Happy new year, here is to a productive 2024!
I read a lot of great novels to surpass my reading goal which was a 100 with 30 more books last year. Here is a collection of books that stood out to me
Cupid Calling° Viano Oniomoh° ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Plot: Ejiro wants to fall in love. Obiora wants a free vacation. Both hope they’ll find what they want on the upcoming reality dating show Cupid Calling, where they’ll be competing alongside twenty-eight other bachelors for the heart of one bachelorette.The very last thing they expect is to fall for each other.
My Thoughts: #fav-reads-of-2023. Encountering Nigerian queer narratives is a rare occurrence, so discovering this one brought me joy. With a reality TV theme, the book’s insightful commentary elevates it to top-tier status, making it a worthwhile read. Grab a copy today.
None of this is true° Lisa Jewell° ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 /5
Plot: Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins. A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.
Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life and into her home. But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.
Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?
My Thoughts: Lisa Jewell, whom I greatly admire, stands out as a brilliant writer. Having read several of her books, I couldn’t resist picking up this latest one upon its release, and it did not disappoint.
The Unlikely Heir° Jax Calder° ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 /5
Plot: My boring life working in an insurance call center in sunny California just took an unexpected turn. Thanks to my misbehaving relatives, I’ve leapt from obscurity to royalty as the new heir to the British throne. But my welcome in England is about as warm as the weather. I arrive to discover a country horrified at the thought of an American version of Prince Charming and ready to revolt against the monarchy. I vow to my grandmother, the Queen, that I will do everything possible to help her save the crown.
Unfortunately, royal life isn’t easy. From bewildering traditions, traitorous friends, and malevolent swans, the only thing I’m succeeding in is providing entertainment for the tabloids and social media trolls.
And then the broodingly handsome Prime Minister, Oliver, bursts into my life. With his meteoric rise from poverty to the most powerful man in the country, Oliver understands my current plight. Innocent messages of support turn into late-night chats and unexpected feelings.
But there’s one major problem. The royal family must remain politically neutral at all times. So how can I keep my promise to save the monarchy when I’m falling in love with the Prime Minister?
My Thoughts: Discover the tale of a forbidden romance brimming with humour and drama – a captivating narrative that unfolds when the Prince of Wales falls in love with the Prime Minister.
Idol Minds° KT Salvo° ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Plot: In this sizzling gay K-pop romance debut from KT Salvo, movie star Jason was a Hollywood golden boy. The youngest ever Best Actor award winner for his role in The Moon Shines Madly, the former teen idol was ready to make the jump from teen comedies to dramatic leading roles. But his famously well-documented on-set blow-up cost him his part and drove him from the limelight.
Singer, dancer, and leader of the K-pop supergroup XTC, Woo Tae Hyun was a rising star and K-pop sensation until a rift within his group drove him away from music. Freshly returned from the army, Tae Hyun’s ready to kick-start his solo career. But his label has something else in mind.
When the two stars are brought together for a project neither one wants, their chemistry becomes impossible to ignore. Can they overcome the obstacles of their forbidden romance, or will the pressures of fame tear them apart?
My Thoughts: #fav-reads-of-2023. I found this to be a superb read. The love story between Jason and Tae Hyun was incredibly beautiful, and I couldn’t help but cheer for them throughout. Anticipation grew when I learned the second part was set to release later in the year.
Idol Moves° KT Salvo°⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Plot: The world witnessed K-pop sensation Woo Tae Hyun profess his love for Hollywood heartthrob Jason. And their enchanting gay fairy tale romance has captivated the globe ever since. But not everyone is rooting for this power couple. Jealousy, rivalry, and prejudice rear their ugly heads, spelling trouble as Jason and Tae Hyun navigate the treacherous waters of the fame game.
Amidst the glitz and glamour of stardom, Jason and Tae Hyun’s love will face its most challenging test. Will true love be enough to weather the coming storm? Or will a nefarious entertainment empire succeed in extinguishing their blazing love affair?
It’s a high-stakes showdown as Jason and Tae Hyun are embroiled in a winner-takes-all struggle with everything on the line. Can love conquer all before the final curtain comes down?
