Audiobook ARC Review: Under Juniper Skies by Claire Cain

Title: Under Juniper Skies    

Author: Claire Cain
 
Buy Link: CLICK HERE

Publisher's Insight:
 
I’m here to start a new life, not fall for the handsome, grumpy single dad sheriff.

When I left my old life for a fresh start in a small mountain town, I didn’t expect to begin the new chapter with a run-in with the hot, growly local sheriff. I’ve had enough of beautiful men setting fire to my life, thanks very much.

While I try to settle in, slim housing options result in me living above said sheriff’s garage. Perfect. I’ll keep my head down and stay out of his way—not easy when we’re living side by side.

He’s suspicious of me and, frankly, rude despite his reputation as a war hero and doting single dad. I can’t reconcile the man I’ve met with the stories I keep hearing around town about how generous and kind he is.

Until he apologizes and changes everything. He still sticks his foot in his mouth, but he’s good-hearted and he’s giving me something I’ve been chasing—a safe place.

I could resist him when he was judging me and needlessly gruff, but I’m not sure I can keep my distance when he’s being more than neighborly. He helps me find my wayward cat, then invites me for cocoa with his daughters, and before I know it I’m seeing past the badge and right to the heart of him.

This fresh start is taking an unexpected turn. After so long living in the smog of my old life, I’m finally breathing deep in these clear mountain skies… until I’m reminded why I ran in the first place.

Review:

My first Claire Cain book and I think I'm hooked. I loved Sam and Grant's chemistry, even when it threatened to blow up and ruin everything right from the start.

I love a small town mountain romance when a strong man can make up for the wrongs he's done, and it's enough to win the heart of the woman he wronged. And I loved the fade to black spice level on this book since sometimes I need a break from the smut I tend to read. And what a great way to palate cleanse. I can't wait to read more by this author.

The tension in this book had me jumping every now and then, and I loved the narrators in this book.

Thank you to Pin Up Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this book.

************ I received this in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and have not been swayed by this fact. I NEVER charge for a review.

Review: Perfectly Yours by Sarah Neeson

Title: Perfectly Yours

Author: Sarah Neeson
 
Buy Link: CLICK HERE

Publisher's Insight:
 

Hemlock Point is Kaylee's refuge—a place to escape her controlling mother, lose herself in her library, and forget the heartbreak she can't seem to shake.

Until Jason walks through her library doors.

Her high school sweetheart is back after four years, claiming he's writing a book about her town. But the longer he stays, the easier it becomes to slip back into old patterns—as if he never left at all.

Except she can't let herself fall again. Not when he's only scheduled to stay six months. And not when she's built a life she loves—one that doesn't include the man who left her behind.

But Jason isn't the same restless traveller who walked away. He's ready to put down roots, and determined to prove he's not leaving again. Now Kaylee has to decide: can she trust the man who once broke her heart, or will fear cost her a second chance at forever?

A second-chance, small-town romance with no third act breakup, a meddling matchmaker, found family, and a little spice.

Review:

I love the second chance romance that Sarah gave us with Jason and Kaylee. Their connection, from the first encounter was evident and you could feel the love that they had for each other. Proof that time never dulls true love.

I’d like to thank the author for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful five 🌟 review!

************ I received this in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and have not been swayed by this fact. I NEVER charge for a review.

Review: No Room for Rivals by MeLisa Ryun

Title: No Room for Rivals

Author: MeLisa Ryun
 
Buy Link: CLICK HERE

Publisher's Insight:
 

Hi. I’m Ivy Ellison—strategic, data-driven, and about to strangle my coworker on camera. Cole Hartwell, company wildcard and my professional rival, is six feet of muscle that screams “trust me, it’ll work”.

My romantic history is a graveyard of being the "second choice." Men don't choose me—they settle. So long ago, I decided to choose my career. I'm one step away from my dream role, and the only thing standing in my way is Cole’s smug, handsome face.

One high-stakes trip.
One career-making campaign.
And one cramped hotel suite not designed for two people who "hate" each other this much.

The assignment? Produce a live-streamed eco-activism singles weekend at the Hotel Bellwether. The celebrity headliner? Blaze Tate, a caffeinated golden retriever with a gazillion followers and zero impulse control. When he cannonballs into the ocean with sea lions, donations pour in. The more he goes off script, the moreCole gains the advantage and I lose my sanity.

