Book Review: CHECKING IT TWICE, by Kendall Ryan

Must Love Hockey #3

Mitchell & Clare

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve been on a journey with this series—loved the first book, struggled with the second because of the toxic female lead, and now I’m back to loving it again with this third installment.

Mitchell Drake and Clare Johnson stole my heart. He’s a hockey player for the Stampede, she’s on the PR team, and their attraction simmers under the weight of professional boundaries. Both carry scars: Mitch from a fiancée who betrayed him with his best friend, Clare from a relationship that left her reputation unfairly tarnished. Trust doesn’t come easy for either of them, and that makes their slow-burn connection all the more delicious.

When Mitch’s mom guilts him into coming home for Christmas, he dreads facing the pity of his small town. His solution? A fake girlfriend. Clare resists at first, but with a little nudge from her best friend, she agrees. What follows is a holiday romance that’s equal parts tender and torturous.

In Maple Grove, Clare is embraced by Mitch’s loud, loving family—a stark contrast to her own fractured, neglectful parents. Watching her soak in their warmth while Mitch quietly marvels at how seamlessly she fits in was beautiful. The twin bed they’re forced to share becomes a nightly battlefield of desire and restraint, and every soft touch, every stolen glance, every bit of banter had me grinning.

This book shines in the details: Mitch making her coffee, Clare’s laughter lighting up his family gatherings, the way they both slowly let their walls down. Their chemistry is undeniable, but what makes it special is how safe and right they feel together.

Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing. There are moments of hesitation, miscommunication, and fear. But when they finally give in—first in stolen intimacy, later in full commitment—it feels earned. And the multi-epilogues? Pure romance wish-fulfillment: marriage, family holidays, and a baby girl.

I adored this one. Mitch and Clare’s journey is tender, funny, and deeply satisfying. Their love story is built on trust, healing, and the joy of finding someone who truly sees you. It’s the kind of slow-burn romance you savor, stage by stage, until the final payoff leaves you smiling.

Purchase links

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FF2MPRGD

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: A CAPTIVE SITUATION, by Tijan

Kings of New York #3

Jake & Sawyer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was so surprised to start this book and not get sucked into the story, as is usual when I read a Tijan book.  The heroine, Sawyer, is so distracted and clueless, like she’s not all in her head, as she visits New York, does some touristy stuff, and starts loitering outside the building where her cousin Graham works.  Her behavior is so bizarre, no wonder she’s picked up by the police and taken to a precinct. 

Incredibly, Sawyer had wasted eighteen years of her life on a loser who used her to help him further his career goals, then when he got her best friend pregnant, he dumped her and cancelled their wedding.  I was asking myself: how can you have not seen any red flags along the way? Usually Tijan’s heroines are plucky and smart, but this one felt like a mental case.  Those wasted eighteen years really hurt me! So Sawyer traveled to New York City on the week her wedding would have been, to distract herself and find her cousin Graham, son of an estranged aunt, whom she’s never met.  She’s found loitering in front of the building where he works, is taken to a police precinct and left there, again aimless and clueless.

Jake Worthing, whom we’ve met before on the previous books of this series, had met Sawyer on the subway, saw her having a moment, asked if she needed an ambulance, then left her there.  Later on, he arrives at the precinct looking for his addict cousin who has been arrested again, finds Sawyer there, and brings her with him and Val.  And then we’re taken on a crazy rollercoaster ride of Mafia shenanigans, a war for turfs among Mafia lords, old friends Trace and Ashton, Sawyer’s crazy aunts who think they are cyber sleuths, and all kinds of fun stuff.  And here is when I got really engaged with the book, now in familiar Tijan territory.

The story is convoluted, fantastic, with so many twists and turns I got whiplash, super entertaining and riveting. The story started with the insta-lust that is so frequent with Tijan’s characters, and ended with a love story where both characters tried to sacrifice their lives to defend their loved one. In the end, I finally got clarity on Sawyer’s haziness at the start of the story, and it made total sense. As she got involved on the action with Jake, she came to life, all the sass and smarts I expect from Tijan’s heroines came forth, and I enjoyed a hell of a ride. And the end was all I expected and needed, although I wouldn’t mind an extra epilogue (hint, hint). Another Tijan hit!

Purchase links

FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4kjjE7G

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/ACaptiveSituation

Audible: https://bit.ly/43k7F3A

Narrated by: Amelia Hugh & Jeffrey Kafer

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3EZKUb1

A Captive Situation is book three in the Kings of New York series. It can be read as a

standalone but does mention events from books 1 & 2.

Check out the series here! https://bit.ly/41KRvyY

About the author

Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable

novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of

sass on the side. Tijan began writing after college and once she started, she was hooked.

