Book review: VOICES CARRY, by Alison Rhymes

A heartfelt, gripping romance about healing, safety, and finally choosing yourself, this book pulled me in from the very first page. Lou arrives in the small town of Stowaway carrying the weight of years of emotional and physical harm, and the story follows her as she slowly rebuilds her sense of safety, identity, and worth. Even without going into plot details, her journey is powerful. She’s a former model who never received real affection growing up, then fell into an abusive relationship that chipped away at her confidence until she barely recognized herself. Watching her rediscover her strength is one of the most beautiful parts of the book.

Grady, a firefighter and EMT, becomes a steady presence in her life. He’s been through his own heartbreak — a messy divorce, constant battles over custody of his daughter Paige — yet he remains gentle, patient, and deeply protective. He knows how to approach someone who’s been hurt, and he gives Lou space to breathe while still showing up for her in quiet, meaningful ways. Their connection grows naturally, with easy conversation, shared humor (the morning‑poop talk with best friend Juliet had me laughing), and a slow build of trust that feels earned.

The town itself adds warmth and charm. Stowaway is the kind of place where people look out for each other, where friendships stretch back decades, and where found family becomes just as important as blood. Juliet’s unwavering support, Grady’s wonderful parents, and Paige’s sweet bond with Lou all help her heal in ways she never expected.

What I loved most is Lou’s transformation. She starts the story believing she’s unlovable and broken — lies planted in her childhood and reinforced later — but she has an inner steel she never realized she possessed. With time, care, and the right people around her, she begins to see her own worth. She becomes stronger, braver, and more determined to reclaim her life. Her kindness never fades, even when she’s hurt, and her growth feels both realistic and inspiring.

Grady is the perfect example of a strong man who leads with tenderness. He loves his daughter fiercely, he shows up for Lou without hesitation, and he never tries to control her. He supports her healing, respects her boundaries, and fights for the people he loves with quiet determination.

By the end, I felt uplifted. This story blends heartbreak with hope, trauma with recovery, and fear with empowerment. It’s about survival, found family, and becoming the best version of yourself. I finished it feeling enlightened, comforted, and grateful for a romance that treats healing with so much care.

Purchase links

𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗟𝗘 𝗨𝗡𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗

https://geni.us/voicescarry

Paperback: https://geni.us/voicescarrypb

About the author

Alison lives somewhere in the shadow of a Pacific Northwest Mountain, bordered by the Puget Sound, and not too far from the country roads she grew up on. 

When not writing, she can be found avidly reading, traveling with youthful wanderlust, or slowly turning the inside of her house into her own personal houseplant jungle. 

Content Warnings for Alison's books can be found on her website alisonrhymes.com

You can join Alison's newsletter to receive early news and bonus scenes: https://tinyurl.com/ymrrdtfc

Alison can be contacted at alison@alisonrhymes.com

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!

 

Connect with Louise Bay:

https://louisebay.com/contact/

Book review: LEAD ME HOME, by Catherine Bybee

Queen Anne Hill #1

Luna & Nate

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was everything I love in romance: warm, funny, suspenseful, and full of heart. The author has a gift. Her writing just flows — clean, confident, and so beautifully balanced between dialogue and action that I never once felt pulled out of the story. She lets her characters reveal themselves through what they do and they say, not endless inner monologues - no dragging, no overthinking, just characters who breathe on the page.

Luna, a brilliant forensic accountant with a sharp mind and a soft heart, completely won me over. And Nate, the ex‑FBI fraud guy turned private investigator, is the kind of steady, protective presence that makes you breathe easier just by being in the room. Their meet‑cute at Starbucks had me laughing out loud — the spilled coffee, the mutual blaming, the elevator moment, the “Mr. Venti” nickname. It was perfect.

The fraud case they work on together is engaging, but what truly grabbed me was Luna’s life: the old mansion she inherited, the roof problems, the sweet roommate, the siblings who love her, and the mother who drains her. I recognized that mother. The passive‑aggressive sweetness, the manipulation, the way she always centers herself. Reading Luna’s journey — especially the moment she finally says enough — felt deeply cathartic. I cheered for her. I understood her. I felt her. 