My Thoughts: An excellent follow-up that delves deeper into the intriguing realm of K-pop, expanding on what we glimpsed in Idol Moves. Witnessing the challenges Tae Hyun faced due to his sexuality was heart-wrenching, but having Jason alongside him added immense value to the journey. Anticipating a third book or whatever the author chooses to write next, these two books come highly recommended.
Sparks Fly° Birdie Lynn° ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Plot: Arthur didn’t expect to spend his final year at the Stonebury Conservatory for Young Mages dating his archnemesis-fake dating, that is. Arthur’s particular brew of perfectionism and anxiety has served him well, landing him at the top of his class. Almost.
The number one spot belongs to Stonebury’s most popular student, Mika- Arthur’s sworn rival with a mirthful glint in his eye and an ever-present grin. But when Arthur’s tuition check bounces, he must win the fellowship money granted to the top student in his class, or his future will come to a grinding halt.
When a spell reveals that the only obstacle in Arthur’s way-Mika-is his soulmate, they enter into a fake dating ploy to stop their classmates’ ridicule. On their rollercoaster of falsified romance, Arthur finds himself shoved into more compromising situations with his rival than he ever imagined, and he’s horrified to find that he even enjoys some of them. The real Mika-wickedly charismatic and earnest in equal parts-refuses to fit into the checkboxes on Arthur’s meticulous to-do lists. Can Arthur put aside his pride to secure the future he has so desperately dreamed of? Or will his obsession with hating Mika cost him everything?
My Thoughts: Read if you love sweet romance stories mixed with rivarly and magic.
Gorgeous Gruesome Faces°Linda Cheng°⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Plot: After a shocking scandal that abruptly ended her teen popstar career, eighteen-year-old Sunny spends her days longing for her former life and cyberstalking her ex-BFF and groupmate, Candie. The two were once inseparable, but that was then—before the tragedy and heartache they left in their wake.
In the here and now, Sunny is surprised to discover that Candie is attending a new K-pop workshop in her hometown. Candie might be there chasing stardom, but Sunny can’t resist the chance to join her and finally confront their traumatic history.
Because she still can’t figure out what happened that horrible night when Mina, the third in their tight-knit trio, jumped to her death. Or if the dark and otherworldly secrets she and Candie were keeping had something to do with it . But the workshop doesn’t bring the answers Sunny had hoped for, nor a happy reunion with Candie. Instead, Sunny finds herself haunted by ghostly visions while strange injuries start happening to her competitors—followed by even stranger mutilations to their bodies. In her race to survive, Sunny will have to expose just who is behind the carnage—and if Candie is out for blood once more.
My Thoughts: In this debut sapphic speculative thriller, imagine Yellowjackets colliding with She Is a Haunting. The story follows a disgraced teen idol confronting the demons of her past within a fierce K-pop competition. Although it started strong and became a bit perplexing towards the end, the book remains compelling, with a captivating exploration of cults. Asian literature is undoubtedly thriving at the moment.
Check Mate° Ali Hazelwood°⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Plot: Mallory is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory’s focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious “Kingkiller” Nolan: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess. Nolan’s loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What’s even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory’s victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can’t help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist.
As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realises that the games aren’t only on the board, the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce (-ly attractive. And intelligent…and infuriating…)
My Thoughts: Winner for Best Young Adult Fiction Good Reads Choice Awards 2023. If I was hosting awards,the book would have won best cover! Given Ali’s usual focus on women in STEM, this felt like a refreshing change. Ali excels at crafting compelling love stories, and despite this being her debut in young adult fiction, it didn’t disappoint.
Pretty Pretty Boys° Gregory Ashe° ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Plot: After Emery loses his job as a detective in Saint Louis, he heads back to his hometown-and to the local police force there. Home, though, brings no happy memories, and the ghosts of old pain are very much alive in Wahredua. Emery’s new partner, John-Henry, had been one of the worst tormentors, and Emery still wonders what John’s role was in the death of Jeff, Emery’s first boyfriend.
When a severely burned body is discovered, Emery finds himself drawn deeper into the case than he expects. Determining the identity of the dead man proves impossible, and solving the murder grows more and more unlikely. But as the city’s only gay police officer, Emery is placed at the centre of a growing battle between powerful political forces. To his surprise, Hazard finds an unlikely ally in his partner, the former bully. And as they spend more time together, something starts to happen between them, something that Hazard can’t–and doesn’t want–to explain.
