Release Blitz & Review - MERRY EXES by L.B. Dunbar

But when emotions get a little too real, love might be the best gift to give this year.

Merry eXes, the all-new single dad, fake dating holiday romance by bestselling author L.B. Dunbar is Available Now!

Fake dating turns into a holiday fling until feelings get in the way and hearts suggest taking this something-new into the next year.

Last Christmas, Noelle’s boyfriend broke up with her when she thought he was going to propose.

Last Christmas, Dane’s wife asked him for a divorce, leaving this firefighter a single father to his precious twin six-year-olds.

This year, the honor of Dane Winter and Noelle Darling’s presence has been requested at the wedding of their exes . . . to each other.

With a hotel mishap, only one bed, and a weather snafu, two lonely exes make the most out of the holiday season by fake-dating each other as wedding guests and enjoying peppermint-spice worthy time when alone.

It’s only for the weekend, right?

But when emotions get a little too real, love might be the best gift to give this year.

Release Blitz & Review - CLAIM by Tia Louise

CLAIM by Tia Louise is now live!

Austin Sinclair was always my forever. Even before our parents got married.

He was my handsome prince, my future husband, and my happily ever after from the day he arrived in our hometown with his mom, a scared preteen boy running from a bad dad. Those are the facts, and they don’t change just because our parents got married the year he left for college…

From the time I was a kid, football was my escape, my chance to be something better.

Coach Jack Bradford was my idol, the man who could open doors for me.

I never thought seriously about his daughter.

She was the little girl who rode me piggyback and told everyone I was her handsome prince, and we were going to live happily ever after. Every. Single. Day.

It was little-girl make-believe.

Now I’m back home, a football star, a single dad, and a widower.

I’ve achieved everything I set out to accomplish. Being the new head coach at my old high school is icing on the cake. I wanted to be Coach Jack, and on paper, I am.

The only thing missing is love.

But I find something more at home—a girl I can talk to, who knows me better than anyone.

She takes care of my daughter, who loves her instantly. She never stops telling me I’m worthy, I’m good. Then when I see her in that white bikini, I realize she’s right…

She’s not a little girl anymore.

But I’m eight years older than she is. I’m her stepbrother.

I have no right to want her this way.

Until another man tries to take her, and I realize it’s too late.

Kim Bradford is my queen. I claim her, and nothing is going to steal our happily ever after.

(CLAIM is a small-town, single-dad, age-gap, “will they or won’t they” football romance. It’s packed with yearning, angst, found-family, spice, and so much love. No cheating, no cliffhanger, no third act breakup, and a guaranteed HEA.)

Release Blitz & Review - RIPPING THE ODDS by C.B. Noy

RIPPING THE ODDS

C.B. Noy

Release Date: October 27

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

Getting kidnapped and losing my leg wasn’t part of the plan. Neither was falling for my boss, a member of the Russian Bratva.

He saved me, in more ways than one.

Zakhar Vlaschenko.

Six-feet, six-inches of raw masculinity. He was beautiful, built, and broody. Exactly my type. I had no idea he felt the same about me as I did him until I was lying in a hospital bed after he saved me from death’s door.

My independence was shattered in the blink of an eye. Being an amputee, even the simplest activities were a struggle. They called it my new normal. My new hell was more like it.

No matter how hard I tried to push him away, Zak stayed by my side. He erased all my fears with a single look, and promised me the future I always dreamed of.

But a life with him didn’t come without danger. His enemies were ruthless. They wanted to destroy everything he cared about.

His brothers.

His business.

Me.

With our love on the line, I had to make a choice. Leave my heart behind, or go all in.

Grab your copy!

https://link.amazon/B0dNlCX5G

4.5 Stars

This is a grand start to a new series. A little bit of a different direction than the author has written in the past but still full of suspense, wonderful characters you can relate to, boat loads of emotions as the rebuilding begins.

Pru and Zak have kept things professional since she started working for him, though it is plain to see there is an attraction there. Zak has worked so hard to bring his leg of the Bratva into a legitimate business since the loss of his parents. With the help of his found brothers the Kings.

When Pru becomes the target, though he has tried to keep her importance to a minimal to outside eyes, all bets are off. Finding her and getting her home safely is all that matters.

