Book review: GRIZZ, by Sawyer Bennett & Bill Keenan

Vipers #1

Grizz & Daisy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story follows Grizz, the explosive star player of the New York Vipers, and Daisy, a rising fashion writer who gets fired for asking the hard questions nobody wants to answer. Both of them are bold, stubborn, and used to being called “difficult,” so when Daisy ends up working for the Vipers and is assigned to keep Grizz in line, the clash is instant.

What I loved is how Daisy sees past Grizz’s rough edges right away. She doesn’t baby him, doesn’t get intimidated, and doesn’t let him skip out on his responsibilities. That earns his respect fast, and the chemistry between them starts building in this push‑pull way that feels natural for two people who don’t trust easily. Their connection turns physical early, and even though they call it casual, it’s obvious they’re becoming each other’s safe place.

The book spends a lot of time inside their heads — their fears, their anger, their pasts — and that gives the romance a heavier, more emotional tone. Grizz’s family situation adds depth, showing why he carries so much bottled‑up pain. Daisy becomes the person who steadies him, even when he tries to shove her away.

There is a breakup, and it hurts, but it fits who they are: two people terrified of repeating old patterns. The reunion is tender and full of longing, though I wished the ending had more closure. I wanted an epilogue or at least clarity about Daisy’s job plans.

What I loved:

• Daisy’s strength — she’s firm, funny, and refuses to shrink herself.

• Grizz’s vulnerability — once he lets you see it, you root for him.

• Elias, the best friend — honestly one of my favorite parts. His support is warm and non‑pushy.

• The writing style feels different from Sawyer Bennett’s solo books: more description, more rumination, less hockey action. I missed the girlfriend group energy from other Vipers stories, but the friendship here was wonderful.

This is a heated, emotional, character‑heavy romance about two abrasive, passionate people learning how to soften for each other. It’s messy, tender, and full of slow healing. The ending needed a bit more wrap‑up, but the journey was strong and satisfying.

Purchase links

https://geni.us/Grizz

About the authors

Meet Sawyer Bennett:

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.

If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).

Connect with Sawyer Bennett:

https://geni.us/SawyerBennett

Meet Bill Keenan:

Bill Keenan played hockey at Harvard University from 2005 to 2008 and professionally in Europe from 2009 to 2012. After completing his MBA at Columbia Business School, he worked for two years in Deutsche Bank's investment banking division. He currently serves as COO of Graydon Carter's Air Mail.

Connect with Bill Keenan:

https://www.instagram.com/billkeenanwrites/ 

Book review: A THOUSAND PERFECT LIES, by Monica Murphy

A twisty, addictive dark‑academia ride, Monica Murphy absolutely surprised me with this one. I knew she could write great romance, but I didn’t expect her to deliver such a gripping, atmospheric mystery on top of it. This book hooked me from page one and never let go. It’s the kind of story where every character feels like a suspect, every conversation feels loaded, and you’re constantly second‑guessing yourself—in the best way.

Billie Vale is the beating heart of the book, and I adored her. She’s tough, vulnerable, and so deeply loyal to her baby sister that you can’t help rooting for her as she steps into a world that was never meant for her. The elite boarding school setting is deliciously tense—full of secrets, privilege, and the kind of toxic dynamics that make you want to scream warnings at the page. Murphy builds that environment so well that you feel the pressure closing in on Billie right alongside her.

And then there’s the slow‑burn connection that develops along the way… tender, aching, and exactly the emotional counterweight the story needed. It never overshadows the mystery—it enhances it.

What impressed me most is how layered the plot is. There are so many moving pieces, but they all click together in a way that feels logical. The reveals land. The tension builds. And by the end, I was fully invested not just in the truth, but in the characters’ healing.

If you love dark academia, messy secrets, complicated families, and a romance that sneaks up on you, this one is absolutely worth your time. A standout read.

Purchase links

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

Apple Books: https://bit.ly/4pRaKzI

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/49AXMRW

Kobo: https://bit.ly/4sWuLYs

Purchase the deluxe limited edition hardcover today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aQadZn

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/4kTF2Rr

Books A Million: https://bit.ly/49HpxZ7

Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/3NunaQB

Target: https://bit.ly/3ZpQsCu

Walmart: https://bit.ly/3Lrlsip

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4qxEDpJ

About the author

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, son, their goofy dog, and three cats. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. Or reading. Or binge watching something.

 

Connect with Monica

Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com

Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyGR

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1YUl0Vm

Facebook: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyFB

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

Instagram: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyIG

Twitter: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyTW

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2ZAthV1

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

Book review: FOREVER UNDONE, by J. Saman

Forever Boston #1

Ashton & Skylar

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A deliciously messy, emotionally rich, slow‑burn‑turned‑wildfire romance, this book grabbed me from page one and never let go. Ashton and Skylar are the perfect storm of unresolved tension, old wounds, and that brand of snark that’s basically foreplay in disguise. Their history is chaotic, their present is complicated, and their chemistry is undeniable. I loved every second of watching them circle each other, clash, retreat, and collide again.