The discovery of a second mutilated corpse, though, reveals clues that the two murders are linked, and as Hazard gets closer to answers, he uncovers a conspiracy of murder and betrayal that goes deeper–and closer to home–than he could ever expect.
My Thoughts: A nice introduction to the series.
Hopelessly Bromantic°Lauren Blakely°⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Plot: Look, when I met the sexy, witty Brit on the streets of London last night, I had no idea who he was. He was just that hot guy I wanted to have a drink with so I asked him out for my first evening in town. One thing almost led to another. After a midnight kiss, we made plans for a whole lot more the next day. But when I unlock the door to my rental in the morning, the English hottie is lounging on the couch like he lives here too. Great. For the next year I’ll be sharing a tiny flat with the sexiest guy I’ve ever known.
Time for a few simple rules — don’t walk around the flat wearing only a towel, don’t spend our nights together exploring London, and don’t crack open my secrets for him. Even as I smash all those rules, I try to resist falling for the cocky charmer. But after a taste of his lips, I give all the way in, telling myself one night and we won’t fall in love. Too bad in the morning I discover that hiding my true feelings is the least of my worries, compared to a twist I never see coming.
My Thoughts: For lovers of sexy, passionate, roomies-to-lovers, romance troupe. It has a sequel that is equally good.
P.S I spook you° SE Harmon° ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Plot: SSA Rain used to be the agency’s golden boy. It just takes one moment of weakness, one slight, tiny, itty-bitty paranormal sighting, and all of a sudden he’s the agency’s embarrassment. His boss gives him one last chance to redeem himself-go down to Brickell Bay, play nice with the local police, and leave the ghost sightings behind. Rain is determined to do exactly that, even if it kills him.
Cold-case detective Daniel’s latest investigation is going nowhere fast. Five years earlier, high school student Amy went missing after leaving her part-time job and was never seen again. Daniel is glad to finally have the FBI help that his department requested, even if it does come in the form of his ex. It doesn’t help that Rain is pretty sure he’s falling in love with Danny all over again-if he ever stopped. Add to that the frustration of seeing ghosts at every turn while he works a case that’s stalled in its tracks, and Rain is starting to wonder if second chances and happy endings are just for fairy tales.
My Thoughts: It comes highly recommended for lovers of queer, spooky, thriller romance stories.
Something Wild & Wonderful° Anita Kelly° ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Plot: Alexei’s journey on the Pacific Crest Trail begins with a single snake. And it is angling for the hot stranger who seemed to have appeared out of thin air. Lex is prepared for rattlesnakes, blisters, and months of solitude. What he isn’t prepared for is Ben. But somehow-on a 2,500-mile trail-Alexei keeps running into the outgoing and charismatic hiker with golden-brown eyes, again and again. It might be a coincidence. Then again, maybe there’s a reason the trail keeps bringing them together .
Ben has made his fair share of bad decisions, and almost all of them involved beautiful men. And yet there’s something about the gorgeous and quietly nerdy Alexei that Ben can’t just walk away from. Surely a bad decision can’t be this cute and smart. And there are worse things than falling in love during the biggest adventure of your life. But when their plans for the future are turned upside down, Ben and Alexei begin to wonder if it’s possible to hold on to something this wild and wonderful.
My Thoughts: The author behind Love & Other Disasters presents a vibrant romantic tale where a grumpy character meets sunshine, taking readers on a sweeping journey across the Western wilderness with two men.
Teacher of the year° MA Wardell° ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Plot: Marvin is one of the best kindergarten teachers out there. And despite his anxiety, Marvin’s life is sweet. He knows what he wants. And what he wants is the Teacher of the Year Award. Not just for himself – his school needs him to win.Returning from break, the New Year finds Marvin all set to welcome a new pupil to his class. But when Illona walks in with her cute-as-hell single dad beside her, Marvin’s focus starts to slide. Sure, his students always come first, but he deserves to have a life outside the classroom, too, right?
