Buried Too Deep by Karen Rose

After 23 years, Cora’s father’s body suddenly turns up, bringing with it questions and danger. Cora has Phin and the Broussard team to help her.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ As usual, the writing drew me in and even through the more technical details of the investigation, I was very invested. The best parts were every time Cora reminded everyone that she was a librarian and knew things. Cora ended up being a very valuable part of solving the mystery and I liked that. The ways she helped to ground Phin (along with his dog Sodapop) and helped him feel like it’s possible to have a normal life were so touching. Cora and Phin connected right away and fell into a close relationship that later developed into more, but I can’t say that they had super strong chemistry. The truth of the story unfurled slowly, but at just the right pace. Even though this book is part of a much bigger series, it stands well on its own. I can highly recommend this entire series if you like romantic suspense.

Genre: Romance, Suspense
Published: August 13, 2024
Sensuality Rating: Warm
Series: Book 30 of Romantic Suspense

Dead of Winter by Rebecca Zanetti

Welcome to Knife’s Edge, Alaska, where the four Osprey brothers return from military service with shadows in their eyes and secrets in their hearts. As danger looms, new romances ignite, and these rugged men must fight for love… and survival.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ There is so much mystery surrounding this little town in Alaska and I definitely want to learn more about Brock’s brothers. I liked Olivia. She had this quiet, gentle stubbornness that meant she didn’t give up, but also people were drawn to her and wanted to help her out. Even Brock, with his determination to run her out of town, didn’t really stand a chance against her charm. Brock was gruff and grumpy, but dedicated to the town and its people. They were adorable together. A fairly fast pace took us through plenty of twists and turns and interesting characters to a satisfactory ending.

Genre: Romance, Suspense
First Published: November 4, 2021
Sensuality Rating: Warm
Series: Book 1 of Knife’s Edge, Alaska

The Honeymoon Crashers by Christina Lauren

A perfectionist maid of honor and a carefree, surfer-bro best man team up to plan a wedding and end up finding a spark of their own.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ I quite enjoyed listening to this in the car while driving all over the place. The narrators did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. I think many of us can relate to Amy and her desperate desire to be in control of as much as possible. Brody was her exact opposite and it was clear that he had a calming influence on her and brought her playful side out. I enjoyed their banter, their chemistry, and the hilarious ways Brody tried to bring her out of her own head to just have fun in the moment. I can recommend this if you like a steamy, light-hearted romance.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
First Published: August 1, 2023
Sensuality Rating: Warm
Series: Book 1.5 of Unhoneymooners

Rafferty by Sawyer Bennett

Rafferty Abrams has been having the time of his life since joining the Pittsburgh Titans, but a poorly thought out one-night stand is about to cause unwanted drama with potentially serious repercussions.

⭐⭐⭐ Rafferty and Tempe were a wonderful couple and I loved to see their fake relationship turn into a real one. The stalking issue with Tansy was quite tense, but I felt like her revenge towards the end was a bit underwhelming. This is a great series for a quick read if you like a steamy hockey romance. Each book stands well on its own.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
First Published: January 14, 2025
Sensuality Rating: Hot
Series: Book 15 of Pittsburgh Titans