What really sold me is how much heart sits beneath all the banter and snark. Ashton’s journey as a single dad rebuilding his life, Skylar’s healing after an abusive relationship, and the way Zoey fits into both of their worlds—it all feels tender, grounded, and deeply earned. The found family threads, the hospital setting, the forced proximity, the “we’re married but not like that (until we very much are)” dynamic… it’s delicious.

Despite the heavy topics, the story balances humor, vulnerability, and heat beautifully. The emotional payoff is huge, the character growth is satisfying, and the romance is the kind that makes you root for them with your whole chest. And it has just an itty bitty feeling of suspense!

The author takes us again to the Boston Fritz’s world, now joined with the Hughes family, powerful and rich, although not like the Fritz royalty.  I think this new series will include the younger generation of grandkids of Octavia Fritz, the matriarch of the empire, and I’m all for it!

If you love grumpy‑meets‑sunshine energy, protective heroes, resilient heroines, and a slow burn that eventually erupts, this one is a must‑read. I devoured it.

Purchase links

FREE with Kindle Unlimited

http://geni.us/ForeverUndone

Audible: https://bit.ly/3MbCWPW

Narrated by: CJ Bloom and JF Harding

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

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/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14923699.J_Saman

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/J.-Saman/author/B01FOIUR46

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jsamanbooks

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

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jsamanbooks

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Book review: ATLAS, by Sawyer Bennett

Pittsburg Titans # 19

Atlas & Maddie

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This author is usually my go‑to for comfort reads—the kind of stories that wrap around you like a soft blanket and leave you smiling. But this time? She shattered me. I cried more than once, and not the cute, misty‑eyed kind of crying. Full‑body, heart‑in‑my-throat crying. And somehow, I loved every second of it.

At the center of this story is Gray—Atlas’s best friend, a devoted single father, and the kind of man who deserved a lifetime he didn’t get. Stage‑four lung cancer, despite never smoking a day in his life. Aggressive. Unfair. Cruel. And from the moment the diagnosis hits, you feel the countdown ticking. Gray’s love for his baby girl, Grayce, is so pure it hurts. He stepped into fatherhood without hesitation, rearranged his entire life, and became the kind of dad who changes diapers like a champ and sings lullabies at 3 a.m. Atlas admires him deeply, and honestly, so did I.

Atlas visits whenever he can, but as a Titans player, his time isn’t his own. Maddie—Gray’s other best friend—drops everything to care for Gray and Grayce. She’s prickly, defensive, and armored in ways that make perfect sense once you learn her history. She and Atlas clash instantly. Oil and vinegar. Sparks, but the sharp kind.

And then Gray dies.

Even though you know it’s coming, it still guts you. The simplicity of his arrangements, the quiet dignity of it, the letter he leaves behind… it all lands like a punch. Maddie thinks she’ll be Grayce’s sole parent, but Gray had other plans: he wants Atlas to be Grayce’s dad, with Maddie as her mom. Legal papers already drawn. His last wish.

Atlas takes a day to think, but let’s be honest—there was never really a choice. His heart already knew.

What follows is messy, uncomfortable, and so painfully human. Maddie and Grayce move to Pittsburgh. Maddie hates it. Atlas tries so hard to make her feel at home—emptying rooms, hiring movers, coordinating everything so she and Grayce walk into a fully set‑up space. And still, Maddie bristles. Snaps. Retreats behind her titanium walls.

But slowly—slowly—she softens. She sees Atlas’s sincerity, his respect for her role as Grayce’s mom, his desire to be included rather than take over. She watches him fall in love with fatherhood, with Grayce, with the life they’re building. And she lets herself laugh. Accept help. Trust. It’s a transformation that feels earned, tender, and so deeply moving.

And then there’s the romance. Yes, it’s sexy and sweet and full of chemistry, but for me, the heart of the book is the grief and the healing. Two people broken open by loss, choosing to build something beautiful for a little girl who deserved the world. Gray’s presence lingers through the videos he left—birthday messages, songs, advice, love poured into every pixel. Those scenes destroyed me in the best way.

And Maddie’s journey? From isolated, feral, and fiercely self‑reliant to someone who lets herself be loved—not just by Atlas, but by the Titans family, the WAGS, the girlfriends who drag her to brunch and refuse to let her hide? I loved it! She becomes brighter, softer, still herself but finally supported.

This book is heartbreaking and uplifting all at once. It made me laugh, cry, ache, and swoon. It’s about grief, found family, unexpected parenthood, and the kind of love that grows in the cracks left behind by loss. And yes, the sexy times were delicious, but it was Grayce—their precious little girl—and the legacy Gray left behind that made this story unforgettable for me.

A comfort read? Not this time. But a beautiful one? Absolutely.

Purchase links

https://geni.us/SB_Atlas

About the author

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.

If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).

Connect with Sawyer Bennett:

https://geni.us/SawyerBennett