And Nate… of the gray sweatpants. The way he shows up for her, cooks for her, protects her without smothering her, respects her boundaries, and still lets her see his own wounds — it’s tender and grown‑up and so refreshing. Their chemistry builds slowly, naturally, with humor, fear, attraction, and trust all tangled together.

The author writes secondary characters with the same care: Harper, Ash, Miley — all vivid, all lovable. Even the haunted‑house moment had me grinning (hello, Ethel!).  Midnight the cat was also cute and entertaining, she almost speaks!

This book is riveting, heartfelt, funny, and healing. It gave me a heroine I rooted for, a hero I adored, and a story that felt like a warm hand on my back saying, “You’re allowed to choose peace.”

Five shining stars!

Purchase links

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/queenannehill1us

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/leadmehome-bn

Books-a-Million: https://tinyurl.com/leadmehome-bam

Audible: https://tinyurl.com/leadmehome-aud

Add to your Goodreads TBR →
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242029141-lead-me-home/

About the author

Catherine Bybee is a #1 Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today bestselling author whose compelling stories have captivated readers worldwide.  With more than 11 million books sold, and her work translated into multiple languages, she has firmly established herself as a powerhouse in contemporary romance and women’s fiction.

Catherine’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and self-belief.  Notably, her career took a remarkable turn with her self-published novel “Wife by Wednesday”.  This initial indie success not only propelled her onto bestseller lists but also showcased her ability to connect directly with readers, a skill that continues to define her career.

Beyond her literary achievements, Catherine is deeply committed to empowering women through her stories.  Her novels feature strong, independent female characters who navigate life’s challenges with resilience and grace.  She crafts narratives that explore themes of self-discovery, personal strength, and the importance of supportive relationships.

Prior to her writing career, Catherine spent many years as a registered nurse in busy urban emergency rooms. This experience provided her with a unique perspective on the challenges and complexities of life, which she skillfully weaves into her storytelling.

Whether discussing her inspiring journey as an independent author, the importance of female narratives, or the art of crafting stories, Catherine Bybee’s engaging presence and heartfelt message resonate with audiences of all backgrounds.  For more information, visit www.catherinebybee.com.

Book review: LOST IN OVERTIME, by Claudia Burgoa

This book follows Vesper, Monty, and Cally — three people who grew up together during three summers, loved each other deeply, and then broke apart after one night they weren’t ready for. Years later, life pulls them back into the same place, with old feelings still burning and old wounds still hurting.

Vesper returns home because her father and the family hockey camp need help. She hasn’t been back in years — the camp holds too many memories of her mother and of the boys she loved and lost. Monty and Cally show up immediately, ready to support her, even though they can barely stand being in the same room. Their rivalry is strong, their chemistry is stronger, and their love for Vesper is the thing they can’t escape.

The story becomes a slow, emotional rebuild of their connection. There’s a lot of caretaking, a lot of tension, and eventually a lot of honesty. Monty and Cally’s relationship is the standout — their push‑pull, their fear, their attraction, and the way they slowly let themselves trust each other again. The throuple dynamic grows naturally, with real tenderness and communication.

Vesper is complicated. She’s loyal and stubborn, but she also refuses help even when she desperately needs it. She hides behind sarcasm and insists she’s fine while falling apart. The guys adore her, but I sometimes struggled to see the version of her they see — she spends a lot of time complaining or shutting down instead of showing the spark they love.

My biggest issue was the pacing. There’s a lot of internal monologue — pages and pages of feelings repeated in different ways. I wanted more action, more dialogue, more moments where the characters show who they are instead of telling me over and over. When things actually happen, the book shines. When it slows down into emotional babble, I found myself skimming.

Still, the romance pays off. The throuple feels real and committed, the hockey moments are fun, and the final stretch gives them a future that feels earned.

Final thought:

A heartfelt, emotional triad romance with amazing chemistry between the men and a satisfying ending. I just wish the story had been tighter and relied more on action than repetition.

Purchase links

https://loom.ly/OHQQYYY

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/