Book review: SOMETHING ABOUT HER, by J. Nathan

Big Air #2

Thayer & Giselle

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story follows Thayer and Kason, two Colorado boys who grew up chasing snow, trophies, and Olympic dreams — until grief knocks Thayer off his axis. His comeback is the emotional spine of the book, and watching him slowly find his footing again, both on the board and in life, is genuinely moving.

The romance between Thayer and Giselle has that familiar push‑pull: history, tension, guilt, and the kind of chemistry that sneaks up on them both. I liked their quieter moments — the caretaking, the comfort, the way they circle back to each other even when it’s messy. Giselle’s struggle between loyalty and longing feels real, even if she hesitates a bit longer than I wanted.

The book shines most when it leans into the brotherhood between Thayer and Kason and the thrill of competition. Their dynamic has heart, humor, and that deep, lived‑in bond that makes their eventual conflict sting.

Where it wobbled for me was pacing. The story moves in bursts — emotional highs followed by stretches that felt a little flat or juvenile. I was entertained, but not fully swept away. Still, the themes of resilience, found family, and second chances land well, and the ending ties everything together with warmth.

Finally, my opinion is that this was a comfortable, enjoyable read — just not one that kept me riveted.

Purchase links

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3OHeEyL  

Apple Books: https://bit.ly/4bJILNu  

Nook: https://bit.ly/4rP31De  

Kobo: https://bit.ly/4t5G7IN 

Google Play: https://bit.ly/4lN9ZqN  

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3NBeOHm 

About the author

J. Nathan is the author of new adult, sports, and rock star romances with cocky heroes and sassy heroines. When she's not writing, she's a crazy baseball mom and a total romance junkie! She loves country music, guys in backward hats, iced coffee, and the summertime.

 

Connect with J. Nathan

Website | http://www.jnathan.net/   

Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8202337.J_Nathan   

Amazon | http://amzn.to/2brF0xz    

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/jnathanauthor     

Facebook Group |  bit.ly/JNathanReaderGroup     

Instagram |  http://instagram.com/jnathanauthor    

Bookbub |  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/j-nathan     

Pinterest |  https://www.pinterest.com/jnathanbooks       

Newsletter |  http://eepurl.com/bYa6_L  

Book review: KACE, by Sawyer Bennett

Pittsburgh Titans #20

Kace & Lauren

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story was such a delight. Kace Elliot—Pittsburgh Titans goalie by day, secret MIT physics brain by night—completely stole my heart. His double life as “William,” the remote research assistant helping Dr. Laurel Kent with her polymer‑latices study, sets up one of the most entertaining love triangles… with himself.

Their early messages are crisp and professional, but slowly they start sharing little pieces of their lives. Kace falls first but keeps his distance, convinced Laurel would never want to date her research assistant. Laurel likes William too, but she wants someone real and present, so she lets her best friend drag her to a speed‑dating event. She tells William. He warns her off. She goes anyway. And Kace shows up—as Kace.

Laurel has sworn off athletes, but he charms her into one date, then another, and suddenly she’s falling for the man in front of her while feeling guilty about the man behind the screen. Meanwhile, Kace is jealous of… himself. It’s messy, funny, and so human.

The family visit was one of my favorite parts. Laurel’s parents adore Kace instantly—especially her dad, a massive Titans fan—and for the first time, Laurel feels like she fits in her own home. Kace helps her bridge that gap, and those scenes were warm and lovely.

Of course, the truth eventually blows everything up. The betrayal and hurt land hard, and I genuinely didn’t know how the author would fix it. But with the babe brigade, the team, and some perfectly timed emotional honesty, everything comes together beautifully.

Kace’s double role, the internal rivalry, the sweetness with Laurel’s parents, and the hilarious chaos brought by Lucky, Atlas, North, and the rest of the Titans crew made this such a joyful read. I finished the story smiling.

Purchase links

https://geni.us/SB_Kace

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

Book review: THE FAULT IN FOREVER, by Claudia Burgoa

I loved this book even though it was very heartbreaking.  It’s full blast angst, all the time, as a ghost from a tragic past comes back to haunt.  So I was in angsty heaven!

Ophelia and Haydn are taking their relationship to a new level, she’s moving in with him, to the house he bought with her in mind.  They have been together five years, and he has fought for their love, helping her get over a past heartbreak that nearly destroyed her.  Now, hopeful for a new happy future, they get a surprise phone call, the man she loved many years ago and believed to be dead, is not only alive, but awake from a five-year coma, and she’s his guardian!

To say that this story is turbulent, full of many tears and guilt and heartbreak is an understatement on the angsty ride it took me on. And I loved every word of it!

