Book review: LYRICS REMAIN UNCHANGED, by Claudia Burgoa

Heartbreak Mixtapes #2

Eddie & Cleo & Barret

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A tender, riveting, emotionally intelligent throuple romance, Claudia Burgoa delivers one of those stories that grabs you by the heart and refuses to let go. Lyrics Remain Unchanged is a beautifully layered, emotionally charged romance that balances darkness, healing, and devotion with remarkable care. It’s the kind of book where every interaction hums with tension—not the loud, dramatic kind, but the intimate, silent kind.

Cleo’s journey is written with such compassion that you feel every tremor of fear, every flicker of hope, every inch of her reclaiming herself. Eddie and Barret? They’re a masterclass in devotion—messy, flawed, fiercely protective, and learning right alongside her. Their dynamic isn’t just spicy (though trust me, the chemistry is volcanic); it’s thoughtful, intentional, and rooted in genuine emotional work. Therapy, boundaries, communication—Burgoa doesn’t just sprinkle these in, she builds the entire relationship on them.

What I loved most is how the story honors Cleo’s pace. She’s never pushed, never rushed. She’s given choices—windows or doors open or closed, lights on or off—and those small freedoms become monumental. Watching her inner backbone strengthen is incredibly rewarding.

Eddie and Barret are messy, protective, vulnerable, and absolutely devoted. Their dynamic with Cleo is sensual, intentional, and grounded in real emotional work. Therapy, boundaries, communication—this relationship is built on all the things that make love sustainable, not just swoony.

And the Wilder family moments? Pure gold. The tenderness, the protectiveness, the humor—it all adds warmth to a story already rich with feeling.

This book is riveting, sensual, and full of heart. But above all, it’s a story about reclaiming your voice, choosing love that feels safe, and building a future with people who see every fractured piece of you and stay anyway.

My only frustration—and the reason I kept going back to the beginning to search for clues—is that a few plot threads never quite get the closure they deserve. The book hints at deeper motives and machinations behind Cleo’s captivity, Arthur Bradley mentioned how Dorian took control over all aspects of Cleo’s life but we don’t get any information on what he aimed to achieve, and those answers never fully materialize. I also found myself wanting more clarity on how the rescue was carried through. These aren’t deal‑breakers, but they did leave me wishing for just a bit more connective tissue.

A beautifully resonant read that left me full—even if I’m still side‑eyeing those unanswered questions.

Purchase links

https://geni.us/LyricsRemainUnchanged

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: FORCEFUL GOD, by Michelle Heard

Kings of Mafia #7

Christiano & Sienna

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story swept me into the whirlwind that is Sienna and Christiano—two people who loved each other so fiercely that even a bullet couldn’t sever the bond between them. Their engagement party turns into a nightmare when the Irish mafia opens fire, and the moment Christiano throws himself over Sienna, taking a bullet in the back, becomes the fracture line of her entire life. Her terror in that hospital room—his bloody jacket, the white sheet—shattered her, and her diagnosis of Thanatophobia felt like heartbreak.

What I loved is how the book treats her fear not as weakness, but as a wound that deserves care. Sienna leaves him because she thinks loving him will kill her, and for seven long years they orbit each other like two stars refusing to burn out. Christiano grows darker, more violent, but the only thing that soothes him is her scent. And when he finally decides her time is up? Cue tension, obsession, inevitability. And lots of panic attacks!

Their reunion is messy, tender, and scorching. Sienna still believes she’s too fragile to be a mafia wife, but Christiano refuses to let her hide. When he discovers her medication and the truth behind her fear, he doesn’t recoil—he softens. He learns. He protects. He becomes the safe place she never thought she could have. Watching him build systems, routines, and even tech to help her manage her anxiety was unexpectedly beautiful.

And once they settle into married life, the story becomes this warm, intimate portrait of two people healing each other. There’s family, laughter, deliciously steamy moments, and a sense of safety Sienna never imagined she could feel. I kept waiting for the big attack or kidnapping, but the real conflict was internal—and once her secret was out, she finally understood that vulnerability doesn’t diminish love; it deepens it.

Michelle Heard always gives me couples who love with their whole souls—obsessive men, sensitive women with steel cores—and this one felt especially tender. Sienna’s anxiety made her human, and Christiano’s devotion made their love feel inevitable. A compelling, emotional, unexpectedly feel‑good romance that proves that with the right person, even your darkest fear can be met with understanding and unwavering love.

Purchase links

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FTV51QN2

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FTV51QN2

CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0FTV51QN2

AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0FTV51QN2

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.

 

Connect w/Michelle:

Website: https://michelleheardauthor.com

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

FB Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/118971435201074

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

Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/michellehorst

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18108320.Michelle_Heard

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/michelle-heard

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

Newsletter Signup: https://preview.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/p6m4o4

Book review: MY BROTHER’S ENEMY, by Tijan

Tijan delivers another powerhouse of an angsty, emotionally charged romance that grips you from the first page and refuses to let go.

Rain, a sports psychologist with a complicated past, joins the Minnesota Grey Wolfs to help the team reach their full potential. Hockey isn’t just her profession—it’s her history, her heartbreak, and her hidden identity. Estranged from her brothers and father, Rain carries deep scars from a childhood where she was unseen, unloved, and ultimately cast out.

