Book review: LOVE HARD, by Louise Bay

Colorado Club Billionaires #3

Jack & Iris

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is basically a love letter to fated meetings—the ones we don’t expect, the ones we don’t think we deserve, and the ones that show up in the opening of the New York City ballet, wearing a tux, and taking your for a stroll through Central Park.

Iris is the kind of heroine who quietly breaks your heart and then stitches it back together with sheer determination. She’s spent years shelving her own dreams to keep her family afloat, sneaking off once a year to New York to breathe the air of the life she almost had. And then one night at the ballet, fate plops a ridiculously charming man right next to her.

Enter Jack Alden: handsome, wealthy, raised in a world of legacy and expectations he never asked for. He’s supposed to be the perfect society son, but instead he falls headfirst for a woman from a Colorado fruit farm who tips restroom attendants and has more heart than his entire social circle combined.

Their chemistry is instant, sweet, and a little bit magical—the kind that makes you believe in destiny even if you’re usually more of a “let’s be realistic” person. What follows is a story about two people trying to carve out a life that feels like theirs, not the one they were handed. There’s longing, heartbreak, found family, a very satisfying reunion, and a hero who is absolutely gone for the heroine in the best way.

“We were both lost before we found each other. Together we’re the best versions of ourselves. We’re stronger. Happier. Better in every way.”

It’s tender, hopeful, and full of that warm “we make each other better” energy that makes romance so addictive. And yes, the love scenes feel like connection, not choreography.

A charming, heartfelt read about choosing love, choosing yourself, and rewriting the script you thought you had to follow.

Purchase links

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱

https://geni.us/LoveHard

Amazon US: https://geni.us/LoveHardAmzUS

Amazon UK: https://geni.us/loveharduk

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0F8RCGCQ4

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0F8RCGCQ4

Audible US: https://geni.us/lovehardaudio

Audible UK: https://geni.us/lovehardaudiouk

Add to 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔: https://geni.us/LoveHardGR

About the author

International, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author, Louise Bay writes contemporary romance novels that make you laugh - the kind she likes to read.

Ruined by the bonk-busters of the eighties, Louise was inspired by Judith Krantz and Jackie Collins, but wants to be Emily Henry when she grows up.

Louise loves the rain, RHOBH, London, days when she doesn't have to wear make-up, hanging out with her kid, elephants and champagne (not necessarily in that order).

She loves to hear from readers so get in touch!

 

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To learn more about Louise Bay& her books, visit here!

 

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Book review: MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY, by Kendall Ryan

This book starts off kind of meh—I wasn’t sure if I’d stick with it—but it turns cute pretty fast. The characters are all connected in the most roundabout way, which makes the whole thing hilarious once you realize who knows who. Midway through, the pace slows down, but even then the characters are lovely and the story intriguing enough to keep me turning pages.

Andi is a morgue technician, sharp-tongued, acerbic, queen of one-liners.  Cole is an EMT/firefighter, golden retriever energy, cocky but kind. They cross paths constantly at the hospital. He falls first (of course), and he’s determined to win her over. She’s a hard case, though—her walls are skyscraper-high thanks to losing her parents in a car accident at 18.

Cole’s teammates make a bet with a checklist: make her smile, hold a five-minute conversation, get a kiss, and finally, score a date. Instead of hiding it, Cole shows Andi the bracket—points for integrity! His persistence is adorable: cherry pie deliveries, pink-frosted cupcakes, quiet dinners instead of flashy outings. He’s relentless but sweet, and she’s attracted against her will.

Meanwhile, there are plot twists that are hilarious:  Jack is Andi’s father best friend, he has been present in her life since her parents died, acting as a father figure. He starts dating Kate (Cole’s mom) who downloaded a dating app thanks to her meddling book club besties.

Jack and Cole already know each other from Search & Rescue work—and they don’t like each other. Cue awkward dinners and tense rescues.

A tragedy occurs that makes shock waves for both Andi and Cole.  And Andi, true to form, retreated back within her walls. I found her selfish and coward, abandoning Cole, just when he needed her the most. In the midst of her turmoil, Jack delivers the wisdom bomb: better to be afraid with the person you love than to live alone with the same pain.

I struggled with Andi, she’s witty and her zingers are fun, but she’s negative, self-sabotaging, and downright Eeyore-ish. On the other hand, I loved Cole. He’s cocky, funny, kind, devoted to his mom, respectful of Jack even when he didn’t like him, but just because he made his mom laugh. He’s the definition of a golden retriever hero—loyal, goofy, and impossible not to root for.

I loved the mixture of humor, heart, and a bit of drama.  I loved the romance part, sweet persistence against stubborn resistance.  The side characters add layers of comedy and warmth, making the story feel like a sitcom family tree gone wild. Cute read!

Purchase links

💜 Amazon: https://amzn.to/4plzeBG

💜 Audible ➜ https://geni.us/SXvtLGx

💜 Special Edition Paperback ➜ https://amzn.to/45IdeJj

💜 Goodreads: https://geni.us/MCEGR

About the author

 Kendall Ryan writes contemporary romance. Her books have been featured on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists a combined total of more than 100 times. 

Connect with Kendall:

➜ WEBSITE www.kendallryanbooks.com

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➜ FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/kendallryanbooks

➜ INSTAGRAM www.instagram.com/kendallryan1

➜ TWITTER www.twitter.com/kendallryan1

Book review: (NOT SO) SIMPLE LYRICS, by Claudia Burgoa

Heartbreak Mixtapes #1

Roderick & Kit

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story isn’t a second‑chance romance so much as a reclamation—of self, of music, of the kind of love that survives the wreckage. Roderick Wilder and Kit Dempsey grew up believing they were inevitable, two prodigies orbiting the same broken rock‑royalty universe. Life, addiction, and the sins of the generation before them blew that apart spectacularly.