Watching the big bad Bratva lord being soft and gentle. Letting Pru lead her journey and being their to support not steamroll is sigh worthy. As their relationship grows, they work to keep her safe while tracking the threat.

The banter between the brothers and Pru's sister help to keep the story moving along and pull the reader in. I am excited for the next installment.

*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***

 

Meet C.B. Noy:

C.B.Noy was born and raised in Northern Maryland and decided it was a great place to raise a family. She and her husband live ten minutes from the house she grew up in with the two youngest of their five kids. Rounding out the family are their two dogs and two cats. For nine years, she was a nurse in the ICU and then transitioned to home health nursing five years ago. She is an avid reader of romance and had an idea for a book one weekend. With the help of some seriously awesome and amazing friends, and the support of her family, she turned a dream into a reality.

To find out about C.B. Noy’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here

For more information on C.B. Noy and her books visit: https://www.authorcbnoy.com/

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Release Blitz & Review - BELIEVE IN US by J.H. Croix

BELIEVE IN US

J.H. Croix

Release Date: October 22

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

A deeply betrayed heroine starting over. A brooding small-town Alaska firefighter, and two guarded hearts.

When I discovered my ex was cheating with my best friend, it felt like I lost everything in a day. Months later, I packed up the broken pieces of my life and fled to Willow Brook, taking a job at the remote Heartfire Falls Resort. I came to the Alaskan wilderness for a fresh start.

When Lincoln Silver walks into my office, I take in his tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed presence and tell my pulse to chill out. The Silver family owns the resort, so technically I work for Lincoln. Minor detail.

He's a rugged hotshot firefighter whose family owns the resort, and he carries his own grief. He’s the kind of man who never fails to show up and never fails to protect.

We are both haunted by our pasts, bumping into each other in the dark hours of the night when sleep refuses to come. When he catches me spiraling over the betrayal I left behind, he protects me. I swore I'd never want anything from anyone again, but as our shared midnights turn into a burning attraction, this devoted hero is determined to prove that some risks are worth it.

Perfect for readers who love slow burn romance with forced proximity tension, deeply emotional hurt/comfort, and a love story set against the rugged beauty of the Alaskan wilderness.

Release Blitz & Review - THE BOYFRIEND ALGORITHM by Kendall Ryan

The Boyfriend Algorithm

Kendall Ryan

A sexy, feel-good rom-com from New York Times bestselling author Kendall Ryan about the world's most advanced boyfriend—and the one woman he never saw coming.

Ruby Hart’s life is falling apart.

Her bakery is barely staying afloat, her ex just got engaged, and her mother won’t stop sending her dating profiles. The last thing Ruby needs is another problem.

Then a man crashes through her window.

A very confused man.

A very handsome man.

A very naked man.

He has no belly button, no memories, and he might not be entirely... human. According to the control panel hidden beneath his ribs, he’s one of the decommissioned companion synths—obsolete artificial humans with superior intelligence, questionable social skills, and absolutely no understanding of personal boundaries.

Aiden doesn’t understand sarcasm, doesn’t know why he’s not allowed to watch Ruby sleep, and can’t explain why his systems reroute every time she walks into a room. But he’s willing to learn—especially the part where he pretends to be her boyfriend for one weekend.

One wedding. One fake relationship. One synthetic man who’s becoming a little less machine every day. Protective. Possessive. Loyal. And increasingly impossible to resist.

The Boyfriend Algorithm is a funny, heartfelt rom-com with a devoted artificial hero, very real chemistry, found family, and a love story worth rewriting the rules for.Fake datingHe falls first (and hard)Socially clueless heroLearning to be humanObsessed with herForced proximitySpice, banter, and heart.

Excerpt Reveal - SMASH by Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

 

Title: Smash

Authors: Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Forbidden Romance

Release Date: October 25, 2026

Take a sneak peek at SMASH

You know you want to...

Copyright © 2026 by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland

There was a beat of silence. For some reason I continued to stand there. Rafe looked at me for a few more seconds, like he was deciding something. Then he lifted his chin, gesturing toward the hallway. “You just got back from a run?”

I nodded. “First one since I left Montana.”

