Book review: ICE COLD CHEMISTRY, by Kendall Ryan

Off the Ice #2

Banks & Winnie

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A tender, protective, slow‑building romance that feels like healing, this book gave me everything I love in a romance: a woman rebuilding herself, a man who feels too closed‑off to love, and the slow, careful way they find safety in each other.

Winnie starts fresh with a new job and strict rules for herself after a painful past. She wants peace, confidence, and a life where she doesn’t shrink for anyone. But her first days at work are rough — too many immature men who don’t know how to behave, too many comments that make her feel small again. And just when she thinks she has to deal with it alone, someone steps in.

Banks.

When the sleaze Grayson Reed goes too far, Banks steps in. Not loudly, not dramatically — just with that quiet authority that shuts a whole room down. And when he sees Winnie shaken one day, he decides he’s done watching from the sidelines. He offers to be her fake boyfriend to protect her from the players’ behavior, and the moment they test it at lunch, everything changes. The room goes silent. The guys behave. The yoga class finally becomes what it should be. And Winnie gets to breathe again.

He’s quiet, broody, and looks like he’s always one second away from growling at someone. But underneath all that is a man who has lived a life full of instability and loneliness, and it shows. He doesn’t talk much, he doesn’t let people close, and he definitely doesn’t know what to do when he meets someone who makes him feel something real.

Their connection grows in small, gentle moments — the kind that sneak up on you. He protects her without making her feel weak. She softens him without forcing him to change. They start to trust each other, to open up, to feel seen for the first time. And the more time they spend together, the more you feel that warm, steady pull between them.

There are challenges, misunderstandings, and moments where old fears try to ruin something good. But what makes this story beautiful is how they work through it. Winnie learns she deserves someone who shows up. Banks learns that not everyone leaves. And together, they build something that feels safe, sweet, and full of hope.

By the end, you’re smiling because these two finally get the love they’ve always needed — a love that feels like home.

What I loved:

Winnie came from pain and found someone who gave her safety, joy, and a place to stand tall. Banks came from abandonment and found someone who stayed, who loved him, who made him believe he deserved a home. They healed each other in quiet, steady ways. They learned, trusted, and built something real. And Banks discovered that family isn’t always blood — sometimes it’s the people who choose you and stay.

A tender, protective, emotional romance that made me smile, ache, and cheer for these two. A perfect five‑star read.

Purchase links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4b7EHYj

Goodreads: https://geni.us/ICCGR

Audio: https://geni.us/jj23tn

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

➜ NEWSLETTER www.kendallryanbooks.com/newsletter

➜ FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/kendallryanbooks

➜ INSTAGRAM www.instagram.com/kendallryan1

➜ TWITTER www.twitter.com/kendallryan1

Book review: MANHATTAN KISS, by Louise Bay

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story follows two people who meet at the exact moment their lives are shifting, even if they don’t want to admit it. Deacon grew up as an army brat, always moving, never settling, and that childhood shaped him deeply. Now he’s a father, and all he wants is for his daughter Willow to have the steady, predictable life he never had. He and Willow’s mother, Gabby, have a nesting arrangement that works for them… until Gabby announces she’s getting married. Suddenly Deacon feels the ground move under his feet, and he hates it.

Aurora, on the other hand, is thirty‑six and quietly heartbroken by the life she expected but didn’t get. No husband, no kids, and a doctor telling her motherhood may not be possible. She’s been stuck in the same job for years, watching her friends build families while she stays on the outside. So when a hotel in New York offers her a three‑month position, she takes the risk, even though everyone thinks she’s lost her mind.

Their first meeting is messy — literally — and not cute at all. He’s rude, she’s annoyed, and yet the spark is there. As they keep running into each other at the hotel, that spark grows into something neither of them planned. Their chemistry is strong, their conversations are honest, and for the first time in a long time, both of them feel seen.

But life is complicated. Deacon is terrified of anything that might disrupt Willow’s world, and Aurora is torn between the life she knows and the life she could have. Their fling becomes something deeper, but fear and old habits get in the way. They each have to face the truth: they’ve been living small, letting life happen to them instead of choosing what they want.