As their friendship starts to deepen, Marvin realises Olan has the potential to teach him things about love he never thought possible. But with the Teacher of the Year award and his school’s future on the line, now’s not the time for anything complicated. Education has always been Marvin’s world. And he needs to keep a cool head if he wants to win the award and save his school. But will it be worth it if he loses Olan in the process?
With Olan’s past and Marvin’s present colliding, their experiment in love hangs in the balance. Marvin knows what he wants out of life. But now he’s forced to consider what he wants out of love.
My Thoughts: Teacher of the Year is a passionate friends-to-lovers gay romance novel that delves into the challenges of balancing friendships, family, career, and relationships. The narrative addresses overcoming trauma and managing anxiety in this compelling story.
Queried Sick° Dallas Smith° ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Plot: Ezra never felt like New York was truly his home, which is why he’s spent the last seven years studying abroad at university and backpacking across Europe. Some may say he’s running from his problems, but he just hates feeling stuck. Then COVID-19 starts ripping its way through Europe. Within weeks, Ezra is back in New York and on lockdown for the foreseeable future. And to make matters worse, the person training him at his new job seems to hate him
Oliver used to love his job at Coleman Press. But starting to train a new hire at the onset of a worldwide health crisis when he’s already overworked is enough to make him snap—especially since that new hire has no prior publishing knowledge. Yet, somehow, even without experience, Ezra proves not to be as bad as Oliver initially thought. Through a constant stream of bad literature quotes, text exchanges about Oscar Wilde, and Zoom dates to watch television, Oliver and Ezra find themselves falling for each other. But can a relationship work when CDC guidelines require you to keep your distance?
My Thoughts: A gradual unfolding of romance between two bisexual men unfolds within the backdrop of a publishing company during the pandemic. The novel encapsulates the essence of romance amidst pandemic challenges, effectively transporting me back to those times—a nostalgic aspect that I found appreciable.
Stay Awake °Megan Goldin° ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Plot: Liv wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she’s dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers―a stranger who now lives in her apartment and forces her out in the cold. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it’s missing, and in its place is a bloodstained knife. That’s when she sees that her hands are covered in black pen, scribbled messages like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE.
Two years ago, Liv was living with her best friend, dating a new man, and thriving as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now, she’s lost and disoriented in a New York City that looks nothing like what she remembers. Catching a glimpse of the local news, she’s horrified to see reports of a crime scene where the victim’s blood has been used to scrawl a message across a window, the same message that’s inked on her hands.
What did she do last night? And why does she remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing as she tries to piece together the fragments of her life. But there’s someone who does know exactly what she did, and they’ll do anything to make her forget―permanently.
My Thoughts: #fav-reads-of-2023. Stay Awake is an electrifying and captivating novel featuring a uniquely plotted storyline rarely found in most books. Megan skillfully explores the intertwining themes of memory and murder in this compelling narrative.
Egg Drop Dead° Vivien Chien° ⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Plot: It was supposed to be a fancy, intimate dinner party by the pool. Instead, Lana’s first-ever catering event turns into full-course madness when a domestic worker is found dead. Is the party’s host Donna, the sweet-and-sour owner of the Asia Village shopping plaza where Ho-Lee is situated, somehow to blame? That’s what Lana―whose plate is already plenty full with running the restaurant, pleasing her often-disapproving mother, and fretting over her occasionally-serious boyfriend Detective Adam―must find out.
Before the police arrived at the crime scene, Donna had entrusted an odd piece of evidence to Lana: a thumb drive shaped like a terra-cotta soldier. Now it’s up to Lana to lead her own investigation, digitally and in real life, into a world of secrets involving Donna’s earlier life in China, whether the victim had a dark agenda, and if the killer is still out there. . .and plans to strike again.
My Thoughts: The entire collection comprises a delightful cozy mystery series, revolving around Lana, an aspiring detective with a knack for solving crimes in each book using her exceptional investigative and inquisitive abilities. Fortunately, Lana doesn’t tackle these challenges solo; she has the support of her family and a bona fide detective boyfriend to ensure her safety. It’s truly enjoyable to read about Lana’s escapades.
