Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business – one that plays for keeps.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ This one was difficult for me to rate. The romance between Eli and Rue was not what you’d normally expect from this author. The level of betrayal between supposed co-workers and friends in this book was just off the charts. It was difficult to figure out who was in the right and who wasn’t. And the entire time I was rooting for Rue. Eli was beyond supportive of Rue. He went out of his way to make sure that she would be all right at the end of it all, even if that meant he had to adjust his own plans of revenge. I liked that Rue was very mature about it all and I found her reactions realistic. My feelings about their relationship went up and down, and at the end I still wasn’t sure exactly how to feel about them.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 11, 2024
Sensuality Rating: Hot

Totality by Kim Harrison

After a solar eclipse opens a way between our world and a paranormal realm, and the dark side of first contact emerges, one woman’s loyalties will be tested in this gripping serialized adventure.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Contact has been made and we are learning more about the Neighbors. Clearly there are factions on both sides with more sinister motives and this made the story very intense and suspenseful. Renee has an almost idealistic view of the Neighbors, and it doesn’t seem to occur to her that there might be individuals with sinister intentions, the same as you would get within the human population. This had me at the edge of my seat quite a few times and I cannot wait to see where it all goes. It is definitely best to read these books in order.

Genre: Fantasy
Published: May 7, 2024
Sensuality Rating: None
Series: Book 2 of Eclipsed Evolution

Emergence by Kim Harrison

For better or worse, a solar eclipse brought humans and paranormal beings together, sparking one woman’s battle to master magic or lose our world.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Renee continues to be somewhat naive when it comes to the Neighbors and their intentions. At least Jackson has a more realistic view and tries to mitigate any unintentional consequences. Things worked out well for Renee, but she did make some dangerous and very questionable decisions. Noel turned out to be a surprise, which was unexpected. This book was over way too fast and I was quite upset to discover that this is very far from the end. It is best to read these books in order.

Genre: Fantasy
Published: June 4, 2024
Sensuality Rating: None
Series: Book 3 of Eclipsed Evolution

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey

A sports rom-com about a burly, surly, single dad who falls head-over-hockey-stick for his quirky live-in nanny.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Burgess handled Tallulah’s fears with caution and he went above and beyond to help her feel safe in his home. The attraction between them was instant and constantly at the forefront of every interaction. I liked this book, but not as much as Fangirl Down. It just didn’t have that same electric excitement. I enjoyed watching Tallulah reclaim her agency and continuing her journey even after their breakup. This romance had a lot of obstacles to overcome and it did lead to a very satisfactory ending.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: July 16, 2024
Sensuality Rating: Hot
Series: Book 2 of Big Shots