Naomi's Reading Palace

Review ~ Evie Interrupted by Alison G. Bailey

Evie Interrupted by Alison G. Bailey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved Evie Interrupted … this book was so beautiful! I enjoyed the story, the building relationship, and the hurdles that both characters had to face. As someone who works in aged care, I could relate to so much of this read and could see the difficulties that Evie faced but could not imagine doing so by yourself.

I loved Butler right from the beginning, how he was just as taken by Evie as she was by him. The way they both fumbled at times, and how quickly they fell for one another was sweet. I really loved Evie’s best friend Maine and the amazing support she provided for Evie and was always pushing her that little bit more.

This was the first read that I have read by Alison G. Bailey, and I must admit I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The story touched me and gave me all the feels as I watched it all unfold. I will definitely pick up another read by this author in the future!

Title: Evie Interrupted

Author: Alison G. Bailey

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: March 25, 2021

Ben said he loved me, lusted after me, and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. From the very beginning I was honest with him about my complicated life. He promised me the only thing that mattered was our love. I thought the future was set until...

"Evie, I can't do us anymore."

The day Ben walked away was the day my love life went on permanent hiatus. Men were a distraction that I didn't want or need until...

Tall, dark, and handsome ex-pro-football player, Butler Thompson, entered the picture and interrupted my heart.

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Review ~ The Bet by Max Monroe

The Bet by Max Monroe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I must admit, the beginning of this book hooked me, as we met our playboy Jude as he has his first contact with Sophie at a Bachelorette party. This interaction was quite memorable for them both, and I was looking forward to where things would go from there!

It became quite the steamy romance, with plenty of banter, where Jude is quite anti-relationship and Sophie was willing to have a little fun. It took a long time for them both to realise their feelings.

I have found books by Max Monroe to be a bit of a hit or miss… and The Bet was in the middle. There were a lot of characters that I was introduced to and at times is hard to wrap my mind around. I think I would’ve preferred their relationship to be fleshed out more than all the intimate scenes. Otherwise, it was a good read.

Title: The Bet

Author: Max Monroe

Series: Winslow Brothers #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: July 17, 2021

When it comes to life’s fun and games, always know:
The rules.
What’s at stake.
When to quit.

Wise words from…well…my fortune cookie. But wise words, nonetheless.

I just wish the Fortune Cookie People had considered how hard the whole “knowing when to quit” would be to carry out when a woman like me is gambling with her feelings.

Heart-palpitating, vageen-tingling, butterflies-in-my-belly feelings for a noncommittal, hot-as-sin player by the name of Jude Winslow.

After a crazy night where we were both pretending to be someone else, I’ve found myself immersed in the fun of the fling.
The thrill.
The irresistible charm.
The pleasure of being with a man like him.

Problem is, I’m positive he’s the exact opposite of husband material, and that is a serious issue for someone who is fixated on finding her happily ever after.

I know the rules and I know the stakes, oh wise Fortune Cookie.

Now I’d just like to know how close to self-destruction I have to get before I find the will to quit Jude Winslow.

Goodness knows, when your heart is on the line, you can’t ante up your bet with an IOU.

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Review ~ Travis by Mia Sheridan

Travis by Mia Sheridan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read Archer's Voice a few years ago and I adored that book and the world that Mia Sheridan created. In that book is where I first met Travis and he wasn’t a character that I was able to like. He had a chip on his shoulder and was quite the arrogant man. Years later we meet him again in this book, Travis, and I must admit I love the man that he has grown in to!

Travis has grown into quite the respected man around town, and takes his role seriously being the Chief of Police. He seems to have his world altogether… until he doesn’t. When he crosses paths with Haven, they come to an understanding. She was a girl I enjoyed getting to know and I was able to understand her past. Soon they had a strong connection and the lives they were trying to keep separate weren’t anymore.

This was the perfect book to follow Archers Voice. I enjoyed being back in the world and seeing the characters one again! I do hope to come back and get more stories of other characters, because I have missed them all!

