Book Review for The Hotshot by Piper Rayne

 

The Hotshot by Piper Rayne

Published:  February 17, 2026 by Piper Rayne, Inc

Genre:  Sports Romance

 

Taken from Goodreads:  Raising my cousin’s three kids wasn’t in my five-year plan.

Actually, it wasn’t in any plan.

One minute I’m a single labor and delivery nurse living a quiet life and the next, I’m navigating guardianship hearings, meltdowns, and homework I’m pretty sure requires a math degree.

Enter Hayes Carlisle.

My best friend’s older brother.
Chicago Colts newest catcher.
And the man I once kissed and immediately pretended I didn’t.

So, when the custody battle I’ve been dreading becomes a reality, I shouldn’t be surprised that Hayes swoops in with a wild idea—a fake relationship. According to him, pretending we’re together will polish his image and prove to the court I’m not taking on an instant family alone.

But pretending to be Hayes’ girlfriend is a terrible idea.

Because he remembers how to make me laugh.
Because he looks at me like our kiss wasn’t a one-time mistake.
Because the kids start asking him to read bedtime stories.
Because my heart starts wanting things my life doesn’t have room for.

I can manage the chaos. I can fight for these kids.
But pretending not to fall for Hayes Carlisle?

That might be the one thing I can’t do.

 

My Thoughts: It is almost baseball season and I am ready.    The Hotshot tells the story of the catcher of the Chicago Colts coming to town to play baseball and to change the bad boy label he earned last season.    Taking on a family is not in those plans, but when that family is the best friend of his sister, the woman that he has dreamed about for years, he does not hesitate to step up and help her out. 

The side characters are amazing and I cannot wait to read their stories.  I know that they each will get one and they will be just as wonderful as Hayes’ story.  His teammates are more than teammates, they are brothers.

Fake dating, best friends’ brother, baseball romance, surprise family…all in one book.   Everything about this story is fun and flirty. 

Thank you Valentine PR for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Book Review for Crown of War and Shadow by J.R. Ward

 

Kingdoms of the Compass #1

Crown of War and Shadow by  J.R. Ward

Published:  February 17, 2026 by Bramble

Genre:  Romantasy

Taken from Goodreads:  An outcast burdened with a curse and a mercenary who's out for himself collide in this star-crossed, slow-burn, high-stakes romantic fantasy from #1 New York Times bestseller J. R. Ward.

In the dead of night, passions rise and empires fall.

Welcome to Kingdoms of the Compass.

The Fulcrum is failing, and demons are slipping into the mortal world, stalking the night.

No one is safe.

Especially not Sorrel. An orphan and an outcast, she’s spent her whole life within the walls of her small village, ostracized for her mystical abilities. She wants to survive…and maybe find somewhere she can call her true home. But Fate has other plans.

Sorrel has been chosen. Cursed.

She must cross the Badlands to return the Queen's crown and convince the fearsome female to save their world from destruction.

Well aware she’s no brave hero, Sorrel makes a dangerous deal with Merc, a brooding, commanding mercenary known only by his unscrupulous profession.

The deal? A night in his bed that she will never forget, in exchange for her safe passage.

But Merc has secrets of his own, and even though passion runs hot between them, enemies are around every corner, and danger and betrayal threaten at every turn.

Crown of War and Shadow is the first book in the Kingdoms of the Compass series.

My Thoughts:  There is so much hope in me for a new series from one of my favorite authors.   I picked up my copy and started reading it in the morning and by mid-afternoon I knew that I would not be putting it down anytime soon.  I quickly became invested in Merc and Sorrel’s relationship.  I was waiting for the twists and turns to come and oh did they come.   Crown of War and Shadow is just the first book and I cannot wait to see what comes next. 

Romantasy is one of my favorite genres.  Add in the twists and turns along with some darkness and I am hooked.  Kingdom of Compass series has so much potential and it will feel like forever before book two is available but until then I will just revisit Sorrell and Merc dreaming of what will happen next. 

Thank you Bramble for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon

 

Meet theAuthor (taken from her website):  J.R. Ward is the author of over thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. There are more than 15 million copies of Ward’s novels in print worldwide and they have been published in 25 different countries around the world.

After graduating from law school, Ward began working in healthcare in Boston and spent many years as Chief of Staff of one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. She lives in the south with her incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. Writing has always been her passion and her idea of heaven is a whole day of nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot.

Visit the JRWard FacebookPage for more on the Brotherhood or email her at her contact page.  

