Showing posts with label M/F Romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label M/F Romance. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Lillie's Review: Storm Echo



Storm Echo
by Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley (August 9, 2022)
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity, 6
Genre: Paranormal Romance (M/F)


NYT bestselling author Nalini Singh takes us into the hearts of two fractured people in a world on the brink of a psychic Armageddon . . .

Silence has fallen. The Psy are free to feel emotion. Free to love. But Silence was never a prison for Ivan Mercant. The biggest threat to his future lies dormant in his brain—a psychic monster that wants only to feed. And now, the brutal leash he’s kept on that monster is slipping. He prepared for this day, for the end of Ivan Mercant . . . but that was before he met Lei.

As primal as she is human, this wild changeling brings color into his life, laughter to his soul. Then the dream shatters in a rain of blood, in silent bodies in the snow. Lei is gone. Vanished without a trace . . . until he meets strangely familiar eyes across a busy San Francisco street.

Soleil Bijoux Garcia is a healer who has lost everything. She exists in a world of desolate aloneness . . . till the day she finds herself face-to-face with a lethal stranger. The animal who is her other half knows this man, but her memories are tattered fragments. Sorrow and a need for vengeance are all that drive her. Her mission? To kill the alpha of the DarkRiver leopard pack.

But fate has other plans. Soon, a deadly soldier who believes himself a monster and a broken healer might be all that stand between life and death for the entire Psy race.



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Monday, November 16, 2020

Lillie's Review: Archangel's Sun by Nalini Singh



Archangel's Sun
by Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley (November 24, 2020)
Series: Guild Hunter, 13
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy (M/F)


A horrifying secret rises in the aftermath of an archangelic war in New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s deadly and beautiful Guild Hunter world. . . .

The Archangel of Death and the Archangel of Disease may be gone but their legacy of evil lives on—especially in Africa, where the shambling, rotting creatures called the reborn have gained a glimmer of vicious intelligence.

It is up to Titus, archangel of this vast continent, to stop the reborn from spreading across the world. Titus can’t do it alone, but of the surviving powerful angels and archangels, large numbers are wounded, while the rest are fighting a surge of murderous vampires.

There is no one left . . . but the Hummingbird. Old, powerful, her mind long a broken kaleidoscope. Now, she must stand at Titus’s side against a tide of death upon a discovery more chilling than any other. For the Archangel of Disease has left them one last terrible gift . . . .



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Monday, September 14, 2020

Melinda's Mini Reviews for September

Melinda has a few mini reviews for you today, from 4 to 4 1/2 Stars!



Just a Heartbeat Away
by Cara Bastone
Publisher: June 30th, 2020
Series: Forever Yours, 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance (M/F)


Some people change your life

Others change your heart

Newly widowed dad Sebastian Dorner was unraveling at the edges—until his son’s teacher, Via DeRosa, threw him a lifeline. Now, two years later, they reconnect at Matty’s new school, and an inconvenient but unmistakable jolt of attraction crackles between them. But why does the first person to spark with Sebastian in years have to be a millennial? Is twentysomething Via really too young for him or does fortysomething Sebastian just feel too damn old?

A former foster kid, Via’s finally forged the stable life she’s always dreamed of—new job, steady income, no drama. The last thing she needs are rumors about her and a single dad at school. But why does she keep being drawn into his capable, worn-flannel orbit? And why does being around Sebastian, Matty and even their dog, Crabby, seem to spark so much want?

They’re trying to ignore the tension threatening their friendship. But sometimes what’ll heal you is just a touch—and a heartbeat—away.



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Friday, August 14, 2020

Melinda's Mini Reviews for August

Melinda has a few mini reviews for you today, from 3 to 4 Stars!



Things Hoped For
by Chencia Higgins
Publisher: EKOL Media (July 28, 2020)
Series: The Vow Series, 4
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Queer, F/F)


Can two women who only want to be loved, find a home in each other when the world around them is moving too fast for them to settle down?