Title: Travis

Author: Mia Sheridan

Series: Pelion Lake

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: July 17, 2021

Travis Hale has it all. An important role as the chief of police in the idyllic town of Pelion, Maine. Looks that regularly and consistently make women fall at his feet. Two nephews and a niece he adores, and a family who’s mostly forgiven him after a series of unfortunate decisions years before. Perhaps his past is riddled with regrets and misguided choices, but his future looks bright and limitless.

Until the new guy in town crosses him in a way both shocking and indefensible.

A guy who, as it turns out, has a sister who may be equally as disastrous to Travis’s well-ordered plans, though in an altogether different manner. Not that there’s any real risk of him falling for the smoothie-making, birdseed-eating wild woman. She’s not even his type. A plant lady from California with a head of unruly curls and an equally messy past. More than that, she’s only in town for the summer, busy mooning over perfect-in-every-way Gage Buchanan.

And if Travis knows anything, it’s that he refuses to be second best. Ever again.

Haven Torres’s life fell apart. Or more to the point, it burned to the ground. At the time, it seemed like a solid idea to jump in her car, her brother a mostly-willing co-pilot, and embark on a cross-country adventure.

When they land jobs at an exclusive tennis and golf club in a picturesque lake town in Maine, Haven’s hopeful it might prove a summer to remember. Especially if she can catch the attention of the most eligible bachelor in town and her current crush. Even the kindest, most upstanding, perfect of men aren’t opposed to summer flings, right?

But when she meets the local police chief—all swagger and arrogance—and learns of her brother’s scandalous misdeed, she knows that Pelion is just another town where their stay is best . . . short-lived. Still, she and Travis strike up an unlikely friendship and Haven sees that the gorgeous lawman isn’t only easy on the eyes, but he has . . . layers. Not that she’s going to peel any of them. He’s only her friend. A friend willing to scratch her back, if she scratches his.

It seems simple enough. She’ll help him make her brother sweat a little. And he’ll help her win over Gage. But before either Travis or Haven knows it, simple turns complicated, friendship gets flipped on its ear, passion faces down perfection, and they both discover that sometimes you have to lose it all to find exactly what you need.

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Review ~ Passion by Molly McAdams

Passion by Molly McAdams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have read a few of Molly McAdams books and she seems to create worlds that you can get lost in. This book built up slowly, as I got to know both Hollis and Adam. They had crossed paths a couple of times in the past, one of which was quite intimate. They had a connection, but I felt Hollis was quite blasé when it came to remembering those times.

I loved Adam! He was a character I enjoyed reading about. I thought he was holding back at times, but I could see he had genuine feelings for Hollis. I liked that he had a strong friendship with Leo, and together those two seemed to be up to something.

Hollis was trying to step out from her family’s shadow and trying to carve her own path in life. I would’ve liked to see her stand up to her parents early on instead of cowering. It was good to finally see her grow with the support of Adam.

Overall, it was a nice read, but probably a bit slow for my liking. The secondary characters helped flesh out the story and kept it interesting. I hope to return to this world one day!

Title: Passion

Author: Molly McAdams

Series: Secrets in L.A. #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: July 19th 2021

There are moments in our lives that can change the course we’re on.
I believe when faced with those moments, we should take the unknown path. The risk.
The excitement, the opportunity, the love . . .

The night I stumbled into a burlesque club in downtown Los Angeles, I took one of those paths and changed my life.
I found a home I’d never had with my own parents.
I found a confidence I’d never known as a prima ballerina.
I found my passion.

And it inadvertently led me back to the one moment I’d let slip away—to him.
To a love so pure and whole and carnal, I thought it could withstand anything.

But I’m not the only one with secrets.
And now, all those chosen paths are crumbling around me.

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Review ~ A King so Cold by Ella Fields

A King so Cold by Ella Fields
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love a good fantasy read, but I don't read them as much as I used to, but I am so glad that I picked up A King so Cold. It was quite the captivating read! I enjoyed getting to know Princess Audra and learning why she was so cold. She was trying to rule to the best of her ability and had no time for traitors in her life.

