital pending a psychiatric evaluation.

The book then works its way throughout Elodie's life as she's recalling her childhood and most recently her side of the story where she believes that her brother and sister have been trying to end her life in the way of discussing her story with a psychiatrist.  Throughout the book as the reader, I was torn between believing that Elodie was really going through these terrible life events and wondering if some of these events were part of her mental health conditions as additional information from her past is introduced and we learn that she has had memory lapses in the past and may be an unreliable historian.

Elodie presents her family as manipulative and cruel starting with everyone (mom, dad, brother & sister) blaming her for her father's eventual trial and imprisonment years earlier... instead of the family supporting her as a young child every member of her family (especially her mother) turned their backs on her and between gaslighting her and taunting her she feels isolated in her own home and now even as an adult continues to hope against all odds that her family will give her some scrap of kindness which is how you see her story weaving around multiple encounters with her devious family when she should change her phone number move and never contact them again.

I was up late reading this as I had to know what was truly happening with Elodie and her family, I truly enjoyed this book and how well the author did with making every fact given hard to know to be true or if it was part of Elodie's paranoid mind set.  If you enjoy Thrillers that make you question everything that has happened check this one out.  

Rebecka Cole: Legacy & Lace

Hazel left her family, friends and everything she knew behind her (family, friends, the family ranch) in Montana after her father's death she sets up her new life in Colorado and hasn't been back since... Until now when she hears through the grapevine that her aunt is struggling more with a recent injury than she's letting on in her weekly phone calls she doesn't hesitate to come home to help... it's just temporary.

Eli Dawson had been Hazel's best friend since childhood, he's a handsome, steady cowboy and at this point no longer waiting for Hazel to change her mind... he stayed while she left maybe it was bad timing on his part but he's always loved Hazel and the time he decides to just tell her she leaves before he wakes up the next morning... now she's breezing back in town expecting everyone to thank her for coming things have been tough for awhile she just didn't hang out long enough to see that he's been helping hold together the ranch with limited resources.  

When Hazel returns to the ranch in many ways she has a lot to catch up on but in others it feels like she never left the closer it gets to having to make a decision as to whether to go back to her life she's been building in Colorado or stay and help in Montana she finds herself torn between two tough choices... but maybe it's just a bit harder this time since Eli has dug his way a bit deeper in her heart.

With the ranch being in a dire financial situation there are big choices to make... and a shady neighbor keeps popping up... go away Cole!  

*ARC Read *2026 *State Challenge Montana *slow burn *Second chance romance  *cowboy 

*Ranch life  *Brooding MMC  *Grief  *Loss of parent (FMC) *long term pining *small town  *Indie Author

Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book right away you can see how grief is clouding everything in Hazel's life she loved her dad and the ranch and everything in Montana but couldn't see herself able to stay after his passing how could she go on in her dad's world without him there with her? 

Coming back to town after so long there is big tension between Eli and Hazel he's still bitter and upset (reasonably so) after they had a night to remember and then she left him without a word, even with his heart shattered and his girl out of the state he continued to help on his own ranch and help Hazel's Aunt out on her Ranch but he knows the lay of the land and that the financial situation isn't what it used to be, without Hazel's dad there to run the place the extra income opportunities left and word spreads fast in a small town.

Hazel is back but for how long?  I liked that Eli didn't let her off the hook immediately after so long he was guarded, grumpy and doesn't let up on harder questions like How long are you staying?  He wanted answers and while he gave up waiting around for her to come back he makes it known that her leaving wrecked him.

This has amazing slow burn tension even when he's grumpy and guarded you know that Eli still feels the same way and since she's back Hazel is finally facing that she might feel that way too but what is she supposed to do?  Her life is in Colorado now she only has so many weeks out of work to help and she is getting questioned by her boss when is she returning?... But what if she is seeing her future now in Montana?

To be honest Eli had my heart from the beginning... if you ever find someone who loves you as much as Eli loves Hazel... don't run off in the middle of the night to a different state without talking to them you keep them and hold on tight so someone else doesn't grab them up.  I did find myself getting irritated with Hazel at times because she was so set on not making any decisions about staying but and I didn't want to see her break Eli's heart again!  

This is an emotional read that will have you rooting for both of our leads to find their way back to each other... and for Hazel to finally face and make big decisions.  

