Bookmark & Brews

Disclaimer: I try not to give away too many spoilers or specifics, but overall this is a summary of the book and what I liked most about it. Some details are included.

No Shelf Control is the 4^th book in the Book of Love series. There is only one book left and I’m going to be so sad when this series is over. I’ve absolutely loved these women and living vicariously through them. Running a bookstore with your best friends? What a dream!

Jasmine is a partner in the bookstore along with Lilah who we met in book 1. Jasmine has been a great side character in the previous books and I was so looking forward to her story. It absolutely didn’t disappoint. I love her fierce spirit in everything she does. The one and only thing she is scared of is falling for someone, and she gives River a run for his money.

What I love about River is that he is instantly attracted to Jasmine exactly as she is, a total ballbuster. She insults him and throws a tantrum the first time they meet and he can’t help but tease her and become completely smitten. Another thing I love about River is he’s a romance author who writes women as the strong heroes of his stories. The way he talks about women is so empowering and lovely, I really wish he were real lol.

Jasmine and River’s banter had me laughing out loud and their spicy romance had me fanning myself. This might have been my favorite of the series so far, but it’s a super close competition. Ready for the last book, but also sad to say goodbye to these ladies.

Favorite Quote: “I don’t give a shit if there are a million other women in the world. There’s only one who calls me an insufferable ass and still makes my dick this hard. There’s only one who calls me annoyingly disagreeable and still makes me feel like a fucking king every time she smiles at me.” – River

Purchase No Shelf Control HERE

BREW: One of my favorite drinks is an iced brown sugar shaken espresso from Starbucks. However, that’s not always available, or affordable to have as much as I’d like. I found a Starbucks brown sugar sweet cream creamer available at the grocery store and it was as close to the real thing as you can get. I was very pleasantly surprised! If you love brown sugar, give it a try, worked in both hot and iced coffees!

Disclaimer: I try not to give away too many spoilers or specifics, but overall this is a summary of the book and what I liked most about it. Some details are included.

First book in a series titled “Cuddle a Cowboy”, you know this is going to be good! Absolutely loved this book and it was a great start to this series of handsome Cowboys on a ranch!

Bronco is former military who has started a ranch to help other veterans transition from military to civilian life. He promised Lauren’s brother he would look out for her if anything ever happened to him. Bronco didn’t realize how hard he would fall for Lauren and how he would feel a kind of peace and comfort from being around her that he’s never felt before.

Lauren has felt like a burden to everyone in her life, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. She has grown up in a retirement community and finds purpose in caring for the residents. Of course, she has fantasized about Bronco from the moment they met face to face, maybe even before. I liked Lauren’s sassy/teasing attitude with Bronco and her caring side she showed with the residents and her aunt. She has such a big heart!

For an instalove, I felt a bit of a slow burn with Lauren and Bronco finally getting together. There were miscommunications that made me want to strangle both of them haha. But when they did get together, fireworks! Once that switch flipped for Bronco, he went from over protective alpha to passionate cowboy, always putting Lauren first.

Loved the side characters as well. The nosey residents at the retirement community and the cowboys on the ranch were all hilarious. Super excited for the next book!

Favorite Quote: “Don’t say anything. I love you. And if you don’t work through what’s going on in your head, then just know that I’m going to ache for you, for us, and everything that we could have been, for the rest of my life.” – Bronco

Purchase Bronco HERE

BREW: Pool season is officially here! Bringing out all my favorite poolside (or beach or lake) beverages. Starting with High Noons. A vodka soda that is light and crisp. There are so many different flavors, but my favorite is the pineapple! Where are you beating the heat? Pool, lake or beach?

Disclaimer: I try not to give away too many spoilers or specifics, but overall this is a summary of the book and what I liked most about it. Some details are included.

Blitz is Book 10 in the Redline Kings MC series. You know I love an MC series, it’s one of my favorites! Especially when the men are rich and choose the MC brotherhood. This was an ARC read for me and I was so excited to read it because I always enjoy Fiona Davenport, but somehow I missed this series. Starting with Book 10 might give away a plot reveal, I fully intend to start from the beginning now, because I definitely enjoyed this book. It can be read as a standalone I think, but again, might have a plot spoiler.