Growing up in an intolerant town, Latrisha Martin was used to shrinking the most important parts of herself. She hid her loneliness within a busy life and kept the yearning in her heart tucked away from those closest to her. Just as the façade became too heavy to maintain, Trisha received wise words from a strange woman that helped redirect her life's journey. On a whim, she relocates to Houston, and while adjusting to a new normal, she finds that those desires she'd once hidden begin to manifest in ways she never imagined.

With her star attached to a rocket ship, Xenobia Cooper was quickly transforming from a locally known talent into a name known in households across the nation. Viewed as an overnight success to many, the only thing that the veteran of the Houston underground music scene hadn't prepared for was living a life without someone to come home to at the end of the day. A reckless tweet sent out in the middle of the night brings an influx of women with stars in their eyes, but they all lack the key component that Xeno is looking for. A chance encounter after her largest show to date and she's convinced that those things she'd hoped for are just within her grasp.

The Vow Series
To Buy a Vow - Book 1
To Build a Vow - Book 2
To Break a Vow - Book 3
Things Hoped For - Book 4



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Friday, July 17, 2020

Sarah's Review: Mr. Hotshot CEO

Mr. Hotshot CEO by Jackie Lau
Publisher: Jackie Lau Books (July 10, 2018)
Series: Kwan Sisters, 2
Genre: Contemporary Romance (M/F)
Dual 1st POV


As CEO of Fong Investments, I’m a busy man. In fact, my family claims I’m an obsessive workaholic, and when they force me to take two weeks off, I have no idea what to do with myself.

While brooding over an espresso, I meet Courtney Kwan, a biomedical researcher who savors the little things in life. And, suddenly, an idea strikes me—I will pay this woman to teach me how to enjoy my vacation from work.

Soon, I find myself doing crazy things like baking cookies, reading for pleasure, buying a phallic cactus, and falling in love. But Courtney is dealing with some serious issues of her own, and I fear that when I return to work, I won’t be able to give her what she needs, and I’ll lose her forever…



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Monday, July 13, 2020

Sarah's Review: Pregnant by the Playboy

Pregnant by the Playboy by Jackie Lau
Publisher: Jackie Lau Books (May 26, 2020)
Series: Fong Brothers, 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance (M/F)
Dual 1st POV


I’ve got a pretty great life, if I do say so myself. I made a fortune when I sold my tech start-up, and I’ve spent the years since partying, drinking, and inviting a parade of women into my bed.

I should be happy, but I feel an annoying lack of fulfillment, and there’s no way I’m going back to the work I did before.

At a friend’s party, I meet Marissa. We have hot sex against the door and agree to spend the weekend together. Just one weekend. I never expect to see her again.

Except now she’s pregnant with my baby…and I think this is the solution to all my problems. This is what will bring meaning to my life. I’m going to be a devoted father and husband.

Marissa—whose last name I still don’t know—wants me to be involved, though she rejects my marriage proposal. But before the baby arrives, I’m going to prove to her that I can be something other than a playboy.

And the rare times I set my mind to something, I don’t fail…



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Sarah's Review:

Monday, June 29, 2020

Melinda's Review: Daring and the Duke

Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean
Publisher: Avon (June 30, 2020)
Series: Bareknuckle Bastards, 3
Genre: Historical Romance (M/F)


New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with the much-anticipated final book in her Bareknuckle Bastards series, featuring a scoundrel duke and the powerful woman who brings him to his knees.

Grace Condry has spent a lifetime running from her past. Betrayed as a child by her only love and raised on the streets, she now hides in plain sight as queen of London’s darkest corners. Grace has a sharp mind and a powerful right hook and has never met an enemy she could not best...until the man she once loved returns.

Single-minded and ruthless, Ewan, Duke of Marwick, has spent a decade searching for the woman he never stopped loving. A long-ago gamble may have lost her forever, but Ewan will go to any lengths to win Grace back…and make her his duchess.