When she learned of King Raiden's engagement after she had him banished, she did everything she could to prevent his happiness once again.

This read was exciting, with so many twists and turns. I liked the relationship that she had with Lord Zad, despite him not being the man she loved. This read had everything I love in a fantasy: action, betrayal and lust, and I could not get enough!

Title: A King so Cold

Author: Ella Fields

Series: Royals #1

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Published: May 6, 2020

When marrying your enemy is only the beginning....

Once upon a time, there lived a princess so cruel that even her husband tried to destroy her.
The results left her without a father, her husband without a memory, and herself as queen to a kingdom on the cusp of war.
Even so, after learning of her treasonous husband’s upcoming nuptials, she set out to find him and locked him in her dungeon. There, and only there, would she unveil a time when she once allowed herself to be vulnerable. A past detailing how her heart was coaxed to beat outside her chest, only to have it crushed by the cold hands of betrayal.
But true vengeance will need to wait. War is coming, and with it, decisions and danger masked in treacherous beauty.
All too soon, the young queen will learn that time could be the most dangerous foe of all.
For it is time that would reveal all the ways a dead heart can beat anew.

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Review ~ Things I Wanted To Say by Monica Murphy

Things I Wanted To Say by Monica Murphy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well... what can I say about Things I Wanted To Say - it was certainly an intense read! Whit and Summer had insane, twisted chemistry right from the first time they met. The last few years of Summers life wasn’t easy as she suffered bad experiences and loss. Her whole world has turned upsidedown since the first time whe met Whit. Returning to the same school as Whit just made life difficult for her once again.

Whit was quite the rebel bad boy and had so much power to influence the people around him. He made Summers life very difficult as he blamed her and her mother for how his family fell apart. He is quite rude and talks dirty and isn't afraid to go after what he wants.

The chemistry between Summer and Whit continued to grow and I liked the push/pull moments they had. This read had a lot of sex scenes, more than I would usually expect from a Monica Murphy read. I enjoed getting to know Summers past and how that changed how Whit saw Summer... I really didn't want this read to end!

Title: Things I Wanted To Say

Author: Monica Murphy

Genre: NA Dark Romance

Published: July 29, 2021

Whit Lancaster burst into my life like a storm. Dark and thunderous, furious and fierce. Cold, heartless and devastatingly beautiful, like the statues in our prep school gardens. The school with his family name on the sign. He can do no wrong here. This is his domain.

He’s a menace on campus. Adored and feared. Hated and respected. His taunting words carve into my skin, shredding me to ribbons. Yet his intense gaze scorches my blood, fills me with a longing I don’t understand.

When I stumble upon him one night alone, I find him broken. Bleeding. My instincts scream to leave and let him suffer, but I can’t. I sneak him into my room. Clean him up. Fall for his lies. Let him possess every single part of me until I’m the one left a gasping, broken mess.

When he leaves me alone in the dead of night, he takes my journal with him.

Now he knows all my secrets. My hate. My truth. And he promises to use my words against me. I’ll be ruined if my darkest secret gets out.

That’s when I strike a bargain with the devil.

I’ll let Whit Lancaster ruin me behind closed doors instead.

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Review ~ Forbidden by Karla Sorensen

Forbidden by Karla Sorensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read the first book in this series some time ago, and didn't really enjoy it, but this one sounded so good that I decided to give it a go. Boy am I glad that I did. It turned out to be a sweet romance, where the older widowed father falls for the young girl who has idolised him for years!

Isabel and Aiden's story was sweet. Aiden wasn't looking for love, but wanted to build his own life for himself and his daughter, starting with the takeover of the gym. He didn't expect Isobel at all, and working with someone that she idolised growing up, but also crushed on was always going to be a challenge for her.

I enjoyed the chemistry between Isabel and Aiden. I also liked the relationship that developed between Isobel and Aiden's daughter Anya. There were a lot of sweet moments, and these two took their time to move on their attraction, but it was so worth it.