Rina Kent: Vicious Prince

Teal Van Doren has been adopted into a wealthy family along with her brother (Knox) after surviving terrible childhood abuse and running from their mother rather than spend another night with her and what she has left them to deal with.  Now years later Teal is 18 has made a choice she has decided to accept an arranged marriage in place of her foster sister Elsa.

Ronan is an Earl's son and with that comes certain responsibilities... including apparently the old fashioned tradition of an arranged marriage, he doesn't want to be married any time soon he wants to continue to party and do what he pleases with many woman... sometimes multiple in the same night he has been able to get all of the ladies thrown at him to break off the engagement... until Teal.

Ronan thinks that he can make Teal call it off after catching her in a compromising situation but she refuses as she has reasons of her own to keep the engagement on and even goes out of her way to be kind to his mother who he loves but she is in fragile health.  

The longer they are engaged the more time they spend together and maybe they aren't as different as they originally thought while Teal is a loner by choice and has some rumors being spread about her life outside of school she just doesn't care enough about being popular to notice... in fact she has walls up at all times and doesn't really show emotions.. until Ronan breaks through her walls and she struggles to put them back in place.  

Ronan is the life of every party but behind his confidence and image he portrays he has his own hidden demons... Teal is the first person he has found that can sooth his inner turmoil... just maybe he doesn't want to break off their marriage after all... but when he finds out what she's really up to will that break them both?  
 

*high school bully  *sports romance (football/soccer)  *rich heir MMC  *Arranged marriage *opposites attract

*FMC Grumpy/ Sunshine MMC  *spice *possessive MMC  *morraly grey MMC  *Dual POV *Spice *Emo FMC *Enemies --> more 

*Mental health (PTSD, past trauma) 

*Check your trigger warnings 

Thoughts:  

I'm going to talk about this for every book in this series but the characters are written as if they are way older than they are... I did like Ronan he's the party boy but I could tell even in the previous books that I'm sure that he was putting on an act.  

Again just with the previous books my heart goes out to the lead characters no one should have to go through what they did and they are both survivors trying to cope with things in their own ways... are the ways the healthiest ways to deal with things, probably not if you decide to read this read your trigger warnings as there are plenty with really hard scenes to get through (past memories).  

I don't think this book will be for everyone and I would probably advise not to read it if you have any history of SA.  

On a lighter note Ronan has named his junk Ron Astor II this actually made me LOL because it was so obnoxious and ridiculous.  

I did enjoy seeing Ronan go from the golden retriever, womanizing party boy to a one woman man by the end of the book and Teal start to explore her past trauma by opening up more and letting herself feel the emotions instead of shutting them out.  

If you've read a Rina Kent book you probably have an idea that it's going to have darker elements, this one was just ok for me took me a bit of time to like the FMC since in the first part of the book her inner monologues read more like she was shutting down and robotic once you get to know more of her back story I did feel more for her.  I liked the MMC from previous books but you did see his "Darker" side come out a bit when he was trying to bully Teal into asking to drop the marriage arrangement.  

Rina Kent: Black Knight

 Book 4 

I've been interested in reading this story since I began reading the first book in this series Xander and Kimberly were best friends once as children he was there for her on her worst day (when her grandmother passed away) and she was there for him on his when his mother left without even looking back... they made promises to each other but sometimes people don't keep their promises.

While Xander went on to be one of the most popular guys in school Kimberly struggled with being bullied and wanted to just be invisible... unfortunately she couldn't escape the bullying at home either since her mother is toxic mostly in her own world with her artistic talents she hides away while ignoring her children Kim's father works out of the country and is rarely home thankfully she finds purpose with taking care of her younger brother.

Unfortunately for Kim her younger brother looks up to Xander who lives across the street from them and has been her bully all this time... Why can't he forgive her for what happened years ago?  

Throughout this book you are seeing that maybe there is more to Xander and Kimberly's past than what Kim think's happened but since there is some miscommunication/no communication going on it takes a bit to get to the truth... but once the truth comes out will they ever be the same?  