Available Now!!! Forever Undone by J. Saman

 

Forever Undone by J. Saman is now live! USA Today bestselling author J. Saman delivers steam, feels, and laughs in this enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience romance about a hotshot single dad surgeon and the feisty nurse he'll do anything to protect. I never should have agreed to marry my older brother's best friend, but I was in a bit of a jam. Aston Hughes is gorgeous, arrogant, and irritatingly broody. The single dad is also the new trauma surgeon at my hospital and my temporary roommate. Two years ago, we shared a mistaken kiss during a blackout, and nothing's been right between us since. So really, I shouldn't have said yes when he suggested a marriage of convenience. But after leaving my bad ex behind, I discover I'm pregnant with his baby, and I'm scared. Aston offers to marry me as protection from my ex in exchange for helping out with his daughter, who needs more stability in her life after recently losing her mother. It's an unfortunate no-brainer. Only what starts as a simple business arrangement quickly turns messy. Heated. Soon he's no longer fighting with me but for me as he calls me his wife and claims my baby as his. Except nothing is that simple or easy for any of us. Now here I am, falling for the hotshot doctor and his daughter while our lives come undone around us. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited http://geni.us/ForeverUndone Audible: https://bit.ly/3MbCWPW Narrated by: CJ Bloom and JF Harding Goodreads: https://bit.ly/43WmxVs

Book Review for The Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff

 

The Aftermyth #1

The Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff

Published:  February 3, 2026 by Aladdin

Genre:  Dark Academia, Middle Grade, Mythology, Fantasy

 

Taken from Goodreads:  In a world ruled by the tenets of Greek mythology, one girl’s fate is more than it appears in the first book in a new dark academia fantasy middle grade series from #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Crave series Tracy Wolff.

What’s your myth?

Penelope Weaver has spent her whole life preparing to attend Anaximander’s Academy, where students learn how to bring to life the stories of Greek mythology as well as discover the Greek god whose principles they most embody. Penelope knows she’s an Athena—all smart, practical, and rule-following girls who take part in stories that matter are Athenas.

But when Penelope and her twin brother Paris arrive at Anaximander’s, it appears fate has other plans. Penelope isn’t placed with Athena but with students who are anything but practical and who prefer parties to rules. And that’s just the beginning. She’s given the world’s worst muse, her assigned tasks feel impossible, and the magic of Anaximander’s is overwhelming. Not to mention, there are two very different boys making her new life even more confusing.

But as things go from bad to dangerously worse, one thing becomes in a world where everything is fated to happen a certain way, some stories need to be rewritten. As the world around her shifts and cracks, Penelope is asked to forget everything she thought she knew to help create a better story…even if that changes every plan and breaks every rule.

My Thoughts:  Mythology is not something I know a lot about but I am finding myself looking for more books that are mythological.  The Aftermyth is a middle grade mythology fantasy book that had me enthralled.   I love that characters are younger and the writing stays true to that age. 

There is a lot about this book that reminds me of Percy Jackson, which is not my favorite series, but this book has the potential to become part of a favorite series.   I will hold full judgement until I read book two, but I am already counting the days until I get my hands on the next book in this series.  I laughed and cringed at some of the friendships.  I tried to figure out how Ellie would get out of the situations she seemed to always be in.  Mostly, I was just reading and enjoying the characters, the storyline, and the unique setting.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Purchase your own copy on Amazon

Meet the Author (taken from her website):  Tracy Wolff is the #1 New York Times, #1 International, and USA Today bestselling author of over sixty novels that run the gamut from young adult action adventures to new adult romance and from women’s fiction to erotica. A long-time lover of vampires, dragons and all things that go bump in the night, Tracy loves nothing more than combining her affection for paranormal creatures with her love of writing tortured heroes and kick-butt heroines.

When she’s not writing (which is a rare occurrence), she can be found trying out new recipes, offering make-up tips online, wandering comic book/gaming stores with her sons, and watching movies or plotting stories with her besties. A one time English professor, she now writes full-time from her home in Austin, Texas, which she shares with her family. Her most recent work, the young adult vampire novel, CRAVE, “is about to become fandom’s new favorite vampire romance obsession” (Hypable).

 

Release Blitz for My Heart to Remember by A.B. Medley

 

My Heart to Remember by A.B. Medley is now live!

Identical twins London and Lennon Tyler have always lived as mirror images--one a fearless race car driver, the other a quietly brilliant chef. Their secret talent? Switching places whenever life demands it. It's always been harmless...until one switch ends in tragedy.

One twin wakes in a hospital bed with no memory.

The other never wakes at all.

Doctors tell the surviving sister who she is. They tell her who she loves--a charming physician who claims to be her boyfriend. She tries to settle into the life she's supposedly lived...until a shaken race car driver storms into her room, calling her by a different name.

Her sister's name.

Hospitals don't make mistakes this big...right?

As her body heals, fragments of the accident--and the life she might have lived--start surfacing. Someone isn't telling the whole truth. Her heart tugs her one direction, her mind another, and every step forward blurs the line between memory, desire, and what is real.

Is she falling back in love with the man she had before?

Or are there new feelings for the man who loved her sister?

 Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/496sVMt   

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4anBvYB 

 

Meet A.B. Medley

A.B. Medley lives in Tennessee with the love of her life and three sons. Her husband stole her heart when she was sixteen and their relationship is one of those meant to be love stories you find in magazines and novels.
She is a dental hygienist who loves to read and has always dabbled in writing. When she's not making people's smiles shine, she enjoys belting out songs with her boys, dancing, raspberries, baseball, and anything vintage. Like any proper Tennessean, Sundrop is her drink of choice. She loves her family and friends fiercely and believes in always chasing your dreams.
Deception in the Truth is her debut novel--but as she nurtures her love for writing romance stories, her list of released books continues to grow.