What I loved most is how both characters grow. Aurora finally steps into her own life, making choices for herself instead of out of fear. And Deacon learns that protecting his daughter doesn’t mean freezing the world around her. Change can be good. Change can be love.

By the end, the story gives you that warm, hopeful feeling — two adults choosing each other, choosing happiness, choosing a future that once felt impossible. It’s emotional, sexy, and full of heart, with a beautiful message about letting go of fear and letting life in.

Purchase links

https://amzn.to/4uSC2rP

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!

 

Keep up with Louise Bay and subscribe to her newsletter: https://louisebay.com/newsletter/

 

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

 

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Book review: SAVED BY A GOD, by Michelle Heard

Kings of Mafia # 10

Enzo & Rosie

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story felt like a beautiful farewell gift to the whole series. At the center of it all is Rosie, the bright, funny heart of the Cosa Nostra. She grew up surrounded by danger and power, yet she’s still the girl who loves pranks, jokes, and making every capo say “pretty please with a cherry on top” before she helps them. She’s their little sister, their genius hacker, and the one person everyone protects without question.

And then there’s Enzo, the man who feels everything too deeply and hides it behind discipline and silence. He has always cared for Rosie in his own quiet way, even when he convinced himself he couldn’t have her. Their bond—this strange mix of comfort, routine, and unspoken longing—was one of my favorite parts of the book.

What struck me most was how emotional this story is. Rosie goes through something terrifying and life‑changing, and the book handles her journey with so much heart. Watching the Cosa Nostra rally around her, watching Enzo fall apart and then pull himself back together for her, watching Rosie slowly return to herself—it all hit me so hard. I cried more than once.

The romance is tender and slow, full of care and patience. Enzo’s love shows in the way he protects her, the way he listens, the way he gives her space to heal. Rosie’s love shows in the way she trusts him and lets him lead, little by little, until she’s strong enough to stand on her feet and tease him like she used to. Their connection feels earned, deep, and incredibly sweet.

I also loved the family moments. The capos, the parents, the friends from all the different mafia groups—they all come together in a way that made my heart swell. When Rosie returns and everyone celebrates her, you can feel how much she means to them. It was one of the most touching scenes in the whole series.

By the end, everything comes full circle. Love, loyalty, healing, and family all wrap together in a perfect final chapter. The wedding had me in tears—happy ones.

This was an epic, emotional, beautiful ending to the Kings of Mafia series. I loved Rosie, I loved Enzo, and I loved every moment of their journey.

Purchase links

Amazon: https://geni.us/aSw9

About the author

Michelle Heard is a Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling Author who loves creating stories her readers can get lost in. She resides in South Africa with her son where she's always planning her next book to write, and trip to take.

 

Connect w/Michelle:

Website: https://michelleheardauthor.com

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Book review: REVEALED, by Siobhan Davis

Broken World #2

It starts slowly, the way it should when you’re stepping into a world that’s been shattered and rebuilt from dust. Earth is a graveyard in places—just dirt, ruins, and memories—and Ariana is in Clementia trying to find her footing. She’s reconnecting with Zane, making new friends, figuring out how to be useful to the resistance, and sensing that something in the shadows just isn’t right.

And then—around the 30% mark—the story slams the accelerator. Suddenly you’re on a wild, breathless roller coaster, getting emotional whiplash from twist after twist the author throws at you.

I kept getting flashes of Star Wars with the resistance and stealth warships, Terminator with the part‑human/part‑machine soldiers, and Transformers with drones sweeping the skies, hunting for traitors.

It’s a sci‑fi cocktail that somehow works beautifully.

And the love story—oh wow! There are surprises here I absolutely did not see coming.

The whole thing is exciting and exhilarating, but it’s also threaded with danger, tension, and moments of deep, aching sadness. The suspense never lets up. I stayed up until the wee hours because I simply couldn’t walk away.

Everything you thought couldn’t happen… happens. And then the book throws even more at you—twists you never imagined, reveals that hit like punches, and of course, a dramatic cliffhanger that made me want to scream.