*2026  *friends --> enemies --> more  *high school bully *dual pov  *Spice  *slow burn *family secrets

*family drama  *miscommunication/no communication *touch her and 💀 *young adult  *teenagers

*morally gray MMC  *flashbacks in book

*mental health trigger warnings (eating disorder, self harm, SI, alcohol addiction, abandonment) 

*part of a series but can be read on it's own (there were some spoilers for the series before it in the book so I would recommend not reading out of order like I did if you don't want the spoilers) 

Thoughts:

From the first book I read a few weeks ago I knew that Xander and Kimberly's story would be emotional since you could see how hard Kim was struggling with no longer having Xander as a friend and she was harboring guilt and grief of no longer having his friendship in her life and whatever happened between them must have been big.  From Xander's side you could tell that he was still struggling with it too since even when he was her bully his friends were getting to her by even being near her.

My heart went out to both of our leads and I wanted to give both of them a big hug Xander at a young age ran after his mom as she left without saying goodbye Kim was right there with him and didn't leave even when he told her to go... when you have that kind of friendship it's devastating to lose it especially at a young age and even more so when you don't know why he can't get over the past incident.

I did struggle with Xander for his treatment of Kimberly over the years she was a beautiful young lady who had a huge heart and for an unknown (to her) reason he allowed her to be bullied when he told her he would be her "Knight" and protector.  I was so mad at her mother for treating her so horrible.  

Kimberly being fat shamed and bullied at home and at school ends up leaning towards innappropriate coping mechanisms to cope with her internal struggles, feeling alone and not wanting to bother anyone she internalized a lot of her emotions bottling them up and hiding secrets of her own.  Xander is hot and cold with Kim which doesn't help with her spiraling emotions.

Both of our leads were battling their own demons but once they come together again it was like the missing piece of a puzzle fitting back together... only when family drama comes back to haunt them and big family secrets are exposed will their brittle renewed friendship be able to survive the truth?

As with the other books in this series that I did struggle with the characters acting like possessive adults when they were still teenagers in highschool.  This had a lot of twists and turns and I was here for it, I loved how they were both flawed but eventually owned it and worked on self improvements together.  

Mental health is important:  https://988lifeline.org/

Sophie Bernbaum: Just Eloise

Eloise is having a big year not only is she having to deal with high school life without her best friend... and she is recently estranged from her other best friend now having to deal with the world on her own she takes this as a time to reflect on herself and who she could possibly be without her two best friends "Just Eloise" is making an entrance.

This book focuses on the stresses of being in high school with all of the big feelings as Eloise navigates her new world and with her alter ego in charge lets herself talk about the "bigger things" in life like how next year she won't even have her brother because he will be off in college many States away... it's good that she is taking her time to find herself now.

When Trevor comes into her life he is cute, on her brother's basketball team and also a senior... he seems to like who she is becoming and maybe she could navigate things with him by her side... or maybe she can't he's going to be going to college next year too and then all she'll have is Just Eloise.

*2026  *Indie Author  *Young Adult *miscommunication/no communication

*high school romance *sports romance (Basketball) *coming of age

*lots of big feelings *some spice  *POV from FMC side   *State Challenge New Mexico

*MMC struggling with feelings of abandonment *FMC (death of parent in past)  

Thoughts:

This was a cute coming of age story where you are reminded of the awkwardness of being that age range while trying to navigate big feelings and possibility of new experiences like having a first love and going further than just kissing.

Eloise and her brother and Trevor all had probably more free reign of their time than most teenagers this age as they were left on their own a lot while their parents worked.  I liked that Eloise felt comfortable enough to speak with her mom about her relationship but I can't imagine most parents would let their teenage daughter go with their boyfriend out of state to visit his mom.

I truly felt for Trevor he was a sweet boy who just wanted to be loved, his mom sent him to live with his dad after marrying her new man and they had a baby on the way... now he's kicked out of his childhood home and living with his dad who is working all the time and never really there for him, this leaves to him having feelings of abandonment and maybe coming on too strong with being jealous and clingy when it comes to his feelings towards Eloise who is struggling with trying to find who she is as a person.

Eloise is relatable but somewhere a long the way she went from having "Just Eloise" help her with the tough conversations to shutting down when tough conversations needed to happen leading to a lot of no communication.  

I felt this book was way longer than it needed to be (over 450 pages) and I struggled at times to get through it, after the half way mark I started skimming through some of the sections.