Looking at Blitz “Canyon” and Aubrey, they have so much chemistry and I was smiling ear to ear at how fast he fell. What starts as a plot for revenge, pretty much immediately turns to Blitz knowing Aubrey is his and he doesn’t want to do anything to risk losing her.

Age gap loves are a fine line for me, but this was done well. Aubrey is in college and younger than Blitz, but I felt like they complimented each other perfectly. Also loved seeing these tough MC bikers be so sweet with the kids and taking turns with kid duty to give the moms a break!

Great instalove story and absolutely recommend starting from the beginning like I plan to do now 😉

Favorite Quote: “I’m done letting guilt hide how I feel. I love you, sunshine. I’m all in.” – Blitz

Purchase Blitz HERE

BREW: I needed a frozen treat with this 90 degree heat, so a frosted lemonade from Chick fil A was a must! I see a lot of people making their own slushies at home and this made me want to figure out how to make that happen. What is it about hot weather and crazing lemonade? What’s your favorite summer drink?

Disclaimer: I try not to give away too many spoilers or specifics, but overall this is a summary of the book and what I liked most about it. Some details are included.

Not sure about you, but I can’t get enough of hot hockey player romances after binging Off Campus. Slap Shot Kisses was just enough to take the edge off. I really enjoyed this book and the forbidden romance between Jaxson and Harper.

Harper has some solid rules about not dating athletes, especially her brother’s biggest enemy rival. But damn, how can you resist a big, strong man nicknamed Ice Wall? You can’t. You really can’t when he goes out of his way to show you what a marshmallow he is inside for you.

I loved how tough Harper was and how Loni highlighted the grueling hours an ER nurse works and how strong nurses are overall. When Harper stands up to her brother and threatens him, I was cheering her on, fist in air!

Jaxson just melted my heart. He was so lonely and closed off that my heart ached for him in the first couple chapters. The way he immediately starts opening up and bringing down his walls after meeting Harper and not giving up on getting a chance with her, total swoon.

Really excited for the next book in this series that will feature Harper’s brother! Can’t wait to see him brought down 😉

Favorite Quote: “She’s in firecracker mode, chin high, eyes blazing, practically vibrating with protective rage. I’ll be honest. I’m kinda turned on. And maybe a little terrified.” – Jaxson

Get Slap Shot Kisses HERE

BREW: It’s rainy here again today, so I made a hot cup of green tea with a little lemon and mint. So cozy!

Disclaimer: I try not to give away too many spoilers or specifics, but overall this is a summary of the book and what I liked most about it. Some details are included.

I can be a little picky when it comes to age gap romances. I’m not a fan of a 19 year old girl falling in love with a fifty year old man. It just doesn’t feel very believable.  Let’s be honest, instalove romances are already for us hopeless romantics to fantasize about, let’s take every kind of possible reality we can get. However, Kat does age gap very well in this book. Their age isn’t specifically called out by a number. We know Heath is a silver fox and the groom’s father. We also know Clover is the oldest sister and at least she isn’t a virgin (another pet peeve for age gaps).

I really enjoyed this book. I found myself smiling the majority of the time. There was also some really sweet emotional moments that made me tear up and of course, with all Kat Baxter stories, there was humor mixed all the way through. I laughed out loud several times at the witty banter, both spoken out loud and in the character’s own inner monologue.

 I loved the instant connection and the natural caregiver energy Heath gave off from the start. I also thought it was great to see Clover’s confidence and sense of self progress in such a natural way by the end of the book. Perfect amount of spice and banter for another great read! Looking forward to reading the other books in this Billionaire Cowboy series 😉

Favorite Quote: “I do love you. More than anything in the world. You are my very heart walking around outside of my body. It’s my job to make sure you’re happy. So what do you want?” – Heath

Brew: Nothing better than a slow morning reading in your favorite big comfy chair with the rain falling outside. Until you add a big cup of coffee with it. Enjoyed a Caribou Coffee brew with a splash of Califia Farms Organic Vanilla Almond Milk Creamer.