Cole treats our rivalry like foreplay and acts like the sleeping arrangements (and my curves) are somehow his problem. He’s determined to prove that winging it wins campaigns, and every viral spike is proving him right. Somewhere between fighting for my career and resisting the urge to shut him up with my mouth, I’m starting to wonder if the biggest risk isn't losing my promotion—but walking away from the one person who might finally choose me first.

Hotel Bellwether, Book 3 of 5, is a standalone that delivers enemies-to-lovers-tension with one bed, forced proximity, competence kink, and a slow burn that absolutely brings the heat. Perfect for fans of Meghan Quinn chaos and Tessa Bailey steam.

Review:

OMG guys, this book has it all. The Ivy & Cole vibes are insane! The animosity, the heat, the passion and the heart stole my breath time and again. Not only did I wake my old man a few times laughing, but there were two times when I cried my little heart out. Any book that can do that is above 5 stars for me!! The forerunner for the best book of 2026!

I’d like to thank the authors and Happily Booked PR for the opportunity to read this book.

************ I received this in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and have not been swayed by this fact. I NEVER charge for a review.

Audiobook Review: 8 Seconds to Fly by Grace McGinty

Title: 8 Seconds to Fly

Author: Grace McGinty
 
Buy Link: CLICK HERE

Publisher's Insight:
 

Tessa May Everett had grown up loving four things in life; bull riding, her father and her best frenemies, Branch and Beau.

But in less than eight seconds, she’d lost all four things and the single most important person in her life.

Four years later, Tessa May is back and ready to reclaim her dreams. She was going to be the first woman to compete on the professional bull riding circuit, and nothing was going to stop her. Not the Boys Club that already held her to a different standard. Not the other riders who looked at her with barely veiled contempt. And certainly not the reappearance of her former crushes and now rivals.

With her best friend Frankie at her side, Tessa May was going to do what she’d dreamed of since she was a little girl; ride rank bulls in front of cheering crowds.

And if she happened to ride a few cowboys on the way? Even better.

Review:

Sweet baby Jesus this book is hot! I love that the polyamorous community was represented as a lifestyle, not an anomaly.

This author brought me into this world with these characters seamlessly. I’m honestly kinda jealous.

The narrators did an exceptional job with this book.

I’d like to thank the author and Pin Up Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book.

************ I received this in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and have not been swayed by this fact. I NEVER charge for a review.

Review: His Perfect Melody by Aria Harding

Title: His Perfect Melody

Author: Aria Harding
 
Buy Link: CLICK HERE

Publisher's Insight:
 
Skylar Levine is supposed to be happy.
She’s weeks away from marrying a man everyone adores—steady, kind, predictable. But the closer she gets to “forever,” the more she can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t the life she’s dreamed of. And when Nathan Lowe, her first love and her best friend’s brother, returns to town in hopes of finding some inspiration for his music score, delicate façade she’s built starts to crack.
Nathan has spent years chasing perfection at a piano bench and coming up short.
Every time he faces his unfinished piece, it leads him back to one truth: his music hasn’t had its heart since Skylar walked away. Now that he’s back in town to try finding that spark that he lost, the notes come easier, but the risk of getting there becomes greater.
Because this time, one wrong move could break both of them for good.
As old sparks ignite and buried emotions resurface, Skylar must decide whether to keep playing it safe or finally listen to the part of her that’s still his. But trusting Nathan again means confronting the fear that’s haunted her for years—the fear that love, no matter how true it may be, might hurt more the second time around.
Especially when he was the one who broke it first.

Review:

This book was deeper that I anticipated. Which is a really good thing. I enjoyed getting to know them, but found that the FMC took a long time to pull herself out of her mini pity party. Yes, Skylar, Nathan did leave, but he's here now. Quit beating around the bush and just love him already. I wanted to crawl into Nathan's back pocket and let him take me home and teach me piano though.

This book got 3.5 stars in my opinion, but I rounded up because I loved Nathan so much.

I'd like to thank Happily Booked PR for the opportunity to read this book.


************ I received this in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and have not been swayed by this fact. I NEVER charge for a review.