Title: Forbidden

Author: Karla Sorensen

Series: Ward Sisters #4

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: May 20, 2021

No man has ever rattled Isabel Ward. Until Aiden Hennessy walks in the door of her gym—ownership papers in hand.

The former fighter is a lot of things — a single dad, a widower trying to start over, and a watchful presence that knocks her off her very capable feet.

To make matters worse, Isabel had a crush on him for the entirety of her teenage years. Doodles in her diaries and letters declaring her admiration—while never sent—haunt the absolute crap out of her now that she has to face him every day.

No woman has ever tempted Aiden to move on from the memory of his wife—until Isabel. She’s too young, too fiery, too much of everything he should avoid.

But avoiding is impossible, just like pretending the blistering chemistry between them doesn’t exist.

Now that the unshakeable woman is shaken and the untemptable man is tempted, Isabel and Aiden have to decide what they’re willing to risk for a taste of the forbidden.

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Review ~ Pretty When She Cries by A. Zavarelli

Pretty When She Cries (Black Mountain Academy)

Pretty When She Cries by A. Zavarelli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pretty When She Cries was the type of read that consumed me! I was up late on my first day of reading because I couldn’t put it down. Kail and Landon had strong feelings for one another, but the twists kept them apart. So much so that Kail needed to return to Hawaii. She returned a stronger and more determined girl who would never allow anyone to treat her poorly again.

The secondary characters added depth to the storyline and I was often shocked about the twists thrown in. Both Kail and Landon had trouble trusting one another. Landons story broke my heart and I was shattered about what happened to Kail. I enjoyed how they both grew throughout the read and became better together. This story had everything I needed in a good read: depth, intensity and a captivating storyline!

Title: Pretty When She Cries

Author: A. Zavarelli

Series: Black Mountain Academy

Genre: NA Dark Romance

Published: October 23, 2020

Your first kiss is supposed to be sweet. Ours was baptized in fire.
I was the new girl trying to find her place.
Landon was the brooding neighbor I tutored over the summer.
I didn’t know he was a legend at Black Mountain Academy.
I didn’t know they worshipped him like a religion.
But I fell for him before I knew those things.
To me, he was just the tortured soul who drew me in like a magnet.
And then he did something so unspeakable, so unforgivable, it shattered me.
I ran away then because I was weak, but I’ve shed my tears.
He stole my heart and my dignity, and I’m here to take it back.
The only problem is… he’s not giving it up without a fight.

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Review ~ The Belle and the Beard by Kate Canterbary

The Belle and the Beard (The Santillian Triplets, #3)

The Belle and the Beard by Kate Canterbary
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

The Belle and the Beard is the only book I have read in this series, and now I know that I want more! Jasper and Linden were so fun to read about, they were both from different worlds, but there were curious about one another right from the first time they met. Jasper was such a fiesty and independent woman and Linden was quite a patient man and did not want to pressure Jasper into anything. I liked how they both were a little lost as to what direction their lives were heading but the more time they spent together the clearer things became. Neither of them were looking for anything permanent, but the more time they spent together I could see the connection getting stronger.

Title: The Belle and the Beard

Author: Kate Canterbary

Series: The Santillian Triplets #3

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: April 23, 2021

Jasper-Anne Cleary’s guide to salvaging your life when you find yourself publicly humiliated, out of work, and unemployable at 35—not to mention newly single:

1. Run away. Seriously, there’s no shame in disappearing. Go to that rustic old cottage your aunt left you. Look out for the colony of bats and the leaky roof. Oh, and the barrel-chested neighbor with shoulders like the broad side of a barn. Definitely look out for him.

2. Stop wallowing and stay busy. It doesn’t matter whether you know how to bake or fix things around the house. Do it anyway. Dust off your southern hospitality and feed that burly, bearded neighbor some pecan pie.

3. Meet new people. Chat up the grumpy man-bear, pretend to be his girlfriend when his mother puts you two on the spot, agree to go as his date to a big family party. Don’t worry—it’s only temporary.