The Son of the House° Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia° ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Plot: In the Nigerian city of Enugu, young Nwabulu, a housemaid since the age of ten, dreams of becoming a typist as she endures her employers’ endless chores. She is tall and beautiful and in love with a rich man’s son. Educated and privileged, Julie is a modern woman. Living on her own, she is happy to collect the gold jewellery lovestruck Eugene brings her, but has no intention of becoming his second wife.
When a kidnapping forces Nwabulu and Julie into a dark room years later, the two women relate the stories of their lives as they await their fate.
My Thoughts: Winner of the SprinNG Women Authors Prize 2020. The Son of the House is a compelling novel that follows the lives of two Nigerian women divided by class and social inequality intersect when they’re kidnapped, held captive, and forced to await their fate together.
The Quiet Tenant° Clémence Michallon° ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Plot: Aidan is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate New York town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.
When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.
My Thoughts: This is an electrifying debut thriller about a serial killer narrated by those closest to him; his thirteen year old daughter, his girlfriend and the one victim he spared.
We could be so good° Cat Sebastian°⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Nick has worked his way from a rough Brooklyn neighbourhood to a reporting job at one of the city’s biggest newspapers. But the late 1950s are a hostile time for gay men, and Nick knows that he can’t let anyone into his life. He just never counted on meeting someone as impossible to say no to as Andy. Andy’s newspaper-tycoon father wants him to take over the family business. Andy, though, has no intention of running the paper. He’s barely able to run his life–he’s never paid a bill on time, routinely gets lost on the way to work, and would rather gouge out his own eyes than deal with office politics. Andy agrees to work for a year in the newsroom, knowing he’ll make an ass of himself and hate every second of it.
Except, Nick keeps rescuing Andy: showing him the ropes, tracking down his keys, freeing his tie when it gets stuck in the ancient filing cabinets. Their unlikely friendship soon sharpens into feelings they can’t deny. But what feels possible in secret–this fragile, tender thing between them–seems doomed in the light of day. Now Nick and Andy have to decide if, for the first time, they’re willing to fight.
My Thoughts: I waited expectantly for any negative developments in their relationship, but my anticipation was in vain. Highly recommended.
How to say I do° Tal Bauer ° ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Noël: Manhattan is my heart and soul. In the cutthroat world of elite public relations, I’m one of the princes. I manage global superstars, predict the up-and-coming trends, And social media? That’s my specialty. I can make you, and launch you straight to the stratosphere. My life is champagne glitter and starlight, and everything around me is gold. But then, my own wedding bells turn into alarm bells, and suddenly, I’m off to Cancun—alone. Alone with a first-class ticket to a honeymoon for one. All that gold? Tarnished tin. Everything I thought I knew? Gone. Cancun is supposed to be where I obliterate myself on margaritas and tropical waves. Forget the past, shake off the pain, and look ahead. It’s my strategy, always has been. But beneath it all, I long for someone to see the real me, the Noël I’ve hidden away for years. I’m so damn lonely. And then I met Wyatt.
Wyatt: I’m a man of the land, made from the Texas soil I work on, strengthened by the vineyard I tend to. It’s a world I’ve carefully nurtured, a balm for the wounds of my past. This life hasn’t been easy, but it’s mine. I’m fiercely protective of the world I’ve built for me, my brother, his fiancée, and my nephew. The four of us are everything that matters to me, and my life and my cares extend to my cross fences and the edges of my range. Everything else out there? It’s all just dust in the wind.
And then Noël blows into my life. I’m gone. Captivated, spun around, tipped upside down and torn apart. I can’t breathe; being around Noël makes me feel like I’m sixteen again and hiding all my secret fantasies and unspoken desires. I’m down in Cancun with my family, and this isn’t the time to be falling for a guy, but how can you not fall head over heels when the man of your dreams walks into your world?
Noël’s many multi-hued layers fascinate me and perplex me, and I want to spend every minute unravelling him. Noël’s life is glittering gold, and mine is Texas soil, but I can learn to understand Manhattan, pop culture, and celebrities if that means I get to be Noël’s man. But does Noël feel the same? What is this between us? Is it just a week that we both need a Pause on life, out here in this place so far removed from our real lives? Or is this the start of something new and huge and life-changing for the two of us? What am I seeing in Noël’s eyes when he looks at me? And what’s going to happen when this week ends?