Review: The Love Startup by MeLisa Ryun

Title: The Love Startup

Author: MeLisa Ryun
 
Buy Link: CLICK HERE

Publisher's Insight:
 

Love is a bug in the system.

I'm Maddie Denton—girl boss coder, full-time trash-talker, and proud member of the "No Thanks, I’ll Die Alone" club. Society says because I have a hoo-ha, I should want a man more than building my dream company. I say: eat my Wi-Fi.

My sisters think I’m stuck in arrested development, but my best friend and co-founder Zack likes me just the way I am—foul-mouthed, hoodie-wearing chaos goblin and all.

We’re this close to securing that sweet investor cash for LoveScore—our baby, our legacy, our shot at hitting the bigtime. All we have to do is add "intimate physical data" to the app… in six weeks.

Our solution? Gather that spicy data ourselves by fake-dating, proving that geeks never grow up—we just fake it better than everyone.

I'm Zack, and today I learned I'm both desperate and stupid.

I’ve agreed to fake-date Maddie—my business partner and the girl I’ve never stopped wanting.

Which means… Role-playing. Fake kissing. Cosplaying with her as my fantasy girlfriend.

Pretending my longtime secret crush is finally mine? Easiest acting job of my life. But every fake touch, every "just for research" act of desire, short-circuits my common sense—and fries whatever's left of my self-control.

If I slip up, I don’t just lose the company. I lose her.

The Love Startup is a filthy, dirty-minded, laugh-out-loud friends-to-lovers workplace romcom about two geeks fake-dating their way into real love—and real trouble. Perfect for fans of high-spice Meghan Quinn mayhem, steamy role-play, he-falls-first pining, and ambitious heroines who have zero chill.

Review:

Maddie and Zach are the best of friends, until they aren't. Can their friendship survive the growing pains of their business or will growing pains be the least of their worries.

While I liked this book a lot... hello, it's MeLisa Ryun! Come on! But honestly, I loved seeing the two of these characters growing and interacting with the secondary characters of the book. My only problem was I think the fake dating trope went on just a tad bit too long and it started shifting my focus towards the end of the book

I'd like to thank the author and Happily Booked PR for the opportunity to read this book.

************ I received this in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and have not been swayed by this fact. I NEVER charge for a review.

Review: Healing Together by Dani Elias

Title: Healing Together

Author: Dani Elias
 
Buy Link: CLICK HERE

Publisher's Insight:
 
Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is let someone see you properly.

Alex
I know my reputation. Charming, a bit too confident, happier flirting than settling. It used to suit me. Then Emma turns up in Fellside with her soft curves, cautious smile and a habit of underestimating herself, and suddenly I am tripping over my own clever lines. She brings out the part of me that actually wants to try. I tease because it makes her blush. I stay close because she relaxes when I am around. And the more time I spend with her, the more certain I am that I would move mountains to keep her safe.

Emma
Most of my life I have been surrounded by people who made me feel slightly wrong, slightly too much or not quite enough. Moving to Fellside is my attempt to finally breathe without waiting for someone to tell me I am doing it badly. I expected peace. I did not expect Alex. He is confident and irritatingly charming, the kind of man who sees straight through my awkwardness. Even worse, he actually seems to like the body I have been taught to apologise for. I don’t know what he sees in me, but every time he smiles, I want to believe in it. I want to believe in him.

A blossoming romance, a village that refuses to mind its own business, and a moment on the fells that will test everything they are building. Healing takes time, but sometimes the right person walking beside you makes all the difference.

This is a re-edited and refreshed edition of the steamy small town story previously published as Blossom with Me, Book One in the Fellside Mountain Rescue series. The series has been lovingly revisited with polished writing, added depth, and a few updated story beats. Set in the north of England and written in British English.

Review:

If you are a fan of Fellside, then you need to pick Healing Together up immediately. I have read all of the Fellside books and Miss Elias has made this book so much better. You can actually feel the heart and soul that have gone into this book since she has initially released them. Kudos to you, Miss Elias. Thank you for giving us such a wonderful rewrite of your own story.

I'd like to thank Happily Booked PR and Dani Elias for the opportunity to read this book.

************ I received this in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and have not been swayed by this fact. I NEVER charge for a review.