Disclaimer: I try not to give away too many spoilers or specifics, but overall this is a summary of the book and what I liked most about it. Some details are included.

This is the third of four standalone books released for the holiday season. Each book is by a different author, but their characters and the setting connect which is fun. I’ve enjoyed series like this before and it’s interesting to see the different styles of each author take on their part in the story.

We’re back at Naughty List Ranch and finally getting to Grady and Angel’s story. We’ve met both of these characters in the first two books and knew something was brewing when Callie sat down with Angel to spill her tea and get some of her own.

Grady is another one of Mary and Christopher’s boys that they took care of on the ranch. He seems more quiet and reserved than Dallas and Nate, but the gruff protectiveness he feels for Angel is strong. I loved his insistence to help her when she got hurt and take care of her.

Angel also had a tough childhood in foster care, so the bond her and Grady have at feeling unwanted and running before being left, had me thinking at least one of them would be running from this budding relationship. I liked how Angel could trust Grady almost immediately and allow him to take care of her. The fact that he is a beautiful, rugged cowboy might have helped too 😊

Both Grady and Angel stop running and embrace this home they’ve found in Silver Bell Hollow and the people who love them. I liked how Angel inherited the coffee shop, but made it her own and better. Grady giving back to Mary and Christopher by staying to help mentor other troubled teens like him feels like he could be the next generation following in their footsteps. A full circle moment.

I think this may have been the first book I’ve read by these co-authors. I enjoyed the story, and while this is definitely an instalove and shorter book, the chapters were a little long for my personal preference. Overall, I felt this story kept with the theme of the Naughty List Ranch series and fit in great.

Favorite Quote: “I need you to understand. If I kiss you…it won’t be once. It won’t be casual. I won’t forget about it in the morning. If I kiss you, Angel, it’ll be the first of a thousand.” – Grady (holy swoon batman!)

Purchase Her Grumpy Cowboy HERE

BREW: Still enjoying my holiday mugs this month! Mixed my Caribou coffee with a splash of Trader Joe’s brown sugar oat creamer. Such a warm and smooth flavor that gives all the extra cozy feels!

Disclaimer: I try not to give away too many spoilers or specifics, but overall this is a summary of the book and what I liked most about it. Some details are included.

This is the second of four standalone books released for the holiday season. Each book is by a different author, but their characters and the setting connect which is fun. I’ve enjoyed series like this before and it’s interesting to see the different styles of each author take on their part in the story.

Mia Brody is one of my favorite authors and she’s done it again. I found myself laughing and tearing up at multiple points during this story. Mia also intertwined some of the characters in her other books with this story when our leading man Nate is at home in Courage County, North Carolina. Lots of alpha cowboys who seem to fall first most of the time and totally make you swoon.

Nate is another former foster child that found family at the Naughty List Ranch. I thought Mary and Christopher were super sweet in the first book as we learned about them adopting these boys as troubled teens and how they showed them love and family for the first time. This story expands on that and also shows us just how loving and welcoming they are to everyone and also shows us how in love they still are together.

Nate decided Callie and her son Danny were his from the moment he saw them and he didn’t make them doubt it once. I loved his fierce protectiveness over them immediately, calling Callie his wife and Danny his son before they even got together. He made her life easier in any way he could showing his commitment. His moments with Danny, who has down syndrome and needs extra care, just made my heart melt into a big puddle.

Callie is the best example of a mother who will do anything for her child and advocate and love him unconditionally. She is so strong and independent, but I was happy she accepted the help of the Maas family and knew she could trust Nate so easily.

This was such a great instalove story for the holiday season. I’m really enjoying the Naughty List Ranch series and the sweet men that learned to love there.

Favorite Quote: “It’s not dirty talk. It’s a filthy guarantee.” – Nate

Purchase Her Cowboy Santa HERE

BREW: Enjoying all my Christmas mugs this time of year! One of my favorite coffee flavors of the season is Peppermint, so a yummy peppermint mocha creamer is easily a go to for me.