Siobhan Davis at her absolute dramatic best.

Purchase links

US: https://amzn.to/4dYt2MO 

UK: https://amzn.to/4eyQ2lD 

AU: https://amzn.to/49Q33Vp 

CA: https://amzn.to/49Q5LtW 

Universal: https://bit.ly/RevEBU 

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/BWREV 

BookBub: https://bit.ly/RevlBB 

About the author

Siobhan Davis™ is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon Top 5 bestselling romance author. Siobhan writes emotionally intense stories with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She has sold millions of books and her titles are translated into several languages.

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.

Originally from Ireland, she now lives in Cyprus with her husband.

Join the author's mailing list to receive a free e-book plus tons of bonus content. Refer to the official author website.

Connect with Siobhan:

Website: www.siobhandavis.com

Facebook: AuthorSiobhanDavis

Instagram:@siobhandavisauthor

TikTok: @siobhandavisauthor

Readers Group: https://smarturl.it/SiobhanSquad

Book review: RUPTURED, by Siobhan Davis

Broken World #1

I didn’t know what dystopian fiction really felt like, but I likey! It’s like YA and sci‑fi had a baby. Earth is basically falling apart, everything’s in ruins, and a selected group of people gets moved to a new planet called Novo. It was supposed to be progressive, creative, and free… but of course the leaders fell in love with power and control, and things went downhill fast. Now there are resistance groups on both planets, lots of secrets, lots of sneaking around, and I was hooked.

In Novo, the people in charge want to grow the population, so they create a mandatory dating program — imagine Tinder mixed with The_Bachelor. Every seventeen‑year‑old has to participate. After several rounds of dates with assigned suitors, the system picks your match. Ariana, our heroine, wants nothing to do with it. Her dream is a military career, not a government‑approved romance.

Then she gets paired with Cal — the boy she used to “hate” because he was cocky and too friendly. Except she slowly realizes she didn’t hate him at all. She just didn’t like that other girls liked him too. Their chemistry is sweet, messy, and very teenage, and the program does not appreciate them going off‑script.

And then there’s Zane — the boy who appears in her dreams every single night. She feels like he’s real, maybe from her past, but she can’t place him. That mystery adds a whole other layer to the story.

From there, the adventure kicks off. Think Hunger Games vibes, but instead of survival arenas, it’s Dating Games: spas, stylists, cooking classes, all designed to mold you into the perfect spouse. I found it all highly entertaining.

Because this is a whole new world, the author spends time describing how Novo works and what’s left of Earth. Honestly, some of it feels prophetic — like a warning about what happens if we don’t take care of our environment. And the political climate? Uncomfortably familiar, minus all the futuristic techy stuff.

The story is exciting and suspenseful. There’s cloak‑and‑dagger tension, young infatuation, family drama, possible betrayals, and plenty of heroism. The pace is a little slow at times, but it works because the world‑building needs space. Ariana and Cal kiss a lot — as hormonal teens do — but they don’t cross the line (thank you, Siobhan). I hurt for Ariana and everything she endures, and I admired her bravery and sense of justice.

Of course, it ends on a cliffhanger. World domination doesn’t wrap up in one book. I felt it coming — like a train speeding toward a collision — but it was still exciting and satisfying. Now I’m dying to know what happens next.

And now the big question: Zane or Cal?

I’m Team Zane, so let’s see where this goes.

Purchase links

https://bit.ly/RupEBU

About the author

Siobhan Davis™ is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon Top 5 bestselling romance author. Siobhan writes emotionally intense stories with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She has sold millions of books and her titles are translated into several languages.

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.

Originally from Ireland, she now lives in Cyprus with her husband.

Join the author's mailing list to receive a free e-book plus tons of bonus content. Refer to the official author website.

Connect with Siobhan:

Website: www.siobhandavis.com

Facebook: AuthorSiobhanDavis

Instagram:@siobhandavisauthor

TikTok: @siobhandavisauthor

Readers Group: https://smarturl.it/SiobhanSquad