She's written multi-bestsellers including the Fallen Crest series, Ryan's Bed, Enemies

and others.

She is currently writing many new books and series with an English Cocker she

adores.

Connect with Tijan

Website: http://www.tijansbooks.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4851199.Tijan

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tijan/e/B00DJG52QE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tijansbooks/

Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/tijansreadergroup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tijansbooks/

X/Twitter: www.twitter.com/tijansbooks

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@tijan_author

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tijan 

 

Book review: HOLD THE LINE, by Julia Wolf

The Kelly Ranch #2

Phoebe & Deacon

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beautiful and so very moving! What a wonderful story, I loved every word, and loved the characters.  I love ex-con stories, love reading how they overcome the stigma of being seen as a felon and untrustworthy, how they feel unworthy of love.  In this case, Phoebe had a high school crush on Deacon, so when he moved to the apartment upstairs of hers, it was like a second chance, and she took it. He had to get over his issues in a hurry!

Deacon says that Phoebe smells like sugar, and she’s definitely sweet and beautiful inside and out.  Her family thinks she needs protection but she’s very solid and forthright.  Getting together with Deacon was as natural as breathing, in spite of his hesitation.  I saw Deacon as this man of true grit, who overcame a family of misfits, took his little sister out of that environment, did a favor to his brother and got arrested for it.  He served four years and now wants peace, to be able to work and get ahead.  I loved how Phoebe’s family, who are like royalty in this town, accepted him as one of their own, because he loved Phoebe so hard and made her happy.  

The first three quarters of the story are wonderful and uplifting with some suspense coming from Deacon’s nasty older brother.  The last quarter is heartbreaking with nail-biting suspense.  

I loved seeing Deacon’s transformation from a taciturn man of few smiles, to a guy who laughs and jokes, to the guy who cries when his beloved is in danger and hurt.  He opened his heart and his mind, and Phoebe made him whole.  Super romantic and just plain beautiful!

Purchase links

FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://bit.ly/42ifANK

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/43Y0Bd1

About the author

Julia Wolf writes sexy rockers, broken bad boys, snarky heroines, and bad ass women. She's a firm believer in happily ever afters, no matter how rocky the road is to get there.

Julia lives in Maryland with her husband and three crazy, beautiful children. When she's not writing romance, she's reading it. Some of her favorite things are, in no particular order: goats, books, coffee, and Target.

 

Connect with Julia

Website: http://juliawolfwrites.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17563191.Julia_Wolf

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Julia-Wolf/author/B078VDJ3Z1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJuliaWolf

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2086152844974595

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjuliawolf/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuliaIsWriting

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorjuliawolf

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julia-wolf

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorjuliawolf/

Book review: TORE UP, by Abbi Glines

Mississippi Smoke #1

Bane & Halo

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

The author promised angst and heartbreak and wow, did she deliver.  I lost count of how many times I cried because it was so devastating.  Talking about what happened spoils the story so let me just express my feelings during the story.  

Bane starts out as a violent, aggressive man.  Later I saw that he was in the grip of a huge pain, the loss of his little brother.  I saw the hate he felt for Halo, blaming her for his loss.  But then I saw Halo’s beautiful soul, a girl who suffered mistreatment from her family and yet, she kept being a sweet and kind person, her only weakness trying to win the love from the people who were supposed to love her. 

I saw how Bane changed, saw how all the guys in the house accepted Halo as one of them.  The first chapters of this book are harrowing as Halo learns all the circumstances of her new life, the truths of her old life.  I cried many times, but it felt so good!

The story evolves and it all turns good and everything that is sexy and deep.  I loved how Halo won everyone over because she’s just so good. And I loved how Bane found the peace that he had lost, as he cared for her.  

The story felt different because it’s not all mafia business, it’s all about heartbreak and healing.  There’s one gory scene but it’s all tied to the story and I can’t say it wasn’t needed because it was.  All in all, a story of redemption, a love that went wrong, but another that went right.  A girl who only wanted acceptance and love and finally found it, not without first suffering a heavy loss.  Astounding, heartbreaking, cause of a crying fest, but it was absolutely fascinating and wonderful.

Purchase links

https://geni.us/toreup

Add to your Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220223196-tore-up

Find more books by Abbi Glines: https://abbiglinesbooks.com

About the author

Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party, and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She finally moved to New England into a home that is 200 + years old with it's own ghosts. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she being born in Alabama, her life in New England is as close as she will get. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, and/or watching Netflix like the introvert that she is. 

You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. 

www.abbiglinesbooks.com

TikTok @abbiglines

Twitter: @abbiglines

Instagram: @abbiglines

Snapchat: abbiglines

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbiglinesauthor