Romance Wrap-up January 2026

The Cuddle Clause - Roxie Ray 

This was such a cute and fun read. I absolutely loved our MCs and how they fit together. Ray does a great job of really capturing that awkward new roommate time where you are learning about each other's quirks and living pattern.  When it came to the wolf shifter stuff, this almost felt like book 2 in a series because it seemed like the reader should already be in the loop.  We did have our FMC to act as sort of a reader stand-in for things to be explained to, so that was nice. The miscommunication/no-communication trope got a little old for me by the end, but the way the ending wrapped everything up so nicely really helped bring everything together.

Tropes: Roommates, Paranormal (Wolf Shifter), Fake Dating

Standalone 

And Now, Back to You - B.K. Borison

B.K. Borison is an insta-read/insta-buy author for me and I was thrilled that this read stood up to my high expectations.  I loved both of our MCs and how their quirks worked together so well.  It was like I could feel the chemistry crackling off the page even when they were just lightly flirting.  I really enjoyed that we got to see them as coworkers and the snowed-in trope at the same time since they are weather reporters - it was such a fun element and one that I never thought about before. We also get a great supporting cast and I loved that both MCs had different family structures that were present on page and informed their decisions. It all felt very realistic and helped ground the story.

Tropes: Coworkers, Opposites Attract, Only One Bed, Snowed In Together

 

Series: Heartstrings #2

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the ARC.  Expected publication date is February 24, 2026.

Dom-Com - Adriana Anders

While I'm no stranger to kinky/BDSM romances I think Anders does a great job of introducing the topics/nuances to readers who might not be as versed in those topics.  In this case, our FMC is visiting a kink club for the first time so the reader gets to learn along side our FMC. I really loved how our MCs had that sort of instant connection and meshing of their likes/dislikes that really made their relationship feel inevitable. I loved the banter and flirting during the work day together and how that ignited the spark that both of them were trying to ignore. I did feel like our MMC was a little less developed than our FMC and that led to him feeling stiff and flat in a way that made the third act of this read a little choppy. I wanted more of a gradual realization of his feelings and instead it felt more like he just flipped a switch during the third act breakup but we didn't really get to see that growth. 

Tropes: BDSM, Co-Workers, 

Standalone 

 

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the ARC.  Publication date was January 27, 2026 

Mountain Daddy - S.J. Tilly

I've said it before - age gap romances can be a bit of a hit or miss for me - but this one was a big hit. I think Tilly does a fantastic job of really showing us the connection between these characters and how they work together despite their age difference.  I really loved how we got to see our MCs interact before they realized who the other was.  This, again, helped lay the foundation for their relationship and got it out of the (for me) creepy zone of dad's friend lusting after his daughter. I know some readers love that sort of melodrama or angst but that's not my thing. I also really liked the sort of rom-com elements when they kept trying to find time to spend together and would end up running into someone or having their plans interrupted at the last minute. 

Tropes: Age Gap, Dad's Best Friend, One Night Stand, Small Town, Forbidden

Series: Mountain Men #2

Wish I May - Hannah Murray

This was a really fun read and I'm excited to read on in the series.  After reading this, I was surprised at how long it actually was (308 pages) because it read much more like a novella. We are sort of thrown into the story after our 3 MCs have already met and, we are told, have been interacting here and there before the big renovation project gets underway.  I wanted to see more of the build up and more of those first interactions instead of being basically told where we were starting off.  I think Murray does a great job of balancing the 3 POVs and I really enjoyed seeing how all of the different characters really felt about the flirting (and then more) that was going on. Once our three got together, it was a lot of fun as well and I think the discussions around the reality of being in a poly relationship were handled in a realistic way without taking me out of the book.

Tropes: MMF, polyamorous, small town

 

Series: Three Wishes #1

Thanks to the author for the ARC.  Publication date was January 20, 2026. 

Ranger - Onley James

Another great read in this series.  We got to see our MCs interact in the previous book a little, so we had some ground work already laid for the reader.  I really liked that James didn't take the more obvious plot route by having our MCs start engaging in a BDSM/sex only relationship and then develop feelings from there.  Instead, we see them develop their relationship from the ground up and work through their own personal hang-ups first. And as usual, we get to see some of the characters from the previous books/series and have a good ol' fashioned murder party by the end.

Tropes: MM, BDSM, Age Gap, Boss/Employee

 

Series: Jericho's Boys #4

 

 

 Vows We Never Made - Nicole Snow

 

 I was in the mood for a marriage of convenience book and this sounded exactly like what I wanted.  Unfortunately, it didn't quite work for me mostly due to how absolutely miserable I found our MMC to be.  I love a tortured, reformed, bad boy as much as the next reader but there was something about him that I just wanted our FMC to leave him so he could just be alone in his misery.  Even the adorable dog in the story couldn't redeem him (in a way, I found he was nicer to the dog than our FMC). I really liked the set up and the first half of the book but every time he started to show that he was changing, he would backslide so far that I really wanted him to not get any more second chances.  By the end, I was expecting a big grovel scene, but we don't really even get that.  I could see glimpses of redeemable qualities throughout the book, but they never felt like they were building up to anything substantial. I absolutely love Snow's romantic suspense books and I think she writes great over-protective, alphahole type characters but maybe her more contemporary works aren't for me.

Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Enemies to Lovers, 

 

Series: The Blackthorn Inheritance #1

Latte Darling - S.J. Tilly

 

As mentioned above, I can be picky about my age gap romances, but Tilly really seems to write exactly what I like and this was no exception. We get to have the little bit of angst from our MMC being the dad of our FMC's date, but without the overly dramatic fallout of if it was an ex-boyfriend. Another aspect of Tilly's books that I often really love is the sort of instant acceptance that this is their person - not exactly in an insta-love sort of way, but in a quieter 'yep, he/she is the one for me' kind of way.  This was probably the most fun and fluffy age gap romance I've read in a while.  

Tropes: Age Gap, Grumpy/Sunshine

 Series: Darling #2

We Were Never Friends - Kaira Rouda

 "Meet the sorority sisters of Theta Gamma

Roxy Callahan Gentry, the ruthless former sorority president and current hostess who has painstakingly choreographed every detail of this weekend—even matching the cocktails to her couture—to prove that she remains their undisputed queen Amelia Dell, the widow drenched in old money and alcohol, with her big pot-stirring spoon and uninvited boy-toy in tow. Jamie Vale, the double-legacy pledge, straight-A student with no sparkle, now a top cardiologist with a picture-perfect family—and a well-guarded bad habit. Beth Harrison, the scholarship student who never quite fit in and was only admitted because her best friend Sunny insisted that the two were a package deal. Sunny Spencer, the carefree and beloved friend to all, or so it seemed—until she wasn't. They've been summoned to Roxy's luxurious Palm Springs vacation home to celebrate the engagement of her son to Beth's daughter. But the refurbished 1920s estate is eerily reminiscent of the hotel where tragedy struck during Spring Break twenty-five years ago. Long-simmering tensions and shocking secrets begin bubbling to the surface like bodies—because while the weekend was supposed to be about celebrating the future, it's not so easy to bury the past…"

What Worked for Me:

The frenemies vibes were fantastic and I loved that this was multi-POV so we got to see how the different characters really felt about each other - both in the past and the current day. There is some great moments of tension where characters have to choose if they want to confront someone or stay quiet and keep the peace. There are so many  'unspoken' moments where the characters allude to something or make a small comment that doesn't mean much unless you are in the know. 

The isolated setting really helped ramp up the tension combined with the fact that it brought back memories for all of our characters. I really think Rouda captured the desert's dangerous beauty perfectly and then when the danger starts ramping up in the third act, we really see the desert come to life.  Snowy settings seem to be the go-to for isolating characters, but I really enjoyed seeing that dynamic but in a warmer setting.

What Didn't Work for Me: 

My biggest gripe with the story is a little hard to explain without spoilers, but there is an alternate universe where this book is much more of a psychological thriller that I think I would have enjoyed more. This could have been achieved by leaving some details about what happened in the past more vague - then the parts of the story that were related to those past details would be a little more up to interpretation and maybe we could have seen different ideas of what happened in the past from the different POVs.  As it currently reads, anytime there was even a hint of something mysterious in regards to past evens, all of the characters pretty much immediately dismiss it as being impossible because the events of the past aren't in question - all the characters know the final outcome.  

This might fall under a 'me' problem, but I didn't really understand the pull to get together after so many years of being apart.  It didn't really seem like the sorority sisters stayed in touch very much, if at all, but they still all showed up.  I think the character motivation was a little underdeveloped for my taste because as the narrative progressed, I just kept thinking "why did they show up at all?" I liked the frenemies vibes, but I think they could have been even more pronounced if we had an idea of how involved they all were in each others lives still. I wasn't in a sorority, so maybe I'm just not fully understanding the dynamic at play here.

Overall, this was a fine read.  It didn't have as much tension or psychological elements as I was expecting, but I still enjoyed the frenemies aspect.  

