Book review: CURSED KING, by Julie Saman

Once Upon Ever After #1

Sebastian & Bellamy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The author insists this book is darker than her usual style… but honestly? What I found was something far more delicious: two main characters who fall for each other at first sight, even if they stubbornly pretend it’s just “attraction.” Please. The electric sparks arcing between them were practically screaming high romance.

Yes, there’s suspense. Yes, there’s a jealous madman. Yes, there’s even a royal curse whispered through the halls of a secluded palace. But all of that only adds to the fun of reading this story.

Eight years ago, Bellamy lost her mother in a car accident—one her father was driving. His breakdown uprooted their entire lives: he quit his psychiatry practice, pulled her out of school, and dragged them across Europe until Bellamy finally put her foot down and chose to study in Messalina, a fictional country tucked between France, Italy, and Switzerland.

Then came his early-onset dementia. Bellamy dropped out of university, took a job teaching English, and stretched every euro to cover her bills and her father’s care. No friends, no social life, no safety net—just grit and survival. And she keeps going.

Enter King Sebastian: grieving, grumpy, and absolutely ripe for sunshine. Three years ago, Sebastian watched his queen’s helicopter explode before his eyes while he and their three children waited in the garden. Convinced the royal curse was to blame, he locked his family away in a remote northern palace and hasn’t let them leave since.

Enter Bellamy’s father, who escapes his care facility with a toaster oven, thinking it’s a great invention and wants to show it at MIT.  Instead, he wanders straight into the palace. Bellamy rushes in to save him… and ends up being forced into the role of nanny in exchange for her father’s freedom.

The king had burned through eight nannies in three years. He wanted someone “different.” He had no idea that “different” meant a woman who would enchant his children within minutes and have them demanding she stay. Best decision ever!

What follows is a delicious grumpy‑meets‑sunshine romance. He’s beastly and brooding; she’s sassy and unafraid to poke the bear. The children adore her. The king? He’d love to fire her—mostly because she’s a menace to his self‑control.

Despite the author’s claims that this book is darker, her signature style shines through: a touch of suspense, perfect pacing, a beautiful love story, yummy sexy times, and children who desperately needed another mother—and found the best one in Bellamy.

There’s a hint of Beauty and the Beast: a remote castle, a three‑story library, a grumpy king softened by sunshine, and a legend that may or may not be real. For me? Perfect.

Purchase links

Amazon: http://geni.us/CursedKing

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3WN40GY

Preorder book 2 in the Once Upon Ever After Series today!

http://geni.us/CursedQueen

About the author

J. Saman is a USA Today and Amazon top 40 bestselling author who writes sassy, swoony, and scorching contemporary romances. She is addicted to Diet Coke, sour candy, and indie rock. She swears way too much (especially after a glass of wine) and has a penchant for sarcasm (or so her husband and children like to tell her).

J. is an admitted lover of second chance romances, enemies to lovers, and the perfect amount of angst. She is best known for writing funny and emotional romances filled with smart, strong women, and sexy alphas who have a softer side—especially for their women.

Connect with J. Saman

Website: https://www.jsamanbooks.com/

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Book review: CRAVING REVENGE, by Michelle Heard

Kings of Mafia #6

Augusto & Yuki

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is an emotional roller coaster in the best way — a dark, gripping romance wrapped in family loyalty, trauma, healing, and the slow blooming of trust.

At its core, the story follows Yuki, a young woman raised under the crushing weight of duty and secrecy within the Japanese underworld. Her life has never truly belonged to her — every choice, every breath, every step has been dictated by the men who control her fate. The loneliness and quiet suffering she endures are portrayed with heartbreaking clarity.

On the other side of the world stands Augusto, the powerful Don of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra. Despite his brutal world, he comes from a family overflowing with warmth, loyalty, and fierce protectiveness. When their paths collide under violent circumstances, everything spirals into a chain of events neither of them could have predicted.

What begins as a clash between two criminal empires slowly transforms into a story about healing, identity, and unexpected tenderness. The romance is a true slow burn — shaped by fear, guilt, compassion, and the gradual rebuilding of trust. Watching Yuki rediscover her own worth, and seeing Augusto’s hardened exterior soften as he learns who she really is, is incredibly moving.

The author balances intense action, emotional depth, and cultural detail with a skill that kept me hooked from start to finish. There are moments that hurt, moments that soothe, and moments that feel like a breath of fresh air after years spent underwater.

All the elements that I love are present: slow burn romance, protective hero with soft heart, heroine who rises from trauma, found family, and hight stakes mafia drama (very gory!).

It’s passionate, violent, tender, and unforgettable — the kind of book that leaves you thinking about the characters long after you close it.

Purchase links

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FTV7D69F

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FTV7D69F

CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0FTV7D69F

AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0FTV7D69F

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.

 

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Book review: IN A HEARTBEAT, by Laura Pavlov

Rosewood River #5

Axel & Wren

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Laura Pavlov delivers another swoony, heartfelt, small‑town romance that hits every emotional beat—from betrayal and heartbreak to healing, humor, and the kind of devotion that feels like destiny.

