Book review: KNIGHTS LIKE THESE, by Kendall Ryan

Off the Ice #3

Archer & Sydney

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I would just like to say this book was beautiful. Of the whole series so far, this one touched me the most. It had layers, feelings, quiet heartbreak, and the kind of slow‑burn love that stays with you long after you finish.

This is one of the best friends‑to‑lovers stories I’ve ever read. Sydney has loved Archer since she was fourteen, and you can feel that history in every page. She loved him from the moment he walked into her ballet class as a quiet, intense teenager. Their lives stayed intertwined through college, relationships, marriage, heartbreak, and parenthood. All that history made their story feel rich and lived‑in, earned.

The twins were a delight. Lily with her wild energy and tiny‑litigator attitude, and Luke with his quiet seriousness and love for marine life. They added so much heart to the story.  And I loved how much they loved Sydney!

Archer’s journey was emotional. He’s a man who hides behind “safe choices,” and watching him finally face his truth was powerful. Sydney’s growth was just as meaningful—finding her purpose, her joy, and her place in Archer’s world.

I should also mention Lauren, Sydney’s friend from back home. Initially I didn’t love her because I found her too meddling, too bossy—but by the end, she surprised me. She showed real compassion when Sydney was unraveling, and her kindness mattered. And I think we’ll see her in a future book, too!

This book had nuance, tenderness, humor, and a whole hockey family that made everything richer. A gorgeous slow burn with a payoff that felt earned. Five stars, easily.

Purchase links

Kindle: https://amzn.to/4nH9QGy

Goodreads: https://geni.us/grknights

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: WHISPER SWEET NOTHINGS, by Laura Pavlov

Rosewood River #6

Archer & Winnie

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Whisper Sweet Nothings is the kind of finale that feels like being wrapped in a quilt sewn from every reason we fell in love with Rosewood River in the first place. It’s tender, funny, a little chaotic in the best family‑way, and full of that Laura Pavlov magic where love looks like everyday devotion.

This book shines because of its emotional warmth. Archer’s quiet steadiness and Winnie’s sunshine resilience create a dynamic that feels both comforting and electric. Their connection builds through routines, small kindnesses, and the kind of domestic intimacy that sneaks up on you. It’s a slow burn that rewards patience with genuine payoff.

Melody, as always, is the beating heart of the story. Her sweetness and open heart bring out the best in everyone around her, and watching her bond with Winnie is one of the loveliest threads in the book.

The group chats are still hilarious. Bridger is now a reformed guy, controlling the grumpy, who knew? Beefcake’s swagger and wisdom are a running thread all through the series and have me wanting to read his story when he’s older. There’s a running joke that had me cackling every time it resurfaced (Japanese toilet, anyone?) and the banter and heckling across the entire siblings/ cousins keeps the story funny even when emotions run deep.

This book understands healing, built in the quiet courage it takes to trust again. Both Archer and Winnie carry old hurts, and the way they navigate them feels grounded and real. Their growth is as satisfying as their romance.  I got a kick out of the story within the story: Winnie is a romance author writing a book about a single dad. 

The found family element is as strong as ever. This world has always thrived on community, and this final installment celebrates that beautifully.  I loved how all the men in the family accepted Winnie, and the women embraced her and rejoiced in her books, reading them ferociously, and celebrating all her successes. 

This is a finale that feels earned. It’s heartfelt, funny, and deeply romantic, embrazing the cozy charm of the series. I’ve loved Rosewood River, and this book feels like coming home one last time — and leaving with a full heart.

Purchase links

FREE with #kindleunlimited

https://bit.ly/3MCOCeF

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4aE3n96

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/4aGlBqx

Audiobook: https://geni.us/WSNAUDIO

Narrated by: Sebastian York & @savannahpeachwood

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/48WD6lz

About the author

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!

 

Connect with Laura

Website: https://www.laurapavlov.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6569734.Laura_Pavlov

Amazon: http://amzn.to/3c1xKZX

Facebook: http://bit.ly/3eSvEdp

Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2OKU6T5

Instagram: https://bit.ly/2TKf5Zs

X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurapavlov2

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

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/3ii8Vdp

Book review: CURSED QUEEN, by Julie Saman

Once Upon Ever After #2

Bellamy & Sebastian

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This sequel delivers everything I wanted after that brutal cliffhanger: more mystery, more royal chaos, and more of Sebastian being an intense, broody beast with a silvery‑blue stare that could freeze oceans — except when he’s with Bellamy and the kids, where he turns into a total softy. In the bedroom, though? The man absolutely lives up to his reputation, and Bellamy is delighted.

