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Title: Love Me Gently

Author: Stacey Lynn

Page count: 297

Published: February 18th, 2025

Publisher: Valentine PR

Genre: Small Town Romance

Received: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 5/5

A swoony first love, single dad, returning to hometown romance from bestselling author Stacey Lynn

At eighteen years old, Katrina “Trina” Mills had dreams far larger than her small mountain town in North Carolina. She was bound and determined to become the next world-famous model, and was willing to risk leaving everything she knew, and everyone she loved, behind to get it.

Turns out, her dreams took her on a path toward a nightmare. She might have achieved all the success and stardom she’s always wanted but she’d sold her soul for them and was still paying the painful price.

The regrets she has now are much larger than the zeros in her bank account.

When a chance encounter occurs with her first love and high school boyfriend, now single father, Cole Paxton, she doesn’t expect the disaster that happens next. Forced to confront her past, her present, and all the decisions she made in between, returning home may end up being the safe solace she needed all along.

With the help of family, old friends, and an old flame who never gave up on her, Trina starts to believe she can heal and move on…

Until her husband shows up in town and threatens to tear it all away….

Well, that was a raw emotional journey that I wasn’t expecting to take. This book does have TW/CW that you will want to look into before reading this. This was a one that will stick with me for a while. Trina is very strong for the things that she went though. When Cole finds out everything that had happened, He goes above and beyond do get her out of the bad situation. They have a past being high school sweethearts. Trina has her eye set on the prize and chased her dreams to NYC but at the cost at loosing herself. The way Cole is there to support her in multiple ways was swoon worthy. I was cheering them hoping they were going to have there HEA.

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Title: On Lovers Lane

Author: Samantha Young

Page count: 440

Published: February 20th, 2025

Publisher: Valentine PR

Genre: Second Chance Romance

Received: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 4/5

A steamy enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, sports romance from New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young.

It’s always the broody ones you have to watch out for….

Imagine my surprise when my new neighbor turns out to be Callan Keen, one of Scotland’s most famous (and hottest) professional footballers. I’m even more shocked to discover that the brooding player is still holding a grudge for something that happened between us years ago.

But I can’t focus on him or his issues with me because I’m too busy trying to take my company to the next level. I don’t have time for this blast from the past, even if the grump upstairs is still the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on.

When a huge client opportunity arises, I’m forced to ask Callan for help. I need a fake date and he needs an introduction with my real estate mogul dad. The deal between us should be simple. Except for the blazing chemistry we’ve shared since the moment we met. We can’t deny it, we can’t control it, and soon we’re agreeing to a six week, no-strings-attached, mind-blowing affair.

I told myself I wouldn’t catch feelings for Callan, but the closer we get, the more he reminds me of the guy I once fell for. It just might prove impossible to show my stubborn Scotsman we’re worth the risk, especially when the past continues to haunt us and threaten to wreck any chance of a future together…

This is another beautiful story set in Scotland. Beth is the owner of a social media company. Callan is Scotland’s most famous football player and captain of the football team. There is shocked to see one since they have a messy history. One day she needs help with something, so she goes to Callan for help which leads to them having to face the feelings they have for one another and work out past stuff. While reading the story felt real, it takes you on an emotional ride that I didn’t want to get off. After reading this one I need to go and read On Dublin Street series.

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Title: The Boys Series

Author: Micalea Smeltzer

Page count: 1010

Published: February 12th, 2025

Publisher: Valentine PR

Genre: Sports Romance

Received: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 4/5

The Boys Series Omnibus includes books 1-3 (Bad Boys Break Hearts, Nice Guys Don’t Win, and Real Players Never Lose) If you’re new to the series this is a great way to get started.

Bad Boys Break Hearts TropesChildhood Friends To Enemies To LoversSecond Chance BaseballNice Guys Don’t Win TropesRoommatesCoach’s DaughterBasketballReal Players Never LoseFake DatingPlus Size HeroineHe Falls First and Harder

I had read some later books in the series and absolutely loved them so when there was an opportunity to get the first three, I was excited because I got to meet the rest of the guys.
Mascen and Aurora are childhood friends to lovers that have a complicated history. When they get to collage, they reconnect, and you can see they still have a connection after all those years. They still had the feelings they had, so the connection they had never faltered. Leading them to have an emotional journey to their happiness.
Zoey and Cole. Zoey’s dad is the new coach to the basketball team where she goes to school. Zoey has sworn off all basketball players maybe Cole will be able to get her to change her mind.
Vanessa and Teddy start as a fake relationship. It isn’t before long that feelings start to arise and head into the right direction. Teddy’s dad was not a fan of him and how he treated Teddy. Glad that he was able come out the other side. While reading I was on the edge of seat wanting to know.

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Title: When We Burn

Author: Kristen Proby

Page count: 414

Published: February 20th, 2025

Publisher: Valentine PR

Genre: Friends to Lovers

Received: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 5/5

Bridger

I’m her safe place.
I always have been.
The torment that Dani Lexington went through at the hands of her father was something no child should have had to endure. But I was the lucky one she turned to.
Our age difference and the fact that her brother was my best friend kept her off-limits, even though something was always there, lingering under the surface.
But when she was old enough, she left Bitterroot Valley, and I was forced to move on with my life.
I got married and had my little girl. Now, I’m a single dad, focused on my job as fire chief and making sure my daughter stays healthy after a mysterious illness has plagued her for the past year.
But after Dani’s father dies, she returns to Bitterroot Valley and is now living across the street from my daughter and me.
Dani’s no longer a child. No longer off limits.
This time, I won’t let anything or anyone stop me from being her safe place again.

Dani

I’ve been in love with Bridger Blackwell for as long as I can remember.
He’s a smoke show, kind, and gives the best hugs in the world. But best of all? He’s everything my sorry excuse for a father wasn’t.
Now, I’m back in Bitterroot Valley, living across the street from Bridger and his adorable daughter.
It doesn’t take long for all those old feelings to come rushing back, and every cell in my body knows that I belong with them.
That they’re mine.
Bridger’s arms are where I feel safest. They feel like home.
I’m growing to depend on him, to truly love him and his daughter. But I have deep-rooted baggage, and Bridger’s past has decided to rear its ugly head.
Will we survive this, or is our relationship doomed from the start?

We Follow Dani and Bridger who have known one another since childhood. Getting to know one another and getting to see their past’s. Dani has one that is one rollercoaster that you don’t want to miss or be apart of but necessary for the story. I couldn’t believe my eyes with somethings that had happen to her was truly heartbreaking. I wanted and needed her to get her HEA more then anything. I was rooting for her from the beginning. The chemistry that Dani and Bridger have is electric, the way they Bridger was with Dani was amazing. The way Bridger treats Dani after everything is swoooon worthy and more. The banter was laugh out loud moments. This was a wonderful emotional perfect start to a new series. Can’t wait to see where it ends up.