My Thoughts:#fav-reads-of-2023. How to Say I Do is my first introduction to Tal Bauer books making me an instant fan. The novel is an opposite-attract, slow-burn, bi-awakening, fake husband’s, rom-com-meets-heartfelt romance love story full of swoony beach vacation vibes, laugh-out-loud moments, and grab-your-chest heartache. It comes highly recommended.
You & me °Tal Bauer ° ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Landon is the envy of all the dads in Last Waters, Texas. He’s cool, confident, and put together. He and his son—the high school’s all-star quarterback—have the perfect father-son relationship. He’s such a Super Dad, it’s almost sickening. I’m not cool, or confident, and my relationship with my son couldn’t be worse. He’s barely speaking to me, and a year after my wife died, we’re both clinging to the wreckage of our family.
Landon’s son and mine are best friends and—of course—Landon is the football Team Dad. And though I know nothing about football, Landon convinces me to volunteer to be closer to my son. Volunteering might give him and me a chance to rebuild what’s broken between us. Now I’m spending all my free time with the team—and with Landon—and the more we’re together, the deeper our friendship grows. My son is opening up, too, little by little. I think I’m getting him back. There’s just one giant problem.
I’m head over heels for Landon. I’ve never been attracted to men in my life… until him. Landon draws me in without even trying, and the harder I fight this, the deeper I fall. Crushing on my son’s best friend’s father must be my biggest parenting failure ever, but I can’t get enough of Landon. Falling for him puts each fragile moment I’ve rebuilt with my son at risk. What would he think if he knew I craved his best friend’s dad? I’m playing with fire, but I can’t turn off these feelings Landon has unlocked inside of me.
My Thoughts: I have a fondness for romance, particularly stories involving single parents finding love anew, and this book serves as an excellent portrayal of that theme. The narrative not only includes single fathers but also explores the dynamics of teenage sons and the entertaining chaos of high school sports.
Murder between us° Tal Bauer °⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
FBI Agent Noah had questions about his sexuality that a single night in Vegas should have answered. But dawn finds him on a plane back to Iowa, back on the trail of a vicious serial killer who disappeared six years ago and has suddenly resurfaced.
FBI profiler Cole is still reeling after finding a heart-stopping connection with a seemingly perfect man, only for him to vanish. When he’s sent to Iowa to profile the killer terrorising America’s heartland, he finds more questions than answers – both about the murderer and about Noah, the last man he ever expected to see again.
A twisted secret stretches between Cole and Noah, tangled with questions they both have about each other. But now, thrown together, they’ll have to unravel the killer’s profile and follow his trail… back to the very beginning, to where everyone’s questions are answered once and for all.
My Thoughts: Anything written by Tal is a must-read for me, and this book perfectly exemplifies why. It’s a standalone queer romantic suspense novel that combines elements of second chance romance, the pursuit of a twisted serial killer, and a man’s personal journey toward acceptance.
The Nanny° Lana Ferguson° ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Plot: After losing her job and being on the brink of eviction, Cassie finds herself with two choices: get a new job fast or fire up her long-untouched OnlyFans account. But there are no jobs to be found, and as for OnlyFans: well, there are reasons she can’t go back. Just when all hope seems lost, an ad for a live-in nanny position seems the solution to all her problems. It’s almost too perfect—until she meets her would-be employer.
Aiden, executive chef and DILF extraordinaire is far from the stuffy single dad Cassie was imagining. She is shocked when he tells her she’s the most qualified applicant he’s met in weeks, practically begging her to take the job. With hands that make her hindbrain howl and eyes that scream sex, the idea of living under the same roof as Aiden feels dangerous, but with no other option, she decides to stay with him and his adorably tenacious daughter, Sophie. Cassie soon discovers that Aiden is not a stranger at all, but instead someone who is very familiar with her—or at least, her body. She finds herself at a loss for what to do, given that he doesn’t remember her. As their relationship heats to temperatures hotter than any kitchen Aiden has ever worked in, Cassie struggles with telling Aiden the truth, and the more terrifying possibility—losing the best chance at happiness she’s ever had.
My Thoughts: Readers who enjoy steamy stories will appreciate the added bonus of a compelling plot in this one.
euphoria 
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