What I loved is that this book doesn’t pretend healing is pretty. Roderick’s fall is messy, humiliating, and painfully human, and his climb back up is slow, grounded, and full of the kind of work most rock‑star romances skip. Volunteering at shelters, calling the people he hurt, learning to live with consequences—this is a man rebuilding himself brick by brick, not for applause, but because he’s finally tired of being broken.

And then there’s the anonymous online friendship—DeadStrings and StringTheory27—two musicians trading playlists like lifelines. Their conversations feel like late‑night therapy sessions wrapped in song recommendations, and the emotional intimacy that grows there is the quiet heartbeat of the book. It’s tender, vulnerable, and strangely domestic, even before they know who’s on the other side of the screen.

Kit, for her part, is carrying her own grief, guilt, and exhaustion, and the book gives her space to unravel and rebuild too. When their paths finally cross again in the real world, it’s not fireworks—it’s recognition. Two people who once loved each other at nineteen meeting again at thirty, bruised but wiser, and choosing to see each other clearly.

This isn’t a slow burn; it’s a no burn until suddenly everything is warm again. The romance is gentle, almost shy, built on forgiveness, accountability, and the quiet joy of finding someone who knows your ghosts and stays anyway. And yes, Otis the dog and Allegra the cat absolutely steal scenes.

In the end, it’s a story about choosing a quieter life, a healthier love, and a future that doesn’t look anything like the past. Soft, redemptive, and unexpectedly comforting.

Purchase links

https://geni.us/NSSLZon

About the author

Claudia is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. 

She writes alluring, thrilling stories about complicated women and the men who take their breaths away. Her books are the perfect blend of steamy and heartfelt, filled with emotional characters and explosive chemistry. Her writing takes readers to new heights, providing a variety of tears, laughs, and shocking moments that leave fans on the edge of their seats.

She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, her youngest two children, and three fluffy dogs.

When Claudia is not writing, you can find her reading, knitting, or just hanging out with her family. At nights, she likes to binge watches shows or movies with her equally geeky husband.

Connect with Claudia Burgoa:

https://claudiayburgoa.com/wp/links/ 

Book review: ONLY ON GAMEDAY, by Kristen Callihan

Some books feel like slipping into a memory you didn’t know you had, and this one did exactly that. Penelope inherits her grandparents’ Brentwood home — a stunning architectural gem worth millions — and suddenly she’s drowning in property taxes she can’t pay. Her mother’s solution is simple: sell it. But for Penelope, that house is the only place she ever felt truly happy, the one space that held her childhood together. Letting it go would be like letting go of herself.

And then there’s August — who also grew up in that house, who loved her grandparents like his own, and who still drives her grandfather’s restored car, the Growler. Their histories are tangled long before the romance even begins.

August comes from a big, loud, loving football dynasty. His father is a Hall of Famer, his brothers are practically folklore, and August himself is the shiny new first-round draft pick for LA. Except the pressure is eating him alive. Cue the viral video of him shirtless, in a purple faux-fur coat, doing the chicken dance on a table. His anxiety is spiraling, and the team’s PR department is done with his shenanigans.

So what’s the solution? A fake fiancée, of course.

When Penelope walks into August’s house and finds him there, they have the world’s most awkward reunion — just repeating each other’s names like two malfunctioning robots. They’ve known each other their whole lives, but they’ve also spent those same years misreading each other so spectacularly that it’s almost impressive. She thinks he goes numb because he dislikes her. He goes numb because she short-circuits his entire nervous system. Classic.

When August asks her to be his fake fiancée, Penelope agrees out of loyalty to his family — even though she refuses to let him pay her taxes. Their engagement starts stiff and uncomfortable, but slowly, beautifully, the truth of their feelings begins to surface. August finds peace with her. Penelope feels safe with him. And because they grew up together, there’s this effortless intimacy between them — a shared history that makes their connection feel inevitable.

One of my favorite parts is the childhood incident that shaped everything: Penelope at eight, August at nine, a baseball to the face courtesy of March. August running to her, shirt off, pressing it to her cut, holding her in his lap and rocking her while January sprinted for the adults. That moment is the emotional root system of their entire relationship. They’ve been each other’s soft place to land since they were kids.

Once their relationship becomes real — and yes, the sexy times are very yummy — a new problem emerges: everyone expects a wedding. But they’re still figuring out what they are, what they want, and how permanent this is. Cue more miscommunication, because apparently these two geniuses still haven’t learned to use their words.

But the payoff is worth it. Every plot thread ties up beautifully. Their love grows into something tender and steady — the kind of love that aches when he’s away for games and bursts with joy when he comes home to her.

Their togetherness is easy. Sweet. Deeply satisfying.

This story gave me everything I wanted: childhood history, found family, slow-burn longing, mutual pining, emotional healing, and a romance that feels both inevitable and earned. I closed the book with a full heart and a big smile.

Purchase links

https://www.amazon.com/Only-Gameday-Kristen-Callihan-ebook/dp/B0F7CJWTJ9

About the author

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather do. She is a three-time RITA nominee  and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards.

​

Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. In 2015, Kristen received a RITA Award for Best Paranormal Romance for her novel Evernight.

​

Kristen is a child of the 80s, which means she s worn neon skirts, black lace gloves, and combat boots although never all at once and can quote John Hughes movies with the best of them. A lifelong daydreamer, she finally realized the characters in her head needed a proper home and thus hit the keyboard. She believes falling in love is one of the headiest experiences a person can have, so naturally she writes romance. Her love of superheroes, action movies, and history led her to write historical paranormal novels. She lives in the Washington, DC, with her husband and two children.

CONNECT WITH KRISTEN:

Website: https://www.kristencallihan.com/home

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