“How was it?”

“Definitely different. There are so many people out on the streets.”

He smiled. “There’s an art to dodging the slow walkers and people glued to their phone. You’ll pick it up.”

“I’m guessing I’ll also learn to stop apologizing to people I cut around. I think I said ‘I’m sorry’ a hundred times on an hour-long run.”

“Dead giveaway you’re from out of town.”

I laughed. “That and the fact that I’m wearing purple. What is it with everyone wearing black in New York? Especially women. They’re all in black pants, black leggings, black tops, black coats, black purses...”

His eyes flicked over me again—this time I definitely didn’t imagine it. “I like that you wear color.”

My stomach did a small, traitorous flip. “Thanks.”

Another pause stretched between us, this one charged in a way I couldn’t quite explain. Then Rafe walked to the table and grabbed his shirt, pulling it on. It made me wonder if he’d caught himself looking at me and felt wrong—exactly the way watching him felt for me.

“I, uh, I’m sorry Calder and I didn’t make it to your girlfriend’s show the other day.”

Rafe smiled. “Not my girlfriend and not a big deal.”

“How was it?”

“Good. I like plays better than musicals, but it was fun watching someone I know become someone else onstage.”

Maybe that’s why it sometimes felt like he was watching me—because being around him turned me into someone else. Or maybe this was the real me. I wasn’t sure who the hell I was anymore.

“Any good plans for the week?” he asked. “You start your new job soon, right?”

I nodded. “The Monday after next. I’m planning to hit a different museum each day as I count down.”

“Nice. I love museums. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with dinosaurs. I used to beg my babysitter to take me to the Museum of Natural History. I’ve probably been there fifty times over the years. It’s still one of my top two favorites.”

“What’s the other one?”

“It’s called the Noguchi.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

Release Blitz & Review - CARVED IN THE SHADOWS by A.L. Jackson

Carved in the Shadows by A.L. Jackson is now live!

It was a terrible idea to agree to move in with my best friend’s little sister…

She is everything I’ve ever wanted and the one thing I can’t have.

As our motorcycle club’s Vice President, I’m charged with her protection.

Touching her would be a penalty subject to death.

When she demands the chance to spread her wings, it’s my duty to go with her.

I knew staying at her new apartment would be excruciating.

Listening to her in her room and imagining her under the fall of the shower.

But when she asks me to crawl into bed with her so she won’t feel so alone, there’s nothing I can do.

One brush of her hand and I’m crumbling.

One crook of those fingers and I’m trapped.

One reckless night and there’s no going back.

Only with the lives we lead, our enemies are never far away, and as she begins to receive threats, I’m in a race to end the threat before it’s too late.

Soon, our secrets unravel, and I’m faced with the consequence of loving her.

But I promised her everything, and I’m willing to offer the greatest sacrifice.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Audiobook Narrated by: Austin Stone & Andi Arndt

Visit A.L. Jackson’s website for buy links, or search Carved in the Shadows by A.L. Jackson on Amazon, Audible, and your retailer of choice for paperbacks.

https://aljacksonauthor.com/

Don’t forget to add Carved in the Shadows by A.L. Jackson to your Goodreads TBR!

The deluxe print edition features sprayed edges with stenciled artwork, custom endpapers and interior artwork.

Check out A.L. Jackson’s release giveaway!

4 Stars

This is the second book in the Crimson Crows series and though it could be read as a standalone, I really feel that the books should be read in sequence for the best experience. Full to the brim with emotions, angst, push and pull of wanting and feeling you can't have, fear but a very strong need to live and have everything.

Elena has been given the go to move out of the compound and start her store. It has been a fight with her big brother, the president of the Crimson Crows. And for reason as he can't keep her safe like he can on the compound. But he also sees that she needs this chance to be her own person. She feels like she has just about everything. The one thing missing is the love from Trevan that she really wants.

Determined to keep his oath and look out for the Crows and his found family, Trevan is tasked with protecting Elena from the outside world. The one problem is the close proximity is making it hard for him to keep where he should be. He can't have the one thing he wants so bad. 

Will Trevan cross the line? Can they both have what they really want? Or will it all blow up?

Grab your copy and find out.

*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***