Reconciliation is the last thing Grace desires. Unable to forgive the past, she vows to take her revenge. But revenge requires keeping Ewan close, and soon her enemy seems to be something else altogether—something she can’t resist, even as he threatens the world she's built, the life she's claimed…and the heart she swore he'd never steal again.



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Melinda's Review:

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Exclusive Excerpt: Bottle Rocket by Erin McLellan

Erin McLellan has a new contemporary romance out this week and I've got an exclusive excerpt to share with you! Then do yourselves a favor and go buy this book. Oh, and it's available in KU. :)






Bottle Rocket by Erin McLellan
Publisher: Erin McLellan (June 15, 2020)
Series: So Over the Holidays, 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Queer, M/F)


Freshly single Rosie Holiday is on the hunt for passion and excitement. This leads her to Leo Whittaker—a bad boy who waltzed out of town, and her life, thirteen years ago. Leo isn’t the type to stick around, but Rosie’s not going to let a no-strings opportunity pass her by.

When a business trip sends Leo back to his hometown, the last thing he expects is for his first love to hand him a list of scorching-hot escapades and a deadline. He’s happy to help Rosie discover her bossy side in the bedroom. Or in a fireworks stand. Or at a Fourth of July barbecue.

Their chemistry burns bright and fast, but what tore them apart years ago is still between them. They are polar opposites. A reserved kindergarten teacher and an irreverent artist. A nester and a wanderer. It will take a spark of imagination and a lot of love to keep their second-chance romance from flaming out.


Warnings: explicit sex and language; discussions of cheating, gaslighting, and divorce. More info HERE.



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Kindle
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Monday, June 8, 2020

Melinda's Review: The Ingredients of You and Me

The Ingredients of You and Me by Nina Bocci
Publisher: Gallery Books (April 28, 2020)
Series: Hopeless Romantics, 3
Genre: Contemporary Fiction (M/F)


From the USA TODAY bestselling author of the “heartwarming and refreshingly sweet” (Lauren Layne, New York Times bestselling author) On the Corner of Love and Hate comes a sizzling and sweet small-town love story that follows a bakery store owner who decides to take her chances on a truly hopeless romantic.

After selling her successful bakery back in New York, Parker Powell decides to visit her best friend Charlotte in Hope Lake, Pennsylvania, to figure out her next steps. As she acquaints herself with the people in town, she begins to wonder why she ever loved city life in the first place. Between the Golden Girls (a.k.a. the senior citizen women who hold court), the response from the town to her sweet treats, and Nick Arthur, the ever-charming local owner of a landscaping business she spent time with during her last visit, Parker finds a community of cheerleaders who encourage her to get her baking mojo back.

At first, everything is great—she collaborates with the Golden Girls to put new twists on traditional confections, and thanks to Nick’s advice, she quickly learns the stark differences between big city and small-town business practices. Although Nick has become her friend and confidant, Parker’s determined to keep things platonic—especially since his girlfriend isn’t a fan of their friendship. But just when things fall into place so they can finally be together, Parker’s dream bakery is threatened by a major corporation who wants to take her down using the very bit of advice that Nick gave her.

With a recipe for disaster looming, Parker must cook up a new scheme, figuring out how to keep the business—and man—she’s come to love before she loses it all.

Perfect for fans of Amy E. Reichert and Jenny Colgan, The Ingredients of You and Me is a scrumptious romantic comedy that lets you have your cake and eat it too.



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Friday, May 1, 2020

Melinda's Mini Reviews for May

Melinda has a few mini reviews for you today, from DNF to 4 Stars.



Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan
Publisher: Montlake (March 31, 2020)
Genre: Contemporary Romance (M/F)


From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Callihan comes a smart, emotional contemporary romance about finding love with the most unlikely of people.