Bellamy’s irreverent humor and American practicality (“curses aren’t real, bad things happen, move on”) continue to be the perfect antidote to centuries of royal superstition. She brings warmth and fun into a palace drowning in secrets, curses, and generational trauma. The discovery that she’s pregnant with twins adds joy… until tragedy hits and she spirals into a grief that feels painfully real.

The mystery of Desta’s kidnapping explodes wide open with the dowager queen’s shocking confession — betrayal, scandal, and a level of coldness that made my jaw drop. Rowan steps up beautifully, proving he’s far more than the playboy prince we met before.

And then comes Charlotte, the “perfect” nanny who turns out to be a walking red flag. The snooping, the manipulation, the cheek kiss — all leading to a kidnapping that ties the entire mystery together in a chilling way. The rescue is tense and satisfying, and Sebastian’s groveling afterward is exactly the catharsis I needed.

There’s humor (Arthur the ferret!), heartbreak, jealousy, danger, and yes… an almost comical amount of anal play. These two have no fear.

Overall, it’s a dramatic, emotional, addictive continuation of a series that thrives on love, chaos, and the stubborn belief that curses don’t stand a chance against Bellamy’s big heart and sassy ways.

Purchasing links

Amazon Universal: https://geni.us/CursedQueen

BookBub: https://geni.us/CQBookBub

Goodreads: https://geni.us/CursedQueenTBR

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

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

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/j-saman

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

Book review: SWEET LITTLE HEARTS, by Shanora Williams

This story is exactly what it promises to be: sweet and tender. It’s the kind of romance that wraps itself in domestic moments, soft healing, and a grumpy‑meets‑sunshine dynamic that slowly melts into something warm and steady.

We follow Javier, widower, NBA star, and full‑time dad to four‑year‑old Aleesa — a little girl so adorable she practically steals the book. Enter Octavia, who’s interviewing to be Aleesa’s nanny and arrives with equal parts competence, sass, and emotional scars of her own. Javier thinks she’s too much; Aleesa thinks she’s perfect; and honestly, Aleesa wins.

Both Octavia and her sister Davina carry heavy pasts, so neither woman walks into life expecting joy to stick around. But Octavia’s bond with Aleesa is instant and precious, and watching Javier’s infamous “GG — Grumpy Giant” exterior soften is one of the book’s quiet pleasures.

The romance itself is a slow, simmering attraction that keeps trying to behave and absolutely fails. There’s jealousy, a hilariously disastrous crashed date, and that moment when the grumpy one finally admits he doesn’t want anyone else near her. Sparks, meet gasoline.

The story does wander — sometimes deeply — into daily routines, parenting rhythms, and emotional processing. But it also offers genuinely tender moments of support, especially when past traumas resurface or when life throws unexpected challenges at Javier and Aleesa. Octavia becomes the steady presence he didn’t know he needed, and he becomes the safe place she never believed she’d have.

By the end, what stays with you isn’t the drama but the gentle, family‑centered sweetness: found love, found safety, and a man who realizes his purpose is to protect the little hearts entrusted to him.

Lovely and heartwarming — not groundbreaking, but definitely comforting.

Purchase links

Amazon: https://a.co/d/eaAnfix

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/5W9H2

Audible: https://bit.ly/3Lz12n1

Narrated by Andre Santana & Aure Nash 

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/453QuE0

About the author

Shanora Williams is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author known for her versatile voice, diverse characters, and high-stakes stories. Whether grounded in reality, set in a world of magic, or immersed in suspense, her books explore connection, chaos, and emotions that linger long after the last page.

As a self-proclaimed “mood writer”, Shanora has never believed in boxing herself in. Her desire has always been to take risks and challenge herself. If a plot is relentlessly on her mind, she will try her hand at it.

When she isn’t writing, she’s deep in family life, binge-watching shows and movies, working out, gaming, or getting cozy with a book. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and three sons.