Enter Tyler Griffin—one of the top five hockey players in the league—who transfers to the Grey Wolfs to support his twin sister after a family crisis. Rain and Griff share a tangled past: she once crushed on him in high school, while his family’s tragedy intersected with hers in painful ways. Their reunion sparks immediate attraction, but also dredges up old wounds, rivalries, and secrets.

This isn’t just a romance—it’s a story about invisible wounds. Rain’s journey is heartbreaking:

• Her father’s rejection and her brothers’ cruelty left her believing she was unworthy of love.

• Griff’s protective instincts toward his sister and niece mirror Rain’s own yearning for family.

• Mal’s revelation introduces the “invisible child syndrome,” a devastating reminder of how neglect can shape a life.

Rain’s vulnerability—her admission of contemplating ending her life—makes her eventual healing all the more powerful. With Griff’s love, Mal’s support, and the team’s loyalty, she begins to rewrite the narrative of her worth.

The hockey backdrop is more than sport—it’s the heartbeat of the novel. Rain’s strategies transform the Grey Wolfs into a cohesive unit, and her presence becomes the glue holding them together. The games against Boston and Montreal are not just battles on the ice but symbolic confrontations with her past. Facing her brothers—Dane with reconciliation, Daniel with defiance—cements Rain’s growth and her newfound strength.

Rain and Griff’s relationship is messy, passionate, and real. From almost-kisses on the rink to nights where she swears “just once” but opens the door again, their love story is threaded with vulnerability and fire. Griff’s declaration of forever—buying a house, choosing her despite his hatred of her brothers—feels like the ultimate triumph. Rain, once unseen, is finally loved, chosen, and cherished.

Tijan masterfully balances heartbreak and hope, weaving psychological depth with tender romance. The novel explores what it means to be invisible, the scars of family betrayal, and the courage it takes to believe in love again. Rain’s journey from gray hopelessness to vibrant belonging is unforgettable.

This is a story of second chances, found family, and the healing power of love—wrapped in the adrenaline of hockey and the raw intensity of Tijan’s signature angst.

Purchase links

Amazon: http://bit.ly/46veizZ

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/npXY05 

Available exclusively in Kindle Unlimited

Paperback

Amazon: http://bit.ly/3W7gmta

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/3W7dtss

Special Edition

Amazon: http://bit.ly/4ol6hVu

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/42Kglzc

Hardcover 

Amazon: http://bit.ly/4n6KDmX

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/3W6VEcY 

Audiobook: https://bit.ly/47zFYWj 

Narrated by @offmicandi & @tor_thom

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/46GYzPz

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: TRULY MADLY DEEPLY, by L.J. Shen

Forbidden Love #1

Calla & Row

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love being back in LJ Shen’s world, where the guys are jerks with a hidden vulnerability and the women seem vulnerable but have a hard core inside.  In this case, Ambrose Rhett Casablancas, is a famous chef, owner of six Michelin awards, childhood friend of Calla Litvin, who is beautiful, sunshiny, quirky, and best friends with his little sister Dylan.  Even though he’s such a grump, he’s always been there for Calla as a protector, dance teacher, ride to school, food provider.  

Cal has a dark past, she’s broken but that doesn’t stop her from always being uplifting and cheerful.  Her past trauma is the reason she has no love live.  

In this author’s love stories, characters enter into their love with a lot of reluctance or obstacles, but in this case, we get the male character has always been in love with Cal.  His unrequited love turns him into a jerk who is always grumpy with Cal, but nevertheless does his job as a friend.  I had such a love for him, because he defends himself, as he should, but he never reneges on being there for Cal.  

I found that Cal was very stubbornly broken, didn’t seek help for her situation, just kept it locked inside and festering.  I wanted to slap her silly because Row was perfect, he was there, he was devoted, but he was also leaving soon.

There’s no way to stay unemotional with an LJ Shen story.  She makes you laugh, snark, cry, sometimes you want to shake a stubborn fool, but always rejoice in the love that shines in all the ones around, like Cal’s Mamushka, Dylan’s snarkiness, Kieran’s kindness disguised in douchy-ness.

I liked the author’s message that even if you’re broken and reject love, you’re still deserving of devotion and long-lasting love and such is the case of Cal and Row.  Utterly entertaining, delightful, a little angsty, and fun.  And most of all, 🔥 

Purchase links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4cMvz9C

Add Truly, Madly, Deeply to Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/28rdvrh9  

 

For more information about L.J. Shen and her books, visit her website:

https://www.authorljshen.com

About the author

L.J. Shen is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, and #1 Amazon bestselling author of contemporary, new adult, and young adult romance. Her books have been sold in twenty different countries, and she hopes to visit all of them.

She lives in Florida with her husband, three rowdy sons, and rowdier pets and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows, and reading to her heart’s content. Connect with her on her website at www.authorljshen.com or on Instagram (@authorljshen), or join her Facebook group at http://goo.gl/QZJ0NC. Sign up for her newsletter at https://bit.ly/3LhsIrb, and text SHEN to 313131 to get new release alerts (United States only).