As kids, they hated each other. Macon Saint was beautiful, but despite his name, Delilah knew he was the devil. That he dated her slightly evil sister, Samantha, was no picnic either. When they broke up, it was a dream come true: Delilah never had to see him again.

Ten years later, her old enemy sends a text.

Delilah’s sister has stolen a valuable heirloom from Macon, now a rising Hollywood star, and he intends to collect his due. One problem: Sam has skipped town.

Sparks still sizzle between Macon and Delilah, only this heat feels alarmingly like unwanted attraction. But Delilah is desperate to keep her weak-hearted mother from learning of her sister’s theft. So she proposes a deal: she’ll pay off the debt by being Macon’s personal chef and assistant.

It’s a recipe for disaster, but Macon can’t stop himself from accepting. Even though Delilah clearly hates him, there’s something about her that feels like home. Besides, they’re no longer kids, and what once was a bitter rivalry has the potential to be something sweeter. Something like forever.



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Friday, April 10, 2020

Sarah's Review: Prem Numbers

Prem Numbers by Suleikha Snyder
Publisher: Suleikha Snyder (December 3, 2019)
Genre: Contemporary Romance (M/F and M/M/F)


The cocky charmer at your local bar...the awe-inspiring U.S. Vice-President you'd lay down your life and your love for...the mysterious stranger who comes to your rescue one night...the beautiful woman you can't touch, because to do so might literally kill you...the smokin' hot roadhouse bartenders who take your troubles away, only to add new ones. These are the prem numbers. They almost always add up to passion.

In this collection, find previously published stories like "In Her Service" and "The Pick-Me-Up" as well as steamy new material like "She's So Lovely," a small-town ménage set in the same world as Tikka Chance on Me.



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Friday, April 3, 2020

CaribBelle's Review: American Sweethearts

American Sweethearts by Adriana Herrera
Publisher: Carina Press (March 30th, 2020)
Series: Dreamers, 4
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Queer, M/F)
Dual 1st POV


Juan Pablo Campos doesn’t do regrets. He’s living the dream as a physical therapist with his beloved New York Yankees. He has the best friends and family in the world and simply no time to dwell on what could’ve been.

Except when it comes to Priscilla, the childhood friend he’s loved for what seems like forever.

New York City police detective Priscilla Gutierrez has never been afraid to go after what she wants. Second guessing herself isn’t a thing she does. But lately, the once-clear vision she had for herself—her career, her relationships, her life—is no longer what she wants.

What she especially doesn’t want is to be stuck on a private jet to the Dominican Republic with JuanPa, the one person who knows her better than anyone else.

By the end of a single week in paradise, the love/hate thing JuanPa and Pris have been doing for sixteen years has risen to epic proportions. No one can argue their connection is still there. And they can both finally admit—if only to themselves—they’ve always been a perfect match. The future they dreamed of together is still within reach...if they can just accept each other as they are.

This book is approximately 90,000 words



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Tropes and themes: Second chance romance, childhood sweethearts, forced proximity.

Content warning: The main character investigates a case of suspected childhood sexual abuse.







CaribBelle's Review:

Monday, March 2, 2020

Melinda's Review: Forbidden Promises

Forbidden Promises by Synithia Williams
Publisher: HQN Books (February 25, 2020)
Series: Jackson Falls, 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance (M/F)


What do you do when you want the one person you can never have?

Get in and get out. That was India Robidoux’s plan for this family visit. But when her brother needs her help with his high-profile political campaign, India has no choice but to stay and face the one man she’s been running from for years—Travis, her sister’s ex-husband. One hot summer night when Travis was still free, they celebrated her birthday with whiskey and an unforgettable kiss. The memory is as strong as ever—and so are the feelings she’s tried so hard to forget.

Travis Strickland owes everything to the Robidoux family. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for them—his divorce could never change that. Still, he has one regret. Impulsive and passionate, India always understood him better than anyone else. And the longer they work together on the campaign, the more torn he is. Coming between her and her sister is out of the question. But how can he let love pass him by a second time?