All the pain, the survivor’s guilt, the trauma from that loss comes back to the front, and she has more questions than answers.  She didn’t know he was alive, his parents kept her away from him after the accident.  She didn’t know how she came to be his guardian and in charge.  And with all those questions, she and Haydn fly to Keaton’s side to see what had to be done.  This is a crazy love triangle, because one of the three was initially dead, then awoken, and invalid.  Haydn, throughout all this book, was solidly on Ophelia’s side, helping her, watching over her, making sure she rests and eats.  It’s heartbreaking for both of them, more so for Haydn who is now unsure if he will lose the woman who is everything to him.

The author did a great job of releasing snippets of information as the story evolves, so we eventually get a complete picture of all the elements involved in the story.  Just when you think you have it handled, she hands you another whammy, so you start to cry again and wonder what the heck will happen now.  

The pace is slow and reflective, we get to know all the characters feelings and thoughts, but thankfully it moves on a steady pace and you know you’re getting somewhere, hoping for an HEA.  I was all the time Team Haydn, because Keane for all his confusion, memory loss, and lack of strength, was still a entitled and selfish.  He didn’t deserve the girl, IMO!

Lovely, sad, romantic, angsty, and super riveting.

Purchase links

https://geni.us/TFIF 

Available in KU 

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/ 

Book review: FAMOUS LAST WORDS, by Claudia Burgoa

⭐️⭐️⭐️
The first half of this book is full of recriminations, accusations, remorse and guilt.  I like angst but this was more than I like.  Seraphina and Brahms were childhood friends.  After a tragic plane crash that took the life of Seraphina’s siblings and made her father wheelchair-bound, Brahms was her succor.  They clung together and fell in love, until something happened that destroyed what they had and turned into hate for her, guilt for him.

Brahms fell into a downward spiral, had several death-defying accidents, and the last one was severe enough that his family got him into Seraphina’s Rehabilitation Therapy clinic.  She hates Brahms but she’s about to lose her business so she had no other choice.  

Brahms was full of love and guilt towards Seraphina.  She was full of vitriol, she was hateful and vindictive.  It was not happy reading for the first half of the book.  Things began to change halfway into a more positive outlook, where forgiveness was beginning to sound possible.  I had an inkling there was a rat in the works, but the reader is kept in total darkness until about 80% of the story.  

The pace is slow and we are waiting for the truth to come out and for the main characters to achieve forgiveness and start dealing with their trauma.  The story is told in present and past scenes but the transitions were not very smooth, and to be truthful, did not shed a lot of light on their issues.  

When the truth comes out, it’s like a 180º turn, we are all happy and cuddly, cheesy and steamy.  I liked Brahms, found him generous and full of love and kindness.  His addictions were a direct result of his sadness and guilt.  His brothers, who are present in support of their stricken brother, are also nice with various interesting personalities.  I didn’t like Seraphina because she’s stuck on her hate and doesn’t budge, not even to ask for information.  She’s even snarky with her bestie and business partner Blythe! 

Purchase links

Amazon https://amzn.to/47UHG1s

Apple https://apple.co/47Ae6P6

Kobo https://bit.ly/3GkNyFH

B&N https://bit.ly/3QY3EtN

Google Play https://bit.ly/47Rx5oi

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 watch shows or movies with her equally geeky husband. 

 

Keep up with Claudia Burgoa and subscribe to her newsletter: https://bit.ly/NwsletterCB%20%20

 

To learn more about Claudia Burgoa & her books, visit here!

 

Connect with Claudia Burgoa:

https://claudiayburgoa.com/wp/contact/

 

UNDERTOW, by Alessandra Torre

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
 I read the short story Riptide by this author in the Aloha Anthology for Maui and was intrigued because it was so delicious and naughty.  The short story was like an introduction to this book, so of course, I went on to read it.  And it was just as delicious and naughty!

Madison has two loves, Stewart and Paul.  They are complete opposites, one is an intense businessman, the other is a relaxed surfer.  Both fill different needs in Madison’s psyche and there’s no way she can part with any.  Both men are equally enamored with Madison and they share her heart and her body and her time because they have no choice.  Stewart because he can’t give her all the time and attention she deserves, Paul because he loves her too much to lose her. 

But of course, chaos won’t stay still and eventually a riptide will come that will throw everything apart in the most unexpected way.

This was one electric page-turner, I kept devouring the pages as I read.  It’s the best triangle story I’ve ever read! I liked both men, I had a hard time if she should choose one.  Then I thought, why not keep both?  The writing was brilliant, as I always expect from this author, and the resolution no less than expected.  Throughly enjoyed and recommend!

Purchase links

https://amzn.to/48g3xSa

About the author 

Alessandra Torre is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels. Torre has been featured in such publications as Elle and Elle UK, as well as guest-blogged for the Huffington Post and RT Book Reviews. She is also the Bedroom Blogger for Cosmopolitan.com.

In addition to writing, Alessandra is the creator of Alessandra Torre Ink, a website, community, and online school for aspiring authors. Her annual conference is INKERS CON, and is available online or in-person. 

Learn more about Alessandra on her website at www.alessandratorre.com