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC.  Expected publication date is February 3, 2026. 

The Storm - Rachel Hawkins

 

 

"St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.

When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard’s Bay on the map, she’s less interested in solving a whodunnit than in how a successful true crime book might help the struggling inn’s bottom line. But to her surprise, August Fletcher doesn’t come to St. Medard’s Bay alone. With him is none other than Lo Bailey herself. Lo says she’s returned to her hometown to clear her name once and for all, but the closer Geneva gets to both Lo and August, the more she wonders if Lo is actually back to settle old scores.

As the summer heats up and another monster storm begins twisting its way towards St. Medard’s Bay, Geneva learns that some people can be just as destructive—and as deadly—as any hurricane, and that the truth of what happened to Landon Fitzroy may not be the only secret Lo is keeping…"

What Worked for Me:

I loved the dual timeline and how it was used to fill the reader in on details so we could better understand the gravity of the situation and what happened back then. I also found the story in both timelines to be equally interesting so I didn't mind when we moved between the past and present. 

The setting was impeccable and used to the full advantage of the plot. I loved the drama of the impending storm along with the history of the town and how many storms it had survived in the past.  There was an appropriate reverence for the power of the weather that really came through.  Despite reading this in January in Pennsylvania, I could really feel the sticky heat and humidity coming off the pages. 

Despite my feelings below in regards to the stakes of the book, I did feel like the reveals were really well done and intriguing.  There were a few reveals that got an audible gasp out of me when I read them, which doesn't often happen. 

What Didn't Work For Me:

I didn't quite get enough 'so what' for my liking.  I wanted there to be more at stake for our characters or for the town.  As it stands now, it felt more like small town gossip that didn't have any real impact.  I think if there was some sort of bigger threat looming - maybe the case being reopened, maybe a big anniversary coming up, maybe the people who live there protesting and could become violent. I think the True Crime aspect was really under-utilized and could have been an easy way to get some extra weight and depth to the story. 

 Because of the lack of stakes, it almost didn't feel like a mystery book at all - like the characters weren't actively trying to solve the mystery of what happened all those years ago.  It felt more like I was along for the ride and the book was more just showing me scenes from these character's lives rather than me watching the characters trying to work toward a goal.  I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened in the past but it would have been nice to have some characters along for the ride with me on that journey. 

Overall, I enjoyed this read - I wish there were more obvious stakes and drama but I loved the dual timeline, setting, and reveals. 

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC.  Publication date was January 6, 2026.  

Romance Wrap-Up December 2025

 He Sees You When You're Sleeping - Alta Hensley

I'm pretty sure anyone remotely looking for holiday romances this year has seen a video/TikTok/Reel/etc about this book.  I love me a good unhinged romance every now and again and this read did not disappoint in that area.  We get sort of thrown into the plot without much backstory about our two characters and why the MMC is stalking our FMC.  We do find out later and I wasn't a big fan of this reveal or how some side characters treated this information - it was sort of like the reason given was made to soften our MMC and make him not seem like such a big red flag but it didn't really work for me. I do think Hensley did a great job of building these characters up so they could have a sort of 'your crazy matches my crazy' romance and I think it was really fun in that regard.  I do love the little bit of suspense we got as well in regards to these secret lives being revealed.  I'll probably pick up the next book in the series during the next holiday season.

Tropes: Dark Romance, Stalker, Kinky, Firefighter MMC

Series: Naughty or Nice #1

 

Chilled and Thrilled - Cleo White

As many age gap romances as I read, I do have some pretty specific guidelines I like to stick to.  I generally don't like age gap romances where the characters have known each other since the younger one was under-aged, only to 'suddenly realize' they were perfect once they're barely 18.  Even more so when a daughter/son is involved.  In this case, I really enjoyed that our MCs don't meet until the youngest is in college and it sounds like they didn't have a ton of interaction until our FMC came to work at MMC's company.  I think this read more like a boss/employee romance first with the daughter's best friend angle not really pushed until later.  I think these touchy tropes were handled well and I didn't really find myself icked out at any point.  White did an excellent job of really showing the reader how much both MCs liked the other as a person which helped keep the creep factor low.