4. Cry it out. Screwing up your life entitles you to wine, broody-moody music, and uninterrupted sobbing.

5. Get over it all by getting under someone. Count on your fake boyfriend to deliver some very real action between the sheets.

6. Move on. The disappearing act, the cottage, the faux beau—none of it can last forever.

Linden Santillian’s guide to surviving the invasion when a hell-in-heels campaign strategist moves in next door:

1. Do not engage. There is no good reason you should chop her wood, haul her boxes, or pick her apples.

2. Do not accept gifts, especially not the homemade ones. Disconnect the doorbell, toss your phone over a bridge, hide in the basement if you must, but do not eat her pie.

3. Do not introduce her to your friends and family. They’ll favor her over you and never let you forget it.

4. Do not intervene when she’s crying on the back porch. Ignore every desire to fix the entire world for her. By no means should you take her into your arms and memorize her peach-sweet curves.

5. Do not take her to bed, even if it’s just to get her out of your system.

6. Do not, under any circumstances, fall in love with her.

Warning: This hot, modern take on Beauty and the Beast includes a meet-burglary, an immortal cat, a biohazard of a banana bread, a meddling mother, fancy toast, and a temporary fling that starts feeling a little too permanent.

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Review ~ From the Embers by Aly Martinez

From the Embers by Aly Martinez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From the Embers was quite the moving read and it pulled on all my emotions. I was shattered in the beginning, watching the tradegy unfold and what was left afterwards. I loved watching Bree and Eason grow and become stronger together for their young families, despite the tragedy that occurred. Neither was looking for love again, and it was interesting to see it creep up on them.

The twists kept me on the edge of my seat, some I didn’t see coming and I was left in shock, others I could feel brewing and knew it would change their lives forever. It was such a captivating read that I couldn’t put down.

Title: From the Embers

Author: Aly Martinez

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: April 28, 2021

In the aftermath of tragedy, it’s strange the things you remember.
The deafening boom as the house exploded.
The paralyzing fear as I searched for my wife.
The blinding smoke burning my eyes as I carried her out.

But carved into my soul for the rest of my days would be the earth-shattering realization that the woman in my arms wasn’t my wife.

Bree and I were the only survivors—not that either of us were truly living after that night. As a single dad with nowhere else to go, I moved into her guest house. And somehow, through the guilt and grief, we forged an unlikely team.

It took years, but I watched the gradual return of her smile—slow and life-altering. The two of us could sit outside for hours, talking about nothing, and it filled the massive hole in my chest with new life.

I may have carried her out of that fire, but the truth was, Bree saved me.

As we healed, the secrets and lies of the past smoldered in the ashes, threatening to ignite again.

Our love was born from the embers, and together we would go up in flames.

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Review ~ The Blind Date by Lauren Landish

The Blind Date by Lauren Landish
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm all for fun and quirky reads, however this one only ended up being an ok read for me. Each time I put the book down I wasn't keen to pick it up again. I felt it difficult to connect to the characters and I ended up glossing over parts of the story to get to the end.

Title: The Blind Date

Author: Lauren Landish

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: May 10, 2021

A Blind Date? It could be a match made in heaven. Or a total disaster.

I’m Riley Watson, bringing a dash of sunshine here and a drop of positivity there. That’s how I live my life, focusing on the good that’s all around us if we look for it. There’s just one thing missing—Mr. Right.
So I agree to try a new dating app and find my perfect match. The catch? No pictures.

Fun times... until my Blind Date shows up. That can’t be the same man I’ve been talking to all week!

Noah Daniels is my brother’s best friend and we have absolutely nothing in common.
He’s grumpy, I’m sunny.
He’s a workaholic executive, I’m a freelance influencer.
He plans everything, and I go with the flow.
This has to be a horrible joke—or is it?

I shouldn’t want him, but when he touches me, I turn into a mushy pile of hot hunger.
I should tell him to get lost, but when he opens his heart, I can’t turn him away.
And the more I know, the more I want him.

Is the wrong man my Mr. Right after all?

The Blind Date is a full-length steamy romantic comedy. It's a standalone.

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