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Content Warnings: miscarriage off page, alcoholism, gun violence, cheating (not main couple)







Melinda's Review:

Monday, February 24, 2020

Sarah's Review: A Big Surprise for Valentine's Day

A Big Surprise for Valentine's Day by Jackie Lau
Publisher: Jackie Lau Books (February 4, 2020)
Series: Holidays with the Wongs, 4
Genre: Contemporary Romance (M/F)


Amber Wong has landed her dream job at the Stratford Festival, and life is looking good. Sure, she hasn’t had sex in so long that her condoms have expired, but she’ll just pick up some new ones, along with some discounted Christmas chocolate, at the grocery store.

And that’s where she runs into Dr. Sebastian Lam, the son of her parents’ close friends, whom she hasn’t seen in years. He’s moved back to Ontario, newly single, and… Oh my God. He’s really hot.

The attraction is mutual and no-strings-attached sex is the perfect arrangement for both of them, since Amber has sworn off dating after a string of terrible boyfriends.

But what if their families find out they’re spending time together and start interfering in their lives? That would be a disaster.

Even worse? If they develop feelings for each other, given a relationship is the last thing Amber wants right now…



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Friday, February 21, 2020

Melinda's Review: Every New Year

Every New Year by Katrina Jackson
Publisher: Katrina Jackson (December 31st, 2019)
Series: Love at Last, 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance (M/F)

Dual 1st POV


When Ezra Posner was eighteen, he met Candace Garret and fell in love.

When Candace met Ezra, she instantly knew he was the boy for her.

In the middle of their first year at college, Candace and Ezra share a clumsy kiss that should have been the beginning of an epic love affair, but it's not. Instead, it begins a nearly two-decade journey of never quite getting the timing right for love. For almost every New Year's Eve after, Candace and Ezra stumble into one another's arms, but can’t manage to hold onto each other for more than a single night. They live with the expectant giddiness of being able to spend New Year's Eve with the person they love, always hoping that next year will be their year. Until eventually, their annual trysts ruin even the friendship that held them together.

As 2019 ends, Candace and Ezra are both running away from their broken hearts. They board a plane hoping to finally move on from their relationship, only to run right into each other's arms.

Every New Year is a friends-to-lovers romance that takes nearly twenty years to bloom. It's also the first in the Love At Last series, where happily ever afters might take some time to mature, but they're always worth the wait.


Content Warnings:
parental sickness (cancer, diabetes, hypertension)



Where to Buy*:
Kindle (KU)
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Reviews for Jackson's books:








Melinda's Review:

Monday, February 17, 2020

To Sir Phillip with Love: You’ve Got Mail in the 19th Century

Kat's back with part 5 of the Let's Talk About the Bridgertons series. Buckle up, let's look into Eloise and Phillip's story. Enjoy!


Need to catch up?






To Sir Phillip with Love: You’ve Got Mail in the 19th Century




Contains spoilers for for Saw 3 and Saw 4 (it makes sense, I promise).

Content note for brief mention of depression and suicide; discussion of sexual assault.

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Sarah's Review: Grand Theft N.Y.E.

Grand Theft N.Y.E. by Katrina Jackson
Publisher: Katrina Jackson (December 31st, 2019)
Series: Heist Holidays, 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance (M/F)


Cleo Wright is just a happy scammer on a mission to rob a rich man before his ex-wife or the federal government seize all of his money and possessions. She's not expecting to meet another rich man who makes her want to use her nimble fingers for other, not thieving, things. But Robert Shimizu is just that man.

The two share a night of fast cars, expensive champagne and the best sex of her life. But Cleo is who she is and when Robert wakes up the next morning, she's long gone... with his car and a few other very expensive possessions.

It takes him months to track down the woman who stole his favorite watch and his heart, but when he does, there's fireworks.