Wren and Axel have been best friends forever—the kind of childhood bond built on inside jokes, shared dreams, and a horse named Wrax whose name literally unites theirs. He calls her Horse Girl. She calls him Cowboy. And for years, that was enough.

Until it wasn’t.

A devastating fallout tore them apart, leaving Wren blocking his number and Axel wondering what he did wrong. In the two years they spent apart, life didn’t slow down for either of them. Wren became a World Champion in eventing, only to spiral into a slump and suffer a brutal accident. Axel built a booming business designing high‑end horse trailers. Both were succeeding, but both were missing the one person who had always understood them best.

And then comes the betrayal that shatters Wren: her father and coach secretly sell Wrax—her partner, her heart, her family—because they think he’s “too old” for their Olympic ambitions. The cruelty of it is staggering.

Desperate to get Wrax back, Wren takes a temp job… only to discover she’ll be working for Axel. He doesn’t want to hire her—too much hurt, too many unanswered questions—but the moment he learns what happened, he steps in the way he always has: in a heartbeat.

What follows is a beautifully layered journey of reconnection. Axel tracks down Wrax, buys him back, and brings him home in one of the most emotional reunion scenes I’ve ever read. Even the horse cries. And honestly? Same.

As Wren and Axel rebuild their friendship, the truth finally surfaces: Collin—Wren’s brother and resident chaos generator—lied about Axel the night everything fell apart. His deception cost them two years of love they didn’t know they were already living. Wren’s fury is righteous, and her refusal to let her father or brother control her career anymore is a moment of pure empowerment.

From there, the romance blooms effortlessly. Their devotion is absolute. Their trust is hard‑won. Their matching “in a heartbeat” tattoos? Perfection. They are soulmates who were separated by lies but reunited by choice.

The competitions in North Carolina and New York bring adrenaline, triumph, and the sweetest moments of support—Axel flying overnight just to be there for her cross‑country run is peak book‑boyfriend behavior. Wren proves Wrax is still a champion, proves she’s stronger than her past, and ultimately realizes she’s ready to retire on her own terms.

Her new dream? A riding academy for kids, mornings waking up beside Axel, and long rides with Wrax and Honey just for the joy of it.

Meanwhile, the family subplots deliver drama, growth, and surprising tenderness. Collin starts therapy. Wren’s mother rebuilds her life. Her father tries—awkwardly—to make amends. It’s messy, but it’s real.

And because this Rosewood River, we also get:

• The Taylor Tea stirring up small‑town chaos

• A full‑on B&E mission involving vodka, stockings, and rose bushes

• The Chadwick men’s group chat (always iconic)

• The ladies’ “book club,” which is 10% books and 90% wine and oversharing

It’s romance, humor, family, friendship, and small‑town charm all braided together into a story that feels warm, funny, emotional, and deeply satisfying.

A perfect blend of heart and hilarity—Laura Pavlov at her best.

Purchase links

FREE with #kindleunlimited 

https://geni.us/inaheartbeat

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4iGiano

Hardcover: Coming soon!

Audible: https://geni.us/IAHAUDIO

Narrated by: Alex Knox and Samantha Brentmoor

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/477mR5w

About the author

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!

 

Connect with Laura

Website: https://www.laurapavlov.com/

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Book review: MORALLY BLACK BETROTHAL

Morally Black Billionaires

Brendan & Simone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This romance swept me up with its mix of high‑stakes family drama and tender emotional beats. At its heart, it’s about Brendan, the eldest son in a ruthless billionaire dynasty, and Simone, a woman whose life is rooted in responsibility, community, and quiet strength. Their worlds couldn’t be more different—corporate boardrooms versus sourdough starters—but when fate throws them together, sparks fly in ways neither expected.

What I loved most is how the book balances the cutthroat atmosphere of power struggles with the gentleness of a slow‑burn romance. Brendan is a fascinating hero: outwardly hardened by years of competition, yet inwardly yearning for something softer, something real. Simone, meanwhile, shines as a heroine who knows her worth, even when others try to diminish her. Watching them navigate fake‑turned‑real feelings, family expectations, and the chaos of ambition was both exhilarating and deeply moving.

The story is layered with themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the courage to choose love over legacy. It’s not just about romance—it’s about finding safety and joy in someone who sees you fully, even when the rest of the world doesn’t. The slow burn feels authentic, the chemistry builds beautifully, and when the relationship finally ignites, it’s both tender and passionate.

If you enjoy romances that weave together emotional healing, family conflict, and the thrill of falling for someone who challenges your world, this one will keep you hooked. It’s a tale of resilience, vulnerability, and love that feels hard‑won—and all the more satisfying because of it.

Purchase links

https://amzn.to/3VC3QBK

About the author

Nicole French is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. She's also a hopeless romantic, Springsteen fanatic, and total bookworm. When not writing, she is hanging out with her family, playing soccer with the rest of the thirty-plus crowd in Seattle, or going on dates with her husband. In her spare time, she likes to go running or practice the piano, but never seems to do either one of these things as much as she should.

 

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