Tropes: Boss/Employee, Age Gap, Best Friend's Dad

Series: Daddy Issues #1

You Make it Feel Like Christmas - Sophie Sullivan 

Sophie Sullivan books are always solid comfort reads for me.  I really enjoy her style of character development and the couples in the books always give off the feeling that they were inevitable which gives me the warm and fuzzies.  I think the fun and games element was handled well with just enough family games/competitions to see different personalities and dynamics, but it didn't feel overly-chaotic or overblown. I do wish we could have seen the one night stand or maybe the morning after first hand because I did have a bit of an odd time trying to pin down the characters and their feelings about those events.  We do, eventually, get details but I think it would have been more impactful for me if we saw that up front.  I loved that there was no real third act breakup - but instead was some realistic challenges that they had to work through.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC.  Publication date was September 23, 2025

Tropes: Small Town, Second Chance, One Night Stand, Sports (Hockey)

Standalone

 

A Heart for Christmas - Sophie Jomain

This was an early Christmas gift from my sister - which is 100% the only reason I picked it up and finished it.  I haven't read YA romance since I was in college and while I'm not opposed, it just isn't something I'm reading for any more.  That being said, when I saw this was a YA romance, I was still excited to read it given the 24 chapters/Advent read layout.  The plot seemed pretty straightforward based on the synopsis on the book - best friend's brother, small ski town, our FMC finding herself after a health scare - all perfectly fine in theory.  However, this was probably the worst written book I've read in a long time - plot, characters, and actual writing were all super low quality.  It honestly had me wondering, at times, if an editor had looked at this at all.  It was published by a big publisher, so it must have, but goodness it was rough. From a little looking around on Goodreads, it seems Jomain writes primarily in French but this was an English book with no notes of a translator so I assume she's bilingual but I don't think that excuses the amount of poor writing (and goodness, the amount of exclamation points was absolutely unhinged!).  I think a lot of the plot issues I had were to do with the very short amount of pages we actually had to get through the story so that I blame more on the publisher than the author.  I did finish the read as it was a pretty fun gimmick to 'unseal' and read a chapter a night before bed, but I absolutely do not recommend this book. 

Tropes: YA, Best Friend's Brother, Small Town

Standalone

 

Good Spirits - B.K. Borison

This is, for me, the absolute perfect Christmas romance.  I loved everything about this from start to finish and the amount of Christmas magic was spot on.  There are romances that take place during Christmas, but this one went a step above and truly captured that special, sparkly, holiday feelings.  Our MCs are well rounded and their slow burn coming to terms with their feelings was delectable. I'm excited that this is the start of a new series because the supernatural world Borison introduced us to deserves a whole pile of books exploring the different entities. 

Tropes: Paranormal, Fated Mates, Grumpy/Sunshine

Series: Ghosted #1

 

The Bright Side of Christmas - Morgan Elizabeth

Every year, I pick at least one cutesy, small town romance and this was the pick for this year.  I think Christmas romances always fit those tropes so well that finding good examples of those tropes can sometimes be a bit of trouble.  I wanted  a good amount of characters, good world building, but without characters or plot elements feeling overly cliche.  This book starts with our FMC being absolutely OBSESSED with Christmas to the point where I was initially worried she would come across more like a caricature than a real person.  However, that sort of characterization quickly settled down and we got to see her as a well-rounded character.  The opposites attract elements were fantastic and I really enjoyed that we got to see early on just how much these two were attracted to each other.  I also found the main conflict to be very realistic given their dynamic and personalities.

Tropes: Small Town, Grumpy/Sunshine, People Pleaser FMC, Fame (Songwriter)

Series: Holly Ridge #1

 

Scrooged for the Holidays - Kayla Grosse

I didn't think I needed 'A Christmas Carol but make it smutty and kinky' but I stand corrected.  Grosse does a great job of really building out the world and the details on how her version of the three Christmas ghosts work.  I loved that our FMC was a true scrooge, down to the evicting people during the holidays and saying some absolutely horrible things.  That being said, she wasn't too far gone so her eventual change into a nice person didn't feel unreasonable.  We got a good mix of seeing the different relationship dynamics between all the characters and I loved that we got all 4 POVs. 

Tropes: MMMF, Paranormal, Scrooge FMC

Standalone

 

Elf Against the Wall - Alina Jacobs

I was pleased that book 2 in this series was just as unhinged as book 1 was - which I very much enjoyed.  If you enjoyed book 1, then you should absolutely pick up book 2 as well. They are so similar, I had to go back and check that we are following a different family this time around.  It did feel very copy+paste - our FMC is a huge doormat for her absolutely horrible family, our MMC doesn't seem to care about anything anyone thinks and says the most unhinged things, the two end up fake dating for plot reasons and eventually everything works out.  I'll absolutely continue on in the series next holiday season, and it looks like book 3 might be a little different and not so similar to books 1 and 2.

Tropes: Fake Dating, Bad Boy MMC, Revenge Plot, Awful Family

Series: The Wynter Brothers #2