Content Warnings:
Mentions of parental illness and death


Where to Buy*:
Kindle (KU)
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Sarah's Review:

Monday, February 3, 2020

Melinda's Review: House Rules

House Rules by Ruby Lang
Publisher: Carina Press (February 10, 2020)
Series: Uptown, 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance (M/F)


ROOMMATE WANTED to share a gorgeous sun-filled apartment in Central Harlem. Must love cats. No ex-husbands or wives need apply.

Seventeen years ago, different dreams pulled Simon Mizrahi and Lana Kuo apart. But when Lana takes a position as a chef back in Manhattan, her apartment search puts her right in her ex-husband’s path. Music teacher Simon is also hunting for a new place to live, and when Lana proposes they be platonic roomies, well…it’s not the worst idea he’s ever heard.

A sunny uptown two-bedroom sounds far more appealing than the cramped, noisy space where he’s currently struggling to work. Still, Simon has seen firsthand that Lana’s a flight risk, so he agrees on a trial basis.

Three months. With strict boundaries.

Living together again feels wonderfully nostalgic, but when the ex-couple’s lingering feelings rise to the surface, the rules go out the window.

Of course, chemistry was never their problem. But while Simon’s career feels back on solid footing, Lana is still sorting out what she wants. With their trial period soon coming to an end, they’ll have to decide if their living arrangement was merely a sexy trip down memory lane or a reunion meant to last.



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Saturday, February 1, 2020

CaribBelle's Review: The Worst Best Man

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa
Publisher: Avon (February 4, 2020)
Genre: Contemporary Romance (M/F)
Dual 1st POV


A wedding planner left at the altar. Yeah, the irony isn’t lost on Carolina Santos, either. But despite that embarrassing blip from her past, Lina’s managed to make other people’s dreams come true as a top-tier wedding coordinator in DC. After impressing an influential guest, she’s offered an opportunity that could change her life. There’s just one hitch… she has to collaborate with the best (make that worst) man from her own failed nuptials.

Tired of living in his older brother’s shadow, marketing expert Max Hartley is determined to make his mark with a coveted hotel client looking to expand its brand. Then he learns he’ll be working with his brother’s whip-smart, stunning—absolutely off-limits—ex-fiancée. And she loathes him.

If they can survive the next few weeks and nail their presentation without killing each other, they’ll both come out ahead. Except Max has been public enemy number one ever since he encouraged his brother to jilt the bride, and Lina’s ready to dish out a little payback of her own.

But even the best laid plans can go awry, and soon Lina and Max discover animosity may not be the only emotion creating sparks between them. Still, this star-crossed couple can never be more than temporary playmates because Lina isn’t interested in falling in love and Max refuses to play runner-up to his brother ever again...



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Tropes and themes: Interracial romance; Forced proximity; Enemies to lovers; and Just one bed.







CaribBelle's Review:

Friday, January 31, 2020

Melinda's Mini Reviews for January (Part 2)

Melinda has a few mini reviews for you today, from 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 Stars.



American Love Story by Adriana Herrera
Publisher: Carina Press (October 7, 2019)
Series: Dreams, 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Queer, M/M)


No one should have to choose between love and justice.

Haitian-born professor and activist Patrice Denis is not here for anything that will veer him off the path he’s worked so hard for. One particularly dangerous distraction: Easton Archer, the assistant district attorney who last summer gave Patrice some of the most intense nights of his life, and still makes him all but forget they’re from two completely different worlds.

All-around golden boy Easton forged his own path to success, choosing public service over the comforts of his family’s wealth. With local law enforcement unfairly targeting young men of color, and his career—and conscience—on the line, now is hardly the time to be thirsting after Patrice again. Even if their nights together have turned into so much more.

For the first time, Patrice is tempted to open up and embrace the happiness he’s always denied himself. But as tensions between the community and the sheriff’s office grow by the day, Easton’s personal and professional lives collide. And when the issue at hand hits closer to home than either could imagine, they’ll have to work to forge a path forward…together.



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