 

Connect with A.B.

Website | www.abmedley.com   

Goodreads | www.goodreads.com/author/show/21798630.A_B_Medley   

Amazon | www.amazon.com/author/abmedley    

Facebook | www.facebook.com/authorabmedley     

Facebook Group |  https://www.facebook.com/groups/440778644465657     

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/abmedleyauthor/

Bookbub |  www.bookbub.com/authors/a-b-medley     

Pinterest |  www.pinterest.com/abmedleyauthor       

Newsletter |  http://eepurl.com/hWm8-j  

Book Mail

The Cove by LJ Ross

Publishing: May 5, 2026 by Poisoned Pen Press

THE PERFECT ESCAPE...

Gabrielle Adams has it all – brains, beauty, a handsome fiancé, and a dream job in publishing. Until, one day, everything changes.

The ‘Underground Killer’ takes his victims when they least expect it: standing on the edge of a busy Tube platform, as they wait for a train to arrive through the murky underground tunnels of London.

Gabrielle soon learns that being a survivor is harder than being a victim, and she struggles to return to her old life. Desperate to break free from the endless nightmares, she snatches up an opportunity to run a tiny bookshop in a picturesque cove in rural Cornwall.

She thinks she’s found the perfect escape, but has she swapped one nightmare for another?

Suspense and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced thriller, set amidst the spectacular Cornish landscape.

Simplicity by the Sea by Jennifer Vido

Published:  January 26, 2026 by Wild Rose Press

What if the perfect pairing isn't found in a bottle, but in each other?

High-powered marketing executive Delaney Huger thrives in Virginia's wine scene until a quick trip home to Gull Island for a wedding forces her to slow down. Suddenly, she's questioning the life she's built and what comes next. Can she uncork a new beginning or keep pouring into a dream that no longer fits?

Charter captain Luke Sullivan has built a quiet, predictable life on Gull Island, perfect for raising his daughter and growing his business. But when a captivating wedding guest stirs something he thought he'd buried, he wonders if it's time to change. Will he chart a new course toward love or stay safely ashore?

Available Now!!! Doubt by Kathy Lockheart

 

Doubt by Kathy Lockheart is now live! I killed a man. That’s what they charged me with after finding me in the woods with a bloody knife, a dead body, and no memory of how I got there. The case was over before it began… until Ryker Kincaid stepped in. Chicago’s most ruthless defense attorney. My brother’s best friend. The only man I ever loved. He shouldn’t touch me. Shouldn’t move me into his penthouse. Shouldn’t look at me like I’m something worth saving. But he does. Ryker believes I’m innocent, and he’s risking everything to prove it. His career. His reputation. His heart. The price he demands is the truth. Every secret. Every dark corner of my past. But I learned a long time ago that honesty makes people leave. I survived them all walking away. I won’t survive losing Ryker. So when the truth finally surfaces, there’s only one question left: Will Ryker choose to stay… or will I lose the only man who ever made me believe I was worth loving? From an International & Amazon Top 25 Bestselling Author, DOUBT is a brother’s best friend romance featuring a grumpy, morally gray defense attorney.  Brother’s Best Friend Forbidden Romance  “Touch Her and Die” Energy  Possessive, Protective, Morally Gray Hero  Grumpy Hero  Secrets, Lies & Hidden Pasts  Forced Proximity & Protective Sanctuary Standalone. Addictive, edge-of-your-seat HEA. Trigger Warnings: Please visit the author’s website for the full list. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited https://amzn.to/3Y2Db2k Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3KZ0FSW

Now Available!! Sweet Surrender by Bella Matthews

 

Sweet Surrender by Bella Matthews is now live! From #1 Amazon and USA Today Bestselling Author Bella Matthews comes an enemies to lovers, surprise pregnancy, sports romance. Hating Jameson Murphy is easy. Wanting him is where everything gets complicated. He’s my best friend’s older brother. My father’s star player. A charmingly infuriating football god I’ve spent a lifetime avoiding and failing to ignore. He should be the last man tempting me into bad decisions. But when a snowstorm grounds our flight, and champagne blurs our judgment, one reckless night shatters every rule I’ve put in place . . . leaving me with two little pink lines and one very big problem. Now, thanks to an unreliable mother, a surprise baby sister, and a new living arrangement I never saw coming, my carefully crafted life is unraveling faster than the worn satin ribbon on my favorite old pointe shoes. And Jameson? He’s everywhere. In my space. In my secrets. Looking at me like he already knows how this ends and how it doesn’t. Forcing me to face a truth I’m not ready to accept . . . What if surrender doesn’t mean losing yourself? What if it’s about trusting someone else? And maybe . . . just maybe, what if it means finally finding home? Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited https://a.co/d/dmplbxT Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3KYSEgL